Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Several people have asked me about my
best lifts, as in "What's your best
squat?" or "What's your best deadlift?"
Whenever I get the same question or
the same sort of question from several
Dinos, it means that ten thousand others
have the same question -- so I thought
I'd answer it in an email.
I also thought I'd give you some best
lifts from as far back as high school.
Everything is with a barbell unless
otherwise noted. All wts are in pounds.
Age 11 -- seventh grade (beginner)
Squat, press, bench press 40 pounds
At some point, I hit my first big
lifting goal -- 65 lbs in the BP.
That was cool because I could use
those GIGANTIC black iron 25 lb.
exercise plates!
Not long after, I made my first
memorable miss -- dumping 95 lbs.
forward and over my head (cracking
the floor tiles) on a set of squats.
Ouch! I got in big trouble over
that one.
Age 14 -- freshman in high school
BP 270 on Universal Gym BP unit
clean and press 135 (barbell)
Age 15 -- sophomore in HS:
bench press 225
squat 250
DL 320
Age 19 -- sophomore in college
clean and jerk 225
Age 19 or 20 --
BP 320 (using some awesome homemade
concrete plates that weighed 75 pounds
apiece)
Age 21:
bench press 350
Age 25
BP 315 x 5, 335 x 3, 355 x 1
In my 30's, after discovering Dino
style abbreviated training and doing
plenty of heavy power rack training,
bottom position bench press, bottom
position squats, thick bar training,
etc. -- as detailed in DINOSAUR TRAINING
and in STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND POWER:
bench press -- 407 (paused, in National
competition)
bottom position bench with 3" thick bar
(in the power rack) -- 435 or 440
DL -- 550 or 555
Squat -- 605
BB curl 185 x 5 reps
seated high incline press (80 degree
incline, starting from the chest) -- 320
clean and press 275
push press 320
one-hand deadlift 435 using a McDonald
BP bar -- 405 using a 1 3/8 inch cambered
bar
DB BP (starting from the bottom) -- 180
lb. DB's, just missed a pair of 200's
one-hand DB deadlift -- 300 lb. DB
two-DB DL -- 200 pounders
two-DB clean and press -- 126 lb. DB's
two-DB clean and push press -- 126 lb.
DB's
one-hand DB swing -- 151 lb. DB
thick-handled DB swing -- 131 lb. DB
one-hand DB clean and push press -- 151
lb. DB
Note: You can see some of the DB lifts on
my original DVD, THE LOST ART OF DUMBBELL
TRAINING:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
vertical bar lift, 2" thick handle -- 250
pliers lift -- 250
finger lifting -- one finger -- 200 lkbs.
finger lifting -- two fingers -- 300 lbs.
two-finger deadlifts -- 350
two-finger hand and thigh lift with 2.5"
thick bar -- 750 or 800
Note: Please don't run out and try maximum
weights in any of these exercises without
a reasonable period of training. Many of them,
such as finger lifts or two finger deadlifts,
require lots of training to toughen
and strengthen the tendons and ligaments.
In looking back over the years, what really
stands out is that I took a long time to
really put it all together and learn how to
train for serious strength and power.
The real key was to use Dino style
abbreviated training and divided workout
schedules rather than total body workouts
three times per week.
And 5 x 5 and heavy singles helped me
enormously -- as did the bottom position
work in the power rack. As noted, you
can read more about my training programs
and exercises in DINOSAUR TRAINING and
in STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND POWER.
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 grab DINOSAUR TRAINING and
STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND POWER right here at
Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Get strong, stay
strong, live strong." -- Brooks Kubik
