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| 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:
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