At age 38 I am NOT supposed to be getting stronger and better, according the naysayers and the "experts" that is. In fact, even if you are younger OR older than me, you likely hear from everyone else... all the "experts", that you shouldn't do this or should do that.... bla bla bla I've been training since 1989 and have been training others literally since my high school days, when friends would call me so I could meet them at the gym and train them. I wanna share some hard hitting lessons … [Read more...]
Upper Body Blast & Training Mental Toughness
This blog post and video will fire you up to crush an upper body workout and to start attacking your training the same way ya gotta attack life. I seriously see NO other way to be, whether it's life OR lifting. This style of training keeps my mind in check, pushes me mentally and physically, reminds me that I CAN kick ass and go BIG, regardless of what is happening the world. The gym is a place of sanctuary. In life, to succeed at anything, ya gotta be TOUGH. That is why I train for Strength, … [Read more...]
You Are Better Than That
People have gotten infected by the lazy virus, as my friend Mark "Smelly" Bell calls it. ha ha YOU are better than that. Everyday, you MUST aim to get better by at least 1%. That shyt adds up, bruthas & ladies. When you make a mistake, get back up, learn from it, correct it and move onward & upward. LIVE The Code..... Would love to hear about lessons you've learned in your life & how you apply them to make yourself 1% better every day. Drop a comment below, share with … [Read more...]
Being a GREAT Strength Coach, Gratitude & Upper Body Blastin’
First off, BIG thanks to Dan Gibson for hooking me up with a kick ass shirt and a HUGE congrats to him for his success. I LOVE hearing success stories from Dudes who've rolled through my Underground Strength Coach Cert. As you can see, I believe in constant education, regardless of whether or not you're a Strength Coach or simply an active lifter chasing greater strength, muscle, speed and overall BadAss-ness (is that even a word!!??). I ranted before about contacting coaches through NJ, … [Read more...]
15 World Class Bench Press Tips from a BEAST
Let's recap the 14 Bench Press tips from Mark "Smelly" Bell, who holds a BIG 854 lb person best in the Bench Press. 1) When training for speed you will typically be around 40-60% of your max effort, although Mark has seen success with powerlifters using as low as 30% 2) The key to your dynamic work is exactly that, being FAST / EXPLOSIVE! If you're not moving the bar fast then you need to lighten the weight. 3) Don't mistake being fast and under control for fast and sloppy in technique. … [Read more...]
Power-Bodybuilding Workouts
After being sick through the month of December and chowing down on lots of food lately, I'm gonna put good use to these calories! My appetite is finally back and my motivation is that of a run away freight train. I am psyched to get back to tearing it up again. The more I train, the better I feel. The more I train, the faster my shoulder begins to heal. Injuries are what help you become smarter at what you do, ironically. I'm back to cranking more floor pressing and dumbbell work in favor … [Read more...]
Return of The Golden Era Bodybuilding Workout
Golden Era bodybuilding is a far cry from many of the bodybuilding methods of today. A focus on free weights, heavy lifting, hard work on the basics and no fads. No fad diets or fad workouts. The bodybuilders from the 70s and prior never questioned if the basics of squats, deadlifts, rows and the like were good enough or not. Today, everyone wants the short cut, the new fad and the easy way. F**k that. Easy workouts produce weak minds and weak bodies. … [Read more...]
Full Body FREAK Strength Workout, Part II
Let's finish off the Full Body FREAK Strength Workout with some bodyweight circuit training using chains, shall we? Check it out below: Three Rounds of chins, dips and squats. I used 20 lb chains and increased by one chain each set, 20, 40 and 60 lbs total. Finished the night off with ab work and glute ham raises..... lots of glute ham raises! Drop a comment with your thoughts or questions BEASTS! Peace! Lead from the Front! --Z-- PS: Chains are non rust and freaking awesome, get em' from … [Read more...]
Upper Body Workout for Breakfast
On most Sunday Mornings I wake up before the entire house starts moving. I get dressed, brush teeth and head to The Underground. Sunday morning workouts keep me ahead of the pack, keep my edge and allow me to train and do something extra while the rest of the world is still sleeping. The Military Press is a GREAT way to start your day, especially on a Sunday morning. Locking heavy weights overhead forces your entire body to work overtime. Want REAL "core strength"? Lock heavy weights overhead … [Read more...]
How to Kick Ass, Get STRONGER & Get JACKED in a 1 Car Garage Gym
I remember I was 25 or so, and decided to stop training at the local gym. I was finishing Graduate school which was an hour drive each way. Graduate school was wiping me out in addition to working full time, studying my ass off and trying to train in a hard core gym. Hard core gyms were dead..... Somehow, someway, people in the mid 90s began thinking that being Strong & Jacked was not a cool thing. I swear to you this is NO lie. Magazines came out for this specific look and many gym … [Read more...]