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How to Prosper in a Downturn: Your Path to Success and Fulfillment in the Next Ten Years
Find out what the economy REALLY has in store for you in the months (and years) ahead!
According to renowned economic researcher and forecaster Harry Dent, the current recession isn't ending anytime soon. In fact, it's just the beginning phase of a prolonged downturn that will be deeper and more severe than anything since we've experienced so far.
But for those who see it coming and know what to do to prepare - and when and how to act on the opportunities that will arise - the depression ahead will prove to be the most exciting and lucrative period of economic opportunity to come along in 80 years. And YOU can be one of them.
In How to Prosper in a Downturn, Dent presents his contrarian, often shocking economic forecasts and predictions for the next ten years and beyond - and offers specific tactics and strategies you can use to protect your wealth, assets and business now and start growing them bigger and stronger than ever in the new economic era to come.
You'll
*Why you shouldn't believe the false rally ahead and when you can expect the real recovery to begin
*Why "buy and hold" is a terrible idea right now ... and what you should do instead
*How you'll be able to tell for sure that the housing market has finally bottomed out ( it's still got a long way to go)
*The greatest investment opportunities in the new economic era
*What to do with your investments NOW
*The date you can feel good about getting into stocks again
*Simple, smart ways to protect your job, even if your organization is experiencing layoffs
*How to position your business now so that you scoop up your competitors' customers and tremendous market share in the years ahead
According to renowned economic researcher and forecaster Harry Dent, the current recession isn't ending anytime soon. In fact, it's just the beginning phase of a prolonged downturn that will be deeper and more severe than anything since we've experienced so far.
But for those who see it coming and know what to do to prepare - and when and how to act on the opportunities that will arise - the depression ahead will prove to be the most exciting and lucrative period of economic opportunity to come along in 80 years. And YOU can be one of them.
In How to Prosper in a Downturn, Dent presents his contrarian, often shocking economic forecasts and predictions for the next ten years and beyond - and offers specific tactics and strategies you can use to protect your wealth, assets and business now and start growing them bigger and stronger than ever in the new economic era to come.
You'll
*Why you shouldn't believe the false rally ahead and when you can expect the real recovery to begin
*Why "buy and hold" is a terrible idea right now ... and what you should do instead
*How you'll be able to tell for sure that the housing market has finally bottomed out ( it's still got a long way to go)
*The greatest investment opportunities in the new economic era
*What to do with your investments NOW
*The date you can feel good about getting into stocks again
*Simple, smart ways to protect your job, even if your organization is experiencing layoffs
*How to position your business now so that you scoop up your competitors' customers and tremendous market share in the years ahead
496 pages, Audio CD
First published June 21, 2008
148 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 31, 2018
For the breadth of the history provided, the specificity of detail of its subject matter, and the efficacy that the fundamentals of training are instilled to the uninitiated, Marty Gallagher’s The Purposeful Primitive is the powerlifting equivalent of Dr. Timothy Noakes’s Lore of Running. The same myth-making methodology that inspired the recreational jogger to try their hand at interval training after introduction to the exploits of Emil Zapotek, and spurred denizens of the weekend 5k onto the grueling path of the marathon compliments Yiannis Kouros’s example is at in the “Iron Masters” portion of this book.
The ascetic discipline of the “Iron Monk” Dorian “The Diesel” Yates; the purity of heart of the Furnas brothers, the inner peace and wisdom cultivated by bodybuilding forefather Bill Pearl, the grit and precision of Ed Coan and Kirk Karwoski. In the pursuit of athletic glory, these men came to embody distinct virtues that represent the high point of character in civilization: self-sacrifice, prudence, loyalty, resilience. These “Hero’s Journeys” will undoubtedly capture the hearts and minds of countless fitness novitiates.
The tales of redemption, determination, transformation, and on occasion, tragedy are physical allegories capturing the arc the human spirit travels in its efforts of self-overcoming. In the first instance, as the soul seeks to transcend the material constraints imposed upon it by the laws of physics and the legacy of evolution; subsequently, the effort made manifest in the spiritual realm as the project to surpass the limitations placed upon the soul by society and culture. The work of the Iron Masters is both a protest against materialism and an act of refusal—a wholesale rejection of the path of least resistance as a historical trend running through the annals of civilization and the complacency of the status quo as a norm governing human societies.
The Purposeful Primitive emerges at an uncanny chronological juncture. This book combines elements of Classicism and Romanticism. Gallagher insists in his Purposeful Primitive manifesto that the book is a harkening back. And it is. This is the work’s Classical aspect. The Purposeful Primitive reaches back to the channel the strength and capture the glory of the primordial father, the King Alpha, the Ur-Chief—a quintessentially Classical gesture. Here we find feats of strength enshrined in the highest tiers of the social hierarchy, symbolized by the archetype of the Warrior King. Samson and Goliath, Hector and Odysseus—all held high court.
