AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE

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ISSUE 113 - 11/06/2006

1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I am an old man and have a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened."
- Mark Twain

Stress is by far one of the greatest destroyers of health. Both mental health and physical health. Stress increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is necessary for life. Without enough cortisol you will have no motivation and no energy. However, excessive cortisol levels literally eat away at brain tissue and muscle. More and more studies are coming out linking high cortisol levels to alzheimer's disease and dementia. Stress is pretty scary stuff and many people are way too casual about having high stress levels.

The interesting thing about stress is how it manifests and how often it is self induced. Oddly enough the people that you would assume have the least amount of stress often have the highest levels of stress. Through my world travels I have often observed that the less problems someone has the more stress he or she has. As crazy as it may sound, not having any real problems can be stressful! Most people would not admit it, but many people thrive on conflict and problems. Solving problems and resolving conflicts induces growth. No real stress means no growth and that in itself is stressful! In the movie "The Matrix" a computer program talks about how the initial computer generated program for humans was a utopia in which there were no problems. The program was a disaster and humans died left and right. The second program was more like our world wrought with violence and suffering. The program was a success. Thus, the conclusion in the movie is that humans thrive on misery and suffering. Not too far from the truth. Without problems we do not develop fully and waste away. Thus, perhaps the creation of problems is a self preservation mechanism. We need problems to live fully and if we do not have any real problems, we create them.

Much of stress has to do with how one interprets any given situation. A millionaire has problems that non millionaires do not have such as how to hang on to the money, avoid paying excessive taxes, and evade gold diggers and other manipulators. These may seem trivial in comparison to other forms of stress. However, stress is based on how the individual handles it. An impoverished individual living in a hut in Kenya with a big smile on his face everyday may very well have less stress than a workaholic millionaire. To illustrate with another example, a soldier in war may be less stressed out than an impatient lady in a restaurant that is throwing a fit due to her meal being five minutes late. Sounds impossible to believe. Nevertheless, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the interpretation of stress is in the mind of the individual.

One facet of stress that is fascinating is many people create incredible levels of stress over problems that are probably never going to happen. Worrying about what may or may not happen is natural to a degree as the unknowns in life can be stressful. Regardless, obsessing about what could go wrong is a sure-fire way to drive yourself crazy. Accepting the reality that there are things that are out of your control requires a level of faith. In return you get a level of peace of mind that all you can do is place your best effort and let the chips fall where they may. Realizing that life is "controlled chaos" is not easy as taking a truth pill is often not easy to digest.

Next, some people believe that the more problems they have, the more important they are. I have even seen people compete with friends regarding who has more problems. No matter what one person says, someone else will try to top that person. Many people like to wear their problems like a badge of honor. "Look how great I am with all of these problems." On the other hand, people with real problems are often too busy dealing with them or living with them to gloat. The last thing they want to do is show off about their problems. They consider such actions embarrassing.

This does not mean that venting is out of the question or that bitching about problems is unacceptable. No doubt, letting it all out from time to time has a beneficial cleansing effect. However, harboring on the same problem over and over again and not doing anything productive to solve the problems is a waste of time. At some point some meaningful action steps have to occur. Instead of complaining endlessly regarding your problems, take a page from Viktor Frankl and ask yourself if you are worthy of your sufferings. This mental paradigm shift can provide an entirely new perspective that results in a greater mastery of stress.

Finally, perhaps the greatest self induced stress creator is the obsession with the opinions of others. I am always amazed by people that worry about what strangers think of them. They literally live their lives for the approval of others which is no way to live. Sure getting praise from others is nice. However, living an artificial life for the sake of pleasing others is very stressful. Usually the stress does not show as these people are putting on an act in public. However, internally incredible levels of cortisol are being produced. Not living an authentic life creates a great deal of internal stress. You can only hold it back for so long. Eventually the stress reaches a critical mass with disastrous consequences.

Make no mistake about it stress is a killer and learning how to handle stress is one of the most important things you can do. Stop worrying about everything and live more in the moment. If you are full invested in the moment then the future has a way of working out. Next, stop obsessing with the opinions of others. Who cares what other people think of you. Life is stressful enough. Live an authentic life not one in which you constantly seek the approval of others. Next, take some time to breathe. Whenever you get stressed, you naturally hold your breathe. Breathe in deeply and breathe out and take a moment for yourself whenever you need it. Finally, have your Doctor do some Saliva tests to measure your DHEA and Cortisol levels.

