The Power of Visualization - How to Gain 35 Pounds of Muscle

For all champions, success begins with a dream - and a vision of what they want to achieve.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes and then we'll talk iron.

1. Dinosaur Training Tee Shirts

I've teamed up with John Wood to sell some
great new Dinosaur Training tee shirts - as
well as hoodies, coffee mugs, onesises (for
baby Dinos), muscle tees and more - at his
Retro Strength Shop.

Go here and take a look:

https://www.retrostrength.com/shop/

We'll be adding lots of other great new shirts
and other swag - so bookmark the site and
take a look every couple of days to see what's
new.

2. The Dinosaur Files

If you don't have the April issue of
The Dinosaur Files monthly newsletter,
you're missing a good one - so go here
to grab it:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-april2018.html

Also - if you missed the Oct, Nov, Dec,
Jan, Feb or March issues. you can grab
them here:

Oct, Nov, Dec and Jan issues

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html

Feb issue

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur-files-february2018pdf.html

March issue

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur-files-march2018pdf.html

The Dinosaur Files comes in a down-
loadable PDF with immediate electronic
delivery. Once you have it, you can save
it on your PC or print it out (or do both).

If you don't have a printer and you need
a hard-copy, shoot me an email - we'll see
what we can do.

Also - if it's easier for you to purchase a
one year, 12-issue subscription, shoot me
an email - we can make that happen, as
well.

3. The Power of Visualization - 
How to Gain 35 Pounds of Muscle

There was a time, long ago, when the New
York Public Library carried more or less all
the magazines ever published.

That included, believe it or not, weight
training magazines.

So if you were a kid in NYC back in the
1940's or 1950's, you could go to the
Library and read Strength and Health
all day long.

There was actually a guy who did that.

He was a typical kid - skinny - with
nothing out of the ordinary in terms
of muscular development

But he read the magazines - over and
over - and decided he wanted to look
just like the bodybuilding champions
he saw in them.

So he started training - and he kept on
reading the magazines - and he kept on
thinking that HE was going to build a
Mr. America physique.

He thought about it all the time.

Before his workouts - during his work-
outs - and after his workouts.

All day long.

He visualized one thing and one thing
only: success!

In his first six months of training he
gained 35 pounds of muscle.

And that was only the beginning.

Because that skinny kid ended up in
New York City ended up winning the
Mr. America title many years later.


And in later life, he told the story of
how he visualized his success - and
how doing so made that success
inevitable.

He said he hypnotized himself into
gaining that first 35 pounds of muscle.

In other words, he recognized (correctly)
that visualization is a form of self-
hypnosis. 


Now, I'm not a bodybuilder, and you
might not be one, either. But the same
point applies to anything you want to
achieve in the Iron Game.

Visualization can help you unlock your
maximum potential.

And many, many champions have used it.

It's how Tony Terlazzo became the first
USA weightlifter to win an Olympic gold
medal.

It's how John Davis won six World weight-
lifting championships - and two Olympic
gold medals.

It's how Doug Hepburn won the World
Weightlifting Championship and became
one of the strongest men of his generation.

It's how Tommy Kono won six World
championships and two Olympic gold
medals.

When you study these men, the story is
always the same: each of them had a
dream - a seemingly impossible dream -
and they visualized reaching their goal
over and over - again and again - until
they were 100 percent convinced that
their dream would become their reality.

And it did.

That's the power of visualization - and
it's one of the most important tools in
your strength training tool kit.

In fact, it's one of the most important
tools out there.

Try it and see for yourself.

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 and Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training both include easy
to follow, step by step guides that teach
you how to harness the power of
visualization to achieve your training
goals.

You can grab them right here:

Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of
Strength and Development

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

Dinosaur Bodyweight Training

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

2.  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. 3. Thought for the Day: 

"You have to dream it to do it."

-- 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

The One Thing at a Time Workout!

Like so many of the old-time champions, George Hackenschmidt knew that the mind and the body are inseparably linked. That's why deep concentration and pinpoint focus are critical to your training.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

1. The January Dino Files

Is right here - and it's pretty darn good -
so be sure to sprint on over and grab this
month's issue:

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

2. Join the Strength Secrets Facebook
Group!

John Wood has set up a great new Facebook
group.

