Zach Even-Esh
Founder, Underground Strength Gym
Creator, SSPC Certification
April 2 & 3, 2027 · Varsity House Gym HQ
The Anti-Influencer
Event Of The Year
Underground Strength Con is a one-of-a-kind strength event. We've intentionally designed it to stand apart from the typical bloated workshops and uninspiring conferences.
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What
2-Day Coaching & Learning Event
Where
Varsity House Gym HQ
337 Blaisdell Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962
When
Friday, April 2nd & Saturday, April 3rd, 2027
Event Speakers
Joe Riggio
Founder and President
of Varsity House Gym & Business Of Strength
Dan Goodman
Partner and CEO
of Varsity House Gym & Business Of Strength
Click here for Underground Strength Con travel info.
Hilton Pearl River
500 Veterans Memorial Drive, Pearl River, NY, 10965, USBook Your RoomUnderground Strength Carnival
The Strength Carnival is an homage to the early days of physical culture, bodybuilding and strongman circus lifting — the era that captured imaginations long before the internet, and gave birth to the strength culture we train in today.
Feats of strength have been a rite of passage across human history, from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians to the Vikings and Celts. Strongmen were revered, feared and mocked in equal measure — and only now can we fully appreciate the boundaries they broke.
Test your might against those old-world standards and pay tribute to the legacy of strength left behind for all of us.
The Competition Rules
- Have fun and lift within your means
- Drink beer
- Eat big… lift big
- No barfing in the gym… please step outside!
In Honor Of Louie Simmons — The Godfather Of Strength
This year's Underground Strength Carnival is dedicated to the late Louie Simmons, founder of Westside Barbell — widely regarded as the strongest gym in the world.
Louie wasn't just a coach. Over decades of relentless experimentation he further developed the Conjugate Method, a system that reshaped how athletes in powerlifting, football, track and field, MMA and countless other sports train for strength, speed and power. His gym in Columbus, Ohio became a proving ground where elite lifters were forged and world records fell.
He mentored hundreds of world-class athletes and coaches, and taught that strength is a mindset and a lifelong pursuit, not just a physical trait. Today we lift in his honor.
“Weak things break.”
Rest in power, Louie.
Varsity House Gym HQ
337 Blaisdell Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962Questions, Answered
- What is Underground Strength Con?
- Underground Strength Con is a 2-day coaching & learning event for coaches, gym owners and lifters. It is intentionally designed to stand apart from the typical bloated workshops and uninspiring conferences — hands-on coaching, real training, and no influencer theatre.
- When does it take place?
- Friday, April 2nd & Saturday, April 3rd, 2027.
- Where is it held?
- Varsity House Gym HQ, 337 Blaisdell Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962.
- Who is speaking?
- Zach Even-Esh (Founder, Underground Strength Gym), Joe Riggio (Founder and President of Varsity House Gym & Business Of Strength) and Dan Goodman (Partner and CEO of Varsity House Gym & Business Of Strength).
- Where should I stay?
- Hilton Pearl River — 500 Veterans Memorial Drive, Pearl River, NY, 10965, US. Full travel details are available in the event travel guide.
- What is the Underground Strength Carnival?
- A tribute to the early days of physical culture, bodybuilding and strongman circus lifting. Attendees test their might against classic feats of strength. Lift within your means, and have fun.