Dinosaur Training: york barbell company

Showing posts with label york barbell company. Show all posts

Breaking News - Here's A Great Chance to Grab Some Old School Iron!

John Grimek admiring some very old and famous iron in the Weightlifting Museum in York, Pa.The equipment in the photo isn't available - but there are some other terrific pieces of old iron that could be yours - but only if you act fast! Read the post (below) for details.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One of our longtime Dinos passed away this
year - which hits me hard, because he bought
Dinosaur Training way back in 1996, and has
been one of the Dinosaur Elite ever since.

He had a terrific home gym with tons (literally)
of old iron.

Plenty of old York plates.

Billiard plates.

Weider plates.

Other assorted plates.

Note: I'm talking old iron plates sized to fit a
1 1/16 inch bar - NOT rubber bumper plates.

They range in size from 1 1/4 pounders to
100 pounders.

Barbells.

Dumbbells.

A pair of York iron boots.

Grippers.

Homemade bars and other homemade training
tools.

An old York curling stand.

Ankle weights.

Wrist rollers.

Old pipe, chain, and other items to use to make
your own personalized equipment if you're handy
with tools or have a friendly neighborhood welder
or machinist to help you.

And much more.

In other words, all kinds of great stuff.

Now, here's where it gets interesting - especially
for those of you anywhere close to Prince George's
County, Maryland.

You see, our Dino had a nephew named Greg.

He gave him a copy of Dinosaur Training many
years ago, and Greg's been training Dino-style
for a long time himself.

After his Uncle passed away, Greg grabbed all the
old equipment he could use - but he can't use all
of it - and he wants it to go to people who will use
and appreciate it.

So he asked me if I would spread the word to the
Dino Nation.

He's selling all of it - literally tons of wonderful
old iron - and all of the proceeds will go into the
estate.

All reasonable offers from people who will actually
use the equipment will be considered - but, of course,
it's on a first come, first served basis - and all offers
have to be reasonable offers.

Here's a Google Spreadsheet with the inventory:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HLS8OUfpUyl03R4iFiyMY75zEaZQOeBWWC5nclgToa4

Here are some pictures:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WMSjRYWJ6Cgk6SFe7

And here's how to reach Greg by email if you want to
buy some of the equipment:

weightsfordinos@gmail.com

If you want something, you need to contact Greg
by email asap - and arrange a time to meet him
and pick up the equipment - which is currently in
Prince George's Co., Maryland.

You'll need to be able to carry it out of the
basement, up the stairs, and into your vehicle.

Again, just to be clear:

1. This equipment is for sale - on a first come first
served basis - and Greg will consider all reasonable
offers for any available equipment.

2. Contact Greg to make an offer for anything
you see that interests you.

3. Don't contact me - I'm just putting out the
word.

I want to thank Greg for doing this - and for
giving some of you the opportunity to grab
some great old iron - and I know that Greg's
Uncle is looking down right now from that Big
Gym in the Sky - and that he, Grimek, Stanko,
Bob Hoffman and the rest of the York Gang
are pretty darn happy to see the old iron going
to good homes.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

As always, thanks for reading - and have a great day!

The Old Gym and the New Gym

John Grimek hitting a heavy press at an exhibition in the early 1940's.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

There was a time, back in the 1930's,
40's and 50's, when the old York Bar-
bell Club gym was probably the most
famous gym in the entire world.

It was on the second floor of the old
Strength and Health building at 51
N. Broad Street in York.

It was the home of the York Barbell
Club, the perennial winner of the team
title at the Senior National Weightlifting
Championships each year.

Every Mr. America winner, every USA
World and Olympic champion, and
every USA World record holder had
trained there at one time or another.

The bars, benches, squat stands and
platforms carried the DNA of the
greatest strength athletes in the
history of the United States.

John Grimek had trained there since
the 1930's. He loved the place.

But one day, he overheard a couple
of top-name, visiting bodybuilders
talking about the gym after they
finished their workout.

They said it was a dump.

Old-fashioned.

Out-dated.

Dark.

Dirty.

Gritty.

Nasty.

"It's a s--t house," said one of them.

"Who would want to train here all
the time?" asked the other man.

"Not me!" the first replied, and the
two men laughed.

That got Grimek thinking - and he
decided to raise the issue with Bob
Hoffman.

So he did.

Told him that visitors were complaining
about the old gym. Saying it was old-
fashioned. Even laughing about it.

"It's bad for business, Bob," Grimek
concluded.

Hoffman didn't agree - not at first. But
Grimek was persistent, and over time,
he wore Hoffman down.

They built a new gym in a modern
building, and and stocked it with all
new equipment.

It was bright and shiny and well-lit. A
thoroughly modern, up to the minute
sort of place.

Grimek went over and took his first
workout in the new gym.

He didn't like it.

He tried again.

Still didn't like it.

The new gym lacked something.

It lacked memories - and it lacked
character.

So Grimek did the only rational thing.

He snuck back to the office building
when no one else was there, and
trained by himself in the old gym.

Of course, Hoffman found out - and
made Grimek stop.

So Grimek ended up training in the
new gym that he had pestered
Hoffman to build - and probably
kicked himself for ever raising the
idea of a new gym.

If you're a Dinosaur, you probably
know exactly how he felt - and you
understand that a place with good
memories and plenty of character
is the best possible place to train.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. You can learn lots more about
John Grimek and how he trained in
my John Grimek training course. It's
available in your choice of hard-copy
or Kindle editions:

Hard-copy

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

Kindle

http://www.brookskubik.com/grimektraining_kindle.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. 2. Thought for the Day

"Treasure your equipment, your
training quarters, and the memories
they bring you."

