Do You Make these Seven Strength Training Mistakes?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes, and then we'll talk about
seven of the most common strength training
mistakes.

1. The Iron League

John Wood's new members only site is just
one day old, and it's a huge success -- and
that's no surprise, because the strength
archive that John has created is off the
charts good.

Go here to grab your membership and have
immediate access to the strength archive:

http://www.ironleague.com

And please spread the word -- we want
everyone to know about this.

2. Physical Culture Radio

I'll be on Physical Culture Radio with my
co-host, Carl Lanore, at 12:00 EST today.
Catch it live or listen to the download later
on.

Physical Culture Radio is part of the
SuperHuman Radio network:

http://www.superhumanradio.com

It will be a great show, and I hope you're
able to join us.

And now -- let's talk training!

Are You Making these Seven Strength
Training Mistakes?

Strength training works -- and if you do it
the right way, it should produce rapid gains
in strength and muscle mass.

But far too many trainees make serious
mistakes in their training -- and end up
with little or no gains to show for their
training time.

Here are seven of the most common strength
training mistakes that even experienced trainees
often make:

1. Wanting to Do It All.

This is the trainee who wants to be a powerlifter,
an Olympic weightlifter, a gymnast, a martial
artist, a grip gorilla, a master of high rep
calisthenics, a strongman, and one of those
super-flexible rubber-men who can do a full
splits between two chairs with a smile on his
face.

He also wants to be great at kettlebells, club-bells,
maces, battle-axes, cannon-ball juggling, bull
roping, the Inman Mile, hand-balancing, and
the 20 rep breathing squat.

So he tries to "do it all" -- and he ends up doing
too much and over-training.

It's much better to pick the one or two things that
you really want to do, and work them more or
less exclusively.

2. Changing Routines Too Often.

This is related to no. 1, because too many guys
see or read about somehting, and immediately
change their workout around -- even though what
they were doing was working fine!

Routines are recipes for building strength and
muscle. You need to follow the recipe -- and you
need to let things cook for the right amount of
time.

It takes a period of time to get real results from
a training program. If you jump ship before you've
given yourself time to get some results, then you're
missing most or all of the benefit.

3. Training Too Light.

Many trainees sell themselves short by going too
light in their workouts. This usually happens when
they're advanced enough to be outlifting more than
most of the other guys at the gym. At that point,
they lose "the Eye of the Tiger." They get satisfied
with where they are and what they're lifting. So
they stay there. They stagnate.

You can't do that if you want to build super strength.

You need to keep on pushing to add more and more
weight to the bar.

4. Training Too Heavy.

The flip side of the problem is training too heavy --
and having to cut the range of motion or cheat to
get your reps.

This is a huge problem -- and a very common one.

Remember, you need to work uo to heavy weights
in your training -- BUT, you also need to use perfect
form on every rep you do.

It's not one or the other. It's both.

This is why exercises such as bottom position bench
presses or pause style squats or front squats are so
good. They force you to use perfect form, even when
you train heavy.

5. Too Much Assistance Work.

Most trainees do way too many assistance exercises
to try to imporve their primary movements -- and end
up turning a basic strength and mass workout into
something that looks like a typical high volume
bodybuilding program.

Assistance exercises have their place -- but you need
to give the lion's share of your time and effort to the
big exercises.

Remember the Schemansky story.

Someone once asked Norb Schemansky what to do to
improve his press.

Schemansky stared at him in surprise.

"Press!" he shouted.

6. Too Much Cardio.

Cardio training is good for you if you don't over-do it,
and if you do cardio that doesn't hammer your joints
into the ground.

But too many trainees over-do their cardio training --
and end up over-training -- and all of a sudden, the
bar seems twice as heavy as before when they do
squats and deadlifts.

This is another example of the "gotta do it all"
mentality.

Remember, if you are training hard and heavy on
the basic strength and mass movements, you
don't have very much energy for anything else --
and that includes cardio.

7. Forgetting the Non-Training Side of Things.

Lots of trainees do all the right things in the
gym -- and all the wrong things when they're
out of the gym.

That's always a mistake. Training is only part
of the puzzle. You need to train -- the right way --
but that's not all you need to do.

You also need to pay careful attention to your
diet. You need to eat for optimal nutrition --
and you need to eat foods that support your
strength training workouts, rather than hurt them.

See Knife, Fork, Muscle for details on how to eat
to build strength and muscle:

Hard-copy

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

Kindle e-book (part 1 of a series -- part 1 covers
protein foods)

http://www.brookskubik.com/knifeforkmuscle01_kindle.html

You also need to follow the other rules of good
health. You need to get enough sleep -- every night --
and you need to stay as calm and relaxed as possible
throughout the day. Save your nervous energy for
your workouts.

