BEAST Strength

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All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced (by any means) without the expressed written permission of Zach Even - Esh. This manual is being offered for education and information purposes only. There is inherent risk with any physical activity. Please consult your physician before starting this (or any) exercise program. Underground Strength Coach & zach Even - Esh Performance Systems, LLC can not be held responsible for any injury that may occur while participating in this program.

Copyright 2012 Underground Strength Coach Zach Even - Esh Performance Systems, LLC

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The Underground Beast Strength Program Follow The Underground Beast Strength Program for a minimum of 12 weeks and you will experience powerful gains in strength, speed, explosive power, stamina and perhaps most importantly, mental toughness. This is NOT a get ripped in 30 days or become a FREAK overnight, BS training program. NO lies here, ONLY the TRUTH. This program has not been created for the normal, average Joe who wants to train at the local gym where his buddies hang out, looking in the mirror after every set, checking out his hair and sending text messages between sets. That’s Bull Sh*t. That’s NOT what we view as, “Training for Life!”

Undergrounders are a Different Breed We’re a rare breed, but, NOT a dying breed. There are “Underground Strength Cells” around the world as we speak..... garages, backyards, playgrounds, basements, military outposts and who knows where else. That’s the growth of Underground Strength Nation, spanning the globe world wide.

The Underground Beast has rebelled against the pussification of the human body and man kind in general and taken physical and mental preparation into his own hands.

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“Rules need not apply, as the first rule of The Underground is there are NO rules.” From this point on you can forget about being normal. • Stop setting limits on yourself both physically & mentally. • Stop worrying about all the so called “rules” in training regarding overtraining, stressing your CNS, etc. I have told countless people MANY times that they need to read less, train more. It is what you DO that separates yourself from everyone else, NOT what you say. Actions are the ultimate TRUTH. We’ve had adults & athletes come to My Underground Strength Gym who have read all the latest & greatest articles on dynamic effort training, over speed eccentrics, using bands and chains, circa max phase and everything else under the sun and they TALK a big game, they sound impressive, when it’s time to Live The Code, they are severely lacking.

ALL of these people end up having one thing in common... They are WEAK. Weak in mind, body and spirit. They haven’t spent enough time in the trenches, sweating, getting their hands dirty, pushing through intense workouts and refusing to back down against intense training sessions. If you’re going Underground you are either in or you’re in the way, ALL or Nothing, there is no half way. My friend and world class powerlifter, Mark “Smelly” Bell inspired those words. I’ll never forget them.

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5 That is the Mission of Underground Strength Nation, a movement to grow One Million men and women strong and healthy. Just like they did in the “old days”, which you can clearly see when reading Strength & Health Magazine from the 40s, 50s and 60s.

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7 It’s time to STOP holding on to all the BS you’ve learned before this moment, instead, you must charge forward relentlessly, for this is how the mind and spirit of Underground Beasts work. Emphasis on the word, “WORK”.

I have provided you with the plan to transform yourself physically AND mentally. It’s a PROVEN plan, one that we’ve used at my gym with REAL people, just like you, achieving REAL results. You must provide the work ethic, the sweat and the intensity. Many will try to join you, few will make it, only the “Top Percenters” will continue in your Underground Journey. I’ve ditched countless training partners, dating all the way back to 1989. I guess this is the way of the sword. Some are cut out for this type of work and most are not. YOU are part of the rare few. Don’t pat yourself on the back YET..... you’ve got work to do..... If you fall, get back up. Winning is an internal game. Let the Journey Begin.....

As you’ve probably read in The Underground Strength Manual, the program design method I favor is the use of a 2 - 3 week mini cycle followed by another 2-3 week mini cycle and then often times a 1 week deload. This allows you to progress in a fashion described below: Week 1: Introduce movements and establish baseline poundages. Re-establish technique if necessary.

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8 Week 2: Break records by adding weight / reps, the focal improvement area should be on improving your core lift of the workout (i.e. tire flip, deadlift, bench press, sandbag clean & press, etc) Week 3: Break records again by adding a rep or small poundage. OR, you may feel the need to deload on week 3. If you need a deload, go ahead and reduce overall volume by 50% on this week. Volume is relative to everything: the weight you use, the reps and total sets and intensity. Get in and get out fast, focusing on recovery of mind and body.

Remember this Critical Rule: If you are going to Train Hard, You Must Rest HARD Sometimes, instead of a pure deload, we lighten the weights on week 3 yet keep intensity high, focusing on more speed & explosiveness from each rep rather than reducing intensity and deloading. In essence, we make it a speed week. This way you are not stressing yourself emotionally / mentally psyching up for BIG weights, but you are still training hard.

