A Remarkable Coincidence!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Life is full of interesting things.

Some of them are almost uncanny.

They come under the "Strange But True"
category.

Here's something that happened this
week at Dino Headquarters.

I was sitting at the dining room table,
writing Thank You notes to everyone
who reserved a copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle during the big pre-publication
special for the little monster.

We clip the Thank You notes to the
order sheets, so when the books get
here -- which should be sometime next
week, since they were printed yesterday --
we can easily match the note and the
order.

Anyhow, there are a lot of orders, and
there have been a lot of Thank You notes
to write.

So there I was, writing more Thank You
notes.

I picked one up.

Trudi had made a big notation on the order
form.

It was order number 1 for Knife, Fork,
Muscle.

That means, it's the very first order we're
going to fill -- and I'm going to sign the
book and flag it as copy no. 1.

It might be a collector's item someday.
Worth big wampum.

And it goes to one of our long-time
Dinos -- and to someone who's been
tossing the iron for many years. So
it's going to a good home.

Anyhow . . .

I started to write the Thank You note for
the man who placed the very first order --
and as I was writing it, I heard a loud

THUD

on the front porch.


So I went out to see what was up.

There was a package on the front porch.

And a UPS truck was already zooming
away.

I bent down and leaned forward -- and
picked it up -- read the label -- took it
inside -- and cut it open with a pocket
knife.

I reached inside the package, and pulled
something out, and laid it on the table.

It was the very first copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle.

The printing company always sends one
copy that you need to review and approve
before they print the rest of the books.

This was that one copy.

The first copy.

And it was delivered at exactly the moment
that I was writing a Thank You note to the
lucky Dino who placed the very first order.

It was one of those times when truth is
stranger than fiction -- but that's exactly
how it happened.

Hopefully, it's a good sign for Knife, Fork,
Muscle. Maybe lots of readers will think
it's the number 1 book on diet and nutrition
that they've ever read. That would be pretty
good.

In any case, we have the very first copy of
the book -- and it looks great -- and the rest
of them should be arriving sometime next
week -- and that means we're going to go
into super shipping mode to get them right
out the door to you.

So it's going to be a very busy week -- and
that's GREAT!

And that's the report from Dino Headquarters.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day. If
you train today, make it a good one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. You can't have the first copy of Knife, Fork,
Muscle -- that one's taken -- but you CAN have
a copy from the first printing. Go here to reserve
your copy now:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and the first
issue of the new quarterly Dinosaur Files -- are
right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "When it comes to
old-school barbell training, you can't be first, but
you can be part of a long, grand and glorious
tradition -- and that's a very good thing."
-- Brooks Kubik

*********************************************

Breaking News -- Knife, Fork, Muscle Is Printing Today!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We have some breaking news as of 2 minutes
ago.

Trudi just got off the phone with our printing
company.

Knife, Fork, Muscle is being printed RIGHT
NOW.

The printing company will probably finish
the printing and then box and ship the books
on Monday -- although they may not finish
boxing and shipping them until Tuesday.

We should get them on Wednesday or Friday.
(There's no shipping on Thursday, due to the
Thanksgiving Holiday.)

As soon as we have them, we'll start filling
the orders, starting with the very first order
and working in chronological sequence from
there.

So if you already reserved your copy of Knife,
Fork, Muscle, it will be shipping to you very
soon.

If you were waiting until the last minute --
now's the time to step up and take action:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html

By the way, the printing company always sends
an advance copy for the author -- so I have it
in my hot little hands -- and it looks GREAT!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you're sitting on the fence and asking
yourself whether to grab Knife, Fork, Muscle,
listen to my interview with Bill Kociaba, where
we discuss the book and its contents in detail:

http://kociaba-fitness.com/blog_an_interview_with_brooks_kubik

P.S. 2. Save clams on s&h by combining your
order for Knife, Fork, Muscle with any other
Dinosaur Training book, course, DVD, or
other product. Shoot me an email and ask
for a shipping quote:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Book printing
day is always a very good day." - Brooks Kubik

***********************************************

Nutritional Insanity in the Iron Game

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Last week I answered a reader's question asking
if it was necessary to eat liver in order to build
strength and muscle.

Short answer: It's not.

That prompted a response by a Dino who's about
my age.

He remembered that "back in the day" he read that
a top bodybuilder was using a protein shake made
from raw liver and grape juice.

He ran to the store, bought some raw liver and grape
juice, took it home, mixed it up in the blender, and
poured himself a big glass of might and muscle.

Closed his eyes and thought how great it would be to
be strutting his stuff on the silver sand of fabled Muscle
Beach.

Repping out with Arnold at Gold's Gym.

Copping the big titles. Mr. A, Mr. U, Mr. O,
Mr. Everything.

Getting the big paychecks for the endorsements from
the supplement companies.

And the girls.

Ah, yes.

The girls.

We all knew they loved guys with big muscles. John
McCallum told us so. Just look at Uncle Harry. He
couldn't even walk down the beach without creating
a riot.

But back to our young lifter. He hasn't made it to
Muscle Beach. He's still in his parent's kitchen.

He closed his eyes and dreamed -- then opened them
and took his first big swig of the Mighty Muscle Potion.
He chugged about half a big glass of the stuff.

Seconds later, he was puking his guts out.

Yes, that's a true story -- and yes, that's how it
happened.

And it happened to more than one poor kid.

Another top bodybuilder had a protein drink that
featured tuna fish, water and -- I forget what else.
It may have been tuna and water and nothing else,
or he may have added some dessicated liver and
perhaps some brewer's yeast.

In any case, it was pretty nasty.

I never tried it.

But I knew a guy who did.

He had the same reaction I just described -- one
big swig and he was barfing.

Then there was John Grimek.

He ate real food.

No protein shakes.

No blender bombers.

Nothing nasty.

Grimek enjoyed his meals. He liked steaks, chops and
roast chicken.

"Meat is my baby," he once said.

And he wasn't talking about raw liver mixed with grape
juice.

But amazingly, he did pretty darn well.

Even without drinking the nasty stuff.

Grimek believed that food was somehting to be enjoyed.
Not a form of torture. Not a test to see how "tough" you
were.

He didn't even approve of over-doing it with milk -- or
with stuffing yourself -- or force-feeding. He didn't think
that sort of thing did anything other than give you a
belly-ache -- and it's hard to train with a belly-ache.

He thought it was much better to combine regular
hard training with three delicious meals every day --
featuring good, healthy foods, and lots of protein.

I don't know about you, but I think the Grimek way of
doing things makes a lot of sense.

A lot more sense than raw liver and grape juice.

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 real world, no-nonsense diet
and nutrition, reserve your copy of KNIFE, FORK,
MUSCLE:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html

P.S. 2. For the inside story on how John Grimek trained,
grab this big course -- and learn the training secrets of
the fabled Monarch of Muscledom:

http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html

P.S. 3. My other books and courses are right here:

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Eating to build strength
and muscle should be a pleasure, not a form of
self-inflicted torture." -- Brooks Kubik

***************************************************

Success Story No. 1 for 2014!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I have a friend who followed a strict
lacto-ovo vegetarian diet for most of
his adult life.

Lacto-ovo meaning he would eat plenty
of milk and dairy products - and an
occasional egg or two.

The dairy products were his primary
protein source, and he packed them
away like they were going out of
style. Lots of milk - and lots of
cheese.

He ate lots of bread and lots of
pizza. He once said that pizza was
one of the five basic food groups.

He trained his whole life, and he
was way stronger and in better shape
than most people his age (about 50).

But all the bread and pizza was a
problem for him - and it got worse
over the years.

For one thing, he was packing way
too many Lard Lumps - and Lard Lumps
aren't good for you.

His blood sugar was high and getting
higher.

