Will Weight Training Kill You?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

When I was a kid, everyone said that
lifting weights was bad for you -- and
many believed that if you lifted weights,
you'd die young.

But is that true?

Maybe not.

If we take a look at the first 18 winners
of the AAU Mr. America contest, we get
an average age at death of almost 83
years -- and we have 8 men who lived
into their 80's.

And by all accounts, these men were
healthy, active, strong and fit even at
an advanced age.

That doesn't sound like weight training
killed them.

You can look at old-time strongmen and
weightlifters, as well -- and at other old-
time bodybuilders and physical culturists.

What you find is that the majority of
these athletes lived long and healthy
lives.

Of course, some died at relatively young
ages, but the men who died young tended
to be smokers, heavy drinkers, or extremely
heavy men -- or an unfortunate accident or
illness led to their death.

But by and large, the old-timers lived
long and healthy lives.

That may have been due in part to good
genetics or good luck -- and it also may have
been due in part to living in a world with less
chemicals and fewer pollutants.

But you also have to credit their lifestyle.

These men exercised regularly. They trained
hard, but they followed sensible and intelligent
training programs. They didn't follow the over
the top "insanity" workouts that so many
people follow nowadays. They allowed
adequate time for recovery and recuperation.

Some of the old-timers were wrestlers, and
they got a lot of conditioning from their
wrestling workouts and related roadwork.

But the weightlifters and bodybuilders
tended to lift weights and do little else.
They never did the type of cardio that
so many use nowadays.

They were lean and muscular, but they didn't
display the extreme definition that you see in
modern bodybuilding.

They didn't use roidskies, drugs or chemicals
to build their bodies. Most of them didn't even
use food supplements.

Most of them were married, had families, and
had many hobbies and interests other than
their training.

And that's a pretty good way of living --
and a good way to stay healthy and strong
for a very long time.

I'm sorry so many people told me that
weight training would kill me. And I'm
darn glad I didn't listen to them!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. I cover old-school physical culture,
strength training and muscle building in
every issue of The Dinosaur Files
newsletter.

It's your monthly key to lifelong strength
and health. Go here to grab the Nov-Dec
2016 issue -- with immediate electronic
delivery:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

P.S. 2. Gray Hair and Black Iron is the
best book ever on sane, sensible and
effective training for older Dinos:

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

We've also done a great little mini-course
on effective training for older Dinos --
with a brand new workout. It's available
in PDF with immediate electronic delivery:

http://www.brookskubik.com/minicourse_01.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: "Train smart,
eat smart, follow the rules of good health,
and live your life to the fullest." -- Brooks
Kubik

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How Long Should a Workout Take?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

1. The Dinosaur Files

We just released the Nov-Dec issue of the
Dinosaur Files in PDF format - and readers
are loving it.

Go here to grab your copy of the little
monster:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

2. Christmas Orders - It's Getting Close!

We bought a Christmas tree yesterday,
and that means that it's getting close to
the big day - so please get those orders
in so we can fill them for you. The big
storm is slowing down mail delivery a
bit, so don't delay.

3. Something for Older Dinos

Last year we did a great new mini-course
on effective training for older Dinos --
with a brand new workout. It's available
in PDF with immediate electronic delivery:

http://www.brookskubik.com/minicourse_01.html

Many of you already have this little
gem, but if you don't, grab it now. I
Know you'll like it.

4. How Long Should a Workout Take?

I get tons of emails from readers who want
to know how long a workout should take.

They've read about two, three, four and
even five hour workouts -- and about
'"champions" who supposedly train all
day long -- and they wonder how they
can fit all that training into their schedules.

Some trainees even give up and QUIT
because they think they have to train for
several hours in every workout, and they
don't know how they can do it.

It's frustrating, because trainees have been
facing this issue for over 50 years -- and
the answer has been out there for just as
long -- but most trainees still don't get
it.

That's because the good information gets
lost in a sea of bad advice. Or nowadays, in
a cyber-sea of bad advice.

And that's why we all need to keep beating
the drum for sane, sensible, effective and
productive strength training and muscle
building.

So let me do exactly that.

Fifty years ago, Bradley J. Steiner, Peary
Rader, Arthur Jones, and a small handful
of other writers told their readers:

1. Long workouts are not necessary.

2. Most trainees actually do better on
shorter workouts.

3. You can get a terrific, result producing
workout in just 45 to 60 minutes.

a. You even can do it in 30 minutes.

b. Or 20 minutes.

