Attn Dinos - We Need Your Dino Files Feedback!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We released the January
issue of the Dinosaur Files
in PDF format yesterday,
and Dinos around the
world have been grabbing
the little monster.

So let me say something
important - THANK YOU
to everyone who stepped
up and grabbed a copy.

We really appreciate it.

And now I have another
favor to ask.

Please shoot me a short
email - it can be just a
single line - and let me
know how you like this
month's issue of The
Files.

Your feedback helps us
enormously - so don't be
shy. Let us hear from you.

Also, if you need the link
to order the little monster,
here it is:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-january2017.html

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

The No. 1 Cardio Workout for Older Dinos

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One quick note, and then we'll talk about
cardio training for older Dinos - or really,
for Dinos of any age.

1. It's Here - the Jan Dino Files!

The January issue of the Dinosaur Files
is now available in PDF format with
immediate electronic delivery.

Go here to grab the little monster - and
check out the cover photo, which is pretty
darn awesome:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-january2017.html


And, of course, let me know how you
like this month's issue!

2. The Best Cardio Workout for Older
Dinos

I've been getting tons of questions from
readers about how to combine strength
training with cardio training.

Most of them come from older Dinos --
and most of them are asking about how
to program sprints, hill sprints, long distance
running, finishers, prowler pushes, high rep
bodyweight work or high rep kettlebell swings.

So here's the bottom line -- and as always,
I'm going to be perfectly blunt.

Most of the "cardio training" that you see on
the interwebs or in the magazines isn't going
to work very well for you.

That's because you are a strength athlete --
and strength athletes require a different kind
or cardio -- especially if they are older trainees. 

Cardio training for strength athletes requires
a careful balance between doing enough to
get results and NOT doing so much cardio
that you affect your strength training or
your recovery ability.

You also need to train your cardiovascular
system in ways that avoid excessive wear
and tear on your joints.

And please note -- both problems are of
special concern to (1) a bigger, heavier
lifter (which describes many of us), and
(2) an older lifter (which also describes
many of us).

I mean, face it -- the things that are okay
for a 17 year old who weighs 145 pounds
are hardly going to work for a 60 year old
who weighs 220 pounds.

And if strength training is your preferred
form of exercise, and it is important to you
to squat, deadlift, pull, push and press hard
and heavy -- then face it, too much cardio
work is going to have a NEGATIVE effect
on your training.

I don't care how you program it, running 10
miles a day is going to cut your squat and
deadlift big time.

That's why very few (if any) top weightlifters
or powerlifters do much if any cardio. Lifting
heavy iron is their job, and they don't want
to do anything that will hurt their lifting.

But still, there are benefits to doing cardio
work -- especially for older trainees.

So here's a middle of the road position --
although you should avoid the middle of the
road when you do it.

Try walking.

In many respects, walking is a perfect cardio
exercise for guys who do lots of squatting,
pulling and pushing.

It's easy to do.

You can do it pretty much anywhere.

It doesn't require any special equipment other
than a good pair of shoes.

You can start as easy as you want, and build
up gradually over time.

It won't cut into your recovery ability and it
won't affect your strength training (unless you
go nuts and overdo it).

For a healthy lifter with no pre-existing foot,
leg, back or hip issues, it's pretty safe -- as
long as you wear good shoes and you start
slow and easy and build up the speed and
the distance g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y.

Note: "Gradually" means "slowly steadily,
sensibly and progressively." It does not, as
many believe, mean "overnight" or "
"immediately."

Of course, if you have any kind of health
issue -- high blood pressure, heart problems,
joint issues, etc. -- then check with your
doctor before starting a walking program.

Many doctors -- including at least one former
Surgeon General of the United States -- believe
that 30 minutes of daily walking is one of the
very best things you can do for your health
and fitness.

Bernarr McFadden believed the same thing.
He was such a big fan of walking that he
even wrote a book about it. He titled it "The
Walking Cure."

There are other kinds of Dino-style cardio
training that you can try. I detail them in
Gray Hair and Black Iron. It will give you
tons of tips on effective cardio training for
older Dinos and for strength athletes.

But start by walking. It's good for you.

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

And remember to grab The January issue of
the Dinosaur Files. You can read it after you
go for that walk we were talking about.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Go here to grab Gray Hair and Black Iron:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including
links to my Kindle e-books -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Shoes on feet,
and feet on the ground, makes a darn good
workout." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Take a Look Inside the January Dino Files!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We just released the January
2017 issue of the Dinosaur
Files in PDF format, and Dinos
around the world are grabbing
the little monster.

It's another terrific issue - jam
packed with solid gold strength
training info. And I think you're
going to like the articles on Marvin
Eder's training for the military press
and Arthur Saxon's strongman diet
quite a bit.

Take a look at the complete table
of Contents:

JANUARY 2017 DINOSAUR FILES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Mesozoic Mail

Jurassic Jottings

Answers to Your Training Questions

How to Train During High Stress Times 

The 2016 Stonelifting Tour (Part 3)

Staying the Course

Learning to be Flexible at a
Commercial Gym

How Marvin Eder Trained the
Military Press

Arthur Saxon’s Strongman Diet
Wrestling with Father Time

How to Get Great Results with
Old-School Dumbbell Training

The Wrap-Up

The January 2017 Dinosaur Files is
available in PDF format with immediate
electronic delivery.

Go here to grab your copy of the best
strength training and Iron Game
journal anywhere:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-january2017.html

And as always - let me know how you
like this issue!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

The January 2017 Dinosaur Files Is Here!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Big, breaking news!

The January issue of The Dinosaur
Files strength training journal has
landed!

We just released the little monster
in PDF format with immediate
electronic delivery.

Go here to grab your copy:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-january2017.html

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

10 Tips to Rev Up Your Workouts!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One quick note and then we'll talk iron.

1. The Dinosaur Files

We're working to get the Jan issue of the
Dinosaur Files up and available as soon as
possible. In the meantime, if you missed
the Nov - Dec issue, go here to grab it:

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

PDF edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

By the way, if you grab the Kindle
edition, please post a review. The
reviews really help us.

2. 10 Tips to Rev Up Your Workouts!

Workouts are the best part of the day --
and the better the workout, the better
the day.

So let's talk about to maximize your
workouts -- and how to make each
workout as result-producing and
effective as possible.

Here are 10 tips to rev up your workouts:

1. Spend 10 minutes a day visualizing your
workouts in full, complete and vivid detail --
to the point where you see and feel the
sweat dripping down your face as you
squat, push and pull.

a. 15 or 20 minutes is better.

2. When you train, concentrate deeply
on each and every rep. "Become" the rep.

a. In other words, shut out the rest of
the world. Go deep inside the rep.

3. After each set, review your performance
and focus on the next set.

a. See Dinosaur Training and Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training for more details on
the all-important mental aspects of
strength training.

4. Wear your power color when you train.
Everyone has a power color (or colors).
You feel stronger when you wear your
power color.

a. For me, power colors are black, navy
blue and gray.

b. We also have colors that make us feel
weak. Don't wear those! (For example, I
avoid brown or tan.)

5. Focus on adding weight to the bar, BUT
always maintain perfect form. If in doubt,
focus on form. Never add weight at the
expense of maintaining perfect form.