So there you are -- seven mistakes that far too
many trainees make - mistakes that sabotage
their training and make good gains all but
impossible. Make sure you avoid 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. Here are three great resources for real
world training -- and great gains in strength
and muscle mass:

a. Strength, Muscle and Power

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

b. Chalk and Sweat

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

c. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 1, Exercises,
Workouts and Training Programs

Hard-copy

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

Kindle e-book

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

P.S. 2. My other books and courses are available
right here -- including links to my other Kindle
e-books:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Doing it and doing
it right are two different things." -- Brooks Kubik

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The Library of Congress of Strength!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

In case you missed the big news, here it
is again --

John Wood's Iron League and strength
archive is open for business.

The Iron League is a unique members
only site -- and when you join, you have
access to the strength archive -- which is
a goldmine of old books, articles and
courses covering the past 150 years
of physical culture, strength training
and muscle building.

It already has a ton of great stuff, with
more being added all the time.

I described the strength archive in an
email last night, and one of our long-
time Dinos, Paul Murray, shot back a
reply that hit the nail right on the
proverbial head.

So I thought I'd share it with you:

"This is truly spectacular what John
Wood is undertaking. It's the
equivilent of the ancient library
of Alexandria (minus the fire),
the Library of Congress of
Strength, or something!

I recall at one time back in the 70's
or 80's, Dr. Terry Todd had a physical
equivilent of what John is up to down
at the University of Texas. I was always
hoping to see that, but now we have the
virtual version.

When I was  a kid, the only way to have
access to knowledge was to physically
possess it. I spent a lifetime collecting
and amassing books. In the electronic
age, this pursuit is obsolete, or getting
there.

There is no doubt I will pay the subscription
fee, not only to gain access to the material,
but also to underwrite what John has done.
Surely it was a labor of love.

Paul Murray"

Wow -- I couldn't agree more. The Library
of Congress of Strength! That sounds pretty
good, doesn't it?

Anyhow, the Iron League is up and running.
Go here to grab your membership:

http://www.theironleague.com

Tell John I sent you -- and please let me
know how you like the strength archive!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

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7 Exercises that Build Serious Strength and Muscle Mass!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Here's some BIG BREAKING NEWS -- and then
we'll talk training:

1. It's Here -- The Iron League!

John Wood's Iron League is now open -- and
you can head on over, grab a membership,
and dive headfirst into the amazing strength
archive right now:

http://www.ironleague.com

As I mentioned the other day, I've been a
beta-tester for the Iron League -- and I have
to tell you, I am AMAZED at how much great
material John has put into the strength
archive. And there's more of it -- lots more --
on the way!

Head on over -- and tell John I sent you!
And please -- share this post and spread the
word. We want all strength fans all around the
world to know about The Iron League.

And now . . . let's talk training.

7 Exercises that Build Serious Strength and
Muscle Mass

Here are some tips to help you build plenty
of rugged strength and Herculean muscle
mass.

These are seven of the most effective strength
and muscle building exercises that you can do.
And yes, they are all Dino-approved and Dino-
certified. They include some of my favorite
exercises.

1. Bottom Position Bench Presses

Do these in a power rack. Set the pins so you
can just barely squeeze under the bar. Start
each rep from the bottom and drive the bar
up to the lockout positiion. Lower slowly and
under control, pause, get set, and repeat.

If you prefer, do singles. That lets you get
set in the right position for each rep.

When I trained for powerlifting and bench
press competition, these were all I ever did.
I never used the regular bench press. The
only time I ever did it was in a contest.

It worked pretty well. I won five national
championships in the bench press and set
a ton of records -- lifting in the submaster's
division, 198 and then 220 pound weight
class, in drug-free competition.

2. The Negative Accentuated Push Press

This is a push press with a slow negative
on each rep. Drive the bar overhead with
a combination of leg, shoulder and arm
power -- lock it out -- and lower as slowly
as possible.

Pause, get set, and repeat.

Three reps will fry your shoulder girdle.
This was a favorite exercise of Dr. Ken Leistner,
and many old-time lifters used it to help train
the military press.

3. Doug Hepburn's Power Curls

Doug Hepburn used heavy-duty wooden
boxes to position a barbell so he could begin
his curls from a deadstop with the bar resting
on the boxes.

This forces you to curl in good form, and it
allows you to do each rep with a tight back
and flared lats -- so you can dig your elbows
into your lats as you curl.

