AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE

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ISSUE 126 - 3/21/2007

1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK 

"Nobody is going to hit as hard as life, but it ain't about how hard you hit it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That is how winning is done." From the movie Rocky Balboa 

I think the human brain is made for solving problems. What solving problems is to the brain is what working out is to the muscles. The more problems the brain solves the stronger and healthier it gets. When we avoid problems or let problems get the better of us, the brain gets weaker. Enough years of this process and dementia and other brain degenerative diseases are sure to follow. Sure there are most definitely other factors involved with brain health. However more studies are coming out linking high stress levels and poor brain health. The high stress does not come from problems per se. No it comes from not meeting the problems head on and ascertaining the solution. 

In the know Docs often recommend that people play chess and do crossword puzzles to keep their brains healthy. While both can be useful, why not make your life the chess game. Take on new challenges and do not quit until you succeed. Pick up a martial art, learn a musical instrument, or learn a new language. Or do what I did and start a business. Running your own business is a daily process of problems and solutions. Everyday is a new adventure in this process. If you want your business to continue to grow, you have to take on new challenges which always results in new problems. Once you solve the problems you are rewarded with more money, recognition, or whatever your goals may be. As a side note, men are often motivated by making more money and women are often motivated by achieving more recognition and a pat on the back. Nothing wrong with either. Just be aware of what your motivations are and use them to your advantage. 

When I started my kettlebell training business back in 2002 I was the first trainer to attempt to make a living as a kettlebell focused instructor. While I was not the first person to go through Pavel's certification course, I was the first person to go home and develop a full time kettlebell training business. There were probably one-hundred people total in the US who trained with kettlebells at the time. Thus, I clearly had to attract new people to kettlebell training and not rely on the people that were already in. I decided to focus my business around workshops and online training. 

I had five people at my very first kettlebell workshop in McLean, Va and made a whopping $300.00! I charge more than that now for one person to attend one of my kettlebell workshops. At my second kettlebell workshop again in McLean, VA, I made $480.00. I was ecstatic! Not by the money made, but by the fact that there were people that were actually interested in attending my workshops. They were very raw back then and not polished like they are now (doing over 70 helps!). 

After doing a few workshops in VA, I was ready for a change of pace and moved to Los Angeles. I thought that my business would really take off in LA. Somehow, people often feel that just showing up in LA is enough to be successful. As if the forces of nature will bring success to your front door just for showing up there. No wonder there are so many losers out there, ha ha. Well, long story short, my business did not blow up initially in LA. In fact I only had three people at my first workshop in LA and made less than $300.00 total. My second workshop in LA was not much better. By the time I did my third workshop in LA, I was fighting a horrible case of pneumonia. I was living in Santa Monica and in addition to financial stress, I had a great deal of personal life stress and tried to handle it all by working out more. I ended up with one lung completely filled with bacteria and the other one 75% full. I had four liters of filth pulled out of my lungs and then another two liters the next day. I lost thirty pounds and a great deal of my strength with it. In addition to having poor strength, my business was barely above water and I had $7.00 left in my bank account. 

I decided that it was time to throw in the towel, get a regular job and make some money and try the training business again down the road. I took my dog Mona for a walk around Santa Monica to clear my head. I walked by some office buildings and saw people sitting behind their desks pretending to work. There was no way I could go back to that world. I picked up Mona ran back home and starting working. I decided to kick complacency in the ass and finish what I started. Once I made the decision, I immediately got to work. Just deciding that you are going to do something is not enough. After you make the decision, the sooner you take action the more likely you are to be successful. the longer it takes to take action, the less likely you are to succeed. Once I started working, I was too busy making things happen to stress out. I got my strength and size back in two months, started doing workshops again, and started making a decent income. I started getting more online clients, getting more articles published, and eventually went on to make information videos. I hit a great stride in 2004 and in 2005 I exceeded all expectations and hit a great six figure income. To make the pot even sweeter I had a great personal life as well with my now fiancé Carol. Training was going well and everything was locked and loaded. 

In 2006 I started getting bored with the business. However, I soon realized that it was not the business I was bored with. No I  was bored with my place at Dragondoor. While I did not work for them, I was heavily associated with them and that came with a lot of restrictions. While my income was great (Money that I earned through my own efforts, not what I made through DD directly), I did not like having my growth restricted. I rather make less and be in charge of my life then make more and play a secondary role. Basically, being at DD was like being a supporting actor in a movie. Sure it is great to have a role, but I wanted more. The only choice was to leave the organization. 

There was no logical reason for me to leave when I did. My income was great. However, other problems surfaced such as lack of growth potential and frankly I did not care for the way the organization was run. Again, if you do not meet problems head on, your brain gets weaker. When you get complacent, you lose the game and your brain gets weaker. You have to challenge yourself constantly. Being at DD was no longer challenging and frankly no longer exciting. Moreover, if I do not like the way an organization is managed, then I do not want to be a part of that organization. It is as simple as that. I left on good terms to continue my kettlebell business on my terms and pursue other interests. 

I now had a new challenge of taking full ownership of my success and not leveraging the website traffic that I used to get from Dragondoor. I had to get better at customer acquisition. I revamped my website to have better website search placement. More recently, a fan of my work Kyle Provost completely revamped my website and as a result my online store is doing better than ever. My website traffic had nearly doubled since last year and business is great. I partnered with Lifeline USA which is one of the most well known creators of quality fitness products. They got in the KB market and their kettlebells have been selling like crazy on my site. While we are currently dealing with some customer service issues, this is common for any new venture and it will be ironed out. 

Things are going great now. My income is better than ever and my passive income has gone up dramatically. As a result I will be doing a limited amount of traveling to do workshops. In 2008 I will only be doing KB workshops in Las Vegas and NYC. My focus will be on other things. I am currently examining an exciting opportunity that will involve me being part of a new reality TV show on the topic of mental toughness and physical training. If the show happens and I accept the opportunity, it will happen very soon. New opportunities are always loaded with new problems and I look forward to the new problems. 

Challenge yourself. Attempt the impossible and reap the rewards. You will never enjoy life by being complacent. You will never know what you are made of by taking the easy road. Once you achieve one goal, regroup and go after a tougher challenge. Who you become in the process is worth the inevitable problems and hard times.

I just checked my email and my good friend Dylan Thomas just informed me that our good friend Jim Tirey died while on a business trip. Jim was one of my biggest supporters when I first started my business and remained a great friend through the years. In fact Jim was the one who sent Dylan Thomas and another good friend Warren to my second KB workshop. Dylan went on to become an incredible instructor and teaches in the DC area. Jim was a great man and was a career Military man. He was in Rwanda during the "Black Hawk Down" situation. To say that Jim was tough mentally and physically is the greatest understatement of all time. My prayers go to him and his family. I will miss him immensely. Thanks for all your support and friendship Jim! 

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

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Who says we do not have any heroes any more? Here is a group of them. Thanks men you make us all proud!

"Good morning Mike! Just wanted to share some pics from the Fort Hood KB Club via Baghdad. The team is doing well and staying safe, although we did lose a close friend on the recent helicopter crash. I truly enjoyed your "Aggressive Strength Solution for Incredible Kettlebell Training". I am planning on ordering your latest Ebook "Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength". Would I have your permission to share this with the team members here in Iraq? I believe I have stated this before in previous emails, but just wanted to say thanks again for the great web site and free articles. Your contribution to the fitness community is duly noted."
- David COL Jon "David" Mullins

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2. AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY KETTLEBELLS ARE FINALLY HERE!

I have been getting a lot of questions regarding the new Lifeline USA Kettlebells and here are some answers:

Q: I have one Dragondoor bell, can I use a Lifeline USA bell with the DD one for double work?

A: Yes it should not be a problem at all. While the LL bells have slightly thicker handles, the bell is pretty much the same size and will not be an issue.

Q: Can I get single units of the super small bells (16lbs and below)?

A: Right now the super light bells are only sold in pairs. I am trying to get LL to change this for the very near future. All other sizes 35s and up are available in single units.

Q: Can the smaller ladies bells be used for Renegade Row?

A: While the smaller bells look like real kettlebells (no plastic thin handles) I do not recommend anything below 35lbs for Renegade Row. It becomes too much of a stability issue with very light bells.

Q: Do the handles have the slick smooth epoxy coating that DD bells have?

A: Nope, I made a point of having LL avoid the slick handles. They are smooth enough that they will not tear up your hands and rough enough that they will not fly out of your hands on high repetition work.

Q: How big is the 97lb bell?

A: Around the same size as DD's 88lb bell. I love the 97s for double work!

Q: How is the quality?

