Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I received an email not very long ago
from Peter Yates, a hard-charging Dinosaur
and martial artist who writes for the Dino
Files newsletter.
Peter said:
"Hi Brooks,
Turned 61 today. Had a really good workout
consisting of squats, power cleans, one arm
dumbbell clean and press, hanging leg raises,
back raises and wrestler's bridge. Short
and sweet.
I will keep you informed of my progress over
the year. Looking forward to starting the
Dino Military Press course, as well.
Best wishes,
Peter"
And frankly, that made my day!
Compare Peter Yates to the average 61 year old.
Heck, compare him to the average 41 year old --
or the average 31 year old -- or 21 year old.
Peter is 61 and he still does squats!
He's 61, and he still does power cleans!
He's 61, and he still does hanging leg raises
and bridging!
The average teenager cannot do hanging leg
raises -- or bridging -- would crumple under a
squat bar -- and would run away if you suggested
the idea of power cleans. Ditto for the one
arm clean and press. Maybe even double ditto.
But here's Peter, at age 61, blasting through
them like a champion.
It's inspiring stuff -- and it goes to show what
a life-time of physical training can do for you.
So join me in wishing Peter a belated, but very
happy birthday -- and I'm looking forward to
hearing about many more of those Dino-style
birthday workouts in the years to come!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day! If you train today, knock it out of the
ball-park!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can learn more about Peter and his
training programs in The Dinosaur Files
newsletter. For back issues (May 2010 thru
April 2011), go here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
To order a current subscription (May 2011 thru
April 2012), go here. (I'll send you April 2011
thru Jan 2012 in one package, and then send Feb,
March and April month by month so you have the
complete set):
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_renewalpage.html
P.S. 2. Here's the best book ever written about
serious strength training for older lifters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. Bodyweight training works great for older
Dinos, and the best bodyweight program available is
right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Celebrate your birthday
by putting more weight on the bar!" -- Brooks Kubik
Military Press Update!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I just sent the final edits to the printer,
and that means that The Dinosaur Training
Military Press Course should be printed
on Wednesday.
As soon as we have the copies, we'll shoot
them right on out the door to everyone who
reserved a copy.
The cover photo for the course is one of
my all-time favorites. It's John Grimek,
from way back in 1940 (December 22, 1940,
to be exact), and it's one of the most
inspiring photos you've ever seen. Just
looking at it should add 20 pounds to your
press.
I'm going to use the same photo for the
special bonus that goes to everyone who
orders the course during the pre-publication
special. The pre-publication special ends
when I get the courses from the printer, so
it's almost over. If you've been waiting
until the last minute, it's here -- so
go ahead and reserve your copy NOW so that
you get the bonus photo:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
I just sent the final edits to the printer,
and that means that The Dinosaur Training
Military Press Course should be printed
on Wednesday.
As soon as we have the copies, we'll shoot
them right on out the door to everyone who
reserved a copy.
The cover photo for the course is one of
my all-time favorites. It's John Grimek,
from way back in 1940 (December 22, 1940,
to be exact), and it's one of the most
inspiring photos you've ever seen. Just
looking at it should add 20 pounds to your
press.
I'm going to use the same photo for the
special bonus that goes to everyone who
orders the course during the pre-publication
special. The pre-publication special ends
when I get the courses from the printer, so
it's almost over. If you've been waiting
until the last minute, it's here -- so
go ahead and reserve your copy NOW so that
you get the bonus photo:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
How Much Rest?
For some reason, I've been getting lots of
questions about how long to rest in-between
sets. So let's talk about it.
First of all, there's no right answer here.
Meaning, there's no one way to do it -- and
no magic number of seconds or minutes that
works the best for every lifter in every
exercise.
John Davis used to rest for up to 15 minutes
between sets. It worked pretty well for him.
He won two Olympic gold medals, six World
championships, and set a ton of Olympic and
World records.
Then there was Tommy Kono. Tommy Kono sometimes
did 10 sets of military presses in 20 or 25
minutes. That would be two warm-up sets,
followed by 8 work sets. Do the math, and
you'll see that he was training pretty darn
fast.
