Home → Aggressive Strength Magazine → Issue 166- 6-20-09 

Aggressive Strength Magazine

1. Aggressive Strength Living Article Of The Week

Doing What You Love Is Hard Work 

And what is ten years? Well, it's roughly how long it takes to put in ten thousand hours of hard practice. Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness--Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers 

By Mike Mahler

Many people have the illusion that people who are passionate about their line of work are happy campers that have found Nirvana. They just look so happy when they are working and boy must it be nice to be full of joy all day long. They forget that one of the definitions of passion is to suffer for what you love. People that love what they do, do not settle for mediocrity or doing a pretty good job. People that love what they do want to be great at it and to be great at what you love you have to suffer. It becomes an obsession that is on your mind all the time. You are always thinking of ways to improve. Trust me you work much harder when you do what you love then you ever do just doing a mundane job.

While the brutal reality is that you will suffer in order to be great at what you love, the key point that distinguishes it from doing a mundane job just to get by; is that it is work that you actually want to do. This is a critical distinction as work that you actually want to do is gratifying and fulfilling. Work that you do just to get by may pay the bills is never gratifying or fulfilling. Now I am not knocking anyone that works. You do what you have to do in life to survive and I have respect for anyone that is willing to work hard to make an honest living rather than be a vampire living off the misguided generosity of others. However, the fact remains the same. If you do not love what you do, you suffer twice. You suffer while you do it and you suffer from the lack of fulfillment. If you do what you love you only suffer once. You suffer when you put in the necessary concerted work to be great but have the incredible sense of fulfillment that only doing what you love for a living can provide.

Author Malcolm Gladwell in the book Outliers states that it takes ten thousand hours of concerted effort to reach a level of mastery in any field. This is not ten thousand hours of playing around. No ten thousand hours of focused energy on your craft. This level of focused work is very difficult and few have the discipline and the pain tolerance to push through day after day. It is all too easy to make a processed meal in the microwave and watch four hours of mind numbing reality TV instead. Ten thousand hours of very hard work and sacrifice is what separates the exceptional from the mediocre. Now if you do not love what you do then it is highly unlikely that you are going to put in ten thousand hours of concerted effort. You probably will not even be willing to put in half that number. No matter how much you want the goal if you are not prepared to endure the process you can forget about it. Of course if you are not prepared to endure the process then you never really wanted the goal to begin with.

The ironic thing is the process of being mediocre at something is often fun. This is what I like to call the hobby stage. When you are in the hobby stage nothing serious is at stake. It is a hobby and not how you make your living. There is no real pressure to be good at a hobby. Hobbies are fun and a nice refuge from the various stresses that come with living. However, when you decide to turn a hobby into a full-blown vocation a total flip-flop occurs. Now the pressure is on and it is no longer refuge from hard work and stress it becomes hard work and stress! Yet once again it is hard work and stress that you choose. It is hard work and stress that you want to take on and that is what makes it a powerfully life changing process.

When you have a big smile on your face at all times and get giddy about pursuing a goal then you are still in the amateur phase. It is easy to get excited about what you are doing when you have only been doing it for a few months. It is easy to get excited about what you are doing when you do it as a part time gig and make your real living doing another job. It is much harder to push through when a hobby becomes your sole way of making a living. Now it is no longer something you do when you feel up to it. No, now it is often something you do when it is the last thing you want to do.

I am friends with a few professional comedians. If you did not know better you would think that comedians are happy-go-lucky people. However, the opposite is often true. Many professional comedians actually have melancholy personalities such as the ones I am friends with. This is hard to believe when you see them up on stage acting funny and making people laugh. Nevertheless, think about what comedy really is. It is either an expression of self-deprecation or humor at the expense of others. It is taking things that that ranges from negative to depressing and repackaging them in a way that makes people laugh.