A: I am very happy with the quality. The bells went though strict quality control measures and passed with flying colors. I could put my reputation behind any bell on the market and chose to do so with the LL bells. I have been training with them for a month and love them. I know you will as well.

Here is what people are saying about the bells: 

"I recently received two 80 lb. KB's from Lifeline. The delivery was very prompt. The bells themselves are of excellent quality. I like the thicker grips-they seem to facilitate performance. Cleans, rows, swings, and especially overhead pressing was very smooth with what I perceived as a very well balanced piece of equipment--they have  a different feel than their competitors in this regard much for the better. The handles are not at all slick and have enough grain to make gripping easy without raising blisters. Overall, a superior product." 

--Steve Fink 

"My Lifeline kettlebells have just arrived. I am well pleased! The finish and design are simply perfect. Your offerings are what I have been hoping would appear for years, quality, usable kettlebells at reasonable prices. Lifeline has met the challenge. I expected such, as it is my experience that the products, teaching and endorsements of Mike Mahler are honest and high quality. I shall be recommending your products to my friends and students. I look forward to a long and satisfying relationship with your firm as a customer."

--Randy Shadoe

"I just got my Lifeline KBs, so I thought I'd drop you a line. OK, keep in mind that I've never used DragonDoor KBs; I've only used the Ader bells, and I wished I had ready your review of the different KBs on the market before I bought them because they are way too slick for my taste. I started to develop serious calluses at the base of my fingers because I had to use a
rosin bag for grip.

Well, when I unwrapped my LL bell, I could tell the difference right away. Hell, I guess my rack technique is not as bad as I thought because I didn't bang my forearms with the LL bells as I've been doing with the Ader bells. Don't get me wrong, I know that I have to improve my overall technique so that I can handle any KB; however, I like the different feel of the grip and shape of the bell of the LL's version. I'm trying to figure out a way that I can sell my Ader bells, so I can buy another LL bell. LOL!"--Muata Kamdibe

"Mike, I received the Lifeline KBs(2 79s and a 97) today, and did some snatches, Turkish get ups, and presses. It felt good to be able to press the 97. The handles have a nice gritty feel--I believe I like them a little better than the original Dragon Doors, definitely better than the newer, slicker Dragon Doors. Thanks again for your ideas. I'm looking forward to your new DVD." --Brian DeLong, Harrisburg, PA

You will love the prices on these bells. Click on the link below and check it out.

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3. 2007 AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH KETTLEBELL WORKSHOPS

Interested in hosting or sponsoring an Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Training Workshop? Most likely I will not be interested, but you can always try ;-) 
» Click Here for More Information

Attention: I will no longer be doing workshops in Northern VA/DC, Denver, and Northern CA, Why? Because I am sick of traveling! 

May 12, 2007:

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

May 13, 2007:

Mahler Level 2 Advanced Kettlebell Workshop in New York City, NY (Sold Out! Email mahler25@yahoo.com for the waiting list) 
» Click Here for More Information

May 20, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Plus Kettlebell Training Workshop in Miami, FL (3 spots left) 
» Click Here For More Info (Only 2007 Miami Workshop)

NEW June 16, 2007:

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

NEW June 30, 2007:

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

September 15, 2007:

Mahler-Shaffer Level 1 Plus Kettlebell Workshop In Dallas, TX
» Click Here For More Information (Last Dallas Workshop Period! I will not be traveling in 2008) 

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4. Aggressive Strength Community Service 

 My friend and top body worker Dianna Linden 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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5. NEW AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH PRODUCTS: NEW FAT LOSS SYSTEM DVD IS NOW IN STOCK! 

  Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness

Tired of losing the battle against fat? Time to win the battle against fat with The Kettlebell Solution For Fat Loss And Mental Toughness

A super effective way to combat fat is to build as much muscle as possible. The more muscle you have the more of a fat burning machine you become. I am happy to report that boring cardio programs that insult your intelligence and make you feel like an idiot are not only unnecessary but counter productive. The real solution to losing fat is not spending hours on low intensity aerobics burning calories. No, the most efficient path to success is the application of the following:

• Muscle building exercises (This DVD has 18 of them!)
• High Workout Frequency Full Body Workouts (No less than four workouts per week)
• Proper Diet (No low fat diets allowed!)
• Restoration (Yes you need sleep and recovery methods)
• Optimizing Sex Hormones (Poor sex hormone levels equals: poor mood and poor body composition period)

» Click Here for More Information, or

The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size And Strength e-Book

This e-Book is 160 pages of fluff-free information to super charge your workouts. No wasted space with photos of roided out bodybuilders. No use of super large fonts to artificially make the book longer. Just pure content to give you the tools you need. Whether you train with barbells, dumbbells, bodyweight exercises, kettlebells, or a combination of all of the above, you will love this e-book. Loaded with nutrition and sports supplement info as well.