In a nut shell, you’ll train hard for 4 - 6 weeks followed by a 1 week deload. There is certainly something to be said regarding mental toughness as well. There is science when training and there is “in the trenches” practicality when training. I mentioned that The BEAST Program is a blend of science AND hell. Sometimes, the workout is purely focused and pushing you past your physical and mental limits.

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“Every Underground Training Program Is Devised So You Can Develop Strength In Body, Mind And Spirit” Focusing on you building your muscles purely for aesthetics won’t motivate you enough to take your training seriously. That is a dead end road, a road that requires motivation ONLY by what you look like in the mirror.

When an athlete at The Underground Strength Gym asked an adult at our gym, “What are you training for?”, the adult replied.... “Man, I’m training for LIFE!” You, my friend, are training for LIFE. The physical focus of these workouts is to develop strength endurance, power endurance, stamina and overall, a VERY high level of work capacity and mental toughness. The fast pace will work new muscle fibers and spur muscle growth that you haven’t experienced before. Our warm up includes various calisthenics, basic gymnastic drills such as tumbling & cartwheels, mobility drills & “play” type movement along with soft tissue work while rolling out on foam roller or hard ball (LAX Ball or Tennis Ball), jump rope training, gymnastic drills on grass or a safe mat. ===> If you’re a member of The Underground Inner Circle, please review our warm up in full, on video, HERE

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10 You can also utilize Indian club swinging of various forms for several minutes and of course some explosive jumping variations, particularly before your lower body workouts – all of these prep the mind and body as well as hype up the nervous system for the work ahead of you.

Sets & Reps The sets and reps listed on each workout are considered “working sets”, which means you must warm up and build up to those work sets as necessary. Your main lift / first lift of the workout often requires several warm up sets. Don’t burn out on your warm up sets. Keep the reps low to moderate and use these warm ups to prep the body AND the mind for the intense work to come.

Deloading Advice After performing 2 mini cycles (4-6 hard weeks of training) I suggest you deload. If you feel the need to deload after 1 mini cycle, you can, although this is not the norm. If this is the case with you, pay careful attention to your stress factors: the people in your life, nutrition, sleep habits, work, etc. Do ALL you can to reduce as much of these stressors as possible. Deload Week: Your deload week will NOT be pre-structured for you. I suggest going by your own feel and energy levels, and abiding by my suggestions of: • reducing volume / intensity by 50% • no loading of the spine via deadlifts / back squats

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11 • utilizing lots of bodyweight, bands, light kettlebells & other forms of active recovery such as: • swimming • hiking • mountain biking • ANY outdoor activities ** Recovery work before / after EVERY workout is a must, using the foam roller, tennis or lacrosse ball. This goes a long way to helping you feel healthy. ** I perform THIS foam roller series daily, even on Non-training days for approximately 10 minutes. Here is another video of my own foam roller work, HERE You can get your foam roller HERE I also utilize Yoga after workouts as well as on my off days to improve recovery. I’ve used MANY forms of Yoga. Seriously, sometimes I just go on you tube and look for you tube videos and follow them, other times, I follow Yoga from those old school TV shows.... I NEVER thought I’d see the day I was doing Yoga, but damn, you feel awesome when doing these movements and your # 1 goal must be Your Health. If you’re hurting, feeling beat up, etc - perform Yoga daily as well as soft tissue work via foam rollers and LAX Ball as well as incorporating daily info from MobilityWOD.com Now, something to be noted and of very serious importance: The above schedule is NOT to be written in stone if you are working around injuries. I never © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

12 write a workout in stone with refusal to be flexible and am always ready to make changes on the fly if injuries or changes of energy occur due to individual stress levels. In the real world, schedules can sometimes be thrown out the window as life is ever changing and thus energy levels fluctuate day to day. This is what I call auto-regulation: your training intensity varies according to your daily energy levels. But, as much as possible, I try to stick to the schedule of training hard as often as possible, deloading when my mind and body tell me it’s time to back off. Just so you know, feel free to adjust accordingly because doing so will allow for greater gains as you individualize your workouts.

How Many Heavy Sets? Often times the core lift shows approximately 3 working sets. We usually perform 1 light warm up and 2 medium sets before attacking the movement full steam ahead for 2 or 3 quality sets. Warm up as necessary for each movement and aim to get 2 - 3 quality sets that are pushing your limits. Depending on your experience and strength, ONE intense set might be all you need to get the job done. Lift and Learn. Usually, our first lift gets 5 or 6 sets including the warm up, sometimes, we perform 8 sets. This means it often looks like this: 1. Light, warm up set x 8 - 12 reps 2. 2 medium warm up sets, x 5 - 7 reps

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13 3. 2 - 3 hard sets in the 3 - 6 rep range unless prescribed otherwise. Sometimes we hit 2 heavy sets, then finish slightly lighter and hit a final set in the 6 - 8 rep range

Before You Begin, You Must Review These Videos, Linked Below.... I Highly Reccomend you watch or review the Underground Videos HERE to give you powerful insight into some of the Underground movements and methods you are about to use. Our Underground Warm Up is quite intensive, it is shown in full for members of The Underground Inner Circle HERE (Log In to View) Now that you have reviewed your Underground Videos...