The Purposeful Primitive also contains a forward looking promise, a faith in what Ernst Bloch called the “not-yet-become.” This is the Romantic strain. In contrast to the Primitive Patriarch, the unique path pursued by each of the Iron Masters is thoroughly subjective, totally individual, and ultimately existential. From all cultural backgrounds and social classes—neither constrained by genetics nor upbringing—each master comes into his own, in large part, through a sheer and prolonged act of will. The Iron Master shares a strong kinship with Nietzsche’s Zarathustra, Frankenstein’s Monster, and Goethe’s Faust, and would readily quote Coleridge who in “Dejection” sought “Haply by abstruse research to steal/From my own nature all the natural man.” Yes: The Purposeful Primitive falls squarely within the tradition of Romanticism.
Like a good Classicist, Gallagher fondly quotes Plato’s formula for beauty as symmetry plus proportion. This is beauty classically defined as the imitation of archetypal form. The spirit of physical transformation Gallagher emphasizes with equal force requires a contemporary counterpoint such is found in Post-Structuralist Gilles Deleuze’s claim that “We do not know what are bodies are capable.” That is to say, the transcendence of all pre-established forms, patterns, and definitions in the accomplishment of the hitherto unimaginable—Romanticism
at its finest.
Considerations of aesthetic influence and cultural import aside, The Purposeful Primitive is above all else an allegory for what Eastern traditions of philosophy have designated “The Way”; this, made articulate through the triumphs and tribulations required by the practice of resistance training. Archery has historically been the discipline of choice to accompany the spiritual apparatus of Zen practitioners, but Gallagher points the way to iron induced Samadhi. We come to learn that accomplished feats of strength are only valuable insofar as the same focus, concentration, and discipline that allow for a record lift can be applied to the tasks, conflicts and challenges of everyday life. Gallagher quotes Krishnamurti’s counsel to him to “Carry this [flow state, enlightenment, Samadhi, etc. experienced during training] into to day to day life.” Training is thus integrative and holistic. The purposeful primitive transcends mind-body dualisms in good Spinozist fashion by placing the mind in the body and the body in the mind. Accomplishments in one realm are contingent upon and compound gains on those attained in the other.
While this review has focused on the more literary aspects of Gallagher’s enterprise, there is no denying the work’s merit as a blueprint for physical transformation. The three pillars of strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and nutrition are introduced with an admirable depth and clarity. Gallagher defines the principle of “Creeping Incrementalism” and staggers progress for his readers by providing beginner, intermediate, and advanced periodization programs that integrate the three pillars. The options for attaining optimal fitness as outlined in the book are vast. The possibilities for experimentation made available by the vast sweep of the various modalities ensures that those committed to physical transformation will remain engaged, excited, and enthusiastic in their training.
As in all great works of literature, The Purposeful Primitive instigates introspection into the inner reaches of the soul. Nietzsche claimed that if you look long enough into an abyss, the abyss will start looking into you. The same can be said of any great work of literature: the ability of a work to transform any one individual is contingent upon the intensity and focus that person brings to comprehending its meaning and applying its insights. Primitive Prophet, Gallagher has sown the seeds of physical transformation in each person’s heart, whether the wisdom is squandered on paths of stone or reaped in abundance in fertile fields falls to the conscience of each individual who has learned the good news.
The ascetic discipline of the “Iron Monk” Dorian “The Diesel” Yates; the purity of heart of the Furnas brothers, the inner peace and wisdom cultivated by bodybuilding forefather Bill Pearl, the grit and precision of Ed Coan and Kirk Karwoski. In the pursuit of athletic glory, these men came to embody distinct virtues that represent the high point of character in civilization: self-sacrifice, prudence, loyalty, resilience. These “Hero’s Journeys” will undoubtedly capture the hearts and minds of countless fitness novitiates.
The tales of redemption, determination, transformation, and on occasion, tragedy are physical allegories capturing the arc the human spirit travels in its efforts of self-overcoming. In the first instance, as the soul seeks to transcend the material constraints imposed upon it by the laws of physics and the legacy of evolution; subsequently, the effort made manifest in the spiritual realm as the project to surpass the limitations placed upon the soul by society and culture. The work of the Iron Masters is both a protest against materialism and an act of refusal—a wholesale rejection of the path of least resistance as a historical trend running through the annals of civilization and the complacency of the status quo as a norm governing human societies.
The Purposeful Primitive emerges at an uncanny chronological juncture. This book combines elements of Classicism and Romanticism. Gallagher insists in his Purposeful Primitive manifesto that the book is a harkening back. And it is. This is the work’s Classical aspect. The Purposeful Primitive reaches back to the channel the strength and capture the glory of the primordial father, the King Alpha, the Ur-Chief—a quintessentially Classical gesture. Here we find feats of strength enshrined in the highest tiers of the social hierarchy, symbolized by the archetype of the Warrior King. Samson and Goliath, Hector and Odysseus—all held high court.
The Purposeful Primitive also contains a forward looking promise, a faith in what Ernst Bloch called the “not-yet-become.” This is the Romantic strain. In contrast to the Primitive Patriarch, the unique path pursued by each of the Iron Masters is thoroughly subjective, totally individual, and ultimately existential. From all cultural backgrounds and social classes—neither constrained by genetics nor upbringing—each master comes into his own, in large part, through a sheer and prolonged act of will. The Iron Master shares a strong kinship with Nietzsche’s Zarathustra, Frankenstein’s Monster, and Goethe’s Faust, and would readily quote Coleridge who in “Dejection” sought “Haply by abstruse research to steal/From my own nature all the natural man.” Yes: The Purposeful Primitive falls squarely within the tradition of Romanticism.
Like a good Classicist, Gallagher fondly quotes Plato’s formula for beauty as symmetry plus proportion. This is beauty classically defined as the imitation of archetypal form. The spirit of physical transformation Gallagher emphasizes with equal force requires a contemporary counterpoint such is found in Post-Structuralist Gilles Deleuze’s claim that “We do not know what are bodies are capable.” That is to say, the transcendence of all pre-established forms, patterns, and definitions in the accomplishment of the hitherto unimaginable—Romanticism
at its finest.
Considerations of aesthetic influence and cultural import aside, The Purposeful Primitive is above all else an allegory for what Eastern traditions of philosophy have designated “The Way”; this, made articulate through the triumphs and tribulations required by the practice of resistance training. Archery has historically been the discipline of choice to accompany the spiritual apparatus of Zen practitioners, but Gallagher points the way to iron induced Samadhi. We come to learn that accomplished feats of strength are only valuable insofar as the same focus, concentration, and discipline that allow for a record lift can be applied to the tasks, conflicts and challenges of everyday life. Gallagher quotes Krishnamurti’s counsel to him to “Carry this [flow state, enlightenment, Samadhi, etc. experienced during training] into to day to day life.” Training is thus integrative and holistic. The purposeful primitive transcends mind-body dualisms in good Spinozist fashion by placing the mind in the body and the body in the mind. Accomplishments in one realm are contingent upon and compound gains on those attained in the other.
While this review has focused on the more literary aspects of Gallagher’s enterprise, there is no denying the work’s merit as a blueprint for physical transformation. The three pillars of strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and nutrition are introduced with an admirable depth and clarity. Gallagher defines the principle of “Creeping Incrementalism” and staggers progress for his readers by providing beginner, intermediate, and advanced periodization programs that integrate the three pillars. The options for attaining optimal fitness as outlined in the book are vast. The possibilities for experimentation made available by the vast sweep of the various modalities ensures that those committed to physical transformation will remain engaged, excited, and enthusiastic in their training.
As in all great works of literature, The Purposeful Primitive instigates introspection into the inner reaches of the soul. Nietzsche claimed that if you look long enough into an abyss, the abyss will start looking into you. The same can be said of any great work of literature: the ability of a work to transform any one individual is contingent upon the intensity and focus that person brings to comprehending its meaning and applying its insights. Primitive Prophet, Gallagher has sown the seeds of physical transformation in each person’s heart, whether the wisdom is squandered on paths of stone or reaped in abundance in fertile fields falls to the conscience of each individual who has learned the good news.
March 17, 2016
Contains a lot of history about the strongmen of the author's generation. Personal bios and paths to greatness. I certainly respect the characters described, but I was focused on the philosophies, mentalities, and daily regimes of the "purposeful primitive." I had to sift through a lot of other material to get that. I believe there is quality material here, but it has been presented in more concise form other places. Pavel preaches a similar philosophy and has well-written books with clear plans of actions. Pavel does not cover nutrition for some reason, while Gallagher does. On nutrition Gallagher mentions the many-meals plan and the intermittent-fasting plans as the two primary tools for change. Again, these are described more clearly elsewhere. Overall, this books take you on an interesting journey into the culture and mindset of a subculture that has dramatically changed fitness and nutrition.
