AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE

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ISSUE 129 - 4/18/2007

1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK 

"Most people are running on automatic. They have rules, set procedures, or automatic responses for what to think, what to feel, and what to do in various situations-rules, procedures, and responses  they learned when they were too young to know any better."--Bill Harris 

Do you ever wonder how much of your life is lived consciously? How often are you engaged actively in what you are doing day to day and how much is simply you on auto-pilot. Many of us live our lives like experienced car drivers. When you first learn how to drive a car, you are very conscious of what you are doing (at least I hope so). You consciously hit the breaks when it is time to stop. Hit the acceleration when it is time to go and check the rear view mirror consciously before changing lanes. Once you get comfortable driving, you no longer really think about it. You just get in the car and go. Once something becomes comfortable, we no longer have to think. This is fine for mundane activities. However, what happens when your entire life is in process without thinking? 

The brutal reality is that most people are simply going through the motions in life. Get up at 7am, get a cup of coffee, watch the morning new, and then get in the car for a one hour commute to work. Once you get to work, you go through the motions for eight hours. Then it is time for another one hour commute back home where you have a microwave meal for dinner, watch four hours of moronic TV, have another terrible night of sleep and start the entire process all over again. Each day that you get closer to Friday, you start becoming more conscious about your life. You live for the weekends and have to get as much life as possible in on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is a wash because the next day you have to go back to work. Where did you learn to accept such a life? From your parents, friends, TV, movies, who knows? It does not really matter where you learned it. What matters is being aware of it and changing it. Unless you are satisfied with your life. In that case, kick back and enjoy the unconscious ride. 

When I first started working for myself it was very hard to get over the traditional working work. Work Monday through Friday and then take the weekends off. After a while I realized that when you work for yourself at home you can break all of the rules. You can go out on Monday night and have a blast and then work on the weekends when everyone else is out. You can take spontaneous days off or go through months without taking any days off. Regardless, it was hard to get over what I have been taught my entire life. Monday through Friday is for work and the weekends are for fun. To this day Carol and I often go out on the weekends for fun even though both of us are self employed and can work when we want to and have fun when we want to. Conditioned living is no doubt hard to break. 

Brutal self analysis is a difficult thing. Change is difficult because we fight the process. We may want to change, but the person you know is more comfortable than the unknown person you have the capacity to become. Yet, without careful examination of who you are, you will never go from living a barely engaged life to an actively engaged life. It is far too easy to let others think for you and be a pinball in the game of life. Just let others push you all over the table. Hopefully they know what is best for you and you will do okay. Not the way to live and certainly not the way to live an exciting vibrant life. Most people have no idea who they are and you certainly do not want them in charge of your life. 

You must learn to think for yourself. Stop reacting on auto pilot and get engaged in the moment. Figure out why you do what you do and if it is ineffective, have the courage to change it. You can change at any moment. How you live your life is up to you. How you react to what happens in your life is up to you. You do not have to do what you have learned from TV, movies, magazines, friends, and family. You can break the cycle. 

Where do you start? First you need to learn more about yourself. One effective way is to keep a daily journal. Just as a training journal is effective for tracking workout progress and determining what programs work best, a life journal is an effective way to determine who you are. Be brutally honest as no one is going to read it but you. Write down what ever comes to mind no matter how crazy it sounds. Write about how you reacted to various situations through out the day. After a month or so you will start seeing some patterns and what you learn about yourself may be frightening. Work through it as the sooner you work on this process the better. Take a look at your journal after thirty days. read through each entry and you will be amazed how much you learn about yourself and the way you think. 

Life is not meant to be lived passively. When you are always comfortable, you are not growing, and when you are not growing you are not living. Break out of the comfort zone and stay out of it. 

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

****NEW: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN SEMINAR! 

October 20-21, 2007: Boys are back in town 2-day Kettlebell Workshop Plus! Featuring Steve Cotter, Mike Mahler, Steve Maxwell, and Nate Morrison Click Now For More Information (SOLD OUT! Email mahler25@yahoo.com for the waiting list) 

May 12, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in New York City, NY (SOLD OUT, email mahler25@yahoo.com for the waiting list. This is my only 07 NYC workshop)  
» 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

June 16, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in Las Vegas, NV (five spots left) 
» Click Here for More Information

 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) 

October 20-21, 2007: 

Boys are back in town 2-day Kettlebell Workshop Plus! Featuring Steve Cotter, Mike Mahler, Steve Maxwell, and Nate Morrison Click Now For More Information (SOLD OUT! Email mahler25@yahoo.com for the waiting list)

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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. Attention:  Las Vegas Kettlebell Trainees I am looking for Six (4 already signed up) serious private students who want incredible training gains! 