6. Rest pause training builds serious strength
and muscle. See Strength, Muscle and Power
for details and suggested workouts.

7. Abbreviated training works better than
anything else for the vast majority of trainees.
See Dinosaur Training, Strength, Muscle and
Power, and Chalk and Sweat for abbreviated
workouts that will build plenty of real world
strength and muscle.

7a. Many trainees -- especially older trainees --
will do best on ultra-abbreviated training. See
Gray Hair and Black Iron for details and
workouts.

8. Eat smart. This means the right kind of real
food. That's the whole focus of Knife, Fork,
Muscle -- real food to help build lifelong
strength and health.

a. Learn what foods work for you. That's
one of the important keys to long-term
success.

b. Supplements will NOT make up for
a poor diet. You need to learn to eat
right. When you do, the results will
amaze you.

9. Don't obsess about your training.
Just do it. The most important thing
is to train regularly and consistently.
It all adds up over time.

10. Have FUN when you train. Fun is
important. Your training days should
be the best days of the week --
and your workouts should be
some of the most enjoyable
things you do.

a. Yes, hard work and challenging
workouts are fun!

b. And yes, it's a shame that most
people don't have a clue about
this . . .

c.  . . . which is why it's good to train
hard and heavy and old-school, and
set an example for others.

So there you have it -- 10 tips to
rev up your workouts. I hope you
enjoyed them -- and I hope you
use them.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Gray Hair and Black Iron is the
no. 1 book for older trainees -- go
here to grab a copy:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses --
and links to my e-books on Kindle and
my PDF courses --are right here at
Dino Headquarters:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "It all boils
down to you and the iron. That's the most
important thing." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

A Bench Press Workout for Older Dinos

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One of our older Dinos -- age 68 -- asked about a
bench press program for older Dinos.

He's been doing 5 x 5, followed by 1 x 3 and 1 x 1.

He used to bench press 350 x 1 and 225 x 15.
He knows he won't get back to those numbers, but
he still wants to try to increase his current bench.

So he asked what kind of program to follow.

My answer is pretty much the same as my answer
to any question from an older Dino:

1. Follow a good, all-around training program that
works all of the major muscle groups.

a. It doesn't have to be a total body workout. It's
fine to use a divided workout schedule. In fact, for
many older Dinos, it's better because you get more
rest and more recovery time.

2. Do some additional work for any lift or any body-
part you want to specialize on.

a. The key word is "some" -- which means "a little,
and not too much."

b. Specialize on one lift or one body-part at a time.

3. Don't overdo things by jumping into a full-bore
specialization program to force progress -- or you'll
probably just hurt yourself.

a. A little bit of extra work for a given lift or a given
body-part goes a long way.

b. Concentration, visualization and focus will help
enormously. Practice tunnel-vision training.

4. Follow a slow and steady progression system. Do
NOT try to gain too much too fast. That, too, will
probably lead to an injury for an older trainee.

a. The progression systems in Dinosaur Training
Secrets, Vol. 3, are perfect for any older trainee --
and for any trainee at any age:

Kindle e-book:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html

Hard-copy:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html

PDF with electronic delivery

See the PDF section at our Products page.

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

5. Work on maintaining healthy joints as much as
building strength. For bench presses, this means doing
plenty of shoulder and upper back work. Dumbbells
and Indian clubs will help keep your shoulders supple
and strong from all angles. Cables are also excellent.

a. Include lots of rowing and pull-ups or pull-downs
to balance the heavy pushing work.

b. See Gray Hair and Black Iron for more tips on how
to maintain healthy joints -- and for a list of shoulder
wreckers and other exercises to avoid at all times.

6. If you have access to a power rack and rack work
doesn't cause any joint pain for you, try partial benches
in the power rack.

a. The best position for rack work is a bottom position
start.

b. The next best position is anywhere from two
inches to six inches off the chest.

c. Lockouts are okay, but not nearly as useful as
bottom position benches or benches from the ctwo
inch to six inch position.

d. Some older trainees thrive on rack work. Others
find it is too hard on the joints. So start light, be
conservative, and see what works best for you.

e. See Strength, Power and Muscle for more
details about rack work:

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

f. If you don't have access to a power rack, try
pause style bench presses.

7. If you are an older trainee, be very careful
with wide grip bench presses. They're too hard
on the shoulders for many older Dinos.

8. The best assistance exercise for the bench press
(other than rack work) is the close grip bench press.
Use a grip that is a little less than shoulder width. It
should not be a super close grip.

9. Follow a healthy diet that helps keep your T levels
high -- and reduces inflammation. See Knife, Fork,
Muscle for specific advice on diet and nutrition:

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

10. Shoot for realistic goals based on your current
age and current condition. Don't try to compete with
the lifter you were 30 or 40 years ago.

a. See Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2, the "How
Strong Are You?" course for specific advice on how
to calculate age-appropriate training goals.

Finally -- and this should go without saying for any
trainee at any age -- always bench inside a power
rack with the pins set to catch the weight at the
bottom.

If you don't have  a power rack, make sure you
have an experienced and reliable spotter.

As for sets and reps, 5 x 5, followed by 1 x 3 and
1 x 1 is good. The real key is to use the right kind
of progression system.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Go here to grab a copy of Gray Hair and
Black Iron:

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

P.S. 2. Go here to grab any of the other books
or courses mentioned in today's email -- or to
find any of my other books and courses:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Rule no. 1 is to
keep on training." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Does Abbreviated Training Really Work?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Yesterday I received an email from a reader
who asked whether abbreviated training really
works.

Apparently, he's been reading "stuff on the
internet" that tells him he has to follow long,
frequent workouts to make any sort of
meaningful progress.

So let me offer a counter view to the Interweb
stuff.

I'll make it very simple. I'll give it you in six short
words -- and they even rhyme, so that will make
it very easy to remember.

If you over-train, you won't gain.

Period, end of story.

And that's what the Interweb whiz kids all forget.

It's not just how how hard you train. It's how you
recover from your training. No recovery means no
gains in strength and muscle mass.

Most trainees start off by making good gains, in
part because they're not strong enough to over-train.

But as they grow stronger and better conditioned,
they start to over-do things. And at that point, their
progress comes crashing to a halt.

Many trainees train for years without making any
progress because they over-do things in the gym
and they are barely able to stay even, much less
make significant gains in strength and muscle
mass.

Go to any gym in the world, and you'll see this
happen over and over. It probably happens to
99% of the trainees at the typical gym.

And no one seems to be able to figure it out --
which is amazing, because the answer is very
simple and very obvious:

Train less, but train harder and heavier.

So when someone asks me, "Does abbreviated
training really work?" the answer is this:

1. Yes, it does.

and

2. Try it and see for yourself.

And remember , there's an entire army of Dinosaurs
around the world who've found that abbreviated
training brought them the best results of their
lives.

If it worked for them, it will work for you.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. My new Dinosaur Training Secrets courses
will get you on the right track for BIG GAINS
with sensible, abbreviated workouts. Grab them
in your choice of hard-copy, Kindle e-book or
PDF with immediate electronic delivery:

a. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 1.
"Exercises, Workouts and Training
Programs"

Kindle e-book

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_01.html

PDF

See the PDF section at our products page:

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

b. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2,
"How Strong Are You?"

Kindle e-book

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_02.html

PDF

See the PDF section at our products page:

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

c. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 3,
"How to Use Old-School Progression
Methods for Fast and Steady Gains in
Strength, Muscle and Power"

Kindle e-book

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html

Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html

PDF

See the PDF section at our products page:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Train hard enough
and heavy enough to stimulate gains in strength
and muscle mass, and then stop." -- Brooks
Kubik

***********************************************************************************

The No. 1 Regret of Older Dinos

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One quick note, and then we'll talk training.

1. The Dinosaur Files.

I finished the January issue of the Dinosaur
Files, and we're working on getting it
formatted so you can grab the PDF
edition - and then we'll work on the
Kindle edition.

I'll send links as soon as they're ready.

In the meantime, if you missed the last
issue, go here to grab it in your choice
of Kindle or PDF:

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

PDF edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

2. The No. 1 Regret of Older Dinos

Here's something I often hear from older
Dinos -- and really, from Dinos of every
age.

And I've been hearing it ever since I first
released Dinosaur Training way back in 1996.
In fact, if I had a nickel for every card, letter or
email that's mentioned this, I'd be a very wealthy
man. And I'd be typing this email on the sunny
sands of a South Pacific island paradise. (Which
would actually be kind of fun to do -- assuming
that said island paradise had a decent gym --
or better yet, that I had my weights with me
on the sunny sands of that beautiful beach!)

So here it is -- the number one regret of older
Dinos.

It goes something like this:

"I got your book, and read about abbreviated
training and old-school workouts, and I gave
them a try, and I can't believe the results!
I'm just sorry I didn't learn about this stuff
sooner -- I would have saved myself years of
wasted effort on the high volume stuff they
teach us in the muscle magazines!"

And my response is always the same:

"I wish I had learned about it earlier, too. It
would have saved ME many years of wasted
effort!"

And that's true, because it took me 15 or 20
years to learn that abbreviated training and
old-school workouts were what I needed to
build strength and muscle.

And that's a lot of years of wasted effort.

All of which leads to an interesting question:
"Why is it that *everyone* has to waste years
of effort on the stuff that doesn't work before
learning what really does work?"

I've thought about that a lot. The muscle mags
deserve plenty of blame, since they're the source
of the high volume, split routine, bomb, blast and
blitz stuff.

But it's also the case that most of us think we need
to work "hard" to build strength and muscle -- and
we tend to confuse hard training with high volume
training.

In other words, we fall into the "more is better"
trap -- and it's very hard to escape. After all, there
are very few activities in life where less work gives
you better results.

Anyhow, I've been writing about abbreviated
training and old-school workouts for nearly a
quarter of a century. I KNOW they work -- both
for me and for thousands of others who gave
them a try.

I just wish that more people would give
abbreviated workouts a try when they
begin to train, rather than after wasting
years of effort on the silly stuff.

Can you imagine what the world would be like
if everyone who started strength training and
muscle-building did it the right way from the
very start?

Who knows -- it might start a revolution in the
Iron Game!

That would be pretty darn cool. So I guess I'll
just keep beating the drum for sane and sensible
training -- and for productive, effective, real
world workouts.

Workouts that really work.

Not the science fiction stuff.

The real stuff.

Stuff that works.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Chalk and Sweat gives you 50 different workouts,
including programs for beginners, intermediates and
advanced trainees -- as well as 20 leg and back
programs for maximum strength and muscle mass:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right here --
along with links to my Kindle e-books and PDF
courses:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Accept the past, and
focus on the future. There's always another heavy
squat day around the corner." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Top Secret - A Special Dinos Only Workout!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I thought I'd start the week by giving you
a special top secret workout for Dinos Only.

You can only use it if you put on your Dinosaur
Training De-Coder Ring and program it for
"Maximum Gains."

If you don't have one of our special De-Coder
Rings, close your eyes and think about the
York Barbell Club "back in the day" -- and
click your heels together three times -- and
then open your eyes and keep on reading!

THE TOP-SECRET WORKOUT -- FOR
DINOS ONLY!

Train three times per week.

Start each workout with a ten-minute general
warm-up. Get nice and loose and ready to
train.

You will follow three different workouts. Train
Mon/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs/Sat.

Each workout will include a pushing exercise,
a pulling exercise, and a squatting exercise.
But the exercises will be different in each
workout. Thus, you get plenty of variety,
but you always hit the BIG exercises -- so
you trigger maximum growth stimulation,
and maximum gains in strength, muscle
and power!

Workout A

1. Military press 5 x 5 or 5 x 3

2. Power cleans 5 x 3

or

Clean grip high pull 5 x 3

or

Pull-ups 5 x 5-6

3. Back squat 5 x 5

4. Gut, grip and neck work -- 2 or 3
sets of each. You pick the exercises, sets
and reps. If you're too tired to do all three,
do gut work in Workout A, grip work in
Workout B, and neck work in Workout C.

Workout B

1. Power snatch 5 x 3

or

Snatch grip high pull 5 x 3

or

Barbell bent-over rowing 5 x 5

2. Two-dumbbell military press 5 x 5 or 5 x 3

or

Two-dumbbell incline press 5 x 5 or 5 x 8-10

or

Bench press 5 x 5-6

3. Front squat 5 x 5 or 5 x 3

4. Gut, grip and neck work --
same as Workout A

Workout C

1.  Push press 5 x 5 or 5 x 3

or

Alternate dumbbell press 5 x 5-10

2. Your choice of power clean, power snatch,
clean high pull or snatch high pull from the
platform, the hang or from blocks 5 x 3

or

Barbell or dumbbell shrugs 5 x 5

3. Overhead squats 5 x 3

or

Bottom position squats or front squats with
a 10 inch range of motion 5 x 5 or 5 x 3

or

Trap Bar deadlift on 2 inch riser 5 x 5-6

4. Gut, grip and neck work -- same as
Workout A

So there you have it. A TOP-SECRET workout
for Dinos only! Don't let anyone else see it --
it would scare the heck out of the folks in
Chrome and Fern Land!

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 other great workouts, and some
terrific progression systems to use with this
training program, grab a copy of Dinosaur
Training Secrets Vol. 3 - my complete
course on old-school progression methods:

Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html

Kindle e-book

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html

PDF 

See the list of PDF courses at our
products page - it's right there:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and links
to all of my Kindle e-books -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "When you can't
find any more of the big plates, it means there's
a Dino in the gym!" -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

How to Build Gold Medal Strength and Power

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Yesterday, I shared an email about
Olympic gold-medal winner Henry
Wittenberg.

Now I want to tell you a bit about
his training.

Henry Wittenberg was one of the first
amateur wrestlers in the United States
to do heavy weight training.

His coach didn't believe in weight training
or weightlifting. He thought it made you
slow and muscle-bound -- which is what
most coaches thought back in the thirties
and forties. Heck, many coaches still
worried about the muscle-bound myth
when I was in high school back in the
70's!

Henry Wittenberg reasoned that building
great strength would make him a better
wrestler -- and that he'd maintain his
speed and his timing if he kept on doing
his regular wrestling workouts.

It was good thinking. In fact, it was 100
percent correct.

But because his coach didn't believe in
weight training, he had to train in secret.

And because he spent so much time on the
mat, he had to keep his barbell and dumbbell
workouts short and sweet, with no wasted
effort and no wasted time.

So he trained on the basics -- the military
press with barbells, squats, barbell bent-
over rowing, dumbbell curls and dumbbell
presses.

And it worked pretty well. He got REALLY
strong.

He worked up to doing TEN consecutive
reps in the military press with 200 pounds --
and that was his bodyweight -- so it was
pretty darn good.

He could military press 250 pounds for
a single.

That's some serious pressing power.

Whittenberg was strong in other exercises,
as well.

He squatted with 400 pounds, and did 10
reps in the bent-over row with 180 pounds.
And he handled 60 pound dumbbells in his
curls.

Not bad for a man who was training for a
different sport -- and who had to do his
lifting in secret so his coach wouldn't find
out about it!

At the 1948 Olympic Games he trained with
the United States Olympic weightlifting team.
He was so strong that the lifters tried to get
him to change sports!

For extra conditioning, he did roadwork.

Good old-fashioned running.

That, and his wrestling workouts, were all he
did -- and all he needed to do.

Eventually, he made a confession to his
wrestling coach. Admitted that he'd been
lifting weights in secret. At that point, he
was the Olympic champion -- so the
coach let him keep on lifting!

You can do a lot of fancy, modern stuff if
you're a wrestler -- but you also can train
like Henry Wittenberg. You can keep it
hard, heavy and simple.

And if you do, you'll do pretty darn well.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you want to build the kind of serious,
old-school pressing power and total body
strength that won Henry Wittenberg an
Olympic gold medal in wrestling, then
grab this little monster today:

Kindle e-book

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

Hard-copy

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

PDF with electronic delivery
See the section for the PDF courses at
our products page - and scroll down to
find the Military Press course.

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and
links to my other Kindle e-books and PDF
training courses -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "The answer to
most questions in life is good old fashioned
hard work." - Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

"You've Got No Guts, Kid!"

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

He was the captain of the chess team and a
bit of a bookworm.

In addition to chess and books, he loved to
swim. So he went out for the swim team.

But he had trouble making proper turns in
the pool -- which is bad news for a kid who
wants to be a competitive swimmer. It's
sort of like wanting to play baseball and
not being able to hit a curve ball.

His swim coach was less than happy with
him.

One day, the coach uttered these fateful
words:

"Kid, forget it. You'll never be a swimmer.
You've got no intestinal fortitude. You know
what that means? You've got no guts."

Twelve years later, the kid represented the
United States in the 1948 Olympic Games
in London.

Not in swimming -- but in wrestling!

In the semi-final match, he suffered a
crippling injury -- a severe muscle and
tendon tear in his chest.

He won the match, but afterwards he could
barely move. Pain ripped through his body
with every breath.

His coach told him to forfeit the gold medal
match.

"No way," he replied.

He went into the final match bandaged like a
mummy -- and challenged one of the very
best wrestlers in the world.

He won the match -- and the Olympic gold
medal.

His name was Henry Wittenberg, and he was
one of the greatest wrestlers who ever lived.

"No guts?"

Not hardly.

I don't know the name of the high school swim
coach who told Henry Wittenberg he had "no
guts" -- but I do know this:

People remember Henry Wittenberg.

No one remembers the swim coach.

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. Henry Wittenberg built tremendous strength
with old-school, Dino-style barbell and dumbbell
training -- the kind we cover in Dinosaur Training:
Lost Secrets of Strength and Development:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here -- along with links to my e-books on
Kindle and my PDF courses:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "Don't ever listen
to someone who tells you you can't do it."
-- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

How to Improve Your Workouts by 20 Percent

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes, and then we'll talk
iron - and how to improve your
workouts by 20 percent.

1. Dinosaur DVDs at the Iron
League

John Wood has loaded all of my old
Dinosaur Training DVDs at the Iron
League member site - so if you want
to see them, join the Iron League.

Of course, there's a ton of other
great stuff at the Iron League.

It's one of the most interesting
and most complete collections of
Iron Game info that you'll ever
see.

Go here to join:

http://www.ironleague.com/

2. The Dinosaur Files

The January Dino Files will be out
soon in PDF - and then in Kindle -
and it's going to be a heck of an
issue. Be looking for it.

In the meantime, if you missed the
last issue, here it is:

Nov - Dec Dino Files on Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

Nov - Dec Dino Files in PDF

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

3. How to Improve Your Workouts
by 20 Percent

(Note: This one is from two years
ago. I'm sharing it again because it's
so important - and because it can
make such a difference in your
workouts.)

On the sets and reps front, I hit a hard
workout in the garage last night.

It was hot, and the sweat was flying --
and so was the chalk -- and so was the
iron.

As I always do, I timed the rest periods
between my sets.

I load the bar, and take exactly two minutes
before I chalk up for the next set. So the total
rest between sets is about three minutes,
depending on how long it takes to load the
bar.

Here's why I do it.

Thirty or forty years ago, Russian scientists
studied weightlifters and found that the lifters
who timed their rest periods had 20 percent
fewer missed lifts in their workouts than the
lifters who didn't.

I think that's in part because the mere act of
timing your rest period helps keep you focused
and engaged. Of course, there may be other,
physiological reasons, as well.

But regardless of WHY it works -- it
WORKS.

It's a simple way to get more from your
training. Twenty percent fewer misses is
a big difference.

And that, my friends, is the tip of the
day:

Time your rest periods.

Simple -- but effective.

Note that the secret is NOT how long to
rest. There's no magic number.

The secret lies in timing the rest periods -
whether it's two minutes or three minutes
or whatever.

Timing your rest periods keeps you focused
on the task at hand - and that turns out to
be one of the secrets of maximally effective
strength training.

Of course, they did this research before the
days of monkey phones and selfies - so it
goes without saying that you don't sit
around and look at your monkey phone
or pose for selfie-welfies during your
rest periods.

Instead, you focus on the next set.

Like I said, simple stuff - but very,
very effective.

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. Speaking of rest, someone asked me about
Rest Pause training. I cover it in detail in Strength,
Muscle and Power -- along with power rack training,
abbreviated workouts, specialization programs,
training for advanced men, grip blasters,
finishers, old-school deadlift variations, and
much more:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and
links to my Kindle e-books -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Never stop
learning, and never stop growing."
-- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Training Adaptations for Older Dinosaurs

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes, and then we'll talk iron.

1. My Basement Gym

In yesterday's email, I mentioned that I have
moved out of the gym I've been training at for
the past 8 or 9 months, and set up shop in
the basement of our new duplex.

Many of you wrote in to say: "Welcome
back to the Land of the Cellar Dwellers"
or something similar.

I won't be able to answer all the emails, but
I wanted top say THANK YOU for the kind
words and positive vibes.

I'll keep you posted as we move forward.

2. The Dinosaur Files

I just finished the January issue of The Dinosaur
Files and sent it to my layout and design guy.

We'll get it up and available as fast as we can.

In the meantime, if you missed the last issue,
here it is:

Nov - Dec Dino Files on Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

Nov - Dec Dino Files in PDF

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

As always, let me know how you like
this issue - and if you grab the Kindle
edition, be sure to post a review on our
Kindle page.

3. Training Adaptations for Older Dinosaurs

The vast majority of those who train when they
are in their teens and twenties stop training long
before they hit the Big 4-0.

Very few people train after age 50 -- and hardly
anyone trains after age 60.

That's a shame, because training should be a
part of your life for all of the days of your
journey. It's not just for the young -- it's
for everyone.

And if we're talking about quality of life, then
training is MORE IMPORTANT than ever as you
grow older.

But training often requires adaptations as we
pass the 40, 50 or 60 age mark.

We often need to change to new exercises to
work around age-related dings and dents.

For example . . .

I have shoulder problems that date back to
my high school wrestling days. They don't
keep me from training, but they make it
impossible to hold a bar on my upper back
for squats. It hurts my shoulders too much.

So I use the Dave Draper Top Squat device
for back squats -- or I do front squats.

Would I rather do regular back squats?

Yes.

Do I worry about it?

No.

Does it stop me from training -- and from
having fun when I train?

Not at all.

And even with shoulders that don't work as
well as they used to, I'm a heck of a lot
stronger and in 10 times better shape than
the average man my age. That's because I'm
still training.

Whatever your age, I want you to do the
same thing.

Keep on training.

Find the tools that allow you to keep on hitting
the iron.

If you need to make changes, make changes.

But keep on training. That's the important thing.
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. Many older Dinos get great results with
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training:

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

Other older Dinos get great results with
old-school dumbbell training:

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

And others prefer the workouts in Gray Hair
and Black Iron:

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: "There's no
road map for life. You need to figure it out
as you go." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Yes, I'm a Garage Gorilla!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Here's one I wrote two years ago.
I'm sharing it again to celebrate a
big event.

I'm back in business with my home
gym.

You see, we sold the house and
moved to a two-bedroom apartment
last year - and I tried training at an
old, hole in the wall gym not far
away. Tried for nine long months.

Tried really hard.

But I'm a garage gorilla.

I do better when I train alone.

I can concentrate better. Focus better.
And I enjoy it much more.

So yesterday, I set up shop in the
basement.

Squat stands, barbell and plates.

The basics.

You can see what it looks like on
my Facebook and Instagram
pages.

In the meantime, here's more
detail about why home gym
training is the best.

Yes, I'm A Garage Gorilla!

Yes, I admit it. I'm a garage gorilla.
I often write about cellar dwellers and
garage gorillas -- meaning Dinos who
train in their home gyms. That includes
quite a few of you. And it includes me,
as well.

There are many reasons to train at
home.

Here are some of mine:

1. No distractions.

1A. Meaning no talk radio, no television,
no talking, no bros doing bro stuff, no
pumpers doing curls in the power rack,
no one chattering on their cell phone,
and no talking about bodybuilding, the
latest and greatest super supplement
or  the new super roidskie that can put
(they claim) 27 inches on your upper
arms in just two hours.

1B. "Distraction is a physical culturist's
worst enemy." Bradley J. Steiner

2. Better concentration.

2A. Intense, focused concentration is one
of the keys to strength training success.

3. Better bars.

3A. Most gyms have second or third rate
bars. Some are so bad that you really
don't want to use them -- and you
definitely don't want to load them
heavy.

4. Better equipment. Meaning better quality
equipment. Too many gyms spend big bucks
on the silly stuff that gets people in the door
(e.g., cardio theater), and then they don't
have money for the kind of heavy duty bars
and power racks a  Dino needs.

5. The EXACT equipment you need -- most
of which is not going to be found at a gym:

high quality Olympic bar

lifting platform

bumper plates

super-strong power rack

sandbags

thick bars

farmers' walk implements

rocks

barrels

grip tools

6. No drugs, no super supplements and
no bad advice.

7. No one will kick you out of the gym for
using chalk, grunting or doing heavy
deadlifts.

8. Music. I get to pick it. Or no music if
I prefer no music that day.

9. Better posters on the wall: John Grimek,
Steve Stanko, John Davis, Doug Hepburn,
Reg Park, etc.

9A. The posters we include with hard copy
orders for books and courses are pretty
good for your home gym.

10. I can do exactly what I want, how I
want, when I want. And at age 58, having
trained for almost 50 years, I'm entitled.

10a. Update: I'm 60 now, and that part
about doing what I want, when I want,
goes double now.

Of course, if you train at a gym you can
always make it work -- you just need to
work really hard to stay focused, and you
need to rev up your powers of concentration.

You also need to avoid the negative people,
the doubters, the naysayers, the talkers,
the whiners, the complainers, and the folks
who want to argue with you about everything
you do.

Anyhow, that's why I train at home.

Oh -- there's one more reason.

It's exactly 27 steps from the garage to the
back door -- and Trudi has dinner ready for
me after I train!

Update: The number of steps from the
basement to the upstairs apartment -
and the dining room table - is just about
the same as before. I guess some things
never change.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

1. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training and Dinosaur
Bodyweight training are great additions to
your training program - and they work great
in home gyms:

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

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

2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters -- along with
links to all of my Kindle and PDF books
and courses:

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

3. Thought for the Day: "I train alone,
but I always train with the Dinos."
-- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

The "How Many Meals A Day?" Question

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I'm often asked, "How many meals a day do
you eat?"

And a lot of people don't believe the answer.
The answer is "three."

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Now, for the record, that's what John Grimek
ate -- what Steve Stanko ate -- what John
Davis ate -- and what almost every strongman,
bodybuilder and weightlifter ate prior to 1950
or so.

Around 1950, the muscle mags started to push
six meals a day for weight gaining.

And ever since, trainees have been obsessed
with the idea of eating six meals a day (or
more) and gaining more muscle mass than
a herd of charging elephants.

But like many things, that turns out to be
good for some people - and not so good for
others.

Six meals a day may work for some very
skinny and underweight trainees during a
relatively short period when they're trying
to gain muscular bodyweight -- but it's not
necessary to do it forever.

For an older trainee who has gone through
the weight gaining phase and is already as
big as he wants to be, three meals a day
will work fine.

Of course, they need to be three big meals,
with plenty of high quality food.

And they should be easy to prepare, because
nothing beats home-cooked meals.

And they should be delicious -- because the
more you enjoy your meals, the better your
digestion will be.

And besides, after a hard, heavy workout,
you deserve a delicious meal.

I post photos of my meals on Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter. Friend and follow
me and take a look at exactly what I'm
talking about. You can find me at
#brooks kubik and #dinosaurtraining.

I cover diet and nutrition for strength training
in detail in Knife, Fork, Muscle. It gives you
everything you need to know about what to
eat for lifelong strength and health -- and
includes meal plans, daily menus, and even
some simple recipes and cooking tips direct
from Dino Headquarters.

By the way, did you know that John Grimek
believed that three meals a day were BETTER
than six?

He wrote several articles about this. He believed
that it was easier to digest and assimilate your
food if you gave your body more time between
meals.

He also believed that overloading your digestive
system was a mistake -- especially for skinny
trainees. After all, one of the reasons they're
skinny is that they have trouble digesting and
assimilating their food! And giving someone a
belly ache doesn't build strength and muscle.
In any case, I get the question all the time --
and the answer always seems to shock people.
It's three. Three meals a day. That and hard
training are all you need for great results.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Go here to grab Knife, Fork, Muscle in
the hard-copy edition:

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

We're also releasing Knife, Fork, Muscle in
a series of Kindle e-books. The first three
books in the e-book series are right here;
book 4 in the e-book series is coming soon:
Knife, Fork, Muscle, Kindle e-book 1
(covers protein for strength training -- how
much, the best sources of high-quality
protein, etc.)

http://www.brookskubik.com/knifeforkmuscle01_kindle.html

Knife, Fork, Muscle, Kindle e-book 2
(covers healthy and unhealthy carbs,
vegetables, starchy vegetables, grain
and gluten issues, organic foods, and
gardening)

http://www.brookskubik.com/knifeforkmuscle02_kindle.html 

 Knife, Fork, Muscle, Book 3
(covers healthy and unhealthy fats,
food and chemical allergies, and the
importance of allergy-free diets)

http://www.brookskubik.com/knifeforkmuscle03_kindle.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 and
eat well. It works every time." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

The Goal Directed Workout

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Training is important, but it's not enough
to just "train."

For real results, you need to train with a
purpose.

You need to have a goal.

You're not just training for the sake of
training. That's manual labor. You work
up a sweat, and you puff and pant, and
maybe you even feel sore the next day.

That's good, but it's just the beginning.

For real results, you need to do goal
directed training.

You need to train with a purpose.

Find something that you desperately
want to do or to achieve. That's your
goal.

It might be hitting a particular weight
in the squat, deadlift or bench press --
or in the standing press -- or in Olympic
lifting.

It might be hitting 300/400/500.

It might be building 17 inch upper arms.

It might be gaining 20 pounds of muscle.

It might be losing 50 pounds of flab.

It might be qualifying for and competing
in a particular contest or competition in
your chosen sport.

It might be setting a record -- winning a
state, regional or national championship --
or even a World championship.

It might relate to health. Getting your blood
pressure or your blood sugar where it needs
to be.

It might be beating a serious illness -- or
coming back after an injury.

The point is, it's YOUR goal -- and it means
something very important to YOU.

Your goal empowers you. It drives you to
train harder and harder. It's the most
demanding coach you could ever have.

Of course, your goal is a long term goal. You
won't achieve it overnight -- and you won't
achieve it easily. It will take a long time --
and plenty of chalk and sweat -- to get
there.

Your goal is the greatest motivator you
could ever find. It burns with a white hot
fire every second of every day.

And it will carry you to greatness.

So take a second, and think about it.

Why are you training?

What's your goal?

And what do you need to do to make it a
reality?

Answer those questions, and you've taken
an important first step on the road to
strength, muscle and might.

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 goal-directed training in
detail in Dinosaur Training and in
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training. Go
here to grab them:

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

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are
right here at Dino Headquarters -- along
with links to all of my Kindle and PDF
books and courses:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Set a
goal, make a plan, take action."
-- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Where's the Best Place You Ever Trained?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes and then we'll talk
iron.

1. The Dino Files

The Nov - Dec issue of the Dinosaur
Files is available in your choice of PDF
or Kindle - and readers are loving it!

Go here to grab your copy:

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

PDF edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

And yes, I'm working to finish the
January issue! We'll get it out as
soon as we can!

2. The Iron League.

John Wood is adding more and more
great stuff to the Iron League every
day. Go here to check it out:

http://www.ironleague.com/

I've let John post about 20 hours of
my old Dinosaur Training DVDs at
the Iron League - along with a bench
press course I wrote as an Iron
League special. That shows you
how much I like and support this
project.

3. Where's the Best Place You Ever
Trained?

I've trained lots of different places, and
most of them had their good and not so
good aspects.

But overall, most of them were pretty
good. And some of them were great.

That makes it hard to pick the best one.

Like many of you, I started training in my
bedroom at my parents' house. Flat bench,
110 pound barbell set, etc. You may have
done the same.

It was a good place to train -- and a very
good place to get started.

I trained in different junior high, high school,
college and YMCA weight rooms. Those were
good, too.

I've trained in fancy, well-equipped gyms, and
basic, black iron gyms. The basic, black iron
gyms were much better.

You can tell a good gym by looking at things
like squat racks, power racks, lifting platforms,
barbells and dumbbells. If everything is heavy,
strong, sturdy and functional, that's a good
sign.

It's also a good sign if there's plenty of old
iron in the gym. If you're serious about this
stuff, you know that a barbell plate or a
set of dumbbells weighs the same whether
it's brand new or 50 years old.

My favorite places to train have always been
home gyms.

Some of them include:

1. A simple gym I set up in my parents' garage.
It featured homemade squat stands and some
gigantic 75 pound plates I made from concrete.

The first time I ever benched 300 pounds was
with those plates.

2. The basement gym in my old house. Power
rack and all. You can see it in my old Dinosaur
Training DVD's. I hit my first 300 pound push
press in that gym.

3. The garage gym in the house where Trudi
and I lived for 15 years - which we just sold
last year.

That one was the best ever, I think. Lifting
platform, barbell, squat stands -- everything
I needed for some great workouts.

It felt like a little piece of Heaven.

If you train at home, you probably feel the
same way about your gym.

4. The Island Gym I set up in a corner of a
sandy parking lot on Ocracoke Island in North
Carolina. It featured old York squat stands, a
300 pound barbell set, and nothing else. It
was great!

I feature this one in the chapter titled "An
Island Gym" in my book, Strength, Muscle
and Power:

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

5. Mike Thompson's gym in his fifth floor
flat in a London apartment building. Power
rack, barbells, and lots of iron. Mike had
hauled everything up the steps by himself,
which must have been a heck of a workout.

It was one of the best home gyms ever --
and I really enjoyed training there on a
vacation 25 years ago.

So those five are probably my favorite places
to train over the years.

What about you?

Where's the best place you ever trained?

Let me know, and I'll share the answers
with the Dinos!

In the meantime, be sure to grab the Nov -
Dec issue of The Dinosaur Files - and let me
know how you like it -- and what you'd like
us to cover in future issues!

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. Dinosaur Training helped start a revolution
in serious home gym training:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including
links to my Kindle and PDF books and courses --
are right here at Dino Headquarters:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Some old iron
and a place to lift it can make a pretty good
gym." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

If It's Working, Keep On Doing It!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One quick note, and then we'll talk
training.

1. The Dinosaur Files

The Nov-Dec issue of the Dinosaur Files
strength training journal is available in
your choice of Kindle of PDF formats:

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

PDF edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

I hope you enjoy this issue. Shoot me an
email and let me know how you like it!
If you grab the Kindle edition, be sure to
post a review. The reviews really help us.

2. If It's Working, Keep on Doing It!

At least once a week I get an email from a
reader who's doing something that's working
well for him -- meaning that he's making good
gains in strength and muscle, recovering from
his workouts and enjoying his training -- but
then he sees something on the Interwebs
and it makes him think he should change
his program and do something different.

It's usually one of two things:

1. Something new and different that might
be better than what he's doing now -- often
being the workout of a current champion --
or a workout authored by the champion's
ghost writer.

2. A blog post, article or forum discussion
telling him that what he's doing "doesn't
work."

Most of the time it's number two -- which
is surprising, because the immediate
response should be, "It may not work
for YOU, but it works for ME!"

But written words are powerful, and so
they often make us second-guess
ourselves.

So our trainee -- the one who is making
good gains and having lots of fun in his
workouts -- starts to second-guess
himself.

And he sends me an email and asks what
he should do.

As I said, this happens at least once a
week. Luckily, as questions go, it's an
easy one.

The answer is always the same:

"If it's working, keep on doing it. If your
gains slow down or stop, then and only
then try something different."

And here's a related point. When you do
try something different, it should probably
be something similar, not a radical change
in approach. In other words, if 5 x 5 has
worked well for you, you might try 5 x 6,
6 x 6, or 5 x 5 followed by 1 x 3 and 1 x 1.

But don't change from 5 x 5 to 10 x 10,
or 50 rep death sets, or a three hour
pumping program.

Also, the best way to change things up is
often to use a new exercise, while keeping
the sets and reps the same. For example,
switch from back squats to front squats,
or from straight bar deadlifts to Trap Bar
deadlifts.

And remember this -- when you switch to
a new exercise or a new program, start
light and easy, and gradually add weight
to the bar. Make it progressive. Don't try
to max out and set new PR's the first day
in the saddle. See Dinosaur Training Secrets,
Vol. 3, for detailed advice on how to use old-
school progression systems for steady gains
without going stale or burning out.

Anyhow, that's the answer to a very common
question -- one that's become all the more
common because of the often overwhelming
amount and diversity of information on the
Interwebs.

Remember, if it's working for you, keep on
doing it -- and if it ain't broke, don't try to
fix it.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. I mentioned Dinosaur Training Secrets,
Vol. 3. Go here to grab the little monster in
your choice of three formats:

Hard-copy edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html

PDF with electronic delivery

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets_vol3_digital.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 with
confidence. Avoid doubters and naysayers.
Be resolute, and do what you need to do."
-- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

A Question from a New Reader

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

A couple of new readers have
asked me about The Dinosaur
Files.

As in, "What is it?"

One of them said, "I signed up
for your daily emails. Isn't that
the same as the Dinosaur Files?"

The answer is - "No, the Dinosaur
Files is different."

The Dinosaur Files is a monthly
strength training journal. Each issue
includes original articles and material
of my own, as well as articles, letters
and feedback from your fellow Dinos.

The Dinosaur Files is available in your
choice of Kindle or PDF editions. We
do it both ways because some of you
prefer pone, and some of you prefer
the other.

The most recent issue is the Nov-Dec
issue. We combined two months
because we ran late in getting the
Nov issue out the door.

Here's a look at the table of contents:

November – December 2016
Dinosaur Files

Table of Contents

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Mesozoic Mail

Greetings from Italy – My Favorite
Article  - How a 56-Year Old Dino
Trains – Pushing Toward a 100-Kilo
Military Press - More Dino Files
Feedback – Feedback from
Scotland – Thanks for the
Bench Press Advice - Viking
Feedback – A Training Update

 Jurassic Jottings

From Beef to Burgers – Feeling
a Little Needled – Speaking of the
Gym – Squat and Split Snatches –
Head Over Tea Kettle – An Important
Safety Note – Moving Targets at the
Gym – Lying and Seated Targets at
the Gym – An Old School Gym –
Some Impressive Lifting from
1953 – Meanwhile, Back in
Belgium – This Is Some Serious
Curling Power – Don’t Arm
Wrestle this Guy – Iron
League Update – New from
Bill Hinbern

Answers to Your Training
Questions

Combining 20-Rep Squats and
Deadlifts – Adding Weight When
Using the Light, Medium, Heavy
System – A Question About Specialty
Squat Bars for Lifters with Shoulder
Problems – A Tonnage Question

A Different Twist on Rest-Pause
Training

My Singles Experiment

An Update on My Training Program

Try this Two-Week Divided Workout
Program!

The 2016 Stonelifting Tour (Part 2)

A Result-Producing and Effective
Workout

Build Strength and Muscle Mass
with Reg Park!

An Older Dino’s Training Program

The Wrap-Up 

As you can see, this issue - like all
issues of The Dinosaur Files - is a
goldmine of training advice for
Dinos.

The kind of no-nonsense, real world
Training advice you won't find
anywhere else.

Which is not surprising - because
the Dino Files is a strength training
journal by and for people like you
and me - people who call themselves
Dinosaurs!

Go here to grab the November-
December issue of the Dinosaur
Files:

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

PDF edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Train for Strength, Eat for Health!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One very important note, and then we'll talk
about strength and health.

1. The Dino Files - on Kindle!

We just released the Kindle edition of the
Nov-Dec issue of The Dinosaur Files. I know
that many of you have been waiting for the
Kindle edition - so wait no longer, and grab
the little monster right now:

Nov - Dec Dino Files on Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

If you prefer PDF, go here to grab
the PDF edition:

Nov - Dec Dino Files in PDF

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

2. Train for Strength, Eat for Health

Did you know that the first 18 winners of
the AAU Mr. America title were some of
the healthiest men who ever lived?

Yes, I said healthiest.

Not just strongest, best developed, and
most muscular.

Healthiest.

And their longevity proves it.

The first 18 winners of the Mr. America
contest included 8 men who lived into
their 80's.

The average age at death for all 18 men
was 82.6 years.

And by all accounts, these men were strong,
active, vigorous and fit even at an advanced
age. And that didn't happen by accident. It
was the direct result of how they lived. These
men always took good care of themselves.

They exercised, watched what they ate,
and kept their weight under control.

They followed what Bob Hoffman called the
"Strength and Health Lifestyle."

They didn't smoke.

They either didn't drink, or didn't drink to
excess.

They exercised -- primarily or exclusively
with weight training workouts.

They followed a simple, healthy diet based on
plenty of home-cooked meals featuring foods
that were high in protein, vitamins and
minerals.

Their daily diet included meat, fish, eggs,
butter, milk or cheese if desired, fresh
vegetables, and fresh fruit.

They didn't eat sweets.

They didn't guzzle milk like it was going out
of style, didn't drink foul-tasting blender
bombers and protein shakes, and didn't
follow fad diets, crash diets, or the 20,000
calorie a day thing that so many people do
nowadays.

Some of them never used any protein powder
or other supplements during their competitive
years -- and some of them never used the
stuff or used it only rarely. They certainly
never tried to live on supplements, as so
many trainees do today.

They ate simple foods, simply prepared, and
they always enjoyed their meals.

They trained for strength and ate for health --
and it worked!

When they were younger men, people called
them "health nuts."

When they were older, people called them
"good examples."

We can learn much from them.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. I cover healthy eating, diet and nutrition
in Knife, Fork, Muscle. Go here to grab it:

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

We're also releasing Knife, Fork, Muscle on
Kindle in a series of shorter books. Same
content, just broken into shorter books. You
can find the links for the first 3 volumes in
the series under the section for Kindle books
and courses on the products page at my
website.

