The internet is a funny place. People don't see your entire life so they generalize your life according to what they see on your Instagram or YouTube channel. Well guess what, I feel like we are all more similar than we are different. Meaning, we ALL struggle. But, some of us choose to push through the struggle and emerge victorious where others allow the struggle to win the battle and keep them down, be it emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc. I struggle everyday, but I find ways to … [Read more...]
Do NOT Conform, Be ALPHA
When you are in your 20s you don't see the slight differences among people. You're just living it up. You're moving forward. Then, you hit your 30s and you're charging forward in your own life, so you just put your head down and work. You assume everyone is on a similar path of pushing for growth, success and strength. Maybe you have a family now, maybe not. Maybe a career? Maybe not? Maybe just a "job" that "pays the bills". Then your mid and late 30s come and you see how people begin to … [Read more...]
Fragile People VS “Successful” People
Photo Courtesy of Power Athlete HQ Something has been burning on my mind for a while now. Well, it actually happens every year and especially at the beginning of every sports season. We're in a world where there seems to be very little ground. It's very black and white. Or, maybe I am just blind to the middle. I see people who are either fragile or they are ready to punch every excuse in the face and refuse to quit. What do I mean by fragile? … [Read more...]
NO Time to Train? Making Time VS Making Excuses
_____________ I constantly hear men saying, "I have NO time to workout, NO time to train!" That is all BS. Make time or Make excuses. The choice is yours. You don't need a gym membership. Heck, you don't even need a gym. Bodyweight Only workouts CAN get the job done and be extremely powerful when following the right system. A few additional training tools can be added to the mix and stowed away so lack of space is never a problem either. The photo above tells the perfect story and the … [Read more...]
Training to Be HARDER to Kill
I'm finishing up a week here in Florida with my kids. It's the first time we're without the wifey and let me tell ya, the first few days were brutal..... Emotionally, we're used to operating as a team..... I had to dig deep in ways I never experienced before to help my kids feel safe and strong, especially my daughter, who went to an intensive Tennis camp, 3 hours every morning for 5 days straight. If you have experience with intensive training, the type that exhausts you on all fronts … [Read more...]
Developing Mental Toughness & The Importance of Your Training Atmosphere
Your training atmosphere can either build your mental toughness or put up road blocks in developing mental toughness. Your Training Atmosphere is key. Some will say you must have loud music and you must be surrounded by other highly motivated lifters and athletes. I used to say exactly that and still love that experience. But there is much to be said about the opposite, when you have no one surrounding you to inspire or motivate you, except for yourself. There is no music or the music … [Read more...]
Potential Is BS, Reality Is The TRUTH
I heard something recently and it has me changing my mind and changing the things I find myself telling others. It has to do with your potential and your actions. I used to view the training and coaching we do at The Underground Strength Gym as the ultimate way to help athletes achieve their TRUE potential. Until I heard a Coach say this..... "I hate that word potential. It's such bull shit. The reality of what you DO is all that really counts. What you DO with your potential is the ultimate … [Read more...]
The 7 BEST Exercises to OWN Your Training
Above, Photo of Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink's Garage Gym Aftermath. Here I am, the day after an emotional fundraiser for The Navy SEAL Foundation. After the fundraiser ended I was hit with a TON of emotion. Sharing the reason WHY I support Military so much and my memory of 9-11 and my gratitude for my families safety, it chokes me Up BIG time. I woke up and my mind is racing. Again. Perhaps it's age. Perhaps it is regret. Perhaps the only thing I can do about it is to keep on keeping on. The … [Read more...]
Deadlifts, Rocky & Navy SEAL Inspiration
-- Strength Today VS Strength of Yesterday -- When I was a teenager, strength was measured in numbers. Numbers on the bar. That's all. Then, when I reached my 20s, I began viewing strength differently. I attached strength to more than just the numbers I was lifting. I measured my strength in pain tolerance, in making training partners quit and in going that extra step just when I thought I should stop. … [Read more...]
3 Renegade Documentaries That Changed My Life
Is this blog even about building muscle anymore? Why all this life talk? I assume, these are some of the thoughts fleeting the minds of many visitors. I have an inner drive to express myself. I don't want people here if all they care about are the weights they lift. That is a 1 sided boring life for me. I want to connect, communicate, teach and inspire people who want to succeed in LIFE, both in AND out of the gym. THAT is the essence of living The STRONG Life. Let me explain why..... … [Read more...]