» Click Here for More Information, or:

Order Now for Only $19.95:

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6. RECOMMENDED LAS VEGAS MASSAGE THERAPIST

"I was in Vegas preparing for my own wedding. I was stressed to the max and the only thing I could think of to relax me temporarily get my mind off of things (other than wine) was Carol. Carol was so professional and so attuned to my needs. I believe it was the best massage I have ever experienced. Needless to say, with Carol's help I wasn't so stressed and the wedding went smoothly. Thank you Carol, you have a life-long client! The wedding did go very smoothly and we had a wonderful time. We plan to return to Vegas in June and we'll be back for another massage appt. Thanks again Carol!"
- Tonya Taylor, Lafayette, LA

My fiancé Carol is now available for therapeutic massages in the Las Vegas area. We have a great massage room at our house that will help you unwind right away. Check out her web page today at: Las Vegas Massage

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7. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH FAT LOSS ARTICLE

Lose weight and increase healthy hormones with Lean and Fit 

Lean N Fit was created to dramatically assist in weight loss success and Age Reversal

The reason I created the dietary aid called Lean N Fit for weight loss was to assist dieters who might also want to use hormone replacement for successful body fat reduction.

I have studied and tried every kind of diet and training plan. I have used multiple hormones and studied with some of the greatest scientists of our century. Here is the amazing story of how we discovered the best combination to help millions of people to potentially reach their goal weight.  

By Nick Delgado PhD, CHT,                            

President Ultimate Medical Research  

http://www.ultimatemedicalresearch.com

At the age of 23, I was clinically obese at 25% body fat as measured at USC.  By diet and exercise I had reduced to a level under 15%.  By age 48 I maintained good results at around 15% body fat, using the addition of natural bio-identical hormones.  

By age 50, two years of using supplements such as Lean N Fit, and Power N Speed with nitrogen, along with weight training, I continued to progress.  These photos (below) were taken one week after my return from Asia and Mexico on a speaking tour Oct 10, 2005.  In the issue of Townsend Letter, December 2005, I wrote an article for women, regarding the problems of estrogen metabolism and how certain types of estrogen cause fat retention and fat build up.  I now am in the best shape of my life, leaner, fitter, than and as strong as when I was 24 years old.     

I have been considered by some a pioneer in the treatments and protocols for successfully reversing the aging process.  Scientists that consult for Ultimate Medical Research have collaborated with me to take on the growing problem of obesity by treating the cause of the problem.  The first problem I will address is related to the in bread need our bodies have to conserve fat during times of famine or pregnancy.  It is clear that most of us have the survival genetics to store fat because those that do would out live the skinny under weight fragile individuals as compared to the people who build and retain fat for future needs.  However fat, once gained is difficult to reduce if we don’t first clear these fat retaining estrogen metabolites (16-aOHE-Alpha Hydroxy estrone and 4-Methoxy estrogen).

Don’t get me wrong, the body needs estrogens, especially a good type of estrogen that starts out as Estradiol and Estriol and later becomes 2- Hydroxy estrone. Yet we discovered that by clearing out these byproducts of concentrated forms of estrogen and allowing the gently types of estrogen to still do their job, we started seeing the result of fat reduction.  Vitamin E was necessary for the improved absorption of the DIM and Indole-3-Carbinol. 

We added the most effective estrogen fat removers ever discovered into Lean N Fit with DIM-Diindolylmethane, Chrysin and Indole-3-Carbinol.

These natural phytochemicals helped those taking this product to clear out the bad estrogens right out the urine. We tested this with Rhein Consulting labs and found our results confirmed our theory that there was a shift in favorable estrogens from the bad estrogens.  In my own case the ratio went from 2 to 1 which was considered good with an effective dietary regime to a dramatic 11 to 1 and on one test a 20 to 1 ratio favoring good to bad estrogens. I saw this trend in a number of clients taking part in this product study with the lab on Lean N Fit. We also added Phosphatidyl Choline because it has proven in mesotherapy research to help in spot reduction and facilitate the burning of body fat.         