-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

Steve Stanko and the 1,000 Pound Total

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Just wanted to be sure you
heard the big news.

We just released Legacy of
Iron 3 - The 1,000 Pound
Total in the Kindle bookstore.

This volume continues the
story of Jim Miller, Jack Ryan,
and their adventures with John
Grimek, Steve Stanko, Bob
Hoffman, Harry Paschall and
the rest of the York champions.

And it focuses on one of the
most incredible true stories
in the history of the Iron
Game - Steve Stanko's epic
quest to break the 1,000
pound total in weightlifting.

Go here to grab the little
monster:

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron03_kindle.html

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

New on Kindle - Legacy of Iron 3 - The 1,000 Pound Total

Steve Stanko - The Big Champ!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Back in the 1930's and early 1940's, Bob
Hoffman wrote about the York Champions
in every issue of Strength and Health
magazine.

He talked about Tony Terlazzo, the World
Champion and Olympic Champion at 132
and 148 pounds.

There was Johnny Terpak, World Champion
at 165 pounds.

John Davis, World Champion at 181 pounds.
John Grimek, also at 181 pounds - a Senior
National Champion and North American
Champion - and two-time Mr. America
winner.

And in the Heavyweight class, weighing
220 pounds, there was Steve Stanko.

Hoffman called him "The Big Champ."

It was a good name.

In his prime, Stanko was hailed as The
Strongest Man in the World.

One of his goals was to be the first man
in history to total 1,000 pounds or more
in the three Olympic lifts: the military
press, the snatch, and the clean and
jerk.

It was a feat fully akin to running a
mile in less than four minutes.

It was something no man had ever
done - and something that many
believed could never be done. They
didn't believe the human body was
capable of doing it.

I cover Steve Stanko and the other
Champions of the era in my Legacy
of Iron books.

They're available in hard-copy at Dino
Headquarters - and the first three in
the series are available in Kindle
editions, as well.

Yes, I did say the first THREE in the
series - because we just released The
1,000 Pound Total in the Kindle book-
store.

You can find the Kindle editions right
here:

Legacy of Iron 1

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron01_kindle.html

Legacy of Iron 2 - Clouds of War

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron02_kindle.html

Legacy of Iron 3 - The 1,000 Pound
Total

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron03_kindle.html

Of course, if you prefer hard-copy,
those are available as well - right
here at our products page - just
look for the special section for the
Legacy of Iron books:

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

In Case You Missed It!

Bob Hoffman and the York Barbell Company sold thousands of barbell and dumbbell sets - and those simple pieces of iron changed the lives of those who used them.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We just released book 2
in the Legacy of Iron series
on Kindle.

The title is Legacy of Iron
2 - Clouds of War.

It picks up where Legacy
of Iron ended, and continues
the action.

Of course, you'll want to read
them in the proper order,
starting with Legacy of Iron
(the first book in the series):

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron01_kindle.html

After that, read Legacy of Iron
2 - Clouds of War:

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacyofiron02_kindle.html

And be looking for the rest of the
books in the series - we'll get
them up as fast as we can.

ALSO - I know you're waiting
for the next issue of The Dinosaur
Files. It should be up on Kindle
very soon. And it's a good issue.
It has some great workouts in
it.

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 Legacy of Iron Super Special!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Yesterday I sent an email about a big
special we are having for my Legacy
of Iron books.

It's in honor of my dad's passing one
year ago - because the Legacy of Iron
books were his favorites. Of all my
books and courses, he liked those
the best.

So here's how the big Legacy of Iron
special will work.

You can have any book in the series for
10 bucks plus shipping and handling -
or all five in the series for 50 clams
plus shipping and handling.

To place an order for this special offer,
shoot me an email - and let me know
what you want, where you live and
whether you use PayPal. We can do
the order by card (or check if you
live in the USA), but PayPal is the
fast and easy way to do special
orders.

This special offer applies to Legacy
of Iron books only - not to any
other books or courses.

If you don't know what the books are
about, go here for info on Legacy of
Iron:

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

For info on the other books in the
series, go here and follow the links
for each of the Legacy of Iron books:

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

Dad always thought that everyone should
read these books - and I agree - so we're
going to make it very easy for you.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. A big THANK YOU to everyone who
has already placed an order. Dad is up
there smiling right now.

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

How Thomas Jefferson Really Did It!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

The man sat at a wooden desk, surrounded by a
sea of crumpled papers.

He sighed, shook his head, gritted his teeth, and
slipped the tip of a feather pen into a small bottle
of black ink.

He put pen to paper and began to write slowly
and laboriously.

After filling half the page with ink, he sat back,
laid down the pen, and sighed again.

The door opened, and an older man with a
white wig stepped into the room.

The writer looked up.

"Franklin!" he said. "What keeps you up at this
unmerciful hour?"

The older man smiled wearily.

"I wanted to see how you were doing, Tom," he
said.

The younger man shook his head.

"Not well, I'm afraid. I have the thought of the
thing, but I can't get the words on paper. They're
all twisted -- bumping backwards and forwards.
They don't sing. They grind like millstones."

"You should get some sleep. You've been at it
non-stop for days."

The younger man shook his head.

"I can't sleep. I need to finish this. We don't have
much time left."

The older man nodded in silent agreement.

"I'll get some coffee," he said.

He turned and left the room.

Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind blew out the
candles. The room went completely dark.

The man at the writing desk paused, stood
up and relit the candles one by one.

