Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Before we get to today's training topic, let
me share a link to my most recent interview
on Eric Fiorillo's Motivation and Muscle Podcast
Show. Eric and I talk sets, reps and real world
training:
http://www.fiorillobarbellco.com/podcast-motivation-muscle-podcast-show-welcomes-brooks-kubik-broadcast-2/
Good stuff -- I think you'll enjoy it.
On the training front, there have been some
interesting studies showing that exercise is
of enormous benefit for the brain and the
nervous system as well as the muscles.
Which is something that I've been saying for
many years -- and something that the founding
fathers of physical culture all knew and
understood. George F. Jowett, for example,
often wrote about this phenomenon.
Some of the recent research shows that
regular exercise may help reduce the risk
of developing Alzheimer's. In other words,
exercise keeps your mind sharp as you grow
older.
That's true for many reasons, and one of them
involves the mind-muscle link.
When you train with deep concentration and
intense focus, you link your muscles and your
brain -- which means you are using and
strengthening your nervous system. The
nervous system is the link between your
mind and your muscles.
Training with that kind of mental focus is the
very best way to build strength and muscle.
But it's also a very good way -- perhaps the
best way -- to keep your brain and your
nervous system healthy and strong.
And remember, the studies that show a
beneficial effect on brain health from physical
training usually involve very simple forms of
training -- often with exercise machines and
very modest resistance -- and often with
previously untrained or minimally skilled
subjects.
Imagine the results of a study that looked at
brain health for older trainees who train Dino
style -- using basic, compound exercises, and
the kind of set/rep schemes I detail in Gray Hair
and Black Iron or my other books and courses.
Or imagine a study looking at brain health for
Masters' level weightlifters or powerlifters --
or any Master's age athlete.
This is one of the reasons I do so much weightlifting
now. The snatch and the clean and jerk require
tremendous focus and concentration. They are
athletic movements -- more like gymnastics with
a barbell than anything else.
And remember, when you perform a squat or
split style snatch or clean, you pull the bar UP
in a very precise and controlled movement
that involves split-second timing, total
body coordination and shifting but always
perfect balance.
And then you reverse direction -- and as the bar
continues to go UP, you pull your body DOWN
and under it.
You literally jump under the upward moving
bar -- pulling yourself DOWN by pulling on
the bar.
That's a very unusual movement. I can't think
of anything in sports where you exert maximum
force UP and then move DOWN to catch the
implement you are handling. You don't throw
and catch a shot -- or a discus -- or a hammer --
but you throw and catch a barbell.
And because it's such an unusual and complex
movement -- and happens so fast --I believe it
trains the heck out of the nervous system, the
motor pathways, and the brain -- as well as the
muscles.
I can't cite you to any research on the effect
of Olympic lifting on an older trainee's brain and
nervous system, but I have to believe it's pretty
darn good.
Of course, you do NOT need to do snatches and
cleans to help exercise and strengthen your
brain and your nervous system. Any type of
Dino-style training will help.
The point is, make your training an important part
of your life -- starting now -- and keep it up for as
long as you live. It's the best thing in the world for
your body -- and the best thing in the world for
your brain.
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 more about how to train for lifelong
strength and health, grab a copy of Gray Hair
and Black Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. A healthy diet is another key factor in
lifelong strength and health -- and I cover the
topic in detail in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Your mind and your body
are one. Strengthen one, and you strengthen the
other." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************
A Great New Thick Handled Barbell for Dinos!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I've been getting great feedback in response to
my earlier email asking whether you'd like to see
photos and classified ads in the new quarterly
Dinosaur Files - so THANK YOU to everyone who
shot in a reply.
If you didn't reply yet, and you have a chance
now or later on, please do so. It's very helpful
to get your thoughts and feedback.
In other news, my buddy John Wood has
released a great new thick handled barbell.
And you KNOW that I'm a big fan of training
with thick handled barbells!
Go here to take a look at the little monster:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/gripblog/new-thick-bar-images/
I like it. So would King Kong. And I think
you'll like it, too -- and like what it does for
your gripping power and forearm development.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. I cover thick bar training in detail in Dinosaur
Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and Development,
and in Strength, Muscle and Power:
a. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and
Development
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
b. 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
Thought for the Day: "Build your grip. You'll be
glad you did." -- Brooks Kubik
**************************************************
*
I've been getting great feedback in response to
my earlier email asking whether you'd like to see
photos and classified ads in the new quarterly
Dinosaur Files - so THANK YOU to everyone who
shot in a reply.
If you didn't reply yet, and you have a chance
now or later on, please do so. It's very helpful
to get your thoughts and feedback.
In other news, my buddy John Wood has
released a great new thick handled barbell.
And you KNOW that I'm a big fan of training
with thick handled barbells!
Go here to take a look at the little monster:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/gripblog/new-thick-bar-images/
I like it. So would King Kong. And I think
you'll like it, too -- and like what it does for
your gripping power and forearm development.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. I cover thick bar training in detail in Dinosaur
Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and Development,
and in Strength, Muscle and Power:
a. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and
Development
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
b. 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
Thought for the Day: "Build your grip. You'll be
glad you did." -- Brooks Kubik
**************************************************
*
Two Questions re: the New Quarterly Dinosaur Files
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I'm finishing up the first issue of the new quarterly
Dinosaur Files -- which is looking great -- and I'm
also working on the order page for the little monster.
It's going to be BIG -- the same size as my Dinosaur
Training courses -- e.g., the Doug Hepburn Training
Course, Dinosaur Arms, the Dinosaur Military Press
and Shoulder Power Course, and the John Grimek
Training Course. So it's about two or three times
as big as the monthly Dinosaur Files -- which
means that every issue is going to be quite a
treat for you.
Sort of like having Christmas four times a year.
In the meantime, I have two questions for you.
1. Photos -- Yes or No?
When I did a monthly Dinosaur Files from 1997 to
2002, we did not use photos, although we did have
a few line drawings, including some Bosco
drawings.
Those were pretty popular. Joe Weider was one of
the original subscribers, and he called me one day
and talked about how much he enjoyed the Files,
and mentioned the Bosco art work and how it
brought back good memories -- which was funny,
given Harry's scathing comments during the
infamous Hoffman-Weider feud.
When we did a monthly Dinosaur Files in 2010
and 2011, we included photos.
Some readers liked photos -- others did not. They
preferred more written material. More training
articles, etc.
So question number one is -- do you want to
see photos in the new quarterly Dinosaur Files?
If you do, would you prefer photos of old-timers,
exercise photos (as in, "how to do it" photos), or
photos of your fellow Dinosaurs? Or all three?
Shoot me an email and let me know.
2. Classified Ads -- Yes or No?
Question number two relates to classified ads.
I'm thinking about doing a new special section for
classified ads featuring things that Dinos would
find interesting -- such as training equipment,
books, courses, collectables, etc. Or info about
Dino-style gyms, podcasts, or whatever the
Dinos might like.
Peary Rader used to run a special section for
classifieds in the old Iron Man, and it was
always great fun to read through it. It
was even more fun than flipping through
the Sears catalog to make your wish list
for Christmas.
I'm looking at an issue of IronMan from when
I was a kid. Across from a page that features
lifting results (Ken Patera won the Oregon
State Powerlifting Championships in the SHW
class with a 465 bench, 700 squat and 585
DL for a 1750 total), you see the classifieds.
They included half a dozen ads for lists of old
books, courses and magazines -- all of which
I remember sending for. Interestingly, several
of the ads are from men who later purchased
books or courses from me!
Chester Teegarden had an ad for 200 kilo
Russian Weightlifting sets. I wish I had bought
one of those.
There were ads for protein supplements. I
actually ordered a few of them. (The Russian
Weightlifting sets would have been a better
buy. The supplements all tasted terrible, and
none of them helped me gain an ounce of
muscle.)
For a mere 134.5 clams, I could have grabbed
a 500 pound Jackson Barbell set. Wish I had
done that, too. Would have been one of the
best investments of my life.
Carl Miller offered a specially designed lifting
belt. That also would have been a good buy.
And it's funny, because I met Carl many years
later, and he has several of my books, and I
have several of his, and we correspond old-
school style -- by letter (ink on paper).
And here's a good one:
"STEVE REEVES, large unpublished pic, plus
routine and details of exactly how he trained."
The cost of that little gem?
One clam.
Wish I had ordered it. It might have been my
ticket to fame and fortune. Mr. America, the
movies, a Swiss chateau -- the works. Just
like Steve Reeves.
Or maybe not. There was only one Steve
Reeves. Oh, well. It still would have been
worth one clam.
Anyhow, the classifieds were fun, and it might
be good to bring them back.
And that's the second question.
Classifieds -- yes or no? Let me know what you
think.
I'll sign off for now, and wait for your replies.
Remember, the Dinosaur Files is YOUR training
magazine, so your feedback is very important.
Let me hear from you.
In the meantime, and 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. The pre-publication special for my new book, Knife,
Fork, Muscle, is winding down. To reserve a copy and
the special pre-publication bonuses, go here:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "A day without
reading is a wasted day. So is a day without
training -- unless it's a rest day." -- Brooks Kubik
****************************************
*
I'm finishing up the first issue of the new quarterly
Dinosaur Files -- which is looking great -- and I'm
also working on the order page for the little monster.
It's going to be BIG -- the same size as my Dinosaur
Training courses -- e.g., the Doug Hepburn Training
Course, Dinosaur Arms, the Dinosaur Military Press
and Shoulder Power Course, and the John Grimek
Training Course. So it's about two or three times
as big as the monthly Dinosaur Files -- which
means that every issue is going to be quite a
treat for you.
Sort of like having Christmas four times a year.
In the meantime, I have two questions for you.
1. Photos -- Yes or No?
When I did a monthly Dinosaur Files from 1997 to
2002, we did not use photos, although we did have
a few line drawings, including some Bosco
drawings.
Those were pretty popular. Joe Weider was one of
the original subscribers, and he called me one day
and talked about how much he enjoyed the Files,
and mentioned the Bosco art work and how it
brought back good memories -- which was funny,
given Harry's scathing comments during the
infamous Hoffman-Weider feud.
When we did a monthly Dinosaur Files in 2010
and 2011, we included photos.
Some readers liked photos -- others did not. They
preferred more written material. More training
articles, etc.
So question number one is -- do you want to
see photos in the new quarterly Dinosaur Files?
If you do, would you prefer photos of old-timers,
exercise photos (as in, "how to do it" photos), or
photos of your fellow Dinosaurs? Or all three?
Shoot me an email and let me know.
2. Classified Ads -- Yes or No?
Question number two relates to classified ads.
I'm thinking about doing a new special section for
classified ads featuring things that Dinos would
find interesting -- such as training equipment,
books, courses, collectables, etc. Or info about
Dino-style gyms, podcasts, or whatever the
Dinos might like.
Peary Rader used to run a special section for
classifieds in the old Iron Man, and it was
always great fun to read through it. It
was even more fun than flipping through
the Sears catalog to make your wish list
for Christmas.
I'm looking at an issue of IronMan from when
I was a kid. Across from a page that features
lifting results (Ken Patera won the Oregon
State Powerlifting Championships in the SHW
class with a 465 bench, 700 squat and 585
DL for a 1750 total), you see the classifieds.
They included half a dozen ads for lists of old
books, courses and magazines -- all of which
I remember sending for. Interestingly, several
of the ads are from men who later purchased
books or courses from me!
Chester Teegarden had an ad for 200 kilo
Russian Weightlifting sets. I wish I had bought
one of those.
There were ads for protein supplements. I
actually ordered a few of them. (The Russian
Weightlifting sets would have been a better
buy. The supplements all tasted terrible, and
none of them helped me gain an ounce of
muscle.)
For a mere 134.5 clams, I could have grabbed
a 500 pound Jackson Barbell set. Wish I had
done that, too. Would have been one of the
best investments of my life.
Carl Miller offered a specially designed lifting
belt. That also would have been a good buy.
And it's funny, because I met Carl many years
later, and he has several of my books, and I
have several of his, and we correspond old-
school style -- by letter (ink on paper).
And here's a good one:
"STEVE REEVES, large unpublished pic, plus
routine and details of exactly how he trained."
The cost of that little gem?
One clam.
Wish I had ordered it. It might have been my
ticket to fame and fortune. Mr. America, the
movies, a Swiss chateau -- the works. Just
like Steve Reeves.
Or maybe not. There was only one Steve
Reeves. Oh, well. It still would have been
worth one clam.
Anyhow, the classifieds were fun, and it might
be good to bring them back.
And that's the second question.
Classifieds -- yes or no? Let me know what you
think.
I'll sign off for now, and wait for your replies.
Remember, the Dinosaur Files is YOUR training
magazine, so your feedback is very important.
Let me hear from you.
In the meantime, and 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. The pre-publication special for my new book, Knife,
Fork, Muscle, is winding down. To reserve a copy and
the special pre-publication bonuses, go here:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "A day without
reading is a wasted day. So is a day without
training -- unless it's a rest day." -- Brooks Kubik
****************************************
*
Life and Lifting Lessons from Paul McCartney
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
This email is coming to you a little late because we had
a late night last night -- at a Paul McCartney concert.
He was in Louisville for the first time in 50 years --
not since the Beatles' first American tour.
Playing to a packed house at our biggest downtown
venue.
We were there with guest passes. Our daughter's
boyfriend is in the music business, and he knows
a guy who is on tour with McCartney -- and so we
ended up with some complimentary tickets for
seats almost close enough to reach out and touch
the stage.
It was a belated birthday present for Trudi -- and
pretty much the best birthday present of her life.
Trudi has been a huge Beatles fan for almost her
entire life. She missed the first American tour --
so this was something she had been waiting for
for a very long time.
