Home → Aggressive Strength Magazine → Issue 156 - 8-21-08 

Aggressive Strength Magazine

Issue 156 8/21/08

1. Aggressive Strength Living Article Of The Week

"Indeed, no people on earth worry more about the health consequences of their food choices than we Americans do-and no people suffer from as many diet-related health problems. We are becoming a nation of orthorexics: people with an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating." — Michael Pollan

Is there really an epidemic of Americans frantically worrying about what to eat, or is the above statement a gross exaggeration?  Junk food manufacturers , including Mickey D's, sure aren't losing any business and the endless lines at the local Las Vegas all-you-can-eat buffets are overflowing with over-eaters at-the-ready.  There are more junk foods than ever before while real food is pushed to the corners of supermarkets in order to make more room for more artificial junk.  I can't help looking at people's shopping carts when I'm at the store and from what I've seen, I think Americans aren't worrying enough about what it is they're eating (and worse, what they're feeding their children) and the consequences are obvious...Americans worry too much in general, but it doesn't seem to affect their food choices.

With the abundance of information on health and nutrition these days, you'd think we'd have better results.  Or maybe that's the problem:  when it comes to diet and nutrition, we're beyond information overload.  It's easy to empathize with people feeling frustrated and at a loss about which course to take.  There exist more diet books than you could possibly read in a lifetime, yet few are worth reading.  There are more nutrition supplements on the shelves than ever before, and for every problem you might think of, yet a very few worth taking.  In addition to the bombardment of nutrition information, so much of it conflicts that it's no wonder people stress out about food.  People get overwhelmed, eat whatever is convenient, then hope  everything turns out okay.

I see people all the time jumping from one diet plan to the next, hoping to one day discover their holy grail of nutrition.  One week, they're are eating five times a day, then an expert says five meals is no good, three is fine; then another expert says three meals is too many--one meal is the way to go.  These experts insist breakfast is the most important meal of the day while those experts argue a big breakfast ruins your whole day's energy.  This expert declares cereal the optimal breakfast food, while that expert pronounces cereal mere processed garbage, that fresh fruit is the way to go!  There are experts saying we should eat only raw foods while other experts are swearing vegetables must be cooked for us to assimilate their nutrients.  This group thinks low-carb is best, another group thinks low fat is critical to good health.  I'm getting a headache as I write this--and I'm in the health and nutrition field!

It really is enough to drive you crazy.  Ironically, among the well-intentioned, health-conscious people out there worrying about their best foods to eat, the elevated cortisol levels resulting from neurotic eating are probably doing worse damage than any actual junk food consumption.  Well, maybe I'm exaggerating, but it's pretty damn bad.  Sure, focusing on healthy food is the correct action, most of the time, but worrying all day long about what you're going to eat won't in any way increase your health.  Surprisingly, eating unhealthy food from time to time won't take years off your life, nor will it ruin your health and nutrition program, yet chronic preoccupation with so-called correct eating may harm your wellness program.

While a growing segment of the American population may becoming increasingly neurotic about what to eat, I doubt Americans' epic, surging cortisol levels comes from their health preoccupations.  Most Americans maintain their overweight from over consuming food that, were they to feed it to their dogs, would get them arrested on charges of animal cruelty.  These people aren't worrying about eating too much!  But, these same people can and do experience a sense of guilt over their eating habits which manifests as a sickening cycle of eating junk, feeling bad about it, then eating more junk in a pathological attempt at feeling better.  Recognize anyone? Should you give in to peer pressure and do as everyone else does?  If not, how to get started with intelligent eating?

Are you someone for whom food has become not a fuel for living but instead a versatile and readily available drug-of-choice?  When you feel lonely, do you distract yourself by eating a favorite snack?  Got fired from work today?  Soothe yourself with some ice cream.  Feeling sad?  Eat some junk food for a little pick-me-up.  Feeling great?  Celebrate with your favorite foods and live it up!  There's always reasons to eat another meal and even ways to rationalize eating whatever it is you want.  Do you even know what true hunger feels like?  Do you eat by the clock or use hunger as a cue?