To come up with hilarious pieces comedians have to go into dark places often and spend a lot of time there. Then they have to work their tails off traveling all over the place doing gig after gig of the same material. Whether they are up to it or not is relevant. They have to do a great job or forget about having a great career. Is it fun? Sometimes it probably is. A lot of the time it probably ranges from not so fun to downright miserable. Sounds terrible right? Wrong once again it is work that they want to do. Being a successful comedian is arguably one of the hardest jobs around and no one is going to take it on as a career unless it is something that they are passionate about. I have no doubt that pulling off a great gig is gratifying and fulfilling, but I doubt that it is always fun. In fact in my own way I know it is not always fun. It is time for another personal story to illustrate these points further.

I first started teaching kettlebell training workshops back in May of 2002. My very first workshop was at a park in Northern Virginia with a whopping eight people that paid around $65.00 to attend the course. That fee is around six times less than what I charged at my last workshop in 2008. While the money was not great back then (although it is not bad either for a days work) I had more fun at that workshop than at any workshop I have done since. I was so happy to be in front of people teaching something that I really cared about. Up until then I had always done jobs just to make money. These jobs were never enjoyable and certainly never fulfilling no matter how much I got paid. My very first kettlebell workshop on the other hand was both enjoyable and very fulfilling. I had a great time, the group had a great time, and I even met one of my best friends at the course Dylan Thomas who went on to become a great kettlebell instructor. Talk about a day well spent!

I went on to do a lot of kettlebell workshops all over the US and even one in the U.K. Every time I did a course I got better at teaching. I also got much better at promoting the courses and putting together more professional productions. What do I mean by professional production? Partially, it means that the courses actually took place inside a nice facility as opposed to a park in Ohio in the middle of winter (something that I actually did). As the courses become better something else also happened. They became less fun. How is this possible? I am better at teaching the courses, I am using much nicer facilities, I am getting more people to attend, I am making more money than ever, and at the same time the courses are not as fun. What happened? Somewhere along the way I went from being an amateur pie in the sky instructor to being a serious professional.

It takes a lot of work to put on a great workshop and the teaching part is not the hard part. The hard part is promoting a workshop successfully and making sure the entire production is organized and fluid. If you want to teach a course to a few people in a park whenever the feeling strikes that is one thing. You can keep that fun and casual. However, when you want to take it to a much higher level it becomes a lot of hard work and lets face it hard work is not fun. Sure working hard and pulling off great events is fulfilling and gratifying but that does not mean it is fun.

What is interesting is that as the courses became less fun, they also became much more fulfilling and gratifying. As the workshops became less fun, my confidence went up. When I first started doing kettlebell workshops I used to have a detailed outline that I studied the night before. Now I could walk into the room without any preparation and do a bang up job. Also, just because I did not feel like doing a workshop for whatever reason did not affect my performance at all. If I felt excited about doing a workshop, I did a great job. If I felt like crap and did not feel like doing the course, I still did a great job. In fact some of my best workshops were ones in which circumstances were far from ideal.

One of the best workshops I ever put on was a course in NYC back in 2004 in which everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. The students came into the course ranging from irritated to angry and if I did not bring my best game it was game over. In fact it could have ended my fitness career. That is how dire it was. I certainly was not excited about teaching the course. Regardless, my assistant instructor Dylan Thomas and I brought our best games and turned the whole disaster around. People came in irritated and angry and left happy and on cloud nine. Many of us got together for dinner after the course and everyone left dinner with a big smile on their faces. We also met one of the best strength coaches around at the event Zach Even-esh. Talk about non-fun day that was well spent!

The entire process was very hard work, but it was by far one of the most gratifying courses that I ever did. Was it fun? No it is not fun having to turn angry people around but man is it gratifying.

Recently I put on a big production workshop that was even less fun and yet very gratifying. Some of you were there and many of you have the DVD set of the actual course. Yes I am talking about the Collision Course Workshop.

Collision Course was a departure from the usual kettlebell workshop that I had done over the years. Instead of having a kettlebell focused course I decided to make kettlebells part of the overall pie rather than the entire pie. Collision Course featured a section on Battling Rope Training with Guinness book record holder John Brookfield. The course had an incredible section on the benefits of strongman training taught by legendary strongman competitor and expert strength coach Mark Philippi. Jon Hinds of the Monkey Bar Gym taught an outstanding very high-level section on bodyweight training. I taught a section on hormone optimization and also advanced kettlebell training. I also had two guest presenters at the course that did a bang up job: Tom Furman on joint mobility and Dylan Thomas on kettlebells for the martial arts.