Yes you read that right after talking to one of my online clients this morning I have decided to start offering some private lessons in the Las Vegas area for a limited time only. Why? While my workshops are very beneficial and enough for many trainees to get going, there are some things that are far too technical to teach to large groups. However, these super effective technique tips are ideal for the private training arena 

My own training this year has been off the hook (if you have seen my DVD you know what I mean)  and I want to share the new tips with ten serious Las Vegas kettlebell trainees. Once I have ten people, I will no longer take on any new clients. All of the sessions will be based in my private home gym in the green valley area. Here is what we are going to work on

Click here for more info: http://www.mikemahler.com/lasvegaskettlebells.htm

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6. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH ARTICLE

The New Rules Of Fat Loss

  By Mike Mahler

  I do not know about you, but I am sick of boring fat loss programs that make you feel like an idiot. Does anyone really enjoy being on a treadmill or an exercise bike? Of course not! That is why that idiot at your gym is always on his cell phone the entire time he is on the treadmill. He looked six month pregnant when he first joined your gym and now he looks like he is about to give birth. Oh well, so much for the benefits of low intensity cardio for fat loss. Here is a news flash. If you can talk on your cell phone while you are working out, then it is a worthless workout. Lets forget about the sheer monotony of standard cardio training for a second. After all if it is effective then perhaps it is worth dealing with. The problem is that it is not effective. However, I do not need to convince you of this fact. Every time you see the same fat people month after month in your local gym’s step aerobics class, you know already that it is not effective. Hell, you probably even tried doing cardio five days a week and got nothing out of it. The common rules of fat loss are clearly not working as our nation gets fatter and fatter every year. It is time for the new rules of fat loss. Lets get started. 

The reality is that 70% of fat loss is what you stuff in your face. As top trainer Mark Twight stated in a recent article, burning 300 calories in a cardio workout and then taking a post workout shake that is over 500 calories is not going to give you the results you want. Anyone that has had great results with a cardio program is always going to be someone who reduced calories dramatically. In this person’s case the fat loss was 90% diet and 10% training. Thus, the first new rule of fat loss is that you must have your diet locked in. Sure there are always people that are exceptions to the rule. However, you are not that person so get over it. Turn in your gold membership card at Krispy crème and start eating tons of green veggies, healthy fat such as olive oil, and high quality protein sources. Get all carbs from low glycemic veggies and fruits such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, berries, and apples. Any time you are hungry have a spinach salad for a snack with some olive oil and walnuts. Sounds boring? Deal with it. What about meal frequency? Most trainers state that you must eat five small meals per day to lose fat. I do not buy it and do not think such a plan is a fit for everyone. Many people do well on three moderate meals per day. Many do well on one major meal and a few snacks during the day such as the “Warrior Diet.” The key is what you are eating not when you are eating it. Find a pattern that works well for you.

The second rule of fat loss is that healthy fat does not make you fat. Excess calories, in particular excess from the wrong calories makes you fat. This is a very hard concept to get across. People still believe that fat makes you fat and will argue without you to the grave while they eat a gallon of low fat ice cream that has the power to make you fat over night (okay maybe not that fast, but you know what I mean).  Low fat diets are horrible for health and well-being. Healthy fat is critical for great skin, lubricated joints, and optimal hormone production. Want to cut something out of your diet? Start with sugar in all of its various forms. Get sugar down to zero and you will get your glucose levels in a healthy range to induce fat loss. The only time sugar is beneficial is after a workout to help get he protein to the worked muscles. However, if you are fat skip sugar all together. Get sugar down to zero for ten days and let me know what happens. 

Lets get back to fat. Low fat diets equal low testosterone and low progesterone production. Both are necessary for men women for optimal fat loss and well-being. Without adequate levels of fat in your diet (30% of calories), you will not have adequate levels of testosterone. Without adequate levels of testosterone you will not be able to build muscle. Building muscle is the most effective way to get rid of fat and keep it off. Which brings us to the third rule.

The third new rule of fat loss is you must build muscle to win the battle against fat. Now you do not have to turn into a Venice beach bodybuilder (not that it will happen by accident). You can have a lean and mean look rather than a bulky look.  Sprinters are examples of high muscle beings and often have physiques that both men and women would love to have. Marathon runners on the other hand have skinny fat looks. They tend to follow high carb diets and their training is low intensity. This results in the very unimpressive skinny fat look. They are not fat in terms of taking up sheer mass, but have next to no definition. Not exactly what the average trainee is looking for. In addition, marathon running is terrible for the joints and for hormone production. Do not bother sending me your hate mail marathon addicts.  It will be deleted upon receipt. Feel free to get your blood work done and prove me wrong if you think otherwise.

Muscle building is similar to passive income. With passive income, you earn money while you are not working or you earn additional income while you are working. For example, while I am writing this article, people are visiting my site and purchasing my DVD’s, kettlebells, and other products that I offer via various affiliate programs. Low intensity cardio is similar to billable hours. You make money while you work. However, once you stop working, you stop making money. With cardio, you burn calories while you do it. Once you stop, the calorie burning stops as well. With muscle building, you ramp up your metabolism and when you stop working out, your body burns calories to rebuild and maintain muscle. Thus, while I am sitting on the couch right now writing this article my body is expending energy to maintain the muscle I have.  Sounds pretty efficient right? Of course it is and it is one of many reasons why you should re-direct your training time to strength training and minimize or cut our low intensity cardio. Sure some cardio is good for the heart. A few twenty-minute sessions per week will fit the bill. Or you can simply do circuit training or intense cardio to get the benefits of both worlds. However, for fat loss cardio is at best inefficient. Spend your valuable time on what provides the greatest benefit.

The next new rule of fat loss is sleep is critical for transforming your body. The only time your body makes changes is when you are sleeping. The greatest production of important hormones such as GH, testosterone, DHEA, and melatonin occurs when you are sleeping. Poor sleep equals poor hormone production and a poor transformation. Top researcher Thomas Incledon states that his clients who sleep twelve hours per night have the best hormone levels and the best fat loss results. Perhaps part of the reason is due to the fact that they only have twelve hours to eat. However, all joking aside the real reason is due to the body having more time to rebuild and optimize hormone production. Low GH equals poor fat loss and poor muscle building. Fail to build muscle and real fat loss will continue to evade you. Now most of you are probably freaking out at the idea of sleeping twelve hours. Most people get on average six crappy hours of poor sleep per night or less. There is nothing that takes the place of quality sleep so do not bother looking. You need to change your lifestyle to get a bare minimum of eight hours per night. Again that is the minimum. The more you can get the better. Work on getting nine hours of sleep per night and then another hour after each workout. Commit to this for one week and you will be amazed with what a difference it makes. Take magnesium before going to sleep on an empty stomach to help increase the quality of your sleep. 300-600mg will get the job done.

The next rule of fat loss is you must get your estrogen levels in the ideal ranges. For men, you want estradiol at 30 or below and estrone at the optimal range as well (do not have the optimal range on file). Have a blood test done for both to see where you are. Women tend to feel great at around 200ng/dl for estradiol. Check with your Doc for the optimal estrone range. Here is the thing about estrogen. Excess estrogen causes fat retention and having high levels of fat causes estrogen retention. Thus, if you are fat you most likely have high estrogen levels (especially if you have the infamous “bitch tits” and big beer belly). Thus getting your bodyfat down will help get your estrogen levels down. At the same time getting your estrogen levels down will help get your body fat down. Thus take the supplements “Myomin” and “DIM” to get your estrogen levels down. Four caps of Myomin per day and 4-6 caps of DIM per day will do the trick. You can get both at www.docsprefer.com

The final rule of fat loss is that fat loss requires mental toughness. Tell all of the slick marketers that tell you that fat loss is easy to go to hell. If it were easy, we would not be a fat nation. Fat loss is hard and requires mental toughness. If you are weak mentally you will find it easy to skip workouts and eat junk food. You will watch five hours of moronic TV shows instead of getting your nine hours of sleep in. You will eat donuts instead of green veggies.  Make no mistake about it, fat loss is hard and most people will always be fat as a result. Accept this fact and develop some mental toughness. Without it you are doomed to fail. On a side note, anything worth having requires mental toughness and perseverance. Accept it, embrace it, and take charge of your life.

