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17 Feb2018

Stop Being So Sensitive & Get STRONGER

Written by zach. Posted in Articles, Athlete Training, Edison, Manasquan, Middlesex, NJ Baseball Training, NJ Basketball Training, NJ Cross Country Training, NJ Fat Loss, NJ Football Training, NJ Swim Training, NJ Track & Field Training, NJ Volleyball Training, NJ Wrestling Training, Scotch Plains, STRONG Life Academy, Underground Strength Camp, Workouts

The Battle Against Mediocrity is at an all time high.

I had NO clue that you get made fun of for working hard. So these kids are saying it’s cool to be average? It’s cool to be a follower? I can’t accept that.

Perhaps the easiest thing to do is see what all the average people are doing and then you can do the opposite.

Fridays are for my boys…..

  • Instead, you train on Fridays, then you hang out with your friends.

9 AM workouts on the weekends. I used to LOVE weekend lifting, the gym I went to opened up at 6 or 7 AM and I loved being there first. I felt pride that I was training before the majority.

9 AM is too early, man…..

  • Β Stop staying up so late at night, then, after training you get a power breakfast and weekends are an opportunity to sneak in a nap, which is great for recovery and making strength / performance gains.

Yes, I HEAR these things, even at the college level. Which reminds me exactly why YOU must be better than the majority who have the “common” excuses.

Do NOT be the common athlete. Be The UNcommon athlete.

The world is too sensitive. That sensitivity and entitled feeling of always being offended comes from lack of strength. Lack of strength comes from lack of struggle.

  • Tell someone to work harder in the gym, practice or at work and they shut down and can’t move forward. We need to be open to feedback and let the feedback inspire us, not weaken us.
  • Tell someone else to pick up their dog crap off of YOUR lawn and they look at you like you’re the bad person. I was 5 years old with our first dog and I KNEW back then without my Dad telling me, you do NOT leave dog crap anywhere, especially on someone else’s lawn.

I have adults older than me who are too busy to get off their cell phone and pick up their dog crap. These are all lessons of strength. STRONG people follow through, they do all the little things.

#STRONGLife TIP OF THE DAY πŸ‘ŠπŸ‘ŠπŸ”¨πŸ”¨

A post shared by Zach Even – Esh (@zevenesh) on Feb 17, 2018 at 8:14am PST

How you do anything is how you do everything.

Listen, do you want to be a successful HUMAN, not just a successful athlete? Then be GREAT, work harder, show up early, stay after practice late and just DO MORE WORK.

Less talk, MORE action.

I see high school coaches getting fired on the regular because parents and athletes complain behind their back and say “He’s too mean”.

Does “too mean” actually translate to the Coach wants athletes showing up on time, being disciplined, working hard, not allowing excuses? I think all of that sounds GREAT because it makes you a better person, NOT just a better athlete!

Ironically, I’ve seen athletes defend their coach who leads the team to a losing record year after year after year. The kids are actually defending mediocrity and taking pride in it.

Is losing 75% of your games / competition even considered mediocrity? That’s called FAILING. I see Coaches like this being in charge year after year. Would you be happy if your child achieved failing results from The Underground?

No. You want excellence from us and I LOVE that. I do not fear the high expectations and I push our Coaches to love it as well. Good enough is not tolerated from the Coaches, I tell them all the time, be great, there is NO other option.

Below is a Video with Mark Ironside, a 2 x high school state champ and 2 x national champ from Iowa under Coach Dan Gable. I used to watch him wrestle when I was younger myself.

There is MUCH to learn here, regardless of your sport! Listen, Watch, Learn & APPLY!

What do you do on your OWN?

  • Get a job helping a landscaper or construction worker over the Summer
  • Enter Road Races and run a 5K a few times
  • Pick up Basketball, Baseball, Football, Wrestling at the park? I have NEVER seen this!

If the Coach is more motivated than the athlete, there is something wrong there.

The Underground is NOT going to lessen our standards. Keep fighting and training to be Awesome. There is no other option!

Oh you want easy AND effective?? / Not here. / @glenn_pendlay @donny.shankle / #undergroundstrengthgym #manasquan #scotchplains

A post shared by UndergroundStrengthGym (@undergroundstrengthgym) on Feb 16, 2018 at 3:29pm PST

The “short cut” is by doing ALL the right things, the tough things!

Don’t be delusional or sensitive. Hard Work is what it takes!

