Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll cover one of
the best success stories you'll ever see.
1. Grab the Dinosaur Files!
The Aug-Sept issue of the Dinosaur Files is
available in your choice of Kindle or PDF
format.
Go here to grab the little monster:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
And, of course, be sure to send in an email
and let me know how you like this issue!
2. A Dinosaur Training Success Story
I rec'd the following email message last
night - and I knew at once that I wanted
to share it with you:
Hi Brooks,
I thought after all you have given me
through your writings and passion for
helping others, the least I can do is give
you the feedback you requested.
First, a bit about me. I am a veteran of
both Iraq and Afghanistan, and also a
heart attack survivor. I survived what is
known in some countries as a widow
maker, and I had to be re-started 12
times.
I have trained most of my life, and I had
made great gains from following the
routines in Dinosaur Training.
After my heart attack at the ripe old age
of 37 (it was a bit of an anomaly, and also,
I had a heart murmur which may or may
not have been a contributing factor), I
lost a lot of confidence in pushing it to
the limit. I still trained, but with the
brakes on.
When my son was less than one year old,
I bought him a copy of Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training, which you kindly autographed for
him and wrote some encouraging words,
which I will always be grateful for. Thank
you.
I decided that for my son to believe and
learn from this stuff early on, I would have
to be the kind of man, a Dinosaur, who
leads by example, and follow these
programs myself.
So I started with the basic bodyweight program
in your book, and decided to do it for at least
50 sessions. I did, and my strength and my
confidence grew by leaps and bounds.
After that, I went on another program from
the same book for 50 sessions, and then I did
another program from your book, Chalk and
Sweat.
The lessons I learned, and to be honest, the
fun I had from getting back into my training,
was a true gift.
Old injuries have eased up. I can play easily
with a near three-year old bruiser and a
fesity five-year old princess. I have gained
from 195 pounds to a trim 210 pounds.
You have had such a positive effect on my
life, and led me to be stronger so that I may
have a more positive effect on my children,
and teach them the lessons you have given
your life to teaching. Please accept my sincere
gratitude for all that you have done for me.
Yours in iron,
Cam B.
Cam - Thank you for your very moving and
inspiring report. I am very glad to have been
a part of your success story - and to see that
you are working so hard and so well to pass
the message along to your children and
others.
We have many different kinds of Dino success
stories. Some Dinos have become champions
in their chosen sport - we've even had some
National and World champions. Others have
gained tons of muscular bodyweight and
increased their strength enormously. Some
have lost many pounds of flab.
Others, like yourself, have used Dino-style
strength training to come back from an
illness or serious injury. That's not easy
to do - but it's possible - and it's one of
the most inspiring success stories there
can be.
Thanks again for sharing this, and best
wishes for your continued success.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training is a great
way to make a come-back - or to get started -
or to build some old-school strength and
muscle:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.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: "It's never easy,
but it's always possible." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
From a Single Suitcase to Gold Medal Glory
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
The soldiers came and told everyone to pack
up and leave immediately.
They were allowed a single suitcase for every
person.
When they left their house under the watchful
eyes of the soldiers, they carried everything
they owned - and each person had a single
suitcase that held it all. They left everything
else behind.
The soldiers put them into trucks - and took
them to the camps.
It was 1940. Japanese American citizens up
and down the West Coast of the United States
were rounded up and sent to camps for the
duration of the War.
He was a boy when it happened. And like all
the others, all he had in the entire world was
inside the small suitcase.
When they got to the camps, they went to
work in the fields. It was hard, hot, sweaty,
back-breaking work.
But even so, they tried to stay in shape. The
boys and young men saved their coins, pooled
their money, and bought a basic barbell set
from the York Barbell Co. in far away Penn-
sylvania.
It arrived by truck.
They carried the box into a tent used for
laundry, and that became their gym.
And that's where the boy began barbell training.
A dozen years later, he won an Olympic Gold
medal in weightlifting.
He went on to win a second gold medal four
years later - and a silver medal in his third
and final Olympics - along with six World
Championships.
His name was Tommy Kono - and he was one
of the greatest weightlifters who ever lived.
I was reminded of this because I saw an on-line
photo gallery with photos of some of the camps
and the men, women and children who lived in
them.
One of the photos shows the inside of a tent that
housed a family of four. You can see the suitcases
on the top of one of the two bunk beds. I wasn't
kidding about the suitcases.
Photo no. 6 in the series shows a muscular man
wearing a t-shirt from the Sacramento YMCA.
They don't give his name, but that t-shirt made
me stop and think long and hard.
You see, after the War, Tommy Kono's family
moved back to Sacramento. Tommy had enjoyed
his barbell training at the camp, and he joined
the Sacramento YMCA so he could keep on
lifting weights.
One day, an older lifter named Mits Oshima
talked Kono into entering a weightlifting contest -
and the rest, as they say, is history.
Was that Mits Oshima in the photo?
I don't know.
Perhaps it was. Or perhaps it was the man who
got Mits Oshima started in his training - or maybe
it was a man who helped both Kono and Oshima
when they were training after the War.
Whoever it was, he might very well have helped
Tommy Kono as the young man began to learn
the art of Olympic weightlifting.
In other words - he might have helped Tommy
Kono go from a single suitcase to the top of the
Iron Mountain.
You can see the photos right here:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2016/sep/28/uprooted-japanese-american-lives-in-farm-labour-camps-in-pictures
Anyhow, we've been talking about younger
trainees and how to get them started - and
I think this is a good example of how to do
it.
After all, you never know how far that skinny
kid in the corner of they gym might go.
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. John Davis was another legendary lifting
champion - with two Olympic gold medals and
six world championships. You can read about
John Davis and his training in Black Iron: The
John Davis Story:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dinosaur Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "The iron may be
all you have, but it's all you need." - Brooks
Kubik
***********************************************************************************
The soldiers came and told everyone to pack
up and leave immediately.
They were allowed a single suitcase for every
person.
When they left their house under the watchful
eyes of the soldiers, they carried everything
they owned - and each person had a single
suitcase that held it all. They left everything
else behind.
The soldiers put them into trucks - and took
them to the camps.
It was 1940. Japanese American citizens up
and down the West Coast of the United States
were rounded up and sent to camps for the
duration of the War.
He was a boy when it happened. And like all
the others, all he had in the entire world was
inside the small suitcase.
When they got to the camps, they went to
work in the fields. It was hard, hot, sweaty,
back-breaking work.
But even so, they tried to stay in shape. The
boys and young men saved their coins, pooled
their money, and bought a basic barbell set
from the York Barbell Co. in far away Penn-
sylvania.
It arrived by truck.
They carried the box into a tent used for
laundry, and that became their gym.
And that's where the boy began barbell training.
A dozen years later, he won an Olympic Gold
medal in weightlifting.
He went on to win a second gold medal four
years later - and a silver medal in his third
and final Olympics - along with six World
Championships.
His name was Tommy Kono - and he was one
of the greatest weightlifters who ever lived.
I was reminded of this because I saw an on-line
photo gallery with photos of some of the camps
and the men, women and children who lived in
them.
One of the photos shows the inside of a tent that
housed a family of four. You can see the suitcases
on the top of one of the two bunk beds. I wasn't
kidding about the suitcases.
Photo no. 6 in the series shows a muscular man
wearing a t-shirt from the Sacramento YMCA.
They don't give his name, but that t-shirt made
me stop and think long and hard.
You see, after the War, Tommy Kono's family
moved back to Sacramento. Tommy had enjoyed
his barbell training at the camp, and he joined
the Sacramento YMCA so he could keep on
lifting weights.
One day, an older lifter named Mits Oshima
talked Kono into entering a weightlifting contest -
and the rest, as they say, is history.
Was that Mits Oshima in the photo?
I don't know.
Perhaps it was. Or perhaps it was the man who
got Mits Oshima started in his training - or maybe
it was a man who helped both Kono and Oshima
when they were training after the War.
Whoever it was, he might very well have helped
Tommy Kono as the young man began to learn
the art of Olympic weightlifting.
In other words - he might have helped Tommy
Kono go from a single suitcase to the top of the
Iron Mountain.
You can see the photos right here:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2016/sep/28/uprooted-japanese-american-lives-in-farm-labour-camps-in-pictures
Anyhow, we've been talking about younger
trainees and how to get them started - and
I think this is a good example of how to do
it.
After all, you never know how far that skinny
kid in the corner of they gym might go.
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. John Davis was another legendary lifting
champion - with two Olympic gold medals and
six world championships. You can read about
John Davis and his training in Black Iron: The
John Davis Story:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dinosaur Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "The iron may be
all you have, but it's all you need." - Brooks
Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Why Feedback from Your Fellow Dinos Is So Important for You
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note and then we'll talk iron.
1. Top 10 Again!
The Kindle edition of the Aug-Sept issue
of The Dinosaur Files did something pretty
awesome yesterday.
The little monster shot up into THREE top
10 lists in the Kindle bookstore.
At one point, it was no. 2 on one list, no.
5 on another and no. 9 on a third.
That's pretty good when you consider all
the titles available on Kindle - and the fact
that we're talking about a strength training
journal that focuses 100% on old-school,
no-nonsense, no-bull training.
A big thank you to everyone who made it
happen!
If you haven't grabbed the little monster
yet, here are the links:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
If you order the Kindle edition, please give
us a rating (hopefully 5 stars), and leave a
brief review on our Kindle page. They really
help.
And as always, shoot me an email and let
me know how you like this issue.
2. Reader Feedback and Why It's So
Important for You.
I've been running a lot of emails with
feedback from other Dinos, and they've
been a big hit.
For example, here's an email that just
landed in the Dino mail-box:
Brooks,
Just wanted to let you know I loved the
emails regardiing other Dinos who wrote
about their workouts (e.g., Mr. Alcorn).
For some reason, they were very motivating
in me switching from a split routine to a
Dino routine.
I have your book, Gray Hair and Black Iron,
which I love.
I've always been afraid to switch, thinking
I'm not doing enough.
I'm 56, and I'm convinced that shorter,
abbreviated routines will be much more
beneficial to my health.
Thanks plenty.
Glenn M.
Thanks for your email, Glenn. I've rec'd a number
of similar emails over the past week.
Feedback from other trainees is CRITICAL to your
training success.
There are several reasons for this, including:
1. It's much more inspiring to get feedback from a
real person than to get a ghost-written article or ad
copy about some supposed "Champion" and how he
(supposedly) trains.
a. The "Champion" has genetic advantages that the
rest of us don't.
b. The "Champion" often uses drugs, and we don't.
c. If we're an older trainee, we need to know what
older trainees are doing, not what the young bucks
are doing.
2. We need to hear what works in the real world - for
trainees who (like us) work for a living, go to school
(or both), and have to balance their training with many
other responsibilities.
3. There is no one way to train - and the more we read
about sensible and intelligent variations of Dino-style,
old-school training, the better and more effective our
own training will be.
4. Reports from other Dinos make us think, "If he can
do it, SO CAN I!"
a. That kind of thinking is incredibly powerful.
5. If we read about our fellow Dinos, we focus on
sane, sensible, effective, progressive strength
training - and not on the silly stuff.
a. There's a lot of silly stuff out there, and it's
important to fill your mind with strong counter-
measures.
6. Your fellow Dinos know what they're doing -
and they have great workouts and terrific
training tips to share with you.
a. Including advice you won't find anywhere
else.
7. Your fellow Dinosaurs are your friends -
and it's good to know what your friends are
doing.
Anyhow, I'm glad you've switched over to
abbreviated workouts. Keep me - and your
fellow Dinos - posted on your progress.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. One of the reasons I publish the Dinosaur
Files is to have a forum to share longer and
more detailed training reports, workouts and
feedback from your fellow Dinosaurs. That's
part of what makes the Dino Files so special -
and so valuable. Be sure to read them:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "Every Dino is
an inspiration to someone." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
One quick note and then we'll talk iron.
1. Top 10 Again!
The Kindle edition of the Aug-Sept issue
of The Dinosaur Files did something pretty
awesome yesterday.
The little monster shot up into THREE top
10 lists in the Kindle bookstore.
At one point, it was no. 2 on one list, no.
5 on another and no. 9 on a third.
That's pretty good when you consider all
the titles available on Kindle - and the fact
that we're talking about a strength training
journal that focuses 100% on old-school,
no-nonsense, no-bull training.
A big thank you to everyone who made it
happen!
If you haven't grabbed the little monster
yet, here are the links:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
If you order the Kindle edition, please give
us a rating (hopefully 5 stars), and leave a
brief review on our Kindle page. They really
help.
And as always, shoot me an email and let
me know how you like this issue.
2. Reader Feedback and Why It's So
Important for You.
I've been running a lot of emails with
feedback from other Dinos, and they've
been a big hit.
For example, here's an email that just
landed in the Dino mail-box:
Brooks,
Just wanted to let you know I loved the
emails regardiing other Dinos who wrote
about their workouts (e.g., Mr. Alcorn).
For some reason, they were very motivating
in me switching from a split routine to a
Dino routine.
I have your book, Gray Hair and Black Iron,
which I love.
I've always been afraid to switch, thinking
I'm not doing enough.
I'm 56, and I'm convinced that shorter,
abbreviated routines will be much more
beneficial to my health.
Thanks plenty.
Glenn M.
Thanks for your email, Glenn. I've rec'd a number
of similar emails over the past week.
Feedback from other trainees is CRITICAL to your
training success.
There are several reasons for this, including:
1. It's much more inspiring to get feedback from a
real person than to get a ghost-written article or ad
copy about some supposed "Champion" and how he
(supposedly) trains.
a. The "Champion" has genetic advantages that the
rest of us don't.
b. The "Champion" often uses drugs, and we don't.
c. If we're an older trainee, we need to know what
older trainees are doing, not what the young bucks
are doing.
2. We need to hear what works in the real world - for
trainees who (like us) work for a living, go to school
(or both), and have to balance their training with many
other responsibilities.
3. There is no one way to train - and the more we read
about sensible and intelligent variations of Dino-style,
old-school training, the better and more effective our
own training will be.
4. Reports from other Dinos make us think, "If he can
do it, SO CAN I!"
a. That kind of thinking is incredibly powerful.
5. If we read about our fellow Dinos, we focus on
sane, sensible, effective, progressive strength
training - and not on the silly stuff.
a. There's a lot of silly stuff out there, and it's
important to fill your mind with strong counter-
measures.
6. Your fellow Dinos know what they're doing -
and they have great workouts and terrific
training tips to share with you.
a. Including advice you won't find anywhere
else.
7. Your fellow Dinosaurs are your friends -
and it's good to know what your friends are
doing.
Anyhow, I'm glad you've switched over to
abbreviated workouts. Keep me - and your
fellow Dinos - posted on your progress.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. One of the reasons I publish the Dinosaur
Files is to have a forum to share longer and
more detailed training reports, workouts and
feedback from your fellow Dinosaurs. That's
part of what makes the Dino Files so special -
and so valuable. Be sure to read them:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "Every Dino is
an inspiration to someone." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
A Very Big THANK YOU!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I'm super-busy today and need to keep
this short.
But I wanted to give a very big THANK
YOU to the Dino Nation.
We released the Kindle edition of the
Aug-Sept issue of The Dinosaur Files
on Sunday night, and this morning we're
in not one, not two, but THREE top 10
lists in Amazon's Kindle bookstore.
That's pretty good for a strength
training journal - especially one that
contains 100% serious stuff, no fluff,
no muscle media silliness and no
endless pages of supplement ads.
Anyhow, I wanted to say THANK YOU
to everyone who stepped up and took
action by placing an order.
We really appreciate it.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you haven't yet grabbed the Dino
Files, do it now:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
***********************************************************************************
I'm super-busy today and need to keep
this short.
But I wanted to give a very big THANK
YOU to the Dino Nation.
We released the Kindle edition of the
Aug-Sept issue of The Dinosaur Files
on Sunday night, and this morning we're
in not one, not two, but THREE top 10
lists in Amazon's Kindle bookstore.
That's pretty good for a strength
training journal - especially one that
contains 100% serious stuff, no fluff,
no muscle media silliness and no
endless pages of supplement ads.
Anyhow, I wanted to say THANK YOU
to everyone who stepped up and took
action by placing an order.
We really appreciate it.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you haven't yet grabbed the Dino
Files, do it now:
Kindle edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF edition
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
***********************************************************************************
Learning How to Train the Right Way
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We'll talk training in just a minute, but let
me begin by covering some big news:
1. The Dinosaur Files
The Aug-Sept issue of The Dinosaur
Files is now available in your choice
of Kindle or PDF formats.
Go here to grab the little monster:
Kindle
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
If you order the Kindle version,
please be sure to go back to the
Kindle page and give this issue a
5 star review - and post a one or
two sentence review. This helps
convince the newbies that they
need to stop the silly stuff and
get into Dino Mode!
2. Learning How to Train
On the training front, here's a great
email from Flint Long, a 65-year old
Dino who did things the wrong way
for many years - but then learned
how to train for real results:
Brooks,
I started when I was 19. Now I'm
65. For years I followed the split
routines in the magazines, but I
was natural (drug-free), and never
made the progress I hoped for.
I would pyramid four sets in the
typical order 12/10/8/6 reps.
I always tried to handle too much
weight, and didn't attach much
importance to good form.
Does that sound like a typical young
guy? I think it does!
After I started reading your stuff, I
focused on basic exercises such as
squats, deadlift, bench, and military
press.
I train 3 days a week, using good form
and moderate weights. Sometimes I go
heavy and sometimes moderate, but
never light.
I seem to get stronger and to handle
progressively more weight by training
with moderate weight and perfect form,
as opposed to heavy weight and sloppy
form. (Less risk of injury, too.) Tell that
to the young guys doing squats on roller
skates, as you once put it.
I do 5 x 5, and I rarely train to failure.
I am stronger now than ever before in
my life. All my lifts are going up.
Keep up the good work!
Flint
Thanks for your report, Flint. It sounds
like you folowed the typical path - muscle
media silliness and no results for many
years - and then you learned how to
train the right way - and now look where
you are!
I hope your message inspires others to
give Dino-style abbreviated training a
try.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Remember to grab the Dinosaur Files.
You'll be glad you did!
Kindle
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
PDF
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "Dino-style strength
training has been working great for trainees
around the world for many years. Give it a try
and see what it does for you!" - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
We'll talk training in just a minute, but let
me begin by covering some big news:
1. The Dinosaur Files
The Aug-Sept issue of The Dinosaur
Files is now available in your choice
of Kindle or PDF formats.
Go here to grab the little monster:
Kindle
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
If you order the Kindle version,
please be sure to go back to the
Kindle page and give this issue a
5 star review - and post a one or
two sentence review. This helps
convince the newbies that they
need to stop the silly stuff and
get into Dino Mode!
2. Learning How to Train
On the training front, here's a great
email from Flint Long, a 65-year old
Dino who did things the wrong way
for many years - but then learned
how to train for real results:
Brooks,
I started when I was 19. Now I'm
65. For years I followed the split
routines in the magazines, but I
was natural (drug-free), and never
made the progress I hoped for.
I would pyramid four sets in the
typical order 12/10/8/6 reps.
I always tried to handle too much
weight, and didn't attach much
importance to good form.
Does that sound like a typical young
guy? I think it does!
After I started reading your stuff, I
focused on basic exercises such as
squats, deadlift, bench, and military
press.
I train 3 days a week, using good form
and moderate weights. Sometimes I go
heavy and sometimes moderate, but
never light.
I seem to get stronger and to handle
progressively more weight by training
with moderate weight and perfect form,
as opposed to heavy weight and sloppy
form. (Less risk of injury, too.) Tell that
to the young guys doing squats on roller
skates, as you once put it.
I do 5 x 5, and I rarely train to failure.
I am stronger now than ever before in
my life. All my lifts are going up.
Keep up the good work!
Flint
Thanks for your report, Flint. It sounds
like you folowed the typical path - muscle
media silliness and no results for many
years - and then you learned how to
train the right way - and now look where
you are!
I hope your message inspires others to
give Dino-style abbreviated training a
try.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Remember to grab the Dinosaur Files.
You'll be glad you did!
Kindle
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "Dino-style strength
training has been working great for trainees
around the world for many years. Give it a try
and see what it does for you!" - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Here It Is - the Dinosaur Files - on Kindle!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
If you've been waiting for the
August-September issue of the
Dinosaur Files on Kindle, wait no
longer --
HERE IT IS!
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
Hope you enjoy the little
monster.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
If you've been waiting for the
August-September issue of the
Dinosaur Files on Kindle, wait no
longer --
HERE IT IS!
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016-kindle.html
Hope you enjoy the little
monster.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
More Thoughts on Younger Trainees
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll talk training.
1. The Dino Files
The August-September issue of The Dinosaur
Files is available in PDF - and it's getting great
reviews from Dinos around the world.
Go here to grab the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
2. More Thoughts on Younger Trainees
We've been getting more thoughts on
younger trainees and how to help them.
Or rather, how to get them to help
themselves - by giving sane, sensible,
Dino-style strength training a try - as
opposed to the muscle media silliness
they all do.
If you're a younger trainee, don't be
offended. What you are reading comes
from older Dinos who were once young -
and who made the same mistakes that
YOU are making now - and who sincerely
want to help you avoid those mistakes.
Also, if you sense some irritation in
what older Dinos have to say, remember
that much or all of it is directed at the
commercial interests who make money
off of young Dinos by steering them
wrong.
With that in mind, let me share some
more feedback on the topic.
Why Younger Trainees Do It Wrong
Because knuckleheads are telling them
that "Dino Style" won't get you cut, or
that there's not enough work (volume)
to build muscle mass (both of which
are wrong, although very few Dinos
worry about cuts or extreme definition).
I have told many young fellows about
abbreviated training, and they don't
like it because they think there's not
enough work for arms or chest!
I'm 42, and they tell me, "You need to
do more reps and lighter weight to cut
up!"
They want to look strong, not necessarily
BE strong.
We have an uphill battle, Brooks - there
are more people that train the bomb
and blitz way than the Dino Way!
Jeremy M.
Everyone Starts Out Wrong!
Even you have admitted that in your
earlier years you followed the "Muscle
Mag" routines. So did I. So did most of
us for longer than we care to admit. I'm
beginning to think it's a prerequisite to
sensible (Dino-style, abbreviated)
training.
Ron S.
Better Late than Never!
I'm 27, and have been training since I
was 14. I found Dinosaur Training only
in the past couple of years, but it was a
real game-changer, and as they say,
better late than never!
I don't know what the deal is with young
guys unsubscribing. I've pretty much un-
subscribed from every strength newsletter
except this one.
While I'm at it, thanks for the beginner
strength and bulk programs you've
shared in your emails and posted at
The Dinosaur Training Blog. Max
respect.
Isaac
More to Come!
Those are all good points - and we have
more to come - including some thoughts
of my own, and some feedback on what
it's like to train in a gym in 2016 after
having been a garage gorilla for so many
years.
In the meantime, be sure to grab the
latest issue of The Dinosaur Files - it's
the best thing on the market, and if
everyone read it, the world would be
a much different place.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the link again for the Dinosaur
Files:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
P.S. 2. Chalk and Sweat has 50 terrific
training programs for Dinos, from beginner
to intermediate to advanced to looking
for ultimate strength and muscle mass:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are
right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Older and
wiser only counts for something if you
focus on the wiser part." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
One quick note, and then we'll talk training.
1. The Dino Files
The August-September issue of The Dinosaur
Files is available in PDF - and it's getting great
reviews from Dinos around the world.
Go here to grab the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
2. More Thoughts on Younger Trainees
We've been getting more thoughts on
younger trainees and how to help them.