To make the offering even better for the attendees, I hired my brother Roger to film the course to turn into a DVD set. Everyone who attended the course received a copy of the DVD set for free. It was a great course that really only had one problem, which unfortunately was not enough attendees! I lost thousands of dollars on the front end and had to pay many of the instructors out of pocket.

My inside joke about the course is that the attendees paid a lot of money to attend but no one paid as much as I did to be there. While it was a great course it was not profitable. I did everything right to make the course successful financially. It just did not pan out that way. Yes I could have cancelled the course but I do not like doing that. This is a course that I believed in strongly and I did not want to disappoint the people that paid to attend. Sure I could have paid the instructors less but I gave them my word on what they were going to get paid and I wasn’t about to look for the easy way out at the cost of my reputation. Instead, I decided to take the risk of doing the course and make my money back on the DVD set.

Now many amateurs would have cancelled the course. If they actually put the course through they would have done a minimalist job. After all this was not a course that did not make much money it was a course that lost money! I actually made more money at my very first workshop in Northern VA. Not exactly the way I wanted to come around full circle. It is hard to have fun when you work your tail off and lose money. However, it is not about having fun when you are a professional. It is about doing a great job irrespective of the circumstances. It is not the students fault that the course was not profitable and I wasn’t about to disappoint them.

To make a long story short, people loved the course. This is obvious if you watch the students on the DVD set. They are having a blast and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Honestly, I did not have fun at the course. There were too many things for me to be accountable for in addition to actually teaching at the course. The fact that I lost thousands of dollars to do the course did not help either. Nevertheless it was gratifying to put together a unique course that the attendees really enjoyed. Moreover, it was very fulfilling to put out a great DVD set of the course. Not only did I make all the money that I lost back I was able to put out a unique offering that people really enjoyed.

No doubt you have to love what you do in order to be great at it. Perhaps not always the actual process but the gratification and fulfillment that comes form being a professional and dong a great job. If you work your tail off and do not receive strong sense of gratification and fulfillment then it is clear that you are not doing what you love. It is time to be honest and do what is necessary to find something else when you can. Moreover the amateur stage is only fun for so long. At some point you have to become a professional to keep growing as a person even if it means the fun is over. Fortunately fun has nothing on gratification and fulfillment.

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

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

---

2. Ken Blackburn Interview: Part 2 

The Kettlebell Sport is becoming very popular and many trainees want to dive in and compete. How would you recommend they get started with training for kettlebell sport competitions?

First, find an experienced coach.  Someone who understands the sport, has competed and can communicate/demonstrate the proper technique for all the competitive lifts (jerk, snatch, long cycle).   The technique is very specific and it’s important to start off understanding the proper posture, hand position, breathing and groove.  Once that happens, learn how to construct an effective training program around your specific goals.   Working with an experienced coach in these regards speed up the learning curve, lessens the chance of injury and prevents unlearning bad habits down the road.

In addition, I can’t stress enough the importance of coupling the k-bell lifting with a joint mobility and flexibility program.  The easier you can move with minimal amounts of unnecessary tension the better.  The mobility/flexibility work takes the “parking brakes” off the movements so to speak, prevents injury and promotes faster recovery.  

Also, keep an open mind and incorporate other physical and mental training methods that other lifters may not be doing – qi gong, meditation, visualization, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Yoga etc.  Anything that can speed recovery and give you a mental/physical edge is a good thing. 

You are a big fan of the competition style kettlebells.  Please explain why they are your preference?

I like the competition style kettlebells because the dimensions are the same regardless of weight. Example - a 12kg bell and 40kg bell are the same size.  As a result, the technique and alignment stay the same for the both bells.  With other styles of kettlebells, there is normally a significant size difference between a lighter and heavier bell which creates a new learning curve every time you make a weight jump.  The color scheme of the bells promotes progress too – not to many guys want to lift a pink kettlebell for any length of time J

Your son Mitch is making some waves with his incredible performances at recent kettlebell competitions. How did Mitch get started with training for kettlebell sport and what motivated him to give it a shot?  

