How to Add Three Inches of Muscle to Your Quads - Fast!

John Grimek would have liked the training program described in today's Blog post - in fact, he used something very similar as a young man!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Everyone wants to build their arms
when they start training.

You know - the old "baseball biceps"
and "horseshoe triceps" thing.

The "big guns."

The "pythons."

Now, there's nothing wrong with
wanting to build bigger and
stronger arms (heck, I've written
several courses about how to do it).

But leg specialization is better and
more important.

Add an inch or two - or even three -
to your upper thighs, and you'll
literally transform your body.

You'll be bigger, thicker, stronger and
more muscular - better conditioned -
and those T levels that everyone
worries about nowadays will go
right through the roof!

That's why I like to include leg
specialization programs in The
Dinosaur Files strength training
newsletter.

And the Sept-Oct issue has a very
good one.

It's a very unusual program built
around the 20-rep breathing squat.

Now, that may sound like something
you already know about - but it isn't.

This one is different.

It starts different than the standard
program - and it includes a unique
and very effective progression
system.

And it works.

How well?

Get this.

The Dino who used it added THREE
INCHES of muscle to each thigh.

He also doubled his strength in the
20-rep squat - and increased his
endurance enormously.

And that's something worth reading
about.

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

Check it out - and give the program
a try.

I want to see more Quadzillas walking
around!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

A Better Way to Do 20-Rep Breathing Squats

There's a better way to do 20-rep breathing squats - and it's probably perfect for most of you. It also (get this) is similar to a program John Grimek used when he was getting started in the Iron Game - and that alone makes it very much worth trying.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

20-rep breathing squats have been
around for a long time - and trainees
around the world have used them
with excellent results.

And by "a very long time" I mean
close 100 years here in the USA.

But sadly, the standard advice on how
to start 20-rep squats and how to
progress them isn't very good.

You know what I mean.

The old "Take your 10-rep max and
force out 20-reps with it."

Which sounds heroic, but doesn't
work very well in practice.

It's MUCH BETTER to start light, and
work up slowly and gradually.

But as I said, the standard advice
sounds much more heroic - so that's
what we always see when people write
about the breathing squat.

Which is why it was quite a surprise
to see a new and different - and very
sensible - progression system for
20-rep squats.

Yes, that's what came across my screen
one day - in a workout report from one
of our many overseas Dinos.

I asked him for details, and it turned
into a nice little article - so I ran it in
the Sept-Oct issue of The Dinosaur
Files.

You can grab a copy right here - and
read the article beginning on p. 11:

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

This is a great progression system for
several reasons:

1. It's safe.

2. It's challenging - but not some sort
of over the top, insanity type program.

a. It won't hit you with crippling muscular
soreness that leaves you shuffling around
like a guy doing a perp walk in leg irons.

3. It's perfect for home gym training.

4. It builds a perfect combination of
strength, muscle mass and cardio
conditioning.

5. It's excellent for older trainees - just
start light and easy and work up slowly
and sensibly.

And yes, you can use it for 20-rep dead-
lifts as well as for 20-rep squats. (It would
be especially good for Trap Bar deadlifts.)

And I should also mention - a guy named
John Grimek did something very similar
when he was getting started in his training -
and he did pretty darn darn good!

All in all, it's a really good program - so
be sure to grab the Sept-Oct issue of The
Dinosaur Files and read all about it - and
after you try it for awhile, shoot me an
email and report on your results!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. In other news, we just released
my new training course on Heavy
Partials in the Kindle bookstore. The
course has been available in PDF for
awhile, and many of you asked for it
in Kindle - so now it's available both
ways:

Heavy Partials Course - Kindle

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

Heavy partials Course - PDF

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurstrengthandpower-02.html

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day

"Tried and true is always good -
but sometimes there are ways to
make it even better."

- Brooks Kubik

Brooks Kubik's Kindle Books

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

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

 
For even more Kindle books by Brooks Kubik, visit:

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

More Cardio Training Ideas for Dinosaurs!

Old-school, split-style snatches performed for sets of 3 to 5 reps will get you puffing and panting pretty quickly. For even more cardio benefit, use a lighter weight and do sets of 10 to 15 reps.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Over the years, we've received tons of
great ideas from Dinos around the world
about "cardio for iron-heads" - which is
my term for cardio training for those of
us who focus on heavy weight training
but want to do something that gives a
good cardio workout without adversely
affecting our strength training.

Here are some of my favorites over the
years.