He stopped and stared at a large wooden
box lying next to his desk.

It hadn't been there before. Where it came
from he had no idea.

A shipping label bore the date "July 4, 1940."

164 years in the future!

He knelt down, and pried off the lid of the
box.

Inside the box was a long iron bar and a
series of iron disks of different sizes. They
all had holes placed neatly in the center.

There were several small booklets with the
name "York Barbell Company" printed on the
cover. "

And there was a note on a single sheet of
paper. He read it quickly -- and then read it
again, much more slowly, his eyes wide in
amazement.

"Dear Tom,

You need to get the blood flowing. Try the
Simplified Course. That always works for
me.

Bob Hoffman"

Tom picked up the booklet titled "Simplified
Course of Barbell Training" and began to
read, nodding his head as he grasped the
meaning.

Thirty minutes later, after a fast workout,
he sat down at his desk, picked up his pen,
and began to write:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

And that, my friends, is the REAL story.

Happy 4th of July!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. The post office is closed today, but if
you want to do any shopping, we're open
all day -- and we'll ship your order on
Monday. For immediate reading, grab
one of our Kindle e-books:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Live free and
lift heavy." -- Brooks Kubik

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

Your First Barbell

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I hope you had a very merry Christmas, and I
hope the old Year finishes on high note for
you -- and that the New Year brings you plenty
of strength, health and happiness.

For some, Christmas brought a barbell set or
another piece of equipment -- or a book or
course or DVD on strength training, diet or
nutrition. Those are always the best gifts.

And that brings me to an email from Lance
McAllister, a 68 year old Dino who has a
Christmas memory to share:

"Merry Christmas, Brooks. And thanks for all
the great advice.

I have an idea you might want to use if you
hit a "sticking point" in your columns: it
might be interesting for your readers to talk
about their first barbell set and the circumstances
whereby they wanted and got it.

I started lifting at age 15 in 1961, thanks to a
friend whose parents gave him the York 110-
pound set for Christmas that year.

We would lift in his garage, which had a raised
wooden floor on one side.

Soon thereafter I got a Billiard Barbell 110-
pound set from my parents. The plates were
gold and the instruction book was written by
Bruce Randall.

My friend and I each bought a pair of 25's to
supplement our sets.

The next year, I bought a set of about 140
pounds from a friend who didn't use it any
more, made by Bur Barbell. The plates were
smaller and fatter than those from the other
sets.

We learned that another classmate had a Dan
Lurie set, and I remember he had a pair of
12.5 pound plates that worked perfectly for
us, since we liked to add weight in 25-pound
increments for many exercises.

I still have several of those Billiard plates, and
also have most of the Bur plates, plus some larger
York plates I bought much later (though I recently
sold my 75-pound plates, which I think may have
been York).

And I still lift, though, at 68, not nearly as much
as when I was younger. I had bone spurs removed
from both shoulders 10-15 years ago but they have
recently grown back, and I think I'm gonna folow
your lead and dump the benches in favor of
standing presses.

Anyway, thanks again for your insights; keep 'em
coming!

Lance McAllister"

Lance -- Thanks for sharing the memories. Your
first barbell sounds very similar to my first barbell.
What a great present -- and what a lifetime of
great memories!

I'd be interested to hear from other readers who
want to tell us about THEIR first barbell. I bet
their plenty of good stories and good memories.

And to everyone -- thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Here's something that will start your New Year
off on the right foot:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and Dinosaur
Training DVD's -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "You always remember
your first barbell. That's part of the magic."
-- Brooks Kubik

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

The Magic of Barbell Training

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Let me begin with a great big THANK YOU for all
of the kind words and Christmas greetings from
Dinos around the world.

We were very touched -- and we really appreciate
it. So to everyone who reached out by email, Facebook
or snail mail -- THANK YOU!

One reader sent a brief email with a Christmas
greeting on Christmas Day -- and he also included
a comment about this year's Dinosaur Christmas
Story.

He wrote:

"I didn't know elves made my old York Big 12 set,
but I can't say I'm surprised. It sure worked magic
on my skinny self."

And I imagine it did.

Barbell sets truly are magical.

Just take any skinny kid who's desperate to get
bigger and stronger so he can play sports -- or so
he can look like the other guys -- or so he can get
over the illnesses that plague him.

Or take any fat kid who's desperate to lose the
flab, build some muscle, and get into good shape.

Or any kid who's tired of being a punching bag for
the local bully.

Or any middle-aged (or older) man who's trying to
get back into shape after 20, 30 or 40 years of
neglecting his body.

People come to barbell training for a variety of
reasons -- but they all have one thing in common.

They need help.

And barbell and dumbbell training, properly applied
as outlined in a good training program, will give them
the help they need.

In fact, if you do it the right way, barbell and dumbbell
training will give you such good results that it's almost
hard to believe.

Yes, it's almost magical.

Sounds silly, but it's true.

And the Iron Pills have been working their magic for
many years -- and will continue to work their magic
for as long as men can dream of building bigger,
stronger, better bodies and greater strength and
health.

I'll be training out in the garage tonight -- and I'll be
enjoying some of that barbell magic. If you train today,
I hope you do the same!

As always, thanks for reading and have a great day --
and a great weekend!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Older trainees who want to get back into great
shape should start with Gray Hair and Black Iron:

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

P.S. 2. Chalk and Sweat has 50 different training
programs, including 10 training programs for beginners
of any age:

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

P.S. 3. Diet and nutrition are always important for
trainees of all ages -- and I cover this part of the
program in Knife, Fork, Muscle:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html

P.S. 4. My other books and courses are right here:

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

P.S. 5. Thought for the Day: "I wish everyone in
the world could experience the magic of barbell
training." -- Brooks Kubik

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

Part 3 -- Bob Hoffman's Biggest Challenge!