I promote personal responsibility and encourage people to take charge of their lives.  While I know in my heart people know better than to eat garbage all day long, I concede there is plenty of conflicting, confusing information out there.  Yet most nutrition experts agree:  better to focus on real food, not packaged garbage.  This part isn't complicated:  when you go grocery shopping, stay out of the middle of the store.  Walk into the grocery store, then turn right and work your way along the perimeter--that's where you'll find the real food.  That doesn't mean all the foods along the edge are either real or healthy--no!  That's just where the majority of real, healthy foods are displayed.  Nor is everything in the middle of the store bad:  frozen fruits and vegetables are good options when you’re on a budget or shop infrequently.

Healthy eating isn't as complicated as you think.  The key is focusing on real foods, not man-made varieties.  Hint:  if it comes in box listing dozens of ingredients you can't pronounce, it's not real food.  Eat healthy most of the time, then enjoy a once-weekly "cheat day" in which you eat whatever you like, guilt free.  According to Joel Marion (my friend, and author of The Cheater’s Diet) this is not only mentally healthy, but physiologically boosts the body's levels of fat-burning hormones.  Imagine:  a cheat meal that, rather than hindering your fat burning program, instead enhances it.

Do yourself a favor:  spend more of your money on high-quality foods.  For example, fresh-baked bread from a bakery using quality ingredients is not only healthier (assuming you are buying whole grain bread and not pastries) than any garbage you buy at the grocery store, it tastes much better.  Go to your local farmers market, where you can buy organic produce at better prices than the grocery stores, and load up on fruits and vegetables.  What you pay now will save you money in the long run.  According to Michael Pollan, in 1960 Americans spent 17.5 percent of their income on food and 5.2 percent on health care.  Now, Americans are spending 9.9% on food and 16% on health care.  See the connection?  Making better, worry-free food choices not only saves you money in the long run and increases the quality of your life.

On a (somewhat) funny related note, one reason it costs more to fly these days is not the rising in fuel costs.  Nope, it's because the average person weighs ten pounds more than before!  If you want to decrease your travel costs, do your part and lose the weight, but before you complain about the fat person seated on the plane next to you, keep in mind an airplane doesn't distinguish between fat and muscle, so those of us who've packed on muscle mass over the years aren't helping the cause either.  Oh well, you can't have it all, all of the time.

Do check out Michael Pollan’s book, In Defense Of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, it's an excellent read.

 

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Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

***Article Edited by Teresa Blazey: teresa.blazey@gmail.com

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2.  Power Talk With Battling Ropes Master And Guinness Book Of World Record Holder John Brookfield 

By Mike Mahler 

John Brookfield is a multiple world record holder who has been seen on television shows such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Regis and Kathie Lee and the Vicki Lawrence show. John has been listed in Ripley's Believe It Or Not and the “Guinness book of world records.” In addition to being a world class strength athlete, John has authored four books including the popular Mastery of Hand Strength. He is also an incredible trainer with a book of testimonials from world class athletes: 

"Battling Ropes training is great. It is a total body sprint. I nearly blacked out my first time. Days later, my arms were still pumped. I love being able to go full fury without having to worry about something breaking or getting hurt. The workout leaves my lungs feeling larger and I noticed better stamina after only two sessions."
—David Ellis, National Judo Champion-Olympic Judo Team

How did you get into strength training? 

Many years ago back in high school I saw a man about eighty years old bend some large nail and drive some other nails through wood with his bare hands. I was very interested in becoming stronger and being able to accomplish these types of strength feats. My father was also a professional basketball player with the NBA which got interested in sports and training.

What feats of strength records do you hold?

I have actually hold quite a few world records for grip strength feats such as bending 520 sixty penny nails in about an hour and a half. I tore 100 decks of poker cards in half in two minutes and fifteen seconds for the Today Show. I have pulled a 30 thousand pound tractor trailer truck for a distance of one mile with the help of Jon Bruney. Much of the route was slightly uphill. John and I have actually done this on several occasions and beaten our old records. I have also had quite a few other endurance type records which I think still stand today.