I should also note that TONS of you like
to go for a walk with a weighted vest. I
get more feedback and "thumbs up" for
that than anything else. I guess I should
start selling special Dino-style weighted
vests (in approved Dino black).

1. Try 20 Rep Squats and Deadlifts!
I added a set of 20 rep squats and dead-
lifts for my cardio, and I feel super ener-
gized - and my joints feel great.

Jeff Hackett

2. Loaded Carries Do the Trick!

My solution to the cardio issue as an
older Dino has been loaded carries.
Outdoors I will do 1 - 5 lifts, followed
immediately by a 1 minute loaded
carry that tracks the lift I am doing:
sandbag shouldering and carry, sand-
bag zercher squat and zercher carry,
barbell muscle clean or snatch and
overhead carry, or deadlift and
farmers walk.

I take a one-minute timed rest
between sets, and repeat  each
lift and carry 4 - 10 times. I cover
60 to 80 meters on each carry.

I am breathing like a locomotive
at the end.

In six months, I've dropped 5 per-
cent fat while maintaining my
weight of 200 pounds at 6 feet.

Add in a low volume of daily grip,
gut and neck work and I'm good
to go.

Zail Khalsa

3. Hill Walks

Could not agree with you more. I
take two 30-minute walks a day in
my hilly neighborhood. I go faster
up the hills and slow down on the
flats and the decline. My husky
loves it, too.

Peter Yates

4. Try Cycling!

I would add cycling, too. It must be
one of the most under-rated cardio
exercises, not to talk of the potential
of building strong legs. And it's
easy on the lower back.

You also can get a lot of errands
done on a bicycle!

Paul Soumendra

5. The Rowing Machine!

Add rowing on the rowing machine!

Jan Moerman

So there you have it. Five more
ideas for Dino-style cardio training.

For more, see Gray Hair and Black
Iron and Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training:

Gray Hair and Black Iron

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

Dinosaur Bodyweight Training

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

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. My other books and courses are
right here at Dino Headquarters --
along with links to my Kindle e-books
and our PDF books and courses:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: 

"It's amazing what you can do with
a little bit of regular training and
steady, consistent effort." 

-- 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:

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

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

A Common Sense Approach to 20 Rep Breathing Squats

20 rep breathing squats are like any other exercise - but people think you have to jump into them as hard and heavy as possible - and completely forget about the basics of common sense progression. It's a very common mistake - but YOU don't have to make it!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One of our longtime Dinos is switching from
5 x 5 for his squats to 20 rep breathing squats.

So he asked about where to start and how to
progress.

He's read the standard advice for doing 20
rep breathing squats.

You've probably read it, too.

You take your maximum weight for 10 reps
(which is strange, because how many people
know their maximum weight for 10 all-out
reps in the squat?).

And then you start squatting - with or without
any warm-up sets (which also is strange).

And you force yourself to grind out one rep
after another until you get 20 reps with your
10 rep weight.

The goal is to work so hard your eyeballs
pop out of your head - or you cough up a
kidney - or other similar hyperbole.

Then you fall on the floor in a heap - and
lay there for 20 or 30 minutes, twitching
feebly.

And then you're incredibly sore for several
days - or perhaps a full week - after this one
set on your first "breathing squat workout."

Now, that sounds fine, and it reads well, and
it sells tons of books, courses and magazines.

But is it the best way to start doing 20 rep
breathing squats?

I don't think so.

There's absolutely no reason to kill yourself
the first time you do 20 rep breathing squats.

They're like anything else.

The best way to start is light and easy - get
the feel of the exercise - and give yourself
some time to adapt to the new movement.

That includes - very importantly - time to
rev up your cardiovascular system so you
can handle the unique demands of the 20
rep breathing squat.

I like to do this:

1. Start with 50% of your estimated 10 rep
weight - and do 20 reps with it.

If you're not sure what your 10 rep max is,
then start with something like 100 pounds
and work up from there.

It really doesn't matter where you start -
what matters is what you have on the bar
when you finish the program.

2. Train breathing squats once a week.

3. Add 5 pounds every time you do them,
and gradually and steadily work up to a
heavy weight.

That's the common sense way of doing it.

And quite frankly, it's the very best way of
doing it.

By the way, do you know about Peary
Rader?

He was one of the early pioneers of the
20 rep breathing squat - and one of its
biggest fans.

He started with an empty barbell when
he began doing his 20 rep breathing
squats.

That was good, because he didn't have
to cough up a kidney during his first
workout.

From there. over a couple of years, he
slowly worked up to some serious weight
on the bar - and he gained almost 100
pounds of muscle in two years.

For a complete review and step by step
instruction on sensible progression for
the 20-rep breathing squat - and for
many other sane, sensible, effective
old-school progression systems, grab
a copy of Dinosaur Training Secrets,
Vol. 3.

Hard-copy and Kindle editions

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

PDF edition

See the complete list of PDF books and
courses at our products page:

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

Enjoy the course - and always start light and
easy on any new exercise - and work up in
weight slowly, gradually and progressively.

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are
right here at Dino Headquarters - including
links to my PDF courses and my Kindle
books:

Hard-copy and PDF

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

Kindle

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day:

"Slow cooking makes tasty meals - and it
also builds strong bodies."

- 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:

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

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

A New Twist on 20 Rep Squats

 

You can build a heck of a lot of strength and muscle with Trap Bar training - and here are some tips for doing 20 rep breathing squats (or squat/deadlifts) with the Trap Bar.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I hope you had a great weekend, and
that you're ready to rock the world
this week.

Three quick notes, and then we'll talk
training.

1. The January Dinosaur Files

Go here to grab the January issue of the
Dinosaur strength training newsletter:

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

This month's issue features two great
new workouts - one for kettlebell fans
(but it also works for dumbbell training
fans) - and one for building strength and
muscle mass (good for anyone, of any
age - but double good for older Dinos.)

2. Strongman Coffee Mugs

John Wood is selling some killer strongman
coffee mugs - featuring Eugene Sandow and
George Hackenschmidt on the first two mugs.

Go here to grab them - and start every day
with strongman coffee:

Sandow Coffee Mug

https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/sandow-mug.html

Hackenschmidt Coffee Mug

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/hackenschmidt-mug.html

I know John plans to do more mugs -
I wonder who he's going to put on the
next one.

3. A New Twist on 20 Rep Squats

I started the morning with an email from
one of our long-time Dinos - who had a
very interesting question:

Hi Brooks,

Can you write about what modifications an
older Dinosaur would use to be able to do
breathing squats with a Trap Bar?

Thank you for all your advice, support and
motivation. I'm in the best over-all shape
and health of my life, and your no-nonsense
approach is a big reason why!

Zail K.

Thanks for your kind words, Zail. It's always
good to hear from you.

Many older Dinos prefer to use the Trap Bar
for their lower body training. It's often easier
and more forgiving for them than a squat bar.
So your question is a natural.

There are at least three different ways to do
breathing squats with a Trap Bar.

1. 20 Non-Stop Reps

You can hold the bar in your hands for the full
20 reps without letting go or putting it down.

The problem with this approach is that your grip
will usually give out before you finish the set.

You could use straps, but even so, there's another
important consideration - you need to make sure
you perform each rep in perfect form, with a flat
back.

Most guys who do 20 non-stop reps will start to
round their back - and that's no good, especially
for an older Dino.

I prefer to lower the bar - not drop it, but lower
it - re-set, and then perform the next rep.

Which leads us to . . .

2. 20 Singles

This is my preferred way of doing high rep deadlifts.
You break the set of 20 reps into 20 singles - and
do each one in perfect form.

This works well with breathing deadlifts because it
lets you focus on plenty of deep breathing on each
rep.

And that leads us to . . .

3. The Breathing Part

You can lower the bar to the floor, stand up and do
your breathing, and then do the next rep, lower the
bar, stand up and repeat.

Or - you can can complete the rep and do your
breathing with the bar in your hands.

I prefer the latter - because it means you're doing
a heavy shrug with each breath.

Deep breathing with a bar in your hands will work
your lungs to the max - as well as hitting pretty
much everything else.

It's a stand on your feet, total body, muscle mass
and strength building classic.

Also, note that you can do one deadlift followed
by one or two shrugs with the bar in your hands -
lower the bar - let go, stand up and take another
5 or 6 deep breaths before the next rep. That's
actually a very practical and effective way of
doing it.

After your deadlifts, so a set or two of very
LIGHT breathing pull-overs. A 25-pound bar
or two 15 pound dumbbells is plenty for your
pullovers.

Give this a try, and let me know what happens.
I think you'll like it.

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 result-producing and effective
workouts for older Dinos, grab Gray Hair and
Black Iron:

http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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. 3. Thought for the Day:

"Older and smarter leads to older and
stronger."

- 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:

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

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