Thanks Mike!  I am very proud of him. Mitch has been involved in the sport for about a year now.  His initial motivation was weight loss.  He was living the good life – too much x-box, Doritos, soft drinks and downtime..ha ha  As a result, he got heavy and wanted to make a change.  He set a goal to compete at the IKFF/NAKF nationals and competed with the 12kg bell.  Since then he has moved up to competing with the 24kg bell.  At a recent meet, he got 52 reps in the jerk in 10 min and 84 reps in the snatch in 8 min.  Since losing the excess weight and leaning out, his new motivation is simply improving in the sport and having fun. He is very driven.  Actually, I need to chase him out of the gym to prevent over-training.  I want to go home, relax and watch Matlock and he wants to do inclined sprints on the treadmill…ha ha  

 

 

Many MMA athletes are now using kettlebells as part of their overall training regimen. What recommendations do you have for MMA athletes that want to add kettlebells to their training programs?

As mentioned above, the first step is to find a good coach.  No need to try and reinvent the wheel and unlearn bad habits down the road. 

Second, start with the classical lifts – swing, clean, snatch and jerk.  These are especially beneficial for the following reasons:

1. They are full body exercises.  Functional and give the athlete a good bang for their buck in terms of time investment à results.

2. The energy transfer starts in the legs and travels up. This reinforces and mimics the correct generation of power used in striking and other movements.

3. The same with contraction rhythm – fighters are constantly transitioning between being tense and being relaxed in the ring. It’s important to do this in the most efficient manner possible to conserve energy yet be explosive and connected at the right times.  K-bell training in this regard is the same.

4. Learn how to generate power within a short range of motion

5. The movements are more athletic than conventional weight training

6. Mental toughness – 10 min set of clean & jerks without setting the bells down is something that truly needs to be experienced to be understood J

From there, begin integrating other exercises into the mix.  Combining an over-head squat with a snatch is great example since it forces the athlete to constantly transition between movement types – high acceleration movements that require an initial explosion/then being relaxed combined with movements that involve maintaining a high degree of tension over a longer period of time.  To equate this to fighting, this reflects the transition that occurs with striking/throws and clinching.

Also, I think it’s important to ensure the training program is congruent with the individual fighter.  Some athletes are very strong but need more work capacity.  Others have tremendous work capacity but need functional strength and explosiveness.  The great thing about the k-bell is that it’s a versatile tool and can be used in a number of ways.

What are some common mistakes that people make with kettlebell training?

The first thing that comes to mind is that people start off with too heavy a bell – especially men.  Learn the proper mechanics, alignment and breathing with a lighter bell and the heavier bell will take care of itself down the road.

Second, people marry themselves to a certain kettlebell paradigm and close their mind off to anything else.  It reminds me of what use to happen more frequently with martial arts – boxing is better than karate, wrestling is better Judo.  In the k-bell world, we have intense online wars waging in the same regard – 10 min sets are better than high intensity intervals, pressing is better than jerking.  It’s missing the point. Almost everything has a time and a place depending on the individual and what their goals are. 

Another common mistake is that some will limit their fitness activity to just the kettlebell.  Yes, it’s an incredibly diverse tool and is 80% of my own training.  However, why limit yourself?  There are other tools that can be brought into the mix that are better suited to certain goals and still a great companion to the kettlebell training.  Absorb what is useful.

Should beginner focus on unilateral kettlebell work or can they start with double kettlebell training?

I think a beginner should start with unilateral work.  Managing one bell is easier and thus enhances technique development and safety.  In addition, there is a lot to be said for training in an asymmetrical fashion – more closely resembles many life activities/sports and forces the body to balance/stabilize itself.  However, once the proper technique is learned, double k-bell work can be added in at any point.  Double k-bell requires a different technique and groove so single k-bell work won’t always have a direct carry-over.  Plus, double k-bell work is more congruent with those whose goal is strength, adding muscle mass etc.