And yes, it worked well for him. He, too, won
two Olympic gold medals and six World
championships, and set a ton of Olympic and
World records.
Also, note that you need less rest during your
warm-up sets, and more rest during your heavy
sets. I sometimes just than load the bar and
go when I do my warm-up sets, so there's hardly
any rest at all.
Rest times also depend on what exercise you are
doing. Most lifters need more rest between sets
when they do squats and deadlifts than when they
hit upper body exercises.
In general, the heavier you go, the more rest you
need in-between sets. So if the bar is bending,
feel free to take an extra minute or two before
hitting your next set.
So what's the bottom line?
As a general rule of thumb, most trainees do well
on one to two minutes in-between warm-up sets --
two to three minutes between heavy sets of upper
body exercises -- and three to five minutes between
sets of heavy squats or deadlifts.
And by the way -- one good thing to do is to time
yourself in your next workout. See how long you
typically rest between sets. You might find you're
taking a lot longer than you think, and that reducing
your rest periods may be a simple way to increase
the intensity and effectiveness of your workouts!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you'd like to know more about John Davis
and how he trained to become a World and Olympic
weightlifting champion, grab a copy of BLACK
IRON: THE JOHN DAVIS STORY:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- DVD's -- Dino
t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies -- and the Dinosaur
Files newsletter are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "You know you've had a
good workout when the bar looks tired after it's all
over." -- Brooks Kubik
questions about how long to rest in-between
sets. So let's talk about it.
First of all, there's no right answer here.
Meaning, there's no one way to do it -- and
no magic number of seconds or minutes that
works the best for every lifter in every
exercise.
John Davis used to rest for up to 15 minutes
between sets. It worked pretty well for him.
He won two Olympic gold medals, six World
championships, and set a ton of Olympic and
World records.
Then there was Tommy Kono. Tommy Kono sometimes
did 10 sets of military presses in 20 or 25
minutes. That would be two warm-up sets,
followed by 8 work sets. Do the math, and
you'll see that he was training pretty darn
fast.
And yes, it worked well for him. He, too, won
two Olympic gold medals and six World
championships, and set a ton of Olympic and
World records.
Also, note that you need less rest during your
warm-up sets, and more rest during your heavy
sets. I sometimes just than load the bar and
go when I do my warm-up sets, so there's hardly
any rest at all.
Rest times also depend on what exercise you are
doing. Most lifters need more rest between sets
when they do squats and deadlifts than when they
hit upper body exercises.
In general, the heavier you go, the more rest you
need in-between sets. So if the bar is bending,
feel free to take an extra minute or two before
hitting your next set.
So what's the bottom line?
As a general rule of thumb, most trainees do well
on one to two minutes in-between warm-up sets --
two to three minutes between heavy sets of upper
body exercises -- and three to five minutes between
sets of heavy squats or deadlifts.
And by the way -- one good thing to do is to time
yourself in your next workout. See how long you
typically rest between sets. You might find you're
taking a lot longer than you think, and that reducing
your rest periods may be a simple way to increase
the intensity and effectiveness of your workouts!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.
If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. If you'd like to know more about John Davis
and how he trained to become a World and Olympic
weightlifting champion, grab a copy of BLACK
IRON: THE JOHN DAVIS STORY:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- DVD's -- Dino
t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies -- and the Dinosaur
Files newsletter are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "You know you've had a
good workout when the bar looks tired after it's all
over." -- Brooks Kubik
Not Training Is NOT an Option!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
As you grow older, it's always necessary
to make adjustments in your training. Not
training is NOT an option.
For most of us, that means longer and more
intelligent warm-ups, paying much more
attention to diet and nutrition, making
sure we get enough rest and sleep, reducing
the total amount (volume) of our training,
and using some sort of cycling system so we
don't go heavy too often.
Some adjustments involve exercises -- or
changes in your exercises. For example:
1. Replace squats with front squats -- which
may be easier on your lower back and hips.
And they may be MUCH easier on your shoulders.