Read
May 29, 2013This book provides an extensive introduction into the powerlifting scene. However, if you're looking for something that gives you distinct detailed information about what program you should be using for your everyday weight lifting then you're probably better off using a different book. I can say in the books favor that it did a great job of ramping up my interest in the iron culture.
August 25, 2015
The book was great if you are a dumbbell/barbell lover and bodybuilding enthusiast, but for me who am simply a resistance band and bodyweight excercises fan it was simply OK. Worth your time though.
February 9, 2021
I learned so much from this book about health and fitness, sports psychology, and nutrition.
My only complaints would be that it strictly talks about men the entire book and never specifies how anything applies to women. The author frequently told personal stories which didn't always relate to the topic-- I skipped through lots of that. Some parts exude fragile masculinity, especially his rants where he makes fun of "politically correct sissies", so much that it became amusing and humorous.
On the other hand, I feel a lot more confident and informed to continue my fitness journey, and it was just the kind of book I was looking for. I'm sure the world of powerlifting and meat heads doesn't produce many literary geniuses, but this book came pretty close. There was no question the author was qualified in his expertise, and he explained intricate theories very well.
The section on nutrition was nothing extraordinary, but still surpassed most information you find nowadays on the topic. It was very refreshing to learn from someone who has had decades of experience in the field, rather than from the multitude of novice personal trainers on instagram that are spewing out loads of misinformation.
My only complaints would be that it strictly talks about men the entire book and never specifies how anything applies to women. The author frequently told personal stories which didn't always relate to the topic-- I skipped through lots of that. Some parts exude fragile masculinity, especially his rants where he makes fun of "politically correct sissies", so much that it became amusing and humorous.
On the other hand, I feel a lot more confident and informed to continue my fitness journey, and it was just the kind of book I was looking for. I'm sure the world of powerlifting and meat heads doesn't produce many literary geniuses, but this book came pretty close. There was no question the author was qualified in his expertise, and he explained intricate theories very well.
The section on nutrition was nothing extraordinary, but still surpassed most information you find nowadays on the topic. It was very refreshing to learn from someone who has had decades of experience in the field, rather than from the multitude of novice personal trainers on instagram that are spewing out loads of misinformation.
April 13, 2018
If you are an ordinary person looking for advice about weight loss, training methods, building strength, which cardio is best, etc,. - then I dare to say this is the only exercise book you ever need to read!
Regardless of your personal preference regarding choice of training methodology everything you need to consider is covered by a top trainer of power-lifters - you know, the sort of people who are actually "strong" and not just "toned" or "conditioned"(!).
To show you just how comprehensive this book is it includes many different training routines, including minimalist routines for power-lifters and beginner workout routines for those in an advanced state of decay - all backed up with proven results.
The book does tend to stray into a lot of personal reminiscences - but that's only because of the authors extreme familiarity with the subject and those people involved in it.
The best - and last - purchase I have ever made regarding "training".
Regardless of your personal preference regarding choice of training methodology everything you need to consider is covered by a top trainer of power-lifters - you know, the sort of people who are actually "strong" and not just "toned" or "conditioned"(!).
To show you just how comprehensive this book is it includes many different training routines, including minimalist routines for power-lifters and beginner workout routines for those in an advanced state of decay - all backed up with proven results.
The book does tend to stray into a lot of personal reminiscences - but that's only because of the authors extreme familiarity with the subject and those people involved in it.
The best - and last - purchase I have ever made regarding "training".
December 9, 2021
4.5 stars. Outstanding. A simple yet holistic plan that maintains an “allegiance to artistic purity and the scientists cold recognition of factual reality.” In sum, this is old school fitness that combines serious [iron] resistance training, intense cardio, nutrition, and psychological toughness into a simple yet effective “method with limited choices with a universe of variations.” Gallagher combines his own experiences with those of a select group of professional fitness experts to present a winning program to build strength and reduce body fat.
September 26, 2022
This text is best enjoyed as a history of lifting weights. That's where it shines, that's where it's the strongest. Gallagher tells interesting anecdotes and stories about his time with the giants of powerlifting and bodybuilding. Even for someone like me, who is an outsider looking in to this world, I found his mini biographies and stories fascinating. Everything else in the book falls short. While perhaps better than competing texts in other books, the practical sections about nutrition etc. pale in comparison to the qaulity of the lifting section.
June 20, 2019
This is really a manual for anyone who wants to take weightlifting (not necessarily bodybuilding) seriously. I found it lacking on the nutrition side, though the exercise-related sections (more so on weights, a bit less for cardio) were extensive and extremely useful.
