Dinosaur Training Advice

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I posted the following on my Facebook
page a few days ago, and it is getting
tons of LIKES and COMMENTS. So I thought
I should share it with everyone via
email:

DINOSAUR TRAINING ADVICE

"Do squats. Work them hard.

Do deadifts.

If you don't like deadlifts, do power
cleans power snatches and high pulls.

Do presses. Do all sorts of standing
overhead work.

Do bench presses and curls and rowing
and pullups.

Hit it hard and heavy, train progressively
and grow.

And have fun. Having fun is important."

And that pretty well sums it up -- especially
the part about having fun!

I'm hitting it hard and heavy out in the
garage tonight -- lots of heavy Olympic
lifting -- and I'm looking forward to it.

As always, thanks for reading. If you train
today, make it a good one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For details on exercises, sets, and reps,
try any of my books and courses:

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 2. Thought for the day: "The secret
is to surpass yourself." -- Brooks Kubik

A Tale of Two Lifters

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

There was a guy who wanted to build
bigger and stronger legs.

He looked for every exercise under
the sun.

High bar squats.

Low bar squats.

Zercher squats.

One legged squats.

Hack squats.

Sissy squats.

Leg presses.

Leg extensions.

Leg curls.

Extra leg extensions because they're so
good for you.

Front squats. (Boobybuilder style.)

Reverse squats.

Monkey squats.

Bulgarian style triple drop TUT Pseudo-
Intensity squats.

Bunny squats.

Hawaiian squats.

Bermuda squats.

Bigfoot squats -- half man, half ape,
half squat.

Reverse Vector Mega-Neolithic Commando
Bear Hypertrophy squats.

Chrome and fern smith machine weasel style
leg blasters.

Glute busters.

Glute blasters.

I saw it on YourTube style idiot squats.

One legged stability ball squats while
wearing roller skates.

And he never got anywhere.

Another guy wanted to build bigger and
stronger legs.

He did squats.

He worked on doing them RIGHT -- and he
worked on adding weight to the bar --
and when he did them, he worked hard.

And he did pretty darn good.

It's a tale of two lifters -- and it
applies to every lifter under the sun --
and to every exercise under the sun.

So which one are YOU?

The guy who tried everything and got
nothing?

Or the guy who tried one thing --
and did it the right way -- and got
great results from his training?

The choice is yours.

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. If you want to learn how to do
the right kind of dumbbell training,
grab this:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

P.S. 2. For the best in strength training
and muscle building grab these:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Concentrate on one
exercise. Learn it, perfect it, and work it into
the ground. Then do the same with another exercise."
-- Brooks Kubik

Good Food, Good Lifting

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

It's wintertime, and Trudi's been doing
some back to basics wintertime cooking.

Lots of thick homemade soups and stews.

For example:

Dinosaur Beef Soup.

She starts with a couple of beef bones
from the Farmer's Market.

They're from a local farmer who raises
free range beef.

She simmers them forever.

Throws them in the pot, turns the heat
on low, and tells me to go hit the iron.

So I go out to the garage and hit some
snatches and clean and jerks.

Meanwhile, she roasts some garlic, adds
it to the broth -- grills some onions --
adds them to the broth -- and throws in all
sorts of other veggies: carrots, celery,
celeriac, parsnips, mushrooms, tomatoes,
turnips, rutabagas, chard, kale, spinach,
assorted other greens, fresh herbs, sweet
potatoes, butternut squash, and who knows
what else -- and lets it simmer and
simmer until the fresh taste and the
goodness are ready to explode.

I finish my workout, lock up the garage
and go back into the house.

"Is it ready?" I ask.

She shakes her head.

"I'm going to cook it on low for awhile,"
she says. "Eat something else."

So I make do with a gigantic five-egg
omelet thingie with bacon and cheese and
every vegetable under the sun worked into
it.

The only thing it doesn't have is watermelon.

Watermelon wouldn't work in an omelet.

Meanwhile, Trudi cooks the soup over night.
She even adds some extra garlic -- and some
more veggies -- and some awesome smelling
spices.

Our cats refuse to go outside for the
night because the soup smells so good. 

The next day, I ask if the soup is for
dinner.

She shakes her head.

"No, it needs more time."

I make due with pork tenderloin, fresh
Brussels sprouts and some other veggies.

The next night, I ask about the soup.

"Are you lifting?" she asks.

I nod my head.

"Of course I am."

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"Nothing but squats."

"Well, do them right and you might get
some soup."

It's a challenge.

I dress for battle, go out to the garage,
warm up, and spend the next 45 minutes on
some serious squatting.

