How to Add Three Inches of Muscle to Your Quads - Fast!

John Grimek would have liked the training program described in today's Blog post - in fact, he used something very similar as a young man!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Everyone wants to build their arms
when they start training.

You know - the old "baseball biceps"
and "horseshoe triceps" thing.

The "big guns."

The "pythons."

Now, there's nothing wrong with
wanting to build bigger and
stronger arms (heck, I've written
several courses about how to do it).

But leg specialization is better and
more important.

Add an inch or two - or even three -
to your upper thighs, and you'll
literally transform your body.

You'll be bigger, thicker, stronger and
more muscular - better conditioned -
and those T levels that everyone
worries about nowadays will go
right through the roof!

That's why I like to include leg
specialization programs in The
Dinosaur Files strength training
newsletter.

And the Sept-Oct issue has a very
good one.

It's a very unusual program built
around the 20-rep breathing squat.

Now, that may sound like something
you already know about - but it isn't.

This one is different.

It starts different than the standard
program - and it includes a unique
and very effective progression
system.

And it works.

How well?

Get this.

The Dino who used it added THREE
INCHES of muscle to each thigh.

He also doubled his strength in the
20-rep squat - and increased his
endurance enormously.

And that's something worth reading
about.

The Sept-Oct issue of The Dinosaur
Files is right here - in a downloadable
PDF format with immediate electronic
delivery:

www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-sep-oct2018.html

Check it out - and give the program
a try.

I want to see more Quadzillas walking
around!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

A Better Way to Do 20-Rep Breathing Squats

There's a better way to do 20-rep breathing squats - and it's probably perfect for most of you. It also (get this) is similar to a program John Grimek used when he was getting started in the Iron Game - and that alone makes it very much worth trying.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

20-rep breathing squats have been
around for a long time - and trainees
around the world have used them
with excellent results.

And by "a very long time" I mean
close 100 years here in the USA.

But sadly, the standard advice on how
to start 20-rep squats and how to
progress them isn't very good.

You know what I mean.

The old "Take your 10-rep max and
force out 20-reps with it."

Which sounds heroic, but doesn't
work very well in practice.

It's MUCH BETTER to start light, and
work up slowly and gradually.

But as I said, the standard advice
sounds much more heroic - so that's
what we always see when people write
about the breathing squat.

Which is why it was quite a surprise
to see a new and different - and very
sensible - progression system for
20-rep squats.

Yes, that's what came across my screen
one day - in a workout report from one
of our many overseas Dinos.

I asked him for details, and it turned
into a nice little article - so I ran it in
the Sept-Oct issue of The Dinosaur
Files.

You can grab a copy right here - and
read the article beginning on p. 11:

www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-sep-oct2018.html

This is a great progression system for
several reasons:

1. It's safe.

2. It's challenging - but not some sort
of over the top, insanity type program.

a. It won't hit you with crippling muscular
soreness that leaves you shuffling around
like a guy doing a perp walk in leg irons.

3. It's perfect for home gym training.

4. It builds a perfect combination of
strength, muscle mass and cardio
conditioning.

5. It's excellent for older trainees - just
start light and easy and work up slowly
and sensibly.

And yes, you can use it for 20-rep dead-
lifts as well as for 20-rep squats. (It would
be especially good for Trap Bar deadlifts.)

And I should also mention - a guy named
John Grimek did something very similar
when he was getting started in his training -
and he did pretty darn darn good!

All in all, it's a really good program - so
be sure to grab the Sept-Oct issue of The
Dinosaur Files and read all about it - and
after you try it for awhile, shoot me an
email and report on your results!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. In other news, we just released
my new training course on Heavy
Partials in the Kindle bookstore. The
course has been available in PDF for
awhile, and many of you asked for it
in Kindle - so now it's available both
ways:

Heavy Partials Course - Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/heavypartials-kindle.html

Heavy partials Course - PDF

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurstrengthandpower-02.html

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day

"Tried and true is always good -
but sometimes there are ways to
make it even better."

- Brooks Kubik

Brooks Kubik's Kindle Books

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

We have over 25 books and courses in the Kindle store - including these:

 
For even more Kindle books by Brooks Kubik, visit:

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

Three Questions About Everyone's Favorite Exercise

Philadelphia's Louis Abele was a huge fan of the exercise we're going to talk about in today's Blog Post - and it helped make him one of the strongest men in the world!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes and then we'll talk iron - as
in, cover some questions I've been getting
about everyone's favorite exercise. (Can you
guess what it is?)

1. The September Dinosaur Files

I'm working on the little monster, and it's
going to be another great issue.

If you missed the last couple of issues, you
missed some good ones - but you can grab
them right here:

July-August Dinosaur Files

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-julyaugust2018.html

May-June Dinosaur Files

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-mayjune2018.html

I do need more feedback on these two issues -
as well as workout reports and training updates
from the Dinos - so don't be shy - send me a
short email and let me know how you liked
the last two issues - and how your workouts
are going!

2. Winter Is Coming!

And that's a great reason to grab a Bosco
hoodie from John Wood:

Bosco Hoodie (Grey)

 https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/boscohoodie-grey.html

BTW, I'm not sure, but I bet these will add at
least 20 pounds to your squats and deadlifts.

After all, Bosco has been helping trainees
build serious strength and muscle for a very
long time!

3. Some Squat Questions

It must be The Year of the Squat because ever
since January 1, I've been getting a ton of squat
questions.

So I thought I should cover some of them in
today's email. Here are three of them.

Q. Which is better - doing bottom position back
squats or bottom position front squats in the
power rack?

A. I like bottom position back squats in the
power rack - meaning that you set the bottom
pins low enough that when you set the bar on
them and get under it, you are at the same
position you would be at the bottom of a
parallel squat (top of thighs parallel to the
floor). From there, you drive hard and stand
up with the weight.

I don't like bottom position squats. They're
much more awkward - especially if you don't
have the super mobility of an Olympic weight-
lifter - and few of us do, especially if we're
older Dinos or have any dings and dents that
affect our flexibility.

If you like front squats, try pause squats where
you start in the normal top position, squat down,
and pause for a count of two in the bottom
position before driving back up.

Q. Do I need a cambered bar for squats?

A. No, not at all. They're a good training tool,
but they're not necessary.

Q. What do you think of the Dave Draper Top
Squat device?

A I like it a lot. As a 61-year old Dino with tight
shoulders, It's a necessary tool for me. I can't
do back squats without it.

That's three questions - but I remembered
another one I've been getting - so here's a
little bonus question . . . .

Q. Do any of your books or courses have good
leg training routines - or good programs for
gaining muscular bodyweight?

A. There are 20 programs for building strength
and muscle mass in Chalk and Sweat. 10 of them
are leg specialization programs, and 10 of them
are back specialization programs:

CHALK and SWEAT

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

Alternate between your favorite leg specialization
programs and your favorite back specialization
programs, and you will utterly transform your
body!

Make no mistake about it - leg and back training
is the Royal Road to Herculean strength and
development.

It's also what separates serious trainees from
the ones who aren't serious at all - as in, the
guys who do nothing but arm and chest work!

There are more questions, of course, and I'll try
to get to them in another email - but those are
enough for now.

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 an older Dino, grab a copy of Gray
Hair and Black Iron - it's a must read for anyone
over the age of 35:

Gray Hair and Black Iron

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

P.S. 2. My new course on heavy partials is
selling like hotcakes - and readers are loving
it. Go here to grab a copy:

 Dinosaur Strength and Power - Course No. 2 - Heavy Partials

 

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurstrengthandpower-02.html

P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters:

Hard-copy and PDF

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

Kindle

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day:

"First, last and foremost - SQUAT!"

-- Brooks Kubik

Before you leave, be sure to check out our Kindle books - we have over 25 now - with more on the way!

Brooks Kubik's Kindle Books

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

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

More Cardio Training Ideas for Dinosaurs!

Old-school, split-style snatches performed for sets of 3 to 5 reps will get you puffing and panting pretty quickly. For even more cardio benefit, use a lighter weight and do sets of 10 to 15 reps.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Over the years, we've received tons of
great ideas from Dinos around the world
about "cardio for iron-heads" - which is
my term for cardio training for those of
us who focus on heavy weight training
but want to do something that gives a
good cardio workout without adversely
affecting our strength training.

Here are some of my favorites over the
years.

I should also note that TONS of you like
to go for a walk with a weighted vest. I
get more feedback and "thumbs up" for
that than anything else. I guess I should
start selling special Dino-style weighted
vests (in approved Dino black).

1. Try 20 Rep Squats and Deadlifts!
I added a set of 20 rep squats and dead-
lifts for my cardio, and I feel super ener-
gized - and my joints feel great.

Jeff Hackett

2. Loaded Carries Do the Trick!

My solution to the cardio issue as an
older Dino has been loaded carries.
Outdoors I will do 1 - 5 lifts, followed
immediately by a 1 minute loaded
carry that tracks the lift I am doing:
sandbag shouldering and carry, sand-
bag zercher squat and zercher carry,
barbell muscle clean or snatch and
overhead carry, or deadlift and
farmers walk.

I take a one-minute timed rest
between sets, and repeat  each
lift and carry 4 - 10 times. I cover
60 to 80 meters on each carry.

I am breathing like a locomotive
at the end.

In six months, I've dropped 5 per-
cent fat while maintaining my
weight of 200 pounds at 6 feet.

Add in a low volume of daily grip,
gut and neck work and I'm good
to go.

Zail Khalsa

3. Hill Walks

Could not agree with you more. I
take two 30-minute walks a day in
my hilly neighborhood. I go faster
up the hills and slow down on the
flats and the decline. My husky
loves it, too.

Peter Yates

4. Try Cycling!

I would add cycling, too. It must be
one of the most under-rated cardio
exercises, not to talk of the potential
of building strong legs. And it's
easy on the lower back.

You also can get a lot of errands
done on a bicycle!

Paul Soumendra

5. The Rowing Machine!

Add rowing on the rowing machine!

Jan Moerman

So there you have it. Five more
ideas for Dino-style cardio training.

For more, see Gray Hair and Black
Iron and Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training:

Gray Hair and Black Iron

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

Dinosaur Bodyweight Training

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

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

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

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: 

"It's amazing what you can do with
a little bit of regular training and
steady, consistent effort." 

-- Brooks Kubik

BEFORE YOU LEAVE . . .

We have more than 25 Dinosaur Training books and courses in the Kindle bookstore - here are several of them - head on over and take a look at the others:

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

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