And so, it seemed, did the rest of the crowd. I
don't think there has been a happier, more
appreciative and more enthusiastic crowd in
the history of music.
And that brings me to some thoughts about life
and lifting -- thoughts that occured to me as I
watched a very fit, very energetic 72-year old
legend blast his way through 39 songs over the
course of a three-hour concert.
With no breaks.
That's right. It was three hours of music. With
no breaks.
They played 39 songs -- all of them big hits that
we all know and love -- and they played them
virtually non-stop for three hours -- and came
back for two multi-song encores.
And this included some high-powered vocals --
"Back in the USSR" and "Band on the Run"
and many more. Along with softer music like
"Eleanor Rigby" and "Hey, Jude."
McCartney played the piano, the guitar and the
ukelele. In one set, he played the very same
Hofner Bass that he played in 1968 when the
Beatles recorded the "Let It Be" album. That
reminded me of Harry Paschall using the same
barbell for almost 50 years -- and lugging it
around the country as he moved from place to
place. (I wonder where that magic barbell is
today. In good hands, I hope.)
As I watched, I wondered how many 72-year
olds are still doing what they love -- and doing
it with the type of energy, exuberance and
passion -- and the excellence -- that Paul
McCartney demonstrated on stage last
night.
He didn't have to hit it like a man in his 20's
or 30's. He could have phoned it in. He could
have stepped on stage, smiled, and let his
living legend status carry him through 60
or 90 minutes of easy tunes.
But instead, he gave it everything he had --
and he smashed it.
Knocked it right out of the ball park.
There's a line from "Chariots of Fire." It goes
something like this:
"Where does the strength come from -- the
strength to finish the race? It comes from
within."
That's what we saw last night.
Strength from within.
It was a very important lesson -- a lesson about
what happens when you do what you love -- follow
your passion -- and keep giving 100% every day
of your life.
Most of all, it's a lesson about how to stay young.
It's an important lesson. Thanks for letting me
share it with you.
As always, have a great day. If you train today,
make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. The right kind of diet and nutrition -- and the
right kind of training -- will keep you young and
strong:
a. For the diet and nutrition piece, grab this:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
b. For the training piece, grab this:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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: "Think young, and keep
on lifting -- but lift smart!" -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************
This email is coming to you a little late because we had
a late night last night -- at a Paul McCartney concert.
He was in Louisville for the first time in 50 years --
not since the Beatles' first American tour.
Playing to a packed house at our biggest downtown
venue.
We were there with guest passes. Our daughter's
boyfriend is in the music business, and he knows
a guy who is on tour with McCartney -- and so we
ended up with some complimentary tickets for
seats almost close enough to reach out and touch
the stage.
It was a belated birthday present for Trudi -- and
pretty much the best birthday present of her life.
Trudi has been a huge Beatles fan for almost her
entire life. She missed the first American tour --
so this was something she had been waiting for
for a very long time.
And so, it seemed, did the rest of the crowd. I
don't think there has been a happier, more
appreciative and more enthusiastic crowd in
the history of music.
And that brings me to some thoughts about life
and lifting -- thoughts that occured to me as I
watched a very fit, very energetic 72-year old
legend blast his way through 39 songs over the
course of a three-hour concert.
With no breaks.
That's right. It was three hours of music. With
no breaks.
They played 39 songs -- all of them big hits that
we all know and love -- and they played them
virtually non-stop for three hours -- and came
back for two multi-song encores.
And this included some high-powered vocals --
"Back in the USSR" and "Band on the Run"
and many more. Along with softer music like
"Eleanor Rigby" and "Hey, Jude."
McCartney played the piano, the guitar and the
ukelele. In one set, he played the very same
Hofner Bass that he played in 1968 when the
Beatles recorded the "Let It Be" album. That
reminded me of Harry Paschall using the same
barbell for almost 50 years -- and lugging it
around the country as he moved from place to
place. (I wonder where that magic barbell is
today. In good hands, I hope.)
As I watched, I wondered how many 72-year
olds are still doing what they love -- and doing
it with the type of energy, exuberance and
passion -- and the excellence -- that Paul
McCartney demonstrated on stage last
night.
He didn't have to hit it like a man in his 20's
or 30's. He could have phoned it in. He could
have stepped on stage, smiled, and let his
living legend status carry him through 60
or 90 minutes of easy tunes.
But instead, he gave it everything he had --
and he smashed it.
Knocked it right out of the ball park.
There's a line from "Chariots of Fire." It goes
something like this:
"Where does the strength come from -- the
strength to finish the race? It comes from
within."
That's what we saw last night.
Strength from within.
It was a very important lesson -- a lesson about
what happens when you do what you love -- follow
your passion -- and keep giving 100% every day
of your life.
Most of all, it's a lesson about how to stay young.
It's an important lesson. Thanks for letting me
share it with you.
As always, have a great day. If you train today,
make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. The right kind of diet and nutrition -- and the
right kind of training -- will keep you young and
strong:
a. For the diet and nutrition piece, grab this:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
b. For the training piece, grab this:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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: "Think young, and keep
on lifting -- but lift smart!" -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************
New Shoulders In a Box (With an Important Update)
Hail to the Dinosaurs! I sent this email out earlier in the year, but I wanted to send it out again for two reasons. First, I recently got an email from a Dino who ordered the Top Squat and the Log Bar from John Wood, and says that they have really helped with some shoulder problems. (Which is something I hear fairly often.) Second -- I have heard through the grapevine that the Top Squat may not be available much longer, and if you want one, you should take immediate action. And since shoulders are important, I thought I should dust off this email and fire it on out to you. So here goes . . . We were talking about preserving and protecting your shoulders last week, and that reminded me of some things that are awfully good for them. They're tools that I use, and they're tools that many Dinos use -- particularly, many older Dinos. I've suggested them to readers before, and whenever I do, I always get emails a month or two later from someone who says, "Took your advice -- and it really helped." But they're also important tools for younger Dinos. If you start using them NOW, your shoulders will be in better shape when you're older. So here they are: 1. The Dave Draper Top Squat Many older trainees find it hard to hold onto a squat bar when they do back squats -- and some can't even get into position to do the movement. Their shoulders just aren't flexible enough. So they end up doing front squats or Trap Bar squats -- or skipping their leg work -- or doing second and third rate exercises like leg extensions or leg presses. Enter the Dave Draper Top Squat. This is a simple device that fits onto your barbell and allows you to hold the bar in position with your hands out to the front. You're tight, solid and in complete control -- and there's no problem getting into proper position, even if you have the tightest shoulders in the world. You can buy this direct from Dave Draper, or order it from John Wood (who sells the Top Squat under a license with Dave Draper). To order from Dave Draper: http://www.davedraper.com/top-squat.html To order from John Wood: http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/products/dave-drapers-top-squat-1 2. Indian Clubs Indian clubs are light (1 to 2 pound) wooden clubs that look a little like skinny bowling pins. They were popular in the 1880's, 1890's and early 1900's, and many of you my age can recall seeing them lying around a school gym or YMCA when you were young. You use them to perform a variety of shoulder exercises, using rotational movements and moving the shoulder joints through a wide range of motion. They're not a strength builder. They're a way to keep your shoulders loose, flexible and supple. Note that you do NOT need heavy clubs. You want them light. One pound clubs are plenty, and 1.5 pounders are also good. Two pound clubs are as heavy as I would recommend. I started to use them on the advice of Tommy Kono -- so you can say that this is a Gold Medal Training Tip -- coming from a two-time Olympic Gold Medal Winner and six-time World Champion. I use the clubs as a part of my regular warm-up in every workout, and they work GREAT. How great? Well, I'm 57, and I've had more than my share of shoulder problems - starting with a bad injury when I was a high school wrestler 40 years ago. But I can do squat snatches -- and that requires pretty darn flexible (and strong and health) shoulders. And the Indian clubs have helped me do it. I ordered my clubs from John Wood: http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/products/classic-wooden-indian-clubs So there you have it. Two unique tools to help preserve and protect your shoulders. Grab them now. It will be like getting new shoulders in a box. Yours in strength, Brooks Kubik P.S. I cover plenty of other tips about preserving and protecting your shoulders in Gray Hair and Black Iron and the Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder Power Course: http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.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: "Treat your shoulders right. They deserve it." -- Brooks Kubik
************************************************
Nutritional Insanity in the Iron Game
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Last week I answered a reader's question asking
if it was necessary to eat liver in order to build
strength and muscle.
Short answer: It's not.
That prompted a response by a Dino who's about
my age.
He remembered that "back in the day" he read that
a top bodybuilder was using a protein shake made
from raw liver and grape juice.
He ran to the store, bought some raw liver and grape
juice, took it home, mixed it up in the blender, and
poured himself a big glass of might and muscle.
Closed his eyes and thought how great it would be to
be strutting his stuff on the silver sand of fabled Muscle
Beach.
Repping out with Arnold at Gold's Gym.
Copping the big titles. Mr. A, Mr. U, Mr. O,
Mr. Everything.
Getting the big paychecks for the endorsements from
the supplement companies.
And the girls.
Ah, yes.
The girls.
We all knew they loved guys with big muscles. John
McCallum told us so. Just look at Uncle Harry. He
couldn't even walk down the beach without creating
a riot.
But back to our young lifter. He hasn't made it to
Muscle Beach. He's still in his parent's kitchen.
He closed his eyes and dreamed -- then opened them
and took his first big swig of the Mighty Muscle Potion.
He chugged about half a big glass of the stuff.
Seconds later, he was puking his guts out.
Yes, that's a true story -- and yes, that's how it
happened.
And it happened to more than one poor kid.
Another top bodybuilder had a protein drink that
featured tuna fish, water and -- I forget what else.
It may have been tuna and water and nothing else,
or he may have added some dessicated liver and
perhaps some brewer's yeast.
In any case, it was pretty nasty.
I never tried it.
But I knew a guy who did.
He had the same reaction I just described -- one
big swig and he was barfing.
Then there was John Grimek.
He ate real food.
No protein shakes.
No blender bombers.
Nothing nasty.
Grimek enjoyed his meals. He liked steaks, chops and
roast chicken.
"Meat is my baby," he once said.
And he wasn't talking about raw liver mixed with grape
juice.
But amazingly, he did pretty darn well.
Even without drinking the nasty stuff.
Grimek believed that food was somehting to be enjoyed.
Not a form of torture. Not a test to see how "tough" you
were.
He didn't even approve of over-doing it with milk -- or
with stuffing yourself -- or force-feeding. He didn't think
that sort of thing did anything other than give you a
belly-ache -- and it's hard to train with a belly-ache.
He thought it was much better to combine regular
hard training with three delicious meals every day --
featuring good, healthy foods, and lots of protein.
I don't know about you, but I think the Grimek way of
doing things makes a lot of sense.
A lot more sense than raw liver and grape juice.
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're interested in real world, no-nonsense diet
and nutrition, reserve your copy of KNIFE, FORK,
MUSCLE:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. For the inside story on how John Grimek trained,
grab this big course -- and learn the training secrets of
the fabled Monarch of Muscledom:
http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Eating to build strength
and muscle should be a pleasure, not a form of
self-inflicted torture." -- Brooks Kubik
***************************************************
Last week I answered a reader's question asking
if it was necessary to eat liver in order to build
strength and muscle.
Short answer: It's not.
That prompted a response by a Dino who's about
my age.
He remembered that "back in the day" he read that
a top bodybuilder was using a protein shake made
from raw liver and grape juice.
He ran to the store, bought some raw liver and grape
juice, took it home, mixed it up in the blender, and
poured himself a big glass of might and muscle.
Closed his eyes and thought how great it would be to
be strutting his stuff on the silver sand of fabled Muscle
Beach.
Repping out with Arnold at Gold's Gym.
Copping the big titles. Mr. A, Mr. U, Mr. O,
Mr. Everything.
Getting the big paychecks for the endorsements from
the supplement companies.
And the girls.
Ah, yes.
The girls.
We all knew they loved guys with big muscles. John
McCallum told us so. Just look at Uncle Harry. He
couldn't even walk down the beach without creating
a riot.
But back to our young lifter. He hasn't made it to
Muscle Beach. He's still in his parent's kitchen.
He closed his eyes and dreamed -- then opened them
and took his first big swig of the Mighty Muscle Potion.
He chugged about half a big glass of the stuff.
Seconds later, he was puking his guts out.
Yes, that's a true story -- and yes, that's how it
happened.
And it happened to more than one poor kid.
Another top bodybuilder had a protein drink that
featured tuna fish, water and -- I forget what else.
It may have been tuna and water and nothing else,
or he may have added some dessicated liver and
perhaps some brewer's yeast.
In any case, it was pretty nasty.
I never tried it.
But I knew a guy who did.
He had the same reaction I just described -- one
big swig and he was barfing.
Then there was John Grimek.
He ate real food.
No protein shakes.
No blender bombers.
Nothing nasty.
Grimek enjoyed his meals. He liked steaks, chops and
roast chicken.
"Meat is my baby," he once said.
And he wasn't talking about raw liver mixed with grape
juice.
But amazingly, he did pretty darn well.
Even without drinking the nasty stuff.
Grimek believed that food was somehting to be enjoyed.
Not a form of torture. Not a test to see how "tough" you
were.
He didn't even approve of over-doing it with milk -- or
with stuffing yourself -- or force-feeding. He didn't think
that sort of thing did anything other than give you a
belly-ache -- and it's hard to train with a belly-ache.
He thought it was much better to combine regular
hard training with three delicious meals every day --
featuring good, healthy foods, and lots of protein.
I don't know about you, but I think the Grimek way of
doing things makes a lot of sense.