His cholesterol numbers were not
good, and getting worse by the day.

His doctor wanted to put him on
statins.

He refused.

They argued.

The doctor sent him to a specialist.

A specialist who combined a medical
degree with a world class background
in nutrition.

The specialist reviewed his history,
looked at his diet, and told him he
had to make some big changes.

As in, "RIGHT NOW!"

The specialist made my friend change
his diet completely.

He went from a carb-addict to low
carb overnight.

And he started eating meat again.

For breakfast, he had meat and
eggs. Usually bacon and eggs.

For lunch, he had a big salad and
some sort of meat.

For dinner, salad or cooked green
veggies and meat or fish.

In other words, he followed
something pretty close to the Atkins
diet. No more pizza-terian.

I saw him the other day for the
first time in months. I almost
didn't recognize him. He'd lost
over 30 pounds in just over three
months. Most of it off of his gut.

He looks great - and he told me
that he's as strong as ever. In
fact, he's stronger on some of
his exercises than he was at his
heavier weight.

I'm counting that one as the first
Dino success story of the year -
even if it started a few months
ago.

Over the coming months, many of
you will share similar success
stories. Some of you will lose
weight. Others will pack on some
major muscle mass. And others will
make big gains in strength and
power. There will be tons and tons
of PR's.

In short, 2014 is going to be a great
year for the Dinos!

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. John Grimek, Steve Stanko and the
rest of the York gang had a pretty good
diet for whacking the Lard Lumps while
maintaining strength and muscle mass. I
cover it in Gray Hair and Black Iron:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are
right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Whatever
the problem, think it through, make a plan,
and take action." -- Brooks Kubik

The Steak Tree

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

So some food scientists have developed
an test-tube hamburgers -- hamburger
meat grown from stem cells.

Everyone's talking about it.

Some people think it's the greatest
thing since sliced bread. Others think
it's ridiculous. And some think it will
be how we feed the world in the not too
distant future -- assuming the soylent
green thing doesn't work.

Personally, I don't know and I don't
care.

I grow my own steaks in the back yard
garden.

Not test-tube hamburgers. Real steaks.
Grass fed beef. The best in town.

Now, before you think I've flipped my
lid --- or that I've started cattle
ranching (or rustling), let me explain.

A couple of years ago, Trudi planted a
fig tree by the side of the house.

The darn thing grew, and now it's a
real fig tree, and it grows figs.

Fresh figs are delicious and wonderful
and awesome and an incredible treat.

They're also 100% carbs (i.e, sugar)
and we don't eat them.

And yet -- we have a fig tree with a
bunch of fresh figs.

What to do?

Last weekend, I went to the Farmer's
market and bought some grass fed beef
and pastured pork from one of the
farmers. By "some" I mean LOTS. It
takes plenty of high quality protein
to feed a Dinosaur.

The guy I buy the meat from is named
Stan. His wife, Leila, is a gourmet
chef and caterer. She sells spectacular
homemade soups, stews, quiches and other
goodies at the Market. We always buy
somethign from her, just because it
looks so darn good.

So there I was, buying a couple hundred
pounds of beef and pork from Stan
Well, not that much, but it was more
than the non-lifters -- a/k/a the
skinny people) were buying.

Leila's booth is right next to Stan's
booth. Stan was rummaging in his ice
boxes for a pork roast for me, and
Leila was enjoying a free moment
with no customers srtanding in line.

So I popped the question.

"Leila -- do you like figs?"

That brought an unexpected response.

"Like them? I LOVE them! I grew up
eating fresh figs from my grandmother's
fig tree."

"Well, we have a fig tree where
they'r ejust about ripe -- and we
don't eat them -- and we we're
wondering if -- "

"I'll take them!" she said.

So she gave me her number and told me
to call her when the figs were ripe.

So last night, I finished a killer
workout out in the Dino Dungeon (a/k/a
the garage), and when I walked back 
to the house I swung over and checked
out the fig tree.