(Here's Part 3 in our little series
on Bob Hoffman's greatest challenge.
Remember, we're back in 19134 -- and
Bob has been working like heck for
the past year, trying to make a
300 pound clean and jerk.)

The 13th of April fell on a Friday
that year.

No, Bob Hoffman didn't try for the 300
pound lift on Friday the 13th -- but he
did take a hard workout that morning at
the York barbell Club gym.

Then he drove to New Haven, CT., where
he stayed overnight.

The next day, he drove to Gardner, Mass.,
for the New England Weightlifting
Championships.

After the contest, he drove to Boston,
where he stayed until late Tuesday, and
then he drove most of the night to make
the 430 mile trip back home to York.

Bob took his 40 pound dumbbells on the
trip, and trained with them in the morning
on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

He rested on Wednesday after the long drive
home, and went to the York gym on Thursday,
April 19.

He weighed in and found that he was about 8
pounds lighter than his usual weight at that
time of 247 pounds. It was difficult to keep
his weight up when he was traveling.

Bob told the York lifters he wasn't sure
if he was strong or not after the long
trip, but he'd soon know.

He warmed up with a 150 pound snatch, and
then did 170 twice.

From there, he made a big jump to 235, for
an easy clean and jerk.

Next he did 270, and the lifters who watched
him said it went easier than ever before.

From 270, he jumped to 290, and it, too,
went up easily and quickly.

Now he was a mere 10 pounds away from his
goal.

He chalked his hands, walked to the bar,
crouched down -- and pulled it to his
chest with power to spare -- but he couldn't
hold it, and the weight went crashing back
down.

He tried again - same result.

Tried a third time. It was the same.

So he tried to continental the weight. Got
it to his chest - held it -- but missed the
jerk.

(Note: in the clean, you pull the bar from
floor to chest in one "clean" movement. In
the continental, you lift the bar in two
or more stages -- floor to thighs, thighs to
stomach, with the bar resting on the buckle
of your lifting belt - and from there, to
the chest. In competition, you have to
clean the weight, but to get 300 pounds
overhead in the gym, anything was fair
game.)

Bob repeated the continental -- and once
again missed the jerk.

On his third attempt, he again pulled the
bar to his shoulders -- and this time he
made the jerk!

He held the bar overhead, grinning from
ear to ear as the York lifters clapped and
cheered.

The bad part was, no one had bet against
him. When Bob did 280 for the first time, he
won a nickel bet on the lift -- and the same
for his first lift with 285. He wore the two
nickels on his watch chain to show folks the
kind of money you can make as a professional
weightlifter.

And that's the way things were -- way back
in 1934! Hope you enjoyed 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. For rugged strength and outstanding
muscular development, it's hard to beat
the kind of stand on your feet lifting they
did "back in the day" -- and this course
will teach you how to train like the old-
time champions:

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

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

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Rule No. 1 is
to stand on your feet and lift heavy stuff.
There are no other rules, because you
don't need them."-- Brooks Kubik

Anthony Fiorito -- An American Hero!

(Note: The following is an excerpt from the draft manuscript of book no. 6 in the Legacy of Iron series. It's set in 1944. I don't usually share sections from an unpublished manuscript, but on this Memorial Day, it seemed to be the thing to do.)

Tony Terlazzo sat at his desk in the Strength and Health building, his eyes closed, his mind a whirl of half-forgotten memories. Memories of a former teammate, friend and fellow lifter.

Anthony Fiorito had been a member of the York Barbell Club and lifted for the York team in the 1930’s. The younger brother of five-time Senior National champion Joe Forito, Anthony had been one of the top lifters in the Middle Atlantic District. Although he never won a District championship, he set many records in the one-hand lifts, including a one-hand clean and jerk with a 165-pound barbell. That was pretty good lifting for a 123-pound lifter.

Tony Terlazzo had been there on that day in August, 1935. He still remembered the lift.

Anthony Fiorito had moved from weightlifting to hand-balancing, and he quickly became one of the best in the country. He teamed up with another Norristown balancer named Louis D’Antonio, and they developed an outstanding two-man balancing act. They were good enough to turn professional and adopted the stage-name of “The Bartons.”

Tony smiled. Harry Paschall’s middle name was Barton, and Harry once said he was going to copyright the name before anyone else could borrow it for stage use. That was typical Harry. But Harry had seen that one-hand clean and jerk with 165 pounds, and there was nothing Harry liked better than a fellow lifter. If the Bartons had borrowed his middle name, he never begrudged it.

The Bartons appeared at many shows and exhibitions in York. Whenever there was a big event, such as Bob Hoffman’s Annual Birthday Party and Lifting Show, the Bartons were there. And that made Anthony Fiorito a regular part of the lifting scene for many years.

When the War descended upon them, Anthony was one of the first to enlist. And he didn’t just join the service. He volunteered for one of the toughest and most dangerous assignments of them all: the Paratroopers. He proved to be an excellent soldier, strong, smart and hard working, and he was quickly promoted to sergeant, and assigned to the position of Jumpmaster. As Jumpmaster, he was responsible for teaching the men how to parachute. He was literally the “man in charge” on training flights.

On a gray day in late 1943, Anthony Fiorito served as Jumpmaster on a training plane that carried 24 paratroopers for their practice jumps. It should have been a routine flight – but something terrible happened. As the plane leveled off for the long glide immediately preceding the jump, it suddenly went into a spin, turning over and over as it shot to the ground.