What is your training philosophy?

My personal training philosophy is to push myself with every workout and try to beat my best performance with almost every workout. I try to go heavier, faster and for longer durations on a regular basis. This way your mind and body  stays sharp and ready to do its best at all times.

Do you think that intense training needs to be cycled? 

This is somewhat of a tough question because I have different people that seem to respond differently to different training styles. However, I strongly suggest this to athletes and those who want to make good gains in their fitness level. When you are going through  intense training cycles and use easier cycles to follow, you should strive to push your easy cycles closer and closer to your intense cycles. By using this simple principle you will find that in a very short time you will be able to sustain and maintain your entire workout with intensity.

What do you do to recover from your intense workouts? 

After hard workouts I have found it very important to quickly get a recovery meal in my system. This is almost always whey protein taken with skim milk. I try to do this no longer than thirty minutes after a workout. Whey protein is also the only supplement I ever take including vitamins. Also for recovery is the only time I take in the whey protein. I generally try to get at least eight hours of sleep at night and I try to get one night a week when I get ten or slightly more hours of sleep.  Also, for restoration I do cold water dousing which I have found greatly enhances the immune system as well as makes you sleep better and enhances your energy.

What are some of the common mistakes that trainees make? 

I think generally people training do not push themselves enough to make it interesting. I have found that when you set new goals and accomplish them on an on going basis you stay sharp and motivated. This way your workouts stay fun and you look forward to them every time.

When did you develop the Battling Ropes system and what are the benefits?

I developed the Battling Ropes system about three and a half years ago in my backyard.  I developed the system just for myself, however, I decided to bring the system out when I discovered that the training was a missing link in training. I discovered that after someone works on the training for awhile and pushes themselves a bit they can compete or train at a higher level of intensity for a longer duration of time. The Battling Ropes will transfer very well into any sport or situation allowing the user to push harder and harder without tiring out as quickly.

How can the average person benefit from the Battling Ropes system?

Anyone can greatly benefit from the Battling Ropes in a safe fun way due to the fact that the user works at his own intensity level. The user no matter if their a world class athlete or child can see the results physically and visually. This keeps the motivated and working hard while having fun at the same time. It also keeps the training from becoming boring and keeps the user from burning out.

How can you combine kettlebells and ropes together? 

This seems to be the perfect combination of training. The kettlebell user will find themselves being able to work at a higher capacity due to the rope training. I think doing intervals going from the kettlebells to the Battling Ropes is a great addition to training. The user will quickly find a new endurance that does not tire after doing the Battling Ropes for awhile. This new endurance will surely transfer into their kettlebell training.

I understand you work with some NFL teams.  What is the NFL teams and players response to the Battling Ropes? 

I have been training some NFL teams and they have all really loved it and saw the advantage it will bring. I think at first they were somewhat skeptical and thought the training would be easy. They quickly discovered that the system would force them to give their absolute best and nothing else. They saw the transfer that it would bring at helping them become more explosive on the field and not tire out as quickly.

What are five things that people can do to improve their training programs? 

 Five things to help your workouts:

1- strive to work hard and go beyond your past performance on an ongoing basis -

2 - Get enough rest, sleep and relaxation 

3 - Try your best to eat properly and also take some protein in right after your workout 

4 - Proper hydration is a must, however, I have found that very few hydrate properly even at professional levels 

5 - Stay motivated with your workouts by setting goals on an ongoing basis. By setting and succeeding at these goals you have fun and will learn to push yourself so that pushing becomes a normal thing to do. I know that these principles sound elementary, however, few follow them on a regular basis. If you follow these principles you will be amazed at how far you can go.

