If you missed Part I, check it HERE 17) After freshman wrestling season ended I joined Apollon Gym, which is the gym I share a parking lot with today! I trained 6 - 7 days a week, for a minimum of 2 hrs a day. Often times on weekends, my parents would drop me off in the morning to train while they went food shopping, ran errands, went to the mall, etc. It wasn't odd for me to be at the gym 4 - 6 hrs on weekends. I just kept on training till they picked me up :) 18) My subscription to FLEX … [Read more...]
Lessons From Golden Era Bodyweight Bodybuilding Workouts & Marvin Eder
This post was inspired from my time spent reading the old books of bodybuilding where the greats from the 50s, 60s and 70s spoke often about all the high rep bodyweight training they did. Hundreds of sit ups and crunches every training session. 100 Pull Ups on back day / back workouts. 100 Push Ups for the warm up. These men from back in the day had physiques that were carved from stone. They had what many call today as "functional strength". Many of these men worked manual labor jobs by … [Read more...]
Power-Bodybuilding Workouts
Above, Roger Estep - 1 of the Pioneers of The Power - Bodybuilding Method ___________________ After laying low on training the past month, going minimalist style with low volume & frequency plus chowing down on lots of food lately, I'm gonna put good use to these calories. I felt my body was needing a break coupled with a super hectic work schedule, listening to my body is crucial to staying healthy. My appetite is finally back and my motivation is that of a run away freight train. I … [Read more...]
STRONG Life Forever: 3 Lessons to Lift & Learn More
After training for so many years (decades) since 1989, there is one thing about me that will simply NEVER die. I'm ALL about the iron. It doesn't matter what shape or size the weights are, I don't discriminate, I just love to lift. I get better with age, and the reason being is because I ALWAYS Lift and I ALWAYS Learn. I have found MANY people are simply close minded. They don't want to learn. They always respond, But this is how I've / we've always done _________ (fill in the … [Read more...]
Days of Thunder Bodybuilding…..
It was September of 1994. I was training at a now defunct gym, it was legit "hardcore", called Dynamic Fitness. Such a shame that it had to end, but it did. I'll never forget that gym. It shaped me and inspired me for a lifetime..... My friend and aspiring pro bodybuilder was there catching a workout and I told him of my plans to compete in a bodybuilding show for 1995. He said "Train with me, I'm doing the Jersey in April and we can train together". I was psyched! Andy was a freak. He was … [Read more...]
Underground Strength Show # 10 – Back to my Old Stomping Grounds
It's been a while, but what a breath of fresh air to see a REAL gym surviving and killing it. Check it out... I'm keeping my gym serious, DEAD SERIOUS! Cry babies, whiners, annoying parents, quitters, no shows - I hate that shit. Who's with me?!?!?! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. --Coach Z-- P.S. - I want DEAD SERIOUS applicants for my upcoming Underground Strength Coach Certification on November 1st and 2nd. If you're not 1,000,000 % serious, don't even try. If you are ready … [Read more...]
Endless Lessons Learned from The Underground aka “Old School” Bodybuilding & Strength Training Methods
In the 50s and 60s, strength sports were a small "Underground" cult. Even in the 70s. Until Arnold hit the big screen, bodybuilding and literally building your body was viewed as something only a narcissist would do. Today, of course, being strong, fit and healthy is viewed as "normal". I have been getting back to my roots lately, even with my time crunched workouts, I'm hitting the underground bodybuilding methods and it's paying off big time. When I use the term "Underground", those early … [Read more...]