Ripe -- ripe and ready to pick.

So I grabbed a basket and picked a
big mess of them.

This afternoon, Trudi called Leila and
told her to come over and pick up her
figs.

When Leila came over, she brought three
thick, beautiful, steaks -- all of them
from Stan's wonderful grass-fed beef.

So Leila got the figs -- and Trudi got
the steaks -- and they're cooking right
now (or rather, one of them is) -- and
when I sign off I'm going to go devour
the thing. Every last bit of it.

And that's why I can say, "To heck with
the test-tube hamburgers -- I'm growing
steaks in the backyard!"

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. Steaks are good, squats are good, and
here's something else that's good --
especially for the home gym Dinos:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

P.S. 2. These are good, too:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html

P.S. 3. My other books and courses are
right here:

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Steak always tastes
better if you earn it --- and that means heavy
training." -- Brooks Kubik

A Super Food for Super Gains!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I receive many questions from readers
asking about the best foods for gaining
muscular bodyweight.

Or for post workout recovery.

Or for a pre-workout power blast.

So, to save time, I'm going to talk
about something thing that will do
all of the above. It definitely
ranks as super food -- in fact,
it's probably the VERY BEST
thing that a serious lifter can eat.

No, it's not steak and eggs.

Not steak and potatoes.

And it's not the dreaded and
dreadful Get Big Drink.

This is something  that not only
is good for you -- but something
that tastes good as well.

Here it is:

A special combination of milk, eggs,
and cream to give you a full day's
supply of power-packed protein and
high quality fats. And the protein
content is top quality. All the
amino acids on the amino acids
chart, and probably some that the
scientists haven't yet identified.
You can't beat milk and egg protein.

It's combined with just the right
amount of high quality carbs for
energy and optimum protein sparing.

It's naturally high in vitamins
and minerals, and loaded with
trace elements. And you can
add fruit and double or
even triple the vitamin
content.

And you'll be pleased to know
that it's inexpensive and
easy to find. If you know
your way around the kitchen,
you can even make it yourself.

By now, I'm sure you've guessed
I'm talking about that old
standby for serious lifters:

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE.

It's the very best thing a
lifter can eat.

Try one or two for breakfast and
see for yourself -- or carry a
few slices around and munch on
them throughout the day for a
continuous protein pump.

Have half a cheesecake before
your workout, and another half
a cheesecake 30 minutes after
your workout.

For weight gaining, double the
suggested dosages.

And yes, for an extra blast of
high octane super-nutrition, add
bacon!

Oh, and one more thing -- it is
indeed April 1st.

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 that cheesecake advice sounds
familiar, it is. I borrowed it from
Dr. Ken Leistner, who ran various
versions of the article in the April
issue of Powerlifting USA for many
years.

And every time he ran it, readers would
write in and ask, "What kind of cheesecake
is best for increasing my squat?"

P.S. 2. In all seriousness, if you want
to gain tons of strength and muscle,
skip the cheesecake -- but grab
this:

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

Or this:

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

Or this:

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

Or any of my other books or courses:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Train serious but
have fun." -- Brooks Kubik

A Power Packed Dinosaur Breakfast!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I started the day with a Dinosaur Omelet.
It packs a heck of a nutritional punch,
so I thought I'd share the recipe.

1. Cook some bacon strips or sausage (or
both) and set them aside. Drain the bacon
grease into a small jar. Save it (in the
fridge) for future cooking.

2. Grill some chopped onions or scallions.

3. Add some chopped veggies to the onions.
Use anything you have have handy.

3A. I used carrots and a small potato
this morning.

3B. Yesterday I used carrots, acorn squash,
a small potato, Swiss chard (steamed first)
chopped celery and chopped garlic. It's all
good.

3C. You also can use thick stew in the
omelet -- that's pretty good. 

3D. Fresh chopped herbs work great!