Live The Code 365

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28 Dec2017

Zach Gets Interviewed by The Asbury Park Press!

Written by zach. Posted in Articles, Athlete Training, Edison, Manasquan, Middlesex, NJ Baseball Training, NJ Basketball Training, NJ Cross Country Training, NJ Fat Loss, NJ Football Training, NJ Swim Training, NJ Track & Field Training, NJ Volleyball Training, NJ Wrestling Training, Nutrition, Scotch Plains, STRONG Life Academy, Training Videos, Underground Strength Camp, Workouts

I had a blast getting interviewed by the crew at The Asbury park Press.

LISTEN HERE:

Think about it.

At The Manasquan Underground Strength Gym, the parks and rec department gave usΒ  ahard time for playing Ultimate Football on a random basis at a desolate park.

In 8 years, I have NEVER seen kids playing Football at this park.

The Basketball courts are empty or maybe have 2 kids shooting hoops.

Do we not play on our own?

Baseball on our own?

Football?

Kill the man with the ball?

STOP treating your child like he / she is a fragile snowflake.

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25 Dec2017

Find a Way to WIN vs Finding Excuses

Written by zach. Posted in Articles, Athlete Training, Edison, Manasquan, Middlesex, NJ Baseball Training, NJ Basketball Training, NJ Cross Country Training, NJ Football Training, NJ Swim Training, NJ Track & Field Training, NJ Volleyball Training, NJ Wrestling Training, Scotch Plains, STRONG Life Academy, Training Videos, Underground Strength Camp, Workouts

I always have this echoing voice in my mind from a Navy SEAL program where the instructor told the boat crew who kept losing, “Just find an Excuse to WIN!”

Normally, we find an excuse to quit.

Excuses are everywhere, how about we find a bigger WHY, dig deeper and find a REASON to fight and WIN.

I promise the pain of regret will haunt you for a lifetime.

This week while you’re on break from school, that’s the ticket.

FIND A WAY.

Let the competition find an excuse, you must dare to be great and that always means your path will be different.

Another tip……

I was listening to an interview with world bronze medalist wrestler, Nick Gwiazdowski, who was a college national champ as well.

He spoke about how his goals kept evolving in high school and the big change was when he placed in states, he realized it wasn’t as big a deal as he once thought.

He realized that if he’s going to states, he might as well go there to WIN.

Prepare, Perform, Prevail.

Train to WIN.

Some of you show up and I can tell,Β  you’re just there for a “workout”.

You’re NOT “training”.

TRAINING has a specific goal and you’re training for something, to achieve something.

A workout is what you do with no real goals or intentions of achieving something GREAT.

We will see you this week!

FIND A WAY.

Live The Code 365,

Zach and Team

PS: In Season or Off Season Training?

Well, this is NOT a commitment to The Underground Strength Gym.

It’s REALLY a commitment to yourself.

When you look at your training at just a sometimes thing, or a convenience thing, well, your results will
always be up and down.

Work hard enough and become GREAT, that’s how this investment pays off.

College Scholarships and more.

Get after it. Success is Not an accident.

PPS: Forward this blog to Coaches and Parents of athletes.

Your support in spreading the word means the world to me!

 

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04 Dec2017

Lessons from Pat Tillman

Written by zach. Posted in Articles, Athlete Training, Edison, Manasquan, Middlesex, NJ Baseball Training, NJ Basketball Training, NJ Cross Country Training, NJ Football Training, NJ Wrestling Training, Nutrition, Scotch Plains, STRONG Life Academy, Success Stories, Training Videos, Underground Strength Camp, Workouts

This story on Pat Tillman is beyond inspiring, ALL of our athletes can learn from this Hero.

Look at his traits:

  • Hardest Worker in the Room
  • Modest & Humble
  • Responsible
  • Loyal
  • Patriot
  • Stood for MANY things greater than himself (Team, Family, Country)
  • Gets cut from Varsity Baseball and instead of blaming the coach or making excuses, he hits the weight room and sets more goals!

The Underground Strength Gym stands for so much more than your sports success. The TRUE Strength is when your strength applies to ALL other aspects of your Life.

We’re in a strange world nowadays where I sometimes fear if I am too intense for kids.

Am I too passionate for the parents?

It’s crazy, because that means that hard work and passion are negatives. Come on, NO way.

I thought HARD WORK is the GIFT!

Please share this Video with other athletes, parents and coaches.

