I had a great three-exercise workout
last night.
I warmed up, and then did:
1. Split style snatches
2. Split style clean and jerk
3. Front squats
On each exercise, I started light and
did a series of progressively heavier
singles, working up to weights that
were "heavy" but not "maximum."
Pretty simple stuff, but pretty
effective. And lots of fun.
There are many other excellent three-
exercise workouts. For example, the
classic three-exercise workout for
strength and bulk training looks like
this:
1. Squats 1 x 20 or 5 x 5
2. Bench press 3 x 10 - 12 or 5 x 5
3. Bent-over rowing 3 x 10 - 12 or 5 x 5
The above routine, by the way, was a
favorite of both Peary Rader and Bradley
J. Steiner, which means it comes with one
heck of an endorsement.
A good variation of the classic program
looked like this:
1. Squats 1 x 20 or 5 x 5
2. Pull-ups 3 x 10 - 12 or 5 x 5
3. Dips 3 x 10 -1 2 or 5 x 5
The classic Big Three for athletes was
similar:
1. Power cleans 5 x 5 or 5 x 3
2. Bench press, push press or military
press 5 x 5 or 5 x 3
3. Squats 5 x 5
On each program, train two or three times
a week. Try using a light/medium/heavy
program. Or use a simple cycling system
over a four week or six week period. (See
Gray Hair and Black Iron for details.)
Also note that you can alternate two
different three exercise workouts, using
a Workout a and Workout B system -- but
still doing just two or three workouts per
week. In other words, Workout A on Mon,
rest on Tues, Workout B on Wed, rest
on Thursday, Workout A on Friday and
rest on Sat and Sun.
Each workout should take about one hour
to complete -- which was about how many
hours per week Reg Park trained when he
was doing strength and bulk work -- and
it's awfully hard to argue with his
results.
By the way, Tommy Kono trained three times
a week for 60 to 90 minutes per workout --
and it's awfully hard to argue with his
results, either.
I call this kind of training abbreviated
training. You can call it anything you
like -- but give it a try. It works!
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 abbreviated workouts,
see these books and courses:
1. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of
Strength and Development
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
2. Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
3. Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
4. Chalk and Sweat
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
5. The Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
6. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
7. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "When in doubt, do
squats!" -- Brooks Kubik