A lot more sense than raw liver and grape juice.
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're interested in real world, no-nonsense diet
and nutrition, reserve your copy of KNIFE, FORK,
MUSCLE:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. For the inside story on how John Grimek trained,
grab this big course -- and learn the training secrets of
the fabled Monarch of Muscledom:
http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Eating to build strength
and muscle should be a pleasure, not a form of
self-inflicted torture." -- Brooks Kubik
***************************************************
How to Get Back Into Training After a Long Lay-off
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick updates, and then we'll talk training.
1. Several of you have asked when we'll be shipping
Knife, Fork, Muscle. The final work for the manuscript
took longer than expected, which has pushed us behind
schedule -- but I will be getting the shipment soon, and
as soon as I do, we'll fill all orders immediately.
I had intended to give everyone who ordered during
the pre-publication special two bonuses, but since we
are running behind schedule, I'm going to increase
that to seven bonuses. (And I think you'll really like
them.)
I'll keep you posted on the shipping date as I have
more information.
2. We'll be putting up an order page for the first issue
of the new quarterly Dinosaur Files later in the week.
Be looking for it. (And by the way -- the first issue
looks GREAT! I'm having great workouts because
I'm so motivated after working all day on the
new Files and reading all the great articles in it.)
On the training front . . .
I rec'd an email from a longtime Dino who's been
going through a rough spot in his life -- and has
gotten out of the training habit.
In fact, he's been out of training for 5 or 6 months.
And he's been doing the couch potato thing -- too
much television, and too much lousy food.
He asked what to do to get back into his training.
Now, you may think this is an unusual question.
But it's not. I get the question more often than
you would imagine. That's because Life is -- well,
it is what it is. It can be tough sometimes. Things
can happen that make it very tough to train --
or perhaps make it impossible to train.
The loss of a loved one. A bad breakup. The loss
of a job. An illness. An injury. Money problems.
Having to work an extra job to make ends meet.
A family member's severe illness.
I know that sort of thing never happens when you
live on Muscle beach and do nothing but work on
your tan, train, eat, surf and work on your tan -- but
Muscle beach is the fantasy world, and Dinos live
in the real world -- and life can be very tough in
the real world.
So how does our Dino get back to training?
1. He makes a commitment to get started --
TODAY.
1a. Not tomorrow. TODAY.
2. He gives himself a very easy workout to get
back in the groove. Something so fast and easy
there's no possible excuse for missing a workout.
a. For example, train 3x per week. Each workout, do
a warm-up, then 5 x 5 in ONE primary exercise,
some gut, grip and neck work, and then go home.
b. That's 4 progressively heavier warm-up sets
and one work set -- and not too heavy on the
work set.
c. 15 minutes of training beats zero minutes of
training.
3. He starts LIGHT so he doesn't cripple himself
with soreness, and he gives himself the treat of
making good, steady gains from week to week
as he gradually builds back up to where he was
before.
4. He fills his mind with powerful, inspiring,
motivating thoughts and images. Any of my
books or courses -- or back issues of The
Dinosaur Files -- will help. So will any other
good books on strength training and muscle
building.
4a. The Legacy of Iron books are super-
motivators. So is Black Iron: The John Davis
Story. And, of course, Dinosaur Training is
non-stop motivation from start to finish.
5. He cleans up his diet. For now, drop the junk
food and get back to protein and vegetables.
When Knife, Fork, Muscle is out the door, read
the little monster and follow the advice to the
letter.
5a. You'd be surprised how much a poor diet
can effect your outlook on life. There's no such
thing as comfort food. It can actually make you
depressed. Get your diet on track, start training
again, and you'll start to feel better fast.
So there you have it. A quick and easy, foolproof
plan for getting back on track after a long layoff.
Remember -- start TODAY -- and get back to the
Iron.
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. Here's the link to reserve your pre-publication copy
of Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "Training is forever,
and that's part of what makes it so much fun."
-- Brooks Kubik
**************************************************
Two quick updates, and then we'll talk training.
1. Several of you have asked when we'll be shipping
Knife, Fork, Muscle. The final work for the manuscript
took longer than expected, which has pushed us behind
schedule -- but I will be getting the shipment soon, and
as soon as I do, we'll fill all orders immediately.
I had intended to give everyone who ordered during
the pre-publication special two bonuses, but since we
are running behind schedule, I'm going to increase
that to seven bonuses. (And I think you'll really like
them.)
I'll keep you posted on the shipping date as I have
more information.
2. We'll be putting up an order page for the first issue
of the new quarterly Dinosaur Files later in the week.
Be looking for it. (And by the way -- the first issue
looks GREAT! I'm having great workouts because
I'm so motivated after working all day on the
new Files and reading all the great articles in it.)
On the training front . . .
I rec'd an email from a longtime Dino who's been
going through a rough spot in his life -- and has
gotten out of the training habit.
In fact, he's been out of training for 5 or 6 months.
And he's been doing the couch potato thing -- too
much television, and too much lousy food.
He asked what to do to get back into his training.
Now, you may think this is an unusual question.
But it's not. I get the question more often than
you would imagine. That's because Life is -- well,
it is what it is. It can be tough sometimes. Things
can happen that make it very tough to train --
or perhaps make it impossible to train.
The loss of a loved one. A bad breakup. The loss
of a job. An illness. An injury. Money problems.
Having to work an extra job to make ends meet.
A family member's severe illness.
I know that sort of thing never happens when you
live on Muscle beach and do nothing but work on
your tan, train, eat, surf and work on your tan -- but
Muscle beach is the fantasy world, and Dinos live
in the real world -- and life can be very tough in
the real world.
So how does our Dino get back to training?
1. He makes a commitment to get started --
TODAY.
1a. Not tomorrow. TODAY.
2. He gives himself a very easy workout to get
back in the groove. Something so fast and easy
there's no possible excuse for missing a workout.
a. For example, train 3x per week. Each workout, do
a warm-up, then 5 x 5 in ONE primary exercise,
some gut, grip and neck work, and then go home.
b. That's 4 progressively heavier warm-up sets
and one work set -- and not too heavy on the
work set.
c. 15 minutes of training beats zero minutes of
training.
3. He starts LIGHT so he doesn't cripple himself
with soreness, and he gives himself the treat of
making good, steady gains from week to week
as he gradually builds back up to where he was
before.
4. He fills his mind with powerful, inspiring,
motivating thoughts and images. Any of my
books or courses -- or back issues of The
Dinosaur Files -- will help. So will any other
good books on strength training and muscle
building.
4a. The Legacy of Iron books are super-
motivators. So is Black Iron: The John Davis
Story. And, of course, Dinosaur Training is
non-stop motivation from start to finish.
5. He cleans up his diet. For now, drop the junk
food and get back to protein and vegetables.
When Knife, Fork, Muscle is out the door, read
the little monster and follow the advice to the
letter.
5a. You'd be surprised how much a poor diet
can effect your outlook on life. There's no such
thing as comfort food. It can actually make you
depressed. Get your diet on track, start training
again, and you'll start to feel better fast.
So there you have it. A quick and easy, foolproof
plan for getting back on track after a long layoff.
Remember -- start TODAY -- and get back to the
Iron.
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. Here's the link to reserve your pre-publication copy
of Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "Training is forever,
and that's part of what makes it so much fun."
-- Brooks Kubik
**************************************************
Is Liver a Superfood for Strength, Health and Muscle Building?
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Here's a question that popped up in the in-box
this morning:
Hi Brooks,
I've been reading a lot about liver lately for
health and muscle building.
What do you think about it, and how much
should one eat?
Thanks!
Jeff
Thanks for your question, Jeff. It's a common
one, so I thought I'd answer it in an email to
the Dinosaurs.
Liver is high in B vitamins, particularly vitamin
B12, which is necessary for muscle growth. As
a result, liver has achieved a sort of legendary
status among strength trainers. Many view it
as one of the original super-foods -- and as
an absolutely essential part of a healthy diet.
But is it?
John MacCallum wrote a famous article in his
"Keys to Progress" series in Strength and Health
back in 1969 or 1970-71, where he urged readers
to eat a pound of liver for breakfast every single
day.
This advice originally came from nutritionist Adele
Davis, who also promoted liver for breakfast back
in the 1960's.
So the "Eat lots of liver!" message has been out
there for a long time.
The problem is, some people hate liver. They cannot
eat it no matter what.
I'm one of them. When I was 19 or 20, I worked an
out of town summer job, and tried to save as much
money for school as possible -- and liver was the
cheapest meat I could find -- so I ate liver every
single day for the entire summer.
As a result, I've never been able to eat it since
that time.
So I'm living proof that you do NOT "need" to eat
liver. You can do perfectly fine on other foods.
The same could be said of any particular food that
supposedly works wonders for building strength
and muscle.
There are many good, healthy, muscle-building
foods.
But the best food for YOU is one that you like --
and that you enjoy eating - and that you digest and
assimilate easily.
So, in response to the question, how much liver
should you eat, the answer is: "As much -- or as
little - as you want."
If you enjoy liver, then eat it. Don't stuff yourself
with it, and don't eat a pound a day just because
someone said to do so. Let your appetite be your
guide. If you like a quarter pound of liver once
or twice a week, that's fine.
I would strongly suggest that you eat organic beef
liver. The liver purifies the blood, and chemical
residues tend to accumulate in the liver. So the
liver from a conventionally-raised animal is
going to contain hormones, antibiotics and
other chemicals that you don't need and don't
want.
And don't worry about the expense. Even organic
beef liver is inexpensive.
If you don't enjoy liver, then don't eat it -- and don't
worry about it. Other meats will work just as well
as liver when it comes to building strength and
muscle.
Bob Hoffman said it very well back in 1940:
"No one food is essential for health. There are no
health foods."
But what about dessicated liver tablets for those who
don't like liver?
Well, if liver is not necessary, neither are liver tablets.
If you take them, and you think they help you, then
feel free to keep on taking them. Personally, I'd rather
spend my money on the best and healthiest meat,
eggs and vegetables that I can find.
For more about liver, other healthy protein sources, and
the best kind of diet for strength training and muscle
building, reserve a copy of Knife, Fork, Muscle as we wind
up the pre-publication special for the little monster:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
I hope that 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. Building strength and muscle requires the right
kind of nutrition and the right kind of training program.
Strength, Muscle and Power details the right kind of
training for big gains in muscle and might:
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: "Simple is best, whether it's
training or diet and nutrition." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************
Here's a question that popped up in the in-box
this morning:
Hi Brooks,
I've been reading a lot about liver lately for
health and muscle building.
What do you think about it, and how much
should one eat?
Thanks!
Jeff
Thanks for your question, Jeff. It's a common
one, so I thought I'd answer it in an email to
the Dinosaurs.
Liver is high in B vitamins, particularly vitamin
B12, which is necessary for muscle growth. As
a result, liver has achieved a sort of legendary
status among strength trainers. Many view it
as one of the original super-foods -- and as
an absolutely essential part of a healthy diet.
But is it?
John MacCallum wrote a famous article in his
"Keys to Progress" series in Strength and Health
back in 1969 or 1970-71, where he urged readers
to eat a pound of liver for breakfast every single
day.
This advice originally came from nutritionist Adele
Davis, who also promoted liver for breakfast back
in the 1960's.
So the "Eat lots of liver!" message has been out
there for a long time.
The problem is, some people hate liver. They cannot
eat it no matter what.
I'm one of them. When I was 19 or 20, I worked an
out of town summer job, and tried to save as much
money for school as possible -- and liver was the
cheapest meat I could find -- so I ate liver every
single day for the entire summer.
As a result, I've never been able to eat it since
that time.
So I'm living proof that you do NOT "need" to eat
liver. You can do perfectly fine on other foods.
The same could be said of any particular food that
supposedly works wonders for building strength
and muscle.
There are many good, healthy, muscle-building
foods.
But the best food for YOU is one that you like --
and that you enjoy eating - and that you digest and
assimilate easily.
So, in response to the question, how much liver
should you eat, the answer is: "As much -- or as
little - as you want."
If you enjoy liver, then eat it. Don't stuff yourself
with it, and don't eat a pound a day just because
someone said to do so. Let your appetite be your
guide. If you like a quarter pound of liver once
or twice a week, that's fine.
I would strongly suggest that you eat organic beef
liver. The liver purifies the blood, and chemical
residues tend to accumulate in the liver. So the
liver from a conventionally-raised animal is
going to contain hormones, antibiotics and
other chemicals that you don't need and don't
want.
And don't worry about the expense. Even organic
beef liver is inexpensive.
If you don't enjoy liver, then don't eat it -- and don't
worry about it. Other meats will work just as well
as liver when it comes to building strength and
muscle.
Bob Hoffman said it very well back in 1940:
"No one food is essential for health. There are no
health foods."
But what about dessicated liver tablets for those who
don't like liver?
Well, if liver is not necessary, neither are liver tablets.
If you take them, and you think they help you, then
feel free to keep on taking them. Personally, I'd rather
spend my money on the best and healthiest meat,
eggs and vegetables that I can find.
For more about liver, other healthy protein sources, and
the best kind of diet for strength training and muscle
building, reserve a copy of Knife, Fork, Muscle as we wind
up the pre-publication special for the little monster:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
I hope that 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. Building strength and muscle requires the right
kind of nutrition and the right kind of training program.
Strength, Muscle and Power details the right kind of
training for big gains in muscle and might:
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: "Simple is best, whether it's
training or diet and nutrition." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************
Are 20 Rep Squats a Good Idea for Older Trainees -- The Dinos Weigh In!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We received a ton of feedback to yesterday's email
about 20 rep squats for older trainees -- but before
getting to that, let me hit some quick updates and
reminders:
1. Someone asked if Knife, Fork, Muscle would help
in maintaining strength and muscle mass while losing
unwanted flab -- or whether it was just about eating
to gain muscle mass.