4. Crack 3 or 4 eggs into a bowl and beat
them with a fork.

5. Pour the eggs into the frying pan you
used for the bacon.

6. Cut the bacon into small pieces and
toss it into the eggs.

7. Let the omelet set a little, then add
the veggies.

8. Add salt and pepper (black pepper and or
cayenne peper) to taste.

9. Add cheese if desired. (Or save the cheese
for a topping.)

10. When the omelet is set and you can turn it,
do so -- if it's too big to turn in one piece,
use your spatula to divide it into halves or
quarters and flip them over. It doesn't have
to be in one piece to taste great.

11. When the omelet is cooked on the bottom,
it's ready to serve.

12. I had mine with a big side of steamed kale
this morning.

For building maximum strength and power, eat
one Dinosaur omelet every day at breakfast and
hit those squats and deadlifts extra hard!

Holler if you want more recipes from the Dino
kitchen!

As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!

BTW, I'll be hitting the iron later today.
Snatches, clean and jerks, and front squats.
If you train today, you can join me!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Gray Hair and Black Iron is a great resource
for older trainees -- or really, for trainees of
any age. Go here to grab a copy:

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Most people live
to eat. Dinosaurs live to lift -- and eat to
live." -- Brooks Kubik

The Super Secret Dinosaur Chili Recipe!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We've been enjoying cooler weather
here in Louisville, and Trudi and
I have been enjoying some terrific
homemade soups and stews at dinner
time.

But yesterday was special.

Yesterday, I made the season's first
batch of Dinosaur Chili.

Dinosaur Chili is one of our favorite
dinners in the Fall and Winter. It's
inexpensive, easy to make, stores
well, and makes several meals for
us. So it's a time-saver as well
as a power-packed, high nutrition
dinner.

I mentioned this on my Facebook page
(send me a friend request if you
haven't already done so!) and
several Dinos asked for the recipe,
so here it is:

DINOSAUR CHILI

1. Brown two pounds of ground beef
or ground bison in a big skillet.

I prefer grass-fed beef I buy from
a local farmer at the neighborhood
Farmer's Market. It's very lean, so
I brown it in 2 TBS of bacon grease.

Pterodactyl meat also works well,
as does ground brontosaurus.

I add a big onion, chopped into
small pieces, along with some chopped
garlic -- four small garlic cloves or
two big ones, chopped up as small as
possible -- to the ground beef.

Stir the ground beef, onion and garlic
mix so it cooks evenly.

When the meat is browned on both sides
pout it into a crock-pot. If you don't
have a crock-pot, use a big cooking
pot.

Add two TBS of chili powder.

I like to add 1 TSP of curry powder or
ground cumin, and 1 TSP of Hungarian
paprika. Curry powder and ground
cumin are terrific antioxidants
and have unique anti-inflammatory
properties, so they're good to use
in your cooking.

Now add 6 - 8 fresh tomatoes, chopped
into small pieces -- or one can or jar
of diced tomatoes.

Add one half to one cup of water.

Stir it up with any large dinosaur
bone (a T-Rex femur works well),
cook it on high for 30 minutes, and
then reduce the heat and cook it on
low heat for several hours.

Stir every so often, and add more water
or more tomatoes if necessary.

Your chili should be ready in two or
three hours, but you can cook if longer
than that. The more you cook it, the
better it tastes.

You can add other veggies if you wish.
I sometimes include chopped red or
yellow peppers, chopped celery or
chopped mushrooms.

Add salt and pepper to taste before
serving. You can use black pepper or
red pepper. Black pepper intensifies
the anti-inflammatory properties of
the cumin/curry powder, and red pepper
is a great anti-inflammatory food in
it's own right.

Serve with a fresh green salad or a
big serving of fresh steamed greens.
Spinach, Swiss chard, kale, turnip
greens and beet greens work well.

So that was last night's dinner --
and it will be tonight's dinner as well.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!

