AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE
ISSUE 89 - 2/14/2006
1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"If a friend who I've loaned money to dogs me, I say to myself, "Cool, that's one less person I got to deal with. If he hadn't dogged me now, he might have been around when we got hundreds of millions of dollars, and then he could have really jerked me."
- Ice-T
People use the word friend very loosely. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn has a great definition of the word friend. He defines a friend as someone that will do whatever it takes to get you out of a third world prison. Imagine that you are in a prison in some underdeveloped country and that you can only call three people. Who would you call? Who would actually do whatever it takes to get you out? Chances are that the list will be very short. Of course you never know who your real friends are until you need help. When Donald Trump went into debt many years ago, he was shocked that many of his friends bailed on him and people that he did not consider friends helped him. It is easy to have a lot of "friends" when things are going well. However, how many friends are going to stick around when things are not going well? You may be surprised.
One time my car broke down in the middle of the night. I called up a friend of mine and asked him if he could help me out. He said that he had an early morning the next day and wished me good luck. I could not believe it. I had known this guy for years and thought for sure that I could count on him. Then I called an acquaintance of mine. This guy was always a flake and I thought for sure he would have some excuse as to why he could not help. Regardless, I gave him a call and to my surprise he came through like a champ. The entire incident was worth it just to reveal the truth about two people that I know.
Make sure that you ascertain the truth about people when the costs are low. When the stakes are high, the end result can be disastrous.
Live Life Aggressively!
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:
- Operation USA http://www.opusa.org
- Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org
- Oxfam America http://www.oxfamamerica.org
- America's Second Harvest http://www.secondharvest.org
I encourage you to take a look at the above organizations and make a donation to the one that sits well with you. Also if you want to help out animals, make a donation to http://www.bestfriends.org.
3. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH TRAINING ARTICLE
The following program is from the User Guide of my new DVD, Kettlebell Solutions For Speed And Explosive Strength.
Westside Inspired Kettlebell Program
By Mike Mahler
Louie Simmons is one of the best strength coaches in the business and a legend in the powerlifting community. He has produced some of the strongest men and women in the world with his innovative and unconventional methods. One the foundations for Louie’s “Westside” program is the emphasis on speed. Louie states that if you are fast he can make you strong.
While powerlifting looks like a slow sport, the intent is to move the weights as fast as possible. Your fast twitch muscle fibers are what make you strong and incorporating some speed training is very important. As a result, Louie has a few training days each week that are focused on speed training. For example, he will have an athlete take 50-60% of his one rep max on the bench press and do several sets of three as fast as possible with short breaks. The speed that is developed from such training carries over well to heavy training. The faster you can move a heavy weight, the less time you are under tension and the less likely you are to fail.
Seventy-two hours after doing some speed work, it is time to have a maximum effort day to apply your new skill set. Focus on one exercise for a few weeks and build up to a new PR (personal record). Then switch to another exercise that is similar and repeat. For example, in month one, focus on the Double Military Press. In month two, focus on the seated Military Press and in month three focus on the Alternating Military Press.
The following program is outstanding for trainees that want to get faster and more explosive for the purpose of getting stronger for training. While this program can also be beneficial to athletes, you do not have to have a sport-specific purpose in mind to benefit from this program. In other words it is a great program for the purpose of simply getting stronger for the sake of getting stronger.
Monday: (Speed Day: Upper Body Focus)
- Clean and Speed Press 8x3 (eight sets of three and take one-minute breaks in between each set)
- One-arm Hang Snatch 6x3 l,r (six sets and one-minute breaks)
- Renegade Row 2x5 l,r (two sets of five and one-minute breaks)
Tuesday (Speed Day: Lower Body Focus)
- Explosive Lunge 8x3 (eight sets of three and take one-minute breaks in between each set)
- Explosive Double Swing 6x3 l,r (six sets and one-minute breaks)
- Turkish Get-up 2x3 l,r (two sets of three and one-minute breaks)
Thursday (Strength Day: Upper Body Focus)
- A-1: Double Military Press 5x5
- A-2: Double Bent Over Row 5x5
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words do a set of A-1, rest for ninety seconds and then do a set of A-2 and rest for ninety seconds. Keep going back and forth until you have completed 5x5 for both exercises. Use heavy kettlebells. The last set should be very difficult and a maximum effort should be applied.
Rest for a minute and then do
- Double Windmill 3x5 l,r (left and right and one-minute breaks in between each exercise.
Friday (Strength Day: Lower Body Focus)
- A-1: Double Front Squat 5x5
- A-2: Double Swing 5x5
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words do a set of A-1, rest for ninety seconds and then do a set of A-2 and rest for ninety seconds. Keep going back and forth until you have completed 5x5 for both exercises. Use heavy kettlebells. The last set should be very difficult and a maximum effort should be applied.
Rest for a minute and then do
- Slow and Controlled Sit-ups 3x5 (4 seconds up and 4 seconds down)
If you want a personalized program, click here for more info.
4. 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
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.
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.
5. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH BONUS TIP
Here is a great training tip from Las Vegas Kettlebell Instructor Mike Springer. Make sure you check out Mike's website for more info on his classes and services at SpringerTraining.com
To practice for the SSST (10 minute snatch test) do: snatches daily for 1min, within that minute go balls out, switch as often as needed ( make sure you do no other training within 20 minutes of one of these sets). Do this 1-3 x daily and you will see a significant improvement in not only your SSST but snatches as well. Remember BALLS OUT!
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!
Feel free to email me with your comments and feedback at mahler25@yahoo.com
Mike Mahler