Hepburn worked up to 260 pounds in the
strict curl, so that shows you that the
exercise works.

I worked up to 185 for 5 reps in the strict
curl. That's not Hepburn territory, but it's
not bad.

Curls don't get much respect these days, but
this is a great exercise for wrestlers, judoka,
martial artists, football players, and anyone
else who needs to pancake an opponent.

4. Pause-style Front Squats

Perform regular front squats (using strict form,
an upright stance, and going all the way down).
Pause for two seconds at the bottom, and then
drive back up to the finish position.

Wear Olympic lifting shoes with a heel when
you do these. They help you maintain the
proper upright position at the bottom.

5. The Two Dumbbell Clean and Press

Sig Klein called this movement "the secret
exercise" of the old-time European lifting
champions -- and taught it to all of his
gym members.

He also taught it to John Grimek -- and
that turned out pretty well.

Clean the dumbbells, press them, lower
them to your shoulders, and then lower them
to the hang. Clean them from the hang, press
them, and repeat for the desired number of
reps.

This is a great conditioner, as well as a
terrific strength builder.

See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training for other
great old-school dumbbell body blasters.

6. Arched Back Pull-Ups

I teach these in Dinosaur Bodyweight Training.

I'm in good company, too, because Vince
Gironda taught them in his famous North
Hollywood Gym.

Do a regular pull-up, but arch your back and try
to pull your shoulders as far back as possible at
the finish of each rep.

And try to touch your lower pec to the bar
on each rep.

Pause and hold the contracted position briefly,
then lower and repeat.

These are tough, so you may need to start
by doing singles. Or you may need to jump
up to get into the contracted posiiton, hold
it, and lower slowly -- until you build the
strength to perform regular reps.

For my money, these are way better than
doing weighted pull-ups with a rounded
back or partial range of movement.

7. Handstand Push-Ups

Another exercise I teach in Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training -- and a favorite of many old-school
champions. America's first gold medal winner in
weightlifting, Tony Terlazzo, did lots of these.

So did John Grimek, Sig Klein, Doug Hepburn
and Paul Anderson.

If you can do them free-standing, that's great.

If not, keep your feet against a wall for balance.

So there you have it. Seven great exercises for
serious strength and muscle mass.

And remember -- The Iron League is now open
for business. Head on over and join up:

http://www.ironleague.com

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 great exercises and unique ways
to perform them for maximum results, grab
these great books:

a. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training

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

b. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training

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

c. Strength, Muscle and Power (especially
the chapters on rack work and rest-pause
training)

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

P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and
links to my Kindle e-books -- are right here:

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

P.S. 3. "It's the little things that make a huge
difference in strength training and muscle
building." -- Brooks Kubik

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

Now Open -- The Strength Archive!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Note: I sent this out the door last night,
and need to update it.

John Wood's strength archive -- aptly
named The Iron League -- is open for
business and accepting new members
right now.

Go here to grab your membership:

http://www.ironleague.com

Brooks Kubik

P.S. My original post is below -- it will
tell you more about The Iron League
and the strength archive.

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

Synchronize your watches and be ready to
take immediate action at 9:00 a.m. EST
on Wednesday, May 13.

That's when John Wood is going to open
the doors to his Strength Archive.

The Strength Archive is a very unique
project.

I know about it because John is a good
friend -- and because I've been one of
the beta-testers for the Strength Archive.
In other words, I've been able to log in
and take a look -- and watch as the little
monster grew bigger and bigger -- with
more and more really terrific material.

Do you remember the line from The Blues
Brothers?

"We're on a mission from God."

Well, John Wood has been on a similar
sort of mission. He's been working like
crazy -- sometimes until 3:00 or 4:00
in the morning -- to put more and
more great material into the Strength
Archive.

Right now, it has enough material that
it would take you a very long time to
read it all.

But John is going to continue to add more
and more material to the archive -- so no
matter how hard you try, you might not
ever read all of it.

Every time you think you're almost there,
something new will appear.

It reminds me a little bit of a story about
the great American novelist, Thomas Wolfe.
I think he even tells the story in You Can't
Go Home Again -- but it's been almost 40
years since I read the book, so I may be
conflating things.

Anyhow, Thomas Wolfe went to college
at Harvard -- which has one of the biggest
and best libraries anywhere in the world.

So he decided to make the most of the
opportunity.

He decided to read every book in the
Harvard library -- starting with A and
working to Z.

I forget how far he got -- but never made
it through all the books. There were just
too many of them -- and more and more
kept coming.

