 |
| Using smaller plates on your barbell is one of many ways to deal with low ceilings. In this video clip from 1997, I'm doing a 302 pound push press with a Christmas Tree barbell - all the small plates I had plus some chains to get over the 300 pound mark! |
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We got a ton of great feedback in response to
my earlier post about John Grimek's favorite
exercise - the clean and press.
The feedback included comments from a fairly
large number of Dinos who said they were not
able to do the clean and press because they
trained in their basement, and the ceiling was
too low.
That's a common problem. I had to deal with
it in the original Dino Dungeon - and I have to
deal with it today, because the basement of our
duplex is too low for overhead work.
So let's talk about some simple work-arounds
for that problem.
1. Go Outside.
I have two training areas now. I train outside
in the driveway whenever the weather permits.
 |
| Training outside at Dino Headquarters. Outside workouts are lots of fun - and being outside in the sun and fresh air is always good for you! |
I have a couple of thick stall mats that I lay
down to set up my "lifting platform" - and
I move the barbell and the plates outside -
and the squat stands if I want to do squats
or front squats.
Moving the weights outside is a part of my
warm-up now - so it serves double duty!
2. Use Smaller Plates.
The original Dinosaur Dungeon had ceilings
that were too low for overhead pressing with
an Olympic barbell loaded with 45 pound (or
20 kilo) plates.
And if you use rubber bumper plates, you
have the same problem with 10 kilo and 15
kilo plates - because they're the same size
as the bigger plates. Just thinner and lighter.
So I used iron plates - 25's, 10's and 5's -
and I was able to train with those because
they were so much smaller.
They were just low enough to miss hitting
the ceiling.
By the way, I set the barbell on top of a
pair of 2 x 8 boards so that the bar was
at the same height as if I were using 45's.
The 2 x 8 boards also protected the concrete
floor in the basement - which is always a
good thing.
3. Use dumbbells or kettlebells.
Using dumbbells or kettlebells for the clean
and press is another option that many Dinos
have used with great success.
For example, I used to do heavy dumbbell
exercises in the original Dino Dungeon - using
25's, 10's and 5's to load the dumbbells - and
I always had enough room to finish my presses,
push presses, and jerks.
And there are tons of different ways to do
dumbbell presses and similar exercises.
In fact, you can do quite a bit with a pair of
adjustable dumbbells.
 |
| Finishing a one-hand dumbbell swing with a 151-pound dumbbell. This was in the old Dino Dungeon - about 20 years ago. Fun times. |
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training gives you a
ton of old-school dumbbell exercises - and
50 different dumbbell workouts - so you can
include dumbbell exercises and enjoy plenty
of fun and exciting - and effective - workouts.
4. Split them up!
Do power cleans (or clean grip high pulls -
or deadlifts - or Trap Bar deadlifts). Do
any sets and reps you like - 5 x 5 works
well, but so does 5 x 3 or 5/4/3/2/1 or
5 x 5 followed by some triples and some
singles.
Then do seated military presses for what-
ever sets and reps you prefer.
Just be sure your bench is strong enough to
support both your weight and the weight of
your barbell.
I much prefer standing presses to seated
presses - but if seated presses are all you
can do, then do them - and don't sweat it.
And consider this - Grimek once wrote an
article about his "secret weapon" for training
the military press.
Guess what it was.
That's right - the seated press.
5. Do partial presses.
Do power cleans combined with a partial
presses.
 |
| Heavy partial push presses with 440 pounds on the bar. More fun times in the original Dino Dungeon. |
For bonus points, do some timed holds.
Clean the bar - do a partial press - and hold
it for a count of two to ten seconds.
These will fry your arms and shoulders!
Give them a try and you'll see what I mean.
So there you have it - five simple ways to
deal with low ceilings. I hope they help!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here are some of my favorite books
covering old-school workouts that work
great for home gym training:
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
Gray Hair and Black Iron
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
Chalk and Sweat
http://www.brookskubik.com/chalk_and_sweat.html
Strength, Muscle and Power
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength
and Development
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 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. 4. Thought for the Day:
"Let nothing stop you. You can think
through, work around, climb over or
smash any problem to pieces."
-- 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:
 |