Note: You can perform front squats Olympic
lifter style, or bodybuilder style with crossed
hands -- or attach short straps to the bar and
hold onto the straps. The important thing is
to perform the exercise with your torso in a
vertical posiition and your elbows high.
Note: Wear OL shoes with a heel to do front
squats.
2. Replace powerlifting style squats with high
bar style Olympic squats. Again, these may be
easier on your lower back and hips - and on
your shoulders.
Note: If you switch from parallel squats to
full squats, go light at first -- you'll need
time to develop the flexibility to go all the
way up and down.
Note: Once again -- wear OL shoes!
3. Replace squats with Trap Bar deadlifts.
Easier on knees, and for some, easier on the
lower back.
Note: I like the original Trap Bar designed by
Al Gerard. My buddy John Wood sells them -- for
info, go here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
Further note: Many older lifters do really well
with partial Trap Bar deadlifts, using sturdy blocks
to position the bar. One of our readers, Dr. Jim
Dauer, does partial Trap Bar deadlifts with close
to 1,000 pounds -- and he's over 60 years old!
4. Switch from weighted squats to bodyweight
squats. Easier on your lower back.
5. Switch from bent-over rowing to one arm
dumbbell rowing. Easier on your lower back.
6. Switch from bench press to dumbbell bench
press -- or dumbbell incline press. Easier on
your shoulders.
Note: Dumbbells are more forgiving than barbells.
Sometimes a slight twist of the wrists or change
of elbow position is all it takes to turn a
painful exercise into a great one. Dumbbells
allow you to make these minor adjustments.
Note: If it's too hard to wrestle the dumbbells
into position, do one arm dumbbell bench presses
or one arm dumbbell incline presses.
Note: Another option -- switch to pushups. There
are tons of effective pushup variations to choose
from. See Dinosaur Bodyweight Training for some
of my favorites:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
7. Switch from press behind neck to military
press or dumbbell press -- again, easier on
your shoulders.
8. Switch from one particular angle on an
incline bench to a different angle -- for
example, 45 degrees might irritate your
shoulders, but 60 degrees might feel great.
9. Switch from barbell curls to dumbbell curls.
Easier on the inner elbows.
10. Switch from dumbbell curls to dumbbell
hammer curls. Again, easier on the inner elbows.
11. Switch from curls of any sort to close grip
pull-downs to the chest -- something that John
Grimek did when he was older.
Note: Yes, even a superman like John Grimek had
to make adjustments as he got older.
12. Switch from dips to any pushup variation
of your choice -- or to close grip bench presses.
Easier on the shoulders.
13. Switch from bent-legged situps to hanging
knees to chest -- easier on the lower back and
hips.
14. Switch from military press to push press --
sometimes, the first few inches of the press
are tough for older lifters with shoulder
problems -- but they can do push presses just
fine.
15. Try log bar presses instead of using a
regular barbell.
Note: For info on the Log Bar, go here:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/log_bar.html
That should give you some food for thought!
Remember, NOT training is NOT an option. The
trick is, figuring out what to do to continue
training. Don't be afraid to make adjustments --
it's something we all need to do as we grow older.
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 information about productive, effective
training for older lifters, see Gray Hair and Black
Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Several readers have asked me to cover shoulder
health in my new Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course. Don't worry, it's in there! (Just one
more reason to grab a copy of the little monster):
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Everyone grows older, but
Dinos keep on training." -- Brooks Kubik
As you grow older, it's always necessary
to make adjustments in your training. Not
training is NOT an option.
For most of us, that means longer and more
intelligent warm-ups, paying much more
attention to diet and nutrition, making
sure we get enough rest and sleep, reducing
the total amount (volume) of our training,
and using some sort of cycling system so we
don't go heavy too often.
Some adjustments involve exercises -- or
changes in your exercises. For example:
1. Replace squats with front squats -- which
may be easier on your lower back and hips.
And they may be MUCH easier on your shoulders.
Note: You can perform front squats Olympic
lifter style, or bodybuilder style with crossed
hands -- or attach short straps to the bar and
hold onto the straps. The important thing is
to perform the exercise with your torso in a
vertical posiition and your elbows high.
