Train Hard But Train Smart!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Many of you have asked for an update
on my current workouts -- so here you
go.

I'm back to three times per week. I
had tried a one exercise per day
program as an experiment, and although
it worked okay, I prefer 3x per week.
That also leaves more time for writing,
and that's important -- I am writing up
a storm for you. (The current project
is finishing my book on diet and
nutrition for Dinos, which I've been
researching and working on for several
years - and which is going to be ready
soon, and which I think you're really
going to enjoy. After that is done, I'm
going to move on to Project No. 2 --
which is a secret for now.)

But on to the workout. I like to think
of it as a way to train hard but smart.
At age 57, I need to do both.

I am following two different programs,
Workout A and Workout B. I alternate them.
As noted, I train 3x per week.

Now remember, I'm doing all Olympic
lifting now, so everything you see is
Olympic lifting stuff -- and it's
Olympic lifting stuff for an older
lifter. For that reason, there's not
too many different exercises, and
there's not much volume. I have to
stick to what gives me the most bang
for the buck.

In Workout A, I begin with 10 or 15 mins
of stretching and loosening up, and then
do split style snatches for about 30 to
45 minutes.

Then I do some snatch grip high pulls,
followed by some front or back squats.

In workout B I do 10 or 15 mins of
stretching and loosening up, followed
by 30 to 45 mins of squat style cleans
and split jerks. After that, I do some
clean grip high pulls and some front
or back squats.

I did squat snatches for the past couple
of years, but they are too hard on my
shoulders, so I have switched to split
snatches, which are much easier on an
older trainee's shoulders.

I am still doing squat cleans, at least
for now. I'll keep you posted on that.

I do split style jerks.

I do all single reps. I do singles because
I am always working on my form, and singles
are the best way to perform precise, correct,
fast, explosive movements.

It's as if I were training for the shot put
or the discus throw. You don't do reps when
you put the shot or throw the discus in
training. You do singles.

Also, remember that I am 57, and I either
have glaucoma or pre-glaucoma (they're not
sure which), and too much internal eye
pressure in training is not a good idea --
and singles produce much less internal
eye pressure than sets of multiple reps.

But note -- I don't do 100%, as heavy as
possible, life or death, do or die singles,
and I don't try to set a PR every time I
train. I train heavy, but not to my
maximum.

Many readers equate heavy singles with
100% maximum lifts and always trying for
a new PR, and that's not correct. I TRAIN
with singles. I don't always go for a new
max. They're two entirely different things.

I video all my lifts, including warm-ups,
and check my form in-between the sets.

On lighter weights, I rest only long enough
to check my form on video, and load the bar
for the next set. On my heavy sets, I rest
two or three minutes between sets.

Depending on how I feel, I do either one
heavy single -- close to max, but not my
100% max -- or I do 5 singles with a weight
that is heavy but not quite as heavy as the
one rep weight.

Sometimes I will do 5 singles with a heavy
but not max weight, then add some more weight
and do 5 singles with a heavier (but not max)
weight -- making 10 heavy (but not max)
singles for the working sets.

On occasion, I'll go up to the 5 singles
working weight and do 5 progressively
heavier singles where I add 5 pounds to
the bar on each lift. 

On pulls, I do 3 to 5 singles with a weight
a little heavier (usually about 10 kilos or
22 pounds) over my top snatch or clean and
jerk for the day.

On squats, I do 5 to 7 progressively heavier
singles, followed by anywhere form 1 to 5
singles with my top weight for the day.
Again, these are NOT limit lifts.

Everything takes about 90 mins -- and that's
in hot summer weather. Winter workouts will
go a bit faster.

