Aggressive Strength Magazine 

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Issue 133 5/31/07 

1. Aggressive Strength Quote Of The Week  

Analysis-paralysis will help you avoid failure.  However, you will also avoid success as well. — LL Cool J

While I'm a strong believer in the importance of taking massive action, massive action without adequate research will lead to disastrous consequences.  However, choosing to stay in never-ending research mode will get you nowhere...fast.  Yes, research and analysis are required for any successful plan, but no amount of research will make up for a lack of action:  at some point, you have to execute your plan and simply learn as you go.

Repeat:  even massive action won't make up for inadequate research and planning--a hard lesson I've learned well, as discussed in previous newsletters.  You have to act with purpose and a clear idea of what you're doing and where you're going--acting for the sake of acting just won't cut it.

First, lets discuss research addicts.  Why do some people resist leaving research mode?  For one, anticipation can be more exciting than taking action.  In fact, anticipation can be more exciting than achieving goals, since achieving goals can be anti-climactic.  Moreover, it's human nature to always want more and never be satisfied; therefore, no matter how many goals you achieve, there'll always be another you think you need to achieve.  We can avoid all this by staying in research mode--the ultimate state of anticipation.  The more research you do, the more excitement you'll feel in anticipation of  (eventually) taking action with all your acquired knowledge.  The problem is, you've been in research mode for five years and have yet to put any of that knowledge into action.  Oh well, there's always next year.

Second, the more research you do, the more you realize you've a difficult road ahead when you finally do take action.  It starts becoming clear that road may be turbulent and filled with--unpleasant--surprises.  Rather than waking up and facing the world, it's easier going back to sleep and continuing to dream.  I call this active procrastination:  it's procrastination disguised as something useful, which is the most dangerous form of all.  Each time you choose not to act, instead staying in research mode, it becomes that much harder to take action.  Yet, you somehow think if you knew just a little bit more, you'd finally be ready to take action.  Newsflash:  confidence comes from taking action, not from sitting on the sidelines forever.

Third, research mode is safe:  as long as you're in research mode you can avoid taking action...and possibly failing.  You'll avoid failure and the accompanying ridicule if you avoid taking action.  I don't think anyone is afraid of failing per se;  no, it's ridicule people fear so much.  Just about everyone has bombed-out at something-or-other in front of people at some point and the resultant ridicule has been deeply buried in our subconscious minds, resurrecting itself whenever we go after a goal.

Now, lets talk about the action addicts.  Action addicts are people who can't stand research--they thrive on constant motion. They don't even care if they get good results, since the stimulus of action is their juice.  As long as they're in action, they're able to stay in distraction mode.  Action addicts are impulsive people who rarely think things through:  they get an idea, act on it right away--and hope it works out.  Action addicts are those strength trainees who always want to do more.  When they don't get results from training six times a week, they'll start training twice a day.  They always assume that more action and work is the answer; the idea of doing less and getting more is ludicrous to them.  Action addicts often drink several cups of coffee each day, since you need to get energy somewhere when you're only sleeping four hours a night.

What's the appeal of being an action addict?  One, you don't have time to worry about failure if you're too busy acting.  You're too busy taking acting to consider failing--even if you've nothing to show for your action.  Just because you're taking action doesn't mean your desired results will follow; however, you won't care about that if the action is enough juice for you--who cares about goals!  Two, taking action gives one a rush:  it's intoxicating and feels like you're in control and moving forward. This feeling is mostly illusory; however, when you're too busy taking action you'll never pause long enough to even notice.

 Ironically, action addicts and research addicts generally end up with an equal lack of results.  Both are stuck in stimulus mode, neither pursuing the actual goal nor the most efficient path to the goal.  Research addicts overload themselves with too much information and have no clue where to go, while action addicts overload themselves with action-for-the-sake-of-action, eventually to burn out.  You can only take so much action, without measurable results to keep you motivated.

What should you do if you're one of the above?  Try taking a vacation from yourself:  if you're an action addict, take a week off and do some research.  No action, no reading one paragraph and then going back to action-stimulus mode.  If you're a research addict:  it's time to put the book down and jump in the water.  Start taking some action, since more research is contraindicated.

Essentially, the path to success is a balance between intense research and massive action.  Start off with intense research, once you've acquired enough information to get going, then get going with some massive action.  Once you've used up all the knowledge, it's time to go back to research mode and load up again.  Unfortunately, few people do this.  Many simply acquire enough knowledge to get going--never to learn again.  Others keep attending seminars, reading books, and doing every other form of research, never to put what they've learned into action--we tend to do what's comfortable rather than what's necessary.

Do what's necessary--and do it sooner than later

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 Here! Time To Join The Fun 

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. Taking Online Clients Again 

"I have to say this program really kicks ass. Everyone I know has noticed a difference in how much leaner I look already, and it has just been two and a half weeks (out of a 6-month program!) I am noticeably stronger (the girlfriend loves it;) Needless to say, I can tell you that I look forward to every work out, and I will be purchasing another six month program when this one is done. Thank you."
- Mike Provost, Reno, NV

"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

I have not taken on any new clients for a few months now and I am ready to take on ten new clients. Click here for more info: http://www.mikemahler.com/services.html

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4. 2007 Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Workshops 

"After attending your excellent Vegas Seminar in March and using routines from the above two DVD’s, I went in for my regular massage and my therapist was like “are you juicing”? She could believe how my body was changing, and how fast. Then, for some reason I can’t fathom, I switched to the “Enter the Kettlebell” workout for a month. At my next massage she was “did you stop lifting ‘bells”. Needless to say, I immediately came to my senses and went back to hard and heavy. I’ll keep the lil’ fellers workouts around for rest/recovery (maybe). Keep up the good work."

--James Lewiston Portland, Oregon 

June 16, 2007:

Mahler Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in Las Vegas, NV (two spots left) (Last Level 1 Vegas Seminar for 07) 
» Click Here for More Information

 June 30, 2007:

Mahler Level 2 Advanced Kettlebell Workshop in Las Vegas, NV (three spot left) (Last Level 2 Seminar for 07) 
» 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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5. 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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6. Aggressive Strength Training Article 

Workout For The Time Poor

By Krista Scott-Dixon 

Feminist joke about unpaid domestic labour:

A man takes his wife to see a marriage counselor. "She's just not interested in sex," he explains to the counselor. "She always says that she's tired."

"Well," responds the counselor, "why don't you try taking on some of the housework?" The husband agrees to do this, and off the couple goes.

A month later the wife brings the husband back to the counselor's office, and says, "He's just not interested in sex. He always says that he's tired."

*cymbal crash*

What can I say? Feminists aren't known for their humour. Here is the only other feminist joke I know:

Q. How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. That's not funny.

And I have a PhD in Women's Studies. Lawyers and golfers in the crowd, if you have any spare jokes you're not using, send them our way because we desperately need them.

Anyway, the point is that if you're a woman, and if you're reading this site then you probably are, there's a darn good chance that you're doing a whole lot of things that are keeping you busy. Although more women are in the paid labour force than ever, and although men are taking on more responsibilities in the home, women are still the primary domestic laborers for their families - which means that they often do, on average, between 20 to 30 hours per week of unpaid housework and caregiving (2001 Canadian Census data). This is like taking on another job! This situation is particularly dire for women who are employed full-time and between ages 25 and 44, which are the prime child-bearing and -rearing years for North American women. Interestingly, as women's hours of paid labour increase, their hours of unpaid labour don't decrease significantly. It all just keeps adding up.

It's become a bit of cliché now to talk about how time stressed and busy one is. Partly this is because in North America and the UK, full-time workers are working longer hours than a generation ago (and in laissez-faire continental Europe, long a fan of two-hour lunches and six-week vacations, work hours are on the rise again too). Partly this is because many of our lives revolve around working in geographically idiotic patterns requiring driving long distances to our jobs. Maybe you have kids, although like Wendy in the photo to the right, you can lift them too. Maybe, like me, you need nine hours of sleep a night to feel human. Whatever your reasons for time stress, the fact remains that you need to figure out how to make exercise a priority.

Although I'm not a medical resident nor a parent of young children, I still think I can speak with some authority on the issue of time pressure. My commute to work takes 45 to 60 minutes. During the summer months, I can cycle that distance in just over an hour, which makes that time spent more pleasantly efficient. I work full-time in a job that often demands more than a 9 to 5 commitment. I am often expected to work early mornings, weekends, and evenings. On top of this, I teach undergraduate courses. I see training clients. I am trying to finish another book and the obligatory articles that are part of the conditions for keeping my job. If I don't allocate time to take care of myself, I am going to be in some deep trouble healthwise.