It is time..... Time to Begin Your Journey Through The Underground Beast Strength Program.....

The Underground Rite of Passage Intro Workouts (4 Weeks) NOTES: * 3 full body workouts ea. week, performed on non consecutive days, created to prep you for intense work ahead. Focus is work capacity * On “off days” feel free to perform lighter calisthenics, sprints, mtn. biking, swimming, etc.

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14 * Being active 5 - 6 x week should be normal, heavy lifting 5 - 6 x week will NOT help you achieve your goals. * 4 weeks of training, but, feel free to repeat for another 4 weeks if you find these workouts too challenging. DON’T RUSH, slow & steady is the ticket to progress * SubMax = 90% of max reps . leave 1 or 2 reps in tank Week 1 & 2: Workout # 1 1A) Bodyweight Squats 4 x 25 reps 1B) Mixed Push Ups 4 x submax reps 2A) Recline Rows 4 x submax reps 2B) Kettlebell farmer walks 4 x 150 ft. 3) sled drags 4 x 150 ft 4) Dip Bar Leg Raise 3 x 10-15 reps 5) Grip: Captain of Crush Grippers 3 x 6 - 8 ea. hand

Get Your Grip Training Tools HERE Week 1 & 2: Workout # 2 1A) Kettlebell Goblet Squats 4 x 6 reps 1B) Weighted Push Ups 4 x 6 - 10 reps 2) hand over hand sled pulls 4 x 50 ft (if rope / straps are short, repeat pulls until you’ve pulled 50 ft of sled) 3) walking bodyweight lunges 3 x 15 / 15 4) 200 Meter Runs 5 x (Rest 30 seconds between ea. set) 5) Plank Variations 3 x 60 seconds © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

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Week 1 & 2: Workout # 3 1) Sandbag Zercher or Bear Hug Carry 4 x 150 ft 2A) 1 Arm Kettlebell Clean & Press 4 x 5/5 2B) Recline Rows 4 x submax reps 3) Run 4 x 1/4 mile (rest 60 seconds after ea. set) Week 3 & 4: Workout # 1 1) Trap Bar DL 5 x 5 (increase weight ea. set) 2A) Ring Push Ups 4 x submax reps 2B) Mixed Grip Pull Ups 4 x submax reps 3A) DB hammer curls 2 x 8 - 12 reps 3B) Parallel Bar Dips 2 x submax reps 4) Hanging Leg Raises 3 x submax reps 5) Grip Work: A) DB hex holds 3 x 10-15 seconds B) Wrist Roller 3 x 1 -2 reps Week 3 & 4: Workout # 2 1A) Sandbag Zercher Squats 5 x 5 reps 1B) Run 5 x 100 yds.

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16 2) Walking sandbag lunges 3 x 6/6 3A) handstand holds against wall 3 x max time 3B) recline rope rows 3 x max reps 4) Sled Drags x 5 minutes non stop: switch forwards / backwards every 100 ft Week 3 & 4: Workout # 3 1A) sandbag clean & press 5 x 5 (Begin ea. rep with a clean off the ground) 1B) Recline Row on Rings 5 x submax reps 2A) Kettlebell Swings 3 x 10 2B) Any Ab Exercise 3 x 10 3) jump rope tabata style x 5 minutes: 20 seconds work:10 seconds rest

Now, it’s time to move on to your BEAST Workouts. Feel free to deload at anytime through these workouts and jump back in after your deload is over. REMEMBER: The sets listed are ALL WORKING SETS. Do NOT count your warm up sets for these exercises.

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Week 1 & 2: BEAST Beginnings 3 workouts, Non-consecutive days, Repeat for 2 Week Cycle Workout 1: Full Body Workout 1A) 1 Arm Dumbbell Snatch 4 x 3/3 1B) Box Jumps (Box 20-30” high) 4 x 3 reps 2A) Weighted Pull ups 3 x 3-6 reps 2B) Weighted Ring push ups 3 x 12-15 reps

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3) Sled / Prowler Work: 4 x 150 ft 4) ab circuit 4 exercises x 15 reps each 5) grip training: any exercises 4 x total Workout 2: Lower Body Workout 1) Trap Bar Deadlift: 2 x 5 reps, 3 reps 2) Walking kettlebell lunges (KBs held at side) 3 x 12/12 3) Good morning with Band 3 x 33 reps 4) Sleds x 6 minutes non stop (forwards / backwards x 100 ft) Workout 3: Upper Body 1A) Double Kettlebell See Saw Military Press 4 x 5/5 1B) Double Kettlebell Bent Over Rows 4 x 6-8 reps 2A) Double KB floor press 3 x 6 - 10 reps 2B) recline rope rows 3 x max reps 3A) Dumbbell shrugs 2 x 15 reps 3B) Underhand Band pull aparts 2 x 25 reps 4A) Any Ab Exercise 3 x 15 4B) Any Grip Work 3 x