Make sure to check out John's website at: http://www.powerropes.com

Learn more from John Brookfield and the rest of the collision course workshop team

Why people are signing up  

"I've always lived by the phrase, "In order to be the best, you must learn from the best." The line up of experts for the Collision Course workshop are nothing short of "the' very best in the world of strength& conditioning. I owe it to my clients and my readers to learn the secrets from these great coaches presenting at the CCW, plus, I could not pass up the chance to learn from Strongman competitor, Mark Philippi. I truly know this is rare opportunity in itself."
--Sincere Hogan
http://sincerehogan.com
New Warrior Fitness Coaching

"Your course has everything we do and need, body weight, strong man training, the ropes and of course KBs. We were going to go to a fitness conference but then decided we didn't want to deal with 1,000 other fitness professionals and courses that don't apply to what we do in our business. Your conference is small and just deals with the stuff that pertains to us. The FREE DVD is what sealed the deal for us!  

--Laurel Blackburn 

"What an opportunity! This many incredible people talking about fitness, strength, body mobility, body weight exercises, teaching me things I can take home and use --working with me on my form and giving me tools that can make my winter training that much more productive and then there's the whole knowing I have this seminar to attend in October which will help with my accountability for keeping with my summer program and getting a FREE DVD of the experience to boot! How can I NOT sign up?"

--Beth Currie

Click here for more information

 

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3. 2008 Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Workshops 

September 13, 2008 

Steve Maxwell Level One Kettlebell Training Workshop in San Jose, CA

>>click here for more information

September 20, 2008 

Mike Mahler Level One Kettlebell Training Workshop in Las Vegas, NV (Bonus: get $209.95 worth of free DVD's) (two spots left and last level 1 vegas workshop) 

>>click here for more information

September 21, 2008 

Steve Strickman Level 1 One Beginner Kettlebell Workshop in NYC

>>for more info email Steve at stricker1@sprynet.com

October 25-26, 2008  

Collision Course Two-day Workshop featuring John Brookfield, Jon Hinds, Mike Mahler, and Mark Philippi (three spots left) 

>>Click here for more information

November 15, 2008  

Mike Mahler-Dylan Thomas Level One Kettlebell Training Workshop in NYC (Bonus: get $209.95 worth of free DVD's) 

>>click here for more information

November 16, 2008  

Mike Mahler-Dylan Thomas Level Two Kettlebell Training Workshop in NYC (Bonus: get $169.95 worth of free DVD's)

>> click here for more information 

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4. The Benefits Of Kettlebell Training For Powerlifters 

By Jack Reape

Most of the truly gifted powerlifters I know use the most basic of Training approaches. They just Squat, Bench and Deadlift for the most part, with maybe some pause squats, close grip benches, and stiff legged deads thrown in. They are great because they are gifted genetically and work very, very hard and very, very heavy.

It must be great to be them. For the rest of us, we have to find ways to make up with assistance work and careful planning what we lack in talent and choice of parents. Kettlebells are not the sole answer to every weakness, but they are an absolute must have in the average Powerlifter’s bag of assistance tricks. Kettlebells are different in center of gravity, gripability, and in planes of possible movement. Anything that is that different has a great potential to make an improvement in your training. They are amazingly effective for improving General Physical Preparedness, for Prehabilitation and Rehabilitation of Injuries, and for Dynamic/Explosive work. You can also mix them in instead of Dumbbells in many exercises for an effective change of pace.

GPP

The Kettlebell swing or snatch can be done either for higher reps or in interval type workouts to increase overall conditioning. I like to use them for Farmers walks for long distances. Farmers walks are great for improving conditioning and about the best grip work for holding a Deadlift I know. The fatter and smoother handle makes the hand work harder to hold the Kettlebell. I think the KB is great for throwing on a sled (I use a garage sale metal round flexible flyer) and using for sled dragging. Putting a group of KB movements together back to back in a complex is also a great conditioning approach.

SQUAT

The heavy single KB swing, or double KB swing is tremendous for Glute and Hamstring strengthening. This is very good especially for wide stance squatters and sumo pullers too. For narrower squatters I like heavy one arm snatches in the squat stance. For Powerlifters with less flexible shoulders or wrists or arms too big for front squats, the double KB front squat is fantastic. Some might say even with double 106s it could never be heavy enough. When I can handle double 106s for reps I will let you know. For me 495x3 in the squat raw is easier than double 88s for 8-10. Not sure why, but like I said different is good and what helps make the biggest changes in your lifts.