Next we knew people are weak, and they over eat especially during the holidays or during stress. We added the wonderfully effective ingredient called Hoodia Cactus.  But we wanted to be sure to get a reliable source as the supply and demand from one source in Africa would not meet our needs. One of our scientists believed that a better source of Hoodia Cactus was available in America and this proved to be true.  The reports started to come back about the Hoodia Cactus concentrated in Lean N Fit did in deed help people reduce appetite.

We added Avena Sativa concentrated from Milky green oats which I had studied with lab trials testing free and bioavailable testosterone and found a significant increase in the beneficial circulating testosterone in men and women.  This would in theory firm up the body, increase lean muscle mass and burn more body fat.  The example is a bull or gorilla has much more free testosterone and nitrogen for lean tissue mass then people and they are incredibly lean, muscular and fit.  Women sometime think that weight gain from muscle is counter productive however they become delighted after trying Lean N Fit as it does reshape the body and allow those nice looking curves to take form. We also included Beta Sitosterol to modulate Dihydrotestosterone DHT to get the right balance between testosterone and the more potent DHT.

To help those taking Lean N Fit want to continue to feel the results we added a considerable amount of super fixated Nitrogen which we had perfected in a product called Power N Speed.  Nitrogen is a vasodilator and as the blood pressure is driven down, the heart increases its contractility (strength and efficiency of each beat). This drives more blood into the system increasing the turn over of oxygen to all the cells of the body.  As we increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the cells we experience an incredible surge of energy.

Super fixated nitrogen increases our body’s production of energy in two ways. First, it induces a change in the body’s ability to liberate energy from fat. This will help those who want to reduce body fat while increasing lean mass. Lean N Fit helps accelerate the retention and building phase of lean body mass. We call this state “being in positive nitrogen balance” or the anabolic phase.   This was the best thing we could have done because by taking Lean N Fit everyday people experienced a tremendous lift in energy, so necessary to the success of long term dieters.  Not only did they start to look better they felt great everyday and even had the energy to want to exercise. You can see why I feel this will be the best product ever made available to curb appetite, reduce fat and increase lean body mass. 

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8. GET THE AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH DVD COMBO PACK TODAY

9. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING ARTICLE 

Training and Nutrition For Muscle Size
An Interview with Dr John M Berardi, CSCS

Whenever Dr Berardi gives an interview, you're bound to learn a thing or two. Here are a few choice questions and answers Dr Berardi provided for an interview with Craig Ballentyne of www.cbathletics.com.

CB: John, you've truly advanced the science of "getting big" without getting fat. Can you give a synopsis of your philosophy?

JB: Thanks for being so generous with your words. While I wouldn’t be so dramatic as to say I’ve “truly advanced the science,” I think one thing I have been able to do is reach a lot of individuals and help them understand the science and art of “getting big”. My nutritional philosophy (whether you’re after weight gain or weight loss) is made up of 3 central tenets:

1. The human body best responds to structure. You’ll successfully gain weight or lose weight only when you learn to structure your training and nutritional intake in such a way that your eating and training behaviors are consistent from one day to the next.

2. Reaching your goals requires an integrated approach. Training programs, nutrition programs, and supplement programs should be highly integrated in such a way that they all work well together. If there is no integration, it’s a case of the left arm not knowing what the right is doing. This component of success is the hardest for most people to grasp because expertise in all 3 areas is rare. A fully integrated approach usually requires a coach.

3. It’s true that managing total calorie balance is critical to success. Both exercise and nutritional intake affect total energy balance (energy spent vs. energy ingested). It’s true that if you want to gain weight, you simply have to eat more and/or train less. And if you want to lose weight, you simply have to train more and/or eat less. But since we’re not interested in weight gain or loss but the gain of lean mass and the loss of fat mass, we can improve this relationship by paying close attention to the types of foods we eat and the timing of this ingestion.

CB: Briefly, what are your thoughts on training for muscle mass?

JB: Wow, it’s hard to describe my entire training philosophy “briefly” but I’ll try. As most experts would agree, there is not a single type of program that’s effective for increasing muscle mass. In my clients, I’ve found that some guys gain mass rapidly on the conventional 3 sets of 10 reps, “bodybuilding” style programs. Others do much better on more conventional 5 sets of 5 reps, strength type programs. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know who will respond to each type of program without some trial and error.

