My Favorite System of Single Rep Progression

Heavy singles can build some serious strength - especially when you combine them with power rack training. That's 440 pounds going for a ride back in the original Dinosaur Dungeon.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

1. The Dino Files

We've been getting great feedback on the
March and April issues of The Dinosaur Files.

If you don't have them, grab them now:

March

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

April

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

And as always, shoot me an email and let
me know how you like The Dino Files.

By the way, I'm already working on the
May issue - and it's going to be another
good one!

2. The John Wood Report

I've been hearing great things about
issue no. 2 of The John Wood Report.

It's a monster-sized, 19 page issue, in PDF
format so you can get it instantly - and yes,
it's printable, so you can print it and save it
(just like The Dinosaur Files).

It has some great articles and training tips.

Tips on building pressing power, some fun
push-up challenges, cool workouts, a primer
on the reverse curl, some ab flattening tips,
special gut exercises and - get this - the
Hammer Man's Challenge to the World.

Go here to grab the the little monster:

https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/johnwoodreport-02.html

Also, if you missed issue no. 1, it's right
here:

https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/johnwoodreport-01.html

I wonder what John has in mind for
issue no. 3!

3. My Favorite System of Single Rep
Progression

I've had a lot of questions about progression
systems for single rep training, so I thought
I'd briefly review my favorite way of doing it.

As always, it's very simple - but very
effective.

Start by working up to ONE heavy single. Not
your maximum single, but a heavy one.

The next time you train that exercise, do
TWO heavy singles with the same weight
you used in your first workout.

In the next session where you train that
exercise, do THREE heavy singles with
that weight.

Continue until you are doing FIVE heavy
singles with that particular weight - and
then add five pounds, drop back to ONE
heavy single, and repeat the entire process.

Thus (after warm-ups):

Workout 1 - 1 top single

Workout 2 - 2 top singles

Workout 3 - 3 top singles

Workout 4 - 4 top singles

Workout 5 - 5 top singles

That's how to do it using single progression.

You also can do it using double progression.

For double progression, you stay at the
same number of singles for two workouts -
and then add the additional single.

Double progression is slower, but it's a
very good way of doing things. It helps
build a strong foundation and prevents
burning out.

In other words (after warm-ups):

Workout 1 - 1 top single

Workout 2 - 1 top single

Workout 3 - 2 top singles

Workout 4 - 2 top singles

Workout 5 - 3 top singles

Etc.

As I said, it's very simple - but very effective.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For more about single rep progression,
read my Doug Hepburn training course. He
loved heavy singles - and had some great
training programs to use with them:

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

My Hepburn course is also available in PDF
and Kindle editions. See the links in the PDF
and Kindle sections at our products page:

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

"Think it through, make a plan, chalk
up, and train."

-- 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

Making Some Changes

Reg Park always gave his training programs plenty of thought and careful planning - and he ended up being one of the best built men of his generation - as well as one of the strongest!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I've been following pretty much the same
training program for a very long time, and
I was beginning to feel like I was in a bit
of a rut.

And I decided it was time for a change.

So I did what I always do when it's time for
some serious planning and strategizing.

I sat down with paper and pen and started
to make notes on:

1. My short term and long term goals and
objectives,

2. Timelines for achieving them,

and

3. Strategies and tactics for achieving
them.

And I ended up with a lot of notes, and some
very detailed workout schedules - as well as a
detailed diet and nutrition plan.

That may sound like a lot of work to change
your workout around, but I've always found
that things work best if you start by thinking
them through - and by making good, sound
plans about what you want and how you can
achieve it most effectively and efficiently.

There's an old saying that sums it up pretty
well:

"Failure to plan is planning to fail."

Anyhow, my next workout will be a lot
different than the last one - and it will
be interesting (and fun) to see what
happens.

I'll keep you posted going forward.

In the meantime, if you want some specific
details on planning and goal setting take a
look at Lesson No. 1 (Chapter 1) of Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training:

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

It will take you through the entire
process in detail.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you're thinking about trying a fun
new program, check out the 2-1 Workout
in the April issue of The Dinosaur Files:

April Dino Files

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

Of course, you might also like the World's
Toughest Leg Training Program - which is
in the March issue of The Dinosaur Files:

March

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

The Save Your Life Neck Training Workout
is another good one to work into your
training schedule. You'll find it in the
November issue of The Dinosaur Files:

Nov Dino Files 

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.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:

"An hour of planning can save years of
wasted effort."

-- Brooks Kubik

BEFORE YOU LEAVE . . .

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

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

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

Punching Cancer Right in the Mouth!

 

In his prime, John Davis was the strongest man in the world - but cancer took the two-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion in his early 60's.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Over the years, we've lost a number of Dinos
to cancer - including some who I knew very
well - and several who were good friends.