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Week 3 & 4: Underground Muscle Forging * This cycle will be upper / lower splits, performed 2 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, 2 days off . Repeat 4 workouts each week for 2 week cycle* © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

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* The first 2 workouts of the week (Day 1 & 2) should be used w/heavy loads, the 2nd two workouts of the week should be performed with loads of approx. 50% of your 1 RM and performed for speed * * Monday workout is repeated on Thursday for speed / dynamic work. * Tuesday workout is repeated on Friday for speed / dynamic work

Video: Speed Training Described - Watch THIS Workout 1 (Heavy): Lower Body 1) Jumps onto High tires or High box: 3 x 5 reps 2) Squats (NO Box): x 8, 5, 3 reps 3) Barbell reverse lunges: 3 x 6/6 4) 1 hand Kettlebell swings 2 x 15 each hand 5) Run 1/4 mile AFAP Workout 2 (Heavy): Upper Body 1A) Close Grip Bench Press x 8, 5, 3 reps 1B) 1 Arm Dumbbell Row x 10/10 reps ea. set 2A) Weighted Push Ups 3 x 10-15 2B) rope pull ups 3 x max reps 3) Battling Ropes 4 x 30 seconds 4) Grip: A) Hex DB Holds 5 x 10 – 15 seconds B) Captains of crush gripper 5 x 5/5

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21 Finish 3 out of your 4 workouts with an ab workout. One day should be a 4 exercise abdominal circuit, the next workout should be performed with loaded movements such as kettlebell get up sit ups, v ups holding a med ball, med ball Russian twists, etc. for 4 sets of 3 - 5 reps per loaded exercise

Speed Days: Reduce Weights by 50%, Focus on Maximum Speed for prescribed reps. Workout 3 (Speed): Lower Body 1) Jumps over hurdles or obstacles: 10 x 2 reps (rest 15 seconds between sets) 2) Squats (NO Box): 5 x 3 reps (Add weight ea. set) 3) Bodyweight Lunge Jumps 4 x 5/5 4) Kettlebell swings 3 x 12 5) Sprint 100 meter 5 x (rest 30 sec. after ea. sprint)

Workout 4 (Speed): Upper Body 1A) Close Grip Floor Press 8 x 3 reps 1B) Chest To Bar Pull Ups 8 x 3 reps 2A) chest slap plyo push ups 3 x 5 2B) rope pull ups 3 x max reps 3) Med Ball Slam + Wall Throw 3 x 6 / 6 each 3) Grip: A) Hex DB Holds 5 x 10 – 15 seconds B) Captains of crush gripper 5 x 5/5

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Week 5 & 6: Warrior Workouts ** 1 full body workout followed by an upper / lower split workout, perform 3 x week. Workout 1: Full Body Workout © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

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1A) Barbell Clean & Press: x 5, 3, 3 1B) rope climb 2A) sandbag reverse lunges 4 x 6 ea. Leg (switch placement of Bag on every set: zercher, left/right shoulder, on back) 2B) band pull aparts 4 x 25 3) jump rope tabata style x 4 minutes: 20 sec. work/10 sec. rest 4) ab circuit: 4 exercises x 20 reps each Workout 2: Upper Body 1A) handstand push ups 5 x submax 1B) Rope Pull Ups 5 x max 2A) double bent over Kettlebell rows 3 x 8 – 12 2B) double Kettlebell Bench press 3 x 8 – 12 (clean the bells, sit on bench and lay back, press with elbows tucked tightly against body!) 3A) thick rope curls (loop rope through Kettlebell) 2 x 8 - 12 3B) close grip push ups w/hands on med ball 2 x max 4) Kettlebell Get Up Sit Up 2 x 5/5 Workout 3 1A) Barbell Zercher Squat 5 x Build Up to Heavy 6 & 3 rep set 1B) Lateral Jumps Over Bench 5 x 6 reps (3 each side) 2A) Bodyweight Squat Jumps 3 x 10 © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

24 2B) Bodyweight Lunge Jumps 3 x 5/5 3A) Sleds 5 x 150-200 ft. 3B) KB Swings 5 x 10 reps

Week 7 & 8: Golden Era Bodybuilding Workouts

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This will offer a great change of pace from the “traditional” Underground workouts, but will also add serious strength and muscle to your frame. Although these are called “Bodybuilding” workouts, they are based on the Golden Era days, the days when Men trained in efforts to build some SERIOUS, REAL World, Functional Strength. These days weren’t about checking your hair in the mirror and being a pretty boy, NO, Sir, these workouts were based on being a Bad MoFo! Now it’s YOUR turn. NOTES: ** Train 4 x week: 2 days on / 1 day off, 2 days on / 2 days off