Sgt. Fiorito heaved open the door of the plane. There was no time to wait. They were at an extremely low altitude, not far above the trees below. He could have jumped to safety, shouting to the others to follow him, and hoping they’d be able to do so.

But he didn’t do that.

He stayed on board the doomed plane, and began pushing the men out the door one by one before they even knew what was happening.

Instead of jumping to safety, he chose to save as many men as possible.

He pushed four men to safety before the crash.

Sgt. Fiorella and 19 other men died that day – and the lifting world lost yet another hero.

And now it fell to Tony Terlazzo to tell the story in his monthly column in Strength and Health, “Barbell Men in the Service.” A World and Olympic champion, Tony Terlazzo was the best lifter, pound for pound, in the entire world. But sometimes, the simple acting of putting words on paper took every ounce of his legendary strength. This was one of those times.

When he finished, Tony pulled the paper out of his typewriter, set it on top of a large pile of typed pages waiting to go to the printer, and closed his eyes. He remembered one of the many times he’d practiced hand-balancing with Anthony Fiorito. Anthony had tried to teach him a particularly difficult maneuver, and Tony had fallen again and again until he was stiff and sore and bruised from head to toe.

Meanwhile, Anthony Fiorito had done the same stunt over and over – effortlessly.

“How do you do it?” Tony asked him.

“I’m not afraid of falling,” said Anthony.

Tony stood up, pushed back his chair and walked to the window. He looked out into the night. When had it gotten so dark – and so late? How long had he been working? It was hours past dinnertime.

Once again, he heard his friend’s words.

“I’m not afraid of falling,” said Anthony.

Tony nodded. He understood. He knew why Anthony had chosen to stay on the doomed plane rather than jump to safety when he had the chance.

After a minute of silence he wiped the tears away, put on his coat, picked up his hat, turned out the light and walked down the dark hall.

A Dinosaur Christmas (Part One)

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

(Note: This is part one of the Dinosaur
Christmas Story for 2012. The Dinosaur
Christmas Story is a Holiday tradition
here at Dino Headquarters. I write a
new one every year. Hope you enjoy the
2012 story!)

The crowd roared as the Strongest Man in
the World snapped the heavy barbell to
his shoulders, set himself, and then drove
it overhead in a powerful jerk.

It was standing room only, and people were
hanging from the rafters of the YMCA gym.

They'd come from miles to see the fabulous
York champions in action.

Tony Terlazzo.

John Grimek.

Steve Stanko.

Gracie Bard.

Bob Hoffman.

Bob Hoffman opened things up by talking
about the benefits of barbell training
and the Strength and Health Way of
Living.

Then he proved he practiced what he
preached by bent pressing a 250 pound
barbell.

Tony Terlazzo was next. He demonstrated
the military press -- and he worked his
way up to 240 pounds at a bodyweight of
only 148 pounds. No wonder he was a
World and Olympic champion!

Gracie Bard flashed a vivacious smile as
she did the complete set of exercises in
York Courses No. 1 and No 2 -- with a
barbell heavier than most men could
lift.

Not that lifting made Gracie look manly.
Far from it. The petite dancer was cute
as a peach. If she hadn't been Bob
Hoffman's girlfriend (and a regular
in every issue of Strength and Health),
she would have received a dozen marriage
proposals that night!

John Grimek showed the crowd what serious
continental pressing looked like -- with
weights up to 320 pounds -- and then he
showed them what serious muscle looked
like.

Grimek's posing routine left the audience
speechless.

No one had ever seen anything like it.

But how could they?

Grimek was undoubtedly the best developed
man in the entire world -- with muscles
that jumped up and down like billiard
balls when he did his famous "Muscle
Dance."

Then it was time for the Big Champ --
Steve Stanko. The United States National
Champion in the Heavyweight class. The
strongest man in the world.

Stamko started heavy and finished heavier,
thrilling the crowd by driving 380 pounds
to arms' length overhead.

"Go for 400!" someone shouted.

Stanko was game, but Bob Hoffman stepped
forward, raising his hand to silence the
crowd.

"It's Christmas Eve and we have a long
drive to get back to York," he said. "And
the Big Champ needs to save his strength --
he and John Grimek may end up pushing the
car out of snow drifts before the night is
over!"

That ended the exhibition. The lifters
showered and changed, piled into Bob's big
black Buick, and took off for York. Their
York Olympic barbell was tied to the front
bumper, and the plates were piled on the
floor in the back.

The crowd stood on the street behind them,
waving and cheering and shouting "Merry
Christmas!" as they drove away.

Inside the car, Bob Hoffman shivered and
pulled his scarf tighter. It was cold --
and they had many miles to go.

"Step on it, Bob!" said Steve Stanko. "I'm
hungry!"

"You're always hungry!" said John Grimek.

"Yeah, but right now I'm exactly hamished!"
said Stanko, who often spoke in a secret
language all his own.

"What's that mean?" asked Tony Terlazzo.

"It means I'm famished and I want ham and
eggs for breakfast," said Stanko.

"I'd settle for a steak dinner," said Grimek.
"Or maybe two of them."

The car sped over the dark road as the
lifters planned their next meal.

Little did they know what the night held
for them -- or how memorable that meal
would be!

(To be continued.)

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. We're down to the wire on Christmas
orders. If you've been waiting to place
an order, wait no longer -- do it now!