Note: Wear OL shoes with a heel to do front
squats.
2. Replace powerlifting style squats with high
bar style Olympic squats. Again, these may be
easier on your lower back and hips - and on
your shoulders.
Note: If you switch from parallel squats to
full squats, go light at first -- you'll need
time to develop the flexibility to go all the
way up and down.
Note: Once again -- wear OL shoes!
3. Replace squats with Trap Bar deadlifts.
Easier on knees, and for some, easier on the
lower back.
Note: I like the original Trap Bar designed by
Al Gerard. My buddy John Wood sells them -- for
info, go here:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
Further note: Many older lifters do really well
with partial Trap Bar deadlifts, using sturdy blocks
to position the bar. One of our readers, Dr. Jim
Dauer, does partial Trap Bar deadlifts with close
to 1,000 pounds -- and he's over 60 years old!
4. Switch from weighted squats to bodyweight
squats. Easier on your lower back.
5. Switch from bent-over rowing to one arm
dumbbell rowing. Easier on your lower back.
6. Switch from bench press to dumbbell bench
press -- or dumbbell incline press. Easier on
your shoulders.
Note: Dumbbells are more forgiving than barbells.
Sometimes a slight twist of the wrists or change
of elbow position is all it takes to turn a
painful exercise into a great one. Dumbbells
allow you to make these minor adjustments.
Note: If it's too hard to wrestle the dumbbells
into position, do one arm dumbbell bench presses
or one arm dumbbell incline presses.
Note: Another option -- switch to pushups. There
are tons of effective pushup variations to choose
from. See Dinosaur Bodyweight Training for some
of my favorites:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
7. Switch from press behind neck to military
press or dumbbell press -- again, easier on
your shoulders.
8. Switch from one particular angle on an
incline bench to a different angle -- for
example, 45 degrees might irritate your
shoulders, but 60 degrees might feel great.
9. Switch from barbell curls to dumbbell curls.
Easier on the inner elbows.
10. Switch from dumbbell curls to dumbbell
hammer curls. Again, easier on the inner elbows.
11. Switch from curls of any sort to close grip
pull-downs to the chest -- something that John
Grimek did when he was older.
Note: Yes, even a superman like John Grimek had
to make adjustments as he got older.
12. Switch from dips to any pushup variation
of your choice -- or to close grip bench presses.
Easier on the shoulders.
13. Switch from bent-legged situps to hanging
knees to chest -- easier on the lower back and
hips.
14. Switch from military press to push press --
sometimes, the first few inches of the press
are tough for older lifters with shoulder
problems -- but they can do push presses just
fine.
15. Try log bar presses instead of using a
regular barbell.
Note: For info on the Log Bar, go here:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/log_bar.html
That should give you some food for thought!
Remember, NOT training is NOT an option. The
trick is, figuring out what to do to continue
training. Don't be afraid to make adjustments --
it's something we all need to do as we grow older.
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 information about productive, effective
training for older lifters, see Gray Hair and Black
Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Several readers have asked me to cover shoulder
health in my new Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course. Don't worry, it's in there! (Just one
more reason to grab a copy of the little monster):
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Everyone grows older, but
Dinos keep on training." -- Brooks Kubik
The Dinos Roar!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I got a ton of feedback from readers about
the idea of training 5 or 6 days per week,
using a divided workout schedule and doing
a SHORT workout each day -- of perhaps only
one exercise.
Some readers thought it was a great idea --
others didn't. They preferred the 2 times or 3
times per week schedule, with lots of off days
to enhance recovery.
And that's fine. Remember, we're all different,
and although certain things work best for
everyone (hard work, compound exercises,
lots of leg and back training, etc.), the
details vary from person to person. What
works best for ME may or may not work best
for YOU -- and what works best for you right
now may change over time. Or it may change
based on your circumstances.
The readers who liked the idea of more frequent
(but very SHORT) workouts tended to be the ones
who are crunched for time. For example, Dan
Sparks wrote:
"I really like this! I work four days a week
for 10 hr shifts, plus two additional part
time jobs, so this might really work for me.
Right now, I use a kettlebell Mon & Wed and
lift heavy on Fri (barbell clean, squat and
press, DB bench, weighted dips, weighted
pull-ups, plus a MovNat style run). Spreading
it out to one thing a day would be interesting.
Thanks for the suggestion."
In a similar vein, Justin Rawlings wrote:
"I'm a big fan of this type of training. It's
something I've been following for the past 6 - 8
months with great results.
After along day at the office, I hate the thought
of just going home and watching TV, so I lift in
my garage about six times a week. Pretty much all
of these movements consist of just one movement
(sometimes two, e.g., super-setting chins and
presses). I focus on going as heavy as I can
on that one movement for the day.
This is great because I can throw in a lot of
really fun lifts that would otherwise not get
done on a traditional split.
An example of a training week for me:
Mon: Power clean and push press
Tues: Dumbbell swing
Wed: Squats
Thurs: Dumbbell bench press
Fri: Chins/dumbbell rows
Sat: Off
Sun: One arm DB clean and press
This changes every week based on how I feel.
As you noted, you need to pay careful attention
to how you structure your training over the
course of the week.
I have a feeling things will change once I get a
power rack, as the lifts will be more demanding,
but for now, this is very fun. Knowing that you
only have one lift to do really allows you to put
all your focus into it.
Always good to see you spreading interesting
information that you'd never hear about in
conventional muscle fiction."
So, as I said, it's not for everyone, but the
one exercise a day schedule may work well for
some of you, either as a permanent program or
as a change of pace.
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 great Dinosaur Training workouts,
grab a copy of CHALK AND SWEAT -- it features 50
Dinosaur Training workouts covering beginners,
intermediates, advanced Dinos and Dinos who are
looking to build maximum strength and muscle mass
as fast as possible:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
P.S. 2. For older Dinos -- age 35 and up -- the
training programs in GRAY HAIR AND BLACK IRON
are perfect for you:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. For the best in bodyweight training -- and
to combine bodyweight training with heavy iron --
grab a copy of DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "To succeed as a weight
lifter, as with other desirable things in life, you
must have a great desire to succeed, a willingness
to work long and hard, becoming a champion weight-
lifter must be the first ambition of your life."
-- Bob Hoffman
I got a ton of feedback from readers about
the idea of training 5 or 6 days per week,
using a divided workout schedule and doing
a SHORT workout each day -- of perhaps only
one exercise.
Some readers thought it was a great idea --
others didn't. They preferred the 2 times or 3
times per week schedule, with lots of off days
to enhance recovery.
And that's fine. Remember, we're all different,
and although certain things work best for
everyone (hard work, compound exercises,
lots of leg and back training, etc.), the
details vary from person to person. What
works best for ME may or may not work best
for YOU -- and what works best for you right
now may change over time. Or it may change
based on your circumstances.
The readers who liked the idea of more frequent
(but very SHORT) workouts tended to be the ones
who are crunched for time. For example, Dan
Sparks wrote:
"I really like this! I work four days a week
for 10 hr shifts, plus two additional part
time jobs, so this might really work for me.
Right now, I use a kettlebell Mon & Wed and
lift heavy on Fri (barbell clean, squat and
press, DB bench, weighted dips, weighted
pull-ups, plus a MovNat style run). Spreading
it out to one thing a day would be interesting.
Thanks for the suggestion."
In a similar vein, Justin Rawlings wrote:
"I'm a big fan of this type of training. It's
something I've been following for the past 6 - 8
months with great results.
After along day at the office, I hate the thought
of just going home and watching TV, so I lift in
my garage about six times a week. Pretty much all
of these movements consist of just one movement
(sometimes two, e.g., super-setting chins and
presses). I focus on going as heavy as I can
on that one movement for the day.
This is great because I can throw in a lot of
really fun lifts that would otherwise not get
done on a traditional split.
An example of a training week for me:
Mon: Power clean and push press
Tues: Dumbbell swing
Wed: Squats
Thurs: Dumbbell bench press
Fri: Chins/dumbbell rows
Sat: Off
Sun: One arm DB clean and press
This changes every week based on how I feel.