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26 (Monday - Tuesday, rest Wed. Thur - Fri, rest Weekend) Day 1 – Upper Body 1A) Incline Barbell Press 5 x 10 - 3 reps (Add wt. ea. set) 1B) T Bar Row (stick bar in corner of wall if necessary) 5 x 6 - 8 reps 2A) Flat DB Bench (Neutral hands) 3 x 15, 10, 5 reps 2B) Pull Ups 3 x MAX reps 3A) Ring Dips 3 x submax reps 3B) BB Shrugs 3 x 8 - 12 reps 4) grip / abs 3 x each Day 2 – Legs 1) Jog 1/4 mile warm up, then run 1/4 mile AFAP (as fast as possible) 2) Squats (NO box) 10 x 3 - 5 reps 3) Sled drags x 12 minutes non stop (alternate forwards / backwards x 100’) Day 3 – Shoulders, Tris 1A) Dumbbell Military Press 5 x 3 – 5 reps 1B) band pull aparts 5 x 20 reps 2) Barbell Hang Clean 5 x 3 reps 3) tate presses on floor 3 x 20, 15, 10 reps 4) band push downs 3 x 33 reps 5) Jog 1/4 Mile, Then Run 1/2 Mile AFAP

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27 Day 4 – Back, abs 1) Jog 1/4 Mile, then 100 meter sprints 5 x (rest 30 sec. between sprints) 2) wtd. Pull ups 4 x 3 – 6 reps 3) Reverse Grip bent over barbell rows 4 x 6 – 8 reps 4) 1 arm DB rows 3 x 6 – 12 reps 5) DB or KB farmer walks 3 x 150 ft. 6) Wtd. Back extensions 3 x 12 - 20 reps 7) Weighted Ab circuit: hold med ball and perform 15 reps each of sit ups, v ups, Russian twists and repeat for 2 rounds

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Week 9 & 10: Strong as Hell Workouts This month will return to a lot of odd object lifting, a GREAT way to develop strength and endurance as well as adding muscle. Your past 2 weeks of ‘Old School Bodybuilding’ will have given your mind a nice break & now you’re ready to attack. All 3 workouts will be short, full body workouts, especially because many of these drills are full body lifts. Take a day off after ea. workout. Day 1 1) Keg Clean & Press x 5 minutes. Perform 2 reps every 30 seconds for 5 minutes total. 2) Sandbag Power Clean & Catch x 5 minutes. Perform 2 reps every 30 seconds for 5 minutes total. 3) Tire Flip: Perform 2 reps every 30 seconds for 5 minutes total. 4) Recovery Jog x 1/2 Mile Medium Pace

Day 2 1) 1 arm KB or DB snatch x 50 reps each hand. (Choose a weight that allows you to perform 6 – 8 hard reps per hand). Finish AFAP 2) Sandbag Squat x 50 reps. (Choose a weight that allows you to perform 6 – 8 hard reps per set) 3A) mixed grip pull ups 3 x max

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29 3B) mixed grip push ups 3 x max 4) dip bar leg raises x 50 total 5) Run 1/2 Mile AFAP Day 3 1) Keg Carry (carry on your lap if very heavy or zercher style if moderately heavy) 4 x 200’ 2) Double Kettlebell Rack Walk 2 x 200’ 3) Rope + Kettlebell Farmer Walk (sling rope or towel through KB handle) 2 x 200’ 4) Double Kettlebell Swings 3 x 10 5A) Sled Drags 4 x 200 ft (alternate forwards / backwards every 100’) 5B) Hand Over Hand Sled Pull 4 x 50 ft.

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Week 11-12: Physical Culture Training This month will be a throwback and you will mimic the training methods from the early 1900’s, a time where Physical Culture was at it’s height. The Underground is GREATLY influenced from the days of Physical Culture, using ground based lifts, odd object lifting, gymnastics drills and focusing on Health as the #1 priority in your overall training & nutrition.

Above, a Turner Hall, which was the popular type of gymnasium where Physical Culture training actually took place. Notice the countless gymnastics apparatuses, climbing ropes, rings and open space for movement. You would also find countless kettlebells, Indian clubs and medicine balls available!

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31 ** These workouts will focus on full body workouts, 3 x / week, on non-consecutive days.

