Hail to the Dinosaurs!
When I checked my email, this one was waiting for me in the old in-box. The subject line was “Program Hopper.”
“Hi Brooks,
Having read Brawn, Dinosaur Training and Strength, Muscle and Power I feel I have a good foundation on what a sound program is. My problem is after finding and starting a good strength training program I get bored after 4 weeks and I want to change things up. So even though I'm jumping from effective program to effective program I never stay on one long enough to make any progress.
I need help how to stop this cycle. Any ideas?
Thanks
Matt”
“Any ideas?”
Frankly – yes.
There are a lot of things I could suggest. There are a lot of things I could talk about.
But this is one of those situations where I think our fellow lifter already knows the answer to his question.
So here’s my answer – sit down and write a detailed response to your email. Pretend it’s from me. Pretend it says everything I would say to anyone who has problems sticking to his training.
Especially if the problem is – “I get bored.”
In your response, be sure to address the following questions:
1. How much would I add to my squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, bent-over rowing (or pull-ups) and barbell curls if I trained them hard and heavy on a regular, consistent basis for the next three or four months?
2. How much bigger and stronger would I be if I stuck to my schedule and added 20 to 50 pounds to all of my exercise poundages over the next three or four months?
3. How would I look if I stuck to my schedule and added 10 or 20 pounds of muscle over the next three or four months?
4. How could training possibly be boring if I was always fighting to add weight to the bar – and if it was working – and if I was getting bigger and stronger from workout to workout?
5. If other guys can stick to their training program and make great gains – why can’t I do the very same thing?
6. Do I want to use single progression or double progression in my training – and why does Brooks keep talking about “progression” all the time?
7a. Does making measurable progress make strength training more interesting and more exciting?
7. If I go back through Brawn and Dinosaur Training and Strength, Muscle and Power, can I find a single example of someone who made great progress by flitting from program to program the way a butterfly flits from flower to flower?
8. Am I following an abbreviated training program based on basic, compound exercises – and am I seriously committed to adding weight to my exercises – and do I relish the sense of accomplishment that comes when I do so?
9. Am I jumping from program to program because of something I read on the internet or something I saw in a muscle comic or something some guy at the gym said to do – and if so, why am I letting other people influence me to stop following a productive program?
10. How do older lifters keep on training after 30, 40 or 50 years of lifting – and why do they look forward to their workouts so much – and why do they always look forward to their workouts?
There are other important points to cover, but start with those. They’ll give you plenty of ammunition.
Meanwhile, I’m going to sit down and outline my workout for tonight. It will be easy to do. I’ve been following the same basic workout for a long, long time.
And guess what? I’m really looking forward to tonight’s workout. Why? Because I’m going to make it the best one ever.
Not different.
Better.
And it’s going to fun – and exciting – and a challenge.
That’s what every workout is when you try to make each one better than the one before. It’s fun – it’s exciting – and it’s a challenge. And that’s the whole secret to making big gains.
Thanks for reading – and remember, if today’s your training day, make it the best one ever.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. One of the great ways to stay motivated and committed to your training is to get regular, monthly feedback from Dinosaur Training Headquarters and from your fellow Dinosaurs around the world – by subscribing to The Dinosaur Files newsletter. Grab your subscription today, and I’ll start you off as of May 2010 and send all of the back issues from May 2010 to November 2010 to get you started – and that way, you won’t miss an issue!
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_files.html