Answer -- it's about healthy eating for lifelong strength
and health -- and it contains advice on eating to gain
muscle mass -- and also contains advice about eating
to lose flab while maintaining strength and muscle
mass. Hope that clarifies things!
You can grab your copy right here as we wind down the
pre-publication special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
2. If you subscribed to the Dinosaur Files newsletter,
please send in a brief testimonial about why you liked
it, how it helped you or motivated you, etc. I'm using
them to put together an order page for the new
quarterly Dinosaur Files. (And I'm shooting to get
the order page up next week.)
3. Had a great interview with Carl Lanore on the
SuperHuman Radio Show yesterday. The download
is not up yet (as I type this) but it should be up later
today:
http://superhumanradio.com/
On the training front, many of you responded to my
email about whether 20 rep squats were a good idea
for older trainees -- or whether lower reps would work
better.
Here's a summary of what you said:
1. Almost all of the older Dinos said they do better with
multiple sets of low to medium reps, with many of you
doing 5 x 5 or similar set/rep systems.
1a. Many older Dinos noted that higher reps make them
too stiff and too sore.
1b. In other words, the older Dinos have found that they
recover better from lower rep workouts -- which is what
I've been saying for years, and which is certainly true
in my own case.
2. The older Dinos who prefer higher reps in their squats
have been doing higher reps for many years, and are
fully adapted to them.
2a. Several of these Dinos noted that even though they
do 20 rep squats, they don't push the weight on them
the way a younger lifter would do. In other words, they
use them more for conditioning work.
3. None of the older Dinos thought that switching from
low reps to 20 rep sets would be a good idea for an
older trainee -- the consensus was "Dance with who
brung ya," i.e., keep on doing what you've been doing.
4. Several readers noted that Trap Bar deadlifts are a
very good alternative to the squat for older trainees.
I agree.
4a. For more information on the Trap Bar, go here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
5. Several of the older Dinos noted that they do low
reps (singles, doubles, triples or 5 rep sets) because
they can maintain good form on each rep -- which
helps them train injury-free.
5a. This is a key point.
5b. Low reps sets do not mean you pile on so much
weight that you shake and wobble and the weight goes
all over the place. It means that you train with perfect
form -- and that you use weights that allow you to use
perfect form.
5c. The pumpers and toners never seem to get this.
They equate low reps with maximum effort, life or death
heravy lifts -- which is ridiculous.
6. Many of the older Dinos noted that they supplement
their strength training with low-to-moderate intensity
conditioning work.
6a. Many rely on walking for their conditioning work.
6b. Several older Dinos noted that swimming is good
for conditioning work because it is easy on the joints.
6c. At least five older Dinos noted that the lugging
and loading drills covered in Gray Hair and Black Iron
are their preferred form of conditioning work.
7. One older Dino who is a medical doctor bluntly
noted that 20 rep squats can be dangerous for an
older trainee -- and can even trigger a heart attack
if you over-estimate your level of conditioning and
try to go too hard or too heavy.
7a. In other words, don't try to do 225 for 20 reps
just because you used to do 300 for 20 reps 30 years
ago and 225 for 20 "ought to be easy."
7b. "IUSETA" thinking -- as in, "I used to lift such and
so, so I can surely do X now" will get an older trainee
in trouble every single time.
7c. Every. Single. Time.
7d. I covered this in a recent podcast -- I think it was
on Eric Fiorillo's Motivation and Muscle Podcast Show --
or perhaps it was an interview with Bill Kociaba --
and I noted that there was a time when I could do a
perfect belly to back suplex with an opponent in a
wrestling match -- but that was 40 years ago, and
that doesn't mean I can do a suplex today -- or that
I would ever try one.
I think that covers the feedback. Thanks to everyone
who sent in a response. I appreciate it. And ditto for
all of you who sent in a testimonial for The Dinosaur
Files -- they really made my day.
If anyone has further thoughts on the 20 rep squat,
send them in.
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. Here's the guidebook for older trainees:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "Don't worry about what
you used to be able to do. Focus on what you can do
NOW." -- Brooks Kubik
********************************************
We received a ton of feedback to yesterday's email
about 20 rep squats for older trainees -- but before
getting to that, let me hit some quick updates and
reminders:
1. Someone asked if Knife, Fork, Muscle would help
in maintaining strength and muscle mass while losing
unwanted flab -- or whether it was just about eating
to gain muscle mass.
Answer -- it's about healthy eating for lifelong strength
and health -- and it contains advice on eating to gain
muscle mass -- and also contains advice about eating
to lose flab while maintaining strength and muscle
mass. Hope that clarifies things!
You can grab your copy right here as we wind down the
pre-publication special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
2. If you subscribed to the Dinosaur Files newsletter,
please send in a brief testimonial about why you liked
it, how it helped you or motivated you, etc. I'm using
them to put together an order page for the new
quarterly Dinosaur Files. (And I'm shooting to get
the order page up next week.)
3. Had a great interview with Carl Lanore on the
SuperHuman Radio Show yesterday. The download
is not up yet (as I type this) but it should be up later
today:
http://superhumanradio.com/
On the training front, many of you responded to my
email about whether 20 rep squats were a good idea
for older trainees -- or whether lower reps would work
better.
Here's a summary of what you said:
1. Almost all of the older Dinos said they do better with
multiple sets of low to medium reps, with many of you
doing 5 x 5 or similar set/rep systems.
1a. Many older Dinos noted that higher reps make them
too stiff and too sore.
1b. In other words, the older Dinos have found that they
recover better from lower rep workouts -- which is what
I've been saying for years, and which is certainly true
in my own case.
2. The older Dinos who prefer higher reps in their squats
have been doing higher reps for many years, and are
fully adapted to them.
2a. Several of these Dinos noted that even though they
do 20 rep squats, they don't push the weight on them
the way a younger lifter would do. In other words, they
use them more for conditioning work.
3. None of the older Dinos thought that switching from
low reps to 20 rep sets would be a good idea for an
older trainee -- the consensus was "Dance with who
brung ya," i.e., keep on doing what you've been doing.
4. Several readers noted that Trap Bar deadlifts are a
very good alternative to the squat for older trainees.
I agree.
4a. For more information on the Trap Bar, go here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
5. Several of the older Dinos noted that they do low
reps (singles, doubles, triples or 5 rep sets) because
they can maintain good form on each rep -- which
helps them train injury-free.
5a. This is a key point.
5b. Low reps sets do not mean you pile on so much
weight that you shake and wobble and the weight goes
all over the place. It means that you train with perfect
form -- and that you use weights that allow you to use
perfect form.
5c. The pumpers and toners never seem to get this.
They equate low reps with maximum effort, life or death
heravy lifts -- which is ridiculous.
6. Many of the older Dinos noted that they supplement
their strength training with low-to-moderate intensity
conditioning work.
6a. Many rely on walking for their conditioning work.
6b. Several older Dinos noted that swimming is good
for conditioning work because it is easy on the joints.
6c. At least five older Dinos noted that the lugging
and loading drills covered in Gray Hair and Black Iron
are their preferred form of conditioning work.
7. One older Dino who is a medical doctor bluntly
noted that 20 rep squats can be dangerous for an
older trainee -- and can even trigger a heart attack
if you over-estimate your level of conditioning and
try to go too hard or too heavy.
7a. In other words, don't try to do 225 for 20 reps
just because you used to do 300 for 20 reps 30 years
ago and 225 for 20 "ought to be easy."
7b. "IUSETA" thinking -- as in, "I used to lift such and
so, so I can surely do X now" will get an older trainee
in trouble every single time.
7c. Every. Single. Time.
7d. I covered this in a recent podcast -- I think it was
on Eric Fiorillo's Motivation and Muscle Podcast Show --
or perhaps it was an interview with Bill Kociaba --
and I noted that there was a time when I could do a
perfect belly to back suplex with an opponent in a
wrestling match -- but that was 40 years ago, and
that doesn't mean I can do a suplex today -- or that
I would ever try one.
I think that covers the feedback. Thanks to everyone
who sent in a response. I appreciate it. And ditto for
all of you who sent in a testimonial for The Dinosaur
Files -- they really made my day.
If anyone has further thoughts on the 20 rep squat,
send them in.
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. Here's the guidebook for older trainees:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "Don't worry about what
you used to be able to do. Focus on what you can do
NOW." -- Brooks Kubik
********************************************
20 Rep Squats for Older Trainees -- Good Idea or Bad Idea?
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Three quick notes, then we'll talk about 20 rep
squats for older trainees.
1. Go here to reserve your copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle as we wind down the pre-publication
special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. Researchers at UCLA just issued a break-through
paper on Alzheimer's that follows the diet and
nutrition advice in Knife, Fork, Muscle VERY
closely. In other words, Knife, Fork, Muscle
is cutting-edge stuff -- even though it also
includes many old-school ideas.
2. If you are a former subscriber to the Dinosaur
Files newsletter, shoot me an email with a brief
testimonial to help launch the sales page for
the new quarterly Dinosaur Files -- which will
be going up sometime mext week!
2a. THANK YOU to everyone who has sent in a
testimonial for the Dinosaur Files!
3. I'll be on Carl Lanore's SuperHuman Radio at
12:00 noon today -- listen live or catch the down-
load later on.
And now . . . the question of the day.
Is the 20 rep squat a good idea or a bad idea for
older trainees?
Several readers asked this question in response to
yesterday's email about the 100,000 Squats Club.
One reader in his late 40's noted that he had a bad
shoulder and was going to focus on squats and
deadlifts while it healed up. He said he had been
surfing the Interwebs (oh-oh) and found an article
by a guy in his 20's talking about the 20 rep squat
program -- and was thinking about trying it.
And he asked if I thought that was a good idea.
Frankly, I don't .
I know that many younger trainees have done very
well with the 20 rep squat. But it's a very difficult
and demanding program -- and it's hard to recover
from your workouts -- and it requires you to whip
yourself into a frenzy before your 20 rep Death
Set -- and push yourself into the ground, so you
finish the set and lie on the floor for 10 or 15
minutes before you can move.
That's one thing for guys in their teens or 20's.
It's another thing entirely for an older trainee.
John Davis did 15 and 20 rep squats when he was
building himself from a 181 pound lifter to a full-
fledged Heavyweight. But then he switched to 5 x 5.
In one of his books, Tommy Kono talks about doing
20 rep squats when he was younger. A few years
later, while still in his 20's or 30's, he tried them
again but switched back to lower reps. He just
didn't have the drive to do them any more. And
I think that's probably true of most older trainees.
You work hard, and that's great -- but you don't
need or want to do those 20 rep Death Sets.
There's also the shoulder issue. Most older trainees
have some degree of shoulder problems. That makes
high rep squatting difficult.
Heck, it makes any kind of squatting difficult.
Which reminds me -- if you have bad shoulders,
this little device will save your squat workouts:
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/products/dave-drapers-top-squat-1
There's also the recovery issue. Younger trainees can
recover from 20 rep squats. Older trainees may not be
able to do so.
And then there's the issue of form. Older trainees should
ALWAYS perform every rep of every set of every exercise
in perfect form. Younger trainees can sometimes get
away with sloppy reps, but they often lead to injury
for an older trainee.
Lower reps allow you to perform your exercises in
strict form. But doing 20 reps in the squat makes it
very difficult to maintain good form for the entire set.
Finally, I will note that most Masters weightlifters do
low reps in squats or front squats -- and the older they
are, the fewer reps they do. They find that too many
reps make their knees sore.
Of course, if you have been doing 20 rep squats your
entire life, and you enjoy doing them, then keep on
doing what you're doing. But if you're thinking about
"giving them a try" at age 50 or 60 -- that's probably
not a good idea. It's better to dance with who brung
ya.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day. If
you train today, make it a good one!
And remember to send in those testimonials for the
Dinosaur Files!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more training advice for older Dinos, grab
this:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Never try to change
horses in mid-stream -- or mid-workout." -- Brooks Kubik
************************************************
Three quick notes, then we'll talk about 20 rep
squats for older trainees.
1. Go here to reserve your copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle as we wind down the pre-publication
special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. Researchers at UCLA just issued a break-through
paper on Alzheimer's that follows the diet and
nutrition advice in Knife, Fork, Muscle VERY
closely. In other words, Knife, Fork, Muscle
is cutting-edge stuff -- even though it also
includes many old-school ideas.
2. If you are a former subscriber to the Dinosaur
Files newsletter, shoot me an email with a brief
testimonial to help launch the sales page for
the new quarterly Dinosaur Files -- which will
be going up sometime mext week!
2a. THANK YOU to everyone who has sent in a
testimonial for the Dinosaur Files!
3. I'll be on Carl Lanore's SuperHuman Radio at
12:00 noon today -- listen live or catch the down-
load later on.
And now . . . the question of the day.
Is the 20 rep squat a good idea or a bad idea for
older trainees?
Several readers asked this question in response to
yesterday's email about the 100,000 Squats Club.
One reader in his late 40's noted that he had a bad
shoulder and was going to focus on squats and
deadlifts while it healed up. He said he had been
surfing the Interwebs (oh-oh) and found an article
by a guy in his 20's talking about the 20 rep squat
program -- and was thinking about trying it.
And he asked if I thought that was a good idea.
Frankly, I don't .
I know that many younger trainees have done very
well with the 20 rep squat. But it's a very difficult
and demanding program -- and it's hard to recover
from your workouts -- and it requires you to whip
yourself into a frenzy before your 20 rep Death
Set -- and push yourself into the ground, so you
finish the set and lie on the floor for 10 or 15
minutes before you can move.