Day 1 1A) Handstand Push Ups 5 x max 1B) L Seat Rope Climbs 5 x

2A) Squat Jumps 5 x 10 2B) Lunge Jumps 5 x 10 3A) Power Wheel Roll Outs 3 x 10 3B) Dip Bar Leg Raise 3 x 10 4) Grip Work: Wrist roller 1 x palms up, 1 x palms down

Day 2 1A) Double Kettlebell See Saw Press 4 x 5/5 1B) Double Kettlebell Cleans 4 x 10 1C) Double Kettlebell Swings 4 x 10 Watch This ==> ** Kettlebell Training Video ** < == Watch This! Finish With: Trail Running x 10 Minutes: Run through trails, up hills, over obstacles, jump, run, sprint, climb, be agile and move through the woods or obstacle like area non stop for 10 aggressive minutes

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Day 3 1) Standing Broad Jumps OR jumps over obstacles 5 x 3 2) Bottoms Up Kettlebell Clean & Press 5 x 2/2 3) Power Wheel Hand Walking 4 x max distance 4) Medicine Ball Throws / Tosses from various angles for distance x 25 total reps 5) Jump Rope x 30 seconds sprint / 15 sec. rest x 10 minutes total

Week 13-14: Power Bodybuilding Training

4 x week / Upper / Lower Split Monday + Tuesday, Wed. Rest, Thursday + Friday

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Day 1: Lower Body 1) Squats 8 x 2 reps 2) Deadlift 5 x 1 rep 3) Leg Curls on Power Wheel x 100 reps total Day 2: Upper Body 1A) Sandbag Clean & Press 5 x 3 reps 1B) Weighted pull ups 5 x 3 reps 2A) weighted dips 3 x 6 – 12 2B) barbell cheat curls 3 x 6 – 12 3) grip + abs: 3 x each Day 3: Lower Body 1) Barbell / Dumbell Reverse Lunges 4 x 8/8 2) Double KB Cleans 3 x 10 3) Double KB Swings 3 x 10 4) Sled / Prowler Work x 10 minutes non stop Day 4: Upper Body 1A) Barbell or DB Floor Press 3 x 5 - 8 1B) mixed grip pull ups 3 x max reps 2A) bent over barbell row 3 x 6 – 8 2B) ring push ups w/chains on neck 3 x 10 – 15 © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

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3A) band pull aparts 3 x 33 reps 3B) dumbbell hammer curls 3 x 6 – 8 reps 4) grip + abs 3 x each

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Week 15-16: Bags & Bells - Train 3 x week on non consecutive days - On “off” days, feel free to add extra calisthenics, outdoor activities, recreational sport play and / or sled dragging (In other words, be an ATHLETE!)

Day 1 1A) 1 arm Kettlebell clean & press 3 x 5 1B) mixed grip pull ups 3 x max 2A) double Kettlebell Squats 3 x 5 2B) double Kettlebell rows 3 x 5 3) stair sprints (find park or stadium benches) X 10 Minutes of Max Work

Day 2 1) sandbag squats x 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 2) Kettlebell snatches x 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 3) Weighted push ups (backpack, chains, vest, etc.) x 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 4) Grip + abs 3 x each in circuit style

Day 3 1A) 1 arm Kettlebell Floor Press 3 x 6 1B) 1 arm Kettlebell Row 3 x 6 2) Walking KB rack lunges 3 x 10/10 3A) hand release KB swings 3 x 15 © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

36 3B) Sandbag Shouldering 2 x 5/5 4) jump rope x 5 minutes 15 sec. work / 15 sec. rest

Week 17-18: Combat Readiness Even if you’re NOT a combat athlete, there are times your body must REALLY push to get “in shape” – I’m talking strength endurance, power endurance, overall work capacity, mental toughness, killer conditioning and overall brute strength. It’s time to test your limits. Train 3 x week on non consecutive days and KILL IT!

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Day 1: Underground Combat Circuit 2 Rounds x 6 Minutes Each Round of MAX Work 2 Minute Rest After Round 1 1A) Tire Flip x 3 1B) Box Jump On Tire x 5 1C) Kettlebell snatch x 5/5 1D) Weighted Pull Ups x 5 1E) Sledge Hammer Strikes x 5/5 (switch top hand at 5 reps) 1F) Sled Drag x 100’ forwards / 100’ backwards

Day 2: Coach Reeve Challenge ** If you haven’t listened to the Coach Reeve Audio Interrogation, Get It! ** ** 10 rounds in 20 minutes OR max rounds in 20 minutes ** Reps are modified to improve technique, Coach Reeve did 10 sets of 10! ** A sandbag can replace the barbell (sandbag must be ½ your bodyweight, minimum) 1A) Barbell Power Clean x 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5……1 1B) Pull Ups x 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5……1

Day 3: StrongMAN Challenge 1) Log Clean & Press x 2 reps every 30 sec. x 5 minutes 2) Thick Bar Deadlift 2 reps every 30 sec. x 5 minutes (No thick bar? Wrap a towel around the bar where you grip the barbell) 3) Medley: Carry each object x 100’, sprint back and carry again. 4 rounds, 1 2 min. rest between ea. round (Medley Video) -

Farmer Walk

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Sandbag zercher carry

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Keg carry

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Forward / Backwards sled pull

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Week 19-20: Golden Era Training Make no mistake about it. The Golden Era may have been a time of “bodybuilding”, but, these men trained for strength, size, muscle gain AND performance. Supersets kept the metabolism revved and they all were truly strong, they didn’t just “look” strong! You will train 3 – 4 x week, no more than 2 days in a row. You will alternate between upper and lower body workouts. Feel free to take 2 days off after leg workouts if they beat you up and you train intensely. You can always utilize sleds and bands for active recovery which will help speed recovery and improve your work capacity.

Day 1: Lower Body 1) Squats 5 x 10 reps 2A) Walking Barbell Lunges 2 x 10/10 2B) Overhead Barbell Carry Back to Starting Point 2 x Distance of Lunges 3) Romanian Deadlift 3 x 5 reps 4) Ab circuit 5 exercises x 12 reps each

Day 2: Upper Body 1A) Barbell Military Press (Strict) 4 x 10 reps 1B) Bent Over Barbell Rows 4 x 6 reps 2A) Wtd. Dips 5 x 6-10 reps 2B) mixed grip pull ups 5 x submax

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40 3A) Barbell cheat curl 3 x 8-12 3B) lying dumbbell extensions 3 x 10-15

Day 3: Lower Body 1) Zercher Squat 3 x 5 2) Barbell reverse lunge 3 x 6/6 ea. Leg 3) Kettlebell swings 3 x 20 4) sled drags 4 x 200’

Day 4: Upper Body 1A) Thick Bar Bench Press 3 x 6 – 10 1B) Barbell hang clean 3 x 3 2A) 1 arm dumbbell row 3 x 10 2B) incline dumbbell bench (neutral grip) 3 x 10 3A) dumbbell hammer curls 3 x 8-12 3B) lying tricep extensions w/kettlebells 3 x 10 - 15

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Week 21-22: NO Rules Training

NOTES: - Train every other day, which will turn out to being 3 x week one week, 4 x week the next week. - On “off” days feel free to perform light workouts w/kettlebells, sleds, bodyweight or active recovery activities. Day 1: 1) Atlas stone or large stone loading onto object approx. chest height x 20 reps total reps for time AFAP (rest as needed). I use a 175 lb stone, approx. 40 lbs lighter than my bodyweight.

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42 2A) 1 Arm DB Snatch 4 x 5/5 2B) 1 Arm DB Shrugs 4 x 5/5 Loaded Conditioning with Double Kettlebells: 3 Rounds 3A) Overhead Carry x 50 ft B) Push Press x 5 reps C) Rack Walk x 50 ft D) Squats x 5 E) Farmer Walk x 50 ft F) Bent Over Row x 5

Day 2: Playground Assault: 5 rounds for time / AFAP 1A) picnic table 1 hand military press x 10 reps ea. hand 1B) Jumps On Picnic Table Top x 5 1C) Hand Walk on Monkey Bars + 5 pull ups at end 1D) Hand Walking On Parallel Bars (forwards + backwards) + 5 dips at end 1E) Run 200 meter Day 3: 1) Deadlift 5 x 2 reps 2A) 1 arm Kettlebell Floor Press 4 x 8/8 2B) rope climbs 4 x 3) farmer walks 3 x 200 ft 4) ab circuit: 5 exercises x 15 reps each

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43 Day 4: 1) Kettlebell Chain (snatch + push press + clean & press = 1 rep): start at your lightest KB, work up to your heaviest and then work all the way back down. Perform 1 rep per hand. For example: 36 lb, 53 lb, 70 lb, 88 lb, 70 lb, 53 lb and 36 lb. Do all this non stop. Perform 2 sets, rest 1 minute after each set 2A) Sandbag Shouldering, each rep off the floor: 4 x 5/5 2B) recline ring rows 4 x max 3A) ring dips 3 x max 3B) Kettlebell Swings 3 x 25, 20, 15 4) Sled drags / Prowler x 5 minutes non stop

My Final Thoughts… During the course of your Beast Program, you should be listening to your body, auto-regulating and deloading when you feel the need to. Most of the workouts consist of 3 - 4 training sessions per week. On your other days, stay active and focus on athleticism. I play tennis with my kids, run on the beach, go mountain biking with friends, swimming in the ocean, stand up paddle boarding, etc. Don’t allow yourself to become BIG and Useless. Get support from other Undergrounders and keep up to date with my latest training methods by become part of Underground Strength Nation HERE at 50% off. Click HERE for your special offer.