Or rather, how to get them to help
themselves - by giving sane, sensible,
Dino-style strength training a try - as
opposed to the muscle media silliness
they all do.
If you're a younger trainee, don't be
offended. What you are reading comes
from older Dinos who were once young -
and who made the same mistakes that
YOU are making now - and who sincerely
want to help you avoid those mistakes.
Also, if you sense some irritation in
what older Dinos have to say, remember
that much or all of it is directed at the
commercial interests who make money
off of young Dinos by steering them
wrong.
With that in mind, let me share some
more feedback on the topic.
Why Younger Trainees Do It Wrong
Because knuckleheads are telling them
that "Dino Style" won't get you cut, or
that there's not enough work (volume)
to build muscle mass (both of which
are wrong, although very few Dinos
worry about cuts or extreme definition).
I have told many young fellows about
abbreviated training, and they don't
like it because they think there's not
enough work for arms or chest!
I'm 42, and they tell me, "You need to
do more reps and lighter weight to cut
up!"
They want to look strong, not necessarily
BE strong.
We have an uphill battle, Brooks - there
are more people that train the bomb
and blitz way than the Dino Way!
Jeremy M.
Everyone Starts Out Wrong!
Even you have admitted that in your
earlier years you followed the "Muscle
Mag" routines. So did I. So did most of
us for longer than we care to admit. I'm
beginning to think it's a prerequisite to
sensible (Dino-style, abbreviated)
training.
Ron S.
Better Late than Never!
I'm 27, and have been training since I
was 14. I found Dinosaur Training only
in the past couple of years, but it was a
real game-changer, and as they say,
better late than never!
I don't know what the deal is with young
guys unsubscribing. I've pretty much un-
subscribed from every strength newsletter
except this one.
While I'm at it, thanks for the beginner
strength and bulk programs you've
shared in your emails and posted at
The Dinosaur Training Blog. Max
respect.
Isaac
More to Come!
Those are all good points - and we have
more to come - including some thoughts
of my own, and some feedback on what
it's like to train in a gym in 2016 after
having been a garage gorilla for so many
years.
In the meantime, be sure to grab the
latest issue of The Dinosaur Files - it's
the best thing on the market, and if
everyone read it, the world would be
a much different place.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the link again for the Dinosaur
Files:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
P.S. 2. Chalk and Sweat has 50 terrific
training programs for Dinos, from beginner
to intermediate to advanced to looking
for ultimate strength and muscle mass:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses are
right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Older and
wiser only counts for something if you
focus on the wiser part." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
More Proof that Dino Training Works!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll talk iron.
1. The Dino Files
Go here to take a peek at the cover of the
August-September Dino Files - and to look
at the table of contents - and to grab a copy
of the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
It's one of our best issues ever, and it's
been getting great reviews and terrific
feedback from readers.
2. More Proof that Dino Training Works
Just got this email from Ruiseart Alcorn, a
soon to be 58-year old Dino. It's in response
to yesterday's question about how to help
younger trainees ditch the silly stuff in the
muscle mags and start training hard, heavy
and sensible. It also gives us plenty of proof
that Dino Training works - at any age:
Hallo Brooks,
I have an almost equally frustrating time
when trying to explain to people how I train.
Young people think "more is better" and prefer
to follow the advice of steroid riddled idiots,
and sadly many older people prefer to
pedal aimlessly on exercise bikes because
they're "too old to lift weights." Aaaaaargh!
I am almost 58 and have been steadily gaining
on two main training days per week plus some
light stuff every morning.
I use two heavy kettlebells for all exercises,
and keep my reps low.
On Tuesdays i do 5 sets of clean and press,
and 5 sets of deadlift.
On Saturdays I do 5 sets of front squats, 5
sets of floor press and 5 sets of bent rows.
At the end of each workout I do 5 x 30
second sprint intervals (on the spot), and
five minutes of walking around the room
to warm down.
Each workout takes about 60 minutes in
total.
In addition to this, each morning upon
rising, I do 2 sets of clean-squat-press
with two light kettlebells (24 kg each). I
don't think of this as a workout as such -
it barely takes 5 minutes, and is really
more of a neuro-muscular practice
session. However, it wakes me up and
sets the pace for the day.
I also walk every day and practice martial
arts.
Whenever I explain my approach to training
to people, it goes in one ear and out the
other. Young folk think it's not possible to
gain on such a minimalist routine, whilst
older people think I'm nuts for "lifting so
much weight."
So, what's the answer?
It's simple - we just keep on doing what
we're doing. We've been doing it for
hundreds of years, and we'll keep on
doing it. Fads and shiny machines come
and go, but DINOS ARE FOREVER!
Hey, that sounds like a good title for a
movie,
Keep on liftin',
Ruiseart
Thanks, Ruiseart - that was well said, and
it really ties everything together. You've
told us what we all need to do:
Keep on doing what we're doing!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. It's incredibly valuable to see what your
fellow Dinosaurs are doing - and to learn
first hand what really works when it comes
to building and maintaining lifelong strength
and health. That's why I publish the Dino
Files - and why you should be sure to read
each and every issue:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
P.S. 2. Gray Hair and Black Iron is the no. 1
resource for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses - and back
issues of The Dino Files - as well as links to my
Kindle books - are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Life is as real as
you make it. So is your training." - Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
One quick note, and then we'll talk iron.
1. The Dino Files
Go here to take a peek at the cover of the
August-September Dino Files - and to look
at the table of contents - and to grab a copy
of the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
It's one of our best issues ever, and it's
been getting great reviews and terrific
feedback from readers.
2. More Proof that Dino Training Works
Just got this email from Ruiseart Alcorn, a
soon to be 58-year old Dino. It's in response
to yesterday's question about how to help
younger trainees ditch the silly stuff in the
muscle mags and start training hard, heavy
and sensible. It also gives us plenty of proof
that Dino Training works - at any age:
Hallo Brooks,
I have an almost equally frustrating time
when trying to explain to people how I train.
Young people think "more is better" and prefer
to follow the advice of steroid riddled idiots,
and sadly many older people prefer to
pedal aimlessly on exercise bikes because
they're "too old to lift weights." Aaaaaargh!
I am almost 58 and have been steadily gaining
on two main training days per week plus some
light stuff every morning.
I use two heavy kettlebells for all exercises,
and keep my reps low.
On Tuesdays i do 5 sets of clean and press,
and 5 sets of deadlift.
On Saturdays I do 5 sets of front squats, 5
sets of floor press and 5 sets of bent rows.
At the end of each workout I do 5 x 30
second sprint intervals (on the spot), and
five minutes of walking around the room
to warm down.
Each workout takes about 60 minutes in
total.
In addition to this, each morning upon
rising, I do 2 sets of clean-squat-press
with two light kettlebells (24 kg each). I
don't think of this as a workout as such -
it barely takes 5 minutes, and is really
more of a neuro-muscular practice
session. However, it wakes me up and
sets the pace for the day.
I also walk every day and practice martial
arts.
Whenever I explain my approach to training
to people, it goes in one ear and out the
other. Young folk think it's not possible to
gain on such a minimalist routine, whilst
older people think I'm nuts for "lifting so
much weight."
So, what's the answer?
It's simple - we just keep on doing what
we're doing. We've been doing it for
hundreds of years, and we'll keep on
doing it. Fads and shiny machines come
and go, but DINOS ARE FOREVER!
Hey, that sounds like a good title for a
movie,
Keep on liftin',
Ruiseart
Thanks, Ruiseart - that was well said, and
it really ties everything together. You've
told us what we all need to do:
Keep on doing what we're doing!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. It's incredibly valuable to see what your
fellow Dinosaurs are doing - and to learn
first hand what really works when it comes
to building and maintaining lifelong strength
and health. That's why I publish the Dino
Files - and why you should be sure to read
each and every issue:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
P.S. 2. Gray Hair and Black Iron is the no. 1
resource for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses - and back
issues of The Dino Files - as well as links to my
Kindle books - are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Life is as real as
you make it. So is your training." - Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
How to Change the World
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I'm going to continue to share feedback
from your fellow Dinos on the topic of
the week - how to change the world,
a/k/a how to get younger trainees
interested in old-school, sane, sensible
and effective strength training.
But before doing that, I want to share
a link for the August-September Dino
Files - with the cover photo and a
detailed list of the articles and features
in this issue:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
It looks pretty good, and I think you'll
agree that the man on the cover deserves
to be there.
As for feedback from your fellow Dinos,
try this:
In response to your request for comments
on the majority of the younger generation not
realizing the power of Dinosaur Training, I would
like to talk about the moment of actualization,
which I define as the moment iin one's life
when a universal truth reveals itself and it
becomes knowledge to that individual.
As when the illiterate Frenchman discovered
he had been speaking prose his whole life.
Or when one truly learns how to properly
train for strength - which is the knowledge
that Dinosaur Training contains - it's
foundation, if you will.
I am not sure when this moment happened
for me, but I do know I was Dinosaur
Training when it happened.
The methods it contains are many and varied,
but they all get you on the road of successful
and progressive strength training.
Maybe the younger folks who unsubscribed
are not interested in true strength, but rather,
the illusion of strength. Which is what all the
muscle comics promote - the illusion of
strength.
Don't worry, the entire Dino Nation will be
waiting to greet them and welcome them back
if and when they have a moment of actualization
and realize that what they are doing is not working
for them. Hopefully, that moment comes before
an injury sustained from over-training.
Remember that substance, which Dino Training
has, may not be popular but it never goes out
of style.
Greg Wilson
P.S. I don't know your benchmark for younger
Dinos. I'm guessing it is late teens to mid-twenties.
I am 33 and have been Dino Training since I
was 19, and I will be Dino Training for life!
Greg - Thanks for your detailed and thoughtful
response. I agree 100% with everything you
said.
Yes, those trainees in their teens and early twenties
are the ones we need to reach - to help them move
from the pseudo-stuff and the silliness to real
worlds, result producing and effective, old school,
progressive strength training.
It's a tough job - but together, we can do it.
And remember this: you change the world one
person at a time.
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. Be sure to check out the latest issue of
the Dinosaur Files - and grab yourself a copy:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "If you're going
to train, why not do something that really
works?" - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
I'm going to continue to share feedback
from your fellow Dinos on the topic of
the week - how to change the world,
a/k/a how to get younger trainees
interested in old-school, sane, sensible
and effective strength training.
But before doing that, I want to share
a link for the August-September Dino
Files - with the cover photo and a
detailed list of the articles and features
in this issue:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
It looks pretty good, and I think you'll
agree that the man on the cover deserves
to be there.
As for feedback from your fellow Dinos,
try this:
In response to your request for comments
on the majority of the younger generation not
realizing the power of Dinosaur Training, I would
like to talk about the moment of actualization,
which I define as the moment iin one's life
when a universal truth reveals itself and it
becomes knowledge to that individual.
As when the illiterate Frenchman discovered
he had been speaking prose his whole life.
Or when one truly learns how to properly
train for strength - which is the knowledge
that Dinosaur Training contains - it's
foundation, if you will.
I am not sure when this moment happened
for me, but I do know I was Dinosaur
Training when it happened.
The methods it contains are many and varied,
but they all get you on the road of successful
and progressive strength training.
Maybe the younger folks who unsubscribed
are not interested in true strength, but rather,
the illusion of strength. Which is what all the
muscle comics promote - the illusion of
strength.
Don't worry, the entire Dino Nation will be
waiting to greet them and welcome them back
if and when they have a moment of actualization
and realize that what they are doing is not working
for them. Hopefully, that moment comes before
an injury sustained from over-training.
Remember that substance, which Dino Training
has, may not be popular but it never goes out
of style.
Greg Wilson
P.S. I don't know your benchmark for younger
Dinos. I'm guessing it is late teens to mid-twenties.
I am 33 and have been Dino Training since I
was 19, and I will be Dino Training for life!