That's one thing for guys in their teens or 20's.
It's another thing entirely for an older trainee.
John Davis did 15 and 20 rep squats when he was
building himself from a 181 pound lifter to a full-
fledged Heavyweight. But then he switched to 5 x 5.
In one of his books, Tommy Kono talks about doing
20 rep squats when he was younger. A few years
later, while still in his 20's or 30's, he tried them
again but switched back to lower reps. He just
didn't have the drive to do them any more. And
I think that's probably true of most older trainees.
You work hard, and that's great -- but you don't
need or want to do those 20 rep Death Sets.
There's also the shoulder issue. Most older trainees
have some degree of shoulder problems. That makes
high rep squatting difficult.
Heck, it makes any kind of squatting difficult.
Which reminds me -- if you have bad shoulders,
this little device will save your squat workouts:
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/products/dave-drapers-top-squat-1
There's also the recovery issue. Younger trainees can
recover from 20 rep squats. Older trainees may not be
able to do so.
And then there's the issue of form. Older trainees should
ALWAYS perform every rep of every set of every exercise
in perfect form. Younger trainees can sometimes get
away with sloppy reps, but they often lead to injury
for an older trainee.
Lower reps allow you to perform your exercises in
strict form. But doing 20 reps in the squat makes it
very difficult to maintain good form for the entire set.
Finally, I will note that most Masters weightlifters do
low reps in squats or front squats -- and the older they
are, the fewer reps they do. They find that too many
reps make their knees sore.
Of course, if you have been doing 20 rep squats your
entire life, and you enjoy doing them, then keep on
doing what you're doing. But if you're thinking about
"giving them a try" at age 50 or 60 -- that's probably
not a good idea. It's better to dance with who brung
ya.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day. If
you train today, make it a good one!
And remember to send in those testimonials for the
Dinosaur Files!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more training advice for older Dinos, grab
this:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Never try to change
horses in mid-stream -- or mid-workout." -- Brooks Kubik
************************************************
The 100,000 Squats Club
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk about the
100,000 Squats Club.
1. If you haven't already done so, there's still
time to reserve your copy of Knife, Fork, Muscle
before we close down the big pre-publication
special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. I had hoped to have the books printed and
shipped by now but we're running behind schedule .
I'll keep you posted on the shipping date as I get
more info from the printer. I may include an extra
bonus for everyone to make up for running late.
1b. If you want me to autograph your book, send
an autograph request pronto!
2. I'm working on the new quarterly Dinosaur Files
newsletter, and it has some TERRIFIC articles. I'm
looking for some testimonials and feedback from
everyone who subscribed to the Dino Files in the
past, so please write something up -- just a
sentence or two -- and send it in. Thanks!
And now -- let's talk about those squats.
Many Dinos are in their 50's (or are older), and
they got started in training in their teens. So
they've been hitting the iron for 40 or 50 years.
For example, I got started at age 11, and I'm 57
now. That makes 46 years of training. I'm closing
in on a half century in the Iron Game.
So here's the math.
If you train 50 weeks a year, that makes 2,000
weeks of training after 40 years.
And if you do an average of 50 squats per week
in your workouts (including warmup sets), that
makes a total of 100,000 squats over 40 years.
And it's very easy to do 50 squats per week, if
you include your warm-up sets. Many of you will
go higher than that, especially if you do higher
reps. And that's true even if you only train squats
once a week.
So any of us who have been training steadily for
40 or more years are probably members of the
100,000 Squats Club.
Heck, some of us may have gotten there 20 or
30 years ao, especially if we were doing bodyweight
squats, where you do much higher reps.
Now, on the one hand, it's great to have done that
many squats over so many years. But with that
many reps of any exercise, there comes a lot of
wear and tear on the body.
Topmmy Kono used to say, "You only have a certain
number of squats in you."
And I think he was right.
And the same is true of any exercise. The reps add
up over time.
This is one reason why I prefer low-volume workouts.
You can keep doing them for more years.
Doing the latest over the top, squat 'til you drop,
mega-insanity squat workout may SEEM like a good
idea when you're young -- but it's sheer lunacy for
older trainees.
And personally, if I have a limited number of squats
in my body, I want to save some of them for my 60's,
70's and 80's.
Over the top is fun -- but so is being in it for the long
haul.
In other words, train hard, but train smart. Have fun,
but keep it real.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day. If
you train today, make it a good one -- and save some of
those reps for your Golden Years!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the number one book about strength training
and muscle building workouts for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Support your training with the right kind of diet
asnd nutrition program -- the kind I detail in Knife, Fork,
Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- including the
popular Legacy of Iron books -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Training hard for a week
or a month is one thing -- but Dinos train hard for their
entire lifetime." -- Brooks Kubik
********************************************
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk about the
100,000 Squats Club.
1. If you haven't already done so, there's still
time to reserve your copy of Knife, Fork, Muscle
before we close down the big pre-publication
special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. I had hoped to have the books printed and
shipped by now but we're running behind schedule .
I'll keep you posted on the shipping date as I get
more info from the printer. I may include an extra
bonus for everyone to make up for running late.
1b. If you want me to autograph your book, send
an autograph request pronto!
2. I'm working on the new quarterly Dinosaur Files
newsletter, and it has some TERRIFIC articles. I'm
looking for some testimonials and feedback from
everyone who subscribed to the Dino Files in the
past, so please write something up -- just a
sentence or two -- and send it in. Thanks!
And now -- let's talk about those squats.
Many Dinos are in their 50's (or are older), and
they got started in training in their teens. So
they've been hitting the iron for 40 or 50 years.
For example, I got started at age 11, and I'm 57
now. That makes 46 years of training. I'm closing
in on a half century in the Iron Game.
So here's the math.
If you train 50 weeks a year, that makes 2,000
weeks of training after 40 years.
And if you do an average of 50 squats per week
in your workouts (including warmup sets), that
makes a total of 100,000 squats over 40 years.
And it's very easy to do 50 squats per week, if
you include your warm-up sets. Many of you will
go higher than that, especially if you do higher
reps. And that's true even if you only train squats
once a week.
So any of us who have been training steadily for
40 or more years are probably members of the
100,000 Squats Club.
Heck, some of us may have gotten there 20 or
30 years ao, especially if we were doing bodyweight
squats, where you do much higher reps.
Now, on the one hand, it's great to have done that
many squats over so many years. But with that
many reps of any exercise, there comes a lot of
wear and tear on the body.
Topmmy Kono used to say, "You only have a certain
number of squats in you."
And I think he was right.
And the same is true of any exercise. The reps add
up over time.
This is one reason why I prefer low-volume workouts.
You can keep doing them for more years.
Doing the latest over the top, squat 'til you drop,
mega-insanity squat workout may SEEM like a good
idea when you're young -- but it's sheer lunacy for
older trainees.
And personally, if I have a limited number of squats
in my body, I want to save some of them for my 60's,
70's and 80's.
Over the top is fun -- but so is being in it for the long
haul.
In other words, train hard, but train smart. Have fun,
but keep it real.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day. If
you train today, make it a good one -- and save some of
those reps for your Golden Years!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the number one book about strength training
and muscle building workouts for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Support your training with the right kind of diet
asnd nutrition program -- the kind I detail in Knife, Fork,
Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- including the
popular Legacy of Iron books -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Training hard for a week
or a month is one thing -- but Dinos train hard for their
entire lifetime." -- Brooks Kubik
********************************************
Old School Training, Old School Progress!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One of the maddening aspects of modern strength
training is the idea that you can't build strength and
muscle without modern supplements, roidskies, or
whatever else someone is trying to sell you.
There was a time when things were different.
Much different.
Back in the day, a young man bought a barbell
set, read the instruction booklet that came with it,
and started training.
He followed a basic training program built around
exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses, curls,
rowing, shrugs, etc.
He probably followed the double progression
system, where he started with a light weight
and an easy number of reps, gradually upped
the reps, then added weight and dropped back
to the original rep count -- and repeated the
process over and over. It was a very simple
formula.
It was also very effective.
Just how effective?
Well, consider this.
There's a letter to the editor published in the
Success Stories section of the April 1943 issue
of Strength and Health.
It's from a young man named Byron Green, of
Glendale, California.
He started training with a 100 pound barbell set
and an 80 pound dumbbell set. After training for
a month or so, he found the 100 pound barbell
set was too light, so he machined down a pair of
flywheels to fit the barbell. That added 125 pounds
to the bar.
After five months of training, he had doubled all
of the weights used in his different exercises. He
had added ten pounds of muscle, and weighed 175
pounds -- and he could clean and jerk 200 pounds.
Now, I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty
good progress for a young man who has been training
for just five months. I sure as heck couldn't clean and
jerk 200 pounds after my first five months of training.
Neither could most modern trainees.
And as Byron explained in his letter, it was all very simple
and very basic. He trained five days per week: 1 heavy
barbell day, 2 light barbell days, and 2 DB days. The
classic York program.
It was old-school all the way -- and it was very, very
effective.
And that's what we teach here at Dino Headquarters.
Old school training. It's not fancy, but it works.
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. 1. Here's a great course that covers one of the
most popular exercises among old-school lifters --
the military press:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
P.S. 2. Hard training requires top quality nutrition.
I cover diet and nutrition for Dinos in Knife, Fork,
Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Never under estimate
the power of old-school training." -- Brooks Kubik
******************************************
One of the maddening aspects of modern strength
training is the idea that you can't build strength and
muscle without modern supplements, roidskies, or
whatever else someone is trying to sell you.
There was a time when things were different.
Much different.
Back in the day, a young man bought a barbell
set, read the instruction booklet that came with it,
and started training.
He followed a basic training program built around
exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses, curls,
rowing, shrugs, etc.
He probably followed the double progression
system, where he started with a light weight
and an easy number of reps, gradually upped
the reps, then added weight and dropped back
to the original rep count -- and repeated the
process over and over. It was a very simple
formula.
It was also very effective.
Just how effective?
Well, consider this.
There's a letter to the editor published in the
Success Stories section of the April 1943 issue
of Strength and Health.
It's from a young man named Byron Green, of
Glendale, California.
He started training with a 100 pound barbell set
and an 80 pound dumbbell set. After training for
a month or so, he found the 100 pound barbell
set was too light, so he machined down a pair of
flywheels to fit the barbell. That added 125 pounds
to the bar.
After five months of training, he had doubled all
of the weights used in his different exercises. He
had added ten pounds of muscle, and weighed 175
pounds -- and he could clean and jerk 200 pounds.
Now, I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty
good progress for a young man who has been training
for just five months. I sure as heck couldn't clean and
jerk 200 pounds after my first five months of training.
Neither could most modern trainees.
And as Byron explained in his letter, it was all very simple
and very basic. He trained five days per week: 1 heavy
barbell day, 2 light barbell days, and 2 DB days. The
classic York program.
It was old-school all the way -- and it was very, very
effective.
And that's what we teach here at Dino Headquarters.
Old school training. It's not fancy, but it works.
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. 1. Here's a great course that covers one of the
most popular exercises among old-school lifters --
the military press:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
P.S. 2. Hard training requires top quality nutrition.
I cover diet and nutrition for Dinos in Knife, Fork,
Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Never under estimate
the power of old-school training." -- Brooks Kubik
******************************************
Rest Pause Training for Strength, Muscle and Power!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Everything old is new again -- and everything new is
something old.
At least, that's the way it is in strength training.
One of the new things in Olympic lifting is to do a
special kind of hypertrophy training to increase the
size and strength of the exact fast twitch muscle
fibers used in the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Here's how it works.
A lifter will train the snatch by warming up, working
up to a heavy weight, and then doing 10 - 20 heavy
snatches.
The lifter will do triples, doubles and singles.
The lifter may do wave training where he works up,
drops back down, works back up, drops back down
and works back up.
The lifter trains at a fast pace. The entire sequence
of heavy snatches may take 15 or 20 minutes.
The lifter does the same thing with the clean and
jerk, and the front squat.
Those may be the only exercises in the program.
Remember, as I said, it's a special kind of program
that targets the fast twitch fibers used in lifting.
And that's the state of the art stuff for the best
in the world in 2014.
Amazingly, lifters were doing the same sort of thing
back in the 1950's -- and the 1940's -- and the 1930's.
There were even bodybuilders who trained this way,
although they used different exercises.
And plenty of garage gorillas and cellar-dwellers did
this kind of program back in the day.
They called it Rest Pause Training -- and it built
tons of real world strength and muscle.
Nowadays, everybody does 8 x 8, 10 x 10, 12 x 12
and 20 x 20 to build muscle mass. Heck, someone
is probably teaching 50 x 50. Volume training rules.
But back in the day, men built muscle mass the old-
fashioned way -- one rep at a time.
I cover Rest Pause Training in detail in Strength,
Muscle and Power -- and the program could be the
key to the best gains of your entire life:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
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 maximum gains in strength, muscle and power,
you need to support your training with the right kind
of diet and nutrition -- which is exactly what you'll
find in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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 old-school style
with rest-pause reps -- and build real world strength
and muscle." -- Brooks Kubik
********************************************
Everything old is new again -- and everything new is
something old.
At least, that's the way it is in strength training.
One of the new things in Olympic lifting is to do a
special kind of hypertrophy training to increase the
size and strength of the exact fast twitch muscle
fibers used in the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Here's how it works.
A lifter will train the snatch by warming up, working
up to a heavy weight, and then doing 10 - 20 heavy
snatches.
The lifter will do triples, doubles and singles.
The lifter may do wave training where he works up,
drops back down, works back up, drops back down
and works back up.
The lifter trains at a fast pace. The entire sequence
of heavy snatches may take 15 or 20 minutes.
