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| Frank Gotch - Old-school Wrestling Champion. |
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
A 58-year old reader asked a question about
warm-up sets, and also mentioned that he is
trying to get back into his training after a long
lay-off of about three years or so.
He said he is starting to fall into a pattern of
training for awhile, and then laying off for a
long time before getting back into it.
He starts training, trains for a month or so,
and then stops -- and doesn't get back into
it for a couple of years. This has happened
several times. He wonders what he can
do to stop the cycle.
So I thought I'd tackle both questions in a
couple of emails. This is the first one.
Step one is to start training again -- and to
keep on training WITHOUT FAIL (meaning NO
MISSED WORKOUTS) until training becomes
a HABIT.
We used to refer to training programs and
training schedules and training routines.
The words "program," "schedule" and
"routine" are not accidental word choices.
They mean something. They mean that
you need to train on a consistent and
regular basis.
To do that, you need to train on a regular
basis, without any back-sliding or missed
workouts -- and you need to do it long
enough to make training a regular part
of your life.
And here's the good news: it only takes
30 days to establish the pattern.
That's just four weeks of regular training.
From there, you simply re-enforce the
pattern. Again, it doesn't take long. Two
months should do it.
So I want our on again, off again Dino to
follow a simple program that he can
stick to like gorilla glue for ther next 30
days -- and for the next 60 days after
that.
In short, I want him to get back into the
training habit -- and the success habit.
To get there, I'd like him to make it very
easy to train, and very hard to come up
with an excuse to miss a workout.
I'd like him to train three times a week.
More than that is too much, and won't
give him adequate time for recovery.
Less than that is too infrequent to make
training a regular part of his life.
He's been doing a total body workout
where he does 8 to 10 different exercises.
I'd like him to change to a three-day per
week divided workout program. That will
make each workout shorter and faster,
and still allow adequate time for his
warm-up and warm-up sets. At age 58,
he needs to be doing a good warm-up,
followed by several progressively heavier
warm-up sets on each exercise.
I want him to use the 5 x 5 system on all
of his exercises, and to do four progressively
heavier warm-up sets and one top set on
each exercise.
He should start light and easy and add a
small amount of weight to the bar on each
exercise every week for the first four to
six weeks -- and add weight every two
weeks for the next six weeks.
His program should look like this:
Mon
1. General warm-up
2. Military press or DB press 5 x 5
3. Back squat or front squat 5 x 5
4. Gut work -- 2 sets, low to medium reps
Wed
1. General warm-up
2. Bench press (barbell or DB) or incline
press (BB or DB) 5 x 5
3. Pull-downs, pull-ups, barbell bent-over
rowing or one-hand dumbbell rowing 5 x 5
4. Neck work with a headstrap or neck
isometrics -- two sets
Fri
1. General warm-up
2. Bent-legged deadlift with regular bar or
Trap Bar 5 x 5
3. Barbell or dumbbell curl 5 x 5
4. Close grip bench press 5 x 5
5. Grip work -- 2 or 3 sets
That's a good training program that will
build some serious strength and muscle
very quickly -- but each workout is short
and simple and it's really hard to look in
the mirror and say, "I'm too tired to train"
or "I don't have time to train."
Our trainee probably needs to clean up his
diet and optimize his nutrition. He should
read Knife, Fork, Muscle and follow the
advice it contains. If he needs to lose
weight, he should try the diet in Gray
Hair and Black Iron.
Our trainee also should start reading the
Dinosaur Files Quarterly -- because each
issue contains articles from trainees just
like him -- who have found ways to keep
on training no matter what obstacles they
face. Their stories are motivating, inspiring,
and educational. They'll help him stick to
his training when things get tough.
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| The Dinosaur Files Quarterly -- a goldmine of information, inspiration and motivation. |
After all, if someone else facing serious
obstacles can still find time to train, SO
CAN YOU!
In 90 days, our trainee will look and feel
like a new man -- and he'll be back to
regular training for the rest of his life!
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 Gray Hair and Black Iron
and Knife, Fork, Muscle -- as well as the
Dinosaur Files Quarterly. Go here to grab
them:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_quarterly.html
P.S. 2 My other books and courses -- and
links to all of my e-books on Kindle -- are
right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Start now, and
make sensible strength training a regular part
of your life." -- Brooks Kubik
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