Food and recipes have been much on my
mind as I work on a big new book on
super nutrition for Dinosaurs. I'm
pounding the keyboard like crazy to
get it finished for you, and I think
you're really going to like it. If
all goes well, you'll see a big
announcement about it in the not
too distant future.

In the meantime, Dinosaur Dumbbell
Training is being printed and shipped
to me sometime this week -- and as soon
as I have the copies in hand, I'll fire
them out the door to everyone who
reserved a copy during our big
pre-publication special. If you've
been waiting until the last minute
to grab you copy, wait no longer:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.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 Dinosaur Training books
and courses -- and my DVD's and t-shirts,
sweatshirts and hoodies -- are right here:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Remember to
train, remember to smile, and remember to
eat your chili." -- Brooks Kubik

Hungry Dino Attacks Farmer's Market!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I just got back from the Farmer's
market with a ton of fresh veggies
and other great stuff.

We grow many of our own veggies in
our backyard garden, but we don't
grow everything we like, so we stock
up every Saturday morning at the
Farmer's Market.

Today, I went there before breakfast,
so I was hungry. So I didn't just go
shopping. I attacked the place!

By the time I was done, I had
loaded up with the following:

1. One big bag of fresh greens (two
bunches of arugula, two bunches of
kale, and three bunches of Swiss
chard).

2. One bunch of golden beets with
beet greens.

3. One medium pumpkin.

4. One head of broccoli.

5. One big garlic clove.

6. Two bags of shitake mushrooms.

7. 15 to 20 heirloom tomatoes
(four or five different kinds, and
several different colors).

8. Six medium-size heirloom potatoes.

9. One big bag of salad greens and
broad leaf lettuces.

10. One big bag of arugula.

11. One pint of grape tomatoes in a
variety of shapes and colors.

12. Six dozen eggs from happy chickens
that get to wonder around the farm and
eat bugs and worms all day long.

13. Two pounds of bacon and four
pork chops from a local farmer that
raises grass-fed beef and free-range
pork. (The same one who has the
happy chickens.)

14. Two pounds of stew meat (grass-fed
beef).

15. One bunch of radishes.

16. And last, but not least, flowers
for Trudi.

I would have gotten more, but I ran out
of bags and arms, and besides, we have
no way of storing any more than this.

As you can see, we eat lots and lots of
fresh veggies -- lots of eggs from happy
chickens -- and locally raised, free-range
pork and grass-fed beef.

Now, you may ask, "How much did he pay
for all that?"

You'd be surprised. The prices at the
Farmer's Market are lower than grocery
store prices -- and the quality is
enormously better.

Plus, everything I bought was natural
and organic. No added chemicals. No
herbicides, fungicides, fumicides,
or people-cides. No preservatives.
Just good, fresh, wholesome, delicious
and nutritious food.

When I got home, I had my Steve Stanko
breakfast. He liked fried eggs over
fresh greens (endive and dandelion
greens were his favorites). I had
four fried eggs over a big plate of
mixed greens and herbs -- along with
two small tomatoes, several sliced
radishes and one medium heirloom
potato.

I figure if it was good enough for
Steve Stanko, it's good enough for me.

It may be working, too. I had a great
workout last night. Dino style nutrition
builds Dino style strength. Just ask
Steve Stanko.

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. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training is at
the printer and I should be getting the
little monster very soon -- and when I
do, I'll shoot all orders out the door
faster than you can say Pterodactyl Mail.
If you have not yet ordered your copy,
do it now so you get the pre-publication
bonus:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are
right here at Dino Headquarters:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Train smart,
eat smart, live smart." -- Brooks Kubik

Strong Soil Builds Strong Bodies!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I'm running late with this morning's
email message because I've been working
in the garden.

But since gardening means fresh, healthy
food -- which all Dinosaurs need -- I
thought I'd share a bit about what I'm
doing.

We started a backyard (and side-yard)
vegetable garden four years ago. We
have very thick, clay soil, so we do
the gardening in raised beds. They're
made of 2 x 8 boards, and they
range from 10 feet to 20 feet in
length. They're 4 feet wide. We
have six raised beds.

