He was a quiet man. He got away from the busy streets and found himself some land and built a cabin with a few old friends. He told me he paid them with the game he hunted but it was not work for he and his friends. He said they loved the time together and it was a "friends helping friends" gig. Friends that help each other yet don't ask for anything in return. I thought to myself how perfect it sounded. He didn't pay much mind to the news or what "other people" thought of him. He felt … [Read more...]
STRONG Life Insider Ep. 37 | How to Use Golden Era Bodybuilding Methods / Volume Training to Gain Size & Strength
Volume training was a BIG deal back in the 70s and then it made a comeback in the past 5-8 years. What's old is new again but the truth is, there is a time and place for everything. Who needs volume training and when should volume work be applied? When is the best time to implement volume training and who is best suited for volume work? How can you still train smart when applying volume training compared to the mistakes I made in my younger years by incorrectly applying volume … [Read more...]
5 X 5 Training + Bodyweight Bodybuilding Tips
Yesterday on my IG I shared the above cover and tips on how to use 5 X 5 along with Bodyweight Bodybuilding. Then yesterday afternoon I came across the news that Franco had passed away. It was heartbreaking for me. It hit home for me as Franco and Arnold were heroes to me as a kid. Seeing your hero passing away is crushing. You begin to realize that YOUR time on this earth is also limited. As a kid, I devoured Arnold's Encyclopedia and his Education of a Bodybuilder. Doing so made me … [Read more...]
Golden Era Strength & Muscle Building Lessons from Irvin “Zabo” Koszewski
Nothing fires me up more than looking through my old bodybuilding books and magazines. The magazines from the 50s through the 70s are my favorite. These magazines had information on powerlifting, weightlifting, bodybuilding, nutrition and lifestyle. The Golden Era of Bodybuilding was MORE than what we see in today's bodybuilding world. Irvin “Zabo” Koszewski was one of my favorite bodybuilders from the early days of The Golden Era so I wanted to make a video on how he inspired me, how he … [Read more...]
How to Use Barbell Basics Strength Training For The WIN
It was 1990, The Summer after freshman year and I was finishing up my days traveling to the Metuchen YMCA. At the time, the weight room was down stairs, a small dungeon filled with York Barbell Weights, a York Isometric rack and a small radio where the big guys allowed me to bring in my cassette tape to play hard rock music. I knew these were my last days at The Y as construction was in full swing and a new weight room was coming. The few who trained at The Y were big guys. It was a small … [Read more...]
How Hard To Train to Maximize Strength & Muscle Growth?
How hard is too hard when it comes to packing on size and strength? What is enough, what is too much and what is optimal? After decades of experience since 1989, I've seen some guys lean more towards one way over another. Other times, I've seen lifters change their intensity levels. Myself? I go completely by feel. More often than not, my intensity is high and aggressive. Why? It matches my personality. When I deny who I am and what I am, I do NOT feel good about what I'm doing. I LOVE hard … [Read more...]
How To Train When In Doubt
"Science and experience have taught us that any athlete, even in ultra-endurance sports, who has not built a foundation of strength will fail to reach his or her potential." ~ Pavel, Author of Easy Strength As I work on my book and dig deeper on my philosophy on training, in between text messages with Jason Ferruggia discussing life and lifting, I keep coming back to what got me where I am today, as well as every other strong mofo out there. And that "thing" is the fact that those strong … [Read more...]
Lessons From Marvin Eder & Golden Era Bodyweight Bodybuilding Workouts
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. 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 day so they trained at 5 … [Read more...]
Muscle Building Formula: Build Strength = Build (A Lot) More Muscle
The amount of complicated BS training is getting out of control. The truth is, it is simple. And, NOT easy. It also takes time. Not months, but YEARS of work. The formula to gaining size? It starts with STRENGTH. If you want to get BIG, then you better plan on getting stronger, period. Heavy weights, low to moderate reps, some high rep sets for finishers, lots of quality food, quality rest, basics, basics, basics. I know, ground breaking, right? Yet on the regular, so many … [Read more...]