Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One of my readers wanted some tips on
starting a 5 x 5 program with a two-
way divided workout.
He's in his late twenties, and wants
to build his program around the basic,
compound exercises that Dinos know and
love.
So here's what he needs to do:
1. Train three times per week. M/W/F or
T/Th/Sat. If you prefer, twice a week
will work fine.
2. Use two workouts -- Workout A and
Workout B. (See below for the workouts.)
Alternate back and forth from workout
to workout.
3. For the first month, do two to four
progressively heavier warm-up sets on
each exercises, followed by 3 x 5
working sets.
Note: Yes, I know this means you may
be doing 6 x 5 or 7 x 5, but that's
fine. Don't get hung up on 5 x 5. Take
your time and do the warm-up sets and
work up to the 3 x 5. The important
part of the workout is the 3 x 5, so
do whatever needs to be done to be
ready for those sets.
4. For the second month, do the same
progressively heavier warm-up sets
followed by 2 x 5 working sets.
Note: Your working sets will be heavier
now, so feel free to do an additional
warm-up set.
5. For the third month, do the same
progressively heavier warm-up sets
followed by 1 x 5 working sets.
Note: Again, with heavier work sets
you may want to add a warm-up set.
6. Here are the workouts:
Workout A
1. Squats or front squats
2. Bench press or dumbbell incline press
or dumbbell bench press
3. Pull-ups or barbell bent-over rowing
or one-arm dumbbell rowing
4. Gut, grip and neck work for a couple
of sets each
Workout B
1. Bent-legged deadlift with barbell or
Trap Bar
2. Military press, push press or dumbbell
press
3. Barbell or dumbbell curls
4. Optional: close grip bench press
5. Gut, grip and neck work -- same as in
Workout A
7. Since our lifter is new to 5 x 5, he should
start light and add weight in a progressive
fashion. With the right weight selection and
intelligent (brain driven rather than ego
driven) weight increases, he should not miss
a single rep during the first month of the
program -- or perhaps over the entire three
month program.
8. Intense concentration and mental focus will
double your results on this program -- see
Dinosaur Training and Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training for details about the all-important
mental aspects of strength training.
9. Use the visualization techniques described
in Dinosaur Training and Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training, as well. They make an incredible
difference.
10. Keep your mind filled with positive energy.
Read everything you can find about the old-time,
drug-free champions. My Legacy of Iron books,
my History's Strongest Men Training Courses,
and my huge -- almost 500 page -- biography of
World and Olympic Champion John Davis will do
the trick pretty darn well. You want to immerse
yourself in a world where men dare to dream
great dreams -- and then go out and achieve
them.
Okay, deep breath. That's a heck of a lot of
information. Go back and read it again -- or
read it later. Points 8, 9 and 10 are
particularly important.
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. Dinosaur Training and Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. Volumes one and two of History's Strongest
Men and How They Trained are here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/doug_hepburn.html
http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html
P.S. 3. My Legacy of Iron books are here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/clouds_of_war.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/1000pound_total.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron4.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/barbells_pacific.html
P.S. 4. Black Iron: The John Davis Story, is right
here -- and it weighs in at close to 500 pages
of unbelievable lifting by one of the greatest
champions who ever lived:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 5. Thought for the Day: "Train your mind the
same way you train your body. You have to do both."
-- Brooks Kubik