Greg - Thanks for your detailed and thoughtful
response. I agree 100% with everything you
said.
Yes, those trainees in their teens and early twenties
are the ones we need to reach - to help them move
from the pseudo-stuff and the silliness to real
worlds, result producing and effective, old school,
progressive strength training.
It's a tough job - but together, we can do it.
And remember this: you change the world one
person at a time.
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. Be sure to check out the latest issue of
the Dinosaur Files - and grab yourself a copy:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "If you're going
to train, why not do something that really
works?" - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Try It and See for Yourself!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We received a ton of feedback in response
to yesterday's email about younger Dinos
unsubscribing from our mailing list.
Much of it was under the category of "They
should try Dino-style strength training -
and see for themselves just how effective
it is."
And others agreed that it's an uphill
battle - and that young trainees all
too often have to learn things the
hard way.
In other words, they have to try the silly
stuff - and learn that it doesn't work -
and then (hopefully) go on to try the
kind of training that really works.
Here's a sample of what you had to say:
Young Dino Loves Old School Training!
I'm young, and I love old school training.
I have a blast in every workout, training
really hard on basic exercises four days
a week.
My arms are almost 18 inches and I can
press almost 100 kilos overhead. Not long
from now I will make the 100 kilo mark at
a bodyweight of 90 kilos.
I couldn't live without my gym. Each year
I love it more.
Travis B.
Going Strong at 79!
Don't be discouraged by those doubters. You
are sending the right message. Keep it going.
I am almost 79, and still training and feel
great.
Ron T.
It's a Struggle!
Don't let them get you down, Brooks. You
can lead them to water, but not make them
drink.
I give good advice all the time, but they
rarely take it. Maybe they just can't see
themselves taking advice from someone
my age, or from a woman. I'm not sure,
but the BS usually draws them in.
Leeann A.
Maybe They'll Come Back!
Your advice is the best out there, and I
think those young Dinos who unsubscribed
will regret it once they go full circle, and
realize that what you're saying is much
better advice than they will ever get from
the muscle mags they're reading.
Keep up the excellent work. Your books
Gray Hair and Black Iron and Knife, Fork,
Muscle are excellent!
Richard H.
Some Final Thoughts
Those are all excellent points, and I want
to thank Leeann, Travis, Ron and Richard
for sharing them. We have more feedback
from the Dino Nation, and I'll share it in
future emails.
In the meantime, what do YOU think?
Why is it so hard to help younger Dinos
get started on sane, sensible, progressive
strength training?
How can we combat the muscle media
stuff?
And how can we convince the younger
generation to give old-school training a
try - and help them stick to it for the
rest of their lives?
Let me know what you think!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you're reading this, I assume you
have a copy of Dinosaur Training - but if
you don't, grab a copy now:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 2. Here's something else that fans
of old school training will enjoy:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 3. Go here to grab the August-
September issue of The Dinosaur Files
in PDF format with immediate electronic
delivery:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "If you
have a chance to learn from someone
else's experience, do so. It can save a
lot of wasted time." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
We received a ton of feedback in response
to yesterday's email about younger Dinos
unsubscribing from our mailing list.
Much of it was under the category of "They
should try Dino-style strength training -
and see for themselves just how effective
it is."
And others agreed that it's an uphill
battle - and that young trainees all
too often have to learn things the
hard way.
In other words, they have to try the silly
stuff - and learn that it doesn't work -
and then (hopefully) go on to try the
kind of training that really works.
Here's a sample of what you had to say:
Young Dino Loves Old School Training!
I'm young, and I love old school training.
I have a blast in every workout, training
really hard on basic exercises four days
a week.
My arms are almost 18 inches and I can
press almost 100 kilos overhead. Not long
from now I will make the 100 kilo mark at
a bodyweight of 90 kilos.
I couldn't live without my gym. Each year
I love it more.
Travis B.
Going Strong at 79!
Don't be discouraged by those doubters. You
are sending the right message. Keep it going.
I am almost 79, and still training and feel
great.
Ron T.
It's a Struggle!
Don't let them get you down, Brooks. You
can lead them to water, but not make them
drink.
I give good advice all the time, but they
rarely take it. Maybe they just can't see
themselves taking advice from someone
my age, or from a woman. I'm not sure,
but the BS usually draws them in.
Leeann A.
Maybe They'll Come Back!
Your advice is the best out there, and I
think those young Dinos who unsubscribed
will regret it once they go full circle, and
realize that what you're saying is much
better advice than they will ever get from
the muscle mags they're reading.
Keep up the excellent work. Your books
Gray Hair and Black Iron and Knife, Fork,
Muscle are excellent!
Richard H.
Some Final Thoughts
Those are all excellent points, and I want
to thank Leeann, Travis, Ron and Richard
for sharing them. We have more feedback
from the Dino Nation, and I'll share it in
future emails.
In the meantime, what do YOU think?
Why is it so hard to help younger Dinos
get started on sane, sensible, progressive
strength training?
How can we combat the muscle media
stuff?
And how can we convince the younger
generation to give old-school training a
try - and help them stick to it for the
rest of their lives?
Let me know what you think!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you're reading this, I assume you
have a copy of Dinosaur Training - but if
you don't, grab a copy now:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 2. Here's something else that fans
of old school training will enjoy:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 3. Go here to grab the August-
September issue of The Dinosaur Files
in PDF format with immediate electronic
delivery:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "If you
have a chance to learn from someone
else's experience, do so. It can save a
lot of wasted time." - Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Have You Read the New Dinosaur Files?
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Have you read the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files?
Ten days ago we released the little
monster in PDF format - and we've
been getting great reviews ever since.
That's not surprising, because the
Dinosaur Files is your no. 1 resource
for real-world, no-nonsense strength
training - and this issue is crammed
full of great articles!
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents, with everything to see
in this Dino-sized issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
We're also going to do a Kindle edition,
but that isn't ready yet. I'll send a link
as soon as it is. My apologies to Kindle
fans - we have to format each issue
for PDF and then format it again for
Kindle, so it's hard to release both
editions at the same time.
In any case, this is a great issue. Be sure
to grab a copy. I know you'll enjoy it.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Have you read the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files?
Ten days ago we released the little
monster in PDF format - and we've
been getting great reviews ever since.
That's not surprising, because the
Dinosaur Files is your no. 1 resource
for real-world, no-nonsense strength
training - and this issue is crammed
full of great articles!
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents, with everything to see
in this Dino-sized issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
We're also going to do a Kindle edition,
but that isn't ready yet. I'll send a link
as soon as it is. My apologies to Kindle
fans - we have to format each issue
for PDF and then format it again for
Kindle, so it's hard to release both
editions at the same time.
In any case, this is a great issue. Be sure
to grab a copy. I know you'll enjoy it.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
The Dinosaur Challenge: Try It and See!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Last week, I sent a number of what I thought
were good, interesting, informative, inspiring
and useful e-mails.
They all focused on old-school training and
old-school thinking.
Hard work, heavy iron, progressive training
on the basic exercises, persistence, dedication
and determination.
And in response, we had several readers
unsubscribe from our email list.
Yep, they unsubscribed.
They decided they didn't want to hear about
old-school strength training and muscle building
any more.
And that's a shame.
The sad thing was, they were all younger
Dinos.
Last week's emails were aimed at younger Dinos --
to encourage them to give sane, sensible, real
world training a try -- and to push themselves
to make the most of their training in their teens
and twenties, rather than wasting those years on
high volume boobybuilding routines, "bombing,
blasting and blitzing," and similar silliness.
And I even gave some examples of old-school
champions who trained the right way from day
one -- and made great gains in strength and
muscle very rapidly.
I THOUGHT it would be an encouraging message
for the younger Dinos -- but apparently, some of
them didn't want to hear it. Perhaps it even made
them a little mad.
I think part of the reason for that is that so many
younger trainees have grown up hearing nothing
but bad advice -- and they've never been exposed
to the kind of training that really works.
They've only learned about the silly stuff.
So when I share stories about old-timers like John
Grimek or Steve Stanko making great gains in their
first couple of years of training, the younger readers
just don't believe it.
That's a shame, because it keeps them from trying
the kind of programs that will give them really good
results -- and it keeps them hooked on the kind of
programs that don't deliver.
So let me say this to everyone out there who's
still doing the conventional workouts and not getting
very much in the way of results.
Give Dinosaur Training a try.
Don't sit there and scratch your head and wonder if
old-school training works.
Test it.
Start in on an abbreviated training program, use the
exercises, sets and reps that I teach in my books and
courses, follow the diet and nutrition advice in Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- and see what happens.
Give it an honest try. Work hard. Make it a 3 month
or a 6 month commitment. Don't just try it for a week
and then jump to something else. You need to stick
to a training program long enough to make some
strength and muscle stick to you.
If it doesn't work, you can always go back to whatever
you were doing.
But if it DOES work -- if you discover that LESS training
(but doing it the RIGHT way) gives you much MORE in
the way of results -- then you have learned something
very important -- and very valuable.
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 new to Dinosaur Training, start with
the book that started it all - Dinosaur Training:
Lost Secrets of Strength and Development:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 2. You can grab Knife, Fork, Muscle and all of
my other books and courses right here at Dino
Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Don't sit there
and wonder if old-school training works. Try
it and see for yourself!" -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Last week, I sent a number of what I thought
were good, interesting, informative, inspiring
and useful e-mails.
They all focused on old-school training and
old-school thinking.
Hard work, heavy iron, progressive training
on the basic exercises, persistence, dedication
and determination.
And in response, we had several readers
unsubscribe from our email list.
Yep, they unsubscribed.
They decided they didn't want to hear about
old-school strength training and muscle building
any more.
And that's a shame.
The sad thing was, they were all younger
Dinos.
Last week's emails were aimed at younger Dinos --
to encourage them to give sane, sensible, real
world training a try -- and to push themselves
to make the most of their training in their teens
and twenties, rather than wasting those years on
high volume boobybuilding routines, "bombing,
blasting and blitzing," and similar silliness.
And I even gave some examples of old-school
champions who trained the right way from day
one -- and made great gains in strength and
muscle very rapidly.
I THOUGHT it would be an encouraging message
for the younger Dinos -- but apparently, some of
them didn't want to hear it. Perhaps it even made
them a little mad.
I think part of the reason for that is that so many
younger trainees have grown up hearing nothing
but bad advice -- and they've never been exposed
to the kind of training that really works.
They've only learned about the silly stuff.
So when I share stories about old-timers like John
Grimek or Steve Stanko making great gains in their
first couple of years of training, the younger readers
just don't believe it.
That's a shame, because it keeps them from trying
the kind of programs that will give them really good
results -- and it keeps them hooked on the kind of
programs that don't deliver.
So let me say this to everyone out there who's
still doing the conventional workouts and not getting
very much in the way of results.
Give Dinosaur Training a try.
Don't sit there and scratch your head and wonder if
old-school training works.
Test it.
Start in on an abbreviated training program, use the
exercises, sets and reps that I teach in my books and
courses, follow the diet and nutrition advice in Knife,
Fork, Muscle -- and see what happens.
Give it an honest try. Work hard. Make it a 3 month
or a 6 month commitment. Don't just try it for a week
and then jump to something else. You need to stick
to a training program long enough to make some
strength and muscle stick to you.
If it doesn't work, you can always go back to whatever
you were doing.
But if it DOES work -- if you discover that LESS training
(but doing it the RIGHT way) gives you much MORE in
the way of results -- then you have learned something
very important -- and very valuable.
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 new to Dinosaur Training, start with
the book that started it all - Dinosaur Training:
Lost Secrets of Strength and Development:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 2. You can grab Knife, Fork, Muscle and all of
my other books and courses right here at Dino
Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Don't sit there
and wonder if old-school training works. Try
it and see for yourself!" -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Train Hard, But Train Smart!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
American weightlifters have won a total of
15 Olympic gold medals.
It might have been 17, but two freak accidents
derailed two of our greatest lifters in their final
Olympics.
