Hail to the Dinosaurs!
As promised, here are the top responses we received from readers in response to the contest to Name the Scariest Things in the Iron Game. I was going to compile a top 10 list, by I found so many good ones that I complied a top 30 list.
My FAVORITE is number 1, although there were some close seconds.
Other than number one, I didn’t rank these in any particular order, so consider them all to be top 10 material!
THE 30 SCARIEST THINGS IN THE IRON GAME
30. Barbell curls that look like you’re trying to do the limbo with a barbell in your hands. (Suggested by numerous readers)
29. Beginners who try to follow the Program of Champions in the latest issue of Intergalactic Mega Muscle or any other mass-media muscle mag. (Suggested by numerous readers)
28. Using isolation exercises to build strength and muscle mass. Or rather, TRYING to use them for that purpose. (Suggested by numerous readers)
27. 1 legged RLD on a bosu ball using DB'S and bands. (Suggested by Derek Sebeck)
26. Jumping overhead squats with way too much weight. (Suggested by Theodore Williams)
25. Person was doing clean and jerk with a spotter in both sides of the bar actually holding the bar as it was cleaned. (Suggested by Theodore Williams)
24. Super supplements. (Suggested by numerous readers)
23. Article in a bodybuilding magazine I read when I was in high school.
"Add 1 inch to your bicep in 1 day!"
It was a 12 hour workout you including insane amounts of sets and reps with 10-15 different lifts. It layed out an entire "nutritional" guide that called for 2 dozen eggs in the morning and the latest products for the extra pump. It allowed several breaks for lunch and snacks. Had a friend (Scarily dumb friend) who tried it. He hurt himself within 3 hours...
(Suggested by Shane Eslit)
22. It's scary that most lifters don't know who George Jowett is. (Suggested by Stu Mason)
21. It's scary that most lifters only lifted kegs in college. (Suggested by Stu Mason)
20. It's scary that most "modern gyms" have no thick bars or Trap bars. (Suggested by Stu Mason)
19. Tanning salons in gyms. (Suggested by Pablo Garcia)
18. When I was younger, someone tried to convince me that the proper way of doing barbell squats was to drop your head and look at your toes at the bottom of the squat and raise your head back up as you finished the squat. (Suggested by Lawrence Otero)
17. Smith machine snatches. (Suggested by Mikkel Staargaard)
NOTE BY BROOKS: I’m trying to picture this – unsuccessfully.
16. Following advice from the mainstream muscle mags. (Suggested by Peter Jensen)
15. Doing bench presses underwater in a swimming pool to help build breath control and mental toughness. (Suggested by Wayne Smith)
14. The newbie who loads the bar WAY TOO HEAVY and tries to do squats with it. (Suggested by numerous readers.)
13. The personal trainer who said, “Don’t worry about form on the deadlift. Just pick it up – you won’t get hurt.” (Suggested by Chuck Clark)
12. Any exercise where you stand or kneel on a stability ball and try to lift a barbell, kettlebell or dumbbell. (Suggested by numerous readers)
11. Doing bench presses without a spotter or outside the power rack so you get pinned under the bar if you miss. (Suggested by numerous readers)
10. The shake the weight thingie. (Suggested by numerous readers)
9. Bench presses to the neck (a Vince Gironda favorite) – sometimes referred to (rightfully) as “the guillotine press.” (Suggested by numerous readers -- in fact, this may have been the single most popular -- or unpopular -- scary exercise.)
8. Teenagers hogging the power rack to do curls. (Suggested by Keith Supernavage)
7. The guy who put lotion on his hands to prevent calluses – and then tried a set of power cleans with a 65 pound barbell that ended up sailing across the gym. (Suggested by Tony Suvie)
6. The personal trainer who saw me do a set of 20 rep breathing squats followed by breathing pullovers, and told me not to superset exercises that send the blood to different parts of the body! (Suggested by Dan Baker)
5. The people who say, “Don’t do squats – they’ll wreck your knees.” (Suggested by David Sutton)
4. Thumbless reverse grip bench presses. (Suggested by Ira Reid)
3. Using steroids because “you can’t be strong/get big” without them. (Suggested by numerous readers)
2. The guy who tried to do a set of 20-rep breathing squats while smoking a cigarette. (Suggested by Nick Gibbons.)
Note: Hardgainer author Mike Thompson saw this happen once, as well.
1. The number one scariest thing in the Iron Game – coming home from work and heading to your basement or garage gym for a hard workout – and finding that your wife has used your power rack to hang the laundry! (Suggested by Nick Gibbons)
NOTE BY BROOKS: Thanks to everyone who entered the contest, and CONGRATULATIONS to Nick Gibbons, our prize winner! He gets a free Dinosaur Training t-shirt!
They're Back -- Dinosaur Training DVD's!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Here's something that many of you
have been asking for -- all five of
my world-famous Dinosaur training DVD's,
offered individually or as a package.
The 5 DVD's cover:
1. Dinosaur style dumbbell training
2. Training with heavy, awkward objects
3. Power rack training
4. Olympic lifting basics
5. Strength training basics (covering a variety
of topics and giving a step by step workout)
For more information, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
Now, very quickly -- some logistical things.
1. If you order ONE DVD, select shipping and handling
for ONE BOOK in the s&h drop down bar. If you live in
the USA, select s&h for the USA -- if you live in Canada,
select s&h for Canada -- if you live anywhere else select
the s&h for your country.
2. If you live in the USA and you order all 5 DVD's
(which saves you 50 clams), select s&h for ONE BOOK.
3. If you live in Canada, select s&h for TWO BOOKS
to Canada.
4. If you live anywhere else, select s&h for TWO BOOKS
with int'l shipping.
5. If you already have one or two of the DVD's, shoot
me an email and we'll work something out to help you
save some clams when you order the remaining DVD's.
6. I'm going to include a special bonus with these
DVD's -- a one or two page SPECIAL BULLETIN that
updates, comments on, and expands on the material
in each DVD. Remember, I shot these a long time
ago, and like any other old Dino, I'm always
learning more and more about training.
6A. If you already own all of the DVD's, ask for
the SPECIAL BULLETINS with your next order for any
other Dinosaur Training product and I'll send them
at no charge when we fill your order.
6B. Even if you already have the DVD's, check out
the new DVD page. I think it looks pretty sharp.
Kudos to my webmaster!
7. If you want to order a DVD (or all 5 DVD's) plus
one or more books or other products, shoot me an
email and I'll tell you what postage to select. We
may be able to save you a bit on shipping, depending
on what you want. And saving clams is always a good
thing.
The Dinosaur DVD's have always been a huge hit --
and they've helped Dinos around the world build
tons of strength, muscle and power -- and they'll
do the same for YOU. Grab them and see.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day! If you train today, make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the link again:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
2. For other Dinosaur training books and courses,
including my new book, DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING,
my new DVD, GOING STRONG AT 54, and my new course,
DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
3. Quote of the Day:
"The popularity of weights can reach its greatest heights if we direct our efforts first and foremost, to selling the idea of barbells and dumbbells as a means of exercise for health, strength and development." Leo Gaudreau
Here's something that many of you
have been asking for -- all five of
my world-famous Dinosaur training DVD's,
offered individually or as a package.
The 5 DVD's cover:
1. Dinosaur style dumbbell training
2. Training with heavy, awkward objects
3. Power rack training
4. Olympic lifting basics
5. Strength training basics (covering a variety
of topics and giving a step by step workout)
For more information, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
Now, very quickly -- some logistical things.
1. If you order ONE DVD, select shipping and handling
for ONE BOOK in the s&h drop down bar. If you live in
the USA, select s&h for the USA -- if you live in Canada,
select s&h for Canada -- if you live anywhere else select
the s&h for your country.
2. If you live in the USA and you order all 5 DVD's
(which saves you 50 clams), select s&h for ONE BOOK.
3. If you live in Canada, select s&h for TWO BOOKS
to Canada.
4. If you live anywhere else, select s&h for TWO BOOKS
with int'l shipping.
5. If you already have one or two of the DVD's, shoot
me an email and we'll work something out to help you
save some clams when you order the remaining DVD's.
6. I'm going to include a special bonus with these
DVD's -- a one or two page SPECIAL BULLETIN that
updates, comments on, and expands on the material
in each DVD. Remember, I shot these a long time
ago, and like any other old Dino, I'm always
learning more and more about training.
6A. If you already own all of the DVD's, ask for
the SPECIAL BULLETINS with your next order for any
other Dinosaur Training product and I'll send them
at no charge when we fill your order.
6B. Even if you already have the DVD's, check out
the new DVD page. I think it looks pretty sharp.
Kudos to my webmaster!
7. If you want to order a DVD (or all 5 DVD's) plus
one or more books or other products, shoot me an
email and I'll tell you what postage to select. We
may be able to save you a bit on shipping, depending
on what you want. And saving clams is always a good
thing.