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: "Heavy iron
and healthy eating are hard to beat."
-- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

The Dinosaur Files - On Kindle!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We just released the Nov - Dec issue
of The Dinosaur Files on Kindle.

Here's the link:

Nov - Dec Dino Files on Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-novemberdecember2016-kindle.html

Let me know how you like the
little monster!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you prefer PDF, go here
to grab the PDF edition:

Nov - Dec Dino Files in PDF

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

***********************************************************************************

Attn Dinos - What Do You Want to See?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

On the weather front, things are a giant
ice-box throughout much of the USA - so
I hope you're staying warm and dry and
comfortable.

Be sure to bundle up - and remember,
layers are your friend!

On the Dino front, I'm working on the Jan
issue of The Dino Files - and as soon as I'm
finished, I'll start on the Feb issue.

Which brings me to an important question.

What would you like to see in the next issue of
The Dinosaur Files -- or in my next Dinosaur
Training course?

Are there any famous strongmen, weightlifters
or bodybuilders of the past that you'd like me
to cover?

Is there something training-related that you've
been wondering about?

A particular training method?

A particular tool or piece of equipment?

Are you looking for something on diet
and nutrition?

Would you like to know what the old-time
champions ate?

Do you want to see something for older
Dinos -- or for younger Dinos?

For beginners -- intermediates -- or advanced
trainees?

What about specialization programs?

Gaining weight -- losing weight -- building
strength -- increasing a given lift -- or just
building some serious muscle mass?

Are you interested in something that's
related to health and longevity?

Or does some Dinosaur mindpower sound
good to you?

I have some ideas on things to cover, but I
always like to hear from the Dinos. So if there's
something you'd like to see, shoot me an email
and let me know.

I'm also looking for training reports and similar
updates to run in the Mesozolc Mail and Jurassic
Jottings sections of the February Dinosaur Files.
So don't be shy -- send in a report and let your
fellow Dinos know what you're doing!

I'm also interested in how you like the format
for the new monthly Dinosaur Files, and the
digital delivery feature. Let me know how it's
working for you!

Otherwise, have a great day -- and if it's a
training day, make it a good one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you're snow-bound and looking for some
good reading, check out our PDF books and
courses - and our Kindle books and courses.
There are a ton to choose from now.

You can find all of our books and courses,
including hard-copy, Kindle and PDF,
right here at Dino Headquarters:

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

P.S. 2. The Nov-Dec issue of the Dinosaur
Files is right here in PDF format:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

We're still working on the Kindle edition. I'll
send the link as soon as it's ready.

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Every hour
of your life has 60 priceless minutes of
opportunity. Make the most of each and
every one of them." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

Make 2017 Your Best Year Ever!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

The New Year is here, and it's time
to start working on it.

Time to make 2017 the best year
ever for strength and health.

Here's how to do it:

1. Start training. If you're already training,
then keep it up.

a. Use barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells,
bodyweight training, sandbags or other
heavy awkward objects, or a combination
of these tools.

2. Make your training progressive.

a. In other words, start light and easy and
gradually increase the difficulty of your
workouts.

b. Don't try to do it overnight. Rome wasn't
built in a day. Building serious levels of
strength and muscle mass takes time.

3. Make haste slowly.

a. Don't try to make 20 or 30 pound jumps
in your lifts. Aim for small but regular
increases. Do it one rep at a time --
or one pound at a time.

b. Over time, small but steady increases
add up to big gains. Imagine what would
happen if you added one pound per week
to every exercise you do -- and you did that
for an entire year!

c. See Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 3, for
the very best in old-school progression
programs:

Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html

Kindle e-book

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html

PDF with electronic delivery

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets_vol3_digital.html

4. Set long term goals and work toward them
with unflagging determination.

a. Make them high and challenging -- but
achievable.

b. Poundage and performance goals are best.
They are easy to measure.

c. For a detailed list of real-world strength
goals for drug-free trainees and how to
adapt them to your age and weight, see
Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2:

Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_02.html

Kindle e-book

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

PDF with electronic delivery

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets_vol2_digital.html

5. Break your long term goals into short term
goals.

a. Give yourself the satisfaction of hitting your
short term goals on a regular basis. It helps
keep you motivated to work toward your long
term goal.

b. See 4b.

6. Make a plan, put it into action, and make
adjustments as you move forward.

a. You won't get it perfect, and you'll need to
make changes and modifications as you move
forward. That's fine. It's part of the Iron Game
and it's something that every champion has had
to do.

7. When in doubt, do less.

a. The vast majority of trainees limit their gains
by over-training.

b. Monitor your progress carefully. Keep a detailed
training journal. If you are making good progress,
then keep on doing what you are doing. If not,
make adjustments -- and that usually means,
DO LESS, NOT MORE!

So there you have it. Seven keys for success
in 2017. Use them wisely -- and best wishes for
great gains in 2017!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. My other books and courses are right here
at Dinosaur Headquarters:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Day by day,
and step by step, move forward to achieve
your goals and dreams." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************

How the Strongest Man in the World Trains!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Dr. Ken Leistner has a great line that
goes something like this:

"The strongest man in the world trains
in a garage in Cleveland and no one
knows who he is."

That's not an exact quote, but it's
pretty close.

Now, you can argue that the strongest
man in the world is this year's top super-
heavyweight champion in weightlifting,
powerlifting or strongman comps -- or
the man who holds the all-time world
records in weightlifting, powerlifting or
strongman comps -- and therefore, "We
all know who he is and he doesn't live in
Cleveland."

But that's missing the point.

I think Dr. Ken is telling us that there are
MANY really strong men (and women) all
around the world, who train very hard with
very heavy weights, and who may or may
not compete -- and we may very well not
have any idea who they are.

We also may have no idea how they train.

Consider this. There may be someone who
really does train in a garage in Cleveland,
and he may be pushing and pulling some
really heavy iron -- and he may be doing
something that's way different than what
the rest of us do -- and it might be his
secret to world class strength and power.

That's one of the reasons why I always
encourage feedback from Dinosaurs
around the world. Dinosaurs tend to be
pretty darn strong -- and many of them
do things in their workouts that are
MUCH different and MUCH more
effective than what most people do.
And those things are well-worth
knowing -- and well worth sharing.

I publish the monthly Dinosaur Files 
newsletter (really, it's a full-size, info
dense magazine) for the same reason.

It gives me the opportunity to share
real world training advice and
workout reports from Dinos
around the world.

So don't be shy. Send me an email and
let me know what you're doing. Tell me
what's been working for you -- and, just
as importantly, what has NOT worked for
you. This kind of information is solid gold
for your fellow Dinosaurs.

And that goes double if you train in a
garage in Cleveland and you're moving
some world class iron. We need to tell
Dr. Ken he was right!

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. Back issues of The Dinosaur Files
never go out of date. So if you missed
an issue the first time around, go ahead
and grab it now. For example, here are
the December 2015 and January 2016
issues from one year ago. The workouts,
training advice and tips from your
fellow Dinos are still worth their
weight in gold:

January 2016

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html

December 2015

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html

Our most recent issue is the Nov - Dec issue
from 2016. You can find it right here:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.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: "Never stop
learning, never stop lifting, never stop
growing." -- Brooks Kubik

***********************************************************************************