As you noted, you need to pay careful attention
to how you structure your training over the
course of the week.
I have a feeling things will change once I get a
power rack, as the lifts will be more demanding,
but for now, this is very fun. Knowing that you
only have one lift to do really allows you to put
all your focus into it.
Always good to see you spreading interesting
information that you'd never hear about in
conventional muscle fiction."
So, as I said, it's not for everyone, but the
one exercise a day schedule may work well for
some of you, either as a permanent program or
as a change of pace.
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 great Dinosaur Training workouts,
grab a copy of CHALK AND SWEAT -- it features 50
Dinosaur Training workouts covering beginners,
intermediates, advanced Dinos and Dinos who are
looking to build maximum strength and muscle mass
as fast as possible:
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
P.S. 2. For older Dinos -- age 35 and up -- the
training programs in GRAY HAIR AND BLACK IRON
are perfect for you:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 3. For the best in bodyweight training -- and
to combine bodyweight training with heavy iron --
grab a copy of DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "To succeed as a weight
lifter, as with other desirable things in life, you
must have a great desire to succeed, a willingness
to work long and hard, becoming a champion weight-
lifter must be the first ambition of your life."
-- Bob Hoffman
Great Feats of Shoulder Strength!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
NEWSFLASH! I am doing an interview
tomorrow on SuperHuman Radio.
We'll be covering the Military Press
and Shoulder Power -- and we'll cover
some great feats of strength from "back
in the day" when lifters stood on their
feet and lifted heavy stuff their heads.
It will be a fun, fast-paced and
informative show.
The show will be at 12:00 EST -- you can
listen to it live or catch the download
later on.
The home page for SHR is here:
http://www.superhumanradio.com/
There's no charge for the SHR shows -- I
consider them to be Dinosaur PSA's (Public
Service Announcements).
Anyhow, I hope you can join me!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Great feats of shoulder strength are
very much on my mind -- because the Dinosaur
Military Press and Shoulder Power Course is
almost ready to go. Be sure to reserve your
copy before the pre-publication special ends:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
NEWSFLASH! I am doing an interview
tomorrow on SuperHuman Radio.
We'll be covering the Military Press
and Shoulder Power -- and we'll cover
some great feats of strength from "back
in the day" when lifters stood on their
feet and lifted heavy stuff their heads.
It will be a fun, fast-paced and
informative show.
The show will be at 12:00 EST -- you can
listen to it live or catch the download
later on.
The home page for SHR is here:
http://www.superhumanradio.com/
There's no charge for the SHR shows -- I
consider them to be Dinosaur PSA's (Public
Service Announcements).
Anyhow, I hope you can join me!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Great feats of shoulder strength are
very much on my mind -- because the Dinosaur
Military Press and Shoulder Power Course is
almost ready to go. Be sure to reserve your
copy before the pre-publication special ends:
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
Something Different for Dinosaurs!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Several readers have asked about the
advisability of doing five or six short
workouts per week rather than doing two
or three longer sessions.
For some Dinos, it actually works pretty
well -- IF (and this is a big IF):
1. You concentrate on the basic exercises,
such as squats, deadlifts, presses, etc.
2. You keep each workout short and sweet,
as in anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.
3. You work on a schedule that keeps you
from hammering your knees, back and
shoulders with too many back to back
sessions (even if you use different
exercises in each session). For example,
don't do deadlifts on Monday and squats on
Tuesday -- or presses on Wednesday and
bench presses on Thursday.
For example, you might try something like
this:
Mon -- Military press 5 x 5
Tues -- Pull-ups 5 x 5 - 10
Wed -- Squats or front squats 5 x 5
Thurs -- Barbell or dumbbell curls 5 x 5
Fri -- Bench press, incline press or any
pushup variation of your choice (5 x 5 for
the weight work and 5 x 10 - 50 for the pushups,
depending on what you do and how strong you are
in the movement you select)
Sat -- Deadlifts 5 x 5
Start each workout with a 10 minute warmup of your
choice, and finish with gut, grip or neck work,
doing gut work one day, grip work another day, and
neck work on the third day.
If you want to include heavy awkward objects you
can do them on Sat after the deadlifts -- or do them
on a day of their own. Space them so they don't come
the day before or the day after squats or deadlifts.
Cardio work can follow your strength work 3 to 5 times
a week. Don't overdo the cardio, and don't do the same
sort of cardio. Mix things up.
If you like dumbbells or kettlebells or cables or
heavy clubs or Olympic lifting or ropes and rings
or gymnastics or handstands or anything else that
isn't mentioned, work it into the schedule in a
logical fashion. For example, do kettlebell presses
on Monday instead of (or in addition to) your military
presses -- and do kettlebell swings on Sat before
your deadlifts.
Also note that you can slot in some extra rest days
and turn this from a 7 day schedule to a 9 or 10 day
program. There's no law that says you have to train
on a 7 day schedule -- we all just do it because
there happen to be 7 days in a week.
For some of you, this program would QUICKLY lead to
overtraining -- but for others, it will work pretty
darn well. So if you've been thinking about daily
workouts, give it a try!
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. Mixing weight work and bodyweight training is a
terrific workout option, whether you train 2 times,
3 times or 6 times a week. For the best in progressive
bodyweight workouts, grab DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and DVD's -- are
right here at Dino Headquarters. Save clams on s&h by
ordering two or more at the same time:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "By word or deed, become an
ambassador of sensible training." -- Brooks Kubik
Several readers have asked about the
advisability of doing five or six short
workouts per week rather than doing two
or three longer sessions.
For some Dinos, it actually works pretty
well -- IF (and this is a big IF):
1. You concentrate on the basic exercises,
such as squats, deadlifts, presses, etc.
2. You keep each workout short and sweet,
as in anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.
3. You work on a schedule that keeps you
from hammering your knees, back and
shoulders with too many back to back
sessions (even if you use different
exercises in each session). For example,
don't do deadlifts on Monday and squats on
Tuesday -- or presses on Wednesday and
bench presses on Thursday.
For example, you might try something like
this:
Mon -- Military press 5 x 5
Tues -- Pull-ups 5 x 5 - 10
Wed -- Squats or front squats 5 x 5
Thurs -- Barbell or dumbbell curls 5 x 5
Fri -- Bench press, incline press or any
pushup variation of your choice (5 x 5 for
the weight work and 5 x 10 - 50 for the pushups,
depending on what you do and how strong you are
in the movement you select)
Sat -- Deadlifts 5 x 5
Start each workout with a 10 minute warmup of your
choice, and finish with gut, grip or neck work,
doing gut work one day, grip work another day, and
neck work on the third day.
If you want to include heavy awkward objects you
can do them on Sat after the deadlifts -- or do them
on a day of their own. Space them so they don't come
the day before or the day after squats or deadlifts.
Cardio work can follow your strength work 3 to 5 times
a week. Don't overdo the cardio, and don't do the same
sort of cardio. Mix things up.
If you like dumbbells or kettlebells or cables or
heavy clubs or Olympic lifting or ropes and rings
or gymnastics or handstands or anything else that
isn't mentioned, work it into the schedule in a
logical fashion. For example, do kettlebell presses
on Monday instead of (or in addition to) your military
presses -- and do kettlebell swings on Sat before
your deadlifts.
Also note that you can slot in some extra rest days
and turn this from a 7 day schedule to a 9 or 10 day
program. There's no law that says you have to train
on a 7 day schedule -- we all just do it because
there happen to be 7 days in a week.
For some of you, this program would QUICKLY lead to
overtraining -- but for others, it will work pretty
darn well. So if you've been thinking about daily
workouts, give it a try!
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. Mixing weight work and bodyweight training is a
terrific workout option, whether you train 2 times,
3 times or 6 times a week. For the best in progressive
bodyweight workouts, grab DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and DVD's -- are
right here at Dino Headquarters. Save clams on s&h by
ordering two or more at the same time:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "By word or deed, become an
ambassador of sensible training." -- Brooks Kubik
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