The Dinosaur DVD's have always been a huge hit --
and they've helped Dinos around the world build
tons of strength, muscle and power -- and they'll
do the same for YOU. Grab them and see.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day! If you train today, make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the link again:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
2. For other Dinosaur training books and courses,
including my new book, DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING,
my new DVD, GOING STRONG AT 54, and my new course,
DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
3. Quote of the Day:
"The popularity of weights can reach its greatest heights if we direct our efforts first and foremost, to selling the idea of barbells and dumbbells as a means of exercise for health, strength and development." Leo Gaudreau
Who Said It? (A Special Quiz for Dinos!)
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Three quick updates and then a special Dino
Quiz -- with a prize for the winner (if
there is a winner, which I doubt -- you guys
are good, but this is a tough quiz).
Here are the three updates:
1. There's still time to order Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training and grab the pre-publication bonus, but
you need to act soon:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
2. We're on target to ship Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training right around mid-November, so for
everyone who ordered a copy, it won't be long now.
As soon as I get the books, I'll fire them right
out the door to you. And as always, we'll fill the
orders in the same order we received them.
3. Dinosaur Arm Training was our most popular
product in September -- and again in October --
and the reviews have been great. If you missed it
earlier, we still have plenty of copies:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
And now -- here's that Quiz -- and the contest.
The FIRST person to get ALL of the correct answers
will win a free autographed copy of Legacy of Iron or
any other book or course that we sell at Dino
Headquarters -- OR a free Dinosaur training
t-shirt.
The contest ends at midnight EST on Monday, 10/31/2011.
One answer per question -- and one set of answers per
reader. Send your answers to me at Dino Headquarters.
Good luck. This one is a toughie!
OLD SCHOOL TRAINING ADVICE
Name the person or persons who said:
1. "My first pointer is this: Don't overdo."
2. "Resolve to go easy; for bodybuilding must
be a gradual process."
3. "Always incorporate the progressive element
when it is practicable; make the work harder,
or longer, or more difficult -- advance in
some way. This is the great 'secret' of
physical strength and development by exercise."
4. "When your exercise is heavy, like wrestling
or weightlifting, the every-other-day plan will
suit most persons."
5. "If you are exercising for development
primarily, intense concentration of the
muscles is of great help."
6. "Do not do your extreme best on an exercise or
feat more than two or three times a month."
7. "Avoid staleness. When you have no heart for
your training, or when you seem to tire too easily,
take three or four days rest and avoid all thought
of exercise."
8. "Sleep is the best thing in the world for
avoiding staleness and for hastening the results
of exercise. Sleep is the energizer par excellance
for the athlete and the bodybuilder. I cannot say
enough in its favor."
9. "I have found it a good plan to take a certain
number of deep breaths between movements while I am
resting the muscles. But deep breathing WHILE you
are doing heavy leg work is of especial value."
10. "Don't neglect to strengthen the feet and ankles.
They bear the weight of the whole physique. When a
140-pound man succeeds in adding 40 or 50 pounds of
weight to his body, it is no wonder the ankles feel
it. Strengthen them as you go along."
There you have it -- 10 old-school training tips --
can you guess the person or persons who said them?
Remember, the FIRST reader to get all 10 correct
answers is the winner. So -- get ready -- get set --
GO!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
Three quick updates and then a special Dino
Quiz -- with a prize for the winner (if
there is a winner, which I doubt -- you guys
are good, but this is a tough quiz).
Here are the three updates:
1. There's still time to order Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training and grab the pre-publication bonus, but
you need to act soon:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
2. We're on target to ship Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training right around mid-November, so for
everyone who ordered a copy, it won't be long now.
As soon as I get the books, I'll fire them right
out the door to you. And as always, we'll fill the
orders in the same order we received them.
3. Dinosaur Arm Training was our most popular
product in September -- and again in October --
and the reviews have been great. If you missed it
earlier, we still have plenty of copies:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
And now -- here's that Quiz -- and the contest.
The FIRST person to get ALL of the correct answers
will win a free autographed copy of Legacy of Iron or
any other book or course that we sell at Dino
Headquarters -- OR a free Dinosaur training
t-shirt.
The contest ends at midnight EST on Monday, 10/31/2011.
One answer per question -- and one set of answers per
reader. Send your answers to me at Dino Headquarters.
Good luck. This one is a toughie!
OLD SCHOOL TRAINING ADVICE
Name the person or persons who said:
1. "My first pointer is this: Don't overdo."
2. "Resolve to go easy; for bodybuilding must
be a gradual process."
3. "Always incorporate the progressive element
when it is practicable; make the work harder,
or longer, or more difficult -- advance in
some way. This is the great 'secret' of
physical strength and development by exercise."
4. "When your exercise is heavy, like wrestling
or weightlifting, the every-other-day plan will
suit most persons."
5. "If you are exercising for development
primarily, intense concentration of the
muscles is of great help."
6. "Do not do your extreme best on an exercise or
feat more than two or three times a month."
7. "Avoid staleness. When you have no heart for
your training, or when you seem to tire too easily,
take three or four days rest and avoid all thought
of exercise."
8. "Sleep is the best thing in the world for
avoiding staleness and for hastening the results
of exercise. Sleep is the energizer par excellance
for the athlete and the bodybuilder. I cannot say
enough in its favor."
9. "I have found it a good plan to take a certain
number of deep breaths between movements while I am
resting the muscles. But deep breathing WHILE you
are doing heavy leg work is of especial value."
10. "Don't neglect to strengthen the feet and ankles.
They bear the weight of the whole physique. When a
140-pound man succeeds in adding 40 or 50 pounds of
weight to his body, it is no wonder the ankles feel
it. Strengthen them as you go along."
There you have it -- 10 old-school training tips --
can you guess the person or persons who said them?
Remember, the FIRST reader to get all 10 correct
answers is the winner. So -- get ready -- get set --
GO!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
Another Top 10 List for Dinos!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
With Halloween right around the corner, I thought
I'd share a list of The Top 10 Scariest Things in
Strength Training. As in, scary stupid.
For example -- the fact that some people suggest
doing barbell squats on stability balls.
Or even scarier -- the fact that some people
actually listen to them.
Those might make the top 10 list -- or maybe
even the top 5.
And then I thought -- don't give the Dinos YOUR
list -- ask them for THEIR list!
So do this -- shoot me an email with one or
more of the Top 10 Scariest Things in Strength
training -- and I'll choose the best ones and
share them with your fellow Dinos.
To make it more fun, and to give you a little
bit of incentive, I'll choose the best answer --
and the winner gets a free Dinosaur Training
t-shirt like the ones featured here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurtraining_shirt.html
Remember -- one email per reader, but you can
give me 3 different suggestions -- don't
mention any people or products by name --
keep it clean -- don't send links, such as
YouTube fails -- keep them short (one liners) --
and (very important) -- the contest ends at
midnight on Friday, October 28. That's midnight
EST. The witching hour.
So -- at your mark -- get set -- GO!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's something that's scary good -- and
you're going to want to make sure you reserve
a copy during our pre-publication special:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
With Halloween right around the corner, I thought
I'd share a list of The Top 10 Scariest Things in
Strength Training. As in, scary stupid.
For example -- the fact that some people suggest
doing barbell squats on stability balls.
Or even scarier -- the fact that some people
actually listen to them.
Those might make the top 10 list -- or maybe
even the top 5.
And then I thought -- don't give the Dinos YOUR
list -- ask them for THEIR list!
So do this -- shoot me an email with one or
more of the Top 10 Scariest Things in Strength
training -- and I'll choose the best ones and
share them with your fellow Dinos.
To make it more fun, and to give you a little
bit of incentive, I'll choose the best answer --
and the winner gets a free Dinosaur Training
t-shirt like the ones featured here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurtraining_shirt.html
Remember -- one email per reader, but you can
give me 3 different suggestions -- don't
mention any people or products by name --
keep it clean -- don't send links, such as
YouTube fails -- keep them short (one liners) --
and (very important) -- the contest ends at
midnight on Friday, October 28. That's midnight
EST. The witching hour.
So -- at your mark -- get set -- GO!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's something that's scary good -- and
you're going to want to make sure you reserve
a copy during our pre-publication special:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
UK Dino Looking for Trap Bar Help!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One of our UK Dinos is looking for a good, high quality Trap Bar,
and wants to try it our before buying it. So he has some questions
for his fellow Dinos in the UK.
He lives in Townbridge Kent.
1. Does anyone live nearby -- who owns a Trap Bar -- and would be
willing to let him come over and give the bar a try?
2. Does anyone in the UK have a Trap Bar -- and if so, where did
you get it, do you like it, and what is the distance between the
handles?
If you live in the UK and you can help, shoot me an email at
Dino Headquarters and I'll forward it on to our fellow Dino.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For readers living in the USA, here's the number one Trap
Bar -- the original Al Gerard Trap Bar:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
One of our UK Dinos is looking for a good, high quality Trap Bar,
and wants to try it our before buying it. So he has some questions
for his fellow Dinos in the UK.
He lives in Townbridge Kent.
1. Does anyone live nearby -- who owns a Trap Bar -- and would be
willing to let him come over and give the bar a try?
2. Does anyone in the UK have a Trap Bar -- and if so, where did
you get it, do you like it, and what is the distance between the
handles?
If you live in the UK and you can help, shoot me an email at
Dino Headquarters and I'll forward it on to our fellow Dino.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For readers living in the USA, here's the number one Trap
Bar -- the original Al Gerard Trap Bar:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
Answers to Your Training Questions!
I'm working on the November issue of The Dinosaur
Files newsletter, today, so if you subscribe to
The Dinosaur Files:
1. Send a short training article or workout.
2. Send a training photo, competition photo, or a
photo of your home gym or a funky piece of Dino-style
equipment.
3. Send some feedback on the October issue.
On the Q and A front, I'm getting lots of questions
about combining weight training with bodyweight
training.
Can you combine the two?
Absolutely.
Can you do bodyweight on your "off" days (i.e., on
days you don't lift weights)?
You can if it is EASY bodyweight training -- but if
it is harder stuff, you need to work in some
rest days.
I like to do weights, rest, bodyweight, rest, weights,
rest, bodyweight, rest, etc.
Another option is weights, bodyweight, rest, weights,
bodyweight, rest, etc.
OR -- you can combine things in one workout. Instead
of bench presses, do pushups. Or do barbell squats
followed by free-hand squats. So the sequence would
be combination workout (weights and bodyweight), rest,
combination workout, rest, combination workout, rest,
etc.
Use exactly the same sort of pattern if you combine
weight work with cardio training -- or weight work
with heavy awkward objects -- barbell work and
kettlebell work -- or weight work and martial arts
training.
Remember this: the key to getting bigger, stronger
and better conditioned is to (1) Train, and (2) recover
from your training. If you hit it hard every day (even
if you do different things, such as weight work one day
and bodyweight work the next), you never have time to
recover.
That answers about 50 questions in the in-box yesterday
and today -- so I hope it was helpful.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more information about Dino-style bodyweight
training, grab a copy of DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
during out big pre-publication special:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. For my other books and courses -- and for
The Dinosaur Files newsletter -- go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Files newsletter, today, so if you subscribe to
The Dinosaur Files:
1. Send a short training article or workout.
2. Send a training photo, competition photo, or a
photo of your home gym or a funky piece of Dino-style
equipment.
3. Send some feedback on the October issue.
On the Q and A front, I'm getting lots of questions
about combining weight training with bodyweight
training.
Can you combine the two?
Absolutely.
Can you do bodyweight on your "off" days (i.e., on
days you don't lift weights)?
You can if it is EASY bodyweight training -- but if
it is harder stuff, you need to work in some
rest days.
I like to do weights, rest, bodyweight, rest, weights,
rest, bodyweight, rest, etc.
Another option is weights, bodyweight, rest, weights,
bodyweight, rest, etc.
OR -- you can combine things in one workout. Instead
of bench presses, do pushups. Or do barbell squats
followed by free-hand squats. So the sequence would
be combination workout (weights and bodyweight), rest,
combination workout, rest, combination workout, rest,
etc.
Use exactly the same sort of pattern if you combine
weight work with cardio training -- or weight work
with heavy awkward objects -- barbell work and
kettlebell work -- or weight work and martial arts
training.
Remember this: the key to getting bigger, stronger
and better conditioned is to (1) Train, and (2) recover
from your training. If you hit it hard every day (even
if you do different things, such as weight work one day
and bodyweight work the next), you never have time to
recover.
That answers about 50 questions in the in-box yesterday
and today -- so I hope it was helpful.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more information about Dino-style bodyweight
training, grab a copy of DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
during out big pre-publication special:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. For my other books and courses -- and for
The Dinosaur Files newsletter -- go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Happy Birthday to a Super Dino!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Paul Murray sent me an email last night
in which he said:
"Tonight I complete 59 earthly years and
start no. 60 tomorrow. Never thought I'd
see it, but it beats the alternative. Hard
to believe, really. My wife, my dogs and
the weights don't seem to mind, so why
should I?"
That makes it Paul Murray's birthday today --
so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Paul!
And now, let me tell you a little bit about
him. pay attention, because Paul's story is
much like that of many Dinosaurs (me included).
Ex wrestler in high school and college.
Grew up on Strength and Health, Muscular
Development and Peary Rader's old IronMan
magazine.
Did lots and lots of old-school heavy training.
Discovered that it worked GREAT for his wrestling.
(Even when the coaches said it would make him
slow and muscle-bound.)
Got side-tracked by supplement ads and glitz
and glamor, bomb, blast and blitz magazines. Tried
their routines. Discovered they didn't work.
Went back to his old-school training. Has stayed
with it ever since.
BIG FAN of the split style snatch and split style
clean. Preferred Olympic lifting when the lifters
used the split style.
Used to train high school athletes, and make them
do lots of split style snatches and split style
cleans. They pretended to hate it, but they really
loved it -- and made great gains.
Trains at home. Trains outside whenever he can. If
it rains or snows, he goes into his barn and trains
there.
Has a great collection of barbells and dumbbells,
along with many homemade plates and bars he found
at junk yards, scrap yards and construction jobs.
Loves to find worthy pieces of old iron and
refurbish them for his lifting.
When he was younger, wanted to look like a particular
bodybuilding champion who was in all the magazines.
(I won't give the man's name, but you'd know him.)
Never ended up looking like him. Doesn't care. Learned
long ago that it doesn't matter. What matters, is
that you get our and train -- and that you keep
at it.
Insists on having FUN when he trains. Always tells
me to remind readers to MAKE IT FUN!
Subscribes to the world-famous DINOSAUR FILES
newsletter. Thinks that all Dinos should do so.
Grows fresh veggies in his home garden. His wife
makes award winning salsa and other goodies. The
salsa works hand in hand with the weights to keep
him young.
So that's the story of Paul Murray -- a 60 year old
Dino who's been hitting the Iron for something like
half a century -- and who keeps on going strong.
Happy birthday, Paul! Let's see you hit another 50
or 60 of them -- and keep on lifting for each and
every year!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make if a good one -- and have
FUN when you do it!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you're interested in split style lifting, see
my new DVD, GOING STRONG AT 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
P.S. 2. If you're looking for some great training ideas
and some hard-hitting, super-effective training programs,
grab any or all of the following books and courses:
A. Dinosaur Training: Lost secrets of Strength and
Development:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
B. Strength, Muscle and Power:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
C. Chalk and Sweat:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
D. History's Strongest Men and How They Trained: Doug
Hepburn:
http://www.brookskubik.com/doug_hepburn.html
E. Dinosaur Arm Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
F. Gray Hair and Black Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
G. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training (order NOW to get the
pre-publication bonus when it ships in mid-November):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
H. Back issues (May 2010 - April 2011) of the Dinosaur Files
newsletter:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
I. Current subscriptions (May 2011 - April 2012) of the
Dinosaur Files newsletter:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
Paul Murray sent me an email last night
in which he said:
"Tonight I complete 59 earthly years and
start no. 60 tomorrow. Never thought I'd
see it, but it beats the alternative. Hard
to believe, really. My wife, my dogs and
the weights don't seem to mind, so why
should I?"
That makes it Paul Murray's birthday today --
so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Paul!
And now, let me tell you a little bit about
him. pay attention, because Paul's story is
much like that of many Dinosaurs (me included).
Ex wrestler in high school and college.
Grew up on Strength and Health, Muscular
Development and Peary Rader's old IronMan
magazine.
Did lots and lots of old-school heavy training.
Discovered that it worked GREAT for his wrestling.
(Even when the coaches said it would make him
slow and muscle-bound.)
Got side-tracked by supplement ads and glitz
and glamor, bomb, blast and blitz magazines. Tried
their routines. Discovered they didn't work.
Went back to his old-school training. Has stayed
with it ever since.
BIG FAN of the split style snatch and split style
clean. Preferred Olympic lifting when the lifters
used the split style.
Used to train high school athletes, and make them
do lots of split style snatches and split style
cleans. They pretended to hate it, but they really
loved it -- and made great gains.
Trains at home. Trains outside whenever he can. If
it rains or snows, he goes into his barn and trains
there.
Has a great collection of barbells and dumbbells,
along with many homemade plates and bars he found
at junk yards, scrap yards and construction jobs.
Loves to find worthy pieces of old iron and
refurbish them for his lifting.
When he was younger, wanted to look like a particular
bodybuilding champion who was in all the magazines.
(I won't give the man's name, but you'd know him.)
Never ended up looking like him. Doesn't care. Learned
long ago that it doesn't matter. What matters, is
that you get our and train -- and that you keep
at it.
Insists on having FUN when he trains. Always tells
me to remind readers to MAKE IT FUN!
Subscribes to the world-famous DINOSAUR FILES
newsletter. Thinks that all Dinos should do so.
Grows fresh veggies in his home garden. His wife
makes award winning salsa and other goodies. The
salsa works hand in hand with the weights to keep
him young.
So that's the story of Paul Murray -- a 60 year old
Dino who's been hitting the Iron for something like
half a century -- and who keeps on going strong.
Happy birthday, Paul! Let's see you hit another 50
or 60 of them -- and keep on lifting for each and
every year!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make if a good one -- and have
FUN when you do it!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you're interested in split style lifting, see
my new DVD, GOING STRONG AT 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
P.S. 2. If you're looking for some great training ideas
and some hard-hitting, super-effective training programs,
grab any or all of the following books and courses:
A. Dinosaur Training: Lost secrets of Strength and
Development:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
B. Strength, Muscle and Power:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
C. Chalk and Sweat:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
D. History's Strongest Men and How They Trained: Doug
Hepburn:
http://www.brookskubik.com/doug_hepburn.html
E. Dinosaur Arm Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
F. Gray Hair and Black Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
G. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training (order NOW to get the
pre-publication bonus when it ships in mid-November):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
H. Back issues (May 2010 - April 2011) of the Dinosaur Files
newsletter:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
I. Current subscriptions (May 2011 - April 2012) of the
Dinosaur Files newsletter:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
"I Need More Plates!" He Said
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I was talking to my dad the other day, and
he mentioned that he needed some more plates
for his workouts.
He's been using a combination of dumbbells,
cables and barbell work -- using the old-
fashioned plate-loading dumbbells he's had
since he started training back in the 1960's.
And now he needs more plates.
That's pretty good when you consider that he's
84 years old.
Now, dad's not lifting tons and tons in his
exercises -- but he's (1) training, (2) working
hard to add reps, and then after he's added reps,
to add weight, (3) and he's getting stronger.
He's also getting bigger and more muscular. He's
gained about ten pounds of muscle over the past
year.
A lot of people think you can't make progress
after a certain age. (Some of them peg it as low
as 30 or 35.)
They're wrong.
You can make progress at any age. My dad's clear
proof of that.
My dad also is clear proof of the difference
between an 84 year old man who works out for 45
minutes two or three times a week, and the same
84 year old man who doesn't train.
Last year, dad had stopped training. He lost
weight, he lost muscle and he lost strength.
This year, he started training again. And as I
said, he's doing great. Ten pounds of muscle
heavier, perfect results when he gets his
physical, tons more energy, feels better,
looks better and now he needs more plates
for his dumbbells.
Whatever age you are, you need to TRAIN. You
need to train for strength, and you need to
make it a regular habit. You need to make it
a part of your life. You need to do it in your
teens, your 20's, your 30's, your 40's, your
50's and beyond. Do it for your entire life.
Just like my dad is doing.
And someday, perhaps many long years from now,
some of you will be hitting the iron at age 84,
and you'll be getting stronger -- and all of a
sudden, you'll need more plates for the bar.
That would be pretty darn good.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Grey Hair and Black Iron is one of my dad's
favorite books. It's must reading for any older
lifter -- meaning any lifter age 35 and up.
You can find it right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- DVD's -- Dino
Training shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies -- and the
world-famous Dinosaur Files newsletter -- are right
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
I was talking to my dad the other day, and
he mentioned that he needed some more plates
for his workouts.
He's been using a combination of dumbbells,
cables and barbell work -- using the old-
fashioned plate-loading dumbbells he's had
since he started training back in the 1960's.
And now he needs more plates.
That's pretty good when you consider that he's
84 years old.
Now, dad's not lifting tons and tons in his
exercises -- but he's (1) training, (2) working
hard to add reps, and then after he's added reps,
to add weight, (3) and he's getting stronger.
He's also getting bigger and more muscular. He's
gained about ten pounds of muscle over the past
year.
A lot of people think you can't make progress
after a certain age. (Some of them peg it as low
as 30 or 35.)
They're wrong.
You can make progress at any age. My dad's clear
proof of that.
My dad also is clear proof of the difference
between an 84 year old man who works out for 45
minutes two or three times a week, and the same
84 year old man who doesn't train.
Last year, dad had stopped training. He lost
weight, he lost muscle and he lost strength.
This year, he started training again. And as I
said, he's doing great. Ten pounds of muscle
heavier, perfect results when he gets his
physical, tons more energy, feels better,
looks better and now he needs more plates
for his dumbbells.
Whatever age you are, you need to TRAIN. You
need to train for strength, and you need to
make it a regular habit. You need to make it
a part of your life. You need to do it in your
teens, your 20's, your 30's, your 40's, your
50's and beyond. Do it for your entire life.
Just like my dad is doing.
And someday, perhaps many long years from now,
some of you will be hitting the iron at age 84,
and you'll be getting stronger -- and all of a
sudden, you'll need more plates for the bar.
That would be pretty darn good.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Grey Hair and Black Iron is one of my dad's
favorite books. It's must reading for any older
lifter -- meaning any lifter age 35 and up.
You can find it right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- DVD's -- Dino
Training shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies -- and the
world-famous Dinosaur Files newsletter -- are right
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Dino Files Q and A
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I'm getting tons of questions about The
Dinosaur Files newsletter. So let me cover
them in one message.
1. My daily emails messages and Blog posts
are NOT The Dinosaur Files.
2. The Dinosaur Files is a hard-copy,
printed on paper, mailed to you in an
envelope publication. 20 pages per issue.
Monthly. 12 issues per year.
3. The Dinosaur Files is by subscription
only.
4. You can grab all 12 back issues from year
one (May 2010 thru April 2011) right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
5. You can grab a subscription to the current
year (May 2011 thru April 2012) right here --
and when you do, I'll send May 2011 thru
October 2011 in one package, and then send
the remaining issues month by month thru April
2012. That way, you'll have the complete set
for year 2:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
6. As far as content goes, recent issues have
covered:
Special workouts for hardgainers
Training programs for older lifters
How to keep your shoulders healthy
Tips for powerlifting competition
How to increase your deadlift
How to gain strength and muscle mass
Power rack training
Knee bands and Indian clubs
Overcoming injuries
Training tips for age 60 and beyond
Detailed advice on abbreviated workouts
Bench press tips
Staying motivated
John Grimek
A real-life comeback story
Cardio training for Dinosaurs
I write at least one article, as well as an editorial
and short pieces for the Jurassic Jottings section
of each issue. Readers provide the remaining
articles. That's great, because it continues the
time-honored tradition of trainees around the world
using a monthly magazine to share training ideas,
workouts, new exercises, etc. with their fellow
readers. That was how Bob Hoffman did it in the early
issues of Strength and Health -- how Peary Rader did
it in Iron Man -- and how Stuart McRobert did it in
Hardgainer. And in my opinion, it's the best way to
run a strength training magazine.
So that's what I mean when I talk about The Dinosaur
Files. And it's why I'm proud to offer The Dinosaur
Files, and why I believe it's the very best publication
for no-nonsense, real world strength training.
I hope that clears things up. If you have any other
questions about the Dinosaur Files, just holler.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here are the links again:
To grab the 12 back issues for year 1 (May 2010 thru
April 2011), go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
To subscribe to year 2 (May 2011 thru April 2012), go
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
P.S. 2. You can find my other books, courses and DVD's
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
I'm getting tons of questions about The
Dinosaur Files newsletter. So let me cover
them in one message.
1. My daily emails messages and Blog posts
are NOT The Dinosaur Files.
2. The Dinosaur Files is a hard-copy,
printed on paper, mailed to you in an
envelope publication. 20 pages per issue.
Monthly. 12 issues per year.
3. The Dinosaur Files is by subscription
only.
4. You can grab all 12 back issues from year
one (May 2010 thru April 2011) right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
5. You can grab a subscription to the current
year (May 2011 thru April 2012) right here --
and when you do, I'll send May 2011 thru
October 2011 in one package, and then send
the remaining issues month by month thru April
2012. That way, you'll have the complete set
for year 2:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
6. As far as content goes, recent issues have
covered:
Special workouts for hardgainers
Training programs for older lifters
How to keep your shoulders healthy
Tips for powerlifting competition
How to increase your deadlift
How to gain strength and muscle mass
Power rack training
Knee bands and Indian clubs
Overcoming injuries
Training tips for age 60 and beyond
Detailed advice on abbreviated workouts
Bench press tips
Staying motivated
John Grimek
A real-life comeback story
Cardio training for Dinosaurs
I write at least one article, as well as an editorial
and short pieces for the Jurassic Jottings section
of each issue. Readers provide the remaining
articles. That's great, because it continues the
time-honored tradition of trainees around the world
using a monthly magazine to share training ideas,
workouts, new exercises, etc. with their fellow
readers. That was how Bob Hoffman did it in the early
issues of Strength and Health -- how Peary Rader did
it in Iron Man -- and how Stuart McRobert did it in
Hardgainer. And in my opinion, it's the best way to
run a strength training magazine.
So that's what I mean when I talk about The Dinosaur
Files. And it's why I'm proud to offer The Dinosaur
Files, and why I believe it's the very best publication
for no-nonsense, real world strength training.