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44 If you’re an aspiring Strength Coach or you love “personal development”, stay up to date on my blog and e mails and look for an Underground Strength Coach Certification to attend. I hold both 1 and 2 Day Events. Educating yourself to greater heights and being motivated by fellow Undergrounders is critical to improving your performance levels and success in life. After all, this course is NOT just about physical development, but also about training the mind. The BIG secret that most people forget is quite simple, yet NOT easy: -

Train hard

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Train consistently

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Eat majority of nutrition via quality foods

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Never give up

After a few short weeks on The Beast Program will mold you into a new MAN, inside and out. BIG gains truly can take years and years, consistency all the way along. I have been training for over 20 years and continue to improve! You have to break records as often as possible.

“If you’re not stronger than yesterday and improving in some way, shape or form then you’re NOT living.” ~ Zach Even - Esh ~

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Caveman Nutrition Guidelines for Underground Strength Nation Many people have asked me about my nutritional advice, how I personally eat and how I recommend others should eat. My current nutrition regime is close to Paleo or following The Renegade Diet (Details HERE). Around age 22 or 23 I began to minimize my dairy intake while removing bread entirely: milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. I found they were negatively effecting my energy levels and causing me store excess body fat. I was not as lean and I seemed to have hit a wall with regards to gaining strength and lean muscle. In a matter of days I felt 20 X better and my body leaned out rapidly. Back then I was eating breakfast, lunch and dinner along with some small protein based meals or protein shakes in between meals. Today, I favor less food and often times no breakfast. As you age, your body will respond differently to foods and nutrition practices as a whole. Prepare to change as your body changes, don’t resist the change, your body will tell you / show you what works and what doesn’t work. For example, if I have a dinner with heavy carbs, the next morning I have a massive headache, the same as if I had a hangover. That’s a sign that carbs are NOT agreeing with my body at all. I found the simplest way to get someone to alter their physique and energy levels is to get them to reduce and eventually stop consuming dairy, especially if they are in mid 20’s or older. © http://ZachEven-Esh.com

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From there I look to add 1 salad a day or several servings of greens and other vegetables. I take 1 - 2 servings of Athletic Greens and LOVE it. Small amounts of Fruit is also added to the daily nutrition, and although experts suggest removing fruits from the daily consumption after 3 or 4 pm if you want to lean out, my first concern is health, so I encourage fruits to be consumed throughout the day in moderation. If weight loss / fat loss is your goal, Don’t sit down at night with a HUGE plate of fruit or even for breakfast. This is simply too much sugar. Once you have stabilized and controlled your daily nutrition with the above mentioned guidelines and you decide you want to get leaner, it is time to incorporate the following modifications: Test drive some controlled undereating or controlled fasting. I have used this with great success but mostly find it works when used sporadically rather than 7 days a week. For me, I will follow the Renegade Diet 4 or 5 days a week, weekends I usually have breakfast, lunch and dinner. The best way to keep your nutrition in check is via common sense and discipline, plain and simple. It’s critical to keep your fridge and cabinets stocked with plenty of quality foods to keep you from seeking shitty food to fill you up. I always told my wife, if I was a single guy, all I would have is water, coffee, chicken, fish and red meats. Once and again, some red or white potatoes and plenty of veggies on hand.

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47 The common sense is what everyone has. The discipline is what only a few percent have, so take the road less traveled and go lean and mean with your priority being your health. I’m not driven by 6 pack abs any more as I once was when I was younger. I am motivated by greater health, a longer life, more energy, more mental clarity, less joint aches and pains. Whatever motivates you is up to YOU. Let’s DO this! Stronger Than Yesterday.... --Z--

Underground Strength Coach Recommended Resources Here is a list of my favorite web sites, products, training tools and resources. Enjoy!

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48 My Blog - Lessons in Lifting, Life, Business and Success! Underground Inner Circle - 50% Off VIP Special - Gain access to everything that goes down at my Underground Strength Gym with private videos for training, business, lifestyle, success & more. Regular audio interviews with top strength coaches, special reports and discounts offered that are not available elsewhere. Click HERE for Your Special Offer Underground Kettlebells - The Best Kettlebells in the World. Period. The Purposeful Primitive - One of my Favorite books, revealing some of the most amazing methods, stories and insider secrets on how the strongest, most muscular men in the world trained! The Convict Conditioning Workout - This is by far the best book on bodyweight training that I have ever read. These Bodyweight training methods were derived from an inmate who served in some of the deadliest prisons in the world. This is one of the best training resources I have ever read, bar none, a MUST have for All Undergrounders. Click HERE for Details Bodyweight Bodybuilding - How to pack on size, strength & muscle while devleoping athleticism, power and a lean body using only your bodyweight. If you’re ever at a point where you need a break from heavy lifting, THIS is the training program for you Click HERE for Details The Renegade Diet - A Common Sense, easy to follow eating plan that reduces inflammation of the body, helps burn fat, increases energy and overall makes you feel GREAT. Click HERE for Details

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