Louie Simmons is famous for his conjugate method for powerlifting. For those, not familar instead of working on the primary lifts as the focal point (bench press, squat, deadlift) they instead do similar lifts and rotate them often. As a result they can push each exercise hard and then switch to another one before they burn out. Do you think there is any benefit in applying this principle to kettlebell sport training? In other words, instead of just working on the actual comp lifts exclusively (Jerk, clean and jerk, snatch) rotate in other kettlebell exercises and similar exercises with other implements all together.

Absolutely!  Bringing in assistance exercises to compliment the competition lifts is a great way to enhance performance and fight both physical and mental burn-out. Overtraining is a very real variable in kettlebell sport training – the high volume work is hard on both the CNS and Endocrine system.

What nutrition recommendations do you have for kettlebell trainees that want to get into great shape? Do these recommendations change for Kettlebell Sport Athletes? 

First, take care of your high level nutrition needs. Make sure you’re eating and supplementation is congruent with keeping your blood, heart and other internal organs healthy. If your internal organs are struggling with toxicity and other issues, your performance will suffer.  Dr. Jerry Moylan has been a tremendous help to me in that regard.  Once that is accomplished, you can start looking at sport specific nutrition protocols.  This general advice would apply to any trainee or athlete. 

For kettlebell sport specifically, I think it’s important to get plenty of good calories and configure a nutrition program that supports and enhances the Endocrine and Central Nervous system. Both of these systems are stressed as a result of the high volumes we endure in our training.  You have written some great articles in this regard.  Outside of that, there are a number of different nutrition protocols that can be beneficial – warrior diet, alkalinity based programs, etc  The goal is to find one you can live with.

Do you recommend any nutrition supplements for kettlebell sport athletes? 

Yes.  You have been a big help in this regard Mike.  I have experienced great results with your recommendations and the below will reflect that.

*A good/bio-available multi vitamin/mineral

*Pre-workout – I like the combination of Powerdrive and Lean & Fit.  Provides mood elevation and energy without the jitters and sleeplessness associated with other products.

*Post-workout – combining a good protein drink with blueberries, raspberries etc.

*Other – glutamine and beta alanine to speed recovery and Zinc and Magnesium to support the endocrine system and promote better sleep. 

I have also seen solid results with the canned oxygen, especially immediately after hard sets.

Of course, this is just what I use.  Supplementation should be customized to the individual.  Get some blood work done and find out what you truly need and do not need.  Otherwise, you could be wasting your money and potentially harming yourself. 

Great stuff Ken and looking forward to working with you in October!

Ken is the Associate Head Instructor and Director of Operations for the IKFF (International Kettlebell & Fitness Federation).  To contact Ken or learn more about the IKFF and their certification program, you can reach him at ken.blackburn@ikff.net

 

 

 

The Kettlebell Training In The Age Of Quarrel 3-day Workshop

Time to demolish training confusion and show the abundant uses of the versatile kettlebell! 

Bonus #1: Get a free DVD set of the course when you attend to ensure maximum retention

Bonus #2: Attend this three day course for the price of a two day course (you will not have to sell your car to afford to attend) 

Bonus #3:  Click here

 

---

3. Mike Mahler Interview From Gaijin Kettlebell Japan 

Click here for the rest of the interview

 

---

4. Brain Health Nutrition For Enhanced Physical Performance And Well Being 

By Mike Mahler 

Here is my latest research on brain health and athletic performance.

There are 4 neurotransmitters that must be optimized for brain health and natural hormone optimization:

Dopamine
aceytlcholine
GABA
Serotonin

Dopamine (morning food for energy and focus)

Dopamine creates brain energy, enhances testosterone production, and keeps you mentally and physically energized throughout the day. Controls metabolism, which is your body’s ability to turn food into fuel. Controls food cravings and addictions. Pleasure seeking addicts are often dopamine deficient.