I hope that clears things up. If you have any other
questions about the Dinosaur Files, just holler.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here are the links again:
To grab the 12 back issues for year 1 (May 2010 thru
April 2011), go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
To subscribe to year 2 (May 2011 thru April 2012), go
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
P.S. 2. You can find my other books, courses and DVD's
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
If You train Today, Do This!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Regular readers know that I usually end
my email messages and Blog posts by
saying:
"As always, thanks for reading, and have
a great day. If you train today, make it
a good one!"
One of our regular readers -- a long time
lifter named Paul Murray -- takes me to
task on this, by suggesting I say:
"If you train today, make it FUN!"
I'm probably not going to change, but Paul
makes an excellent point.
To be effective, your training needs to be
FUN.
It needs to be something that you ENJOY.
It needs to be something you WANT to do.
It needs to be something that makes you feel
GOOD to be alive.
It needs to be the highlight of your day --
and one of the most important, most precious
activities you pursue.
That's how training ought to be -- and how it
is for me -- and if you're reading this, it's
probably how training is for you, as well.
Now, FUN training does not mean EASY training.
Far from it.
To be FUN, your training needs to be challenging.
It needs to be difficult. It needs to be tough.
It needs to call for the best you have.
And that's where different methods of training
come into play. Some people find one type of
training to be challenging (and thus, to be FUN),
while others find their challenges (and their FUN)
in distinctly different types of training.
Case in point: one Dino likes to train for power-
lifting. Another Dino likes to train for Olympic
weightlifting. A third likes to lift heavy dumb-
bells. A fourth prefers limited range movements
with ginormous poundages in the power rack. A
fifth enjoys high rep bodyweight training. A
sixth enjoys low rep bodyweight training (using
the most difficult variations of bodyweight
movements).
Another Dino lifts rocks. Another Dino is heavy
into grip training. Another trains on the old York
courses. Another combines strength work with high
intensity cardio training. And so it goes.
I teach lots of different ways to train. I don't
give you a one-size-fits-all way of doing things.
I mix it up. I offer different workouts and
different ways to train because I want each and
every one of you to find the most challenging --
and the most FUN -- way for YOU to train.
When you do that -- when you make your training a
challenge -- and when you make it enjoyable -- when
you make it FUN -- your success is guaranteed.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good -- oops, sorry --
make it a FUN one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For a brand new challenge, try Dinosaur Style
Bodyweight Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S 2. If bodyweight training isn't your thing, then
go here and take a look at everything we have to
to those you get their challenges -- and their
FUN -- from heavy iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Quote of the Day:
"Too many of us are indifferent about our own
best welfare. We are not willing to pay the price."
-- Dr. Frederick Tilney
Regular readers know that I usually end
my email messages and Blog posts by
saying:
"As always, thanks for reading, and have
a great day. If you train today, make it
a good one!"
One of our regular readers -- a long time
lifter named Paul Murray -- takes me to
task on this, by suggesting I say:
"If you train today, make it FUN!"
I'm probably not going to change, but Paul
makes an excellent point.
To be effective, your training needs to be
FUN.
It needs to be something that you ENJOY.
It needs to be something you WANT to do.
It needs to be something that makes you feel
GOOD to be alive.
It needs to be the highlight of your day --
and one of the most important, most precious
activities you pursue.
That's how training ought to be -- and how it
is for me -- and if you're reading this, it's
probably how training is for you, as well.
Now, FUN training does not mean EASY training.
Far from it.
To be FUN, your training needs to be challenging.
It needs to be difficult. It needs to be tough.
It needs to call for the best you have.
And that's where different methods of training
come into play. Some people find one type of
training to be challenging (and thus, to be FUN),
while others find their challenges (and their FUN)
in distinctly different types of training.
Case in point: one Dino likes to train for power-
lifting. Another Dino likes to train for Olympic
weightlifting. A third likes to lift heavy dumb-
bells. A fourth prefers limited range movements
with ginormous poundages in the power rack. A
fifth enjoys high rep bodyweight training. A
sixth enjoys low rep bodyweight training (using
the most difficult variations of bodyweight
movements).
Another Dino lifts rocks. Another Dino is heavy
into grip training. Another trains on the old York
courses. Another combines strength work with high
intensity cardio training. And so it goes.
I teach lots of different ways to train. I don't
give you a one-size-fits-all way of doing things.
I mix it up. I offer different workouts and
different ways to train because I want each and
every one of you to find the most challenging --
and the most FUN -- way for YOU to train.
When you do that -- when you make your training a
challenge -- and when you make it enjoyable -- when
you make it FUN -- your success is guaranteed.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good -- oops, sorry --
make it a FUN one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For a brand new challenge, try Dinosaur Style
Bodyweight Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S 2. If bodyweight training isn't your thing, then
go here and take a look at everything we have to
to those you get their challenges -- and their
FUN -- from heavy iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Quote of the Day:
"Too many of us are indifferent about our own
best welfare. We are not willing to pay the price."
-- Dr. Frederick Tilney
Some Very Important Training Advice
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
(NOTE: Today's email is addressed to older
trainees -- age 35 and up. If that's YOU,
be sure to read it. If it's NOT you, read
it and share it with anyone and everyone
you know who falls in the age 35 and up
group. You just might save someone's life
by doing that -- or help them add many
great years they otherwise would have
missed.)
If you're anywhere near my age (I'm 54),
or you know people my age, you know that
staying in good shape gets harder and
harder as you get older.
You also know that most folks just give up
and let it happen. They stop exercising,
they stop being active, they eat too much,
and they drink too much.
As a result, they lose strength, muscle and
power -- they lose their flexibility and
mobility -- they get stiff -- and they get
fat.
And after that, all kinds of bad things
start to happen.
But it doesn't have to be that way. With
the right kind of regular exercise, you
can smack Father Time right in the nose.
You may not stay young forever, but you
can look and feel a heck of a lot younger
than your age -- and a heck of a lot younger
than your peers.
To do it, you need to clean up your diet,
and you need to keep training -- but you
need to train in ways that work for an
older lifter.
I cover training (and diet) for older trainees
in detail in Gray Hair and Black Iron. If you
have a copy, go back and read it again. If you
don't, grab one triple double ASAP (which means
RIGHT NOW.)
The key to successful training for older lifters
is to train hard enough and heavy enough to
stimulate gains in strength and muscle mass
WITHOUT going so hard and heavy that you can't
recover from your workout or you end up so
stiff and sore that you can't move right for
a week.
In other words, it's a balancing act.
Some things that work for me -- and that will
work for YOU -- include the following:
1. As noted before -- clean up your diet. Strong
and lean keeps you young.
1A. After a certain age, the Get Big Drink just
doesn't do it any more. What really matters is
health and fitness and strength and looking and
feeling many years younger than your actual age.
1B. The above is a way of saying you need to
keep your weight -- and your gut -- under
control. And that requires a shift in priorities.
If you're over 35, gaining 30 pounds of muscle
in 6 weeks is NOT your number one priority.
2. Get enough sleep every night. Lack of sleep
will age you faster than a snowball melting in
the July sun.
3. Drink water. Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated
helps keep your joints lubricated.
4. Train regularly and consistently. Be obsessive
about making your scheduled workout. After a certain
point in your life, one missed workout leads to two,
and two leads to three, and suddenly you're a couch
potato like everyone else.
5. Use abbreviated training. It's the best thing
you can do to promote recovery and avoid
overtraining.
6. Use perfect form in all of your exercises. As an
older lifter, it's not enough just to lift a weight --
you need to lift it in perfect form.
6A. When you're age 50 or older, you don't have as
many reps left in your training career as you did
when you were age 20 -- so make them count!
7. If an exercise hurts, don't do it. Period. Find
a different exercise that doesn't hurt.
8. Dumbbells, dumbbells, dumbbells. They're much
more forgiving on your joints.
8A. That goes double or even triple for bodyweight
exercises. (Which is one of the reasons I wrote
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training.)
9. Do cardio training in addition to your strength
training -- but do the RIGHT kind of cardio training.
See Gray Hair and Black Iron for details about how
older strength athletes can use barbells, sandbags,
rocks, and other heavy stuff for cardio training
that you'll enjoy a heck of a lot more than doing
an hour on a treadmill or a step machine.
10. Do things that you enjoy. If you like what you're
doing, you'll stick with it. If you don't, you won't.
The bottom line is this -- the Iron Mines are the
Fountain of Youth. Be sure to keep working in them!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here are some great resources for older trainees:
1. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
2. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
3. For older beginners -- see the programs for
beginners in Chalk and Sweat:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
4. My new dvd, Going Strong at 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
5. The Dinosaur Files newsletter -- which is loaded
with articles by, for and about older trainees and
what REALLY works for them. Note that you can order
all 12 issues from year no. 1 of the Dinosaur
Files here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
And you can order a subscription for year no. 2
of the Dinosaur Files here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
P.S. 2. As always, thanks for reading and have a great day. If you
train today, make it a good one!
(NOTE: Today's email is addressed to older
trainees -- age 35 and up. If that's YOU,
be sure to read it. If it's NOT you, read
it and share it with anyone and everyone
you know who falls in the age 35 and up
group. You just might save someone's life
by doing that -- or help them add many
great years they otherwise would have
missed.)
