Speed Training for Older Dinos!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

One of our older (age 60-plus) Dinos
replied to yesterday's email by saying
(and I paraphrase):

1. I used to do split style lifting all the
time. (Meaning the split style snatch and
split style clean.)

2. I really enjoyed it.

3. But at age 60 or so, I started to lose
my speed -- so I stopped doing the split
lifts.

4. Question: You're close to age 60. Are
you losing your speed?

While, that's an interesting question, isn't
it?

You know, when I was younger, I was a state
wrestling champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.
I won the title by throwing two guys so hard
and so fast I knocked them out.

Each throw took something like half a second
or less.

We locked up -- I pushed into them -- they pushed
back -- and WHAM, I threw them.

Threw them hard, too.

Another time, I won a wrestling match with a
pin in exactly six seconds.

That's six seconds from ref says go to ref
slaps the mat and calls the pin.

And that's about as fast as you can win a
wrestling match.

So I was pretty darn fast when I was younger.

Twenty years later, I was judging a powerlifting
meet. (This was about 23 years ago.)

A 242 pound lifter opened with 550 in the squat.
He made the lift, but as he stood up, something
happened.

From the referee's chair in front of the lifting
platform I saw his eyes roll back -- and I knew
he was about to pass out.

The problem was, the two spotters were on
either side -- and they didn't see his eyes --
and they didn't know that 242 pounds of
lifter and 550 pounds of iron were about to
come crashing down.

I was seated in a chair, 10 or 12 feet away.

I dove forward, racing towards him.

I remember seeing his knees buckle and his
body start to crumple and drop forward.

I remember thinking, "What do I do?"

I remember stepping in front of him, and
hitting him hard and fast with a forearm
shiver across the chest.

I wanted to push him back and stand him up.

I did.

He rolled back to upright-- and then he started
to crumple again, his knees bending and the
heavy bar forcing him down.

I stepped forward, caught him in a bear hug,
and held him up -- and the barbell, too.

And after a second or two -- a very long second
or two -- the spotters realized what was up and
grabbed the bar.

And it's a good thing they did -- because I was
holding 242 pounds of semi-conscious lifter and
550 pounds of iron.

Later, when I thought about it, I realized that it
was NOT possible to move that fast -- to go
from a seated position 10 or 12 feet away to
the forearm shiver to reversing position and
catching the lifter and the bar before he fell.

And all before anyone else knew what was
happening.

But I did it.

So I was FAST when I was younger.

Am I fast now?

I don't know.

I sort of wish that I had timed myself very
carefully back in the day on different lifts --
so I could compare them to where I am
now speed-wise.

I'm sure I was faster then -- but I'm not too
bad now, at close to age 60.

There's a reason for that.

Or rather, a couple of them.

And we'll cover them tomorrow -- so be sure to
be looking for tomorrow's email. In the meantime,
grab this little monster if you're interested in
sensible and effective training for older Dinos:

http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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 new "How Strong Are You?" course is
number one in its category at Amazon's Kindle
store. In fact, we currently have three books
in Amazon's top 10:

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

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

2. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2,
"How Strong Are You?"

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

3. The Training Secrets of John Grimek

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

4. The Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course

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

P.S. 2. If you prefer hard-copy, all four courses
are available right here at Dino Headquarters:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Strong is good,
and fast is good." -- Brooks Kubik

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

The Poliquin Bump!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

We've had a huge day at Dino Headquarters.

Right now, we have four Dinosaur Training
e-books, and three of them are in the
Amazon Top 10 in their category.

One of the little monsters -- my new "How
Strong Are You Course?" is sitting at the
no. 2 spot.

Hopefully, we can push it to no. 1 before the
end of the day.

It all started when Charles Poliquin, the famous
author of The Poliquin Principles, posted about
the "How Strong Are You?" course on his blog.

It turns out, he really, really likes it -- and he
explains WHY in his post.

He got tons of questions and feedback about
the blog post throughout the day, so he did
a short YouTube video that told a little bit
more about Dinosaur Training and why he
likes it -- and why he likes all of our different
books and courses -- and why he believes in
old school training and studying the great
champions of the past and their training
methods.

You can find Charlles Poliquin's blog post
right here:

http://www.strengthsensei.com/where-to-find-great-strength-norms/

The YouTube video is right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETTtw3rpsb8

Anyhow, the thumbs up from Charles Poliquin
started things rolling in a big way. So I'm
calling it "The Poliquin Bump."

But, as I said, we still have more work to
do.

We need to push the "How Strong Are You?"
course all the way up to no. 1.

So if you've been thinking about grabbing
the little monster, don't think about it any
longer -- just do it.

And you might as well go ahead and take a
look at my other Dinosaur Training e-books.
You don't want to miss any of them. Grab
them now (they'll all fit inside your Kindle),
or just look them over and make plans to
grab them one by one.

Here's the complete list:

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

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

2. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2,
"How Strong Are You?"

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

3. The Training Secrets of John Grimek

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

4. The Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course

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

If you prefer hard-copy courses, all of the
little monsters are available in hard-copy,
as well -- along with my other books and
courses. You can grab them right here
at Dino Headquarters:

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

And so, in conclusion, let me say THANK YOU
to Charles Poliquin. He's helping us spread the
word about sane, sensible strength training
and muscle building -- and we really appreciate
it!

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. If you already have one or more of our
e-books, please post a review on our Amazon
kindle pages. The reviews really help.