Food

Eggs
Animal proteins
protein powder such as Sun Warrior Rice Protein and pea protein isolate
Yogurt
Mangoes
Tomatoes
Red peppers
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon (add this in morning shakes)
Carrots
Walnuts
Bell Pepper
Golden zucchini
Grapefruit
Tofu
Spinach
Green peppers
Zucchini
Avocado
Kiwis
Pears
Blueberries
Blackberries

Spices

Basil
Bay leaves
Cayenne
Fennel
Cumin
Ginger
Rosemary
Turmeric

Beverages

Black tea
Green tea
Rooibos tea
White tea
Coffee

Supplements

Tyrosine
Phenylalanine
Mucuna Pruneins (l-dopa)


Acetylcholine (Controls reaction time and memory)

When acetylcholine levels are low you are in a brain fog state. You become forgetful and have declined mental and physical quickness. Acetylcholine also provides the lubrication and insulation for muscles, bones, and other internal systems. People with low acetylcholine levels often crave fat fried foods in a desperate attempt to ramp up acetylcholine levels.

Food

Eggs
Fish
Lecithin
Kidney beans
Pineapple
Chick peas
Soybeans
Asparagus
Fava beans
Black beans
Passion fruit

Spices

Allspice
Basil
Cumin
Sage
Thyme

Supplements

Choline

GABA (post workout and evening to lower stress and anxiety)

Gaba determines the pace at which your brain and body function. When gaba is low we feel anxiety and do not handle stress well. Too much gaba can create lethargy so it must be kept in balance. It is best to focus on gaba rich foods after training and in the evening.

Food

Peaches
Okra
Papayas
Green snap beans
Celery

Spices

Cardamom
Cinnamon
Cloves
Lemongrass
Oregano

Supplements

GABA
Piracetam

Serotonin (anti-depressant feel good neurotransmitter)

Acts as an off switch for the brain and the body. Tells the body when to shut down and when to reset. Important for mood, restoration, and quality sleep. Serotonin induces relaxation and is thus best increased after workouts and in the evening.

Food

Red Apples
Golden Apples
Green Apples
Raspberries
Strawberries
Red Cherries
Kale

Supplements 

5-http 

How to apply this information

With regards to the working out two hours before each workout make sure to have a dopamine/aceytlcholine rich meal.

Afterwards (wait an hour as eating too soon will lower GH levels that have been ramped up from intense training) have a GABA/serotonin rich meal. You still want protein each time which is a dopamine focused food just make it 1/4 of your meal and load up the rest with gaba/serotonin foods. This will help bring you down after competing so you rest well and are ready to go again the next day. Basically you get a re-boot.

Sample brain health and sex hormone supporting meal 

2 cups of organic lentils (24 grams of protein)
1 yellow bell pepper
1 tomato
1/2 cup of mushrooms
1/2 cup of baby spinach
1/2 cup of fresh basil
1/2 cup of baby carrots

Spices added: oregano, garlic, onion, and turmeric

All of the above is steam cooked. Once it is done I will add 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds (11 grams of protein) 1/2 avocado, and 1 tablespoon of Udo's Choice Oil.

This meal is a nice balance of protein (35 grams) carbs, fiber, healthy fat. The spices have an anti-inflammation as well as an antioxidant benefit for brain and body health as do the rich colored veggies. The plant sterols from the avocado, hemp seeds, and Udo's Oil are testosterone, DHEA, Progesterone supporting (not increasing as there is a difference) foods.

All in all a super nutritious meal and tastes pretty damn good as well. Great meal for hard training men and women.

Here is a sample super protein shake:

2 scoops of vanilla sunwarrior rice protein 
8oz of tea (green, black, and ginger)
8oz of low carb almond milk
1 cup of frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries, mangoes)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice 
1 tablespoon of Udo's Choice

the above is a great balance of fat, protein, carbs as well as spices and plant sterols. I sip it over the course of the early afternoon rather than down it fast which far too many people make the mistake of doing with protein shakes. Sip it slowly and take your time for better digestion and utilization

Questions?