If you're anywhere near my age (I'm 54),
or you know people my age, you know that
staying in good shape gets harder and
harder as you get older.
You also know that most folks just give up
and let it happen. They stop exercising,
they stop being active, they eat too much,
and they drink too much.
As a result, they lose strength, muscle and
power -- they lose their flexibility and
mobility -- they get stiff -- and they get
fat.
And after that, all kinds of bad things
start to happen.
But it doesn't have to be that way. With
the right kind of regular exercise, you
can smack Father Time right in the nose.
You may not stay young forever, but you
can look and feel a heck of a lot younger
than your age -- and a heck of a lot younger
than your peers.
To do it, you need to clean up your diet,
and you need to keep training -- but you
need to train in ways that work for an
older lifter.
I cover training (and diet) for older trainees
in detail in Gray Hair and Black Iron. If you
have a copy, go back and read it again. If you
don't, grab one triple double ASAP (which means
RIGHT NOW.)
The key to successful training for older lifters
is to train hard enough and heavy enough to
stimulate gains in strength and muscle mass
WITHOUT going so hard and heavy that you can't
recover from your workout or you end up so
stiff and sore that you can't move right for
a week.
In other words, it's a balancing act.
Some things that work for me -- and that will
work for YOU -- include the following:
1. As noted before -- clean up your diet. Strong
and lean keeps you young.
1A. After a certain age, the Get Big Drink just
doesn't do it any more. What really matters is
health and fitness and strength and looking and
feeling many years younger than your actual age.
1B. The above is a way of saying you need to
keep your weight -- and your gut -- under
control. And that requires a shift in priorities.
If you're over 35, gaining 30 pounds of muscle
in 6 weeks is NOT your number one priority.
2. Get enough sleep every night. Lack of sleep
will age you faster than a snowball melting in
the July sun.
3. Drink water. Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated
helps keep your joints lubricated.
4. Train regularly and consistently. Be obsessive
about making your scheduled workout. After a certain
point in your life, one missed workout leads to two,
and two leads to three, and suddenly you're a couch
potato like everyone else.
5. Use abbreviated training. It's the best thing
you can do to promote recovery and avoid
overtraining.
6. Use perfect form in all of your exercises. As an
older lifter, it's not enough just to lift a weight --
you need to lift it in perfect form.
6A. When you're age 50 or older, you don't have as
many reps left in your training career as you did
when you were age 20 -- so make them count!
7. If an exercise hurts, don't do it. Period. Find
a different exercise that doesn't hurt.
8. Dumbbells, dumbbells, dumbbells. They're much
more forgiving on your joints.
8A. That goes double or even triple for bodyweight
exercises. (Which is one of the reasons I wrote
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training.)
9. Do cardio training in addition to your strength
training -- but do the RIGHT kind of cardio training.
See Gray Hair and Black Iron for details about how
older strength athletes can use barbells, sandbags,
rocks, and other heavy stuff for cardio training
that you'll enjoy a heck of a lot more than doing
an hour on a treadmill or a step machine.
10. Do things that you enjoy. If you like what you're
doing, you'll stick with it. If you don't, you won't.
The bottom line is this -- the Iron Mines are the
Fountain of Youth. Be sure to keep working in them!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here are some great resources for older trainees:
1. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
2. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
3. For older beginners -- see the programs for
beginners in Chalk and Sweat:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
4. My new dvd, Going Strong at 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
5. The Dinosaur Files newsletter -- which is loaded
with articles by, for and about older trainees and
what REALLY works for them. Note that you can order
all 12 issues from year no. 1 of the Dinosaur
Files here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
And you can order a subscription for year no. 2
of the Dinosaur Files here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
P.S. 2. As always, thanks for reading and have a great day. If you
train today, make it a good one!
How to Set Up a Home Gym
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Several readers have asked about putting
together a home gym.
It's pretty simple, but it varies depending
on your primary training method.
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
You need a place to do floor exercises (buy
half of an old wrestling mat).
You need a pull-up bar.
Add ropes and rings if possible, to do the
rope and ring exercises in DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING. I bought my ropes from John Wood --
in fact, I think I was his very first customer
for climbing ropes:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/rope_training_dinosaur_style.html
Push-up handles are a good tool.
A flat bench helps.
A hyperextension bench is an excellent tool
for bodyweight training.
BODYWEIGHT AND BARBELL WORK
Here's a thought -- buy a Trap Bar and plates
and do Trap Bar deadlifts for your legs, hips
and lower back.
Hit your upper body with bodyweight
exercises.
That gives you a great one-two punch for some
serious muscle growth without breaking the bank.
If you decide to go with a Trap Bar, go
with the original Gerard Trap Bar. You can
find them here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
BARBELL TRAINING
You need a good, high quality barbell and
enough plates to train heavy. You do NOT need
rubber bumper plates unless you are going to
do Olympic lifting.
You need squat stands -- or better yet, a
power rack.
You need a flat bench.
If you don't have a power rack and you plan
to do barbell bench presses, you need some
sort of safety catch racks to catch the bar
at the bottom if you get stuck.
Stay away from the adjustable flat bench/
incline bench combos -- they're just not
strong enough.
A Trap Bar is a great addition to your home
gym. So is a pull-up bar. And those ropes and
rings I mentioned are worth their weight in
gold.
If you don't have squat stands or a power rack,
use a Trap Bar for leg, hip and lower back
training. It's a very effective alternative
to the squat.
Over time, add thick bars, grippers and other
grip blasters, Indian clubs, cables, a good
headstrap for neck work, and anything else
that sounds like fun. You can find lots
of fun stuff at John Wood's Functional
Hand Strength site:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/
If you want to try heavy awkward objects, go
for them. Sandbags, barrels, lifting logs,
pulling sleds, tires -- the sky's the limit.
See DINOSAUR TRAINING and STRENGTH, MUSCLE
AND POWER for ideas.
Special plate loading bars for doing the
farmer's walk (a/k/a "farmer's) are great
for home gyms. Nothing freaks the neighbors
like a nice, heavy walk around the block
with some serious iron.
Dumbbells are a great addition to a home gym.
The best ones for home gym use are adjustable
plate loading dumbbells (the kind that take
exercise plates, not Olympic plates). Use the
Bulldog collars that IronMind sells. Don't
skimp here -- cheap dumbbells and cheap
collars can cause big problems when the plates
slide off.
And, of course, there are kettlebells -- which
are a favorite tool of many trainees the world
over.
NOTE: Dumbbells or kettlebells work great with
Trap Bar deadlifts. Ditto with squats and front
squats.
As far as where to buy stuff, you need to shop
around. Go for heavy duty equipment. You want
your bench, squat stands and power rack to be
(1) heavy, and (2) strong. And you really, really
REALLY want to get a good, high quality bar. The
majority of bars on the market today are worthless
junk.
OLYMPIC LIFTING
You need a platform -- which is easy to make out
of plywood.
You need a good high quality Olympic lifting bar.
You need rubber bumper plates.
You need lifting shoes.
You need squat stands that you can move on and off
the platform.
Pretty much what you see me using in my new dvd,
GOING STRONG AT 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
FINAL THOUGHTS
One thing to keep in mind is this -- you can always
start small and build from there. No one says you
have to start out with a fully equipped home gym.
Build it up over time.
And remember this -- the hours you spend in your
home gym are going to be some of the very best
hours of your entire life. So be ready for some
really good times -- and for some great workouts!
I hope that helps, and if it does, be sure to send
photos of your home gym.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Be sure to reserve your copy of DINOSAUR
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING during our big pre-publication
special:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. You can grab my other books, courses and
DVD's right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Several readers have asked about putting
together a home gym.
It's pretty simple, but it varies depending
on your primary training method.
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
You need a place to do floor exercises (buy
half of an old wrestling mat).
You need a pull-up bar.
Add ropes and rings if possible, to do the
rope and ring exercises in DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING. I bought my ropes from John Wood --
in fact, I think I was his very first customer
for climbing ropes:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/rope_training_dinosaur_style.html
Push-up handles are a good tool.
A flat bench helps.
A hyperextension bench is an excellent tool
for bodyweight training.
BODYWEIGHT AND BARBELL WORK
Here's a thought -- buy a Trap Bar and plates
and do Trap Bar deadlifts for your legs, hips
and lower back.
Hit your upper body with bodyweight
exercises.
That gives you a great one-two punch for some
serious muscle growth without breaking the bank.
If you decide to go with a Trap Bar, go
with the original Gerard Trap Bar. You can
find them here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
BARBELL TRAINING
You need a good, high quality barbell and
enough plates to train heavy. You do NOT need
rubber bumper plates unless you are going to
do Olympic lifting.
You need squat stands -- or better yet, a
power rack.
You need a flat bench.
If you don't have a power rack and you plan
to do barbell bench presses, you need some
sort of safety catch racks to catch the bar
at the bottom if you get stuck.
Stay away from the adjustable flat bench/
incline bench combos -- they're just not
strong enough.