One thing I've found over the years from surveying students and clients is that most people use time inefficiently. Students who complain about workload might actually spend only 20 hours a week doing schoolwork. An effective tool to discover where time is spent is a time diary. Try keeping one for a week to find out how you spend your time. It might be something like: wake up 7 am, get ready for work 7 to 8 am, commuting 8-8:30, etc. What you will very likely find is that there are several hours a week that are being used wastefully.

After all, there are 7 days in a week. That means 168 total hours. Let's subtract sleeping 8 hours per day, and working full-time (40 hours) plus an assumed 1.5 hours per day for commuting, 3 hours per day for making and eating meals, and 1 hour for bathing and dressing. By my calculation, there are still 33.5 hours left in that week. Surely, somewhere in there, we can all find 3 hours to get some activity, especially if we do it in 30 min chunks, 6 days per week.

Now, I'm not opposed to constructive time wasting. We all need time to do nothing. But if I had to guess, I'd say that most folks could find a lot of productive time if they cut down on TV and/or the internet. Surfing websites of slash fiction and chimp porn, or sucking in endless braying commercials in between brief bouts of vacuous laugh tracks isn't making you smarter anyway. Once you have your weekly time diary, look at it honestly and critically. Where do you absolutely have to put in time, and what time is negotiable? We always manage to find time for things that we think are priorities. Often, finding time for exercise means that you re-evaluate what you think are priorities.

In my case, I drew the following conclusions.

1. Early morning is the only time that I can really control. Evenings are much harder to plan, as I may be called on to work late, or the bus may be slow because of the snow, or I may need to pick up groceries for dinner, or whatever. Sometimes I'm so tired when I get home that all I want to do is drool on myself while eating a reheated salmon puck over the sink.

2. Early morning is also a better time to work out than evening, since as I said, I need nine hours of sleep and working out in the evenings just gears me up too much. Plus I can chug coffee before a morning workout. This plan also requires me to be smart about getting to bed early enough. Most of the time I'm not doing anything particularly brilliant at 10 pm anyway, so I might as well be snoring.

3. I have more time on weekends than on weekdays. That means I deliberately allocate the most time-heavy workouts for the two weekend days.

To solve the time crunch, I resolved to work out more, rather than less, frequently! This may sound crazy but bear with me. Going to the gym for a long workout might take 2 hours. Doing a few well-chosen exercises at home with dumbbells would take much less time. Working out less frequently would mean that each workout was less negotiable; if I missed a long workout due to last-minute commitments then my schedule would be really messed up. More frequent but shorter workouts seemed to be the perfect solution.

Emerging research is suggesting that the old style of bodybuilding workouts-the pump til you puke, blast a bodypart then let it rest for a week-is less effective for both strength and mass gains, as well as overall fitness, than more frequent workouts where intensity is cycled. So working out more frequently, using shorter workouts, was actually a better idea anyway.

I came up with the following workout ideas. I should mention that I have a very minimal setup for my home gym. I have only a pair of adjustable dumbbells (handles, collars, and a handful of weight plates), a jump rope, a few square feet of floor space in the living room (I have to push the couch out of the way to jump rope), and an egg timer (for timing intervals). Later, as I mention, I added a bar and a sledgehammer. This setup nevertheless allowed me to do a wide range of movements. I have only listed a few ideas below, but you can use your imagination. You do not need a fancy setup to get a good home workout. Ideas for bodyweight exercises and low-tech dumbbell exercises can be found here, here, and here.

I trained daily, sometimes twice daily if I felt energetic and had the time. Sometimes I'd break one workout into two parts, doing 10 or 15 min in the morning and 10 or 15 min in the evenings. Sometimes I'd combine an A workout in the morning with a C workout in the evening. I usually take one or two days off per week, but rarely feel like I need those rest days (which is good). On rest days, I'll do some moderate "recovery" cardio such as walking.

workout ideas

Workouts are divided into A, B, and C workouts. An A workout is the heaviest workout, often done at the gym if I'm using the power cage. A workouts use heavier weight and shorter sets. Good exercises for A workouts are squats, weighted pullups, deadlifts, presses, and rows. If you can do Olympic lifts or their assistance lifts, those work well too.