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Study the past,
look to the future, live in the present."
-- Brooks Kubik

They Called it Muscletown!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I went to the Farmer's Market last
Saturday morning. It was a beautiful
Fall day, cold, crisp and clear.

I was wearing a York Barbell Club
hoodie I got from John Wood's
Oldtime Strongman site.

As I walk up to the Market, a guy
roughly my own age spots me, walks
over, and asks:

"Are you from York? I used to live
right down the road."

"Then you must know about the York
Barbell Club."

He shook his head.

"Nope, never heard of it."

And he's not interested enough to
ask -- and he walks away.

Which was sad. Everyone should know
about the York Barbell Club.

There was a time -- and it wasn't
all that long ago -- that the center
of the Iron Game was York, Pa.

They called York Muscletown -- and
you could send a letter or a postcard
to Bob Hoffman, John Grimek or Steve
Stanko and address it to "Bob Hoffman,
York Barbell Club, Muscletown USA" --
and it would get there.

I do my best to keep the memory of the
old York champions alive. I've written
five books in the Legacy of Iron series.
The series is set in York, and begins in
the late 1930's -- and moves forward year
by year, covering the lifting at the USA
Senior Nationals, the battles between the
top lifters, the Mr. America contest, and
everything else.

I've also written a detailed training
course about the most famous of the York
champions, John Grimek -- and I've written
a long book (almost 500 pages) about John
Davis, the six-time world and two-time
Olympic champion who was the greatest
weightlifter of the era. Both men were
members of the York Barbell Club.

I write about the York champions because
I like the way they trained -- hard, heavy
and basic -- and because I like the values
they represent. Old fashioned values, like
hard work, helping others, and standing
up for what you believe in.

I also write about them because they
inspired generations of men and boys to
start training. And when you get right
down to it, that's one of the most important
things in the world -- inspiring newbies to
start lifting. The world is a great place,
but it would be a heck of a lot better if
everyone lifted weights.

The next time I go to the Farmer's Market,
I'll carry a copy of Legacy of Iron. If
I see that guy who asked about York, I'll
give him a copy.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Here's your ticket to York and the
great champions of the past:

The John Grimek Training Course:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

Black Iron: The John Davis Story:

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

Legacy of Iron (the first of five volumes
in the Legacy of Iron series):

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

P.S. 2. If you've read Legacy of Iron, grab
the next book in the series -- you'll want
to be sure to read them all! You can find
them right here at Dino Headquarters -- along
with all my other books and courses:

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

P.S. 3. "Look to the past, live in the present,
lift like a champion." -- Brooks Kubik

The Man at the Typewriter

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

A massive, thickly muscled man sat alone
in his office, pounding the keys of an
old-fashioned manual typewriter.

His thick fingers hit the keyboard so
hard it jumped and bounced.

He paused, collected his thoughts, and
continued.

A minute or two later, he nodded, pulled
the paper out of the machine, and gave
it a quick once over.

He stopped, shook his head, and reached
for a stubby no. 2 pencil. The point was
broken. He sharpened it with a small
pocketknife, turned back to the sheet
of paper, and made some rapid
corrections.

He signed his name with old cartridge
pen and threw the letter into a large
stack of other letters.

And that's how John Grimek -- the best
built man of his generation (and perhaps
of all time) spent many of his days.

Sitting in his office in the Strength and
Health building at 51 North Broad Street
in York, Pa. -- answering letters.

I've seen some of Grimek's letters, and
I'm struck by two things. One, he typed
them himself. No secretary. No dictation.
Just Grimek at the keyboard, pounding
away. You can tell because there are
typos everywhere. (Remember, there was
no spell check or correcting function
on those old-fashioned manual
typewriters.)

Second, he took the time to correct
them with pen or pencil.

Now, think about that for a minute.

John Grimek may have received more
letters than any other bodybuilding
or weightlifting champion in history.
He answered tens of thousands of them.
Maybe hundreds of thousands.

And yet, he always took the time to
read and correct his letters -- and
often, to add an extra hand-written
note or two.

That tells you something about John
Grimek -- and about what it takes to
be a true champion.

You always remember your roots. You
always go out of your way to help
others -- especially the beginners,
because beginners always need help.
You always give 100 percent. And when
you do something, you do it right --
even if that means taking a couple of
minutes to read and correct a type-
written letter.

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. You can learn more about John Grimek
and his training in this great course:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 2. John Grimek and the other York
champions are featured in my Legacy of
Iron books. They're the closest thing
to a Time Machine that will take you
back to the Golden Age of Muscle and
Might:

1. Legacy of Iron

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

2. Clouds of War

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

3. The 1000 Pound Total

http://www.brookskubik.com/1000pound_total.html

4. York Goes to War!

http://www.brookskubik.com/legacy_of_iron4.html

5. Barbells in the Pacific

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Old-school iron
builds old-school character." -- Brooks Kubik

No Time to Train? -- Try This!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

If you think that you don't have "enough time
to train, try this. It's based on Bob Hoffman's
Simplified System of Barbell Training.

You could call it "The No Excuse Workout" --
because it makes it impossible to say you don't
have enough time to train!

Load your barbell to 50 or 60 pounds.

Perform the following three-exercise sequence,
moving from one exercise to the other with no
rest -- using the same weight for each exercise:

1. The power snatch (not at a super fast speed,
but just as a general warm-up). Do 10 to 15 reps.

2. The side bend, with the barbell on your
shoulders as if doing a squat -- or you can hold
the barbell at your side (as if it were a dumbbell).
Do 10 to 15 reps per side.

3. The two hands curl -- strict -- for 10 to 15
reps.

Now load your barbell to 80 or 100 pounds.