A Trap Bar is a great addition to your home
gym. So is a pull-up bar. And those ropes and
rings I mentioned are worth their weight in
gold.
If you don't have squat stands or a power rack,
use a Trap Bar for leg, hip and lower back
training. It's a very effective alternative
to the squat.
Over time, add thick bars, grippers and other
grip blasters, Indian clubs, cables, a good
headstrap for neck work, and anything else
that sounds like fun. You can find lots
of fun stuff at John Wood's Functional
Hand Strength site:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/
If you want to try heavy awkward objects, go
for them. Sandbags, barrels, lifting logs,
pulling sleds, tires -- the sky's the limit.
See DINOSAUR TRAINING and STRENGTH, MUSCLE
AND POWER for ideas.
Special plate loading bars for doing the
farmer's walk (a/k/a "farmer's) are great
for home gyms. Nothing freaks the neighbors
like a nice, heavy walk around the block
with some serious iron.
Dumbbells are a great addition to a home gym.
The best ones for home gym use are adjustable
plate loading dumbbells (the kind that take
exercise plates, not Olympic plates). Use the
Bulldog collars that IronMind sells. Don't
skimp here -- cheap dumbbells and cheap
collars can cause big problems when the plates
slide off.
And, of course, there are kettlebells -- which
are a favorite tool of many trainees the world
over.
NOTE: Dumbbells or kettlebells work great with
Trap Bar deadlifts. Ditto with squats and front
squats.
As far as where to buy stuff, you need to shop
around. Go for heavy duty equipment. You want
your bench, squat stands and power rack to be
(1) heavy, and (2) strong. And you really, really
REALLY want to get a good, high quality bar. The
majority of bars on the market today are worthless
junk.
OLYMPIC LIFTING
You need a platform -- which is easy to make out
of plywood.
You need a good high quality Olympic lifting bar.
You need rubber bumper plates.
You need lifting shoes.
You need squat stands that you can move on and off
the platform.
Pretty much what you see me using in my new dvd,
GOING STRONG AT 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
FINAL THOUGHTS
One thing to keep in mind is this -- you can always
start small and build from there. No one says you
have to start out with a fully equipped home gym.
Build it up over time.
And remember this -- the hours you spend in your
home gym are going to be some of the very best
hours of your entire life. So be ready for some
really good times -- and for some great workouts!
I hope that helps, and if it does, be sure to send
photos of your home gym.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Be sure to reserve your copy of DINOSAUR
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING during our big pre-publication
special:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. You can grab my other books, courses and
DVD's right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Monday Morning Updates for Dinosaurs!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We have a ton of things going on, so let
me give you some updates and ask some questions.
Your thoughts and feedback are very important to
us.
1. The October Dino Files
was mailed last week. If you subscribe to the
Dino Files newsletter, shoot me an email when
you get your issue, and let me know the answer
to the question posed in Jurassic Jottings about
the possibility of offering your choice of hard
copy or electronic delivery for The Files when
we begin year 3 of publication.
2. Dino Files subscriptions
I still get questions about the Dinosaur Files,
so let me answer the biggest one right now.
Yes, you can order all of the back issues for
year 1 of The Files. Do it here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
Yes, you can order a subscription for year 2,
and I'll send the back issues for May 2011 to
October 2011 to get you started -- and then send
each monthly issue so you end up with the complete
12 issue set. For a current subscription, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
3. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
goes to the printer today, so we're right on schedule.
To reserve your copy during the pre-publication
special, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
4. E-Books
If you plan to order Dinosaur Bodyweight Training when
it comes out in e-book form, pls shoot me an email and
let me know. Thanks!
5. The Dinosaur Training Blog
If you're anew reader, be sure to browse the Dinosaur
Training Blog. There are tons of great posts with lots
and lots of information for Dinos.
I post each daily email on the Blog, so it's a good
way to stay posted on things if the email doesn't get
to you for any reason. But pls do NOT unsubscribe from
the emails and rely on reading the Blog. Use BOTH of
them as a way of staying in touch.
I had some tech issues with the Blog in September, and
wasn't able to post all the emails, so folks who were
relying on the Blog only didn't see everything.
So use BOTH methods to stay in touch.
6. Legacy of Iron 6
Many of you have asked about Legacy of Iron 6. It will
be coming out early next year.
7. Feedback, please!
I would appreciate feedback on any and all products,
including (in particular) the October issue of THE
DINOSAUR FILES, DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING, and GOING
STRONG AT 54.
8. A Dinosaur Seminar
I've been asked to speak at a seminar next year --
with a four hour slot to cover anything you'd like
me to cover.
Yes, that's four hours of up close and personal
Dinosaur Training.
I haven't selected a topic yet -- so let me know
what you'd like to see!
9. Dinosaur Training on Facebook.
I'm on Facebook now -- under Brooks Kubik -- so if
you use Facebook be sure to shoot me a friend request.
That's another way to stay in touch and keep up to
date on what we're doing at Dino HQ.
10. Dinosaur DVD's.
GOING STRONG AT 54 has been a big hit, and I'm going
to be shooting another DVD pretty soon. What would you
like me to cover in a DVD?
That covers the biggies for the day. As always, thanks
for reading, and have a great day. If you train today,
make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. I mentioned GOING STRONG AT 54 -- DINOSAUR ARM
TRAINING -- LEGACY OF IRON -- and DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING. You can find them right here:
a. GOING STRONG AT 54
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
b. DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
c. LEGACY OF IRON
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron.html
d. DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. You can find all of my other Dinosaur Training
products right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
We have a ton of things going on, so let
me give you some updates and ask some questions.
Your thoughts and feedback are very important to
us.
1. The October Dino Files
was mailed last week. If you subscribe to the
Dino Files newsletter, shoot me an email when
you get your issue, and let me know the answer
to the question posed in Jurassic Jottings about
the possibility of offering your choice of hard
copy or electronic delivery for The Files when
we begin year 3 of publication.
2. Dino Files subscriptions
I still get questions about the Dinosaur Files,
so let me answer the biggest one right now.
Yes, you can order all of the back issues for
year 1 of The Files. Do it here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
Yes, you can order a subscription for year 2,
and I'll send the back issues for May 2011 to
October 2011 to get you started -- and then send
each monthly issue so you end up with the complete
12 issue set. For a current subscription, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
3. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
goes to the printer today, so we're right on schedule.
To reserve your copy during the pre-publication
special, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
4. E-Books
If you plan to order Dinosaur Bodyweight Training when
it comes out in e-book form, pls shoot me an email and
let me know. Thanks!
5. The Dinosaur Training Blog
If you're anew reader, be sure to browse the Dinosaur
Training Blog. There are tons of great posts with lots
and lots of information for Dinos.
I post each daily email on the Blog, so it's a good
way to stay posted on things if the email doesn't get
to you for any reason. But pls do NOT unsubscribe from
the emails and rely on reading the Blog. Use BOTH of
them as a way of staying in touch.
I had some tech issues with the Blog in September, and
wasn't able to post all the emails, so folks who were
relying on the Blog only didn't see everything.
So use BOTH methods to stay in touch.
6. Legacy of Iron 6
Many of you have asked about Legacy of Iron 6. It will
be coming out early next year.
7. Feedback, please!
I would appreciate feedback on any and all products,
including (in particular) the October issue of THE
DINOSAUR FILES, DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING, and GOING
STRONG AT 54.
8. A Dinosaur Seminar
I've been asked to speak at a seminar next year --
with a four hour slot to cover anything you'd like
me to cover.
Yes, that's four hours of up close and personal
Dinosaur Training.
I haven't selected a topic yet -- so let me know
what you'd like to see!
9. Dinosaur Training on Facebook.
I'm on Facebook now -- under Brooks Kubik -- so if
you use Facebook be sure to shoot me a friend request.
That's another way to stay in touch and keep up to
date on what we're doing at Dino HQ.
10. Dinosaur DVD's.
GOING STRONG AT 54 has been a big hit, and I'm going
to be shooting another DVD pretty soon. What would you
like me to cover in a DVD?
That covers the biggies for the day. As always, thanks
for reading, and have a great day. If you train today,
make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. I mentioned GOING STRONG AT 54 -- DINOSAUR ARM
TRAINING -- LEGACY OF IRON -- and DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING. You can find them right here:
a. GOING STRONG AT 54
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
b. DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
c. LEGACY OF IRON
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron.html
d. DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. You can find all of my other Dinosaur Training
products right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Big News from Dinosaur Training!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I have some exciting news for you.
Back in 2005 I wrote a detailed
course on Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training. Many Dinos grabbed a copy,
and it was a very popular course --
and many readers reported that they
got GREAT RESULTS with it.
The GREAT RESULTS part was no surprise --
because this was DINO style bodyweight
training -- meaning that it was hard,
demanding, take no prisoners stuff.
Bodyweight it was -- EASY it was NOT.
It's been out of print for several
years -- and during that time I've
received many, many requests for
the little monster. But I was always
busy working on other books and courses,
so I never got around to it.