And, of course, we all know other people
who have been hit with cancer.

My Dad, for example - he died of cancer in
2015.

So I don't like cancer - and I'm very glad
to share stories where someone beats it.

In the March and April issues of The
Dinosaur Files newsletter, John Stehman,
one of our longtime Dinos (and a lifelong
powerlifter - now in his late 60's) tells the
story of receiving an out-of-the-blue cancer
diagnosis, and being scheduled for surgery,
and going thru the surgery - and then
fighting to make his comeback.

It's one of the most inspiring stories you'll
ever read.

And I guarantee that it will get you thinking.

Focusing on the really important things in
life.

And training and eating not just for strength,
power and muscle mass, but for optimum
health.

If you've read the March and April Dino
Files, you know exactly what I mean.

If not, please read them. John's story
has some very important information
for all of us.

You can grab the March and April issues
right here:

March

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

April

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

After you read them, let me know what
you think about John's two-part article -
and about the other articles in these two
issues.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

A Very Common Training Conundrum

 

Like all great champions, Reg Park always went to the gym with a very clear idea of what he was going to do that day - but he also listened to his body, and made adjustments as necessary.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two important notes, and then we'll talk
training.

1. The April Dinosaur Files

Is now available in a 12-page PDF edition -
with immediate electronic delivery - and it's
printable, so you can print it and save it in
your Iron Game collection.

It includes some great articles - including my
article on the virtually unknown 2-1 Workout -
which everyone seems to want to try now.

Go here to grab the little monster:

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

2. The John Wood Report, No. 2

Issue No. 2 of The John Wood Report is
getting great reviews - and that's no
surprise because it's a really good issue.

Go here to grab it:

https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/johnwoodreport-02.html

Like the Dino Files, The John Wood
Report is a PDF with immediate elec-
tronic delivery - and it's printable.

3. Should You Plan Your Workouts
                         or
Train Based on How You Feel?

A reader asked me whether I always plan
my workouts before training or whether I
base the workout on how I feel that day.

That's a good question, and it's one that
seems to puzzle lots of people -- probably
because they view it as an "either/or" when
it's really a "bit of both."

To begin with, I always have a long term
training plan, and long term goals -- usually
a one-year plan, but sometimes a bit longer.

To get there, I break things down into a
series of mini-cycles. I like to do one month
mini-cycles. I set specific goals for each of
the one month cycles.

I alternate lighter weeks with more volume,
and heavier weeks with less volume.

This is a simple but effective way for an older
Dino to train. I call it "simple cycling." It's a
way of maximizing recovery by using a
combination of light, medium and heavy
days.

I always go back through my training log,
and review the last couple of workouts,
and then write up my workout -- with
all of the exercises, sets, reps and
weights.

So the answer to the question is "Yes,
I plan my workouts very carefully."

But I also listen to my body, and based
on how I feel on a given day, I may very
well change things up a little once I start
training.

Mike Burgener has a good way of putting
it:

"When the oven is hot, you do your cooking."

In other words, if everything is clicking on
a given day, use more weight or do more
sets or more reps.

BUT -- and this is very important -- you
also need to go lighter and easier on those
days when that oven just won't heat up.

This is one of the very hardest things to
learn. But it's also one of the most
important.

If you're having an off day and you try to
push through it, things usually don't go
very well. It's better to train light, and
then come back and hit it harder another
time.

Of course, you don't want to take it too easy
too often -- but if you're a Dino, there's not
much danger of that happening.

So plan your workouts -- but listen to your
body, and make any necessary adjustments
after you chalk your hands and get going.

Hope that helps!

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 simple
cycling systems for older trainees -- and details
over 50 great workouts for older Dinos:

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

P.S. 2. Progression is the name of the game,
and I cover a variety of very effective progression
systems in Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 3:

Hard copy

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

Kindle e-book

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

PDF

See the links to our PDF courses at our products
page:

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

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

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day:

"Think, plan, pay attention, and modify
as needed." 

-- 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

Everyone Wants to Try It!

Not everyone wants to do old-school, Retro Lifting the way I do it here at Dino Headquarters - but everyone wants to give something else a try - and when you read about it, you may want to join them!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

The April issue of The Dinosaur Files
newsletter features a very unusual
workout.

It's called the 2-1 Workout.

I learned about it from an old-timer
way back in the late 1970's.

And get this - I've never heard about
anywhere else - and never read about
it - and never seen anyone else do it.

And that's saying a lot, because I've
been training and studying strength
training for over 50 years - and I've
pretty much read everything there is
to read about it.

Which means that the 2-1 workout is
a very unusual program.

But it's also a very good one.

So far, every email I've received with
feedback on the April Dino Files is
from a reader who wants to give it
a try.