In 1956, Pete George was training in the York
Barbell Club gym -- one of the most famous
gyms in the world at the time. George had
won the World championship in 1947, 1951,
1953, 1954, and 1955 -- the silver medal at
the 1948 Olympics -- and the gold medal at
the 1952 Olympics. So a second gold medal
in 1956 was a very real possibility.
He hit a heavy lift in practice -- and the lifting
platform split apart under him as he hit the
squat position.
And with a heavy weight at your chest, that's
not good.
And that was a freak accident, if there ever was
one. The York Barbell Club was the last place
where you expected to see a World and Olympic
champion get hurt because of a bad lifting
platform.
So Pete George went to his last Olympics with a
pair of banged up legs from the freak accident --
and took second to a Russian lifter in a hard
fought contest.
In 1959, Tommy Kono was giving a lifting exhibition
to a group of Boy Scouts. He had won the Olympic
gold medal in 1952 and 1956, and was gunning for
a third gold medal in 1960.
Kono used the squat snatch in competition, but
decided to show the Boy Scouts the split snatch.
He used a mere 135 pounds -- well under his
World record of 294.5.
But somehow, he hurt his knee on that lift. Not
bad, but bad enough. It got worse and worse,
and was a real problem at the 1959 World
Championships. By the time of the 1960
Olympics, it was even worse. And Tommy
Kono ended up taking second place.
Now, please note -- I am NOT in any way
being critical of these great lifters. Their
accidents were freak events. Extreme
cases of bizarre bad luck.
But there's an important lesson for all of us:
Always do everything possible to avoid training
accidents.
Check your platform or training area before
lifting.
Be sure there's nothing (and no one) in your
way. Nothing to trip on, slip on, or stumble
over.
If you train outside, check for slick spots.
Wear good, high quality lifting shoes. Keep the
soles clean. When they wear out, buy new ones.
Check your bars, benches, racks, squat stands
and dumbbells before using them.
Make sure your bar is loaded correctly before
each set.
If you try a new exercise -- or an old exercise
that you haven't done for a while -- be very
smart, and go very light and easy. Take some
time to relearn the movement and to work on
the flexibility the movement requires.
Do NOT emulate the Facebook heroes and
YouTube warriors who try to set a new PR in
something they haven't done for a couple of
months (or a couple of years). (For some
reason, we see this all the time in the
deadlift -- which is truly a bad exercise
to max out on if you haven't been doing
it for a while.)
Don't go for a new PR 20 pounds over your
current best. Break it into smaller increments
and get there in 2.5 or 5 pound jumps.
Use a power rack or safety bars for squats
and bench presses -- with the bottom pins
set to catch the bar if you miss.
Make perfect form a priority on every rep and
every set.
Give yourself time for a good warm-up.
If you don't feel good, or you can't get loose
for some reason, make it a light day, and save
the heavy stuff for another time.
And don't even get me started about doing
barbell squats on a stability ball.
Despite your best efforts, a freak accident can
always happen. So do your very best to avoid
the accidents that are avoidable.
It might not mean the difference between an
Olympic gold medal and a silver medal -- but
it might mean the difference between a long
and healthy training career and getting
sidelined by an unnecessary injury.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one -- and a safe one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Older Dinos need to give extra attention
to smart training, rest, recovery, recuperation,
and avoiding unnecessary wear and tear on
their bodies. Gray hair and Black Iron gives you
detailed advice on how to train and gain as an
older Dino:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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: "Train hard, but train
smart. As you get older, train smarter." -- Brooks
Kubik
**********************************************************************************
American weightlifters have won a total of
15 Olympic gold medals.
It might have been 17, but two freak accidents
derailed two of our greatest lifters in their final
Olympics.
In 1956, Pete George was training in the York
Barbell Club gym -- one of the most famous
gyms in the world at the time. George had
won the World championship in 1947, 1951,
1953, 1954, and 1955 -- the silver medal at
the 1948 Olympics -- and the gold medal at
the 1952 Olympics. So a second gold medal
in 1956 was a very real possibility.
He hit a heavy lift in practice -- and the lifting
platform split apart under him as he hit the
squat position.
And with a heavy weight at your chest, that's
not good.
And that was a freak accident, if there ever was
one. The York Barbell Club was the last place
where you expected to see a World and Olympic
champion get hurt because of a bad lifting
platform.
So Pete George went to his last Olympics with a
pair of banged up legs from the freak accident --
and took second to a Russian lifter in a hard
fought contest.
In 1959, Tommy Kono was giving a lifting exhibition
to a group of Boy Scouts. He had won the Olympic
gold medal in 1952 and 1956, and was gunning for
a third gold medal in 1960.
Kono used the squat snatch in competition, but
decided to show the Boy Scouts the split snatch.
He used a mere 135 pounds -- well under his
World record of 294.5.
But somehow, he hurt his knee on that lift. Not
bad, but bad enough. It got worse and worse,
and was a real problem at the 1959 World
Championships. By the time of the 1960
Olympics, it was even worse. And Tommy
Kono ended up taking second place.
Now, please note -- I am NOT in any way
being critical of these great lifters. Their
accidents were freak events. Extreme
cases of bizarre bad luck.
But there's an important lesson for all of us:
Always do everything possible to avoid training
accidents.
Check your platform or training area before
lifting.
Be sure there's nothing (and no one) in your
way. Nothing to trip on, slip on, or stumble
over.
If you train outside, check for slick spots.
Wear good, high quality lifting shoes. Keep the
soles clean. When they wear out, buy new ones.
Check your bars, benches, racks, squat stands
and dumbbells before using them.
Make sure your bar is loaded correctly before
each set.
If you try a new exercise -- or an old exercise
that you haven't done for a while -- be very
smart, and go very light and easy. Take some
time to relearn the movement and to work on
the flexibility the movement requires.
Do NOT emulate the Facebook heroes and
YouTube warriors who try to set a new PR in
something they haven't done for a couple of
months (or a couple of years). (For some
reason, we see this all the time in the
deadlift -- which is truly a bad exercise
to max out on if you haven't been doing
it for a while.)
Don't go for a new PR 20 pounds over your
current best. Break it into smaller increments
and get there in 2.5 or 5 pound jumps.
Use a power rack or safety bars for squats
and bench presses -- with the bottom pins
set to catch the bar if you miss.
Make perfect form a priority on every rep and
every set.
Give yourself time for a good warm-up.
If you don't feel good, or you can't get loose
for some reason, make it a light day, and save
the heavy stuff for another time.
And don't even get me started about doing
barbell squats on a stability ball.
Despite your best efforts, a freak accident can
always happen. So do your very best to avoid
the accidents that are avoidable.
It might not mean the difference between an
Olympic gold medal and a silver medal -- but
it might mean the difference between a long
and healthy training career and getting
sidelined by an unnecessary injury.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one -- and a safe one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Older Dinos need to give extra attention
to smart training, rest, recovery, recuperation,
and avoiding unnecessary wear and tear on
their bodies. Gray hair and Black Iron gives you
detailed advice on how to train and gain as an
older Dino:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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: "Train hard, but train
smart. As you get older, train smarter." -- Brooks
Kubik
**********************************************************************************
Ready, Aim, Lift!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. Knife, Fork, Muscle
Is one of our most popular books. Many are
calling it the best book they ever read about
diet and nutrition for strength and health.
Go here to grab your copy:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
2. The Dino Files
We're also getting great reviews for the Aug-Sept
issue of The Dinosaur Files. Go here to grab the
little monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
If you want to see the Table of Contents
before placing your order, go here:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
2. Ready, Aim, Lift!
And now, let's talk training.
In my last email, I talked about the power of
one -- and how training alone has certain very
unique benefits.
But, of course, not everyone trains alone.
Many train at a commercial gym or school
weight room.
And that means there are plenty of distractions.
Meaning plenty of things that disrupt your focus
and shift your concentration away from your
training to something else.
What that means, of course, is that you have
to work twice as hard to train with the kind of
concentration and focus that brings good results.
That doesn't mean it's impossible -- it just means
that it's harder.
It can actually be a good thing-- because it can
teach you how to shut out distractions, clear your
head, and step right into the inner universe on
every rep and every set of your entire workout.
I think of it as "Ready -- Aim -- Lift!"
And it's a very good skill to develop.
Tommy Kono is a case in point.
He began his weightlifting career at the Sacramento
YMCA.
The weight room was down in the basement -- with
the lifting platform right next to a boxing ring,
a heavy bag, and a speed bag.
So when Tommy was on the platform, he had two
guys pounding on each other in the boxing ring --
another guy pounding on the heavy bag -- and a
third guy pounding a rat-a-tat-tat drum beat on
the speed bag.
All of them no more than 10 or 15 feet away from
him.
And all of them very, very LOUD.
It was like training in the middle of Times Square.
Can you imagine having to listen to all that -- and
to see all that out of the corner of your eyes --
when you're chalking up to do a heavy snatch
or a heavy clean and jerk?
Now, you might ask, "Why not go to a different gym?"
That might work today -- except all gyms are pretty
much the same. They tend to be loud and noisy.
And back then -- we're talking late 1940's -- there
weren't very many places to train.
So Tommy had to make do. He had to learn to train
hard and heavy in adverse circumstances. He had to
develop his powers of concentration to the point
where he could shut out all of the noise and all
of the confusion in that super-crowded, sardine
can basement gym.
It wasn't easy -- and there's a report in an old
weightlifting newsletter that says the speed bag
actually flew all the way to the other side of the
gym one day while Tommy was training.
Not sure how THAT happened.
Surely he didn't THROW the darn thing . . . Or did
he?
But on the bright side, by learning to concentrate
in a loud, noisy environment, Tommy Kono developed
his mind-power to the absolute maximum -- and this
led him to victory after victory when he mounted
the platform in National, World and Olympic
competitions.
In other words, he took an apparent negative -- and
made it a positive.
Food for thought -- for all of us.
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. Wherever you train, the goal is get great
results -- and Strength, Muscle and Power will
teach you how to do it:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and the ever
popular Dinosaur Files -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Train your powers of
concentration as hard and as progressively as you
train your body." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. Knife, Fork, Muscle
Is one of our most popular books. Many are
calling it the best book they ever read about
diet and nutrition for strength and health.
Go here to grab your copy:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
2. The Dino Files
We're also getting great reviews for the Aug-Sept
issue of The Dinosaur Files. Go here to grab the
little monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
If you want to see the Table of Contents
before placing your order, go here:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
2. Ready, Aim, Lift!
And now, let's talk training.
In my last email, I talked about the power of
one -- and how training alone has certain very
unique benefits.
But, of course, not everyone trains alone.
Many train at a commercial gym or school
weight room.
And that means there are plenty of distractions.
Meaning plenty of things that disrupt your focus
and shift your concentration away from your
training to something else.
What that means, of course, is that you have
to work twice as hard to train with the kind of
concentration and focus that brings good results.
That doesn't mean it's impossible -- it just means
that it's harder.
It can actually be a good thing-- because it can
teach you how to shut out distractions, clear your
head, and step right into the inner universe on
every rep and every set of your entire workout.
I think of it as "Ready -- Aim -- Lift!"
And it's a very good skill to develop.
Tommy Kono is a case in point.
He began his weightlifting career at the Sacramento
YMCA.
The weight room was down in the basement -- with
the lifting platform right next to a boxing ring,
a heavy bag, and a speed bag.
So when Tommy was on the platform, he had two
guys pounding on each other in the boxing ring --
another guy pounding on the heavy bag -- and a
third guy pounding a rat-a-tat-tat drum beat on
the speed bag.
All of them no more than 10 or 15 feet away from
him.
And all of them very, very LOUD.
It was like training in the middle of Times Square.
Can you imagine having to listen to all that -- and
to see all that out of the corner of your eyes --
when you're chalking up to do a heavy snatch
or a heavy clean and jerk?
Now, you might ask, "Why not go to a different gym?"
That might work today -- except all gyms are pretty
much the same. They tend to be loud and noisy.
And back then -- we're talking late 1940's -- there
weren't very many places to train.
So Tommy had to make do. He had to learn to train
hard and heavy in adverse circumstances. He had to
develop his powers of concentration to the point
where he could shut out all of the noise and all
of the confusion in that super-crowded, sardine
can basement gym.
It wasn't easy -- and there's a report in an old
weightlifting newsletter that says the speed bag
actually flew all the way to the other side of the
gym one day while Tommy was training.
Not sure how THAT happened.
Surely he didn't THROW the darn thing . . . Or did
he?
But on the bright side, by learning to concentrate
in a loud, noisy environment, Tommy Kono developed
his mind-power to the absolute maximum -- and this
led him to victory after victory when he mounted
the platform in National, World and Olympic
competitions.
In other words, he took an apparent negative -- and
made it a positive.
Food for thought -- for all of us.
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. Wherever you train, the goal is get great
results -- and Strength, Muscle and Power will
teach you how to do it:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and the ever
popular Dinosaur Files -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Train your powers of
concentration as hard and as progressively as you
train your body." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
The Power of One
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll talk training.
1. The Dinosaur Files
We just released the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files in PDF format.
We'll release the Kindle edition as soon as
we can. I'll send a link when it's ready.
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents for this issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
As always, let me have your thoughts
and feedback on this issue!
2. The Power of One
And now, let's talk about the power of one
in strength training.
I happen to think that the original model for
teaching and learning strength training was
pretty close to perfect.
It was the mail order model.
A skinny (or chubby) teenager or young man
(or an out of shape older man) would carefully
clip the order form from an advertisement in a
magazine, fill it out, and mail it to a barbell
company along with a check or money order
for a barbell set.
He'd wait, patiently or not, until that grand
and glorious day when the barbell arrived.
And then he dragged or carried it to a private
place where he could do his training.
It was usually a bedroom, basement, or
garage. Sometimes it was the attic -- or the
laundry room -- or a barn or stable -- or a
tool shed. Sometimes it was the back yard.
But the key point was, it was private.
Strength training was something you did
alone. Most beginners preferred that, because
they weren't very strong and they were a bit
embarrassed about their lack of strength and
their poor condition.
So they read the little instruction booklet that
came with the barbell -- and looked at the
exercise photos in the wall chart -- and tried
to figure out how to do the exercises.
And amazingly, they did.
Even more amazingly, they often got great
results. Many reported gains of 20, 30 or even
40 pounds of muscle in their first year of training.
That happened for several reasons. One of them
was what I call "the power of one."
Psychologists tell us that the best performers
in virtually any activity from sports to music
to math to science to computer programing to
chess to art to creative writing to -- anything --
all have one very important thing in common.
And I'm talking about people at the top of
their game (or profession). Champions. Nobel
Prize winners. The best of the best.
They spend much of their time working or
training or practicing ALONE.
Not in a group. Not as part of a team. ALONE.
Psychologists call it "Deep Practice" -- and it's
a very good term. And it has enormous
benefits.
It allows them to train with greater focus,
deeper concentration, and no distractions.
It requires them to generate their own drive
and their own motivation.
It allows them to set their own goals.
It allows them to work on exactly what they
need to work on to get better.
It forces them to think things through -- to
solve problems -- and to be their own coach.
It builds self-reliance, self-confidence and
self-trust.
And ALL of that was part of the old-time, mail
order barbell business.
So here's the interesting question: "Did the
founding fathers of the Iron Game create this
wonderful model on purpose -- or by accident?"
And here's another question: "What can YOU
do to harness the power of one in your own
training -- whether you train at home or in a
gym?"
Think about it. I'll offer some suggestions in
tomorrow's email.
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 great ideas about effective home gym
workouts that harness the power of one, grab
these great 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
c. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
e. 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: "The best way to build
strength and muscle is to roll up your sleeves and
get started." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
One quick note, and then we'll talk training.
1. The Dinosaur Files
We just released the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files in PDF format.
We'll release the Kindle edition as soon as
we can. I'll send a link when it's ready.
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents for this issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
As always, let me have your thoughts
and feedback on this issue!
2. The Power of One
And now, let's talk about the power of one
in strength training.
I happen to think that the original model for
teaching and learning strength training was
pretty close to perfect.
It was the mail order model.
A skinny (or chubby) teenager or young man
(or an out of shape older man) would carefully
clip the order form from an advertisement in a
magazine, fill it out, and mail it to a barbell
company along with a check or money order
for a barbell set.
He'd wait, patiently or not, until that grand
and glorious day when the barbell arrived.
And then he dragged or carried it to a private
place where he could do his training.
It was usually a bedroom, basement, or
garage. Sometimes it was the attic -- or the
laundry room -- or a barn or stable -- or a
tool shed. Sometimes it was the back yard.
But the key point was, it was private.
Strength training was something you did
alone. Most beginners preferred that, because
they weren't very strong and they were a bit
embarrassed about their lack of strength and
their poor condition.
So they read the little instruction booklet that
came with the barbell -- and looked at the
exercise photos in the wall chart -- and tried
to figure out how to do the exercises.
And amazingly, they did.
Even more amazingly, they often got great
results. Many reported gains of 20, 30 or even
40 pounds of muscle in their first year of training.
That happened for several reasons. One of them
was what I call "the power of one."
Psychologists tell us that the best performers
in virtually any activity from sports to music
to math to science to computer programing to
chess to art to creative writing to -- anything --
all have one very important thing in common.
And I'm talking about people at the top of
their game (or profession). Champions. Nobel
Prize winners. The best of the best.
They spend much of their time working or
training or practicing ALONE.
Not in a group. Not as part of a team. ALONE.
Psychologists call it "Deep Practice" -- and it's
a very good term. And it has enormous
benefits.
It allows them to train with greater focus,
deeper concentration, and no distractions.
It requires them to generate their own drive
and their own motivation.
It allows them to set their own goals.
It allows them to work on exactly what they
need to work on to get better.
It forces them to think things through -- to
solve problems -- and to be their own coach.
It builds self-reliance, self-confidence and
self-trust.
And ALL of that was part of the old-time, mail
order barbell business.
So here's the interesting question: "Did the
founding fathers of the Iron Game create this
wonderful model on purpose -- or by accident?"
And here's another question: "What can YOU
do to harness the power of one in your own
training -- whether you train at home or in a
gym?"
Think about it. I'll offer some suggestions in
tomorrow's email.
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 great ideas about effective home gym
workouts that harness the power of one, grab
these great 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
c. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
e. 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: "The best way to build
strength and muscle is to roll up your sleeves and
get started." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
How Does Your Training Make You Feel?
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll talk training.
1. The Dinosaur Files
We just released the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files in PDF format.
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents for this issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
We're also going to release it in a Kindle
edition. I'll send an email when the Kindle
edition is ready to go.
2. How Does Your Training Make You
Feel?
Bob Hoffman had a great way of explaining
how strength training affects your body.
It doesn't just build your muscles.
It strengthens your internal organs, as well.
It improves circulation. Nourishes and fortifies
the blood.
It improves your digestion, and your ability
to assimilate the food you eat.
It strengthens your heart and lungs, and
improves your breathing.
Strengthens your nerves.
In other words, strength training builds your
body from the inside out. It makes you a bigger
and stronger man -- and a healthier man.
Hoffman and all of the other pioneers of the
Iron Game placed tremendous emphasis on
the health-building aspect of strength training.
That's why Hoffman published a magazine
called "Strength and HEALTH."
It's why the title of his first book was "How to
Be Strong, HEALTHY and Happy."
The idea of training for looks alone -- or even
for strength alone -- without radiant good health
to go with it would have been totally foreign to
Hoffman, Jowett, Calvert, Rader, Peary and
Paschall. It would have been foreign to ALL
of the old-timers.
In short, one of the benefits of old-school
training was that it made you FEEL better.
So back to the question in the title.
Does your training make you feel better?
Mine does.
I finished a one hour workout the other night,
and when it was over, I felt like the proverbial
million dollars.
And I feel pretty good most of the time. I won't
say (as Hoffman did in his later years) that I'm
a candidate for "World's Healthiest Man," but I
do okay.
And my workouts play a major role in how I feel.
Yours should do the same for you. And if you're
training the right way -- with plenty of stand on
your feet old-school strength training, they will.
Just be sure you avoid the over-training thing
that we talked about yesterday. Over-training is
a one-way ticket to making you feel BAD instead
of GOOD. See Gray Hair and Black Iron for more
information on over-training and how to beat it:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
Diet and nutrition is also a key component of
feeling strong and healthy. Knife, Fork, Muscle
tells you what to eat for strength and health:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
As always, thanks for reading, and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one -- it's putting money into your health
account!
Yours in strength (and health),
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the link again for the latest issue
of the Dinosaur Files:
Table of Contents
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
Order page (in PDF format)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "Hit the iron --
and give yourself the gift of lifelong strength
and health." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
One quick note, and then we'll talk training.
1. The Dinosaur Files
We just released the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files in PDF format.
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents for this issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
We're also going to release it in a Kindle
edition. I'll send an email when the Kindle
edition is ready to go.
2. How Does Your Training Make You
Feel?
Bob Hoffman had a great way of explaining
how strength training affects your body.
It doesn't just build your muscles.
It strengthens your internal organs, as well.
It improves circulation. Nourishes and fortifies
the blood.
It improves your digestion, and your ability
to assimilate the food you eat.
It strengthens your heart and lungs, and
improves your breathing.
Strengthens your nerves.
In other words, strength training builds your
body from the inside out. It makes you a bigger
and stronger man -- and a healthier man.
Hoffman and all of the other pioneers of the
Iron Game placed tremendous emphasis on
the health-building aspect of strength training.
That's why Hoffman published a magazine
called "Strength and HEALTH."
It's why the title of his first book was "How to
Be Strong, HEALTHY and Happy."
The idea of training for looks alone -- or even
for strength alone -- without radiant good health
to go with it would have been totally foreign to
Hoffman, Jowett, Calvert, Rader, Peary and
Paschall. It would have been foreign to ALL
of the old-timers.
In short, one of the benefits of old-school
training was that it made you FEEL better.
So back to the question in the title.
Does your training make you feel better?
Mine does.
I finished a one hour workout the other night,
and when it was over, I felt like the proverbial
million dollars.
And I feel pretty good most of the time. I won't
say (as Hoffman did in his later years) that I'm
a candidate for "World's Healthiest Man," but I
do okay.
And my workouts play a major role in how I feel.
Yours should do the same for you. And if you're
training the right way -- with plenty of stand on
your feet old-school strength training, they will.
Just be sure you avoid the over-training thing
that we talked about yesterday. Over-training is
a one-way ticket to making you feel BAD instead
of GOOD. See Gray Hair and Black Iron for more
information on over-training and how to beat it:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
Diet and nutrition is also a key component of
feeling strong and healthy. Knife, Fork, Muscle
tells you what to eat for strength and health:
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
As always, thanks for reading, and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one -- it's putting money into your health
account!
Yours in strength (and health),
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's the link again for the latest issue
of the Dinosaur Files:
Table of Contents
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
Order page (in PDF format)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.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: "Hit the iron --
and give yourself the gift of lifelong strength
and health." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Breaking News - The Dinosaur Files Is Here!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Here's an announcement that I sent
to the Dino Nation on Saturday evening.
I'm resending it on Monday morning for
anyone who may have missed it.
We just released the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files in PDF format.
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents, with everything to see
in this Dino-sized issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
We're also going to do a Kindle edition,
but that isn't ready yet. I'll send a link
as soon as it is. My apologies to Kindle
fans - we have to format each issue
for PDF and then format it again for
Kindle, so it's hard to release both
editions at the same time.
In any case, this is a great issue. I
know you'll enjoy it.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. We're already getting great feedback
on this issue - in fact, it may turn out to
be one of our most popular issues.
***********************************************************************************
Here's an announcement that I sent
to the Dino Nation on Saturday evening.
I'm resending it on Monday morning for
anyone who may have missed it.
We just released the August-September
issue of The Dinosaur Files in PDF format.
Here's a link that gives you the complete
table of contents, with everything to see
in this Dino-sized issue:
http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/09/take-look-inside-august-september-dino.html
And here's the link to order the little
monster in PDF format:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
We're also going to do a Kindle edition,
but that isn't ready yet. I'll send a link
as soon as it is. My apologies to Kindle
fans - we have to format each issue
for PDF and then format it again for
Kindle, so it's hard to release both
editions at the same time.
In any case, this is a great issue. I
know you'll enjoy it.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. We're already getting great feedback
on this issue - in fact, it may turn out to
be one of our most popular issues.
***********************************************************************************
Take a Look Inside the August-September Dino Files!
-->
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
It’s here - the August-September issue of the Dinosaur Files! (We ran late on the August issue, so this is a combined issue for both months.)
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
It’s here - the August-September issue of the Dinosaur Files! (We ran late on the August issue, so this is a combined issue for both months.)
It’s another terrific issue – with tons of real world,
no-nonsense training advice, iron game history, and plenty of Dino-sized
motivation and inspiration.
Check out the Table of Contents:
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016
DINOSAUR FILES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Hail to the
Dinosaurs!
by Brooks Kubik
This month’s editorial begins with a training report from a
42-year old Dino who’s been doing something a little different, and has been
making great gains with it – in fact, his massage therapist couldn’t believe
the improvement.
Now, I’d like to tell you that this was the result of the
latest monster muscle-mass workout where you train six days a week for ten
hours a day, do 17 exercises for every body-part, and bomb, blast and blitz to
the max.
But it’s a little bit different than that – and a heck of a
lot more effective.
Mesozoic Mail
by The Dinosaurs
Feedback and training questions from your fellow Dinosaurs,
with my responses, including: Thanks for another great issue – Have fun at the
new gym – A bodyweight training question – A Dinosaur moving story – A power
rack training question – Back to the gym (and it feels great) – How do you know
you’re a Dinosaur?
Jurassic Jottings
by Brooks Kubik
A wide-ranging series of short notes covering training tips,
workouts, questions and answers, diet and nutrition, lifting records, feats of
strength, classic stories of the Iron game’s greatest heroes, and much more,
including: Thanks for making the Dino Files no. 1 on Kindle – John Davis’
favorite five for strength and power – Another kind of 400-pound club – The
birth of powerlifting – Some serious pressing power – the supplement question –
the best three exercisers for older trainees – Schemansky’s power cleans – the
kneeling clean – Another old-school powerhouse – Your optimum bodyweight – Can
you match this? – Harry Paschall, Mal Whitfield and the pumpkin heads – Don’t
mess with Miss Singapore! – An update on Ireland’s strongest man – Old school
training for real results – Training advice from John Grimek – Stone lifting in
Scotland, Round 3!
What a Difference a
Day Makes!
by Allan Roth
How an older Dino deals with good days and bad days, and how
he modifies his warm-ups and tweaks his training program for pain-free training
and steady gains.
An Effective Training
Program for a 47-Year Old Dino
by Dane Thomas
A 47-year old trainee returns to the low volume,
ultra-abbreviated training program that brought him the best results of his
life.
Things We Wish We Had
Known When We Were Younger
by the Dinos
Older Dinos share training wisdom they learned the hard way
– by trial and error, and by making mistakes.
A great guide for younger Dinos.
Why waste years of your training career when you can start out the right
way and make continuous, injury-free progress?
Seven Ways to Smash
Through a Sticking Point!
by Brooks Kubik
How to smash through sticking points and seemingly
impossible barreiers – a detailed, real-world guide with plenty of “from the
trenches” advice. Is it easy? No. Is it
possible? Yes, it is.
Answers to Your
Training Questions
by Brooks Kubik
This issue’s question and answer column covers two popular
topics: front squat tips for an older Dino, and how to put together an outdoor
training program that includes plenty of carrying, pulling, pushing, lugging,
loading and dragging heavy stuff – with special advice on how to make your
outdoor training progressive.
How to Bulletproof
Your Shoulders
by the Dinos
Shoulder injuries limit trainees of all ages, and the best
advice for how to avoid them – and what to do if they happen – or how to train effectively
when you have a shoulder problem – comes from your fellow Dinosaurs. This article could save you plenty of pain and
heartbreak.
Training Progression
Simplified (Part 1)
by Brooks Kubik
A detailed review of effective training for beginners, with
step by step instruction on putting your program together and following a
simple but effective progression system.
My Experience with
20-Rep Breathing Squats
by Robert Degen
Many believe the 20-rep breathing squat is the most
effective exercise there is – but many have tried it and failed to gain. There’s a reason for that, and a way around
it. This article teaches you a new and
result-producing twist on a time-honored training system. (Warning: do not read this article unless
it’s okay to grow out of your current wardrobe.)
Dumbbells and
Deadlifts for Great Gains
by John Grahill
How basic exercises and simple programing helped one Dino
build strength and muscle mass while losing unwanted fat – without long and
boring cardio sessions, without dieting, and without drugs or super supplements.
A Forgotten Strongman
by Brooks Kubik
The life and death of one of the strongest men of his
generation – and he’s a man you never even heard of. A tribute to one of our fallen.
The Wrap-Up
by Brooks Kubik
I close up this issue by comparing two types of training,
one good, and one not so good. See if
you can tell which one of the two I like – and see if you agree!
The August-September issue of The Dinosaur Files is
available in your choice of PDF with immediate electronic download or as Kindle
e-book. The PDF is ready to order - the Kindle edition is not ready yet, but we'll get it up as fast as we can.
To order the PDF edition, go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_augustseptember2016.html
IMPORTANT: When you order the PDF version of The Dinosaur
Files, you will receive a download link after you complete your order through
the on-line shopping cart button above.
Be sure to save the download link to your computer as soon as you get
it.
***********************************************************************************
***********************************************************************************
The No. 1 Way to Avoid Dings and Dents
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We live in a part of town called The Highlands,
and as you can guess, it has a lot of hills.
When I was younger, I used to go to the park
and do hill sprints while carrying 70 pound
dumbbells.
But today, at age 59, I don't do them any more.
They're just too hard on my ankles and my
Achilles tendons.
As you grow older, the blood flow to your Achilles
tendons diminishes. They get tighter and stiffer,
even if you stretch them. And you can make them
really sore -- as in, inflamed -- with sprints or
hill sprints.
My chosen sport is weightlifting, and I need to
keep my ankles and Achilles tendons strong and
health for lifting. So I pass on the sprints and
the hill sprints -- even though, as I said, I once
did them, and I liked doing them.
That's the kind of adjustment you need to make
as you grow older. You always need to keep
training, of course -- but you may need to
change the way you train, or change your
exercises.
If something hurts, you may want to find an
alternative.
If not, you're on the road to Ding and Dent
Land.
Also known as the Island of Lost Lifters.
And that's the number one way to avoid dings
and dents as you grow older. It's called listening
to your body -- and training SMART.
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 many other ways to avoid or reduce
dings and dents in Gray Hair and Black Iron:
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: "Train hard, but
train smart. Smart is what keeps you lifting
for a long, long time." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
We live in a part of town called The Highlands,
and as you can guess, it has a lot of hills.
When I was younger, I used to go to the park
and do hill sprints while carrying 70 pound
dumbbells.
But today, at age 59, I don't do them any more.
They're just too hard on my ankles and my
Achilles tendons.
As you grow older, the blood flow to your Achilles
tendons diminishes. They get tighter and stiffer,
even if you stretch them. And you can make them
really sore -- as in, inflamed -- with sprints or
hill sprints.
My chosen sport is weightlifting, and I need to
keep my ankles and Achilles tendons strong and
health for lifting. So I pass on the sprints and
the hill sprints -- even though, as I said, I once
did them, and I liked doing them.
That's the kind of adjustment you need to make
as you grow older. You always need to keep
training, of course -- but you may need to
change the way you train, or change your
exercises.
If something hurts, you may want to find an
alternative.
If not, you're on the road to Ding and Dent
Land.
Also known as the Island of Lost Lifters.
And that's the number one way to avoid dings
and dents as you grow older. It's called listening
to your body -- and training SMART.
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 many other ways to avoid or reduce
dings and dents in Gray Hair and Black Iron:
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: "Train hard, but
train smart. Smart is what keeps you lifting
for a long, long time." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
The Passing of a Legend
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I want to give you some news and updates
today - beginning with some sad news.
1. The Passing of a Legend
We lost Norb Schemansky. The four-time
Olympic medal winner (one gold, one silver,
and two bronze medals) passed away on
September 7 at (I believe) age 92.
Here's a link to a wonderful tribute to
Norb Schemansky at the USA Weightlifting
website - complete with photos and some
video of "Skee" in action:
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Weightlifting/Features/2016/September/07/Weightlifting-Legend-Norbert-Schemansky-Dies
My good friend Bill Hinbern wrote a very
nice tribute to the champion. You can find
it at Bill's Facebook page. It has some of the
classic Schemansky stories - and it's very
well worth reading.
2. 11-11
In somewhat happier news, the Dino Nation
has a great film to watch - a short film by
director Keith Rivers - starring my daughter,
Lily.
It's called 11-11 - and it's being released
today on vimeo at exactly 11-11. (Not sure
if that is Eastern time or what, but I'm sure
about the 11-11 part.)
Here's the trailer for it - take a look, and then
be sure to look for the complete film later
today, after the release:
https://vimeo.com/181129261
Trudi was able to see it yesterday, as a special
"for mom only" advance screening, and she was
in tears afterwards. It's a very beautiful, very
moving film. Needless to say, we're proud
parents today.
3. The Dino Files
We're finishing the little monster up, and we'll
be releasing it soon. I'll send an email with the
order link as soon as it's ready.
If you missed any of the earlier issues, go to
our products page and look for the PDF products
with electronic downloads:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
I want to give you some news and updates
today - beginning with some sad news.
1. The Passing of a Legend
We lost Norb Schemansky. The four-time
Olympic medal winner (one gold, one silver,
and two bronze medals) passed away on
September 7 at (I believe) age 92.
Here's a link to a wonderful tribute to
Norb Schemansky at the USA Weightlifting
website - complete with photos and some
video of "Skee" in action:
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Weightlifting/Features/2016/September/07/Weightlifting-Legend-Norbert-Schemansky-Dies
My good friend Bill Hinbern wrote a very
nice tribute to the champion. You can find
it at Bill's Facebook page. It has some of the
classic Schemansky stories - and it's very
well worth reading.
2. 11-11
In somewhat happier news, the Dino Nation
has a great film to watch - a short film by
director Keith Rivers - starring my daughter,
Lily.
It's called 11-11 - and it's being released
today on vimeo at exactly 11-11. (Not sure
if that is Eastern time or what, but I'm sure
about the 11-11 part.)
Here's the trailer for it - take a look, and then
be sure to look for the complete film later
today, after the release:
https://vimeo.com/181129261
Trudi was able to see it yesterday, as a special
"for mom only" advance screening, and she was
in tears afterwards. It's a very beautiful, very
moving film. Needless to say, we're proud
parents today.
3. The Dino Files
We're finishing the little monster up, and we'll
be releasing it soon. I'll send an email with the
order link as soon as it's ready.
If you missed any of the earlier issues, go to
our products page and look for the PDF products
with electronic downloads:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
What "Built Like a Greek Statue" Really Means
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick update, and then we'll turn to
the topic of the day.
1. The Dino Files
The Dino Files is my monthly strength
training journal. It's available in PDF and
Kindle format. Each issue has tons of
articles covering OUR kind of strength
training and muscle-building, with a
combination of my own articles and
articles from your fellow Dinos around
the world.