And the Strength Archive is a little bit
like that.  It doesn't have as many books
and magazines as the Harvard library --
but it's got PLENTY to read.

And here's the other thing.

It's not just the stuff you see everywhere
else.

Sure, you may have seen some of the
material in the Strength Archive -- but
I guarantee that there's a ton of material
you've never seen.

I've been a student of the Iron Game for almost
half a century -- and I have a pretty good set
of materials in my personal library -- and I've
seen lots of other material over the years --
but there are MANY books, courses and
articles in the Strength Archive that are
brand new to me.

Here's a link that shows a small number of
books, courses and magazines that you'll
see in the Strength Archive. Take a look
and see how many of them are new to
you:

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/about-us/news/2015-05/1173-strength-archive-taste-things-come

Anyhow, as I said, the Strength Archive
goes live tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. EST. It's
a members only site, so you'll need to
start by grabbing  a membership. They're
not expensive, so don't let that stop you.

And after that -- it's Happy Reading Time
for strength fans!

Which means some of you are going to
dive into the archive and not surface for
a week or two. So pack food and water --
let your spouse or significant other know
you'll be gone for awhile -- and be sure
someone takes care of the dogs and cats.

As always, thanks for reading -- and get
ready for plenty more great reading when
you enter the Strength Archive!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

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

P.S. As I noted at the beginning, I've updated
this post so you can click on the link and
sprint on over to join The Iron League --
because it's up and open and ready for
action:

http://www.ironleague.com

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

Are You Eating Poison or Power Foods?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes, and then we'll talk about diet
and nutrition for strength training and muscle
building.

1. Our New Products Page

Has links to all of our hard-copy books and
courses AND links to our e-books in Amazon's
Kindle bookstore:

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

2. The Strength Archive

My friend John Wood is creating an enormous
strength archive -- a member's only website
with some of the best material you've ever
seen or dreamed of seeing.  Here's a video
that gives you an idea of what he's putting
into the strength archive. Take a look and
see how rare some of the material is:

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/about-us/news/2015-05/1173-strength-archive-taste-things-come

3. Are You Eating Poison or Power Foods?

I borrowed the title of today's email from
an article in Peary Rader's old IronMan
magazine. I read it more than 40 years ago,
but it always stayed with me.

It's an important question.

After all, if you eat POWER FOODS, you're
going to build plenty of strength and muscle.

If you eat POISON FOODS, you're not.

It's that simple.

The problem is, how do you know whether
something is good for you?

It's not an easy question -- and there's plenty
of seriously bad advice out there. And there
always has been.

Back when I was a kid, the muscle magazines
urged us to eat plenty of:

1. Whole wheat products, including whole
wheat bread and whole wheat or whole grain
cereal

2. Soybeans

3. Protein supplements made from soybean
powder

4. Wheat germ oil

5. Wheat germ

6. Germ oil blends made from wheat germ oil,
rice germ oil and soy germ oil

7. Brewer's yeast

8. Vitamin pills that got their B vitamins from
brewer's yeast

9. Gallons of milk

10. Lecithin -- which is made from soybeans

11. Peanuts and peanut butter

12. Tree nuts

These, we were told, were the "power foods."

I wanted to get big and strong, so I ate all of
the "power foods" -- and ate them in large
amounts.

The problem was, they didn't work.

They didn't make me bigger or stronger.

They didn't make me healthier.

They didn't make me a better athlete.

They made me sick.

Sometimes they made me terribly sick. As
sick as I've ever been in my entire life.

I remember when I tried the world famous
Get Big Drink.

For me, it worked in reverse.

It made me so sick that I ended up losing
weight!

It was many long years before I sat down,
did the research, and learned exactly what
was happening.

For me, the POWER FOODS were really POISON
FOODS.

And they may be POISON FOODS for you, as
well.

I'll explain why tomorrow. Be looking for it. This
is important stuff -- and it's information I wish I
had had 40 years ago. It would have made a
world of difference for me.

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 cover "power foods" and "poison foods"
in detail in Knife, Fork, Muscle -- and teach you
what to eat and what to avoid.

Go here to grab the complete hard-copy edition:

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

If you prefer e-books, we're releasing Knife,
Fork, Muscle in a series of e-books. The first
in the series covers protein requirements
for strength training and muscle building --
and details your best POWER FOODS for
high quality protein. Go here to grab the
little monster:

http://www.brookskubik.com/knifeforkmuscle01_kindle.html

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

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "When it
comes to eating for strength and health,
it pays to do your homework." -- Brooks
Kubik

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