4. Of course, you need to make every
minute count.

a. You need to focus on QUALITY in your
training.

b. Focus on the best exercises -- and follow
the best set/rep systems.

c. Train with concentration and focus.

5. Train for strength. Always try to get
stronger. Always work on improving your
performance from workout to workout.

My own workouts usually take 50 to 75
minutes. Most of them clock in at right
around one hour.

That's one hour, three times a week.

And it works great.

Give it a try, and see what happens!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Chalk and Sweat has over 50 terrific
workouts for trainees of all experience levels,
and none of them require you to spend your
life in the gym:

http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.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: "It's not how
LONG you train, it's HOW you train that
counts." -- Brooks Kubik

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Take a Look Inside the New Dinosaur Files!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

The new Dinosaur Files is here,
and it's another great issue!

Take a look at the Table of
Contents:

November – December 2016

Dinosaur Files

Table of Contents

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Mesozoic Mail
 
Greetings from Italy – My Favorite
Article  - How a 56-Year Old Dino
Trains – Pushing Toward a 100-Kilo
Military Press - More Dino Files
Feedback – Feedback from
Scotland – Thanks for the
Bench Press Advice - Viking
Feedback – A Training Update

Jurassic Jottings
 

From Beef to Burgers – Feeling
a Little Needled – Speaking of the
Gym – Squat and Split Snatches –
Head Over Tea Kettle – An Important
Safety Note – Moving Targets at the
Gym – Lying and Seated Targets at
the Gym – An Old School Gym –
Some Impressive Lifting from
1953 – Meanwhile, Back in
Belgium – This Is Some Serious
Curling Power – Don’t Arm
Wrestle this Guy – Iron
League Update – New from
Bill Hinbern

Answers to Your Training
Questions

Combining 20-Rep Squats and
Deadlifts – Adding Weight When
Using the Light, Medium, Heavy
System – A Question About Specialty
Squat Bars for Lifters with Shoulder
Problems – A Tonnage Question

A Different Twist on Rest-Pause
Training

My Singles Experiment

An Update on My Training Program

Try this Two-Week Divided Workout
Program!

The 2016 Stonelifting Tour (Part 2)

A Result-Producing and Effective
Workout

Build Strength and Muscle Mass
with Reg Park!

An Older Dino’s Training Program

The Wrap-Up 

As you can see, this issue - like all
issues of The Dinosaur Files - is a
goldmine of training advice for
Dinos.

The kind of no-nonsense, real world
Training advice you won't find
anywhere else.

Which is not surprising - because
the Dino Files is a strength training
journal by and for people like you and
me - people who call themselves
Dinosaurs!

Go here to grab the November-
December issue of the Dinosaur
Files:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

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It's Here - The Nov-Dec Issue of The Dinosaur Files!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

The November/December issue of The
Dinosaur Files Newsletter is ready and
you can order your pdf copy right here:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_novemberdecember2016.html

You can read the article lineup and more
details at the above link, we should have
the kindle version ready shortly.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

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

What's Your Favorite Exercise?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

1. The Dinosaur Files

We have a combined November -
December issue of the Dinosaur
Files that's just about ready to
launch in PDF format. It should
be ready today or tomorrow. Be
looking for the link.

2. Christmas Orders

It's getting close to Christmas - so
get those orders in so we can get
your books and courses shipped to
you. We want to be sure they get
there in time for the big day!

3. What's Your Favorite Exercise?

I thought I'd start the day with a
question for the Dinos.

What's your favorite exercise -- and
why?

And while you're thinking about it, I'll
share my answer.

1. My favorite exercise has changed over
the years. Of course, that's to be expected,
since I've been training for over half a
century.

2. I've always enjoyed virtually every
exercise I've ever done, so at any point
in time I've had a number of favorite
exercises.

3. In picking a favorite exercise, I look
at how much I enjoy performing the
movement -- and also at how it makes
me feel immediately after I finish -- as
well as how it makes me feel later in
the day and the next day.

4. And, of course, I look at the results
the exercise gives me.

5. It's hard to pick just ONE favorite
exercise.

6. Past favorites have included bottom
position squats and bottom position
bench presses  -- as well as seated
presses on an 80 degree incline
bench, which I also performed
bottom position style.

a. These were probably the best strength
and muscle mass movements I ever did.