It's called STRENGTH SECRETS - and it's by
invitation or special approval only - and it's
for people like you and me - who like the
kind of things that you and I like.

Go here to apply for membership (and tell
John I sent you):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/strengthsecrets/

This is a pretty good little group - and I
think you'll really enjoy being a member.

3. The One Thing at a Time Workout

One of the keys to success in your training
is to focus on one thing at a time.

By that, I don't mean to do one-exercise
workouts, although those can be very
effective.

I'm talking about your mindset when you
train.

Serious strength training is a very unusual
and unique activity. It requires a special
mindset -- a mindset that is much different
than the mindset most people employ
throughout the day.

Most people go though the day in an endless
series of frantic multi-tasking, plate-spinning
and juggling.

They're doing one thing on one side of the
computer screen, another thing on the other
side, and third thing on their nearby laptop --
and they're answering email while they do it
all -- and they're on their I-phone -- and they're
conducting three different conversations with
three different people -- and they do this all
day long.

They never focus on one thing. They just
juggle and jiggle and jump from one thing
to another.

That's life in the modern world, but it's not
what you do when you train.

Training requires a much different approach.

When you train, you need to focus on one
thing at a time.

You begin by focusing on each rep.

You take your reps one by one.

You don't worry about the next rep -- or the
next set -- or the next exercise.

You turn your focus inward, and dive deep
into the rep.

You live the rep.

You become the rep.

And then you do the next rep.

When you finish your set, you take a rest and
focus on the next set -- and when you do the
next set, you do it rep by rep.

And that's how you do your entire workout:
rep by rep, with total concentration and laser
focus.

In short, when you train, you focus on the
here and now.

It's actually what our brains were wired to do.
Not multi-tasking -- but rather, pinpoint
concentration.

It's good for them -- and it's important to use
them this way -- and that's actually one of the
most important benefits of serious strength
training. It helps wire your brain the way
it's supposed to be wired.

I trained last night, and for 58 minutes I was
deep in the zone. Total concentration. Maximum
focus. Pushing and pulling in the here and now.

And it felt pretty darn good.

Give it a try and see for yourself.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. 1. I teach you how to concentrate and
how to focus on your workouts in Dinosaur
Training and Dinosaur Bodyweight Training:

Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength
and Development 

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

DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING

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

P.S. 2. 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. 3. Thought for the Day: 

"When you ride on the back of a tiger,
focus on the tiger." 

-- 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

Does Strength Training Rewire Your Brain?

Front squats at Dino Headquarters. Strength training is a form of meditation - and like meditation, it rewires your brain.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I would LOVE to see someone do
some research about the effect of
serious strength training on
the human brain.

By "serious strength training," I'm
talking about the kind of training
that requires deep, intense, lost
in the moment, total, complete,
100% focus.

It's precise, perfect and controlled.

It is a unity of mind and body.

It is meditation while exerting
force against heavy resistance.

Researchers have studied the
effect of meditation alone, and
they've found that it can re-wire
the brain and the nervous system.

It literally builds your brain cells.

If 10 or 20 minutes of meditation
can have  THAT much of an effect,
imagine what 60 minutes of super-
concentrated focus with a barbell
in your hands can do for you!

Train with concentration, focus, and mindfulness.

By the way, this is one of the reasons
why I always emphasize the mental
elements of training.

The mental elements of training are
important because they help you build
more strength and more muscle.

But they're also important because
they help you build more brain-power.

Have you ever heard the old expression
"sharp as a tack?"

Maybe it should have been "smart as
a barbell."

Anyhow, it would make a great
research project!

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. For more about the mental elements
of strength training, grab these:

Dinosaur Training has been a world-wide best seller for over 20 years.

Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of
Strength and Development

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

Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training

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

Strength, Muscle and
Power

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Use
your brain to build your brawn,
and vice-versa." -- Brooks Kubik

We have more than 25 Dinosaur training books and courses in the Kindle bookstore - head on over and take a look:

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

Stronger and Stronger (Part 2)

 

Concentration and focus make every workout productive and effective.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Yesterday I mentioned that a famous
weightlifting champion used the
power of auto-suggestion by telling
himself, over and over:

"Every day, in every way, I am
growing stronger and stronger."

I asked you to guess who he was -
and to send the guesses in to
Dino Headquarters.

Some of you guessed Tommy Kono.

Others guessed John Davis.

Good guesses, but both are wrong.
Bu both are also close - because
the mystery man was one their
teammates!

It was Pete George.

His coach, Louis Barnholth, taught
him the daily affirmation.

And it literally changed his life.

He went from a skinny little kid
to a World and Olympic champion.

And it all started with old-fashioned
mind-power.

Burning determination.

The iron will to succeed.

Confidence that with hard work, he
could achieve his dream.

You don't see much of that any
more.

And that's a shame.

Because when body power harnesses
itself to mind-power, the results are
amazing.

That's a huge old-school secret.

Not  as much fun as exotic new
exercises, new workouts, or new
set/rep systems.

But in the final analysis, far more
important.

I've just given you some very big
medicine. Use it wisely and well.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For more about old-school mind-
power, grab these:

Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of
Strength and Development

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

Strength, Muscle and Power

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

2.  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

3. Thought for the Day: "See it, believe
it, achieve it." - Brooks Kubik

We have over 25 Dinosaur Training books and courses in the Kindle bookstore. 

For a complete list and links to all of them, go here: 

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

Stronger and Stronger

 

Keep on training - make it a regular part of your life - and stick with it from now until the end of your days. It's the best thing in the world.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Zail Khalsa, one of our longtime

Dinos, is just about my age (I'm

60), and he's been training for

pretty much his whole life.

He sent an email last week in

response to my comments

about quitters - and about

how important it is to keep

on training as you grow older.

He wrote:

Brooks,

Thank you for your no-nonsense

approach.

To quote Emile Coue:

"Every day, in every way, I'm

getting better and better."

Just depends on how you look at

"better."

Thank you again!

Zail Khalsa

I thought that was worth sharing -

for two reasons.

First, the focus on how to define

"better" is important.

I define "better" as "better than I

was the day before."

That puts the focus on the present -

and on progress.

Which are two very important

things.

Also, someone once used the

famous Emile Coue quote for

strength training.

Instead of "better and better"

he changed it to "stronger and

stronger."

Every single day, he looked in

the mirror and told himself:

"Every day, in every way, I'm

growing stronger and stronger."

And he ended up doing pretty

darn well - as in, World and

Olympic champion.

If you think you know who he

was, shoot me an email!

We'll see if anyone knows the

answer.

In other news, Amazon has

bundled all three of my Dinosaur

Training Secrets books in the

Kindle bookstore.

That means that you can grab

Dinosaur Training Secrets,

Vol. 1, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 with

one purchase:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur-training-secrets.html

That's fast, easy and convenient -

and it leaves more time for

training!

If you prefer hard-copy or PDF

editions, we have them at my

website:

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

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

We have over 25 Dinosaur Training books and courses in the Kindle bookstore. 

For a complete list and links to all of them, go here: 

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

A Shout Out and a Thank You!

John Wood's new book raced up to THREE No. 1 spots in the Kindle bookstore - and that's pretty darn amazing.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I want to give a shout out
to my buddy, John Wood.
Two days ago, John released
a great little book on Kindle:

John Wood's Old-School
Strength Articles, Vol. 1.

This morning, I checked the
Kindle rankings and the new
book was ranked No. 1 in
three different categories!

That's pretty darn impressive,
but the book's pretty darn
good.

It covers tons of stuff: power
rack training, isometrics, mind
power for weightlifting and
training tips on Olympic
weightlifting from an old-
timer named Doug Hepburn
who just happens to be a
(get this) self-taught, self-
coached WORLD
CHAMPION.

Anyhow, three no. 1 rankings
is pretty amazing.

I also wanted to say THANK
YOU to everyone who stepped
up and grabbed a copy.

I know John appreciates it,
and so do I.

If you missed the news earlier,
you can go ahead and grab the
little monster right now:

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/oldschoolarticles001.html

And, of course, please post a
review after you read the book.
The reviews really help.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

John Wood's Old School Strength Articles, Vol. 1

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

About one year ago, my buddy John Wood a terrific little book
on Kindle - and it zoomed right up to the No. 1 spot on a
number of different Kindle Top 10 Lists.

In other words, it was an overnight best seller.

And that means a ton of people grabbed it and read it -- and
liked it -- and that's no surprise, because it's very, very good. 

It's called OLD-SCHOOL STRENGTH ARTICLES,
VOL. I.

It includes FIVE great articles from Peary Rader's
old Iron Man magazine:

1. Part 1 of an article by Tony Ditillo
on power rack training.

2. Part 2 of Tony Ditillo's article on
power rack training. 

3. A special "field report" on isometric
training.

4. A very interesting article on mind
power for lifters.

and (get this):

5. An article by Doug Hepburn about
training for the Olympic lifts.

So that's five killer articles, together in one little book --
with a knock-out cover - and that's  a pretty good
deal.

Go here to grab the little monster - and be sure to post
a review after you read it:

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/oldschoolarticles001.html

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

The Goal Directed Workout

Training outdoors at age 60, after more than 50 years of goal directed workouts.

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.

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 e-books on Kindle,
including my newest book, Brooks Kubik's
Old School Strength Q & A:

Hard-copy and PDF

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

Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/oldschool_01-kindle.html

My newest Kindle book - with tons of great information about old-school, no-nonsense strength training and muscle building.

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

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

How to Train for Speed and Power

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Yesterday I gave you eight tips for building
speed and power -- and promised to give
you another one today.

It's the most important one. And pay
attention, because this could help rocket
you to some big gains.

Here it is:

Practice moving heavy weights in perfect
form as fast as you can -- with ever
increasing speed from start to finish.

For example . . .

In the military press, you clean the bar
to your shoulders, pause, get set -- and
then drive the bar up as hard and as fast
as possible -- in perfect form.

Put all your strength and power behind
the press.

Give it 100% focus and total concentration.

Focus and concentration help link the mind
and the muscles -- and activate the nerve
impulses that tell the muscle fibers to
contract hard and fast.

Maintain that focus from start to finish.

When you hit the sticking point, drive
harder than ever before. Try to blast
right through it.

You may not move super fast at the sticking
point, but by trying to do so, you'll activate
an enormous number of muscle fibers.

You'll also strengthen the mind-muscle
link -- and your nervous system --
enormously.

And that's how you build speed and power.

Now, please note . . .

When you train this way, it is VERY
IMPORTANT to use perfect form.

If you train fast with sloppy form, you
don't do yourself much good and you
create a real risk of injury.

So let me be very clear.

You're NOT training fast and doing a
series of herky-jerky, "anything goes"
reps.

It's not a Texas Death Match between
you and the barbell.

You're not doing drop and bounce reps.

When you do presses, you do them strict.
No backbend -- because backbend takes
the pressure off the muscles, and you are
TRYING to train with as much pressure as
possible -- because that's what triggers
the involvement of more muscle fibers.

If you do bench press, you lower the
bar under control -- and then you blast
it back up. No arching. No cheating.

If you do squats or front squats, you
lower the bar under control -- and then
drive back up. And you fight to stay in
the groove the whole way down and
the whole way up.

If you do snatches, cleans or high pulls,
you start slow, accelerate throughout the
movement, and pop your hips to rocket
the bar upward.

This kind of lifting requires perfect form
and tremendous muscular control. It's as
fast as possible, but it's also as controlled
as possible. Speed and control are NOT, as
some believe, mutually exclusive.

For me, this kind of training is critical for
developing maximum speed and power.

Give it a try, and see how it works for YOU.

This is also a very important part of healthy
aging -- because you are developing the
strongest possible mind-muscle link -- and
that helps keep your brain functioning at
a high level as you grow older. (Which is
something will cover in greater detail in
future emails.)

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For more old-school strength training
and muscle-building secrets, grab the book
that started the Dinosaur Training Revolution:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters - including links
to our hard-copy books and courses, our
PDF courses, and our Kindle e-books:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "It's not just
sets and reps, it's how you perform your
reps that counts." -- Brooks Kubik

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

A Physical Culturist's Greatest Enemy!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Bradley J. Steiner said it very well:

"Distraction is a physical culturist's
greatest enemy."

I read those words more than 40 years
ago, when Steiner was the most popular
author appearing in Peary Rader's old
Iron Man magazine - and they've stuck
with me ever since.

Steiner always emphasized the need to
concentrate when you are training.

He wanted you to train with pin-point,
laser-focus.

He wanted you to block out the rest of
the world - and to go deep inside what
Bill Pearl later called "the Inner Universe."

He wanted you to reach the point where
the gym could catch on fire and you
wouldn't notice until you finished your
set.

For that reason, Steiner viewed anything
that made it difficult to concentrate as a
problem. That's why he believed that
distraction was your greatest enemy.

And unfortunately, most gyms are full of
distractions:

1. A loud, blaring radio.

2. A loud. blaring television.

3. Loud, blaring music.

4. Cell phones.

5. Other gym members - who talk,
chatter, hog the equipment, interrupt
you in the middle of a set, ask questions,
tell you you're doing something wrong,
etc.

It's a long list. I could go on and on with
it.

That's why so many Dinos prefer to train
at home. It's quiet. There are no distractions.
They can concentrate on their training.

But even Dinos who train in commercial
gyms can get a good, productive workout -
IF they can concentrate!

Steiner also wrote about how to develop
your powers of concentration. It isn't some-
thing you either have or don't have. The
ability to concentrate on your training is an
acquired skill. It's something you learn.

I teach a seven-step program to develop
your powers of concentration to the their
maximum. It works pretty darn well.

It's available in a CD titled "Unleash Your
Inner Strength: The Seven Keys to
Concentration."

Now, the art of concentration may sound
like esoteric mumbo-jumbo - but it's a
critical skill for anyone who is trying to
develop his strength, power, skill and
lifting ability. All champions in all sports
have mastered the art of concentration -
as have all highly skilled martial artists.

Just look at video of a lifting champion before
a record-setting lift. The intensity, focus, and
concentration is off the charts.

As Steiner always said, imagine what
would happen if you brought THAT kind
of focus to each and every workout!

The other day, I found a bag of the Seven
Keys to Concventration CD hidden away in
a corner. I want you to listen to it, so I'm
giving them away as special bonuses with
any order of one of our hard-copy books
or courses (or one of our DVDs).

If you want one of the Seven Keys to
Concentration CD's, just place an order for
any hard-copy book or course of your
choice (or a DVD) and in the special
instructions section of the on-line order
form, ask me to include a copy of the
Seven Keys CD. We'll throw it into the
envelope when we fill your order.

This is a special, limited time offer, and
when the CD's are gone, the offer ends.
So if you want one, step up and take
action.

And always remember - when you train,
CONCENTRATE!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. My books, courses, and DVD's are
right here at Dino Headquarters:

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

Remember, the offer of a free CD is only
available if you order a hard-copy book or
course (or a DVD). It's not available with
our PDF or Kindle products.

The Secret of World Class Strength and Power

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

(Note: We have a nice little bonus for you
this week - see P.S. 2 below for details.
But first, read the email and learn one
of the most important secrets of strength
training.)

One of our longtime Dinos sent me some
incredibly rare copies of an old newsletter
from 1950. It includes the following note
from Tommy Kono. I think this was taken
from a letter that Tommy wrote to the
editor of the newsletter - or perhaps it
was from a conversation they had.

The interesting thing is that this was
written BEFORE Tommy has won a U.S.
Senior National title, a World weightlifting
championship or an Olympic Gold Medal -
so this is when he was standing on the
door to greatness.

And more than anything else, this gives
you an insight into what made him one
of the greatest weightlifters of all time:

I've learned that it isn't so much the
muscle size that makes a lifter a heavy-
weight, but how he thinks.

I could outpress [Mr. America and Mr.
Universe winner, Steve Reeves] even
when my arms measured more than
three full inches less than his.

Why can't I outpress [Russian champion
Grigori] Novak and all the rest?

Simply because I have not "talked" my
subconcsious mind into it.

For instance, if the World's record in
the Press for a light-weight was 500
lbs., I'm sure I would be pressing, and
for that matter practically everyone,
about 300 lbs. and not think much
about it.

It is only as one approaches the world's
record or some fabulously sounding
figures that they assume it is hard.
Naturally it is hard, but when you
think it is impossible to surpass the
record then you immediately set up
a barrier in your mind causing you to
hit a standstill.

This is one of my theories, and so far
it has worked fine.

Wow - powerful stuff, indeed!

And that's how the mind of a champion
works. And how you can program your
mind for championship performance.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. I cover many more secrets of old-
school training and championship
mindpower in Dinosaur Training. If
you don't have a copy, grab it today:

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

P.S. 2. Since mindpower is on my mind
(no pun intended), I'm going to give you
a chance to grab a great little bonus.

Order a hard-copy edition of any book or
course from me this week, and in the
special instructions section of the on-line
order form, ask me to send you a free
mindpower CD.

The CD is titled"Unleash Your Inner
Strength: The Seven Keys to Concentration."

This offer is good this week only, and only
while supplies of the CD last - so step
up and take action.

You can find the hard-copy editions of
my books and courses right here:

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

Remember, you have to order a hard-
copy book or course (or a DVD) to get
the bonus. It's not available with our
Kindle and PDF products.

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Strength
begins in your imagination and in your
mind." - Brooks Kubik

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

Weight Training and Brain Health

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Back in the day, people who lifted weights
were called "muscle-heads."

It wasn't because people thought they were
smart. It was because weightlifters and body-
builders were viewed as "all brawn and no
brain."

This view was so common that one reporter
actually had the audacity to ask World weight-
lifting champion Doug Hepburn the following
question during an interview:

"How does it feel to be all brawn and no
brains?"

To which Hepburn famously replied, "I don't
know -- what's it like to be neither?"

But a couple of months ago, there was a report
of a study that measured the effect of weight
training on the brain.

Our brains contain something called "white
matter," which connects the different parts
of the brain and allows them to communicate
with one another.

As we grow older, we often begin to develop
gaps or holes in the white matter -- which in
turn affects our ability to process information.

Thus, we may have trouble remembering things,
concentrating, or even thinking.

The holes in the white matter also affect our
balance, coordination and mobility.

Now, frankly, that sounds pretty terrible --
but hold on, because the new study gives us
plenty of hope.

The recent study compared three groups of
women between the ages of 65 and 75.

One group did light weight training once a
week.

Another group did light weight training twice
a week.

The third group did stretching and special
balance training twice a week.

The researchers performed brain scans on the
women before they began their programs --
and repeated the scans one year later.

The results were shocking -- at least, they were
shocking to the researchers.

The women who trained with weights once a
week, and the women who did balance training,
had significant deterioration of the white matter
in their brains after the year of training had
passed.

The women who did weight training twice a week
had much less deterioration of their white matter.
They also walked and moved much better than
the other women.

The researchers concluded that training with
weights twice a week or more has some sort of
beneficial effect on the brain. In essence, it builds
the brain just as much as it builds the body.

The researchers don't know the exact mechanism
by which weight training strengthens the brain.
It may be that the same chemical and hormonal
changes that cause muscle growth also cause
the growth of the white matter in the brain.

Or it may be related to improved blood flow to
the brain as a result of the training.

But whatever the exact growth mechanism, the
bottom line is this:

Weight training makes your brain stronger,
younger and healthier.

All brawn and no brain?

I don't think so.

In fact, we may be moving toward a time when
regular weight training is reciognized as one of
the very best things we can do to keep our brains
healthy and strong.

And yes, that's a very important reason to start
training when you're young -- and to keep on
training for your entire life!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For maximum benefit, focus on the mind-muscle
link when you train. I cover this in detail in Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training:

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

The exercises in Dinosaur Dumbbell Training are also
great for brain and body health -- particularly the
compound movements:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.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: "Build your body,
build your brain." -- Brooks Kubik

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

My Secret Weapon

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One of my most important training tools
is an old wooden chair that I keep out in
the garage.

It's my secret weapon for great workouts.

When I train, I position it by the back door,
away from lifting platform and close to
Trudi's hyperextension bench.

Yes, Trudi has her own hyperextension
bench. She's had it since we first met.
I knew she was a keeper when I learned
she had a hyperextension bench out in
the garage.

I have a special good luck towel. It used
to be green but now it's a faded sort of
grey-green color. It's torn, ripped, and
fraying. I use it to wipe the sweat out of
my eyes and off my hands in-between
sets. I drape it over the chair while I do
my sets.

In-between sets -- and this is the important
part -- I sit down, face the platform, and
close my eyes.

I go over the previous set -- rep by rep if
I was doing reps -- and I focus on what I
did, and how to do it better in the next
set.

And then I visualize the next set.

I go over it from start to finish.

I begin by seeing myself walking toward the
platform. It's always the same pace, the same
stride, the same number of steps.

I always stop in exactly the same place.

Approaching the bar is an art. You don't just
amble up to the bar. You make walking to the
bar the BEGINNING of your set.

Note: If you need to change the weight on the
bar, do it BEFORE you do your visualization, so
you can walk right up and lift instead of having
to change the weight and then get back into
proper mental focus.

What else do I see when I visualize the set?

I see myself standing over the bar -- setting
myself -- locking my back -- crouching down
over the bar -- and lifting it.

In my mind's eye, I lift the bar in perfect form.

Then I open my eyes -- chalk my hands -- walk
to the bar -- and lift it.

And more often than not, I lift it perfectly --
EXACTLY the way I visualized it.

That old wooden chair is my THINKING PLACE.

It's where I sit and think.

And it's where everything starts to come
together.

That's because THINKING is one of the most
important things you can do when you train.
Make no mistake about it. Strength training is
just as much a mental endeavor as a physical
one. The more mindpower you bring to your
training, the better.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. I cover the mental aspects of strength training
in these books:

Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and
Development

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

Strength, Muscle and Power

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

Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html

P.S. 2. I also cover the mental aspects of strength
training in my CD, Unleashing Your Inner Strength:
The Seven Keys to Concentration. If you're interested,
shoot me an email.

P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- and links
to all of my e-books on Kindle -- are right here:

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Mindpower
builds body power." -- Brooks Kubik

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

The Best Exercises for Healthy Aging

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Three quick notes, and then we'll talk training.

1. Physical Culture Radio

I'll be on Physical Culture Radio at 12:00 noon
EST tomorrow. You can listen live or download
the broadcast and listen later on. Physical
Culture Radio is part of the SuperHuman
Radio network. You can find us right here:

http://superhumanradio.com/

2. Dinosaur Training E-Books

We have 13 e-books on Kindle. You can find
them by using the links on our products
page. Take a look, follow the links and do
some browsing:

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

3. We're on Twitter!

Follow us on Twitter and friend us on
Facebook -- it's a great way to stay current.

4. The Best Exercises for Healthy Aging

Yesterday I noted that "athletic exercises"
such as power cleans and power snatches
help keep your brain and nervous system
healthy and strong.

They do this by stimulating the neuro-
muscular system.

In response, I got a ton of emails from
readers who wanted to know more -- and
some who wanted to know where to go
for more information  on this exciting
topic -- and some who flat out thought
I was making it up.

So let's turn to Pat O'Shea's wonderful
book, Quantum Strength Fitness II.
Consider these nuggets from the
chapter on exercise and healthy
aging:

1. "Superior training results are obtained
through the application of dynamic athletic-
type lifts [such as] power snatches, power
cleans, high pulls and squats."

2. These movements "come closest to
duplicating the motor tasks of daily living."

3. "They are free flowing natural body
movements that develop functional strength,
flexibility and mobility."

4. Here comes the good part -- pay close
attention:

"They challenge and train the neuromuscular
and sensory systems which improves the
functioning of the posture and antigravity
muscles. Athletic-type lifting refines propio-
ceptive kinesthetic feedback, resulting in
increased neuromuscular coordination
among agonist and antagonist muscles
and their synchronization."

5. "This provides for the improvement and
maintenance of motor skills critical to
independent living."

6. "Athletic-type lifting is mentally and
physically stimulating. When executing a
power snatch or power clean, you are
forced to think in terms of strength and
technique. This stimulates brain power,
which helps slow the loss of neuro-
muscular coordination associated with
the aging process."