With most clients, I find that their muscle strength and power is a major limiting factor in their quest for bigger muscles. As a result, we usually start them out on hybrid strength and power program incorporating exercises like cleans, snatches, push and drop presses, and speed dead lifts for power and squats, bench presses, dead lifts for max strength. After their muscle strength and power improves tremendously (and it always does), we re-assess their goals. If they want to continue working on strength and power (most guys LOVE this type of training), we continue on this path. If they want to focus on size exclusively, we then begin to incorporate programs that are 25-50% devoted to strength and power, and 50-75% devoted to “bodybuilding” training. We rarely ever drop the strength and power movements entirely. Take, for example, a client of mine who just competed in the Canadian National Bodybuilding Championships. I had this guy doing cleans and snatches right up to the week before the show.

In the end, though, you can have your training optimized but if you aren’t eating properly, you won’t gain a pound.

CB: Okay, now for the good stuff. What are some of the secrets that you have uncovered in the lab and over the years "in the trenches" when it comes to optimal muscle hypertrophy gains?

JB: After optimizing your training program, the next step is optimizing your nutritional plan. While conventional dietetics suggests that all one needs to do is focus on total energy intake, that idea is far too simplistic. Sure, most athletes chronically under eat – to their detriment – but it’s no surprise why they under eat. Conventional nutritional strategies ensure that when an athlete eats enough, fat gain will go hand in hand with the muscle gain. I’ve tried to discover ways of allowing an athlete to eat enough without promoting a lot of fat gain. Here are a few strategies I’ve used with great success.

1. Try to avoid meals that are high in both fat and carbohydrate. In other words, meals that contain combinations like steak, eggs, home fries, and toast are not the way to maximize your lean gain to fat gain ratio. Of course, eEach daily meal should be rich in protein.

2. Eat most of your carbohydrates within 3 hours of training. One of the best ways to gain lean mass while avoiding fat gain is to eat most of your dietary carbohydrates during the 3 hours after training. During the rest of the day, the diet high in protein and good fats. Veggies are also a must during this time. A small amount of fruit is acceptable during this time as well.

3. Workout Nutrition! Sip a drink containing whey protein and carbohydrate during training. Also sip a drink of the same composition after training. A good starting point is to consume 0.4g/kg protein and 0.8g/kg carbohydrate during the workout and another 0.4g/kg protein and 0.8kg carbohydrate directly after. Then, 1 hour later, eat a meal containing the same nutritional breakdown. For a 180lb guy, that’s about 32g protein and 64g carbohydrate.

CB: How can the typical Men's Health-type reader apply your knowledge to his everyday routine, considering he might be "chained" to his phone and desk for 10-12 hours each day, and a 2 hour round trip commute? What are his top snack options and post-workout meal options?

JB: While this lifestyle presents a challenge, it’s not impossible to eat properly, train hard, and balance work and family. One strategy is to hire a food preparation service. In most cities, if you look hard enough, you can find a caterer who will provide made-to-order meals for health conscious individuals. While many people balk at the cost, I propose this question – how much is your health worth to you? Forget muscle mass, most guys in situations similar to what you’ve described aren’t even eating well enough to prevent disease.

Beyond this scenario, protein drinks do come in handy although I prefer it if people can eat mostly real food. If you absolutely refuse to find a way, though, most people can find time to prepare and eat 3 meals per day. In addition to these meals, 3-5 additional liquid meals can round out one’s muscle gain strategy as follows:

* Breakfast

* Snack: 2 scoops protein + ½ cup yogurt + 1 serving greens + 1 tbsp flax seeds + 1 tbsp mixed nuts

* Lunch

* Snack: 2 scoops protein + ½ cup yogurt + 1 serving greens + 1 tbsp flax seeds + 1 tbsp mixed nuts

* Workout Drink: 1 serving recovery drink

* Post-Workout Drink: 1 serving recovery drink

* Dinner

* Snack: 2 scoops protein + ½ cup yogurt + 1 serving greens + 1 tbsp flax seeds + 1 tbsp mixed nuts

CB: Let's look at another scenario. The massive bodybuilder that still wants to add another 10 pounds to his frame prior to starting his pre-contest preparation. However, this guy thinks he's stuck; he's tried all avenues. What approach do you have him take?

