My man Joe Meglio is a Strength & Conditioning Coach at the Underground Strength Gym in Edison, New Jersey where he was mentored by the great Zach Even-Esh. Joe was recently named the 1st EVER “Writer of The Month” by Stack.com and was voted the #1 Rising Star in the fitness industry.
Bottom line, this guy knows his stuff!
Yesterday, I had the chance to sit down and talk shop with Coach Megz.
Here are some highlights:
ME: I know you played baseball in college, tell me a little more about your playing career.
JOE: I’ve been playing baseball my whole life. It was always my dream to play at the highest level. While I wasn’t the most talented player on the field, what set me part was my strength and conditioning. I was bigger and stronger then most of the guys I was competing against which give me an edge over the competition.
How did you get started at USG?
I got started at the USG as an intern for 2 months. During this time I would help coach or I would train with the athletes. This allowed me to really take in and soak up the underground training system. After the 60 days, I became a coach and today, almost 3 years later I am the head underground strength coach.
That’s quite a transition! What was the biggest shock/learning experience for you at USG?
The biggest experience I have learned at the Underground is that training athletes is about much more then the physical results you get them. It’s about giving these young athletes the confidence to believe in themselves and what they are doing. It’s about building mental toughness to help these athletes handle adversity and get “comfortable being uncomfortable” as Zach Even-Esh would say.
I love that quote, definitely a life-changer. So how long have you been training athletes there?
I’ve been training athletes at the Underground for just under 3 years. I started back in September of 2009. Before then I was training athletes at various parks throughout Staten Island.
In all your experience, what’s the biggest mistake an athlete can make in regards to their training?
On man this is a loaded question. I’m not even sure where to start on this one but the biggest mistake I see many athletes make is not using proper technique. They push weight before technique and it leads to really crappy technique. Just look at how any high school weight trains. It amazes me that there are not more injuries in the weight room. I have herd horror stories about what goes on in there.
No joke, I wish we could get in ALL those weight rooms and really help teach proper form. You mentioned your new system, Lift Like A Man earlier, is this pretty close to what you have your athletes doing at USG?
This is the exact system I have used to help transform me and the way I train. Before I was at the Underground, i thought I was big, I thought I was strong but I quickly realized I had a lot of work to do. I dedicated myself to stop training like a little girl, and to start training like a man and during this time, I’ve seen amazing results. I hit a triple bodyweight deadlift at the age of 20 and smashed all my personal records.
I’ve seen that 600lb deadlift, that’s pure BEAST right there homie! So what kind of results can my athletes expect from LLAM?
With the LLAM course your athletes can expect to smash all their personal records in the squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, max pull-up. They can also expect to put on 15, 20, 25 lbs of lean muscle during the duration of the course. I have to admit that results are not typical. Most people do not want to put in the effort to get these type of amazing results. If you want extraordinary results then you need to put in an extraordinary effort. I’ve changed the lives of many men using my program BUT it is because they are willing to work and put in the effort that is needed to take names and kick ass.
Not only am I talking about the training program itself, nut the nutrition information also. I have laid out 20 sample meal plans, a shopping list and everything else you need to get amazing results. Everything you could ever want is in this manual, it’s up to you to put in the work.
You’re so right. All we can do is lay out the red carpet, but it’s up to the athletes to follow through and take action. As you mentioned, you have included a lot of support materials, especially the 2 diet plans…that’s awesome…
Yes 1 of the diet plans, The Rapid Road To Getting Ripped, is about the power of intermittent fasting and how you can get ripped up in as little as 12 days. This diet plan is perfect for the summer or somebody getting ready for vacation. In addition to this I have provided over 20 sample meal plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner and food on the go. Along with a shopping list of everything you need to have in your refrigerator. The last thing you get is ‘How to Eat Like a Man’ which is the method behind the madness.
At only $27, that sounds like a solid investment for any serious athlete or lifter. Give me 1 tip or takeaway that you want to make sure EVERY athlete hears…
I’ll leave you with this quote from Henry Rollins ” I felt strong. It was the first time I remember having a sense of myself. I had done something and no one could ever take it away. You couldn’t say shit to me”. This quote resonates with me because it is the very reason I lift the way I do and the very reason why I always stride to get stronger. If I get stronger in the gym, it will give me the confidence to become a stronger man in life. This is what the Lift Like a Man philosophy is about. Not only is it about getting big, strong and looking good with your shirt off but also about start lifting, eating and LIVING life like a man. It’s time to step up and become the man that you are cable of being. I recently herd the Ultimate Warrior Speak and he said that we all have genius and greatness inside of us. It’s up to us to harness it and unleash our true potential. This is exactly what my program is about!
Alright Megz, great chat, I really appreciate your time and knowledge! Thanks again.
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