This is amazing. I am inspired to keep pushing The STRONG Life Message from The Underground Strength Gym!

RELENTLESS, 100%!

Live The Code 365,

Zach and Team

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29 Nov2017

The STRONG Life Academy & Showing UP During “Tough Times”

Written by zach. Posted in Announcements, Articles, Athlete Training, Edison, Manasquan, NJ Baseball Training, NJ Basketball Training, NJ Cross Country Training, NJ Football Training, NJ Swim Training, NJ Track & Field Training, NJ Volleyball Training, NJ Wrestling Training, Nutrition, Scotch Plains, STRONG Life Academy, Success Stories, Training Videos, Underground Strength Camp, Workouts

I am extremely excited to announce a new movement we’re bringing to the schools and The Underground Strength Gym.

It’s Called The STRONG Life Academy.

You can read all about it HERE.

If you’re a Coach, Teacher, Booster Club Parent, Athletic Director or Principal, you will want to look into The STRONG Life Academy asap.

Now……

Onto our topic for today.

I am a “Success” Junkie. I am constantly studying what separates the good from the great. Not just in athletes, but in all walks of life, all careers, etc.

My heart wants ALL of our athletes to be THE BEST, but, then I remind myself that this is simply NOT reality. If ALL of you are the best, then we ALL get the gold medal, and we all win, and it’s always a tie.

So I was listening / watching a video with Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink where he was discussing character.

In a nut shell, it’s ALL about doing the HARD thing.

“Doing the right thing is often the HARDEST thing to do”

It’s easier to quit.

It’s Easier to blame your parents, blame the ref, blame your coach.

It’s HOW you show up when the chips are down.

When the sports season starts….. Do you quit and blame school or do you find a way?

I look at our best athletes, they are also achieving honors in academics and going to great schools like Princeton, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, NYU, etc.

They don’t choose 1 thing to be great at, they choose to be Great in ALL areas of life.

Excellence is all encompassing.

Decide now, how will you show up when things are not convenient, you’re busy, etc.

The most successful people keep going while average people quit.

You’re always 1 step away from Greatness.

It’s ALL a choice!

#STRONGLife TIP OF THE DAY for #Athletes πŸ‘ŠπŸ‘Šβš”οΈβš”οΈ / #ScotchPlains #Manasquan #WorldWide #UndergroundStrengthGym #GymMotivation #Teacher #Coach #NJ #JerseyShore #Success #RELENTLESS / @zevenesh @zevenesh

A post shared by UndergroundStrengthGym (@undergroundstrengthgym) on Nov 29, 2017 at 5:30am PST

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25 Mar2016

From Slowest & Weakest, To Strongest, Fastest & Johns Hopkins Football

Written by zach. Posted in Announcements, Articles, Athlete Training, Edison, Manasquan, NJ Baseball Training, NJ Basketball Training, NJ Football Training, NJ Wrestling Training, Nutrition, STRONG Life Academy, Success Stories, Training Videos, Underground Strength Camp, Workouts

The ORIGINAL #UndergroundStrengthGym Ass Kicker stopped by yesterday! #Edison #Manasquan / Brian “Curls” Pascal has one of my favorite stories: – when I was in elementary physical education teacher he was always the slowest kid who was tagged first during every game – when he got into middle school he started doing calisthenics every day – he played three sports – when he got to high school he focused on football – Curls began training with me out of my garage when he was a sophomore – his records still hold the best for the football weight room in #Squats #Bench #Clean and he graduated 8 or 9 years ago – Curls played football at Johns Hopkins University – he competed for five years in a row in the DeFranco worlds strongest athlete contest, always taking 1st or 2nd – he would lift with his high school football team after school, then he would train at #UndergroundStrengthGym – if the weight room wasn’t open he would be on the soccer field doing pull-ups off of the soccer goal post, push-ups and sprinting up and down the field – he never complained and said he was too busy or too tired from what he did at school – he woke up early and made himself a powerful breakfast and a protein shake – he never blamed anyone he just did the work / Curls’ lifestyle is what we call the #champion lifestyle, he follows through on all our advice and that is why he was one of the most amazing athletes we ever got to work with / #FKMediocrity #NOExcuses #RELENTLESS #UndergroundStrengthCoach #Edison #Eagles #Football #Hustle #DoWork #NORegrets #LiveTheCode365 #UndergroundStrengthBook

A photo posted by Zach Even – Esh (@zevenesh) on Mar 24, 2016 at 6:39am PDT

What a GREAT success story I have to share of Brian “Curls” Pascal.