B workouts are strength-endurance, conditioning-type workouts. These can be done with bodyweight-only exercises such as pushups and jumps, high-rep weighted ballistic exercises such as kettlebell/dumbbell/sledgehammer swings, sandbag carries, and hybrid exercises such as squat + press combos. Again, if you know your Olympic and OL assistance lifts (as well as their dumbbell variations), feel free to use them here as well with lighter weight.

A C workout is an interval cardio-type workout, or even just a moderate cardio "recovery" workout. Here I might run sprints or up hills/stairs, jump rope, shadow box or hit a heavy bag,

etc.

Don't get too focused on carefully sorting your exercises or being perfect with categorization. Do what you can with what you have available and be creative. These are just ideas -- use your imagination. Depending on how you organize it, an A workout can easily have a B component to it, etc.

Each workout takes no more than 30 minutes, and B or C workouts are usually about 20 minutes. It doesn't matter if each workout isn't a maximal effort; indeed, more frequent workouts are necessarily sub-maximal because they are so frequent. At no time do I attempt to work to failure. Indeed, I deliberately try to leave a couple of reps "in the tank" on every set. This improves recovery, which is key for more frequent workouts.

Sample A Workout

Squat 3 to 5 sets x 5 reps (2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets)
Pullups (weighted if possible) 3 x 5
Standing barbell overhead press 3 x 5
Weighted ab or low back exercise of choice exercise 2 x 8-10

Sample A Workout 2

Sumo deadlift 3 to 5 sets x 5 reps (2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets)
Unsupported dumbbell row (rather than using a bench, squat down a little bit and place the nonlifting hand or forearm on your knee): 3 x 5
One-hand side press 3 x 5
Weighted ab or low back exercise of choice 2 x 8-10

Sample A Workout 3: "I Can't Believe It's A Workout!"

Alternate these two exercises for the allotted time, or 5 "rounds", whichever you prefer:

1. Rotating one-hand dumbbell deadlift: grab a heavyish dumbbell. Place it on the floor beside you, on your right hand side. Squat down and grab it with your right hand. Stand up (using good deadlift form of course!). Squat down and place it in front of you, between your feet. Switch hands to grab the dumbbell with your left hand. Stand up. Squat down and place the dumbbell on your left side. Keep hanging on to it with your left hand. Stand up. Squat down and place it between your feet again. Switch to the right hand. Stand up. Squat down and replace the dumbbell on the right side. That's one cycle. Go for 2 to 5 cycles per "set".
2. One-hand side windmill press. With dumbbell, kettlebell or barbell at your shoulder, press to the side as you descend into the "windmill" position. Keeping arm straight, stand up. Lower your body again, still keeping arm straight. Stand up again. Lower the weight to your shoulder. That's one rep. Do 2 to 5 per set.

Sample B Workout 1

Circuit: go through in order for the allotted time or number of sets:
5 to 10 horizontal pullups (you can do these using the underside of a sturdy table if you don't mind your family wondering what the hell you're doing in the dining room; just lie under the table with head underneath and legs sticking out, and grab the table's edge with an underhand grip)
5 to 10 pushups
10 to 15 unweighted squats, pistols, or squat jumps, whichever you fancy

Sample B Workout 2, aka "Gone in 30 seconds"

1. Pick a complex lift. I use cleans. Another good option if you don't know how to clean a barbell would be a dumbbell deadlift + squat + press. To do this one, use two dumbbells. Set them on the floor on each side of you. Squat down with good form and grab the dumbbells. Stand up. Your palms should be facing your body. Hitch the dumbbells up to your shoulders (try not to curl them, but if you do a little that's cool). Squat down again, with the dumbbells at your shoulders. Stand up. Press the dumbbells overhead. That's one rep. Between reps, put the dumbbells back down on the floor. As you progress, you might need to add a little leg drive to get those dumbbells off your shoulders. That's OK.
2. Start a timer.
3. Do one rep every 30 seconds for the allotted time -- 15-20 min is good.

Sample B Workout 3, aka "Sultan of Swing"

Alternate 25 swings (dumbbell, kettlebell, or weight plate) with 25 squat + press combos. Rest 30-45 sec between sets. Go for 5 cycles total or your choice of allotted time.