7. One hand barbell snatches were a
favorite once.

8. So was the barbell clean and press.

9. And the one-hand dumbbell swing.

10. Ditto for some of the advanced pull-up
variations in Dinosaur Bodyweight Training.

11. Along with handstand push-ups and some
of the other push-ups covered in DBT.

a. And the one-hand barbell deadlift.

b. The farmer's walk.

c. Sandbag and barrel lifting.

d. Heavy partials in the power rack.

e. The seated press behind neck.

Note: Loved these when I was young -
but don't go near them now. They're
too hard on the shoulder joints.

f. Heavy barbell curls.

g. The Trap Bar deadlift.

g. And the list, as they say, goes on
and on.

12. My current favorites are snatches,
clean and jerks, high pulls, and front
squats.

a. I love the feel of these movements.

b. And I love how I feel when I finish a
hard workout built around these exercises.
c. I also love the way they make me feel --
as in, strong, healthy and energized.

And my current no. 1 favorite of them all
is -- I honestly don't know.

Probably one of the four movements I
currently do -- or all of them.

That's not a definitive answer, but it's the
best I can do. And it may very well change
over time.

But in any case, let me know what YOUR
favorite exercise is. So give it some
thought, and fire in an email. I'll share
the best responses or a summary of
them -- unless the consensus is lateral
raises, pec dec pumpers and concentration
curls -- although that doesn't seem likely.
After all, if you're reading this, you're a
Dinosaur!

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'll find some terrific exercises in
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training and in Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training. Who knows -- they
might end up being your new favorites!

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

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters -- along with links
to my PDF courses and e-books on Kindle:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Exercises are
like friends -- you should choose them wisely."
--Brooks Kubik

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Reg Park, Brad Steiner, and Much More!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Several days ago I shared an email
about Bradley J. Steiner's list of the
21 "Essential Exercises."

I noted that when I started in the Iron
Game, Steiner wrote for Peary Rader's
old Iron Man magazine, and was one of
the most popular Iron Game authors in
the world -- as well as one of the most
honest and most direct.

Steiner taught old school training --
and told his readers to stay away from
the muscle pumping nonsense that was
(and still is) so very common -- and also
told his readers to stay away from
steroids and other drugs.

He often wrote about the mental aspects
of strength training and muscle building.

He focused on physical culture -- a great
term -- and on making yourself the very
best and strongest person that you could
be, both physically and mentally.

He also talked about using your training
to enrich your life rather than making
your life revolve around your training.

As in, train three times a week for about
an hour per workout. That's plenty of
time to build tons of strength and
muscle -- and it allows you to live
a full and rewarding life.

In other words, he taught old school
training and old school values.

So you can see why I enjoyed reading
his books and articles so much.

Anyhow, I've received a ton of emails
from readers asking where they can find
more from Bradley J. Steiner.

There are three places to look.

1. The Iron League

The first is John Wood's Iron League,
which includes old issues of the very
same Iron Man magazines that carried
Steiner's articles "back in the day."

John has a special license to post these
old issues of Iron Man -- and a complete
collection of them -- and a ton of other
great stuff, including several boxes of
rare old materials from my personal
library, which I have loaned to him
to share on the Iron League.

He also uploads old video -- including
my old Dinosaur Training videos from
back in the 1990's. In fact, it's the only
place to find them. I'm letting John do
that because I think the Iron League is
a really important project, and I want
to help support what he's doing.

The Iron League is a members only,
curated website with an incredible
collection of old Iron Game books,
courses and magazines.

One of our Dinos calls it "The Library
of Congress of Strength" -- and that's
a pretty good name for it.

Go here to join The Iron League:

http://www.ironleague.com/

So that's the first place to find old
articles by by Bradley J. Steiner.

2. Bill Hinbern's Website

The second place to look is Bill
Hinbern's website.

Bill has been selling old books and
courses for something like 50 years
now -- and he sells a great looking
reprint edition of Steiner's otherwise
impossible to find, classic text, The
Complete Guide to Effective Barbell
Training.

Note that Bill did this with Steiner's
express permission and approval --
which is how you do these things.

Go here to grab The Complete Guide:

http://superstrengthtraining.com/complete-guide-effective-barbell-training-bradley-steiner

And that's the second place to find
more training wisdom from Bradley
J. Steiner.

3. Brad Steiner's Website

The third place to look for material
from Bradley J. Steiner is at his
website.