August 16, 2020
Some of the advice is a bit outdated and, by today's more informed standards, would perhaps be considered a bit "broscience", but the stories and bios alone make this book worth its weight in gold and deserving of a 5-star rating!
April 28, 2021
Great book
Huge resource and the writing is of a high standard. It isn’t easy to make what is kind of a text book into a page turner but I read it cover to cover over a few nights. Marty definitely knows his stuff but are you disciplined enough to follow it?
Huge resource and the writing is of a high standard. It isn’t easy to make what is kind of a text book into a page turner but I read it cover to cover over a few nights. Marty definitely knows his stuff but are you disciplined enough to follow it?
May 12, 2017
Interesting to see what some of the greats did. Some of the essays were a little too dramatic and forced, but overall liked it.
July 20, 2017
A must read book for anyone! This book contains a lot of useful info from those who want to become super strong to those who want to lose extra body fat. Definitely recommend it!
January 14, 2018
The first section where he discusses a selection of old school lifters was very enjoyable to read.
After that it got extremely repetitive. The content is fine but a good editor would have stripped this down to a third of its current length.
After that it got extremely repetitive. The content is fine but a good editor would have stripped this down to a third of its current length.
October 29, 2020
"Do you want a seat at the transformational table? Then let us put away all the
fitness gadgets and toys, all the childish beliefs in magical products. Let us roll
up our sleeves and get down to serious business."
Marty Gallagher, with eloquent writing and entertaining style, takes us into the dungeon of alpha male elite weightlifters. Gallagher has been around strong, big men all his adult life, training with, interviewing, and coaching them. The book shows how the elite thinks, train, eat and act and it outlines the principles behind physical growth.
Although I have been lifting weights for several years, this book has made me appreciate concepts to a greater degree. For instance: warm-up sets, visualization, mind-muscle connection, training intensity, and focus. It has certainly influenced my approach to lifting.
Gallagher raises the provoking thought that if you could just stick to one program and make gradual progress, the gym would be filled with muscular beasts. The reality is that muscle and strength growth requires diligence and a keen eye to when to make changes to the program, and when to push through. Forcing physiological growth is an art form.
The book is roughly split up into three parts, 1) weight lifting, 2) cardio, and 3) nutrition. The book packed with useful information, both for novices and experienced athletes, tucked into a neat narrative of the culture of weight-lifters.
The weakest part of the book must have been the part where the advocates some really funky stuff, walking around with weights and jumping around, waving his hands around in the forest like a lunatic while dismissing tennis. His goal is to increase his vo2 max and burn more calories. I think that ranking the efficiency to lose weight of activities based on one number from one device may lead to something like "over-fitting" in machine learning.
fitness gadgets and toys, all the childish beliefs in magical products. Let us roll
up our sleeves and get down to serious business."
Marty Gallagher, with eloquent writing and entertaining style, takes us into the dungeon of alpha male elite weightlifters. Gallagher has been around strong, big men all his adult life, training with, interviewing, and coaching them. The book shows how the elite thinks, train, eat and act and it outlines the principles behind physical growth.
Although I have been lifting weights for several years, this book has made me appreciate concepts to a greater degree. For instance: warm-up sets, visualization, mind-muscle connection, training intensity, and focus. It has certainly influenced my approach to lifting.
Gallagher raises the provoking thought that if you could just stick to one program and make gradual progress, the gym would be filled with muscular beasts. The reality is that muscle and strength growth requires diligence and a keen eye to when to make changes to the program, and when to push through. Forcing physiological growth is an art form.
The book is roughly split up into three parts, 1) weight lifting, 2) cardio, and 3) nutrition. The book packed with useful information, both for novices and experienced athletes, tucked into a neat narrative of the culture of weight-lifters.
The weakest part of the book must have been the part where the advocates some really funky stuff, walking around with weights and jumping around, waving his hands around in the forest like a lunatic while dismissing tennis. His goal is to increase his vo2 max and burn more calories. I think that ranking the efficiency to lose weight of activities based on one number from one device may lead to something like "over-fitting" in machine learning.
March 20, 2015
Great book to dip in an out of. Did not live up to the incredible hype surrounding the "great American tome of strength" but is still full of thoroughly excellent practical and cultural information. Like all things in this field apply the "Bruce Lee Rule" of "absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is uniquely your own."
December 7, 2008
Good info. Easy to read in small chunks. A bit repetitive and not nearly as well-written as advertised. But it turned me onto a lot of other books. Which is one measure of a good book.
November 27, 2019
Great book!
June 9, 2009
Fantastic book! A complete guide to physical training. Choose your path to strength and fitness.
August 6, 2014
NEVER put this book out of reach.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews