AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE

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ISSUE 65 - 5/25/2005

1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"The reason for living is to live. The reason for dying is to die. One is not possible without the other."
- Otto Larsen

There is a famous quote from the Prophet Muhammad that says "Die before you die." My interpretation of this quote is that people should think of death often so that they make the most of the time that they have. If we were not aware of the fact that all of us will die someday, we would not have the incentive or the motivation to maximize each day. However, death is not a subject that most people want to think about. It is easier just to block it out as much as possible. If people really did think about death often, then wasting four hours a day watching TV or having mindless conversations with people on their cell phones would not occur as much. There would be more important things to do. Now I realize that a good TV show or a good movie can stir up inspiration to live life more fully. I think that one of the real benefits of solid entertainment is that it can be a powerful energizer. However, most of the time it can have the opposite effect. Regardless, that is a topic for another time, lets get back on track ;-)

While, I do not think that people should be obsessed with death as the fear of death can paralyze them from taking action and enjoying life, I do believe that people should remember each day that today could be your last one and that you should find a way to enjoy that day. You do not have to do anything dramatic like quitting your job and flying to Fiji (although that may not be such a bad idea ;-). However, there are many simple things that you can do. For example, I have noticed more and more that people use television as a substitute for real world experiences. I have even visited friends that I have not seen in a while and instead of turning off the TV to talk, they keep it on the entire time and just channel surf. They are not even watching something they want to watch. Regardless, they are so addicted to having the TV on that they cannot even turn it off to spend time in the real world with real people. Many people are very uncomfortable when they have to interact with others because they are so used to living through the fake experiences of others. How about turning the TV off today and spending time with your family at the dinner table. Really be there on all levels, not just physically. How about going for a walk at a park or at the beach or anywhere that you can unplug for a while and leave your cell phone at home or at least turn it off. The more real world positive experiences you have the more you will want to have.

What is a real world positive experience? I see it is as anytime you get a charge from something. Where you are excited about something and the time just seems to go by fast as you are enjoying the moment. Many people have not had one of these experiences in a long time and that is damnable misery of it all as we should be having these experiences all of the time. Really living a life can be uncomfortable and it is easy to choose the path of least resistance. However, what you lose in never trying is everything.

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

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2. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING ARTICLE

Simple Training Is Not Always The Best Way To Stay On Track

While I am a big believer in utilizing simple and effective programs. One factor that many trainees battle against is boredom. Things tend to be exciting when you are just learning them and get boring when you can do them without even thinking about them. Many people have a tendency to not stick with programs as they fail to find creative ways to keep things interesting. At my most recent kettlebelll seminar at Frank Shamrock's gym in San Jose, top Bay Area kettlebell instructor Mike Castrogiovanni gave an excellent presentation on diversifying kettlebell training. Mike discussed how he worked on the basics when he first learned about kettlebell training and then when he mastered the basics, he looked for variations to keep training fun and exciting. He showed some variations of the kettlebell swing that were off the hook! Very creative and you could tell he was having a blast as he demonstrated each move. This is a guy that has been training for a long time. Mike's presentation reminded me of how I have stayed interested in training over the years. I have tried a ton of different programs and tools in the last fourteen years. Once one training style became mundane, I looked for ways to keep things exciting and challenging to keep myself engaged with training. For example, when standard strength training workouts in the gym became tiresome, I tried a bodyweight only program for several months. When that became routine, I moved on to kettlebell training. Then I added some clubbells to my routine and later the Lifeline's TNT cable, some weighted vest work etc. The key is to get good at one thing before adding other tools in or turning to a completely different training style. It is important to be results oriented and you do not want to change things to frequently and have no focus to move towards. Results keeps us focused. At the same time, we do not want to be so focused on results (unless you are a competitive athlete) that you do not have fun with training. The two are not mutually exclusive. When you have a clear understanding of what your goals are, you can determine a plan to keep things effective and interesting.

Take the time to learn about different training tools and programs rather than just looking for one simple program that you can use for the rest of your life. Learning should not stop after you finish school. Learning should be a process that you use everyday to benefit your training goals and your life.

Here are some simple tips to diversify your training and keep things interesting.

1. You have been using kettlebells for a few years and want to switch things up? How about doing similar moves with dumbbells for a month? How about doing similar moves with a sand bag for one month or doing half of your workouts with kettlebells and half with dumbbells. How about doing as many bottom up versions of kettlebell exercises. For example, bottom up cleans, snatches, and press.

2. Cardio is getting boring? How about using swimming as your form of cardio. Swim as fast as you can from one side of the pool to the other and then swim back at a moderate pace to the starting position. If your pool is shallow enough or you are tall enough, you could even try sprinting in the water which is a lot of fun. Instead of using a cardio machine, go for a hike at the park. Take your dog with you or go spend some time on your own. Great way to unplug, see some great scenery and get a workout in. Wear a weighted vest to make it harder.

3. You are on a bodyweight only program for a while and it is getting boring. However, you do not want to join a gym or purchase weights to use at home. How about purchasing an X-vest. Now you can add some weight to pushups, handstand pushups, bodyweight squats, pull-ups etc to keep things challenging. You could also get some resistance cables from Lifeline USA to spice up bodyweight training, available here.

4. You have been training with one kettlebell for a while and want a new challenge? Try doing a double kettlebell workout for a month. Great way to ramp up the intensity and keep things challenging. (for a DVD with tons of double kettlebell work, click here.

The list can go on forever. Do some research and come up with some interesting ideas. If you do not have any time, then pay a strength coach to design a program for you.

For more info on Mike Castrogiovanni, go to GiryaStrength.com

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3. GET THE AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH DVD COMBO PACK TODAY

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5. NEW AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS

I have just added some great new products to my website including: medicine balls, the ultimate portable gym, and some pull-up straps that allow you to do a pull-ups anywhere! Click here.

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6. THE AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH SOLUTION FOR THE ROAD WARRIOR

Tired of terrible hotel gyms and getting out of shape on the road? Tired of doing bodyweight only routines in your hotel room because there are no other options? You need Lifeline's resistance cable products. Not only are they light and portable but they provide enough resistance to humble the strongest athletes around. Click here for more info

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7. KETTLEBELL TRAINING INFORMATION PAGE (NEW)

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

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8. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

http://www.mikemahler.com/newsletter

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9. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH ARTICLES

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

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10. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING JOURNAL

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

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11. RECOMMENDED READING LIST

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

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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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