For more info on brain health as it relates to fat loss and overall health, get Dr Eric Braverman's book: "Younger thinner you diet"

Make sure you attend the KB Training In The Age Of Quarrel Course as I will be lecturing on this topic extensively: click here for more information

---

5. Homemade Protein Bars for Serious Athletes 

By Mike Mahler 

Virtually all of the protein bars on the market are garbage. Loaded with sugar, artificial ingredients and low quality proteins, you might as well eat a Snickers bar--which is probably a better nutritional than most high-priced protein bars. The only worthwhile protein bar I can think of that is the Organic Food Bar, which you can find at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market and online. Still, even these are high in sugar and nowhere close in quality to the homemade protein bar recipe below. These homemade protein bars are nothing less than super meals--extremely healthy and perfect for hard-training athletes--I eat them everyday and know that you'll like them as well.

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

1.  Protein powder

Use your favorite protein powder.  I highly recommend Sun Warrior protein and use it myself.

2.  Almond butter

Loaded with protein and healthy fats, almond butter tastes great and binds the other ingredients together.  You can also use any nut (or seed) butter you like:  peanut, macadamia, cashew nut butters or hemp, sunflower or pumpkin seed butter.  I prefer almond butter and this is what I mainly use.

3.  Spices

Spices can turn good meals into great meals. I typically add ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, which, besides tasting good, work to stabilize blood sugar and are anti-inflammatory.

4.  Ground flax seed

Ground flax seed is good stuff.  Besides providing a nice dose of fiber, it contributes magnesium and improves the good-to-bad estrogen ratio by clearing out harmful estrogens, such as 16-hydroxyestrone, and increasing the healthy estrogen, 2-hydroxyestrone.  It also adds a nice texture.

5.  Sweetener

Since the bars taste good without it, adding sweetener is optional; however, most people will prefer a sweeter bar.  I myself add agave syrup, which is a low-glycemic, natural sweetener that's loaded with valuable trace minerals.

6. Almond Milk

Also optional, since you can use plain water to mix everything up, but I think almond milk adds an especially nice flavor.  I use unsweetened Almond Breeze, which you can find at most grocery stores.

Here are the recipes: 

Protein Bars

Vanilla Almond Protein Bar

4 scoops rice protein, vanilla

2 T almond butter

2 T ground flax seed

1/2 cup almond milk 

1 T ground ginger

1 T ground cinnamon 

1 T pumpkin pie spice

1 T agave syrup

Preheat oven to 425.  Mix everything in a bowl with a spoon until a thick paste forms.  Divide into four parts, roll into balls, then shape into bars.  Place on cookie sheets and bake 12-15 minutes.

Nutrition

calories    540

protein    70 gr

carb    ~20 gr

fat    ~20 gr

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar

2 scoops rice protein, chocolate

2 T natural peanut butter

2 T ground flax seed

1 T ground cinnamon 

¼ cup almond milk

Mix everything in a bowl, stirring with a spoon until a thick paste forms.  Divide in two, wrapping each bar in aluminum foil.  Place the bars in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day, you'll have two delicious bars, ready for breakfast or whenever you want a snack.

Nutrition 

calories    365

protein    27 gr

carb    17 gr

fat    21 gr

Chocolate Pecan Bars

3 scoops Sun Warrior protein, chocolate
1 T ground cinnamon
1/4 cup pecans
2 T ground flaxseed
2 T raw almond butter
1 T non-dairy/gluten-free brownie mix
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Mix everything in a bowl, stirring with a spoon until a thick paste forms.  Divide into 6 balls and place in the refrigerator for two hours.  Preheat oven to 425. Place the six balls on a cookie sheet, flattening slightly with a fork, and bake for 12-15 minutes.  These are delicious. Have three bars as a snack and the other three for dessert later.

Vanilla Pecan Protein Cookies 

3 scoops Sun Warrior protein, vanilla
3 T sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup pecans
1 T ground cinnamon
1 tsp stevia powder
1 tsp agave syrup
3 T ground flax seed
1/4-1/2 cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 425.  Mix everything in a bowl, starting with 1/4 cup almond milk.  If the dough is too stiff, add more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time until you get a thick paste.  Divide into 7-8 pieces and form into balls. Place on cookie sheets, slightly flattening with a fork.  Bake for 12-15 minutes and you are locked and loaded!