There you have it the new rules of fat loss. One final thing to think about is there is a big difference between fat loss and weight loss. You can lose several pounds and not lose any fat at all. On the other hand you can lose plenty of fat and not have your weight go down much. Do not use the scale as an indicator of fat loss. Get regular bodyfat tests down to track your progress. Every four weeks will suffice.

No article is complete without a sample training program. High Frequency Training (HFT) is an example of an effective program for building muscle and fighting fat. Start with four full body workouts per week for three weeks. Then have a back off week and move on to five full body workouts per week for another three weeks. Then take another back off week and resume with six full body workouts per week. Any time you feel you are not recovering adequately, go back to four workouts per week. You may even have to take it down to three workouts per week from time to time. There is no generic fit for you. You must experiment and find your perfect fit. Be patient and persevere.

  Sample HFT Programs

  Beginner Option 1:

Monday and Thursday

A-1: Barbell Military Press 3x6

A-2: Barbell Bent-over Row 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Barbell Squat 3x8

B-2: Barbell Romanian Deadlift 3x8 

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Tuesday and Friday

A-1: Incline Barbell Press 3x6

A-2: Weighted Pull-up 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Suitcase Dumbbell Squat 3x10

B-2: One-arm Dumbbell Swing 3x10 each side

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Side Bend 3x10 each side 

C-2: Hanging Leg Raise 3x10

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Wednesday-Saturday-Sunday

1-2 mile walks

Intermediate (5 days per week)

Monday

A-1: Barbell Military Press 3x6

A-2: Barbell Bent-over Row 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Dumbbell Lunge 3x12 each side

B-2: One-arm Dumbbell Swing 3x12 each side  

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x12 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Tuesday

A-1: Barbell Incline Press 3x6

A-2: Alternating Dumbbell Renegade Row 3x6 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Suitcase KB Squat 3x10

B-2: Double Dumbbell Clean 3x10 

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Side Bend 3x10 each side   

C-2: Hanging Leg Raise 3x10  

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Wednesday

A-1: Double Dumbbell Clean and Press 3x6

A-2: Weighted Pull-up 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Barbell Squat 3x6

B-2: Romanian Deadlift 3x6 

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Thursday

A-1: Barbell Bench Press 3x6

A-2: Barbell Bent-over Row 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

Double Dumbbell Clean and Front Squat 3x10 (one-minute breaks in between each set)

Finisher: Hindu Squat 50 reps

Friday

A-1: Barbell Clean and Military Press 3x6

A-2: Weighted Pull-up 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Dumbbell Suitcase Squat 3x10

B-2: Double Dumbbell Swing 3x10  

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Hanging Leg Raise 3x10  

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Advanced (6 days per week)

Monday

A-1: Dumbbell Clean and Press 3x10

A-2: Barbell Bent-over Row 3x10

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Suitcase Dumbbell Squat 3x12 

B-2: Double Dumbbell Swing 3x12 

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x15 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x12

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: 50 Bodyweight Squats

Tuesday

A-1: Dumbbell Incline Press 3x6

A-2: Dumbbell Renegade Row 3x6 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Dumbbell Clean and Squat 3x10

B-2: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 3x10   

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Side Bend 3x10 each side  

C-2: Hanging Leg Raise 3x10  

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Hindu Squat 50 Reps

Wednesday

A-1: Barbell Bench Press 3x6

A-2: Weighted Pull-up 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Barbell Squat 3x8

B-2: Barbell Romanian Deadlift 3x8

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Bodyweight Squat 50 reps

Thursday

A-1: Barbell Clean and Press 3x6

A-2: One-arm Dumbbell Row 3x8 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

Double Clean and Front Squat 3x8 (one-minute breaks in between each set)