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

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2. HELP THE KATRINA VICTIMS

My friend and top body worker Dianna Linden recently sent me a list of non-profit organizations for helping out the Katrina Victims. Here is the list:

• Operation USA http://www.opusa.org
• Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org
• Oxfam America http://www.oxfamamerica.org
• America's Second Harvest http://www.secondharvest.org

I encourage you to take a look at the above organizations and make a donation to the one that sits well with you. Also if you want to help out animals, make a donation to http://www.bestfriends.org.

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3. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING ARTICLE

Breaking Into A Kettlebell Size and Strength Program

By Mike Mahler

Before I wrote several articles and came out with a comprehensive DVD on using kettlebells for size and strength, many trainees confined the benefits of kettlebell training to muscular endurance and fat loss. No doubt kettlebell training is a very effective component of an effective fat loss program (the other component being pushing yourself away from the kitchen table more often). In addition to fat loss and muscular endurance training, kettlebells can be used effectively for adding size and strength. However, many trainees are confused with how to transition into a kettlebell focused size and strength program. If you have been using kettlebells for endurance and fat loss, you have to gradually transition into high volume strength training for muscular development. Many trainees make the mistake of jumping into a 5x5 (five sets of five with heavy weights) paradigm or worse a 10x5 paradigm and go into an over trained state rapidly. A much better plan is to get used to the most effective kettlebell exercises for size and strength with a few sets and a few workouts per week. Once you get the hang of these size and strength exercises you can start adding some volume and intensity.

Lets start off with the exercises:

Primary Exercises

Double Kettlebell Clean and Press: In addition to being a full body exercise that will stimulate overall growth, the Double Kettlebell Clean and Press is an incredible upper body developer with particular emphasis on the shoulders and triceps.

Alternating Kettlebell Renegade Row: In addition to working the lats, mid back, and biceps, the Renegade Row works the core and oddly enough the pecs as well. The pecs have to work over time to keep your stable and do not be surprised if you wake up with sore pecs the next day. Thus, men with "breat envy" will love this exercise.

Double Kettlebell Swing: Great hamstring blaster that focuses on fast twitch muscle fibers which are by far the most important for developing size and strength. Great transfer to the "midnight move" as well. Hopefully, you do not need me to elaborate on this further.

Double Kettlebell Front Squat: It all start with a strong foundation and the Front squat will develop strong quads. Just make sure you hold the bells higher up like I do on my Size and Strength DVD to take the emphasis off of the shoulders.

Optional

Double Windmill or Turkish Get-up: Two great exercises for the core and shoulder stability and flexibility. Core work is no doubt important. However, you get a lot of it indirectly with the primary exercises so do not obsess about doing a ton of abdominal work. If you want a six pack, you need to have low bodyfat.

What about variety? I get bored with doing the same exercises over and over again? That is why you have a forgettable physique and strength levels that are far from impressive. Get exceptional at a few basic moves first and then add some variety down the road. Forget about variety for at least one month. Get good at the primary exercises and it will be much easier to transition into other exercises such as the Alternating Military Press, Sots Press, Double Bent-over Row, and Double Snatch. Yes this will require an attention span that most TV addicts will find painful. Too bad, life is about making sacrifices to win the prize.

Now lets go over a sample "break in" program.

Month One

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

• A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 2x5
• A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 2x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

• B-1: Double Front Squat 2x5
• B-2: Double Swing 2x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

• Double Windmill 1x5 l,r (left and right)

Month Two

In month two go to three sets per exercise. Keep the core work (TGU and Windmill at one set). In month three, go to four sets per exercise and split up the exercises as follows:

Month Three

Monday-Thursday

• A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 4x5
• A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 4x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

• TGU 1x5

Tuesday-Friday

• B-1: Double Front Squat 4x5
• B-2: Double Swing 4x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

• Double Windmill 1x5 l,r (left and right)
• Month Four: 5x5 Program

Month Four

In month four you are ready to start the 5x5 program and can start adding some variety to the program. For example:

Monday

• A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 5x5
• A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 5x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

• Turkish Get-up 1x5 l,r

Tuesday

• B-1: Double Front Squat 5x5
• B-2: Double Swing 5x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

• Double Windmill 1x5 l,r (left and right)

Thursday

• A-1: Alternating Military Press 5x5
• A-2: Double Bent-over Row 5x5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

• Turkish Get-up 1x5 l,r

Friday

• B-1: Double Clean and Front Squat 5x5
• B-2: Double Snatch 5x5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

• Double Windmill 1x5 l,r (left and right)

Next, you can pick any of the other programs in my Kettlebell DVD E-book which comes with my Size and Strength DVD. Do not have it yet? Pick it up today at The Aggressive Strength Online Store and start making some real progress.