I go back inside, covered with chalk and
dripping with sweat.

"How was your workout?" she asks.

"It was good," I say.

"That's nice," she says. "How would you
like some soup?"

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you want to earn some serious good
cooking, try one of these:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and DVD's --
are right here:

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Good food, good
lifting, great results." Brooks Kubik

Beeping Cell Phone, Talking Barbell

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!

"What the heck?" I thought.

I reached into my briefcase.

Pulled out my cell phone.

The thing was beeping at me.

I looked at the screen.

"RECHARGE NOW!" it said.

When a cell phone demands to be
recharged, there's only one thing
to do.

You recharge the little monster.
It's the only way to shut it up.

But it got me thinking -- what if
other things in life were programmed
to tel you what to do.

Your lifting shoes:

"Put me on, lace me up and start
lifting!"

Any power rack:

"No, no, no! Don't use me for curls.
Use me for squats!"

Any Smith Machine:

"Only use me if you're a fool."

Your barbell:

"Time to train, dude."

Your knife, fork, and plate:

"Steak and veggies? Nice!"

Your local farmer's market:

"Hey, you like real food, too!"

Your lifting platform:

"Go heavy tonight -- it's more fun!"

Any decent book on strength training:

"Read me!"

Your morning cup of coffee:

"Today's a training day! Have a second
cup on me!"

Actually, that's how I started the day --
with that second cup of coffee.

Because today was a training day -- and
training days are the best days of the
week.

As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, do it Dino
style -- and make it a good one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Here's one for the older lifters --
and for everyone who plans on being an older
lifter someday:

http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and my
DVD's, sweatshirts, t-shirts and muscle shirts --
are right here:

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "If barbells could
talk, they'd say LIFT ME!" -- Brooks Kubik

Ax, Saw, Shovel and Power Rack!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Three men decided to work together
to build a cabin way out in the
wilderness.

They had three tools:

1. an ax

2. a saw

3. a shovel

One man took the ax and began digging
the foundation for the cabin.

The second man took the saw and began
trying to cut granite rocks for the
chimney.

The third man took the shovel and tried
to chop down a small tree.

Needless to say, they didn't get very
far. Not because they had the wrong
equipment -- but because they didn't
know how to use it.

And you see the very same thing in physical
training. Lots of gyms have great equipment,
but most people have no idea how to use it
for maximum results.

Take the power rack.

At most gyms, the power rack's primary
use is a towel rack or a curling rack.

If it's ever used for squats, it's used
for quarter squats.

And that's a shame, because the right
kind of power rack training can turn you
into a human Hercules -- and do it FAST!

It's also a GREAT way to train squats and
bench presses alone, in perfect safety. You
set the bottom pins to stop the bar at the
lowest part of the movement, and there you
are. Safe benching and safe squatting.

And from there, you can take your rack work
to the next level -- with bottom position
bench presses and bottom position squats.

Or by doing what Peary Rader called "iso-
metronic" rack work.

I cover power rack training in detail in
STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND POWER --
and give you plenty of detailed, step by
step training programs.

I also cover plenty of other strength and
power builders: rest pause training, heavy
singles, special grip exercises, tendon and
ligament training, specialization programs,
sensible training for advanced lifters, how
to design an effective training program,
and much more.

The only thing it doesn't cover is how to
use an ax, a saw and a shovel. But you can't
put everything in one book -- and I like to
think that those three cabin builders
eventually worked it out on their own.

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. Go here to grab your copy of STRENGTH,
MUSCLE AND POWER:

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: "Train like a
craftsman; honor your tools." -- Brooks Kubik 

An Effective Training Program

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Several readers have asked me for more
information on abbreviated workouts,
so I thought I'd share a very effective
program I used 20 years ago with GREAT
results.

Tues

1. Bottom position bench press in the
power rack -- 5 to 7 progressively
heavier singles

2. Pull-downs to the chest 5 x 5

Thurs

1. Deadlift or deadlift from the knees
in the power rack -- 5 progressively
heavier singles or 5 x 5

2. Seated press on an 80 degree incline
bench, in the rack, starting from the
bottom position -- 5 to 7 x 1

Sun

1. Bottom position squats in the power
rack -- 5 to 7 progressively heavier
singles

2. Barbell curl (using a heavy duty EZ
curl manufactured by Eleiko -- no longer
made, which is a shame) -- 4  or 5 x 5

Each workout took about 45 to 60 minutes,
so my total weekly training time was well
under three hours.

