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The fitness world today feels polished and perfect, but real strength was forged in garages with rusty weights and a warrior mindset. That raw, underground power is what built legends.
I sat down with Zach Even - Esh, a true icon, the founder of The Underground Strength Gym, and one of the OGs who laid the foundation for the raw, garage-style training that changed the game.
While most gyms were getting softer, Zach Even - Esh was welding the bars himself, dragging radiators through alleys, and flipping tires caked in grease, on purpose.
This episode takes us right to the raw roots of the underground strength movement. We’re talking stone-lifting, backyard beatdowns, and no-BS coaching that built unshakable toughness in athletes… and in life.
You’ll hear how Zach helped shape one of the most authentic eras in strength history, and why his style still hits harder today than ever before.
This one is for the coaches, creators, and anyone who believes hard work should hurt a little.
Enjoy the episode.
Listen to This Episode on Your Favourite Podcast Platform:
https://over40alphapodcast.com/
Subscribe and Listen on Spotify:
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
06:18 - The bodybuilding origin story and training in the 80s and 90s
14:02 - Transition to Underground Strength movement
18:12 - The "idiot" feedback on unconventional training methods
29:00 - Building the Underground Strength Gym
33:28 - Learning online business and creating the first eBook
38:46 - Making $1000 a day online in the golden era
45:07 - The rise and fall of affiliate marketing and ClickBank
55:14 - The value of structured programs
57:22 - His #1 program and why it still hits
1:03:47 - The "Wu-Tang Clan" of fitness
1:07:35 - Connections with Joe DeFranco and Smitty Diesel
1:14:36 - Honoring the pioneers who shaped underground fitness
This Episode Is Part of Our Legacy Series
We’re honoring the ones who did it before the hashtags.
The ones who trained before content was a thing.
Zach Even - Esh isn’t just a pioneer; he’s the underground pulse that still fuels real training today. He built strength. He built character. He built a movement.
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✅ Built for men 40+
✅ Strength-based workouts + simple, flexible nutrition
✅ Real coaching. Real accountability. Real community.
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Connect with Zach Even - Esh:
- Website: https://zacheven-esh.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZEvenEsh
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZachEvenEsh
- Twitter (X): https://x.com/zevenesh
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zevenesh/
- The STRONG Life Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strong-life-podcast-with-zach-even-esh/id740235285
Connect with Funk Roberts:
- Website: https://www.over40alpha.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funkrobertsfitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkrobertsfitness
- Funk’s Book: www.over40meals.com
