AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE

ISSUE 80 - 10/18/2005

1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Fear causes hesitation and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true."- From the film Point Break

Studies show that people that take forever to make a decision are the same people that change their minds quickly after making a decision. Successful people analyze information quickly and make moves decisively. With making a decision comes responsibility. This is why many people try to avoid making decisions or bring other people into the decision making process. This way if things go south, there are other people to blame. For example, I have had online clients that did not achieve great results with my personalized programs. Is it because the programs were flawed? Not likely as I do not take my job lightly and put a lot of time into each program. One of the things that I require my clients to do is to email me their training journals every Friday. Without a training journal there is no accountability. Some people that sign up for my programs never bother sending me their journals or even bother to keep training journals. Of course, these are the same people that do not get the results that they are after. On the other hand, the ones that send me their journals every week, get results. Why is that? Because there is a natural human drive to want to improve when someone else is watching. This is one of the reasons why I always go for personal records at my workshops. When you have thirty people watching you, you are always going to be stronger because there is more on the line. In my case, I do not want to look like a jack ass in front of my clients. I am always amazed by how much stronger I am at my seminars than at my own workouts. Anyway, lets get back to the personalized program service, Whenever I get a complaint that a program did not work well, I always remind the client that he or she did not keep a training journal and never sent me any updates. I am not a babysitter and expect adults to act their age. Thus, if someone does not send me a journal, I am not going to send them a reminder. I rather spend my time working with my clients that do take the time to send me their journals as those are the people that are really serious about their goals. Me having to remind someone to send in their journal is like me having to remind someone to get up and go to work. That is just not going to happen and runs counter to the "Aggressive Strength" philosophy. Working out and not keeping a training journal is like running a business and not keeping detailed records. It is no wonder that most businesses go under within the first year and most people fail on training programs. Accountability is critical.

One of the best ways to become successful is to study people that are successful (I realize that success is a very subjective thing so apply your own concept of what success means to you). This is one of the reasons why I love reading autobiographies and biographies. In addition to reading about successful people, I enjoy reading about unsuccessful people as well. There are two kinds of teachers out there. Those that show you where to go and those that show you where not to go. Make sure you learn from both teachers. The great thing about being a student of other people's lives is that you can learn from their mistakes and successes. Thus, you can avoid making the mistakes that they have made by being aware of them through their experiences. One thing that I often come across when reading about the lives of others is a "moment of clarity." Basically, a turning point in which the direction of one's life changed dramatically. For example, Gandhi had this moment of clarity after getting thrown off of a train in South Africa. Before that moment he was in a comfort zone and did not want to fight racism. Whoever threw Gandhi off of that train awakened a powerful force that was unstoppable. Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Society watched a whale die right in front of him at the hands of some whalers and decided that he would never let that happen again. He formed the Sea Shepherd Society that is dedicated to enforcing the endangered species act. He travels the world getting in harms way to reinforce these laws.

All of us have had "moments of clarity" before. A positive one for me was three years ago, when I only had seven dollars left in my bank account and had lost thirty pounds of muscle from a horrible case of pneumonia. I decided that I was going to have to go back to the corporate world to get back on my feet. After I made the decision, I took my dog Mona for a walk and as I walked down Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, Ca I looked at some people working in an office. At that moment, I realized that I did not want to go back to that world and that my commitment up to that moment had not been sufficient. Before that moment I was simply testing the waters to see if I could make things happen. That lackluster mindset was not going to make things happen. I realized that I had not committed fully and that it was time to burn my bridges and make things happen. I literally ran back home and started working and have never looked back. I always remember that moment as a turning point. It was a precise moment in time in which I made a paradigm shift that changed my life completely for the better.

When you have positive "moments of clarity" you need to kick hesitation in the ass. Do not just jump off the ship, blow it up and do not look back. Take accountability for your life and accept responsibility for your failures and your successes.

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

Mike Mahler

2. HELP THE KATRINA VICTIMS

My friend and top body worker Dianna Linden recently sent me a list of non-profit organizations for helping out the Katrina Victims. Here is the list:

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.

3. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING ARTICLE

A Simple Strength and Conditioning Program That Works

Many people make strength and conditioning far more complicated than necessary. A solid program should focus on compound exercises done a few times per week and a few sessions of high intensity cardio to optimize growth hormone and testosterone levels. Just keep the strength training workouts to forty-five minutes or less and the high intensity cardio workouts to thirty minutes or less and you are all set. Here is a program that you can put into action to get into incredible shape. One option is for the gym and the other can be done with kettlebells.

Monday (Strength and Size Focus)

Do five sets of five on both A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of A-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done five sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 3-4 reps to avoid failure if necessary. Add five pounds when you can do 5x5 with the same weight.

Take a one-minute break and do:

Do four on both B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of B-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of B-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done five sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 4-5 reps to avoid failure if necessary. When you can do 4x6 with the same weight, go up to 4x7

Take a one-minute break and do:

Thursday (Strength and Size Focus)

Do three sets on both A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of A-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done three sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 3-4 reps to avoid failure if necessary.