Not a lot of work, and not a lot of
volume -- but I gained over 40 pounds of
muscle on that and similar programs, and
I built enough strength and power to win
state and regional powerlifting contests
and five National championships in the
bench press (in the submaster's class,
first at 198 pounds and later at 220
pounds). And I set a number of state,
regional, National and even World age
group records in the bench press.

Of course, every workout was hard and
heavy, with lots of concentration and
visualization. There was steam coming
out of my ears and smoke coming off the
bar on the heavy sets.

Anyhow, that's an example of an effective
training program. Feel free to give it a
try -- or to put together a similar workout
with different exercises. The key point is
to stick to the basics -- train hard and
heavy -- and add weight whenever you can.

As always, thanks for rerading 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 bottom position
exercises in the power rack, single rep training,
and the all-important mental aspects of strength
training, see STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND POWER and
DINOSAUR TRAINING:

http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at the Dino Store:

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Stop looking for the
PERFECT program and train hard on a GOOD program!"
-- Brooks Kubik

How to Train on a Time Budget!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Lots of readers love to train, but
they're crunched for time.

So the question becomes, how do you
get a great workout in a limited
amount of time?

Here's how I do it.

1. Start with a warm-up. Ten minutes
of gentle stretching and some simple
mobility drills. Work all the joints,
and pay extra attention to areas
you'll be training or areas that are
extra tight.

If you have Indian clubs, use them as
part of your warmup.

2. Now do one or two primary exercises.
Squats, front squats, deadlifts, Trap
Bar deadlifts, presses, push presses,
pull-ups, bench presses, power cleans,
power snatches, power clean and press,
power clean and push press or your
choice of any of the heavy duty
dumbbell exercises featured in
my book, Dinosaur Dumbbell Training.

Sets and reps are up to you. I prefer
multiple sets of low reps or multiple
sets of singles. You might enjoy that
approach, or you might prefer higher
reps. Do what you prefer -- and what
works for YOU!

3. Finish up with gut, grip and neck
work. One or two sets of each.

That's it. You're done -- and your
workout probably took 30 to 45 minutes,
including warmups.

Train two or three times a week, and mix
things up. Do different primary exercises
in each workout. For example, squats on
Mon, presses on Wed and deadlifts on
Friday.

No time to train?

I don't think so!

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 specific workouts, grab a copy of
Chalk and Sweat:

http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here -- take a look and see what you need to
complete your Dinosaur Library:

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "You can't make
time, but you can use it wisely." -- Brooks
Kubik

Old-School Training for Big Gains!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Here's an open letter to anyone and
everyone who's trying to pack on strength
and muscle mass:

Building strength and mass is easy. You
just have to do it the right way.

You have to focus on progression.

Adding weight to the bar.

And you do it in small increments -- and
on a regular basis.

One pound per week!

That may not sound like much, but it can
literally transform your physique.

If you add one pound per week to each
of your primary exercises, you finish
the year lifting 50 pounds more in ever
major movement.

If you do that for two years, you end
up lifting 100 pounds more in each of
the big exercises.

Squats or front squats.

Deadlifts or Trap Bar deadlifts.

Bench press.

Military press or push press.

Power clean, power snatch, clean grip
high pulls or snatch grip high pulls.

Barbell bent-over rowing or weighted
pullups.

Of course, if you gained that kind of
strength, you'd gain plenty of muscle,
as well. In fact, when you finished the
first year, your friends probably
wouldn't recognize you.

You'd be at least 20 pound heavier at
the end of the first year (and perhaps
30 or 40 pounds heavier). And it would
solid muscle.

You'd look like an athlete, you'd
move like an athlete, and you'd lift like
an athlete.

And you'd get there on short, simple, basic
workouts. Abbreviated workouts. The kind I
detail in all of my books and courses.

Anyhow, the New Year is here. It's a great
time to get started on sane and sensible
training -- and a great time to start adding
weight to the bar.

It's a simple formula. Train, rest repeat --
and add small amounts of weight on a regular
basis. Stay at it long enough to let the
little gains become big gains.

It's classic old-school training -- and it's
amazingly effective. Give it a try -- and see
for yourself!

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 specific training programs, grab
Chalk and Sweat and Strength, Muscle and Power:

http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.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: "Don't ask whether
it will work. Try it and see!" -- Brooks Kubik

Winter Training, Dino Style!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

It's been cold down here at Dino Headquarters.

The garage has been an ice box.

I've been wearing double sweats for my workouts.

Cranking the heater up to triple full blast.

The bar's been a slab of ice.

It's taken an extra 30 minutes to warm up.

And I've been loving every minute of it.

Winter workouts are great.