We ran late on the August issue, so we're
doing a combined August-September issue.
My lay-out and design guy is working like
crazy to finish it up. The Little monster will
be ready soon, and when it is, I'll send an
email with the link. Be looking for it.
2. What it Means to be Built Like a
Greek Statue
One of our fellow Dinos went on vacation
recently, and visited Italy - and saw some
of the wonderful classical statues of ancient
men with muscles on muscles on muscles.
He shared some photos on Facebook.
The funny thing is, people have been sharing
photos of those statues for many years. I have
an old issue of IronMan from the late 50's or
early 60's that has some photos a guy took
of the very same statues while HE was on
vacation in Italy.
Anyhow, this reminded me of something very
important.
The ancient Greeks and Romans built some
remarkable physiques without any roidskies and
without any supplements. They did it with hard
training and a diet of all natural foods.
And they ended up looking like the very best of
today's bodybuilders and weightlifters.
You can see it in those marvelous old statues.
Put one of them on the stage at any bodybuilding
show, and he just might walk away with first
place.
We know this is true because those old statues
were NOT the result of the sculptor's imagination.
No one thought, "I'm going to sculpt a statue of
a warrior and make him look the way I think
athletes might look 500 years from now."
Nor did they say, "I'm going to sculpt a man who
never lived -- who doesn't exist -- and who never
will exist -- and make it up as I go along."
No, they did what artists have always done --
they used actual models.
The models they used were champion athletes
and seasoned warriors.
And you can see this in the resulting sculptures.
The sculptures show thick, heavy abdominal
and oblique development.
Why?
Because back then, men trained with many
different twisting and turning movements --
which you would use in throwing a javelin or
a spear, swinging an axe or a sword, throwing
a discus, or in throwing an opponent in a
wrestling match.
The models had powerful, corded forearms and
thick, powerful hands.
Why?
Because they did so much work with heavy
weapons. It must have built a ferocious grip
over the years.
They had remarkable shoulder and trap
development.
Why?
From all the training with heavy weapons.
In short, the men who were used as models for
statues such as the Farnese Hercules were men
who trained to be the best athletes and the most
powerful warriors of their era.
They weren't imaginary. They were real.
And they did it Dino-style -- with hard work and
healthy food. They probably did lots of old-school
bodyweight exercises, as well as dumbbell training.
So their workouts may have been very similar to
those in Dinosaur Bodyweight Training and
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training.
And they quite likely did some stone lifting. Men
have been lifting stones for thousands of years.
And as I noted, they ran, wrestled, swung heavy
weapons and threw things.
And that was all they needed.
I don't know about you, but I find that to be very
encouraging. It shows us what we can do -- and
what we can achieve.
And it reminds us that it doesn't take very much
in the way of equipment to get a great workout.
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.Be looking for that email with the link to
the next issue of The Dinosaur Files!
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training and Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training -- are available right here
at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Learn from the
past, live in the present, lift for the future."
Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
One quick update, and then we'll turn to
the topic of the day.
1. The Dino Files
The Dino Files is my monthly strength
training journal. It's available in PDF and
Kindle format. Each issue has tons of
articles covering OUR kind of strength
training and muscle-building, with a
combination of my own articles and
articles from your fellow Dinos around
the world.
We ran late on the August issue, so we're
doing a combined August-September issue.
My lay-out and design guy is working like
crazy to finish it up. The Little monster will
be ready soon, and when it is, I'll send an
email with the link. Be looking for it.
2. What it Means to be Built Like a
Greek Statue
One of our fellow Dinos went on vacation
recently, and visited Italy - and saw some
of the wonderful classical statues of ancient
men with muscles on muscles on muscles.
He shared some photos on Facebook.
The funny thing is, people have been sharing
photos of those statues for many years. I have
an old issue of IronMan from the late 50's or
early 60's that has some photos a guy took
of the very same statues while HE was on
vacation in Italy.
Anyhow, this reminded me of something very
important.
The ancient Greeks and Romans built some
remarkable physiques without any roidskies and
without any supplements. They did it with hard
training and a diet of all natural foods.
And they ended up looking like the very best of
today's bodybuilders and weightlifters.
You can see it in those marvelous old statues.
Put one of them on the stage at any bodybuilding
show, and he just might walk away with first
place.
We know this is true because those old statues
were NOT the result of the sculptor's imagination.
No one thought, "I'm going to sculpt a statue of
a warrior and make him look the way I think
athletes might look 500 years from now."
Nor did they say, "I'm going to sculpt a man who
never lived -- who doesn't exist -- and who never
will exist -- and make it up as I go along."
No, they did what artists have always done --
they used actual models.
The models they used were champion athletes
and seasoned warriors.
And you can see this in the resulting sculptures.
The sculptures show thick, heavy abdominal
and oblique development.
Why?
Because back then, men trained with many
different twisting and turning movements --
which you would use in throwing a javelin or
a spear, swinging an axe or a sword, throwing
a discus, or in throwing an opponent in a
wrestling match.
The models had powerful, corded forearms and
thick, powerful hands.
Why?
Because they did so much work with heavy
weapons. It must have built a ferocious grip
over the years.
They had remarkable shoulder and trap
development.
Why?
From all the training with heavy weapons.
In short, the men who were used as models for
statues such as the Farnese Hercules were men
who trained to be the best athletes and the most
powerful warriors of their era.
They weren't imaginary. They were real.
And they did it Dino-style -- with hard work and
healthy food. They probably did lots of old-school
bodyweight exercises, as well as dumbbell training.
So their workouts may have been very similar to
those in Dinosaur Bodyweight Training and
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training.
And they quite likely did some stone lifting. Men
have been lifting stones for thousands of years.
And as I noted, they ran, wrestled, swung heavy
weapons and threw things.
And that was all they needed.
I don't know about you, but I find that to be very
encouraging. It shows us what we can do -- and
what we can achieve.
And it reminds us that it doesn't take very much
in the way of equipment to get a great workout.
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.Be looking for that email with the link to
the next issue of The Dinosaur Files!
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training and Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training -- are available right here
at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Learn from the
past, live in the present, lift for the future."
Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
The "What Would Happen?" Question
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll talk
training.
1. The August-September Dinosaur Files
We ran late on the August issue, so we're
going to do a combined August-September
issue. It should be ready later today or
tomorrow. I'll send a link as soon as it's
ready to order.
2. The "What Would Happen?" Question
On the training front, I received an interesting
question in response to yesterday's email. It's
a question I get fairly often.
This time it came from Chris Califano. He wrote:
"Here is an interesting question: What would the
result/benefits be if a younger lifter followed the
exact same advice that older trainees should
employ regarding "making every rep count"
and "every exercise and every set count"?
In other words, that a younger dedicated lifter
can put more hours into his or her training
should not be a "license to waste energy."
Just that we COULD do it when we were
younger does not mean that we SHOULD
have.
In fact, I am sure that if I had applied the
same methods for Progression with
Recuperation when I was in my teens,
twenties and thirties, I would have
gotten further faster. And with less
if any injuries, nagging or small!
And I would have had more balanced
development, plus better health and
more free time, to boot!
Chris"
Chris -- Thanks for your email. The question
you pose is a good one. Most trainees follow
the over-the-top high volume workouts when
they are young -- and they end up wasting
what should have been the very best years
of their training careers.
It's a crying shame -- especially when it leads
them to quit training -- or to turn to steroids
and other drugs.
If everyone started training the right way from
Day 1 of their career, we'd see many more
trainees achieve great success -- and we'd
see many more trainees stick to their program
for their entire lives.
In terms of concrete results, let's look at
some real-life examples of young men who
started out training the right way from Day
One:
John Davis started training at age 15 -- and won
the World weightlifting championship -- beating
not one but two former Olympic gold medal
winners -- at age 17.
John Grimek went from 120 lbs. to 178 lbs. in
his his first three years of training -- and went
from a clean and jerk of 95 lbs. to a clean and
jerk with 247 1/2 lbs.
Steve Stanko gained 80 pounds of muscle in
his first 2 years of training -- and won his first
United States Senior National title later in the
same year.
Frank Spellman worked up to a 240 lb. military
press at a bodyweight of 156 lbs. -- after just
1 1/2 years of training. He went on to win an
Olympic gold medal in 1948.
Tommy Kono entered his first weightlifting
contest in 1948. He improved his 3-lift total
(press, snatch and clean and jerk) by 195
lbs. over the next 2 years. He won his first
Olympic gold medal in 1952.
Obviously, not everyone is going to become
a World or Olympic Champion, or a Mr. America.
But if more young guys trained the way that
Davis, Grimek, Stanko, Spellman and Kono
trained, they'd make enormously more
progress.
And that's why I continue to bang the drum.
It's an important message -- and so many
guys and gals need to hear it!
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today (as I will), make
it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S.As I mentioned, the August-September
issue of the Dinosaur Files will be out later
today or tomorrow. Get ready for it - it's a
terrific issue!
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: "It doesn't matter
if a hammer and nails are old-fashioned. They
still work better than anything else -- and every
carpenter needs them." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
One quick note, and then we'll talk
training.
1. The August-September Dinosaur Files
We ran late on the August issue, so we're
going to do a combined August-September
issue. It should be ready later today or
tomorrow. I'll send a link as soon as it's
ready to order.
2. The "What Would Happen?" Question
On the training front, I received an interesting
question in response to yesterday's email. It's
a question I get fairly often.
This time it came from Chris Califano. He wrote:
"Here is an interesting question: What would the
result/benefits be if a younger lifter followed the
exact same advice that older trainees should
employ regarding "making every rep count"
and "every exercise and every set count"?
In other words, that a younger dedicated lifter
can put more hours into his or her training
should not be a "license to waste energy."
Just that we COULD do it when we were
younger does not mean that we SHOULD
have.
In fact, I am sure that if I had applied the
same methods for Progression with
Recuperation when I was in my teens,
twenties and thirties, I would have
gotten further faster. And with less
if any injuries, nagging or small!
And I would have had more balanced
development, plus better health and
more free time, to boot!
Chris"
Chris -- Thanks for your email. The question
you pose is a good one. Most trainees follow
the over-the-top high volume workouts when
they are young -- and they end up wasting
what should have been the very best years
of their training careers.
It's a crying shame -- especially when it leads
them to quit training -- or to turn to steroids
and other drugs.
If everyone started training the right way from
Day 1 of their career, we'd see many more
trainees achieve great success -- and we'd
see many more trainees stick to their program
for their entire lives.
In terms of concrete results, let's look at
some real-life examples of young men who
started out training the right way from Day
One:
John Davis started training at age 15 -- and won
the World weightlifting championship -- beating
not one but two former Olympic gold medal
winners -- at age 17.
John Grimek went from 120 lbs. to 178 lbs. in
his his first three years of training -- and went
from a clean and jerk of 95 lbs. to a clean and
jerk with 247 1/2 lbs.
Steve Stanko gained 80 pounds of muscle in
his first 2 years of training -- and won his first
United States Senior National title later in the
same year.
Frank Spellman worked up to a 240 lb. military
press at a bodyweight of 156 lbs. -- after just
1 1/2 years of training. He went on to win an
Olympic gold medal in 1948.
Tommy Kono entered his first weightlifting
contest in 1948. He improved his 3-lift total
(press, snatch and clean and jerk) by 195
lbs. over the next 2 years. He won his first
Olympic gold medal in 1952.
Obviously, not everyone is going to become
a World or Olympic Champion, or a Mr. America.
But if more young guys trained the way that
Davis, Grimek, Stanko, Spellman and Kono
trained, they'd make enormously more
progress.
And that's why I continue to bang the drum.
It's an important message -- and so many
guys and gals need to hear it!
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today (as I will), make
it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S.As I mentioned, the August-September
issue of the Dinosaur Files will be out later
today or tomorrow. Get ready for it - it's a
terrific issue!
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: "It doesn't matter
if a hammer and nails are old-fashioned. They
still work better than anything else -- and every
carpenter needs them." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
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