Finisher: Hindu Squat 50 reps

Friday

A-1: Dumbbell Bench Press 3x8

A-2: Weighted Pull-up 3x8 

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Barbell Squat 3x8

B-2: One-arm Dumbbell Swing  3x10 each side

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Bodyweight Squat 50 reps

Saturday

A-1: Double Dumbbell Clean and Press 3x6

A-2: Double Dumbbell Bent-over Row 3x6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

B-1: Double Dumbbell Lunge 3x10 each side

B-2: Double Dumbbell Swing 3x10  

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3x12 on both exercises

C-1: Lifeline USA Power Wheel Roll Out 3x6

C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3x10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Jumper Squats 50 reps

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For more information on hormones, get Ori Hofmekler’s “anti-estrogenic diet” at: http://www.mikemahler.com/store_books.html

For more information on Thomas Incledon, go to www.thomasincledon.com

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8. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH BONUS ARTICLE 

The Zardoz Effect: The Epidemic of Male Infertility

By: William Wong ND, PhD, Member World Sports Medicine Hall of Fame

Remember the 1974 Sean Connery movie where he was the last fertile man on earth?  Zardoz.  Well art seems to predate and predict reality.  Things may just come to something close to that.

Birth rates across Western Europe are the lowest ever seen.  The numbers of babies being born is not as great as the number of people dieing.  (1,2,3).   France and Spain have active campaigns to increase the number of babies being made!  (Any volunteers to go help out)?   Africa, for the first time in memory, is also in the negative numbers in terms of births, with the number of children being born (never mind surviving to adulthood) not coming close to number of people lost to disease, famine, tribal genocide and war.   Here in the States the main thing keeping our birth rate up is illegal immigration! 

Worldwide, the fertility of both men and women is declining but things seem to be worse for the men!  In 1960 a good sperm count was considered to be 120 million sperm per milliliter of seminal fluid.  Anything lower than that and a man was considered to be only marginally fertile.  These days, things have become so bad that a man is considered fertile if he has only 20 million sperm per milliliter of ejaculate!  What happened? 

Xenoestrogens happened.  Since WW 2, mankind has filled the world and himself with estrogen like substances.  Pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, petrochemical fumes, the esters that plastics give off when heated, and the worst offender of all in the estrogen world – soy.  I won't rehash my litany against soy, you'll have to read about it's many ill effects on my website (Soy the Poison Seed), at www.westonaprice.org, and www.soyonlineservice.co.nz.   In both men and women high estrogen creates infertility.  That's why estrogen is used in birth control pills.  The synthetic progesterone used in other birth control pills have been molecularly modified to act like estrogens, which is why instead of increasing fertility the way real (natural) progesterone does the prescription drug, progesterone, decreases fertility and if used during pregnancy can create birth defects and mutation.   

In men, estrogen decreases testosterone levels and sperm count!  Read on the websites cited, about what happened to the rabbit industry in New Zealand where the bunnies were fed soy feed.  They stopped reproducing and the industry crashed.   How can anything stop a rabbit, from reproducing?!  Isoflavones (estrogen) can.  Before you bright light vegetarians out there tell me that Asians eat mainly soy and have great birthrates, the eating soy part is not true among those with high birth rates!  The average Chinese eats 5 to 15 ml (one to three TEASPONS) of soy products daily mainly in soy sauce.  It is widely known throughout Asia that when a woman does not want to have sexual relations with her husband any more, she feeds him more and more tofu!  Monks in monasteries needing to be celibate are urged to eat more tofu and soy products.  In Asia, it is common knowledge that soy reduces sexual urge and ability.  The propaganda and contrived studies showing that soy is such a fantastic food arises from the huge agribusiness firms that grow most of the world’s soybeans, Monsanto and Archer Daniel Midland.  

Compare China with its relatively low soy consumption and high birth rate with Japan and its considerably higher soy consumption and their low birth rate.  Japanese fertility has dropped so precipitously that the number of in vitro fertilizations has skyrocketed topping 100,000!  Of the 100,189 in vitro births in Japan, 55,688 were normal in vitro fertilizations, 13,316 involved use of frozen pre-fertilized eggs and 31,185 fertilizations were done with the micro fertilization technique where sperm from a relatively infertile man with inactive sperm is injected into the egg using a microscopic needle.  (4).

