Dinosaur Training: If It's Working, Keep On Doing It!

World and Olympic Champion Charles Rigoulet preparing to perform a heavy one-hand snatch. Like all great champions, Rigoulet found the training programs that worked best for him - and then stuck to them like gorilla glue!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I have two important notes for you, and
then we'll talk training.

1. The Sept-Oct Dino Files

The Sept-Oct issue of The Dinosaur
Files is right here - in a downloadable
PDF format with immediate electronic
delivery:

www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles-sep-oct2018.html

I'm working to finish the Nov issue, and
we hope to have that ready for you pretty
soon.

If you have comments or feedback on the
Sept-Oct issue, shoot them in asap!

2. More Great Swag for Dinos!

John Wood has released some great new
strongman shirts and other great stuff at
the Retro Strength Shop - some of them
are shown above, but there's close to 200
different items to choose from.

Go here to check them out:

https://www.retrostrength.com/shop/

3. If It's Working, Keep on Doing It!

At least once a week I get an email from a
reader who's doing something that's working
well for him -- meaning that he's making good
gains in strength and muscle, recovering from
his workouts and enjoying his training -- but
then he sees something on the Interwebs
and it makes him think he should change
his program and do something different.

It's usually one of two things:

1. Something new and different that might
be better than what he's doing now -- often
being the workout of a current champion --
or a workout authored by the champion's
ghost writer.

2. A blog post, article or forum discussion
telling him that what he's doing "doesn't
work."

Most of the time it's number two -- which
is surprising, because the immediate
response should be, "It may not work
for YOU, but it works for ME!"

But written words are powerful, and all
too often they often make us second-
guess ourselves.

So our trainee -- the one who is making
good gains and having lots of fun in his
workouts -- starts to second-guess
himself.

And he sends me an email and asks what
he should do.

As I said, this happens at least once a
week. Luckily, as questions go, it's an
easy one.

The answer is always the same:

"If it's working, keep on doing it. If your
gains slow down or stop, then and only
then try something different."

And here's a related point. When you do
try something different, it should probably
be something similar, not a radical change
in approach. In other words, if 5 x 5 has
worked well for you, you might try 5 x 6,
6 x 6, or 5 x 5 followed by 1 x 3 and 1 x 1.

But don't change from 5 x 5 to 10 x 10,
or 50 rep death sets, or a three hour
pumping program.

Also, the best way to change things up is
often to use a new exercise, while keeping
the sets and reps the same. For example,
switch from back squats to front squats,
or from straight bar deadlifts to Trap Bar
deadlifts.

And remember this -- when you switch to
a new exercise or a new program, start
light and easy, and gradually add weight
to the bar. Make it progressive. Don't try
to max out and set new PR's the first day
in the saddle. See Dinosaur Training
Secrets, Vol. 3, for detailed advice on
how to use old-school progression systems
for steady gains without going stale or
burning out.

Anyhow, that's the answer to a very common
question -- one that's become all the more
common because of the often overwhelming
amount and diversity of information on the
Interwebs.

Remember, if it's working for you, keep on
doing it.

If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

If the wheels are still on the wagon, and
they seem to be working fine, don't stop
and change them.

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. I mentioned Dinosaur Training Secrets,
Vol. 3. Go here to grab the little monster in
your choice of three formats:

Hard-copy edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html

Kindle edition

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html

PDF with electronic delivery

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets_vol3_digital.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:

"Train with confidence. Avoid doubters
and nay-sayers. Be resolute, and do what
you need to do."

-- Brooks Kubik

Before You Leave - Check These Out!

Brooks Kubik's Kindle Books

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

We have over 25 books and courses in the Kindle store - including these little monsters: