Hail to the Dinosaurs!
If you read yesterday's email message, you may
have guessed that I was going to the range. In
fact, I headed out right after pushing the
SEND button.
At the range, I moved the target into position --
a little further back than usual -- and started to
shoot.
I worked slowly, quietly, calmly, methodically, and
precisely.
One shot at a time.
Full concentration, intense focus and total control.
When I finished, there was no more red in the center
of the bulls-eye.
That was good. That was what I was trying to do.
Tonight, I'm going to go out to the garage and hit
the iron. I'll be doing squat cleans and split jerks.
As always, I'll do singles. I'll train slowly,
quietly, calmly, methodically, and precisely. One
rep at a time. Full concentration, intense focus
and total control. That's how I train -- and it's
how I've always trained.
And if you're reading this, that's how YOU train.
No, you don't necessarily do Olympic lifting --
and you may or may not do singles -- and you may
(or may not) train in your garage. But the key
point is this:
You lift with concentration, focus, precision and
control.
Lifting with control does NOT mean that you
artificially reduce the speed of movement. It
CAN mean that -- and if you want to do that, go
for it. Two seconds up, four seconds down,
whatever.
But you can also move as fast as triple-greased
lightning. In fact, if you do Olympic lifting,
the faster you move the greater your control
over the barbell. (Or, to put it another way,
the greater your control over the barbell,
the faster you move.)
Or take powerlifting. If you watch a BAD lifter,
you'll see him struggle to control the bar. If you
watch a GOOD lifter, you'll note that he maintains
PERFECT CONTROL over the bar.
Controlling the bar is CRITICAL for powerlifting --
for weightlifting -- and for heavy training of any
sort.
One aspect of control is this: the bar should always
move through the same path -- whether it's a warm-up
weight or your heaviest possible lift.
Here's another aspect of control: your approach to
the bar, and your pre-set rituals, whatever they may
be, should be the same whether you are lifting your
max or one tenth of your max.
I've seen video of Norb Schemansky training. He would
approach the bar with a certain sequence of steps --
strong, powerful, forceful strides. Each step was
always the same -- and he always moved at the same
speed. It didn't matter what weight was on the bar.
It was always the same.
Step, step, step, stop, bend legs, grab bar, lift.
He did it that way when the weights were light - and
he did it that way when the weights were heavy.
That's the sort of thing I'm talking about.
Control. Precision. Focus.
Norb Schemansky won medals in FOUR different Olympics
by training that way. It worked for him -- and it will
work for YOU!
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. Intelligent, hard work brings great results. Take
your training to the next level with Dinosaur books and
courses -- and with Dinosaur DVD's. You can find them
right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Are you waiting for news about my new John
Grimek training course? Stay tuned -- you'll be hearing
more about it very soon!
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "It's not enough to lift
the weight. You need to lift the weight in perfect
form." -- Brooks Kubik
