Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Several readers have asked about Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training. The two most common
questions are:
1. Does Dino-style bodyweight training build
strength and muscle mass?
and
2. Can I combine Dino-style bodyweight
training with barbells, dumbbells or
kettlebells?
Let's start with question number one. Does
Dino-style bodyweight training build strength
and muscle mass?
Of course it does!
Remember, Dino-style bodyweight training is
NOT about doing endless reps of easy exercises.
It's about starting with an exercise that is
challenging for you, and working on it until
you master it -- and then progressing to a
more difficult exercise -- and mastering that
one -- and then tackling an even harder
exercise.
In most exercises, you do anywhere from five
to ten reps.
That's hard work -- demanding and challenging --
and it builds plenty of strength and muscle.
So that's the answer to question number one.
Now let's tackle question number two.
Can you combine Dinosaur bodyweight training
with Dino-style barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell
work?
Of course you can!
Many of the old-timers used to do plenty of
advanced bodyweight exercises -- as well as
plenty of barbell, dumbbell and kettlebell
training.
Many of the top lifters "back in the day" were
skilled gymnasts and terrific hand-balancers.
Sig Klein was an example. So was Otto Arco.
So was John Grimek. So was John Davis. So was
Doug Hepburn. And they all did okay!
The way to combine bodyweight work and weight
work is to put them together into a schedule
that allows you train hard on both without
over-training.
The classic mistake is to try to do weight
training three times a week and do bodyweight
work on your "off days." When you do that,
you don't have any off days. You end up
training every day -- and before you
know it, your gains come to a screeching
halt.
Why?
Because you over-trained.
Instead of weights one day and bodyweight work
the next, try this:
Weights day
Rest day
Bodyweight day
Weights day
Rest day
Etc.
OR -- try replacing some but not all of your
weight training exercises with a bodyweight
exercise for the same muscle groups. That way,
you can get the benefits of both training
methods without overdoing things.
OR -- do two weight training workouts each week --
and one all bodyweight day. Or reverse it -- and
do two bodyweight workouts and one weight training
workout.
Anyhow, those are the questions of the day -- and
my answers to them. Hope it helps!
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 the very best in old-school bodyweight
training, grab a copy of Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and my Dinosaur
Training DVD's -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "It's easy to make simple
things complicated. What's hard is to make complicated
things simple." -- Brooks Kubik