Also remember that without optimal levels of Testosterone and Growth Hormone you can forget about developing a strong and muscular body that commands respect. Have your Doctor test your T and GH so you know where you are at. Ideally, everyone at age 25 should have these levels checked but it is never too late to ascertain where you are at. For more info on the importance of optimizing hormones, read this article.

If you need some more help with program design, make sure you sign up for my program design services.

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Featured Products

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4. 2007 AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH KETTLEBELL WORKSHOPS

Interested in hosting or sponsoring an Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Training Workshop?
» Click Here for More Information

Attention: I will no longer be doing workshops in Northern VA/DC, Denver, and Northern CA.

February 24, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in Los Angeles, CA
» Click Here for More Information (Only 2007 LA Workshop)

March 10, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in Las Vegas, NV
» Click Here for More Information

March 11, 2007:

Mahler Level 2 Advanced Kettlebell Workshop in Las Vegas, NV
» Click Here for More Information

May 12, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in New York City, NY
» Click Here for More Information

May 13, 2007:

Mahler Level 2 Advanced Kettlebell Workshop in New York City, NY
» Click Here for More Information

May 20, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Plus Kettlebell Training Workshop in Miami, FL
» Click Here For More Info (Only 2007 Miami Workshop)

September 15, 2007:

Mahler-Shaffer Level 1 PLus Kettlebell Workshop In Dallas, TX
» Click Here For More Information (Only 2007 Dallas Workshop)

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4. COMING SOON: NEW KETTLEBELL DVD ON FAT LOSS AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS

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5. BONUS AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING ARTICLE

The Body of Power™ Training Method

By Jon Hinds

To perform your best, you must first have perfect technique from the ground up. This is your Path to Power, also known as the kinetic chain (movements that are multi-joint). Every winter (at least in the North) you end up pushing a car out of the snow and that's a full body exercise if you ever had one. It takes your entire body working in unison to do the task.

Here are some examples of progressive movement:

• The movement of pushing a car out of the snow, for example, begins from the ground, through your feet, knees, legs, then hips, core, shoulders, chest and arms and then through your hands.
• As you improve your stability and alignment (kinetic chain or Path to Power) from the ground up, you can do your task with greater strength and power.
• This is why some people who may not look powerful because of their size, actually are powerful because of their technique.
• Bruce Lee (probably the greatest martial artist of all time who trained to perfect his technique for hours a day) is a perfect example of this statement as he was not a large man but he could send people flying with his famous One Inch Punch.

Climbing the Mountain is a way of training that I like to use and it applies to everything that I advocate; every movement has specific progressions. It is the same process as a baby learning how to crawl, then sit up, stand and balance, stabilize, and then walk and run. How can anyone expect to possess coordination in active work when their muscles have never worked together as a whole? This is applicable to all facets of training, whether running, jumping, pushing, pulling, throwing, tackling and reacting.

The more stability a person has throughout their body, the better ability to release power, decrease injuries and improve their athletic performance. "Your nervous system will shove a brick under your gas pedal when it realizes that the stabilizing muscles are NOT up to the job. Using strength built on an exercise machine is like shooting a canon from a canoe!" - Paul Chek.

In fact, there are 4 Steps in the Body of Power™ Training System:

• Step 1 is Set Up (align & assess)
• Step 2 is Stability
• Step 3 is Usable Strength
• Step 4 is Power

Step 1. Set Up

Proper activation of the weaker muscles creates optimal alignment and balance throughout the body. Alignment is the key, not training the core or midsection in isolation or the functional isolation I see so much of today. That is like balancing on one foot to improve ankle stability with a combat boot on! You can do it, but it doesn?t work very well! You will learn how to lessen this "domino affect," that we all have by first activating dormant muscle so that you create more balance throughout your body. This is accomplished with a Set Up position.

Set Up: The Base of Stability, Strength & Power

• 1. The Set Up for a push-up is the incline plane.
• 2. This alignment is the foundation upon which you build strength.
• 3. Failure to train to improve your alignment will push your movement or exercise into a compromised position.
• 4. Compromised alignment results in muscle imbalances, weak links and eventually injuries.

Step 2. Stability

Stability is your body's ability to right itself and maintain proper alignment. Example: If you stand on one leg, your ankle and knee begin to shake a bit (especially if you close your eyes or your leg is fatigued). This shaking is the result of your leg and entire body attempting to stabilize. This may occur on every full body exercise and is normal.

An example of 0% stability is during a typical stomach crunch. While lying down on the floor, the floor supports your body. Your abdominals work in isolation, but your core is not engaged, your core is not forced to hold the upper & lower body's together, thus the core does not truly do it job - stabilization! 0% Stability is Trained = 0% Stability Gained

Without stability, you get the domino effect. The domino effect begins in whatever area that is in contact with the ground or wall or some outside force. The feet and hands are usually the first contact points and that is why we focus so much on improving alignment from these points. From the hands and arms and the feet and legs each misalignment works its way up the body through each joint. The domino effect works just like dominos Set Up to be knocked over.