Sample C Workout 1

Circuit: done in order 2 to 3 times
Jump rope 30 to 60 seconds
Pushups as many reps as possible
Jump rope 30 to 60 seconds
Dumbbell or kettlebell swing 15-20 reps
Jump rope 30 to 60 seconds
Boxing practice: "sets

Sample C Workout 2

Alternate 100 m sprints (walk back) with 20 sledgehammer swings per side for 15-20 minutes. For extra fun find a hill or long set of stairs and put the sledgehammer at the top. Run up, do your swings, walk down, repeat.

the lifestyle component

I also try to get lots of daily life activity, mostly walking. This isn't too hard, as my university campus is like a small city (60,000 people or so). As many evenings as possible, I take the long way home from the subway, which gives me a nice twenty minute walk - great for unwinding at the end of the workday. I also like to do a form of cardio called "I'm late". I'm not really late, but I scurry as if I were. Once the subway gets to my stop, I bolt up several flights of stairs to the bus. This has side benefits: it means that I do get where I'm going more quickly, and it means I can get the seat I want as I leave the crowd in my dust. This adds no real additional time commitment to my day. In the summer, as I mentioned, I try to commute to work by bike as often as possible. With the added time and energy load of bike commuting, I'll cut down the weights a little, and probably eliminate C workouts.

So far I've been doing this for many months, and it's going pretty well. I have lots of energy and feel good. Getting up in the morning and doing these workouts is kind of challenging some days, but I don't think "Oh, I have to get up and work out." I think, "All I have to do is make it to the coffeemaker." I don't worry about what comes after the coffee. I just take baby steps. And thank god for a coffeemaker with a timer! I get added motivation from recording my favorite TV shows and watching them as I work out. If I work out, I get to spend 20 min with the CSI crew or watching the guys beat each other up on Ultimate Fighter. Once I work out, fortified by java and Gil Grissom, I always feel great. Better yet, I don't spend my workday worrying about when I'll be able to get away and work out. I also don't have to exercise the kind of willpower that is necessary when it's 6 pm, I'm tired and sitting on the subway, and the temptation to just go home is overwhelming. All I have to do is make it to the gym one day a week, and I'm set.

Oh yeah, by the way, I wrote this by doing another trick: combining activities. I wrote this while watching TV!

For more info on Krista Scott-Dixon, visit her website at: http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.

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7. Win The Battle Against Fat!

  Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness

"The DVD is the best yet buddy! I'm finally interested in the fat loss side of things! GREAT detailed instruction with sound info on the finer aspects. You've cut through the crap that's out there & blown the lid off all the mystical BS that usually surrounds this subject AND not a stepper of 'spin' cycle in sight!! FANTASTIC!!"--Dan Wait

"I love your new DVD. Definitely the best ever. You totally crack me up with some of your comments and jokes. You exude a marvelous energy. (And, I love your arms. Good thing you've got a sleeveless shirt on!) Your DVD has traction on totally new training ground with all that info on hormones."--Jeanine Trevillyan M.D.

» Click Here for More Information

The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size And Strength e-Book  

"I am reading your book "The aggressive Strength Solution For Size and Strength" and it is the best book I have ever read pertaining to working out and improving strength."--Juan Albert 

“After reading your new e-book, I implemented your strategies right away. After a 5 X 5 regimen , a period of active recovery, then HFT for several weeks; I have noticed some good strength gains across the board. The one that I was most happy with was being able for the first time to clean and press an 88lb KB. I was previously able to snatch it and push-press it, but could never press it until now. Thanks Mike!”-- Frank DiMeo Gulf Coast Crossfit

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:

8. Benefit From The Aggressive Strength Kettlebell DVD combo now

"After attending your excellent Vegas Seminar in March and using routines from the above your DVD’s, I went in for my regular massage and my therapist was like “are you juicing”? She could not believe how my body was changing, and how fast. Then, for some reason I can’t fathom, I switched to the “Enter the Kettlebell” workout for a month. At my next massage she was “did you stop lifting ‘bells”. Needless to say, I immediately came to my senses and went back to hard and heavy. I’ll keep the lil’ fellers workouts around for rest/recovery (maybe). Keep up the good work."