On the whole Americans and Europeans consume much more soy daily than their Chinese brothers.  Soy being the cheep fodder it is, Africa is not far behind the First World in its soy consumption.  Consider this, every glass of soy milk contains the equivalent of 1 birth control pills worth of estrogen and based on body weight, an infant exclusively fed soy formula received the estrogen equivalent of at least 5 birth control pills per day!  (6) Wonder why 6 to 8 year old girls are reaching menstruation?  Wonder no more! 

These are some of the reasons why Dr. Dorris Rapp MD one of the worlds leading Pediatric Allergists and Environmental Physicians says that by 2045 only 21% of the men on the entire planet will be fertile!  (5).  Shades of Zardoz!!!  Only the members of wacko environmental and animal rights groups’ hell bent on returning the planet to the wild, would applaud that finding.  The rest of us need to worry about the continuation of the human race! 

The second thing putting humans on the endangered species list is the low fat / low cholesterol fad.  Let's put things simply, fats are needed to create hormones. Hormones are sterols whittled down from cholesterol molecules.  Anyone with a total cholesterol count under 180 does not have enough cholesterol to make hormones with.  Period.  Cholesterol is also used to maintain brain size (the brain is 60 to 70% cholesterol), maintain skin suppleness and pad the internal organs.  This is the reason why strict vegetarians look 10 to 20 years older than their actual age, no sexual hormones.  That's why patients on cholesterol lowering medicines with low total cholesterol counts have no libido!  The sexual hormones of Progesterone and Testosterone are the fountains of youth and strength.  Thyroid hormone is the fountain of energy.  The only vegetarians who don't exhibit severe aging and loss of sex drive are the ones who do as the Hindus in India do, eat a good deal of eggs and drink milk. 

What can be done to overcome low sperm count?  Glad you asked:

We can't avoid exposure to all estraces; it's well nigh impossible even if you take refuge in caves and wilderness areas of the West.  So we have to stop their physiological effect on us. DiIndoleMethane (DIM) 200 to 400 mg per day is the first tool.  DIM is from cabbage and will block the estrogen receptors in the body keeping the hormone from becoming active, it also helps to eliminate the estrogen from the body.

Maca is our second tool, it has DIM in it as well and nutrients that seem to increase libido and fertility.  Mammals are not supposed to be able to reproduce in altitudes above 12,000 feet.  When the Spanish Conquistadors got to the tops of the Andes Mountains they noticed their livestock showed no interest in sex and did not reproduce, while they were not their usual randy selves in cavorting with the local women folk.  They asked the local medicine men what was up and got the answer that the situation they were in was prevented in the natives by eating the sweet potato like tuber.  The Indians ate liberally of it daily and fed it to their animals.  Once the Spanish started using the Maca and feeding it to their livestock, they and their animals came back on line and were their old reproductive selves again.  Two to three teaspoons (10 to 15 grams) of Maca are needed daily by both men and women seeking to be fertile.

Now to the actual making of sperm.  Studies in male infertility, mostly done in Central Europe confirm that the ingestion of high doses of certain amino acids greatly increases not only the number but also the quality of sperm.  TriMethylGlycine (TMG), DiMethylGlycine (DMG) and Arginine are three amino acids used.    All of these sperm builders also have the erection enhancing action of creating Nitric Oxide (NO), the blood gas Viagra seeks to spare.  Higher levels of NO not only increase circulation to the male and female sexual organs but it has been shown the increased NO also helps feed the brain originated blood.  Experiments are now being conducted feeding early Alzheimer’s patients Viagra. 

Relatively high levels of dosing are needed with each of these amino's to increase sperm counts.  1500 to 3000 mg per day.  With TMG and Arginine this is easily done as the supplements are widely available.  TMG also has the good effect of lowering the markers for vascular inflammation C–Reactive protein and Homocystine.  Pharmaceutical grade DMG is available for horses to enhance exercise recovery and many humans use this pure form of the supplement.  

Next we need to increase the volume of fluid a man ejaculates.  A fellow can have a good sperm count but if all the little buggers are stuck together in a viscous (thick) small volume of seminal fluid their chances of swimming free of the fluid and actually getting to an egg are small.  Pygeum is an African herb that increases the volume of seminal fluid.  It also is very healthy for the prostate.  Daily intake should be around 300 mg. 