You don't have to start like that. We
certainly  didn't. We started small,
to see if we could do it -- and when
we discovered that we could actually
grow things, we started to expand.

It's like lifting. You start out with
a basic barbell and dumbbell set, and
before you know it you have five tons
of stuff in your garage.

We garden all year round, using small
structures called low tunnels to keep
the veggies from freezing. More on that
another day -- but for now, I want to
talk about my special nutrition program
for the garden.

The key to growing healthy vegetables is
great soil.

Great soil doesn't happen by accident.
You have to build it over time. It's
just like building strength and muscle.

And -- like building strength and
muscle -- nutrition is critical. Your
vegetables absorb vitamins, minerals
and nitrogen from the soil. The more
good stuff in the soil, the more good
stuff goes into the veggies.

So you want your soil to get plenty of
good stuff. To make it happen, you give
it special supplements.

Over the years, I've worked many tons
of compost into the garden beds. I use
100 percent natural and organic composted
cow manure and a mushroom compost blend.
I also have put in many big bags of peat
moss.

I make my own compost, as well, using
all the left-over bits of fruit and veggies
from our meals. Since we use fresh fruits
and veggies, we always have plenty of stalks,
stems, cores, peels and other inedible parts.
We chop them up and throw them into the
compost pile.

I also throw coffee grounds and tea leaves
from used tea bags into the compost pile --
along with crushed egg shells. I always wash
the egg shells first so there's no egg white
in them -- that wouldn't work well in the
compost. You never compost fat, meat or
similar foods. They don't break down quickly
enough, they create a bad smell, and they
attract critters.

I follow the Vince Gironda approach and
use kelp meal to provide extra minerals.
Gironda used to tell bodybuilders to take
kelp tablets -- I tell my garden beds to
take them!

I also use green manures and cover crops
to build up the soil. In the spring, I plant
peas. Peas are awesome because they actually
create nitrogen as they grow. The roots end
up covered into little nitrogen-containing
nodes that feed the soil even as the soil
feeds the pea plants!

Gironda used to talk about nitrogen balance,
and told bodybuilders they had to do every-
thing possible to maintain positive nitrogen
balance. That was the origin of the egg an
hour program, and it was why Gironda liked
liver tablets so much.

But peas beat the heck out of any of Gironda's
nitrogen balance tricks. Vince would have
loved it!

This morning, I planted some crops, but I also
planted lots of buckwheat in some of the beds.
Buckwheat is amazing. It grows super fast and
super thick, and smothers any weeds. It attracts
bees and butterflies, which help keep your garden
growing.

After five or six weeks -- before the buckwheat
to seed -- you cut it down and turn it under the
soil. All of the nutrition in the buckwheat goes
back into the soil, and the buckwheat bulks up
the soil so it's nice and light, with plenty of
air. You want light, airy soil -- it holds water
better, it makes it easy for all of the earthworms
and other garden helpers to move around, and it
makes it easy for the roots of your plants to
grow straight and deep.

I'm a bit late on getting the buckwheat in, so
I'm going to give it some help. As soon as it
starts to come up and form leaves, I'm going to
spray the leaves with a mix of water, kelp powder,
and fish guts.

The kelp provides minerals, and the fish guts
provide nitrogen -- and the buckwheat leaves
absorb the stuff after you spray it on. It's
like a mixture of Gironda's kelp tablets, Bob
Hoffman's Proteen from the Sea, and the spray-
on suntan stuff that bodybuilders use.

Sounds crazy, I know -- but it will increase
my buckwheat crop by about 40 percent.

The only thing left to do is to get my raised
beds on some sort of weightlifting program.
I haven't quite figured out how to do that,
but I'm working on it. Two or three Dino-
style abbreviated workouts would work
wonders for them!