The whole workout looks like this:

Workout A

1. 10 - 15 mins warm-ups

2. Split snatch -- many progressively
heavier singles

3. Snatch grip high pull -- 5 x 1 with
working weight

4. Front squat or back squat -- 5 - 7
x 1 progressively heavier sets, and 1 - 5
x 1 working sets

Workout B

1. 10 - 15 mins warm-ups

2. Split snatch -- many progressively
heavier singles

3. Snatch grip high pull -- 5 x 1 with
working weight (10 kilos over top snatch
for the day)

4. Front squat or back squat -- 5 - 7 x 1
progressively heavier sets, and 1 - 5
x 1 working sets

Workout B

1. 10 - 15 mins warm-ups

2. Squat clean and split jerk -- many
progressively heavier singles

3. Clean grip high pull -- 5 x 1 with
working weight (10 kilos over top clean
and jerk for the day)

4. Front squat or back squat -- 5 - 7
x 1 progressively heavier sets, and 1 - 5
x 1 working sets

So that's the workout. I hope you enjoyed
reading about it, and I hope it gives you
some good ideas for your own training.

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 want to see what those split
style snatches and the other lifts look
like, grab Going Strong at 54 -- and for
more info about productive training for
older Dinos (whether you do OL work or
otherwise), grab Gray Hair and Black
Iron:

a. Going Strong at 54

http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html

b. 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: "Train hard,
but train smart. The older you are, the
smarter you need to train." -- Brooks Kubik

Another Reason Why I Do Olympic Lifting

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Last week I was talking about my
current training, and why I prefer
to do Olympic weightlifting at this
stage of my career.

I gave you seven reasons.

But I omitted one, and it's a biggie.

Olympic weightlifting is easier on my
eyes.

Yes, you heard that correctly.

My eyes.

Here's the deal. 

My father has glaucoma. My brother has
glaucoma. All of my paternal uncles
had glaucoma. Every man in the family
has it.

Glaucoma is a degenerative eye disease
caused by unusually high inter-ocular
(inside the eyeball) pressure. It's
sort of like having high blood
pressure in your eyes.

It causes the death of nerve cells in
the eyes -- and if untreated, it can
lead to progressively greater and
greater vision loss -- and even to
blindness.

It's an hereditary condition -- which
is why all the men in the family have
it.

We're not sure if I have it or not.
Because of the family history, I get
checked every three months. I'm right
on the edge. I've been told, "Yes, you
have it" -- and I've been told "You
know, I think it's close -- but I
don't think you have it." Three
different opthamologists have said
"Yes, you have it " -- and then
changed their minds in later exams,
and a fourth flat out said he just
wasn't sure.

Anyhow, we watch it very closely, and
I take the same eye-drops I would take
if I were diagnosed as having glaucoma.
The drops reduce the inter-ocular
pressure.

Now, as you might imagine, my opthamologist
and I have had a number of conversations
about my weight training.

He wants me to stay away from any slow,
grinding movements where my blood pressure
goes sky high and my face looks like it's
going to explode.

But he's okay with snatches, cleans and
jerks -- because they're much faster and
you don't hold your breath for as long --
and thus, there's much less internal
pressure, even if you do a heavy lift.

Now, please note -- I am NOT a medical
doctor, and I'm NOT an optthamologist,
so if you have glaucoma or are at risk
for glaucoma, talk with your doctor
and work up an appropriate plan,
including the right kind of exercise
program for YOU.

All I'm saying is that in MY case,
based on my current eye condition
and overall health, I've been cleared
to do snatches, cleans and jerks.

Kettlebells would also be okay,
as would most of the exercises
in the Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training course. (I'm supposed
to stay away from any inverted
exercises, such as handstand
pushups, because the blood runs
to the head -- which increases
the pressure on my eyes.)

I'm sharing this because it's an
example of how things change as
you grow older -- and an example
of how important it is to find the
right kind of exercise -- and how
the right kind of exercise might
change for you over time.

Anyhow, my eye pressure and visual
field test was fine at my last exam,
and hopefully it will stay that
way.

In the meantime, I'm having fun out
in the garage, and my lifting platform,
Olympic bar and plates are getting lots
of use.

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. Gray Hair and Black Iron is a must
read for older trainees:

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

P.S. 2. If you're looking for something
fun, different and effective, try Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training or Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.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: "Train hard,
but train smart. You last longer that way."
-- Brooks Kubik