The lifter does the same thing with the clean and
jerk, and the front squat.
Those may be the only exercises in the program.
Remember, as I said, it's a special kind of program
that targets the fast twitch fibers used in lifting.
And that's the state of the art stuff for the best
in the world in 2014.
Amazingly, lifters were doing the same sort of thing
back in the 1950's -- and the 1940's -- and the 1930's.
There were even bodybuilders who trained this way,
although they used different exercises.
And plenty of garage gorillas and cellar-dwellers did
this kind of program back in the day.
They called it Rest Pause Training -- and it built
tons of real world strength and muscle.
Nowadays, everybody does 8 x 8, 10 x 10, 12 x 12
and 20 x 20 to build muscle mass. Heck, someone
is probably teaching 50 x 50. Volume training rules.
But back in the day, men built muscle mass the old-
fashioned way -- one rep at a time.
I cover Rest Pause Training in detail in Strength,
Muscle and Power -- and the program could be the
key to the best gains of your entire life:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
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 maximum gains in strength, muscle and power,
you need to support your training with the right kind
of diet and nutrition -- which is exactly what you'll
find in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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 old-school style
with rest-pause reps -- and build real world strength
and muscle." -- Brooks Kubik
********************************************
How (Not) to Stop Your Progress Dead in It's Tracks!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes and then we'll talk about the number
1 progress stopper you face.
1. There's still time to reserve your copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle during our pre-publication special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. If you forgot to ask for an autograph, and you want
one, shoot me an email.
1b. I'm not sure when we'll get the books from the
printer, but I'll keep you posted via my emails -- and
we'll shoot them right out the door by pterodactyl
mail as soon as we get them.
2. Yes, we are launching a new quarterly version of the
world-famous, one and only Dinosaur Files newsletter.
I'll put an order page up next week. We're going to
do single issues rather than subscriptions. Each issue
will be BIG -- it will move from newsletter to magazine
size. Be looking for the announcement soon.
In the meantime, if you'd like BACK ISSUES -- not a
new subscription, but BACK ISSUES from 2010 and
2011, you can find them here:
For 2010 back issues (a 12 issue set):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
For 2011 back issues (a 12 issue set):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
Remember, these are for BACK ISSUES only, NOT for a
new subscription.
On the training front . . . let's talk about the number
one progress buster.
Yesterday I discussed the importance of concentration
when you train -- and I noted that distraction was a
physical culturist's greatest enemy.
I was talking about distraction during your workouts.
But there's another kind of distraction -- and it's a
huge problem -- and one that's getting bigger all the
time.
It's information overload -- and it's the result of all the
different people with all the different whiz-bang training
programs, workouts, exercises, and ideas.
Now, there's nothing wrong with training information
per se -- or with reading about training or with being
on the lookout for new ideas. In fact, the availability
of good information and the free-flow of ideas is a
good thing.
But it becomes a bad thing when it leads a trainee to
start to second-guess what he's doing -- or to change
what he's doing before he's had a chance to make any
real progress from it.
Remember, it takes a while for a training program to
work.
For most people, it goes something like this.
You start light and easy and gradually add weight and
build up the intensity of your workouts. This may last
anywhere from two to six weeks.
Eventually, you hit a point where the workouts are hard,
heavy and demanding. This is where the program will
prove its worth. It's the hard part of the training cycle
where you maker your gains.
Finally, you reach a point where your gains slow down or
come to a stop.
At that point, you switch to another workout -- once again
starting light and easy, and working up to some serious
iron and some serious effort.
Over time, this approach gives you plenty of variety,
and builds a ton of strength, muscle and power.
But you have to stick with each program long enough
to make progress.
If you change your program every time you see some-
thing new and different, you usually don't do very well.
In short, information is good -- but you need to know
how to use it -- and when to use it.
And you need to stick to a given program long enough
to get some real results.
Make a plan -- and follow through.
That's the key to success.
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 need help finding the right program for
your current level of experience, strength and
development, grab this:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.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: "A good program always
works, but it doesn't work overnight." -- Brooks Kubik
*********************************************
Two quick notes and then we'll talk about the number
1 progress stopper you face.
1. There's still time to reserve your copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle during our pre-publication special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. If you forgot to ask for an autograph, and you want
one, shoot me an email.
1b. I'm not sure when we'll get the books from the
printer, but I'll keep you posted via my emails -- and
we'll shoot them right out the door by pterodactyl
mail as soon as we get them.
2. Yes, we are launching a new quarterly version of the
world-famous, one and only Dinosaur Files newsletter.
I'll put an order page up next week. We're going to
do single issues rather than subscriptions. Each issue
will be BIG -- it will move from newsletter to magazine
size. Be looking for the announcement soon.
In the meantime, if you'd like BACK ISSUES -- not a
new subscription, but BACK ISSUES from 2010 and
2011, you can find them here:
For 2010 back issues (a 12 issue set):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
For 2011 back issues (a 12 issue set):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
Remember, these are for BACK ISSUES only, NOT for a
new subscription.
On the training front . . . let's talk about the number
one progress buster.
Yesterday I discussed the importance of concentration
when you train -- and I noted that distraction was a
physical culturist's greatest enemy.
I was talking about distraction during your workouts.
But there's another kind of distraction -- and it's a
huge problem -- and one that's getting bigger all the
time.
It's information overload -- and it's the result of all the
different people with all the different whiz-bang training
programs, workouts, exercises, and ideas.
Now, there's nothing wrong with training information
per se -- or with reading about training or with being
on the lookout for new ideas. In fact, the availability
of good information and the free-flow of ideas is a
good thing.
But it becomes a bad thing when it leads a trainee to
start to second-guess what he's doing -- or to change
what he's doing before he's had a chance to make any
real progress from it.
Remember, it takes a while for a training program to
work.
For most people, it goes something like this.
You start light and easy and gradually add weight and
build up the intensity of your workouts. This may last
anywhere from two to six weeks.
Eventually, you hit a point where the workouts are hard,
heavy and demanding. This is where the program will
prove its worth. It's the hard part of the training cycle
where you maker your gains.
Finally, you reach a point where your gains slow down or
come to a stop.
At that point, you switch to another workout -- once again
starting light and easy, and working up to some serious
iron and some serious effort.
Over time, this approach gives you plenty of variety,
and builds a ton of strength, muscle and power.
But you have to stick with each program long enough
to make progress.
If you change your program every time you see some-
thing new and different, you usually don't do very well.
In short, information is good -- but you need to know
how to use it -- and when to use it.
And you need to stick to a given program long enough
to get some real results.
Make a plan -- and follow through.
That's the key to success.
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 need help finding the right program for
your current level of experience, strength and
development, grab this:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.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: "A good program always
works, but it doesn't work overnight." -- Brooks Kubik
*********************************************
What Is a Physical Culturist's Greatest Enemy?
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick updates, and then I'll answer the question
posed in the headline to today's email -- and I think
the answer will surprise you.
Anyhow, here the updates:
1. We're winding down the pre-publication special
for Knife, Fork, Muscle, but there's still time to
reserve your copy and grab the pre-publication
bonuses:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. I don't have a shipping date from the printer
yet, so I don't know when I'll be getting the
books -- but as soon as we have them, we'll
fire them right on out the door. I'll keep you
updated in my emails. They''ll definitely be
shipping soon.
2. I'm working on the first issue of the quarterly
Dinosaur Files -- and it's looking pretty good.
We'll put up an order page for the little monster
next week. Be looking for it.
And now . . . let's answer that question.
What is a physical culturist's greatest enemy?
The answer comes from Bradley J. Steiner --
who covered the topic about 40 years ago. I
remember reading this when I was a rookie,
and I've remembered Steiner's words ever
since.
It's not what you think it is.
It's not over-training.
It's not having trouble finding a gym or scraping
together the cash to set up a good home gym.
It's not the goofy workouts the muscle mags
push.
It's not bad advice of any sort -- or bad workouts --
or second rate exercises.
All of those things are problems, of course, and they'll
slow your gains down to a snail's pace -- but they're
not the number one enemy.
So what is it?
Distraction!
"Distraction is a physical culturist's greatest enemy,"
said Steiner.
Steiner always emphasized the importance of training
with deep, focused concentration.
He wanted you training inside the inner universe of
every rep.
He wanted you to train with the sdtrongest possible
mind-body link.
He believed in this so deeply and so profoundly that
he actually studied hypnosis and self-hypnosis. And
he taught self-hypnosis in his books and courses.
Steiner always emphasized "the mental aspects" of
strength training -- and so do I.
The mental aspects of training are the most important.
And amazingly, they're the most neglected.
If you want to take your training to the next level,
don't look for the latest super supplement -- or the
latest super workout -- or the latest super machine.
Instead, look inside.
That's where the strength comes from -- and where
the gains come from.
Learn to train with total focus and unwavering
concentration. Block out any and all distractions.
When you do, the results will amaze you.
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 cover the mental aspects of strength training in
these books:
a. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and
Development
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
b. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Strength requires unity
of mind and body, and unity of mind and body requires
total focus and unbroken concentration." -- Brooks
Kubik
************************************************
Two quick updates, and then I'll answer the question
posed in the headline to today's email -- and I think
the answer will surprise you.
Anyhow, here the updates:
1. We're winding down the pre-publication special
for Knife, Fork, Muscle, but there's still time to
reserve your copy and grab the pre-publication
bonuses:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
1a. I don't have a shipping date from the printer
yet, so I don't know when I'll be getting the
books -- but as soon as we have them, we'll
fire them right on out the door. I'll keep you
updated in my emails. They''ll definitely be
shipping soon.
2. I'm working on the first issue of the quarterly
Dinosaur Files -- and it's looking pretty good.
We'll put up an order page for the little monster
next week. Be looking for it.
And now . . . let's answer that question.
What is a physical culturist's greatest enemy?
The answer comes from Bradley J. Steiner --
who covered the topic about 40 years ago. I
remember reading this when I was a rookie,
and I've remembered Steiner's words ever
since.
It's not what you think it is.
It's not over-training.
It's not having trouble finding a gym or scraping
together the cash to set up a good home gym.
It's not the goofy workouts the muscle mags
push.
It's not bad advice of any sort -- or bad workouts --
or second rate exercises.
All of those things are problems, of course, and they'll
slow your gains down to a snail's pace -- but they're
not the number one enemy.
So what is it?
Distraction!
"Distraction is a physical culturist's greatest enemy,"
said Steiner.
Steiner always emphasized the importance of training
with deep, focused concentration.
He wanted you training inside the inner universe of
every rep.
He wanted you to train with the sdtrongest possible
mind-body link.
He believed in this so deeply and so profoundly that
he actually studied hypnosis and self-hypnosis. And
he taught self-hypnosis in his books and courses.
Steiner always emphasized "the mental aspects" of
strength training -- and so do I.
The mental aspects of training are the most important.
And amazingly, they're the most neglected.
If you want to take your training to the next level,
don't look for the latest super supplement -- or the
latest super workout -- or the latest super machine.
Instead, look inside.
That's where the strength comes from -- and where
the gains come from.
Learn to train with total focus and unwavering
concentration. Block out any and all distractions.
When you do, the results will amaze you.
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 cover the mental aspects of strength training in
these books:
a. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and
Development
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
b. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Strength requires unity
of mind and body, and unity of mind and body requires
total focus and unbroken concentration." -- Brooks
Kubik
************************************************
Dino Style Cardio for Strength and Endurance!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
When I was a kid, all the coaches
used cardio training as a form of
punishment.
They called it "running laps." When
a coach was mad at you, you ran laps.
If he was real mad, you ran many
laps.
The freshman football coach was
the worst. If the team lost a
game, he made all the players
honorary members of the Thousand
Yard Club.
The Thousand Yard Club was twenty
50 yard sprints in full football
gear, with hardly any rest between
sprints. It was brutal. They needed
to keep plenty of puke buckets handy
on the day we did it.
If you lost another game, the coach
added two additional 50 yard sprints.
The freshman team was TERRIBLE my
year. We lost 8 games and tied one.
By the end of the season the Thousand
Yard Club had morphed into the 1800
Yard Club.
The whole thing was self-defeating,
because that many sprints just wore
our legs out, and we were stiff and
sore and tired and slow on game day.
It would have been a lot better to have
made us run some sprints, and then
stopped and called it a day. Our
recovery would have been better,
and we would have played better.
And that's the problem with cardio
training for Iron Heads. You need
to do enough cardio -- but not too
much. And you need to do the right
kind of cardio.
So here are some ideas:
1. Dumbbell swings, cleans and
snatches, as described in Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training. Sets of five will
get your heart and lungs working big
time.
2. Lugging and loading drills, as
described in Gray Hair and Black
Iron. These are great -- they're
lots of fun, and they involve
lugging, lifting, loading and
carrying heavy stuff -- which
is PERFECT for Dinos. Kudos to
Dr. Ken for this idea.
3. Finishers, as described in
Strength, Muscle and Power. These
are like number two, but you go
harder and heavier.
4. PHA training, where you combine
five or six different exercises for
different parts of the body and
perform one set of each back to
back with no rest. Let's you use
basic barbell and dumbbell (or
kettlebell or sandbag) exercises
for a great cardio workout. See
Gray Hair and Black Iron for
details and for routines.
5. Bodyweight training where you
do medium to high reps and focus
on conditioning. Or -- one of my
personal favorites -- supersetting
two advanced bodyweight exercises
for low to medium reps and doing
five to ten sets of each. Builds
strength, builds muscle and gives
you a great cardio workout all in
one.
6. Death sets, as described in
Dinosaur Training. Those 20 rep
sets of squats and deadlifts will
work your heart and lungs like
you won't believe.