When the arch collapses due to tight shoes that don't allow the arch to work properly, next in line is the ankle, then the knee, then the hip will probably rotate, causing back pain and you might have some un-evenness in the spine, shoulders, neck and head: the domino effect. The same is true when the hands are improperly weighted on the ground or a wall. When the hands are at your sides for years or when we improperly train resistance without balance, it causes the shoulders to internally rotate. This can be seen in the hands, just as in the feet. If the hands are not balanced, then the wrists are not balanced, leading to the elbows, the shoulders, neck, spine, head. Do you see how this affects the entire body?

People normally do not pay attention to a toe turned in or the fact that their hands face backwards when standing, but these both are signs of misalignment. They lead to other problems that need to be addressed, not in isolation, but together as one system. Doctors, therapists, and trainers will notice these misalignments, but then will prescribe general isolation exercises to correct the problem, or if you're lucky, some stability exercises. But it generally stops there. If you have an ankle problem and also a really rounded back, the focus will generally be on improving ankle functional stability and will not look into improving the whole at the same time.

Step 3. Usable Strength

Body of Power™ is first geared towards improving basic posture and alignment in each exercise and then improving the stability, strength, speed and power of that exercise. It is natural for all who follow this program to gain the same positive rewards of standing taller, running faster, jumping higher, pushing and pulling with much greater force and reacting with greater speed. Because of the dramatic postural improvements, increased strength, and improved reaction time, you will also greatly decrease your chances of injury.

The Natural Movements Progression to Usable Strength:

• First master proper alignment for that specific movement skill.
• Then slowly move through the full range of motion of that particular movement while keeping proper alignment.
• Next, add more speed to the same movement until you can properly perform the natural movement of choice at full speed, while maintaining proper alignment.
• Later you can begin adding resistance (via Lifeline resistance tubing or medicine balls, sandbags, D-balls or other) to the same natural movements and still maintain the same speed, form, and proper alignment and technique.
• The result is an athlete who runs faster, jumps higher, reacts quicker, pushes and pulls with greater force and is much, much less likely to get injured.
• A happy side effect is that you will also have a beautifully sculpted athletic looking body.

This is how we train at my Monkey Bar Gymnasium, we train smart & strong!!! And the results of our training are off the charts! By addressing mis-alignments first, students/members become healthier and develop a stronger base for all training that follows. The great thing about learning the alignment "set ups" and then progressing to each following level of training is that anyone can do it anywhere, anytime!! We have the greatest training tool ever?our bodies and minds, it is time we all get back to the basics of movement and exercise and ?remember? how to use them!

If you have any questions or would like to learn more on my the training we do at my Monkey Bar Gymnasium then feel free to contact me through our website:

MonkeyBarGym.com

Stay happy and healthy!!

Jon Hinds
Owner, Monkey Bar Gymnasium
608.663.7511

Natural Exercise, Inner Strength, Endless Possibilities

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6. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH PERSONALIZED PROGRAM DESIGN SERVICES

"Lost 10 lbs and went down from a size 12 to a size 8 in jeans – that was something I expected not to happen for another 10-15 more lbs! So thanks for your guidelines – they really have helped a lot."
- Michele Milevoi

Tired of trial and error? Want a training program that actually works? Click here for more info!

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7. GET THE AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH DVD COMBO PACK TODAY

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8. NEW AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS

I have just added some great new products to my website including: medicine balls, the ultimate portable gym, and some pull-up straps that allow you to do a pull-ups anywhere! Click here.

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9. THE AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH SOLUTION FOR THE ROAD WARRIOR

Tired of terrible hotel gyms and getting out of shape on the road? Tired of doing bodyweight only routines in your hotel room because there are no other options? You need Lifeline's resistance cable products. Not only are they light and portable but they provide enough resistance to humble the strongest athletes around. Click here for more info

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10. KETTLEBELL TRAINING INFORMATION PAGE (NEW)

http://www.mikemahler.com/kettlebell_info.html

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11. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

http://www.mikemahler.com/newsletter

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12. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH ARTICLES

http://www.mikemahler.com/articles.html

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13. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING JOURNAL

http://www.mikemahler.com/journal.html

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14. RECOMMENDED READING LIST

http://www.mikemahler.com/reading.html

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Until next time.

Live Life Aggressively!

Feel free to email me with your comments and feedback at mahler25@yahoo.com

Mike Mahler

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