Anyhow, that's how I spent the morning --
building the soil so I can grow better and
more nutritious vegetables -- so I get more
nutrition from my meals -- so I can recover
better from my workouts and lift more weight
when I hit the iron out in the Fortress of
Strength a/k/a The Dino Garage.

It may sound like a lot of work just to set
a new PR or two -- but if you're a Dino, you
know how sweet those PR's can be -- and you
know that you will do whatever needs to be
done to set 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. Be sure to reserve your copy of my new
book, Dinosaur Dumbbell Training, during our
big pre-publication special:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and
DVD's -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Strong soil builds
strong bodies." -- Brooks Kubik

Why I Don't Take Vitamins

Someone asked me what kind of vitamins
I take, and he was shocked when I said,
"I don't take vitamins."

"I thought you were into all this health
and nutrition stuff," he said.

"I am."

"Then why don't you take vitamins?"

I waved my arm toward the back yard.

"Look outside," I said.

The entire back yard -- as well as the
side yard -- is a garden. We have a bunch
of raised beds, which are filled with all
sorts of green stuff. The beds are filled
with the best soil you can find. I've spent
the past couple of years adding soil
amendments (compost, kelp meal, crushed
egg shells, leaves, cover crops that I
cut and turn under, etc.) and it's packed
with vitamins and minerals.

Vegetables are like people. They need
good nutrition in order to grow strong
and healthy. That's why you need to work
the soil to make it as nutritious as
possible.

Many people take food supplements to help
get all the nutrition they need. I give
the supplements to my garden. The soil
amendments are food supplements for the
garden.

Later, I harvest and eat fresh vegetables --
and that gives me a one-two knockout
punch of great taste and great nutrition.

For breakfast I had a big omelet made with
four eggs (purchased from the farmer's
market, and raised by a local farmer who
raises free range chickens). I added one
cup of fresh chopped parsley and one cup
of fresh chopped kale from the garden. For
extra flavor, I threw in some chopped basil
and dill.

That's pretty much what I have for breakfast
every morning, although I vary what greens go
into the omelet. Yesterday it included arugula,
several kinds of lettuce, a different kind of
kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, and
two kinds of mustard greens.

The nutritional content is off the charts.
Today's breakfast gave me the following
percentages of my vitamin and mineral
needs for the day:

327 percent of my vitamin A

267 percent of my vitamin C

1,914 percent of my vitamin K

56 percent of my riboflavin

16 percent of my vitamin B12

24 percent of my folate

29 percent of my calcium

47 percent of my iron

21 percent of my magnesium

47 percent of my phosphorus

27 percent of my potassium

22 percent of my zinc

26 percent of my copper

35 percent of my manganese 

23 percent of my selenium

Plus 9,217 mcg of beta carotene and
26,786 mcg of lutein and zeaxenthin
(high-powered anti-oxidants) -- along
with high quality protein and omega 3's.

And that's just one meal. Lunch and
dinner pack a similar nutritional punch.
In fact, they're usually a lot higher.

So, no, I don't take vitamins -- unless
you count my meals as vitamins! 

Anyhow, I think of it as vitamin power
for breakfast. Throw in some serious Dino
style strength training, and you'll be
unstoppable.

And hey -- if you WANT to take vitamins,
that's fine. But focus on food first --
and on eating as well as possible. If you
can do it, grow your own (or as much of
your own as possible). If that's not
feasible, find your local farmer's market
or see if there's a CSA program (Community
Supported Agriculture) in your community.
Every step you take to improve your diet
will improve your health enormously.

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. As you can see, my approach to diet and
nutrition is PDS -- pretty darn simple. But
it's also PDE -- pretty darn effective. So
is my approach to building strength and
muscle. Learn about it in Dinosaur Training,
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training, Gray Hair
and Black Iron, Chalk and Sweat, and
Strength, Muscle and Power -- and in
my DVD's and training courses:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the day: "You are what
you eat -- so eat the best food possible."
-- Brooks Kubik