You dress in layers -- wear a hat -- and do
plenty of extra warmups.

You bring a thermos of hot tea out to the
garage.

You start light, do plenty of warm-ups, and
gradually start to add weight to the bar.

At first, you think you're crazy for even
giving it a try.

Then you think it's taking a long time to
get into it.

Then you think, "Wow, how did it get so hot in
here?'

And at that point, you're too busy squatting,
pushing and pulling to think about anything.

So you just go into auto pilot -- and you
LIFT -- and you have a great workout.

Too cold to train?

Not hardly!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Here's how to get it done:

a. For maximum strength, muscle and power:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html

b. For older trainees:

http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html

c. For old-school bodyweight workouts:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html

d. For old-school dumbbell training:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

e. For building big, strong and powerful arms:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html

f. For pressing power and shoulder development:

http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html

P.S. 2  Thought for the Day: "There's something about
training out in the garage in the wintertime. Not sure
what it is -- but it's something special."
-- Brooks Kubik

Crash and Burn Time!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

The start of the year is Crash and
Burn time.

Everyone gets all gung ho about
building a great physique in world
record time -- or gaining 50 pounds
of muscle in the next 30 days --
or losing 50 pounds of Lard Lumps
in the same period -- or adding 200
pounds to all of their lifts in the
same period. And some people want
to do all of the above!

So they go on the latest super duper
maximum intensity supreme insanity
train until you drop and always carry
a puke basket workout -- and they do
it every day -- and they go like gang
busters.

And for awhile, it's just flat out
amazing.

You never saw so many people working
so hard and so long and so often.

That's for the first week or two.

Then comes the Crash and Burn.

Whop.

Splat.

Flames.

Not good.

And that's what always happens with the
super programs, the wonder workouts and
the miracle systems.

There's a much better way to do it.

It's called "Setting Realistic but
Challenging Goals and Training on
Sane, Sensible, Abbreviated Workouts
to Make Them Happen."

You've probably heard about it. If not,
you can read about it in any of my books
and courses.

It's been working well for well over a
century -- and it will keep on working
well long after the pseudo systems and
the high tech space age miracle programs
are long forgotten.

Welcome to 2013 -- and Hail to the
Dinosaurs!

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 older trainees, Gray Hair and Black
Iron is the best book available to avoid the
crash and burn thing -- and to get great
results from your training:

http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html

P.S. 2. Chalk and Sweat will give you 50
great workouts for real world training --
and great results!

http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html

P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right
here -- which ones are you missing?

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 4. Thought for the day: "The number one
rule in travel is to get there safely. Training
is the same." -- Brooks Kubik

Resolutions, Schmesolutions!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions.

I believe in setting goals -- and then
working relentlessly to achieve them.

I also believe in setting goals that are
objective and measurable. Don't say, "I
want to get strong." Say, "I want to
press 200 pounds, bench press 300 pounds,
squat 400 pounds and deadlift 500 pounds."

Don't say, "I want to get in shape." Say,
"I want to lose 20 pounds of flab -- and
gain 20 pounds of muscle."

Or whatever. You get the idea.

I also believe in goals that cover the
entire year (or longer) and that you can
break down into a series of smaller
sub-goals.

For example, you might set a goal of
adding 50 pounds to your press and your
bench press, and 100 pounds to your squat
and deadlift, over the course of the
coming year.

You have 52 weeks to get it done -- so
that's a gain of one pound a week on the
press and the bench press, and two pounds
a week on the squat and deadlift.

Or, if you prefer, it's a monthly gain
of 4 pounds on the press and bench
press -- and 8 pounds on the squat
and deadlift.

Gaining weight or losing weight is the
very same way. Set a goal for the entire
year, and then break it into months and
weeks.

The sub-goals are important because they
help keep you on track. And they help keep
you motivated. Every time you achieve a
sub-goal, you achieve success, Over time,
success becomes a habit. Your confidence
soars. And that makes you train harder
than ever. It becomes a cycle of constant
positive re-enforcement. Powerful stuff.

As far as workouts go, you'll find them
in my books and courses. Dinosaur
Training -- Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training -- Strength, Muscle and Power --
Chalk and Sweat -- Gray Hair and Black
Iron -- Dinosaur Dumbbell Training --
and the rest of them.

So make the most of the new year. Set
goals -- and work relentlessly to achieve
them!

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. My Dinosaur Training are right here at
Dino Headquarters -- and they're the Royal
Road to Might and Muscle!

http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Imagine the
impossible, and then work to achieve it."
-- Brooks Kubik


P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Imagine the
impossible, and then work to achieve it."
-- Brooks Kubik