--James Lewiston Portland, Oregon 

9. Aggressive Strength Martial Arts Article 

Essentials for Martial Arts Conditioning ( www.totalityofbeing.com) 
By: Rev. William Wong, ND, Ph.D., Member World Sports Medicine Hall of Fame and World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Hard Combat Conditioning, Real Fitness For Real Fighting.

What type of physical fitness readies us best for hand to hand combat? Long, slow distance running? Short fast sprints? Body weight calisthenics? Weight training? And if so which type? Body building, power lifting, Olympic lifting, strongman?

Before we can develop a conditioning program for the martial arts we need to know the law governing fitness. A physiological law is an incontrovertible truth, proven beyond the point of argument, and in the science of Exercise Physiology there is something called the Law of Specificity. Specificity says that the needs of a particular endeavor need to be met in an exercise program meant to increase conditioning in that activity, or that program will fail to convey any benefit. What are the fitness components of fighting? These stressors need to be specifically prepared for by the conditioning program. The major components of combat conditioning are:

• Wind -
• Power (strength over time) -
• Shock absorption -

Let’s look at each component and see how they fit into a combative art.

Wind. There is no doubt in my mind that the best conditioned athletes of all are college and Olympic wrestlers. If you doubt that try to last through their conditioning drills or do 3, 3 minute rounds with them. If you’re not up to snuff you’ll be a puddle of mush and vomiting up on the mat. At the beginning of college wrestling season you’ll see highly conditioned football players near the end of that season, pucking into buckets at the edge of the wrestling mat as the coaches ready their wrestlers for their season. The footballer’s don’t have the wind, the anaerobic capacity for wrestling. A fight is not an aerobic event, it is an anaerobic event! While freestyle wrestlers do have good aerobic capacity, what makes them great in hand to hand combat fitness is their anaerobic endurance. Anaerobic means with out oxygen. The long slow endurance events like distance running give very good aerobic endurance, this type of work uses oxygen as the primary fuel for the long slow work done by the muscles. This type of fitness is neither strong, or fast and provides for no absorption of shock (either physiological or physical). Look at your average marathoner; he looks like he just stepped out of a Siberian concentration camp; so slight, a good wind can knock him over and as medicine has discovered from so many distance runners falling over dead in the last decade, their hearts can’t take the sudden shock of fast effort against difficult resistance.

It is the short super fast sprint type of work done over and over again in intervals that provides the body with the ability to utilize glycogen (blood sugar) as a primary source of energy. It is anaerobic training that builds the billions of mitochondria in the skeletal muscles needed to turn glycogen into ATP, the sugar everything in our body runs on. The lower the number of muscle mitochondria the lower the ability to fight intensely against resistance and remain muscularly strong and cardiovascularly strong. The mitochondria in our voluntary muscles provide more than 80% of the ATP our bodies needs to run itself. 33% of that ATP is used to run the brain, 33% is used to run the eyes and the remaining 33% is used to keep everything else in the body running!

So in combatives, the most essential form of energy production and energy fitness is anaerobic. Anaerobic fitness gives us one extra protection: Having it shields our hearts from physiological shock. Sudden scares, sudden action, suddenly having to fight is a oxygen depriving shock to the body and especially to the heart. It’s just this type of sudden action and lack of full tissue oxygenation, that causes aerobically well conditioned distance runners to have heart attacks and die. Long slow training causes muscle loss, cardiac and vascular inflammation (the primary cause of heart attacks and ischemic or dry strokes), does not build large numbers of mitochondria in the remaining voluntary muscles and does not build a reserve of ATP to provide for cellular respiration during times of sudden and extreme work. Anaerobic training builds muscle instead of wearing it down. It creates millions and millions of mitochondria and builds a pool of ready ATP to meet a sudden emergency. Most importantly, if done no more than 3 to 4 times a week for 8 to 24 min. this type of training will not significantly increase the inflammation levels found in the heart and blood vessels as aerobic training over 30 min. can cause. (See my article on avoiding a heart attack by doing less aerobic training in the health articles archives of www.drwong.us). In covering anaerobic work we also somewhat cover shock.