Take a one-minute break and do:

Take a one-minute break and then do:

Tuesday and Thursday (Cardio-muscular endurance focus)

KETTLEBELL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING WORKOUT

Monday (Strength and Size Focus)

Do five sets of five on both A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of A-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done five sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 3-4 reps to avoid failure if necessary. When you can do 5x5 with the same weight, go up to 5x6.

Take a one-minute break and do:

Do four sets on both B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of B-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of B-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done five sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 4-5 reps to avoid failure if necessary. When you can do 4x8 with the same weight, go up to 5x8

Take a one-minute break and then do:

Thursday (Strength and Size Focus)

Do three sets on both A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of A-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of A-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done three sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 3-4 reps to avoid failure if necessary.

Take a one-minute break and then do:

Do three sets on both B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. In other words, do a set of B-1, wait 60 seconds, do a set of B-2, wait 60 seconds and so forth. Keep going back and forth between both exercises until you have done three sets of each exercise. Avoid training to failure. Stop at 4-5 reps to avoid failure if necessary.

Take a one-minute break and do:

Tuesday and Friday Cardio-muscular endurance focus)

Do the exercises in each round back to back. In other words, do the KB work and then the bodyweight exercise set immediately after. Then rest for a minute before doing the next round.

Want a personalized program? Click here.

4. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH BONUS TIP OF THE WEEK

This week's bonus tip comes from my friend Dave Whitley, RKC:

People ask all the time how to increase their number in the kettelebll snatch. There are 3 reasons people fail to get high numbers.

  1. Inefficient technique.
  2. Lack of conditioning.
  3. Lack of mental toughness.

Here is a program that will dramatically improve your numbers in a short period of time.

A good way to build the endurance to go for extended periods of time is to use ascending rep ladders within a long set. For example, let’s say your maximum is 30 reps per hand. You are going to do one long set and change hands in a ladder fashion without setting the KB down. Do the following 3 times a week.

Pick up the KB and do 5 snatches with your left hand, then switch and do 5 with your right. Now, without putting down the kettlebell do 10 left and 10 right. Switch again and do 15 left and 15 right. Rest a couple of minutes and repeat the sequence again from the beginning. In doing this you are training your pacing, building endurance in the muscles and the cardiovascular system and honing your technique without ever going over 50% of your rep maximum. If your rep max is different, adjust the numbers accordingly. Do this for 3 total sets. Add a set every other workout until you are doing 6 total.

When you reach 6 sets, increase the numbers in the ladder to 8, 12 and 15 and drop back down to 3 total sets. Add a set every other workout until you get to 6 sets total.

After you reach 6 sets of 8,12 & 15, begin with sets of 10, 15 and 20. do 3 total sets and add a set every other workout until you are doing 5 sets total. Take a few days off and test your maximum.

For more info on Dave, Contact him by email at irontamerdave@hotmail.com , and visit his website: IronTamer.com.

5. GET THE AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH DVD COMBO PACK TODAY

"Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength is incredible! All of the exercises are explained and displayed perfectly and leave you with no questions. There is absolutely no filler and it gives so many options to add to your arsenal. Watching it gets me so amped up to train! One of the best things is the Free DVD User guide to set you on the right track. I love all of the exercises and together with Tke Kettlebell Solution For Size and Strength, I will never get bored of training!"
- Chris Pontius of MTV's Wildboyz and Jackass

Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength

Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength

If you enjoy lifting light kettlebells and have no desire to be strong with a powerful physique, then this DVD is not for you. However, if you are ready for a new challenge with kettlebells and desire to maximize the benefits of kettlebell training, get this DVD today.

The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength will show how to get much stronger with kettlebells and build a muscular physique as well. This detailed DVD is for all levels and covers the basics enough for beginners and offers new challenges for experienced kettlebell lifters.

» Click Here for More Information, or:

Kettlebell Solution for Speed and Explosive Power

Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength

Super comprehensive kettlebell training DVD that goes over how to build speed and explosive power in four different categories: Full body explosive power, Upper body explosive power, Lower body explosive power, and Rotational explosive power. Translation? You will be one explosive hombre after you practice the exercises on this DVD and follow the programs in the Free Kettlebell Training DVD E-book. I did not leave anything out on this DVD. Even if you do not care about getting faster and more explosive, you will love the wide variety of exercises that this kettlebell training DVD contains.

» Click Here for More Information, or:

6. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH PERSONALIZED PROGRAM DESIGN SERVICES

"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

Tired of trial and error? Want a training program that actually works? Click here for more info!

7. 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.

8. 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

9. KETTLEBELL TRAINING INFORMATION PAGE (NEW)

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

10. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

http://www.mikemahler.com/newsletter

11. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH ARTICLES

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

12. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING JOURNAL

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

13. RECOMMENDED READING LIST

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

Until next time.

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler

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

Mike Mahler