You can check it out yourself - and
see if YOU want to give it a go.
It's right here - in the April issue of
The Dinosaur Files:

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.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

I Get this Question All the Time!

Training hard and having fun in the outdoor training area here at Dinosaur Headquarters.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

1. The April Dinosaur Files.

Is available right here in PDF format:

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

As always, be sure to let me know how
you like the little monster.

2. I Get This Question ALL The Time!

On the training front, here's a very
common question. I get it all the time.

People phrase it differently, of course,
but the bottom line is wanting to do a
program that focuses exclusively on
a couple of big exercises - but wondering
if they'll start losing muscle from the
muscle groups that don't get direct work.

For example . . .

A reader wants to do a three-exercise
program:

1. Squat

2. Clean and press

3. Deadlift

He'd include some sandbag finishers, and that
would be it.

Note: I assume this is a divided workout program
with one exercise in each workout. It would be very
hard to do all three in one workout several times a
week. Also, if you did clean and press and one or
both of the other movements, the clean and press
should come first. Always do your explosive
movements (meaning the clean, in this case)
at the beginning of your workout.

Anyhow, his specific question is this:

"I feel a bit guilty for not incorporating direct chest
or bicep work. Can I get a good chest workout --
biceps, too -- from these three exercises without
doing a specific bench press or curl?"

Now, as i said, I get variations of this question
all the time.

Readers want to know if their arms and chest will
shrink away to nothingness if they stop doing
bench presses and curls.

So here's the answer.

1. If upper arm size is important to you, then do
curls or pull-ups once a week.

a. Pull-ups would have the added benefit of
working your lats, which would be good to do.

2. If chest size is important to you, then do
bench press, incline press or dumbbell variations
of either movement once a week -- or do some
variation of pushups.

3. If upper arm size and chest size is important
to you, then you need to train these muscles.

a. Otherwise, you'll fret and worry that you're
losing size, and that will derail your entire
program.

b. Why make things harder for yourself?

4. If upper arm size and chest size is NOT that
important to you, then you can either do the
direct arm and chest work or skip it, as you
prefer.

5. Note that many old-timers never did any bench
pressing or curling -- and they did fine.

a. You also have many old-timers who never did
bench presses. John Grimek is a good example --
he never did bench presses, but he was the best
developed man of his generation -- and one of
the strongest.

6. Most Olympic lifters don't do bench presses or
direct arm work, and they do just fine.

7. In most cases, the guys who ask the question
should do some direct arm and chest work --
because the mere fact that they are asking
the question suggests that they will worry
that they are "getting smaller" if they don't
include those exercises -- even if they're
actually growing like weeds from the heavy
leg and back work.

a. Remember, 90% of the physical game is a
mental game.

b. See 3(a) and (b) above.

8. Some trainees (especially older trainees)
have shoulder issues that make bench pressing
difficult or impossible for them. If that's the
case, do incline bench work or pushups, or
just stick to overhead presses.

9. Always remember that your current program
is not what you will be doing for the rest of your
life.

10. In other words, you can skip direct arm and
chest work for a couple of months, and then
work it back into your program. Problem
solved!

And that's the answer to a very common
question. I hope it helps. If anyone has
additional thoughts, send them on in.

And remember to grab the April issue of
the Dinosaur Files! It's a great issue.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S.If you're interested in some fun variations
of pull-ups and push-ups, grab 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: 

"Focus on leg and back work, and the
rest of the workout will take care of
itself."

-- 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 Mysterious 2-1 Program - and Much More!

 

John Grimek used many different training programs during his career - but I don't think he ever used the 2-1 Program. Very few people have ever used it - or even know what it is - and that's a shame, because it's an excellent program.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Big breaking news!

Yesterday afternoon we released the April
issue of The Dinosaur Files strength
training newsletter - and Dinos around
the world have been racing to grab the
little monster.

You can join them by going here to grab
your copy of the April issue:

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

It's another great issue, with some really
good articles - including part 2 of John
Stehman's inspiring and motivational
article about his battle against cancer -
and his comeback after his cancer
surgery.

Part 1 of John's article was far and away
the most popular article in  the March
issue - and part 2 is even better.

There's also a terrific article where I cover
the mysterious 2-1 program - and give you
the exact 2-1 program I followed back in
the day - and an updated and much more
effective version for you to try now.

You've probably never heard of the 2-1
program, and that's no surprise.

Very few people have ever heard of it.

I learned about it long ago from an old-
timer who had a home gym where a
friend and I used to train.

Where he learned it, I have no idea.

I've never heard of it from anyone other
than him - and I've never read about it -
and the odds are good that you've never
read about it either.

But you can read about it now - beginning
at page 10 of the April Dinosaur Files:

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

So grab the issue, read it, and give the 2-1
program a try - and let me know how you
like it!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik