IN LOCKER ROOMS that could be dominated by the distractions of TikTok and the lure of NIL deals, America’s most intense strength coach gets his message through. But it’s not with volume. Despite carrying the 6’4” frame of a former NFL linebacker and a stare that could bore a hole through granite, Kaz Kazadi’s motivational system is borrowed and tweaked from one of the most soft-spoken coaches of all time: John Wooden.
“If you take a look at his pyramid of success, he has all these blocks,” Kazadi, says of Wooden’s graphic, built with blocks like “skill,” “initiative,” “fight,” and “faith.” The Congolese-born head of strength and conditioning at TCU was shown the pyramid by a mentor, and “it’s something I never waver from.”
But he’s simplified it. While Wooden’s hallowed pyramid features 25 blocks, Kazadi’s is built from just six layers. The motivation he built in his players—and Kazadi’s method’s overall—helped the Horned Frogs jump from a 5-7 record to the College Football National Championship Game in his first season with the team. Build motivation for your own meteoric rise at home, at work, or in the gym for your kids, those you lead, and yourself with Kazadi’s 6-tier approach.
It’s cliche to “start with your why,” but Kazadi says to build unshakeable motivation, drill deeper: Answer why for everything about what you’re doing. “Why am I getting up early in the morning? … Why do we do this? Act like that? … Why is this important?” Answer this for every aspect of what you do, he says, and you’ll have a foundation to build on.
Everything you do as a coach or leader, Kazadi says, should build confidence. He says the best way to build it is with five “Ds”: Discipline, by creating repeatable behaviors. Detail, where you learn to master a craft. Determination, where you’re relentless in pursuit of your goal. Dignity, where you’ll work no matter who’s watching. And the last D: “Just doing your job.”
“You’ve got to burn hot about what you’re doing. You’ve got to love what you do,” Kazadi says. If the job or training itself isn’t scratching that itch, he says, figure out what you love about it—that it helps you support yourself and your family, that the end product helps others, that it’s helping you move toward a job you’ll love more—and focus on it with intensity.
Zero in on the details of this month, this week, this day, this workout, or this rep, Kazadi says, and you’ll overcome doubt and anxiety about what you’re trying to accomplish.
Kazadi says this layer is about being the same person no matter what struggles life throws at you. Whether you lose your job, get a flat tire, or have a training setback, he says, staying motivated is about staying focused not on the problem, but how you respond to the problem … and that the same you comes forth to tackle each one.
“Anything worth having in life comes at a certain level of discomfort,” says Kazadi. Embrace it. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth the pain—and the five levels below can help you get through it.
Juuuuuust in case your coaching duties get wild, use this nasal breathing drill from Brian Peters, former Houston Texan and founder of Breathing for Performance. “Your respiratory rate and heart rate are like a wind chime,” he says, “The crazier they are, the more influence they have on your psychology.” Most of us over-breathe, sending the wind chime clanging. But if you can calm that chime, you can nail your next set, crush presentations, and last longer during your next cardio workout.
Peters teaches breathing skills to various high-performers, including pro football and baseball players, military members, and firefighters. This 1:2 ratio nasal breathing drill is simple and effective, calming your nervous system and opening up your blood vessels so you’re primed to perform:
Inhale through your nose for 1 second, exhale through your nose for 2 seconds; do this for 30 seconds to 1 minute. When that feels comfortable, inhale for 2 seconds and out for 4 seconds, and eventually progress down the chart.
Inhale 1 second, exhale 2 seconds.
Inhale 2 seconds, exhale 4 seconds.
Inhale 3 seconds, exhale 6 seconds.
Inhale 4 seconds, exhale 8 seconds.
This story appears in the November/December 2025 issue of Men's Health.
<img>
Whether aiming for strength, big arms, or visible abs, Men’s Health offers a training plan for every goal.
<img>
Your fitness HQ isn’t the gym—it’s the kitchen. Master everything from pre-workout snacks to muscle-building nutrition.
<img>
Build huge quads in your 30s, get lean in your 40s, or achieve peak fitness after 50. Men's Health is here to guide you.
Maximize and maintain your fitness with a Men's Health subscription. Enjoy expert training plans, 450+ workouts, unlimited access to MensHealth.com, print magazines and more.
