Dumbbell training is one of the most under utilized training tools for athletes and even bodybuilders. I explain to athletes on the regular, if someone uses dumbbells instead of a barbell, the use of the barbell does NOT guarantee the athlete will be a better athlete. Strong is Strong. Period. End of Story. At the time of this article, I am 3 weeks into training the high school Football Team with about 40 freshman. None of them have touched a barbell yet. It's been ALL bodyweight and … [Read more...]
9 Training Tips for Re-Building Athletes Post COVID
Photo Cred HuskerMax.com In mid June in NJ the Governor granted permission for "gyms" to train outdoors. I always say, The Underground Strength Gym is a Private club, but the government and governor don't really understand this. When mid June came around, I knew that I would have to start at 50 or 60%. The plan was to add 10% of work / intensity each week so that by the 4th week, we would be almost at "normal". Which nowadays, I really do not enjoy that word, "normal". With 3 months of … [Read more...]
STRONG Life Ep. 101: Work Ethic & The Mystery Of Coaching Athletes
STRONG Life Podcast Ep. 101 with Mike Guadango, Owner of Freak Strength. In this episode, I connect with a long time friend, Mike Guadango. Mike and I met back in the early days of The Underground Strength Gym when we would compete against DeFranco's Gym at his annual Strongman Challenge. Back then, Mike was a hard charging athlete with goals of become a Major League Baseball Player. Injuries have a funny way of changing our life path and that's exactly what happened with … [Read more...]
STRONG Life 98: Why Are Countless Athletes Weak & Out Of Shape & How to Fix This Problem!
STRONG Life Podcast Episode 98 with Dr. Travis Jewett. Our topic of conversation has been running through my mind for a LONG time: Why Is Everyone So Friggin Weak, Constantly Injured & Immobile VS Agile, Mobile & Hostile? What ever happened to being strong & athletic as a teen and young adult? Are those days gone? Dr. Travis Jewett is a SMART Dude, a Doctor of Chiropractic and Strength Coach. He is a family man and hails from Iowa, the land of Dan Gable. This was 1 of … [Read more...]
The ONE Exercise You MUST DO
Wanna get strong as Hell? Or, in Dan John's words, "this one exercise will make you awesome" Watch this short video. That's me, throwing around a 130 lb dumbbell. The movement: The 1 Arm Dumbbell Clean & Press. Equally awesome with a barbell. I suggest you do it. And do it often. Remember, for REAL world results, you gotta train with intensity, passion, a plan and you need to move weight. Be a BEAST. Become the Hunter, NOT the hunted. Till the next time.... --Z-- … [Read more...]
Upper Body Workout and THE 5 Year Plan!?!?
The inspiration to live a STRONG Life drives me to face my fears, be it in the gym or in life. The pic above of Ken Waller about to smash some heavy dumbbell benching also inspired me. I explain my motivation for LIFE & LIFTING in the Video below. So, rather than searching for inspiration or motivation, just grab it and DO it. NO waiting, just DOing. … [Read more...]
The Busy Man Bodybuilding Workout
Time is something I have TRULY began to respect, for 2 BIG reasons: 1) My kids 2) Being an entrepreneur In fact most people are today are more time conscious than ever before. Think about it. We barely call people in comparison to texting them. Technology has tricked many into being busy vs being productive UNLESS you know how to CONTROL your time. As a Parent, I see just how fast time goes. And, the ONE thing about time, something many do not grasp is the fact that you can NEVER … [Read more...]
Try this quicky…
Short on time and low on equipment? All you need is a dumbbell or a kettlebell. Try this workout I cranked out the other day in my backyard! I used an olympic dumbbell weighing 75 lbs. Pick a weight that works for you. 1) 1 arm snatch x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 2) 1 arm push press x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ** Try to switch arms on dumbbell movements without rest. For example, perform 5 reps per arm, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 each arm without ever placing the dumbbell down! 3) broad jumps … [Read more...]
Train through this
Training is easy when you wake up after 8 hours sleep, someone does your laundry, cooks for you, and there is all the time in the world to do what you want. Those days ended long ago for me, but, that doesn't mean those days will never come back. Having a Chef and a cleaning team is certainly something I plan on having, but, in the mean time, I am usually getting 5 - 6 hours of sleep per day, working from 7 am - midnight. Training is never perfect with such a schedule, and getting strong, … [Read more...]