JB: Massive juicing. Ok – I’m just kidding! Actually, check out this scenario. One of my competitive bodybuilders hired me after winning a provincial bodybuilding championship in Ontario. Since he had about 10 weeks to prepare for Canadian Nationals he wanted me to help him get leaner for the next show. But since I knew his main weakness was muscle mass, I convinced him that we would spend the first 6 weeks getting him bigger and the last 4 getting him shredded. Upon hearing this and then seeing his first program, I think he was re-thinking his decision to hire me. However, after some encouragement, he bought into my strategy. The result - he entered his show noticeably leaner, drier, and 3 lbs heavier than his last show, only 10 weeks prior.

So, what did we do? Well, I immediately switched his routine to a strength and power program including all the exercises discussed above. The first week was comical, as he had never done a clean or a snatch before. However, he was a fast learner. In addition, rather than conventional cardio, I had him doing high intensity interval sprints on a bike and a rowing machine. Furthermore, I added the workout nutrition strategies from above. The first 6 weeks were very successful as he gained about 10-12 lbs.

With 4 weeks to go, he was a little worried about his conditioning so, at this point, we dropped the workout nutrition (to eliminate extra calories), we put him on a low carbohydrate diet, and we increased his workout frequency to 2x per day (higher volume lower intensity). This worked wonders and he entered the show in the best shape of his life, with a net muscle gain of at least 5-7 lbs in 10 weeks of contest dieting! And for the record, no drugs were used during this process!

CB: And our final scenario, the University athlete and in-season post-workout nutrition. Can these athletes still gain muscle while playing once a week and practicing 4 times per week? What approach do they take, and where do they load up on cost-effective calories? Any pre-game or game time tips for performance nutrition?

JB: Yes, they can still gain muscle. In fact, as you may have noticed, many of them can certainly gain fat during the season. With training volumes reduced from pre-season, many athletes actually detrain a bit and spend some of the season in positive energy balance. Since the season is hectic, their diet is usually crappy and therefore they gain fat. By focusing on good food selections, appropriate meal timing, and supplemental workouts in the gym, these athletes can easily improve throughout the season.

Getting into a full program is probably beyond the scope of this interview, but simply, if they follow the strategies from above (i.e. not eating lots of carbs and fats together, eating most carbs during the 6 hours post-workout, and using proper workout nutrition), they will be on the right track. Furthermore, I usually have my athletes add 3-5 gym workouts in per week. Two of these workouts are strength workouts while the rest are cardio work designed to maintain fitness and keep body fat low. This strategy is unique to the athlete and his/her needs, though.

As far as pre-game strategies, there isn’t anything magical there. It takes a consistent eating program to ensure good performance on game day – no magic elixirs can remedy a week of poor training and nutrition.

CB: Thanks for the great interview!

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Recommended John Berardi Nutrition Products

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10. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH NUTRITION ARTICLE  

The Rules Of Chocolate

  By Charles Poliquin www.charlespoliquin.net

Eating chocolate used to be cause for plaguing us all with guilt. Closet chocolate eaters, you can all come out now!   Recent scientific research tells us that chocolate is rich in anti-oxidants called flavonols.

These anti-oxidants protect our arteries and prostate glands, reduce inflammation and increase sensations of well-being. The same flavonols are found in green tea and in certain types of berries.

The Rules of Chocolate

Of course, you should follow some rules when choosing the right chocolate for you. Here are rules to follow to make it ever more guilt free:

Rule 1: The darker the chocolate, the better it is. Look for a brand that stipulates at least 70% cocoa. Most people find 85% brands way too bitter to eat.

Rule 2: Read the entire label! Watch out for ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup  and hydrogenated fats. These ingredients will mitigate the health benefits of chocolate.

Rule 3: Keep the milk out of it! Drinking a whole glass of milk with your chocolate is enough to block absorption of all the anti-oxidants, studies have revealed. Stay away from milk chocolate products.

Rule 4: Keep the servings small. Stick to servings of about 15-30 grams at a time, one serving per day. During menopause, I allow clients to use up to 4 servings a day,  provided that they exercise 4 times weekly.

Recommendations

The best places to buy chocolates are:

Chocolate Springs (www.chocolatesprings.com) - You can get the chocolate nibs there.

Dagoba Organic Chocolate (www.Dagobachocolate.com) - Premium products including nibs.

Green and Black's Organic Chocolate (www.greenandblacks.com) - Organic fair trade chocolate products.

Enjoy!

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11. RECOMMENDED AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH BOOK

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12. KETTLEBELL TRAINING INFORMATION PAGE (NEW)

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

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13. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

http://www.mikemahler.com/newsletter

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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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