But the requests kept pouring in --
and for some reason, there were more
of them this year than ever before.
Now, when you ask for something, we
try really hard to make it happen.
And so -- I've prepared a revised, second
edition of DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING.
It's going to be reprinted as a 200
page, 8 1/2 x 11 perfect bound book --
with tons of photos -- including classic
photos of Golden Age champions, many of
whom used bodyweight training as a
regular part of their programs.
The little monster will go to the printer
this week and should be ready to ship to
you on or before November 15.
As we always do, we're offering the book
before it is printed as part of a pre-
publication special -- meaning that you
can order now, and when the when the
book is printed, we'll fill all orders
in the order in which we receive them --
and we'll include something extra for
everyone who orders during the pre-
publication special.
This helps us enormously, because we know
how many books to print. No sense printing
too many and having boxes of books piled
up all over the house.
IN ADDITION -- some readers have requested
e-books. That includes overseas readers,
several readers who are blind, readers who
are in the military and can't carry books
when they go overseas, and readers who
travel a lot and can't carry books.
Personally, I'm a hard-copy guy -- I want
to hold a book in my hands, turn the pages,
and put it on my bookshelf after i read it.
But I understand that the e-book option
works better for some of you.
So I'm going to use this book as a TEST to
see how the whole e-book thing works. I'm
going to make DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
available in hard copy -- or in e-book form.
The e-book form will not be available until
AFTER the hard copy version is printed, so
you can't order it now. But if you prefer
e-books, be aware that an e-book edition
will be coming later in the year.
As always, I would be happy to autograph
your book for you (hard copy only, I can't
autograph e-books), so if you want an
autographed copy, include a note in the
special instructions section of the
on-line order form.
That brings you up to date on today's BIG
NEWS. As always, thanks for reading and
have a great day. If you train today, make
it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. To reserve your copy of DINOSAUR
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING -- and your pre-publication
extra -- go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
I have some exciting news for you.
Back in 2005 I wrote a detailed
course on Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training. Many Dinos grabbed a copy,
and it was a very popular course --
and many readers reported that they
got GREAT RESULTS with it.
The GREAT RESULTS part was no surprise --
because this was DINO style bodyweight
training -- meaning that it was hard,
demanding, take no prisoners stuff.
Bodyweight it was -- EASY it was NOT.
It's been out of print for several
years -- and during that time I've
received many, many requests for
the little monster. But I was always
busy working on other books and courses,
so I never got around to it.
But the requests kept pouring in --
and for some reason, there were more
of them this year than ever before.
Now, when you ask for something, we
try really hard to make it happen.
And so -- I've prepared a revised, second
edition of DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING.
It's going to be reprinted as a 200
page, 8 1/2 x 11 perfect bound book --
with tons of photos -- including classic
photos of Golden Age champions, many of
whom used bodyweight training as a
regular part of their programs.
The little monster will go to the printer
this week and should be ready to ship to
you on or before November 15.
As we always do, we're offering the book
before it is printed as part of a pre-
publication special -- meaning that you
can order now, and when the when the
book is printed, we'll fill all orders
in the order in which we receive them --
and we'll include something extra for
everyone who orders during the pre-
publication special.
This helps us enormously, because we know
how many books to print. No sense printing
too many and having boxes of books piled
up all over the house.
IN ADDITION -- some readers have requested
e-books. That includes overseas readers,
several readers who are blind, readers who
are in the military and can't carry books
when they go overseas, and readers who
travel a lot and can't carry books.
Personally, I'm a hard-copy guy -- I want
to hold a book in my hands, turn the pages,
and put it on my bookshelf after i read it.
But I understand that the e-book option
works better for some of you.
So I'm going to use this book as a TEST to
see how the whole e-book thing works. I'm
going to make DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
available in hard copy -- or in e-book form.
The e-book form will not be available until
AFTER the hard copy version is printed, so
you can't order it now. But if you prefer
e-books, be aware that an e-book edition
will be coming later in the year.
As always, I would be happy to autograph
your book for you (hard copy only, I can't
autograph e-books), so if you want an
autographed copy, include a note in the
special instructions section of the
on-line order form.
That brings you up to date on today's BIG
NEWS. As always, thanks for reading and
have a great day. If you train today, make
it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. To reserve your copy of DINOSAUR
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING -- and your pre-publication
extra -- go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
How I Train -- And Why
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
My daughter hates -- no, that's not the
right word -- LOATHES -- no, that's not
right either -- DESPISES -- that's it --
DESPISES the soundtrack to ROCKY BALBOA.
All because I play the soundtrack out in
the garage when I train -- and if the door
is open, you can hear it in the house --
and so she's heard it hundreds and hundreds
of times.
"Why don't you play something else?" she
asked me.
Well, there's a reason.
I'm a creature of habit.
When I train, I use the same exercises, and
I perform them in exactly the same manner.
I use the same bar.
I wear the same workout clothes, and the same
lifting shoes.
I use the same stainless steel water bottle.
I train at the same time and on the same days
(Tues, Thurs and Sun).
I dry my hands and face with the same towel,
and I sit in the same chair when I rest between
sets.
And I listen to the same music.
I also do the same exercises. There's my snatch
workout where I do warm-ups and then hit split
style snatches -- and there's my clean and jerk
workout where I do warm-up and then hit the clean
and jerk.
In the past, on other programs, I trained
different exercises (e.g., bottom position squat,
bottom position bench press, deadlifts or Trap
Bar deadlifts, etc.), but the exercises were
always the same for long periods of time. And
the idea was always the same -- strive for
improvement from workout to workout.
I try to make all the different variables THE
SAME -- except for one variable.
In every workout, I try to do BETTER than I did
in the previous workout.
Better form. Faster and smoother lifting. Deeper
and deeper concentration and focus. More weight.
More reps. More sets.
Of course, you can't add weight every time you
train (if you are an advanced lifter). But
somehow or other, you can make each workout
BETTER than the one before.
Even a lighter workout can be BETTER than the
last light workout. The weight on the bar may
be the same, but your form and focus can (and
should) be better.
In contrast to my approach, many guys always do
something different every time they train. Some
guys never train the same in any two workouts.
It's always different.
That may work better for some. For me, it works
better to keep all the variables the same -- but
try to make each workout BETTER.
That's the inside story on my workout music --
and the inside story on how I train.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can watch one of my workouts (two of
them, in fact) on DVD. I filmed it on my 54th
b'day, and it's a big hit with Dinos. The name
says it all -- GOING STRONG AT 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
P.S 2. DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING is getting rave reviews.
You can grab your copy right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- the Dinosaur
Files newsletter -- and Dinosaur Training t-shirts,
muscle shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies -- are right
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
My daughter hates -- no, that's not the
right word -- LOATHES -- no, that's not
right either -- DESPISES -- that's it --
DESPISES the soundtrack to ROCKY BALBOA.
All because I play the soundtrack out in
the garage when I train -- and if the door
is open, you can hear it in the house --
and so she's heard it hundreds and hundreds
of times.
"Why don't you play something else?" she
asked me.
Well, there's a reason.
I'm a creature of habit.
When I train, I use the same exercises, and
I perform them in exactly the same manner.
I use the same bar.
I wear the same workout clothes, and the same
lifting shoes.
I use the same stainless steel water bottle.
I train at the same time and on the same days
(Tues, Thurs and Sun).
I dry my hands and face with the same towel,
and I sit in the same chair when I rest between
sets.
And I listen to the same music.
I also do the same exercises. There's my snatch
workout where I do warm-ups and then hit split
style snatches -- and there's my clean and jerk
workout where I do warm-up and then hit the clean
and jerk.
In the past, on other programs, I trained
different exercises (e.g., bottom position squat,
bottom position bench press, deadlifts or Trap
Bar deadlifts, etc.), but the exercises were
always the same for long periods of time. And
the idea was always the same -- strive for
improvement from workout to workout.
I try to make all the different variables THE
SAME -- except for one variable.
In every workout, I try to do BETTER than I did
in the previous workout.
Better form. Faster and smoother lifting. Deeper
and deeper concentration and focus. More weight.
More reps. More sets.
Of course, you can't add weight every time you
train (if you are an advanced lifter). But
somehow or other, you can make each workout
BETTER than the one before.
Even a lighter workout can be BETTER than the
last light workout. The weight on the bar may
be the same, but your form and focus can (and
should) be better.
In contrast to my approach, many guys always do
something different every time they train. Some
guys never train the same in any two workouts.
It's always different.
That may work better for some. For me, it works
better to keep all the variables the same -- but
try to make each workout BETTER.
That's the inside story on my workout music --
and the inside story on how I train.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can watch one of my workouts (two of
them, in fact) on DVD. I filmed it on my 54th
b'day, and it's a big hit with Dinos. The name
says it all -- GOING STRONG AT 54:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
P.S 2. DINOSAUR ARM TRAINING is getting rave reviews.
You can grab your copy right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- the Dinosaur
Files newsletter -- and Dinosaur Training t-shirts,
muscle shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies -- are right
here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
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