Perform the following three exercise sequence in
non-stop fashion, using the same weight in each
exercise:

1. Two hands military press -- strict -- for 10
to 15 reps.

2. The stiff legged deadlift -- 1 x 10 to 15 reps.

3. The barbell bent-over row -- 1 x 10 to 15 reps.

Add 20 to 40 pounds to the barbell, and then perform
the following three exercises, one right after the
other, using the same weight on each movement:

1. The shoulder shrug -- 1 x 10 to 15 reps.

2. The clean and press, clean and push press or clean
and jerk -- 1 x 10 to 15 reps.

3. The clean grip high pull (pulling the bar right
up to just below the chin) -- 1 x 10 to 15 reps.

Now throw the bar onto squat stands and add another
20 to 40 pounds. Then do the following exercises one
after the other, with no rest between exercises, using
the same weight on each exercise:

1. Front squats 1 x 10 to 15

2. Standing calf raises 1 x 10 to 15

3. Back squats 1 x 10 to 15

Finish off with gut work of your choice for one or
two sets. And if you feel extra ambitious, throw
in one set of pushups and one set of pull-ups --
or one set of neck work -- or one grip exercise.

That's the entire workout!

Do it right, and it will take a mere 10 to 20
minutes -- so don't say you don't have time to train!

Follow this program two or three times a week, and
if possible, take a heavier workout one day per week.
For example, train on this program on Tues and Thurs,
and take a heavier workout on Saturday or Sunday.

Or -- try this. Do the program exactly as noted on
Tues and Thurs -- and on Saturday or Sunday, when you
have more time and energy, run through the entire
program TWO times -- or THREE times! (Even three
cycles will only take 30 or 40 minutes.)

"No time" for training?

I don't think so.

Scratch one more excuse . . .

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For other unique training programs and workout
ideas, check out any of the books or courses at
Dinosaur Headquarters:

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

Update on the John Grimek Course!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We're getting close to tossing those John
Grimek courses into envelopes and shooting
them out the door. So let me cover a couple
of quick things:

1. There's still time to order the course
during the big-prepublication special -- and
get the bonuses when we ship your course. But
time is running out, so act now:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

2. If you want me to autograph your course,
be sure to include an autograph request in the
Special Instructions section of the on-line
order form. There's no charge for autographs --
it's an honor to be asked to provide one.

2A. If you already ordered the course and did NOT
include an autograph request, there's still time --
just shoot me an email.

2B. Be sure to tell me how to autograph your book,
i.e., "To Joe" or "To Joseph" or "To Mike" or
"To Michael." I always like to personalize
them and include a short note or motivational
message.

3. Everyone has been asking about the special
bonuses -- as in, what are they? Answer: They are
a surprise! But you'll love them.

4. IMPORTANT: If you want to add something else to
your order (which will save you some major clams on
s&h), go ahead and shoot me an email and let me know
what else you'd like.

In other Dino news, be sure to sign up for my four-
week Dinosaur Training course. It's an audio seminar
that you can listen to live -- and ask questions live --
so it's just like being at an actual seminar with a
room full of your fellow Dinos. It's going to be lots
of fun -- and we're going to cover a ton of great info.

You can learn more about it -- and reserve your spot
in the course -- right here:

http://www.entheosacademy.com/courses/Dinosaur-Training

By the way, check out the gold-medal testimonial from
Tommy Kono. Talk about something that made my day -- wow!

That's all for now. I'll send another email later in the
day that covers an important training topic. Be looking
for it!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Here's the link again for the Grimek course:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and my DVD's --
are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Lifting the weight is
good. Controlling the weight is better. Mastering the
weight is best of all." -- Brooks Kubik

An Evening with Mr. America

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

A thickly muscular middle-aged man is
sitting at home, reading the newspaper
while his wife and daughters bustle
about in the kitchen, putting the
finishing touches on the family
dinner.

There's a knock at the front door.

He puts down the paper, stands up, walks
to the door and opens it.

Half a dozen dirty-faced urchins, fresh
from a sand-lot softball game, stand in
the yard. One of his sons is with them.

"Please, dad -- could you show these
guys?"

He sighs mentally, but nods his head.

"Sure, son -- what is it this time?"

His son holds up a rusty, misshaped iron
bar about 12 inches long. The hard metal
is dented and scored, with flecks of paint
peeling off the end, as though someone
had used the bar to stir a can of house
paint.

"What is it?"

"Dunno, dad."

"Where'd you find it?"

"Over there -- by the ball field."

"Are you sure it doesn't belong to someone?"

Anxious nods from all the boys.

"We're sure, dad."

"Well, okay -- here, hand it over."

His son hands him the iron bar, and steps
back.

The boys crowd forward in anticipation.

The man squeezes the bar, taps it against
the railing on the porch, nods to himself --
and then closes his eyes.

He opens them a second later and begins
bending the bar.

For a long second nothing happens -- and then
his arms and shoulders bulge into huge knots,
his forearms writhe like pythons -- and the
bar bends to a 90 degree angle.

And the boys go crazy.

"He did it!"

"I told you so!"

"Wow. Did you see that?"

"Look at it!"

"He bent it into a horseshoe!"

"Bent it like it was nothing."

"He's stronger than Superman, even!"

"He really IS Mr. America!"

The man smiles at the boys, ruffles his son's
hair, and hands the twisted piece of metal
to him.

"Here you go. Get rid of this piece of junk before
your mother sees it."

The boy nods. The other boys still stare at the iron
bar with wide eyes. One of them shakes his head in
disbelief.