On the subject of seminal fluid production, the anti-Parkinson's, anti-Prolactin drug Parlodel (Bromocryptine) performs this function admirably.  The anti-Prolactin action is also something many infertile men and women need as prolactin in both sexes diminishes fertility.  Prolactin is the hormone a woman secretes during breast-feeding it decreases her libido and fertility; the idea is to make it virtually impossible to become pregnant while still breast-feeding.  Prolactin production in both sexes increases with age and is a major cause of infertility.  Parlodel is widely used in Europe as an anti-aging or brain-boosting drug.  Before your doctor will prescribe this drug he should do blood work to see if high Prolactin levels are a problem.   Bromocryptine and an anti-estrogen drug are used by a well-known male pornographic movie star to increase the amount of seminal fluid he produces for his “money shots”. 

Now we must touch on two very needed nutrients. There can be no fertility without Zinc and Vitamin E.  Zinc is the major mineral component of seminal fluid, it's the reason the stuff is white!  The prostate is the most zinc rich organ in the body and with each ejaculation it looses an amount of zinc equal to or greater than the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) of zinc.  We in the western world have very zinc deficient diets.  To tally up all the times you've come and add up the zinc lost and you'll see that unless you have a very good intake of zinc each day you'll be on the losing side of the proposition soon.  50 to 100 mg of zinc is needed daily, the older the man the higher the intake should be.

Vitamin E was found to be essential for sexual function as far back as the 60's with Dr. Thomas Cureton's pioneering studies. Pay no heed to the junk medical science studies purporting to find Vitamin E is bad. They are trying to scare folks away from the vitamin because they have a new drug to sell you.  We saw the same happen in the 80's when a tainted batch of tryptophan was purposely dumped on the US market.  Tryptophan was a multi-million dollar seller and the natural way of reducing depression and helping sleep.  Six weeks after the tryptophan was banned Prozac was released, coincidence?  Don't bet on it!  Vitamin E dose should be 400 to 800 IU daily.

Now, for an unusual recommendation:  Drink coffee.  A research paper presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in San Antonio in 2003 showed that coffee perked up sluggish sperm!  Dr. Euan Paul reported “These findings are very exiting.  There has been growing concern about sperm problems and about lack of fertility in particular”.  Caffeine acts as a stimulant to the dopamine cells of the brain, helping people to concentrate (dopamine is also essential for sexuality, no dopamine = no libido), sperm also experienced a boost when a man drank coffee. 

The 40 year long, multi-thousand patient Hawaiian Men’s Health Study also found that coffee drinkers had improved sexual performance versus the non-coffee drinkers and what’s more, coffee drinkers rarely got senile dementia and if they did it came on 10 years after the non-coffee drinkers had come down with Alzheimer’s!   Two to 3 cups a day are enough.  

What's to be done about low testosterone?   Well since the FDA and the Congress in their   infinite wisdom banned Andro in its various forms, the only way to really increase testosterone levels is to find a physician who is into anti-aging and men’s hormone replacement to get either the natural testosterone injections, gels or implants.  Low testosterone equates to low fertility and low libido it's that simple. 

As for increasing the good fats we need to build hormones eat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily.

We must remember that sperm can take up to 75 days to be made.  Any sperm-increasing-program should be given 3 to 4 months to fully kick in.  Although in some research, sperm count doubled in 2 weeks using the amino Arginine.  A poor sperm count should be retested every 3 months.

If, after doing most of the parts of this program, sperm count is still low or of poor quality then deeper seated problems with the testes and adrenals should be looked into and worked with.

References:

1. Fewer. by Ben Wattenberg, published by American Enterprise Insititute.
2. The Empty Cradle, by Phillip Longman, published by Basic Books.
3. The Economist, Mar.13, 2003, Mar. 25, 2004, Sep.30, 2004.
4. Japanese in vitro fertilization birth top 100,000, Asian Sex Gazette Jan. 28, 2005.
5. Is This You Childs World, by Dorris Rapp MD, published by Bantam, page 501.
6. Irvine, C. et al., “The Potential Adverse Effects of Soybean Phytoestrogens in Infant Feeding”, New Zealand Medical Journal May 24, 1995, p.318.

For more info on Dr. Wong, go to http://www.totalityofbeing.com

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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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