AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MAGAZINE

ISSUE 93 - 3/20/2006

1. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"The proper function of man is to live not to exist."
- Jack London

One of my favorite writers is Jack London. Often he wrote about the harsh realities of life and the how tough choices have to be made to live rather than merely exist. In the classic "The Call Of The Wild", there is a moment in which the main character has to decide whether he wants to stay in town and have a good time with a woman or leave to go back to his harsh existence. For many people it seems like an obvious choice. Stay with the woman, stay warm, and have a few drinks. There is a moment in which the main character has a realization of what his life will be like if he stays in his comfort zone. Basically he will become a chump and a loser like everyone else in the town. Okay for others, but a slow death for him. He comes to the cross road, decides to take the path of least resistance and goes back out into the cold with his dogs to continue his work. Not too soon afterwards he dies in the field. Sounds pretty depressing right? Only from a provincial point of view. The reality is that the main character decided to be true to his nature and face death head on rather than betray his nature and live a life of quiet desperation and futility. Better to die living then to live dying.

Another example from fiction is the movie Star Trek III (Do not worry, I am not a trekky but if I were I would not deny it. Well maybe I would although I do like the ladies in the old series with the short skirts, but I digress). In the movie the main character James Kirk has to decide what is more important to him. His career, his status, his reputation, or the life of his best friend Spock. Seems like a no-brainer right? Of course he is going to choose his best friend. However, in the story it is not that simple. Kirk has to put it all on the line for the possibility that he can save Spock. In other words, there is a strong possibility that he will put it all on the line and lose his career and not even be able to save Spock. Moreover, there is a possibility that he will lose his life in the process. Regardless, Kirk chooses to risk it all. In the end he loses his ship, has to listen to his son die, and it is a certainty that his career is over. In addition, he nearly loses his life and the life of his crew. He has to make one impossible decision after the other. He perseveres by staying true to his nature and is able to save Spock. When Spock's father thanks Kirk for his sacrifices with a regrettable tone. While he is happy to see Spock alive, he is awe of the sacrifices that Kirk had to make. In response, Kirk states that if he did not try, he would have lost his soul.

Where I am I going with these two stories? Everyday people make decisions in which they sell their souls without hesitation because they do not want to face the harsh realities of life. Better to stay warm and miserable next to the fire, then to go out in the cold and suffer victoriously. Many people fail to take the hard path because they do not want to put it all on the line unless there is a guarantee that they will attain the goal. After all who wants to take a risk and fail. What people fail to realize is that the victory is in taking the risk itself. When you do, you discover what you are capable of and live for the very first time.

Merely existing is not really living. Just because you are breathing and receiving some form of stimuli does not mean that you are living. As my brother Roger stated recently on a phone call, "Life all boils down to one day." For anyone that goes from existing to living, there is always one day where it begins. Existing may begin at birth, but that is no guarantee that life will begin as well. That is the individuals choice. As Morgan Freeman states in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption", get busy living or get busy dying.

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

3x3 Program For Size or Strength Goals

I am a big fan of programs that focus on doing a few things very well. Complicated programs are rarely built to last and few trainees benefit from them. One of my favorite programs is the 3x3 program. Why 3x3? The 3x3 program allows you to focus on heavy weights and low reps. You do three sets of three reps at each session with varying intensities. The volume is fairly low so high frequency is a viable option. The 3x3 program is also great for size and strength goals or just sheer strength goals. It all depends on what exercises you pick and how the workout weeks are structured. The 3x3 protocol is also a great prelude to the 5x5 program. Why? The 3x3 program will get you very strong and the stronger you are the more effective the 5x5 program will be.

10 Benefits of the 3x3 Protocol

  1. Calls for heavy loads which leads to serious increases in strength
  2. Low volume and low reps allow greater focus
  3. CNS will be stimulated and you will feel strong and powerful after each workout
  4. Can be used for pure strength or strength and size.
  5. Can be done frequently (3-5 times per week)
  6. Does not take long if you focus on compound exercises
  7. Easier to execute perfect form on low rep and low set workouts
  8. Can be used to increase speed and explosive power as well
  9. Is safe as the more reps you do the more likely you are to do one rep wrong.
  10. Great for building dense hard muscles that are as strong as the look.

Lets talk about how to use the 3x3 program for strength and size or just strength alone. If you want to pack on some size with the 3x3 program, jack up the calories and focus on exercises that provide the most return for your efforts. The usual suspects include: Deadlifts, Squats, Bent-over Rows, Military Presses, Bench Presses, and Weighed Pull-ups. Workout four times per week. Two upper body days and two lower body days. For a strength focus, apply a higher frequency and focus on Deadlifts, Military Presses, and Weighted Pull-ups. Do three to five workouts per week. If three workouts, do one heavy workouts, one medium workout, and one light workout. If five workouts per week, do one heavy workout, two medium workouts, and two light workouts. For example, 90% of your three rep max on one day, 80% of your three rep max on two days, and 70% of your three rep max on two days.

Here are two sample 3x3 programs. The strength focus workout will build hard dense muscles without adding bulk and the strength and size workout will get you bigger and stronger rather than just bigger.

3x3 for Strength Only

Rotate the exercises every week. For example in week two, the Barbell Clean And Press is moved to the medium day and the Double Dumbbell Clean and Press is moved to the heavy day. This way every exercise gets to have a day in the spotlight. Can you do the same exercises every time. You could, but doing different but similar exercises will be more effective and decrease the likelihood of overuse injuries. Why is the heavy day on Monday? Generally you will be stronger at the beginning of the week and your strength will taper off as the weeks goes on. Thus, it makes sense for the workouts to become easier as the week progresses. Take three minute breaks in between each set.