It focuses on self-defense training,
but includes plenty of info on effective
strength training, as well.

Go here to check it out:

http://www.americancombato.com/

4. Reg Park Specialization Courses

I mentioned Reg Park in the title of
this email/blog post, and you may be
wondering why, since I haven't
mentioned him yet.

The answer is this -- Bill Hinbern has
just released a series of specialization
courses written by Reg Park.

Bill used to be the North American
distributor for these courses -- but
they haven't been available for over
40 years.

For more information on these VERY
RARE and one of a kind courses, go
here:

http://superstrengthtraining.com/reg-park-mr-universe-specialization-courses

Be sure to tell Bill I sent you. I've been
buying stuff from him for over 40 years
now, and he's a very good friend.

Anyhow, I hope that answers the questions
about where to find more OLD GOLD from
Bradley J. Steiner -- as well as some terrific
old courses from Reg Park.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

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All Out Exercises for Strength and Power!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

On the training front, let's talk a bit more
about Bradley J. Steiner's "Essential Exercises."

I covered them in an email several days ago.

If you missed it, go to the Dinosaur Training
Blog and read it there. By the way, I post all
of my emails on the Blog, so if you ever miss
an email, you can always find it at the Blog.

You can access the Blog from the drop down
bar at my website.

Or, just follow this link:

http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2016/12/steiners-top-21-exercises-do-you-do-them.html

Anyhow, one of Steiner's essential exercises for
the back was the power clean.

I agree that the power clean belongs on the list,
but I'd go a bit further and add a number of
other weightlifting movements to the program.

Some people call these "All Out" exercises. That's
an excellent term for them.

And I'll tell you something else. I very much wish
that someone had taught me to focus on these
exercises when I was a kid. It would have been
the best thing ever for my wrestling. I was a
very good wrestler in high school -- I won a
state championship in Greco-Roman wrestling --
but I would have been twice as good if I had
trained with All Out exercises.

So here are some exercises that I consider to
be "Essential Exercises" for athletes -- and for
anyone who wants to increase their strength
and power enormously:

1. Power cleans

Note: If you know how to do them, you can
use squat cleans instead. Or train both
movements.

2. Clean grip high pulls

3. Power Snatches

Note: If you know how to do them, you can
train split snatches or squat snatches. Or
train power snatches and your choice of
split or squat snatches.

4. Snatch grip high pulls

5. The power clean and press

Note: You can squat clean and press if you
prefer squat cleans. Ditto for the next two
movements.

6 . The power clean and push press

7. The power clean and jerk

8. Push presses

9. Jerks

Note: These can be power jerks or split
jerks.

10. Snatch grip deadlifts

11. Clean grip deadlifts

12. Snatch grip or clean grip deadlifts
with a shrug at the top of the movement

All of the exercises listed above provide
multiple benefits. They simultaneously:

1. Build your strength and explosive power.

2. Improve your speed, balance, coordination,
timing and athleticism.

3. Train the heck out of your legs, back, hips
and shoulder girdle (which are the true keys
to Herculean super strength).

4. Build strong, thick bones.

5. Strengthen your nervous system, and help
maintain a strong mind-muscle link and
athletic movement patterns -- which makes
them very important for healthy aging.

For details on how to work these movements
into your training programs, see:

1. Chalk and Sweat (50 workouts for anyone from
beginners to advanced trainees, with many workouts
featuring weightlifting exercises):

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

2. Strength, Muscle and Power (29 chapters covering
a huge variety of topics, including how to add Olympic
lifting to your programs):

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

3. Black Iron: The John Davis Story (reveals World
and Olympic champion John Davis' actual training
programs):

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

4. The Doug Hepburn Training Course (how the 1953
World Weightlifting champion trained):

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

Note: This one is also available in Kindle and PDF
editions -- see the links at our Products page,
which is right here:

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

5. Gray Hair and Black Iron (how older lifters can
train safely and effectively with Olympic lifting
movements):

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

6. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 1 (covers many
different training approaches for cellar dwellers and
garage gorillas, including some excellent weightlifting
workouts):

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_01.html

Note: This also is available in Kindle and PDF editions.
See the links at our Products page.

7. If you need help on how to perform the movements,
see my Going Strong at 54 DVD:

http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Thought for the Day: "You're never too
old to learn something new, and you're never
too old to lift!" -- Brooks Kubik

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