7. "Brain power is like muscle power, it is
a case of use it or lose it."

Another term for "athletic-style exercises"
would be "ground based training" or "stand
on your feet training." It's the kind of
training I cover in all of my books and
courses.

The wonderful thing about this type of
training is that it provides such tremendous
benefits for trainees of any age.

When you're younger, it helps you build
maximum possible strength, power and
muscle mass.

When you're older, it helps you maintain
that strength, muscle and power.

And at any age, it helps build and maintain
bone, tendon and ligament strength -- as
well as brain power and neuromuscular
function.

All of which are very good reasons to start
training, and to stick with it. At any age and
at every age, exercises enriches your life
and expands your abilities and your
opportunities.

It's a wonderful gift. USE 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. Gray Hair and Black Iron covers strength
training for mature trainees -- and my Going
Strong at 54 DVD shows you exactly how I
do it here at Dino Headquarters:

Gray Hair and Black Iron (book)

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

Going Strong at 54 (DVD)

http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.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: "Brain power starts
with body power." -- 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 amateur 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:

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 Train for Speed and Power!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

I'll be co-hosting Physical Culture Radio
at 12:00 EST today. Catch the show live
or listen to the download at your
convenience.

Physical Culture Radio is part of the
SuperHuman Radio network. You can
find Physical Culture Radio right here:

http://superhumanradio.com/

Today's show will cover "Lessons from
Paradise" -- and I think you'll find it to
be very interesting and thought-provoking.
So check it out, and tell me what you
think.

On the training front, we've been talking
about training for speed and power for
the past couple of days.

Yesterday I gave you eight tips for building
speed and power -- and promised to give
you another one today.

It's the most important one. And pay
attention, because this could help rocket
you to some big gains.

Here it is:

Practice moving heavy weights in perfect
form as fast as you can -- with ever
increasing speed from start to finish.

For example . . .

In the military press, you clean the bar
to your shoulders, pause, get set -- and
then drive the bar up as hard and as fast
as possible -- in perfect form.

Put all your strength and power behind
the press.

Give it 100% focus and total concentration.
Focus and concentration help link the mind
and the muscles -- and activate the nerve
impulses that tell the muscle fibers to
contract hard and fast.

Maintain that focus from start to finish.

When you hit the sticking point, drive
harder than ever before. Try to blast
right through it.

You may not move super fast at the sticking
point, but by trying to do so, you'll activate
an enormous number of muscle fibers.

You'll also strengthen the mind-muscle
link -- and your nervous system --
enormously.

And that's how you build speed and power.

Now, please note . . .

When you train this way, it is VERY
IMPORTANT to use perfect form.

If you train fast with sloppy form, you
don't do yourself much good and you
create a real risk of injury.

So let me be very clear.

You're NOT training fast and doing a
series of herky-jerky, "anything goes"
reps.

It's not a Texas Death Match between
you and the barbell.

You're not doing drop and bounce reps.

When you do presses, you do them strict.
No back-bend -- because back-bend takes
the pressure off the muscles, and you are
TRYING to train with as much pressure as
possible -- because that's what triggers
the involvement of more muscle fibers.

If you do bench press, you lower the
bar under control -- and then you blast
it back up. No arching. No cheating.

If you do squats or front squats, you
lower the bar under control -- and then
drive back up. And you fight to stay in
the groove the whole way down and
the whole way up.

If you do snatches, cleans or high pulls,
you start slow, accelerate throughout the
movement, and pop your hips to rocket
the bar upward.

This kind of lifting requires perfect form
and tremendous muscular control. It's as
fast as possible, but it's also as controlled
as possible. Speed and control are NOT, as
some believe, mutually exclusive.

For me, this kind of training is critical for
developing maximum speed and power.

Give it a try, and see how it works 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. For more old-school strength training
and muscle-building secrets, grab this little
monster:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters:

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

P.S. 3. You also can find us at Amazon's
Kindle bookstore:

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

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

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

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

c. The Training Secrets of John Grimek

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

d. The Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "It's not just sets and
reps, it's how you perform your reps that counts."
-- Brooks Kubik

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