"John! Dinnertime!"

The man looks at his boy, remembering what it was
like to be his age. Softball was everything. And
there was always time for a few more innings.

"I'll ask your mother to keep your dinner warm,"
he says. "But don't stay out too late."

"Thanks, dad!"

The man turns, opens the door and steps back into
the house. The door closes behind him.

The boys head back to the ball-park -- but once
they're out of sight, they stop under a thick
tree for a quick pow-wow.

The man's son holds out his hand.

"Pay up," he says. "I told you my dad could do it!"

NOTE:

That's a true story in the life of John Grimek --
and it gives you a good idea of the quiet
strength and enormous confidence of one of history's
strongest men -- and one of the Iron Game's
greatest champions.

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'm putting the final touches on my new course
covering the life, lifting and training of John
Grimek. The pre-publication special is almost over,
and we'll be shipping the little monster very
soon (along with the bonuses for everyone who
orders during the pre-publication special) --
so if you've been waiting, get off the fence
and take action:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 2. Postal rates are sky-high, but you can
save major clams on s&h by combining orders.
If you already reserved a copy of the John
Grimek course, there's still time to add other
Dino Goodies to your order:

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

P.S. 3. If you missed the link to upcoming audio
seminar on Dinosaur training, here it is:

http://www.entheosacademy.com/courses/Dinosaur-Training

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Work to build all-
around strength and all-around development."
-- Brooks Kubik

John Grimek Did It All!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

Here's the note: We're about 11 hours into
the big EARLY DINO SPECIAL for my first ever
Dinosaur training audio seminar. The EDS lasts
for 48 hours only -- and during that time, you
can reserve a spot at exactly one half of the
regular cost of enrollment.

Here's the link for the EDS:

http://www.entheosacademy.com/courses/Dinosaur-Training

Step up, take action, and save some clams!

BTW, so far we've had a great response from
the Dino Nation -- and that's great, because this
is a LIVE program, with LIVE Q and A and Dino
Discussion -- and the more Dinos who participate,
the better it will be!

On the training front, several readers sent me
emails in response to yesterday's post about
John Grimek and the iron bar.

One reader said, "I never knew bodybuilders could
be that strong!"

And that raises an interesting point -- or rather,
a couple of interesting points.

Was John Grimek a bodybuilder -- or a weightlifter --
or an all-around strongman?

You probably know that Grimek was a two-time Mr.
America winner. After his second win they passed a
rule barring former winners from re-entering the
contest. That was the "Grimek Rule" -- and it was
designed to give the other guys a chance to win
the title.

You may also know that Grimek won the Mr. Universe
title -- and you may know that he was undefeated in
bodybuilding competition.

But did you know he was the USA Senior National
Weightlifting Champion -- and that he set several
American records in the two hands clean and press
(meaning the Military Press -- which is how they
did the lift back then)?

Did you know he represented the USA in weightlifting
in the Olympic Games?

That he defeated the legendary John Davis in
weightlifting?

That he won the Weightlifting Championship of
North America?

That he came within a whisker of setting a
World record in the Military Press?

Nowadays, we have everyone divided into different
camps.

You have the bodybuilders over here -- and the
weightlifters over here -- and the powerlifters
over there -- and the strongmen over there --
and everyone does there own thing and stays
in their own little world.

Grimek was different. Grimek did it all.

And that's something to think about . . .

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. Here's the link again for the Early Dino
Special for my first-ever Dinosaur Training audio
seminar:

http://www.entheosacademy.com/courses/Dinosaur-Training

P.S. 2. I'm putting the finishing touches on my new
John Grimek course -- and yes, there's still time to
reserve a copy and grab the pre-publication bonus
when we ship the course at the end of the month:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- and my DVD's --
are right here:

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "The bar doesn't lift
itself -- and that's a GOOD thing!" -- Brooks Kubik

Grimek and the Iron Bar

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

If you're wondering why I'm doing a new course
on John Grimek, here's one reason.

I found a report of a posing exhibition that
Grimek gave at the 1949 Mr. Britain Show.

The curtains open, and Grimek steps out and
stands there -- motionless -- not even
flexing -- and the jaws hit the floor and
the crowd goes wild.

Then he begins his posing routine, and they
start shouting and cheering and clapping
until you think the roof is going to blow
off the building.

Grimek tosses in some handstand pushups and
tiger bends -- in the middle of his posing
routine! -- and leaves them shouting and
begging for more.

A few minutes later, the curtains open again
and Grimek steps out, wearing a York Barbell
Club t-shirt.

He holds an iron bar in one hand.

It's half an inch thick, mean and menacing.

No one has any idea what he's going to do.

Grimek whacks the bar against the floor.
Hard. There's a loud bang. Yes, it's a real
iron bar.

Then he holds the bar in one hand --

raises it high --

extends and flexes his other arm --

and whacks the bar across his forearm!

He does it again -- and the bar bends to a 90
degree angle!

Then he grabs the bar in both hands and
casually bends it until the ends are touching.

He throws the bar scornfully onto the stage.

And pandemonium breaks out . . .

Now, I want to say -- and this important --
DON"T TRY THIS AT HOME. You'll break your
arm.

But that's the kind of man John Grimek was --
and that's one of the reasons why I'm doing a
course on his life, his lifting and his
training.

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. We're doing a pre-publication special on
the Grimek course. Reserve your copy now, and
when we ship it at the end of the month, we'll
include a couple of bonuses:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 2. Thought for the day: "The man is too
strong for words." -- Bob Hoffman, speaking
about John Grimek

Dinosaur Training