Steiner's Sets and Reps for the Bench Press

 

You probably know that Reg Park was a 3-time Mr. Universe winner - but did you know he was the second man in history (after Doug Hepburn) to bench press 500 pounds?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

This will bring to a close our series
on Brad Steiner's old-school methods
for training THE POWER ZONES.

In previous installments we covered
Steiner's preferred exercises, sets
and reps for training the legs and
hops, back and shoulders.

Today we'll cover the chest.

Steiner liked two exercises to work
the chest muscles: bench presses and
dumbbell incline presses.

For sets and reps in both of these
exercises, he liked:

Beginners -

2 or 3 x 8 to 12 reps

Advanced trainees -

3 or 4 x 6 reps

or

4 x 8 reps

or

1 x 8

1 x 8

1 x 6

1 x 6

(Add weight after each set.)

or

5 x 5

I should also note that Steiner cautioned
against going "bench press crazy," as so
many trainees tend to do. He thought
that bench work was important, but
always encouraged his readers to do
plenty of overhead pressing and plenty
of back work to balance things out.

So there you have it - over the past week
we've given you a complete mini-course
in old school strength and power training -
featuring the training advice of one of the
top Iron Game authors of the 70's and 80's.

I hope you enjoyed it - and if you train
today (as I will), I hope you make it a
good one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For more tips on real world, no-
nonsense strength training and muscle-
building, grab Dinosaur Training
Secrets, Vol. 1.

Here's the link for the hard-copy and
Kindle editions:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_01.html

For the PDF edition, go here and scroll
down to see all of our PDF courses:

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day

"There's the selfie generation, and
there's the Iron generation. Which
are you?"

- 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

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Sets and Reps for Back Training (Part 2)

Rich Abbott hitting a Master's record in the deadlift. This is what a lifetime of hard, regular, consistent training can do for you.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Let's continue with my series of
training tips based on Bradley J.
Steiner's preferred exercises, sets
and reps for what he called THE
POWER ZONES.

We covered sets and reps for
pressing, squatting, power cleans,
power snatches and barbell bent-
over rowing last week. Now let's
continue with deadlifting and
high pulls.

Bent-legged Deadlifts

4 x 6

or

5 x 5

or

4 x 5

For working up to a max
single:

1 x 6

1 x 5

1 x 3

1 x 2

1 x 1

1 x 1

Stiff legged deadlifts

2 x 10 - 12

or

3 x 8

or

1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 5 (add weight on
each set)

Note: Steiner did not believe it was
necessary to do limit singles in the
stiff legged deadlift - and I agree.

Steiner also thought it was easy to
overtrain the low back by training
exclusively with bent-legged dead-
lifts. he preferred to mix things up,
which is why he suggested doing
power cleans, power snatches,
high pulls, and stiff legged
deadlifts,

Of course, you wouldn't do all of
these in one workout - or even
in the same program.

The point was, don't rely exclusively
on the bent-legged deadlift for
building back power.

High pulls

Note that you can do high pulls with
a clean grip or a snatch grip, which-
ever you prefer. Of course, it's best
to do both - clean grip in one work-
out, and snatch grip in the next.

Beginners -

3 x 6

Advanced trainees -

1 x 6

1 x 4

1 x 3

1 x 3

1 x 2

(Add weight on each set.)

That finishes up the advice on sets
and reps for back exercises. We'll
talk about Steiner's advice on sets
and reps for bench pressing in
another email. Be looking for it!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Another terrific option for
training the back is old-school
dumbbell training - the kind I
teach in this little monster:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.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. 2. Thought for the Day

"No one ever said it was easy, and
if they did, they lied."

- 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

Sets and Reps for Power Zone Training

 

Paul Anderson finishing a heavy press. Anderson was a World and Olympic champion, and World record holder. In his prime, he was widely regarded as the strongest man in the world. Like all champions, Anderson specialized in training the Power Zones.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We've been talking about Brad
Steiner's approach to training the
Power Zones - and I promised to
cover his ideas about sets and
reps for Power Zone Training.

So let's roll up our sleeves and
do it.

If you missed my previous emails,
Steiner defined the Power Zones
as:

1. The legs and hips

2. The back

3. The shoulder girdle

4. The chest area

For the legs and hips, Steiner
preferred:

1. Squats - full or parallel

2. Front squats

For sets and reps he liked the
following for both squats and
front squats:

For beginners - 1 or 2 x 12-15 or
a basic breathing squat program
consisting of 1 x 20 (for gaining
weight)

For intermediates - 2 or 3 x 10-12

For advanced trainees - 4 x 6 or
3 x 8 or 5 x 5

For working up to a maximum
single in the squat, Steiner liked:

Note - add weight on every set.

1 x 12

1 x 8

1 x 6

1 x 3

1 x 2

1 x 2

1 x 1

1 x 1

For the shoulders, Steiner liked the
standing press and the standing
press behind neck.

For sets and reps on pressing exercises,
he preferred:

For beginners - 2 or 3 x 8-10

For intermediates - 10/8/6, adding
weight on each set

For advanced trainees:

2 x 6

add weight and do 1 x 3

add weight and do 1 x 2-3

add weight and do 1 x 2

For working up to a maximum
single in the press, Steiner liked:

Note - add weight on every set.

1 x 6

1 x 5

1 x 3

1 x 2

1 x 2

1 x 1

1 x 1

1 x 1

We'll cover Steiner's suggested sets and
reps for chest and back training in
future emails - we're about out of space
in this one!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. For more about sets, reps, and
exercises for building strength and
muscle, grab Dinosaur Training
Secrets, Vol. 1, 2 and 3.

They're available in your choice of hard-
copy, Kindle and PDF.

Hard-copy and PDF

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

Kindle

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

P.S. 2. Thought for the Day

"Hard work, heavy iron and old-
school training programs will do
it every time."

- 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:

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The Power Zones

 

Reg Park built tremendous strength and enormous muscle mass by specializing on the Power Zones.

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One quick note, and then we'll talk
training.

Today is the last day of our big t-shirt sale - so if you want one, place your order right now!

1. Last Chance for T-Shirts!

The big sale for our new Dinosaur
Training t-shirts ends today - and
we won't take any more shirt
orders after the sale is over.

So if you want one, go here and
grab it now:

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If you have any questions, or
if you want the best rate for
shipping on an international
order, shoot me an email.

John Grimek in his greatest pose. At the time he won the Mr. America contest, and for a number of years before, Grimek trained exclusively on old-school weightlifting NOT on bodybuilding workouts.

2. The Power Zones

Brad Steiner was one of the most
popular Iron Game authors of the
1960's, 1970's and 1980's.

He wrote about basic exercises,
and old-school strength training.

He advocated hard work on the
BIG exercises, three times a week,
for about an hour a workout.

Steiner emphasized training the
Power Zones.

He said that by specializing on the
Power Zones, you could transform
yourself into a human Hercules.

What were the Power Zones?

Steiner described them as follows:

1. The legs and hips

2. The back

3. The shoulder girdle

4. The chest area

Steiner always taught his readers
to focus on these four areas.

To train them hard and heavy.

To train them progressively.

To aim for maximum development
in these four areas.

Tomorrow I'll talk a bit about how
Steiner trained these four areas. Be
looking for it.

In the meantime, don't forge to
grab yourself a couple of our new
Dinosaur Training t-shirts - and
remember, today's the last
day to place your order:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur-tshirt.html

Yours in strength,

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