As with anything else, you start
easy and build up gradually and
more progressively to harder
training. Do NOT go out and jump
into full bore cardio training.
(That's especially important for
older trainees and for heavier
trainees.)
Or -- you culd go run laps or sign
up for the Thousand Yard Club. But
trust me, that's not nearly as much
fun!
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 find the various books
mentioned in this email right here
at Dino Headquarters:
a. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
b. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
c. Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
d. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. Fuel your workouts with the diet and
nutrition tips in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "The air we breathe
is life itself, and so is the iron we lift."
-- Brooks Kubik
************************************************
The Ever Popular Work Sets Question!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Last week I outlined a 5 x 5 workout and then covered
the question of poundage progression or weight jumps
from set to set as you moved from your first warmup
set to your work set.
And that led several readers to ask the ever popular
"How many work sets is best?" question.
"Is it better to do ONE work set on each exercise?"
"Or is it better to do TWO work sets?"
"Or are THREE work sets better?"
I refer to this question (because they're all the same
question) as "ever popular" because readers ask it
all the time.
If I had a nickel for every time someone sent me an
email and asked the "how many work sets" question,
I'd be a wealthy man.
So here's the answer.
NONE of the three options are better. They're all good --
but what works better depends on the trainee.
Now, having said that, let me note that doing two or
three work sets is very tough and very demanding.
So if you do multiple work sets, keep the number of
exercises to a minimum -- or only do the multiple
work sets on one key exercise per workout and do
the one work set option for the other exercises.
And, of course, if your training time is limited or
you're extra busy at work or school or things
are extra hectic in your life -- then do one work
set.
Older trainees often do better on one work set
because it makes it easier to recover from your
workout.
And, of course, you can mix things up.
You can do one work set in each exercise in week
one -- and do three work sets in each exercise in
week two (using a lighter weight) -- and alternate
back and fourth from week to week.
I actually like that, because it gives you two
different lines of progression to follow -- one with
your weight for ONE work set and one with your
weight for THREE work sets.
Or you can do a program where you start with one
work set and gradually buiuld up to three work sets,
then add weight and drop back to one work set and
repeat the process. That works very well.
So that's the answer.
The rest is up to you.
In other words -- pick one of the options and carry
through.
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 reserve your copy of my new book,
KNIFE, FORK, MUSCLE as we wind down the big
pre-publication special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. I cover 5 x 5 workouts -- and many other
effective training programs -- in these books:
a. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
b. Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
c. Dinosaur Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Make a plan, and test it
in the gym. Make adjustments as necessary. It's that
simple." -- Brooks Kubik
*********************************************
Last week I outlined a 5 x 5 workout and then covered
the question of poundage progression or weight jumps
from set to set as you moved from your first warmup
set to your work set.
And that led several readers to ask the ever popular
"How many work sets is best?" question.
"Is it better to do ONE work set on each exercise?"
"Or is it better to do TWO work sets?"
"Or are THREE work sets better?"
I refer to this question (because they're all the same
question) as "ever popular" because readers ask it
all the time.
If I had a nickel for every time someone sent me an
email and asked the "how many work sets" question,
I'd be a wealthy man.
So here's the answer.
NONE of the three options are better. They're all good --
but what works better depends on the trainee.
Now, having said that, let me note that doing two or
three work sets is very tough and very demanding.
So if you do multiple work sets, keep the number of
exercises to a minimum -- or only do the multiple
work sets on one key exercise per workout and do
the one work set option for the other exercises.
And, of course, if your training time is limited or
you're extra busy at work or school or things
are extra hectic in your life -- then do one work
set.
Older trainees often do better on one work set
because it makes it easier to recover from your
workout.
And, of course, you can mix things up.
You can do one work set in each exercise in week
one -- and do three work sets in each exercise in
week two (using a lighter weight) -- and alternate
back and fourth from week to week.
I actually like that, because it gives you two
different lines of progression to follow -- one with
your weight for ONE work set and one with your
weight for THREE work sets.
Or you can do a program where you start with one
work set and gradually buiuld up to three work sets,
then add weight and drop back to one work set and
repeat the process. That works very well.
So that's the answer.
The rest is up to you.
In other words -- pick one of the options and carry
through.
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 reserve your copy of my new book,
KNIFE, FORK, MUSCLE as we wind down the big
pre-publication special:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. I cover 5 x 5 workouts -- and many other
effective training programs -- in these books:
a. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
b. Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
c. Dinosaur Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Make a plan, and test it
in the gym. Make adjustments as necessary. It's that
simple." -- Brooks Kubik
*********************************************
Effective Warmups and Poundage Progression from Set to Set
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Here's a very common training question that was
waiting in the in box this morning. I get this one
all the time, so I thought it would be a good idea
to cover it in an email to the Dinos.
"Hi Brooks,
You often recommend 5 progressively heavier sets.
How big should the jumps be?
Start with 60% of top weight and add 10% with each
set or should the jumps be bigger on the first few sets
and smaller on the last few?
Robin D."
Thanks for your question, Robin.
The answer depends in part on the exercise, how heavy
your top set is, and how much warming up you need
before your top set.
For example, if you are doing curls and your top set for
the day is 120 pounds, then you might do:
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 5
120 x 5
Compare that to a set of squats or deadlifts if your top
set for the day is 400 pounds. If you started at 240 pounds
(which would be 60% of 400 pounds), you'd be starting
way too heavy.
I'd get to 400 pounds like this:
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 5
365 x 5
380 x 5
400 x 5
And yes, I know that's seven sets -- but it's important
to start light and work up gradually, and it takes time to
work up to 400 pounds in a workout. So don't worry if
you find yourself doing more than five sets.
Some related points.
1. Dangerous?
Bunny types say that heavy weights are dangerous.
That's true -- IF you don't do your warmup sets.
Which means that if you train seriously, you WILL
be serious about your warmup sets.
2. Abbreviated?
Abbreviated training refers to the number of exercises
in a given workout, and the number of workouts
per week. Don't think you have to do one or two sets
per exercise to train in an abbreviated fashion.
3. High Volume?
I don't consider the foregoing examples to be examples
of high volume training. When you calculate training
volume, you really focus on weights over 70% or 80%
of your top weight for the day. The lighter sets are vitally
necessary as part of your warmup process, but they do
not cut into your recovery very much.
4. Limit the Exercises!
You can't train this way on a laerge number of exercises.
It takes too long. So you HAVE to limit the number of
different exercises in each workout. In most cases, you
should do two or three primary exercises, followed by
gut, grip and neck work. In some cases, ONE primary
exercise is enough.
5. Repping Out Won't Work.
Finally, some trainees try to do one warmup set where they
rep out on the warmup set. This is not a good idea! Repping
out with a light weight will tire you out and make it harder
to lift heavy -- and it will NOT prepare you for the heavy
stuff.
Working up to a heavy top set is a slow, deliberate process.
You can't rush it.
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 reserve your copy of my new book on
diet and nutrition for Dinos:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. For more no-nonsense training advice, grab
this little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Anything worth doing is
worth doing right." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************
Here's a very common training question that was
waiting in the in box this morning. I get this one
all the time, so I thought it would be a good idea
to cover it in an email to the Dinos.
"Hi Brooks,
You often recommend 5 progressively heavier sets.
How big should the jumps be?
Start with 60% of top weight and add 10% with each
set or should the jumps be bigger on the first few sets
and smaller on the last few?
Robin D."
Thanks for your question, Robin.
The answer depends in part on the exercise, how heavy
your top set is, and how much warming up you need
before your top set.
For example, if you are doing curls and your top set for
the day is 120 pounds, then you might do:
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 5
120 x 5
Compare that to a set of squats or deadlifts if your top
set for the day is 400 pounds. If you started at 240 pounds
(which would be 60% of 400 pounds), you'd be starting
way too heavy.
I'd get to 400 pounds like this:
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 5
365 x 5
380 x 5
400 x 5
And yes, I know that's seven sets -- but it's important
to start light and work up gradually, and it takes time to
work up to 400 pounds in a workout. So don't worry if
you find yourself doing more than five sets.
Some related points.
1. Dangerous?
Bunny types say that heavy weights are dangerous.
That's true -- IF you don't do your warmup sets.
Which means that if you train seriously, you WILL
be serious about your warmup sets.
2. Abbreviated?
Abbreviated training refers to the number of exercises
in a given workout, and the number of workouts
per week. Don't think you have to do one or two sets
per exercise to train in an abbreviated fashion.
3. High Volume?
I don't consider the foregoing examples to be examples
of high volume training. When you calculate training
volume, you really focus on weights over 70% or 80%
of your top weight for the day. The lighter sets are vitally
necessary as part of your warmup process, but they do
not cut into your recovery very much.
4. Limit the Exercises!
You can't train this way on a laerge number of exercises.
It takes too long. So you HAVE to limit the number of
different exercises in each workout. In most cases, you
should do two or three primary exercises, followed by
gut, grip and neck work. In some cases, ONE primary
exercise is enough.
5. Repping Out Won't Work.
Finally, some trainees try to do one warmup set where they
rep out on the warmup set. This is not a good idea! Repping
out with a light weight will tire you out and make it harder
to lift heavy -- and it will NOT prepare you for the heavy
stuff.
Working up to a heavy top set is a slow, deliberate process.
You can't rush it.
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 reserve your copy of my new book on
diet and nutrition for Dinos:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. For more no-nonsense training advice, grab
this little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Anything worth doing is
worth doing right." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************
A Simple Solution to a Common Problem (Part 2)
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
First of all, let me say THANK YOU to everyone
who stepped up and placed an order for KNIFE,
FORK, MUSCLE. As always, we appreciate your
support.
Be sure to check out the cover photo -- it looks
pretty darn good.
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
On the training front . . .
In yesterday's email, we were discussing an
email I rec'd from a 24-year old Marine who
is training 4 times a week, doing squats and
deads 2-3 times a week, and running or
pushing a prowler (weight sled) on his
"off" days.
(By the way, exactly 27 readers asked what
a prowler was -- it's a weight sled. You push
it for cardio work.)
He feels like he's overdoing things and asked
me to outline a schedule thatmight work better.
So here's a suggestion:
Mon
1. Squats 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
2. Standing barbell curl 4 x 6 or 5 x 5
3. Close grip bench press 4 x 6 or 5 x 5
4. Gut work, grip work and neck work of
your choice - several sets of each
Note: work the neck extra hard to help
provide a muscular cusion to protect against
concussion in combat situations, motor
vehicle accidents, etc. A heavy-duty
headstrap for neck work is a great
investment.
Tues
1. Run or do prowler work
Wed
1. Bench press 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
2. Pulldowns to the chest 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
or
Pull-ups 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
3. Shoulder shrugs 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
Note: More neck and trap work, for the reasons
noted above. Use a barbell, two dumbbells, one
dumbbell and alternate arms, or a Trap Bar.
4. Gut, grip and neck work -- same as Mon
Thurs
1. Run or do prowler work
Fri
1. Military press 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
2. Deadlift or Trap Bar deadlift 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
3. Shrugs -- but a different kind than on Wed.
4. Gut, grip and neck work -- same as Mon
Sat
1. Run or do prowler work
Sun -- Rest!
On 5 x 5 and other set/rep schemes, start light and
add weight on each set, so you finish with your top
weight for the day.
If you need more warm-up sets, do them, even if
it means you are doing 6 x 5 or 7 x 5.
Very important -- start with weights where you can
get 5 reps on each top set. In other words, don't
start too heavy. Gradually add weight as you get
stronger.
Consider the possibility of lighter workouts and
heavier workouts, esp the possibility of going heavy
in squat and lighter in DL one week -- and the
reverse the next week. You need to be careful not
to overwork the legs, hips and lower back given all
the running you need to do.
So that's the program. It will work well for our
24-year old Marine -- and it will work well for any
of our younger Dinos. Older Dinos should have more
rest days and focus on recovery. See Gray Hair and
Black Iron for details:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
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 reserve your copy of KNIFE, FORK,
MUSCLE:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. For older Dinos -- age 35 and up -- this
little monster is worth its weight in gold:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "The trick is to make
it hard, but not impossible." -- Brooks Kubik
************************************************
First of all, let me say THANK YOU to everyone
who stepped up and placed an order for KNIFE,
FORK, MUSCLE. As always, we appreciate your
support.
Be sure to check out the cover photo -- it looks
pretty darn good.
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
On the training front . . .
In yesterday's email, we were discussing an
email I rec'd from a 24-year old Marine who
is training 4 times a week, doing squats and
deads 2-3 times a week, and running or
pushing a prowler (weight sled) on his
"off" days.
(By the way, exactly 27 readers asked what
a prowler was -- it's a weight sled. You push
it for cardio work.)
He feels like he's overdoing things and asked
me to outline a schedule thatmight work better.
So here's a suggestion:
Mon
1. Squats 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
2. Standing barbell curl 4 x 6 or 5 x 5
3. Close grip bench press 4 x 6 or 5 x 5
4. Gut work, grip work and neck work of
your choice - several sets of each
Note: work the neck extra hard to help
provide a muscular cusion to protect against
concussion in combat situations, motor
vehicle accidents, etc. A heavy-duty
headstrap for neck work is a great
investment.
Tues
1. Run or do prowler work
Wed
1. Bench press 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
2. Pulldowns to the chest 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
or
Pull-ups 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
3. Shoulder shrugs 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
Note: More neck and trap work, for the reasons
noted above. Use a barbell, two dumbbells, one
dumbbell and alternate arms, or a Trap Bar.
