Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I found an interesting workout in an
old copy of VIGOUR, an English magazine
for physical culture and lifting fans.
This one dates back to 1949. The author
was physical training coach and author
David Martin.
It's a special program designed to build
something important:
ENERGY!
You warm-up by doing some slow, easy, total
body stretches. Martin recommended the "Surya
Namaskar" from yoga practice. Google for it.
Maertin also noted that his lifting club
trained in a school cafeteria, and so the
weights were put up during the day and had
to be put back out for training - which was,
he thought, pretty much an ideal warm-up!
Here's the program:
1. Two hands SIMULTANEOUS dumbbell curl --
1 x 10 reps
2. Barbell press on back with half bridge,
i.e., a floor press with a shoulder bridge
(not a neck bridge) -- 1 x 10 reps
3. The clean from the hang -- performed in
split style or power style, as you prefer --
1 x 8 to 10 reps
4. Parallel dips 1 x 10
Note: Not a favorite exercise of mine, but
Martin liked it, so here it is. Weighted
pushups or any pushup variation from
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training would work
fine here.
5. One hand snatch with barbell or dumbbell --
1 x 5 reps per arm.
Note: Lift with one arm, lower with two. See
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training for details on how
to perform the lift.
6. Squats -- 1 x 10
7. Light breathing pullovers -- 1 x 10
Now, here's the fun part.
You go through all seven exercises one after
the other -- and then you rest -- and then
you do it again. And then you repeat the
process a third time.
In other words, you do three circuits of
seven exercises per circuit.
If you have enough equipment, you can set
everything up and do the whole program in
non-stop fashion, like circuit training or
a PHA program.
Otherwise, just move from exercise to exercise,
taking only enough time to change the weights
and set up the next exercise.
The idea is to get the blood moving -- to get
you breathing hard -- and to energize your
body.
This was a common method of training "back in
the day." Think of it as 10% pure iron cardio
training, similar to the cardio programs for
lifters that I outline in Gray Hair and Black
Iron.
Good stuff. Worlds removed from the typical
muscle pumper nonsense and the "Spot me, bro!"
silliness you see most people doing.
Energy training. It's good for you. Give it a
try.
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. I mentioned Dinosaur Bodyweight Training,
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training and Gray Hair and Black
Iron. You can find them right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
P.S. 2. My other books, courses and Dinosaur Training
DVD's are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "The right kind of
training builds strength, health and energy. Don't
settle for anything less." -- Brooks Kubik