From slowest and weakest athlete to BUILDING HIMSELF into 1 of the Strongest, Fastest and Most Powerful Athletes I have ever worked with.

I posted this on my Instagram but I want to link it on the blog as “Curls” stopped by the gym the other day and I shared his story very briefly with the athletes.

CurlsTireFlip2

You see, Curls was in 3rd grade when I began teaching Physical Education and I remember him being tagged first during almost every tag game.

He always worked hard and kept his head held high, even as a young kid, he had a GREAT attitude.

Time flew by and although he was chubby and slow in elementary school, he was active and played 3 sports; Football, Basketball & Baseball.

When I transferred to the middle school to teach and Coach, Curls was now an 8th grader.

He was tall and looking strong and athletic.You could see he had muscle on his frame and was growing / building himself UP.

He was getting into sports on a more serious manner and was doing lots of calisthenics on his own: push ups, squats, sit ups and pull ups he told me, every day.

Our most successful athletes are always doing some form of training on their own.

This ownership and self motivation has a BIG carry over to your success as an athlete. The kids who can ONLY train when Coaches or told by others what, how and when to do it never become BIG success stories.

When I began training athletes from my garage, Curls was a sophomore in high school and although big and strong, he lacked the athleticism and agility. He could move big weights in the gym but needed more power and overall athleticism.

We built the speed, agility and athleticism into his overall training and he transformed himself BIG time. His transformation was a result of ALL the things he did, NOT just the training.

THAT is where MOST kids miss out.

They train but then have EXCUSES for poor eating, poor lifestyle choices, lack of self discipline, etc. Too many Excuses and Not enough Reasons or Goals to drive them to Succeed.

Read on and Learn How to Change That…..

Curls-Pascal-RackWalk

1) He would have eggs, oatmeal AND a protein shake for breakfast.

Curls would wake up early and make his own breakfast. MANY athletes blame Mom “didn’t wake me up” or “I don’t have time”. We MAKE time when we WANT something, we make EXCUSES when we don’t want it. WHAT do YOU do?

2) He packed his own strong & healthy lunch.

He made his OWN lunch. NO buying the garbage school lunch that doesn’t support being a strong, successful athlete.

3) He ate a protein bar for snack during school or packed 2 pieces of fruit. Eat Strong to be STRONG!

4) After school he would lift with the Football Team AND then get home and have more healthy food for a post workout meal. This is critical for recovery and muscle building.

5) Then, AFTER training at School he would lift at The Original Underground Strength Gym (Edison, NJ), the garage OR, travel to the warehouse when we opened up! Today I hear COUNTLESS athletes making excuses that they trained at school and now they can’t train at The Underground.

6) If the High School weight room was closed, Curls would hit sprints and calisthenics on his own. Other days he would play pick up Basketball to build speed, agility and overall cardio.

** Your Competition LOVES Your Excuses **

CurlsHill

Here’s some early days footage of Curls from High School:

– Curls would train after school, then, come to The Underground. Often times he would lift after school, then play pick up Basketball at the park for speed, agility & conditioning.

– He was a multi sport athlete through high school. He trained with us Year Round.

– He trained 4 x week at The Underground in ADDITION to his own calisthenics, sprinting, pick up basketball games and high school weight room.

In college he did the same, coming back to The Underground as soon as college finished training through his 3 months of Summer.

So….

As you can see, Curls EARNED his success.

Train like everyone else and you will NOT have the edge. You’ll sit the bench and be Joe Average.

There were NO excuses for Curls, ONLY REASONS to do the work.

He attacked training and lifestyle, Living The Code 365 like a Champion does.

The blue print for success is out there. What Curls has done and what others continue to do at The Underground shows you the way. The most successful athletes here train and LIVE like Curls.

The athletes who struggle or remain average never go beyond “normal” and in turn, they get normal results, aka AVERAGE.

Average Sucks.

Excellence is The ONLY option.

Want Success? Prove it through ACTIONS.

Success starts when you punch your excuses in the face and get dedicated 365.

You can have results or you can have excuses but you can’t have both!

Live The Code 365,

–Z–

The Underground Strength Gym Is Located in Scotch Plains & Manasquan.

Parents – Schedule Your Child’s FREE Intro Assessment Workout Today Before The Competition Does.

Details HERE

Manasquan-Edison-Underground-Free-Trial

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