4. Gut, grip and neck work -- same as Mon
Thurs
1. Run or do prowler work
Fri
1. Military press 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
2. Deadlift or Trap Bar deadlift 5 x 5 or 5 x 6
3. Shrugs -- but a different kind than on Wed.
4. Gut, grip and neck work -- same as Mon
Sat
1. Run or do prowler work
Sun -- Rest!
On 5 x 5 and other set/rep schemes, start light and
add weight on each set, so you finish with your top
weight for the day.
If you need more warm-up sets, do them, even if
it means you are doing 6 x 5 or 7 x 5.
Very important -- start with weights where you can
get 5 reps on each top set. In other words, don't
start too heavy. Gradually add weight as you get
stronger.
Consider the possibility of lighter workouts and
heavier workouts, esp the possibility of going heavy
in squat and lighter in DL one week -- and the
reverse the next week. You need to be careful not
to overwork the legs, hips and lower back given all
the running you need to do.
So that's the program. It will work well for our
24-year old Marine -- and it will work well for any
of our younger Dinos. Older Dinos should have more
rest days and focus on recovery. See Gray Hair and
Black Iron for details:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
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 reserve your copy of KNIFE, FORK,
MUSCLE:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 2. For older Dinos -- age 35 and up -- this
little monster is worth its weight in gold:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "The trick is to make
it hard, but not impossible." -- Brooks Kubik
************************************************
A Simple Solution to a Very Common Problem (Part 1)
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. If you missed the cover photo for Knife, Fork,
Muscle, head on over and check it out:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
The best part was, it's a real dinner -- and I
got to eat it after we took the photo!
2. We're hoping to ship Knife, Fork, Muscle in
about 2 - 3 weeks, depending on how fast the
printer gets the books to us.
If you ordered multiple books, and you live in the
US or Canada, we are shipping the rest of your
order and will send Knife, Fork, Muscle separately.
For overseas orders, we are waiting to ship the
entire order at one time.
I'll keep you posted on shipping dates.
On the training front, I received an email from a
Dino who is serving in the USMC. As a Marine, he
needs to do lots of running and other endurance
work, but he also does plenty of strength training.
He hits squats and deadlifts 2-3 times per week
at the Base gym, and does running or prowler
pushes on his off days. He does 5 x 5 on his
squats, deads and other barbell and dumbbell
work.
Now he feels like he's overtraining, and asked
what he should do, and what kind of program
he should follow.
Well, that's a very common question. I get it all
the time from men and women in the Armed
Services -- from athletes who are trying to
balance strength training and the requirements
of their sport -- from martial artists -- and from
civilians.
The problem is the same in each case -- and so
is the solution.
It all boils down to overtraining. In particular,
overtraining the legs, hips and lower back.
Here's the problem:
1. Squatting and deadlifting in the same workout
is way too much and way too taxing for most
trainees.
2. Squatting 2-3 times per week is way too much
for most trainees.
3. Deadlifting 2-3 times per week is way too much
for most trainees.
4. Running and prowler pushes on your "off" days
means that you are never fully recovered. Those
legs and hips are always tired.
5. A younger Dino can handle this sort of schedule --
at least for a while -- but then he'll break down. An
older Dino would break down on this sort of program
almost immediately.
a. "Breaking down" means extreme systemic fatigue.
b. It also can mean a knee, hip or lower back injury.
Injuries happen when you are tired all the time.
Luckily, there's an easy solution. We'll cover it in
tomorrow's email. Be looking for it.
In the meantime, and 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. Here are three books that will sort out the overtraining
problem for you:
a. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
b. Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
c. Chalk and Sweat
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
P.S. 2. The right diet and nutritional program will help
increase your ability to recover from hard training --
and I cover this in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Plan your training to
allow maximum recovery from your workouts."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. If you missed the cover photo for Knife, Fork,
Muscle, head on over and check it out:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
The best part was, it's a real dinner -- and I
got to eat it after we took the photo!
2. We're hoping to ship Knife, Fork, Muscle in
about 2 - 3 weeks, depending on how fast the
printer gets the books to us.
If you ordered multiple books, and you live in the
US or Canada, we are shipping the rest of your
order and will send Knife, Fork, Muscle separately.
For overseas orders, we are waiting to ship the
entire order at one time.
I'll keep you posted on shipping dates.
On the training front, I received an email from a
Dino who is serving in the USMC. As a Marine, he
needs to do lots of running and other endurance
work, but he also does plenty of strength training.
He hits squats and deadlifts 2-3 times per week
at the Base gym, and does running or prowler
pushes on his off days. He does 5 x 5 on his
squats, deads and other barbell and dumbbell
work.
Now he feels like he's overtraining, and asked
what he should do, and what kind of program
he should follow.
Well, that's a very common question. I get it all
the time from men and women in the Armed
Services -- from athletes who are trying to
balance strength training and the requirements
of their sport -- from martial artists -- and from
civilians.
The problem is the same in each case -- and so
is the solution.
It all boils down to overtraining. In particular,
overtraining the legs, hips and lower back.
Here's the problem:
1. Squatting and deadlifting in the same workout
is way too much and way too taxing for most
trainees.
2. Squatting 2-3 times per week is way too much
for most trainees.
3. Deadlifting 2-3 times per week is way too much
for most trainees.
4. Running and prowler pushes on your "off" days
means that you are never fully recovered. Those
legs and hips are always tired.
5. A younger Dino can handle this sort of schedule --
at least for a while -- but then he'll break down. An
older Dino would break down on this sort of program
almost immediately.
a. "Breaking down" means extreme systemic fatigue.
b. It also can mean a knee, hip or lower back injury.
Injuries happen when you are tired all the time.
Luckily, there's an easy solution. We'll cover it in
tomorrow's email. Be looking for it.
In the meantime, and 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. Here are three books that will sort out the overtraining
problem for you:
a. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
b. Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
c. Chalk and Sweat
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
P.S. 2. The right diet and nutritional program will help
increase your ability to recover from hard training --
and I cover this in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Plan your training to
allow maximum recovery from your workouts."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Another Training Day!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Today is going to be a great day because it's
a training day.
In my book, training days are the best day
of the week. Guaranteed.
Someone asked me if strength training is
different as you grow older.
"Do you still have the same fire ior your
training?" he asked. "The same passion
for it?"
It was a good question.
The answer is an unequivocable YES!
In fact, I enjoy training more than ever. My
workouts are more fun than ever. I love my
workouts -- my garage -- my platform -- my
barbell -- and my squat stands. I love every
aspect of my training.
And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the
world.
That answer surprises many younger trainees,
who seem to assume that we lose interest in
our training as we grow older.
But older trainees will nod their heads in
agreement. They understand.
I think the difference is this.
When you are young, you often train for a
specific purpose, such as winnuing a contest
or a championship, setting a record, or hitting
a particular weight in a given lift.
Older trainees may focus on similar goals,
but most of us focus on the sheer enjoyment
of training.
We train because it feels good -- and because it
makes our bodies feel good. Makes us feel
young.
Makes our hearts and minds feel young, too.
And that's why today's going to be a great day.
It's a training day.
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. Here's the number one book about serious
training for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Diet and nutrition is critical for older
trainees -- and I cover it in detail in Knife, Fork,
Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Make every workout
fun. Enjoy your training. Workout days should be
the best days of the week." -- Brooks Kubik
Today is going to be a great day because it's
a training day.
In my book, training days are the best day
of the week. Guaranteed.
Someone asked me if strength training is
different as you grow older.
"Do you still have the same fire ior your
training?" he asked. "The same passion
for it?"
It was a good question.
The answer is an unequivocable YES!
In fact, I enjoy training more than ever. My
workouts are more fun than ever. I love my
workouts -- my garage -- my platform -- my
barbell -- and my squat stands. I love every
aspect of my training.
And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the
world.
That answer surprises many younger trainees,
who seem to assume that we lose interest in
our training as we grow older.
But older trainees will nod their heads in
agreement. They understand.
I think the difference is this.
When you are young, you often train for a
specific purpose, such as winnuing a contest
or a championship, setting a record, or hitting
a particular weight in a given lift.
Older trainees may focus on similar goals,
but most of us focus on the sheer enjoyment
of training.
We train because it feels good -- and because it
makes our bodies feel good. Makes us feel
young.
Makes our hearts and minds feel young, too.
And that's why today's going to be a great day.
It's a training day.
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. Here's the number one book about serious
training for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Diet and nutrition is critical for older
trainees -- and I cover it in detail in Knife, Fork,
Muscle:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Make every workout
fun. Enjoy your training. Workout days should be
the best days of the week." -- Brooks Kubik
The "How Did That Happen?" Question
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes and then we'll talk about the
"How Did that Happen?" question.
1. We added the cover photo to the order page
for KNIFE, FORK, MUSCLE -- and it looks pretty
darn good:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
2. We'll be launching a big new quarterly edition
of the Dinosaur Files newsletter (a hardcopy
publication) this month -- I'll send the link
in about two weeks.
And now, let's cover the "How Did that Happen?"
question.
I was having a rough day yesterday. One of those
days where nothing seemed to go right. I had lots
of Dino work to do, and it felt like I was walking
in mud the entire time.
Or rather, like walking in mud while carrying a
large hippopatamus, two elephants, a camel, a
T-Rex and an overweight brontosaurus on my
back.
Finally it was workout time.
I was scheduled to do split style snatches. I've
been working them very hard for the past few
months. I had been doing squat style snatches,
but a shoulder ding stiffened the shoulder and
upper back and made the squat snatch pretty
close to impossible -- so I switched over to
split style snatches, which are much easier on
an older lifter's shoulders.
I went out to the garage, warmed up, stretched,
got loose, and got going.
And amazingly, even though it had been a slog
through the mud sort of day, my lifts were fast,
crisp and precise, with really good speed, depth
and footwork.
I gradually moved up to my regular working weight,
where I do 5 singles.
The first one was so easy I added 5 kilos (11 pounds)
for the next four singles.
But that was also easy -- so I added another 5 kilos.
Made that easily, and added another 5 kilos.
Made that one, too, although it felt close to my limit.
And I made it in good, fast, smooth form. The last lift
looked like the first lift of the day.
And so, on a day that had been a struggle, I had a
great workout, with strength and power to spare.
And I ended up hitting one of my best lifts of the
past two or three years.
How did that happen?
To tell the truth, I really don't know.
My diet is pretty much always the same -- I only
take some basic supps, and they're always the
same -- my workouts are all pretty similar --
my schedule is very similar from day to day --
and so is my rest and sleep.
In other words, there was nothing different --
nothing unusual -- to account for the good lifting
day.
That's how it goes sometimes.
You have a good day, and where it came from is
anybody's guess.
Sometimes it just happens. When it does, take
advantage of it.
Bad days are often the same. You expect to lift
a ton, and you don't come close to it.
And you have no idea how it happened.
It's all part of the iron Game. You have good days
and bad days. Enjoy the good days, perservere through
the bad days, don't go crazy trying to figure out what
happened in any given workout, and stay focused on
the ultimate goal.
And that's the report from Dino Headquarters. 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 haven't reserved your copy of KNIFE,
FORK, MUSCLE, go here and do it now:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "The secret is to keep on
keeping on." -- Brooks Kubik
Two quick notes and then we'll talk about the
"How Did that Happen?" question.
1. We added the cover photo to the order page
for KNIFE, FORK, MUSCLE -- and it looks pretty
darn good:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
2. We'll be launching a big new quarterly edition
of the Dinosaur Files newsletter (a hardcopy
publication) this month -- I'll send the link
in about two weeks.
And now, let's cover the "How Did that Happen?"
question.
I was having a rough day yesterday. One of those
days where nothing seemed to go right. I had lots
of Dino work to do, and it felt like I was walking
in mud the entire time.
Or rather, like walking in mud while carrying a
large hippopatamus, two elephants, a camel, a
T-Rex and an overweight brontosaurus on my
back.
Finally it was workout time.
I was scheduled to do split style snatches. I've
been working them very hard for the past few
months. I had been doing squat style snatches,
but a shoulder ding stiffened the shoulder and
upper back and made the squat snatch pretty
close to impossible -- so I switched over to
split style snatches, which are much easier on
an older lifter's shoulders.
I went out to the garage, warmed up, stretched,
got loose, and got going.
And amazingly, even though it had been a slog
through the mud sort of day, my lifts were fast,
crisp and precise, with really good speed, depth
and footwork.
I gradually moved up to my regular working weight,
where I do 5 singles.
The first one was so easy I added 5 kilos (11 pounds)
for the next four singles.
But that was also easy -- so I added another 5 kilos.
Made that easily, and added another 5 kilos.
Made that one, too, although it felt close to my limit.
And I made it in good, fast, smooth form. The last lift
looked like the first lift of the day.
And so, on a day that had been a struggle, I had a
great workout, with strength and power to spare.
And I ended up hitting one of my best lifts of the
past two or three years.
How did that happen?
To tell the truth, I really don't know.
My diet is pretty much always the same -- I only
take some basic supps, and they're always the
same -- my workouts are all pretty similar --
my schedule is very similar from day to day --
and so is my rest and sleep.
In other words, there was nothing different --
nothing unusual -- to account for the good lifting
day.
That's how it goes sometimes.
You have a good day, and where it came from is
anybody's guess.
Sometimes it just happens. When it does, take
advantage of it.
Bad days are often the same. You expect to lift
a ton, and you don't come close to it.
And you have no idea how it happened.
It's all part of the iron Game. You have good days
and bad days. Enjoy the good days, perservere through
the bad days, don't go crazy trying to figure out what
happened in any given workout, and stay focused on
the ultimate goal.
And that's the report from Dino Headquarters. 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 haven't reserved your copy of KNIFE,
FORK, MUSCLE, go here and do it now:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "The secret is to keep on
keeping on." -- Brooks Kubik
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