BENCH PRESS

In the bench press Kettlebells are not direct assistance, but are best for change of pace on back off weeks, for the best shoulder prehab work I know, and great for single arm and Renegade Rows. On back off weeks I include KB high rep single arm pressing for higher(20+) reps, and as extra workouts after bench pressing. I warm up with bottom up pressing to recruit all the shoulder stabilizers then do one arm or see saw presses for medium rep, medium intensity work. The center of gravity of a Kettlebell and better plane of motion for a natural overhead range of motion far exceeds  Dumbell work. Doing double military presses will hit your chest if you lean back a bit. Westside Barbell uses Kettlebells for tricep extensions. I have also used KBs for floor presses instead of Dumbbells. Floor pressing a KB is easier to get into position yourself but much harder to handle weight wise.  Finally, the KB arm bar is not only a great low back adjustment but fantastic for prehabilitation of bench press shoulders. A word of caution on Turkish get ups;if you have shoulder issues and/or you have not done much overhead work, you could easily strain a rotator or rear deltoid. Your shoulder will need a careful build up in the Turkish get up. In other words you will have to use a bell that feels very light as you start to recruit external rotators to hold the bell overhead. Be careful and slow on the Turkish Get Up.

DEADLIFTS

The previously mentioned wide stance swings and snatches work well here for the DL and the farmers walk is great for grip work. The front squat with KBs is great for building the conventional pull start off the floor. I have only done close stance KB cleans a few times but some narrow stance Deadlifters swear by this movement. The margin of error is narrow here because hitting yourself in the shin with a fast moving heavy KB will leave a mark.

ABS

The single best ab exercise I know is the renegade row. Do it. Do it again. Don’t whine.

SUGGESTED TEMPLATES

After Squatting: Double KB Swing Heavy 3-4 sets of 7-12 reps. Renegade rows 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

After Benching: See saw Press or one arm Military Press 3-4 sets of 7-12 reps. KB one arm row 3-5 sets of 7-12 reps

After Deadlifting: KB Front Squats 2-5 sets of 7-12 reps, KB snatch conventional stance) or double KB swing(sumo stance) 3-4 sets of 7-10 reps.

Conditioning/Extra Workouts: KB snatch 7-10 reps per hand x8-12 sets with 30-60 seconds rest. Doing reps higher than this quickly turns into a conservation of energy; great for GS but not great for Powerlifters. Farmers Walks, 2-6 trips of 50-100 yards as heavy as you can handle. KB complexes-just mix together 5-7 exercises and do them nonstop for 1-2 giant sets of 7-12 reps per exercise. Example: KB renegade row L+R/KB See Saw Press/KB snatch/KB alternate lunge/ KB Swing/KB Front squat. This will leave you a bit tired.

CONCLUSION; I am not  sponsored lifter, so every bit of gear or equipment I buy and then give a review of is measured in Return on Investment. If you are a powerlifter who is not a freak, it is well worth it to have Kettlebells in your arsenal.

About The Author

Jack Reape is a Career Navy Pilot whose passion is his kids. The lessons he has learned in a life of Military Aviation and high level athletics, and tested on himself and his kids, are available to anybody who needs some help or new ideas at jackreape@hotmail.com

 

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5. The Reg Park Way To Serious Size And Strength

by Mike Mahler

 

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6. Aggressive Strength Equipment Recommendations

Lifeline USA Kettlebells

The marketplace is finally ready for a high quality kettlebell at a great price. I have no doubt that you will love these kettlebells and you cannot beat the price! Here is what people are saying about these high quality bells:

"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

Lifeline Kettlebell FAQ

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 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.

 

 

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7. Aggressive Strength Product Recommendations

Meditation is one of the best things you can do to relax your mind and handle stress more effectively. High stress equals low DHEA, testosterone, and GH levels. You must get a handle on stress to be at your best. My online client Les Larson told me about this program and after only a few weeks I am hooked.

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:

» Meditation CD's That Actually Work

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8. Kettlebell Training Information  

 

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

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9. 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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