3x3 For Size And Strength

Monday: Upper Body (90% of three rep max)

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of A-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Tuesday: Lower Body (90% of three rep max)

Do B-1 and B-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of B-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of B-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Thursday: Upper Body (80% of three rep max)

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of A-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Friday: Lower Body (80% of three rep max)

Do B-1 and B-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of B-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of B-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Again, rotate the exercises each week. When you can do five reps on the last set for each exercise on the heavy day, add five pounds. Adjust the lighter days as your strength increases.

What about cardio? On the strength focus workouts do some moderate cardio sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. For example do five rounds of 25 pushups, 35 Bodyweight Squats, 25 sit-ups, and 35 Jumping jacks. Do each exercise in circuit fashion and take a one-minute break at the end of each round. Repeat 4-5 times per workout. For the size focus workout, do 2-3 rounds on two off days. These muscular endurance workouts are also great for active recovery so get them in.

3x3 for Kettlebells?

Can the 3x3 program be applied to kettlebell training. Sure, just focus on challenging exercises that make low reps difficult. Here are two sample programs using the example of a trainee that can do five side presses with an 88lb bell and five Double Swings with 88lb bells. Adjust the weights accordingly to your current strength levels.

Monday (Heavy Day)

Wednesday (Medium Day)

Friday (Light Day)

Rotate the exercises every week. For example in week two, the Side Press is moved to the medium day and the One-arm Seated Mil Press is moved to the heavy day.

3x3 Kettlebell Program For Size and Strength

Here is a sample program using the example of a trainee that can Clean and Press two 88lb bells five times and Double Front Squat two 105lb bells five times. Again adjust the program to your strength levels.

Monday: Upper Body (heavy day)

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of A-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Tuesday: Lower Body (heavy day)

Do B-1 and B-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of B-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of B-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Thursday: Upper Body (heavy day)

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of A-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of A-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Tuesday: Lower Body (heavy day)

Do B-1 and B-2 back to back. In other words, do a set of B-1, rest for 90 seconds and then do a set of B-2 and rest for 90 seconds. Continue until all three sets have been completed.

Again, rotate the exercises each week. For cardio with kettlebells do 3-5 sets of one-arm swings (10-15 reps per arm) with a moderate kettlebell on two off days.

What about using the 3x3 program for speed and explosive strength? get my new DVD, Kettlebell Solutions For Speed And Explosive Strength. You cannot expect me to give everything away for free ;-)

Need some training guidance? Click here for a personalized program.

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

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:

5. AGGRESSIVE STRENGTH MINI-INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK

This week's interview is with Chris Pontius star of the movie "Jackass" and MTV's "Jackass" and "Wildboyz"

MM: What do you do to stay in shape?

CP: I train with kettlebells four times a week. Monday and Thursday, I focus on the upper body and Tuesday and Friday, I focus on the lower body. I usually pick a pushing exercise and a pulling one and go back and forth between the two with very short breaks. For example, here is the program I'm working on this month: Monday-Hang Clean and Press Renegade Rows and then some core work. On Tuesday I do Front Squats and Double Swings. On Thursday Double Military Press and Double Rows followed by more core work. Finally on Friday I do Front Squats and Snatches Timeframe varies depending on the program I'm doing. It can range between 15 to 40 minutes.

MM: What kind of nutrition plan do you follow?

CP: I try to eat a lot of organic food with a good balance of protein, fats, and carbs. I don't eat red meat or chicken and I try not to eat a lot of processed foods.

MM: Do you take any nutrition supplement?

CP: Yes, I use protein powder, L-glutamine, omega 3, and CLA.

MM: Has training always been part of your life or something that you got into after you got into the entertainment industry?

CP: Exercise has always been part of my life. I grew up skateboarding and surfing. Later I got into weight training on and off for several years. Then, about six months ago, I started training with kettlebells and really took to it.

MM: How has your training regimen benefited you as an entertainer?

CP: I think being in good shape gives you a tremendous amount of confidence in yourself which is so important if you are an entertainer. Besides that, most people prefer to watch healthy and fit looking people.

MM: What are the biggest mistakes that people in the entertainment industry make with regards to training and diet?

CP: Just like anyone, they don't research the most effective ways to train. They don't eat right and many don't eat enough.

MM: What advice do you have to peers on maximizing the benefits of training?

CP: Identify your training goal, research how to get there, and stick with it. Choose exercises that hit large groups of muscles instead of wasting your time doing a bunch of little muscle isolating routines. Don't just start training without any plan. I messed around with weights for years wasting so much time. Ever since I started reading up on programs and got advice from Mike Mahler, my results have been amazing and I probably work out less than I did before. I think the best advice that I would give anyone is to get on a training program that is personalized to them. I think there are a lot of trainers out there that pretty much train all their clients the same. Monday is back day, Tuesday is chest day, etc. and 30 minutes of cardio. I have one friend for example that is trying to lose weight and that is the program his trainer has him on and now he's just gotten stocky with a beer belly. It's so frustrating trying to convince that he's not training for what he wants to accomplish.

MM: What projects are you working on now?

CP: Right now I am filming "Jackass the Movie 2" which is coming to theaters in the fall. I have also written a book that should be released around the same time.

MM: Thanks for taking the time for the interview Chris.

Make sure you check out Chris Pontius on his show "Wildboyz" every Friday night on MTV. For more info, click here.

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