Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. Our e-books
Our e-books seem to be taking over the world.
We had two e-books in the Amazon top 10 list
in our category yesterday -- and one of them
(our Military Press course in kindle format)
made it all the way up to number 2!
That's amazing, because they deliver the same
sort of hard-nosed, tell it like is, straight from
the shoulder training advice that you find in our
hard-copy books and courses. And yet -- we're
beating the mainstream silly stuff.
It's both amazing and encouraging. Maybe there
are more Dinos out there than we knew.
You can grab our e-books right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_kindle.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_01.html
We'll continue to put more material up there on
Kindle throughout the year. Be looking for it!
2. The Dinosaur Files quarterly
Issue no. 2 of the Dinosaur Files quarterly
looks GREAT -- go here to grab a copy of the
best strength training and muscle building
journal anywhere:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_quarterly.html
And now -- let's talk training.
Yesterday we were talking about the muscles
of posture -- the spinal erectors and the upper
back muscles -- including the traps.
Here's one of my favorites to work the heck
out of them. It's one of the best I ever did
for the traps.
It's the partial deadlift from blocks or in the
power rack.
But here's the kicker.
Finish the exercise by shrugging as high as
you can -- which might not be very high at
all -- in fact, the bar might not even move.
With a truly heavy weight, you might pull
the bar up and try as hard as you can to
shrug it even higher -- and the bar might
move half an inch -- or a quarter of an inch --
or not at all -- or it might press down on
you as if it were the weight of the earth,
and you might actually feel that it's starting
to slip down even as you try to shrug it up.
But shrug upward with all your might -- and
hold that shrug position (whatever it is) for
the count.
Lower slowly and under control, get set, and
repeat.
How long do you hold the *top* position?
At least two seconds -- and five seconds is
better.
Or do 5/4/3/2/1 -- five seconds on the first
rep, and one second less on each of the
following reps.
Start light, add weight on each set, and work
up to one to three sets with your top weight
for the day.
Don't go too heavy the first time or you'll
end up so sore you won't be able to move
very well for a few days.
But after a month or so of break-in training,
you can start going heavier -- and you can
work up to some BIG weights.
Grip is a challenge on this exercise. Use a
reverse grip and alternate your hands from
set to set. If you prefer straps and an over-
hand grip, that's okay, too.
And yes, it works with your choice of a
regular bar or a Trap Bar. If you use a
Trap Bar, use blocks to position the weight
where you want it.
The only draw-back is this -- after a few
months of working this exercise hard, you'll
probably need new a new wardrobe. But
that's part of the game, isn't 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. The one-hand deadlift is another good
exercise for the muscles of posture. I cover
it in detail -- along with lots of other great
exercises and workout ideas -- in Strength,
Muscle and Power:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.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: "Stand tall and
lift heavy." -- Brooks Kubik
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