Next we deal with power. The equation for power is: Power = Strength over Time. In other words power involves strong but fast moves. The explosive power clean of Olympic lifting instead of the slow perfect form upright row of bodybuilding. Punching fast and heavy enough to break bones, bricks or blow up internal organs instead of the isometricly strong but slow punches of San Chin kata. For movements with power we need strong muscles that have been trained to move fast against increasing levels of resistance. For these ends the usual (but not exclusive) training formula is: Low reps, low sets, high resistance, expositive movement. Just as the Olympic lifters train. The low reps high weight, slow movement of power lifting won’t generate enough power to impart a crushing blow to an opponent and the medium to high reps with medium to light resistance of bodybuilding might build good looking beach bodies but provides no cross over into the power needed for physical combat (although it might make you look good for movies or kata).

Now before you gym owners out there tell me it can cause injury to train explosively, I’ll answer: Yes, unless you know what you’re doing and how to do it? Olympic lifters don’t clean and jerk using slow perfect form! You don’t get several hundred pounds off the ground and shoved over your head moving like they teach in commercial gyms to avoid injury liability. The entire slow movement with perfect form gig was invented in the late 70’s mostly to lower the rate of injury among the “Joe Average” morons who people most “health” clubs. Serious athletes don’t pay those rules no mind, as long as they’ve had good coaching on proper power techniques.

Now the cross over between Olympic style barbell lifting and fighting is close but not perfect. What is the perfect form of strength training for serious martial artists with a one to one ratio of practical conversion is Kettlebell training. A kettlebell is a cannon ball with a handle welded to it. They come in various sizes and weights and these days the “health” clubs have bastardized the kettlebell craze in the form of group aerobic work outs as useless to martial artists as habitual masturbation would be. Real kettlebell training is not done to music, in synchronized groups, with light weights, many reps or while wearing butt floss. Real kettlebell training is ass kicking, joint wrenching, shock promoting, power building stuff. Real kettlebell training builds aerobic capacity at the same time it builds physical strength and most importantly - POWER.

In the 1970’s or 80’s the Soviet Army did a study where they trained 3 groups of Spetsnaz (Soviet Special Forces) troopers. One group was trained using conventional army physical training consisting of running and calisthenics. Another group added barbell weight lifting to their PT. Group 3 did kettlebell training with no running, no calisthenics and no barbell lifting. After some months on these training routines the researchers did two things: First they administered the standard Soviet Army physical fitness test to all 3 groups. In these tests the kettlebell group did best even though they had not done any of the standard calisthenics or running involved in the test for months. Afterward the researchers sent the troops out for field exercises for months to simulate combat conditions and the effects of same on the fitness levels of the troops. After some months of this simulated war training they were brought back and retested. The calisthenics only group suffered the highest drop in fitness and strength levels, the barbell strength and army PT group was right behind the calisthenics group in their loses. In sharp contrast the kettlebell group had only slight losses in fitness and strength after 3 months away from exercise! They were almost as strong and able after not working out for that time as they had been when first tested!

One other aspect where kettlebells have a direct crossover to fighting, shock absorption. The sudden explosive movement, the stabilization of the bell, flipping the bell round on its handle and then stopping that movement, then at times throwing and recatching the kettelbell all teaches the body to absorb structural shock. So, between training to have the ATP reserves for physiologic shock and training with the kettlebells to absorb structural shock the body is ready to absorb abuse and maintain its energy and ability to continue fighting.

Look at the training workouts of those who take fighting for a living seriously like the:
US Secret Service CAT teams, US Mashals Service, SWAT cops and elite troops here and abroad and you’ll notice their PT programs involve a lot of heavy fast kettlebell work. There are kettlebells that routinely travel with the Secret Service members on Air Force One.

Kettlebell training principles, exercise program DVD’s and seminars for serious martial artists and fitness enthusiasts can be had from strength coach Mike Mahler at: http://www.mikemahler.com/store.html At present Mike has an excellent new e-book “The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength” and I also recommend his DVD “Kettlebell Solutions For Speed and Explosive Strength”. See the products page of his on line magazine.

Be well and God bless,
Dr. Will Wong www.totalityofbeing.com 

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10. Aggressive Strength Recommended Products  

 

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Just listen to the program for 30-60 minutes per day and you will notice a difference after a few days. After a week you will look forward to each session. I like to use it after working out or before going to bed. Check it out at: 

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11. Kettlebell Training Information  

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

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12. 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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