 

Use Sunwarrior Rice Protein To Make Great Homemade Protein Bars 

Finally a protein powder that is organic, tastes great,  and will not cause nausea and have you running to the bathroom with the runs!

It is not often that I get excited about protein powder. Most protein powders taste terrible and are loaded with unhealthy chemical ingredients. Sure I have used a few protein powders that are decent but none that actually motivated me to want to sell them on my website until recently. Not too long ago the guys at Sunwarrior were nice enough to send me a few bottles of their rice protein to test drive. Honestly I was expecting another bland terrible tasting rice protein like all of the other options that are on the marketplace. To my pleasant surprise I was actually shocked with how delicious the vanilla and chocolate flavors are. Unlike most protein powders both the vanilla and chocolate flavors taste great in water. This is the true test of a protein powder as you can make just about any protein powder taste great by mixing it with tons of fruits in a blender. However, if it tastes great in just water then you know you have a winner. 

Click here for more information

 

---

6. Kettlebell Buyer's Guide 

Determine Which Kettlebell Is The Best Fit For You

 

               VS          

 

Click here for more information

---

 

---

8. Buyer’s Guide to Aggressive Strength Kettlebell DVDs

 

Q: I'm a beginner at kettlebell training--which DVD should I get?

 Start with my Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop. This DVD covers all the basic exercises and in great detail.  Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop also comes with a The Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Workshop Manual, an e-book loaded with photos, exercise descriptions, along with effective training programs for attaining your goals. With this package, you'll learn which exercises to do--and which program works for you--so you can get started safely and effectively.

Will I need two kettlebells to follow the Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop DVD?

There are plenty of single-arm exercises in the Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop, so this DVD is a good fit if you only have a single kettlebell.  Even so, do yourself a favor and start incorporating double-kettlebell drills into your program.  Double KB training is superior to single KBs for many reasons, chiefly, double KB training will improve your one-arm KB skills-- but not the other way around.

Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop DVD

"Just have to say EXCELLENT DVD.  I've been using kettlebells for a few years now but the breakdown you did on the exercises really helped improve my form just on the first workout.  The point about how to properly rack the bells and not kill your forearms was so simple. I would instinctively do it on single arm kettlebell exercises but failed to do it on double bell exercises and couldn't figure out what I was doing differently. Again, excellent DVD.  I'll have to watch it a few more times to really catch all the details."--Alex Bailey 

If you are new to kettlebells or want to master the basics this is the DVD for you. 

Q: I'm purchasing the Level 1 Beginner Kettlebell Workshop DVD but I'm wondering if there's another good beginner DVD as well?

 Beginners who are serious about making the best gains in kettlebell training should pick up The Boys Are Back In Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD. This DVD set features in all-star cast of  fitness experts sharing invaluable advice and tips.  In addition to dramatically improving your kettlebell skills, you'll learn about joint mobility for pain-free movement, kettlebell sport/competition training, specialized breathing techniques for optimal sports performance, and what it means to optimize the secondary sex hormones--and why it's so important to your health. There's nothing on the market like--or even close to--this incredible, comprehensive and unique DVD set.  Don’t be intimidated!  The information presented on The Boys Are Back In Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD is far-reaching but still appropriate and beneficial for every beginner.

 **Bonus:  Purchase both DVD’s together and I offer a special discounted price. See side panel 

I've been training with my kettlebells for several months and I'm feeling confident with the Press, Swing, Clean and Snatch.  Now, I'd like to add some variety to my training, which DVD should I buy?

Click here for more information

 

---

9. Aggressive Strength Equipment Recommendations

---

---

---

11. Aggressive Strength Magazine Archives 

http://www.mikemahler.com/newsletter

---

Until next time.

Live Life Aggressively!

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

Mike Mahler

YOUR CART:

ARCHIVES:

• 2008
• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004
• 2003

 

Top DVD Sellers:

Home	Services	Free e-Zine
Training DVD's	Kettlebell Training Information	Testimonials
E-Books	Kettlebell Training Workshops	About
Training Equipment	Articles	Contact

Copyright © 2003-2009 Mahler's Aggressive Strength LLC All Rights Reserved.