The Simplest Weightlifting Workout in the World!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Three quick notes, and then we'll talk
training.

1. The Strength Sensei Review

Charles Poliquin, the Strength Sensei, has
posted a killer review of my new "How
Strong Are You?" Course:

http://www.strengthsensei.com/where-to-find-great-strength-norms/

2.  We're on Twitter Now!

We're on twitter. Follow us.

We're also on Facebook. Friend us.

3. Help Push Us to No. 1!

My new "How Strong Are You?" course is
currently no. 4 in its category on Amazon's
Top 10 list. You can help us get to no. 1
by grabbing the little monster, posting a
review on the Kindle page, spreading the
word via social media or good old fashioned
word of mouth (i.e., tell your training partners
about it), or even -- and this is very simple --
going to our Kindle page and reading the
reviews.

Every time you browse one of our Kindle
pages, it helps. So be a regular Dino
browser.

And, of course -- thanks to everyone who
has grabbed a copy -- and thanks to
everyone who has posted a review!

4.  The Simplest Weightlifting Workout in
the World!

For the past couple of weeks, I've been
following the simplest weightlifitng workout
in the world -- and having lots of fun with it --
and getting stronger and faster all the time.

It's a workout that Mike Burgener recommends
for Master's weightlifters -- which is me, at
close to 60 years of age.

You can use it with power style lifts, split
style lifts or squat style lifts.

I switched back to split style lifts last month,
so that's what I've been using.

I begin with 10 minutes of stretching and
loosening up. That always includes some work
with Indian clubs. They're great for your upper
back and shoulders. Get them from John Wood:

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/products/classic-wooden-indian-clubs

Next, I do 6 to 8 progressively heavier singles
in the snatch. I work up to a weight that is
heavy but not my absolute max. If you
like to use percentages, maybe 92 to 95
percent of my true max.

I'm obsessive about doing these in good form.
I video tape my lifts, and I watch the video
after every lift. I always try for better and
smoother form. The goal is to make every
lift perfect.

Next, I do 6 to 8 progressively heavier singles
in the clean and jerk. Once again, I work up
to a weight that is heavy but not my actual
max. And I focus on perfect form on every
lift.

So that makes a total of 12 to 16 lifts.

And that's it.

After the clean and jerk, I call in the dogs,
put out the fire, unload the bar, lock the garage
and go into the house for some serious, Dino
style post-workout nutrition -- a/k/a meat
and veggies.

The entire workout takes about 45 to 60
minutes from start to finish.

It's a good program, and a fun one. Give
it a try!

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 new courses are available in your
choice of hard copy or Kindle e-book. Go here
to find them:

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

Kindle edition:

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

Hard-copy:

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

2. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2,
"How Strong Are You?"

Kindle edition:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

Hard-copy:

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_02.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: "Keep it simple,
work hard, and have fun." -- Brooks Kubik

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

To Squat or Not to Squat -- Part Three

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

I had a great time doing my weekly podcast
show on Physical Culture Radio yesterday.
Carl Lanore and I talked about the whole
"to squat or not to squat" question, and it
was a good discussion.

You can listen to it here on the SuperHuman
Radio network:

http://superhumanradio.com/

By the way, for those of you who listen to
Physical Culture Radio, I'd love to have your
feedback on the show.

I'd also love to get some questions to
cover on air in future shows.

Meanwhile, we have tons more feedback from
Dinos. Remember, this is in response to a
question  from a Dino who has unusual
challenges in doing squats, including a
stiff shoulder and lumbar rotoscoliosis.

Trap Bar deadlifts work well for him, but
he wants to squat because he knows
it's a great exercise. The question is,
is it worth the risk in his case?

Or, to put it bluntly, is the squat a "must
do" exercise for everyone?

Here's what your fellow Dinos think:

1. Train Without Pain!

I think it makes good sense to do what
works without causing unnecessary pain.
Obviously, squats will cause pain, but
there is good pain and bad pain. Good
pain results in growth and bad pain
results in injuries.

If he does well with Trap Bar and some
kind of leg press, it isn't worth risking
not being able to walk just to say, "I
still squat!"

Dustin Jones

2. Stick to Front Squats!

I would say I had the perfect build/
body structure for squatting and did a
ton of it and benefitted from it.

However, long term and with regard to
over-all effectiveness, I believe I would
have been better off and MILES AHEAD
if I had switched EXCLUSIVELY to front
squats and cleans once I mastered the
over-all movement of basic squatting.

I think over-all and long-term safety
and productivity favor front squatting.

Paul Murray

3. Focus On Pain-free Training

"I think he should stick with Trap Bar
deadlift and some leg presses. He has
earned the right to train pain-free and
have some fun.

At 50, after four knee surgeries,
spondylitis, and limited ROM in my
hips, I keep trying to squat and I pay
dearly for it each time for several days
afterward.

For me, a squat is a squat, as I have
tried Top Squat, Hip Belt Squat, dumbbell
squat, machine squat, bodyweight squat,
band squats -- all with basically the same
result to varying degrees: PAIN.

But I can do Trap Bar deadlifts without
debilitation, and that's what I'm sticking
to, as should he.

Dan Pekrul

4.  A Hip Belt Note

Many readers suggested that our Dino use
the hip belt. That's a good choice for many
Dinos who need a squat alternative, but it's
a bad choice for THIS Dino due to his roto-
scoliosis. He tells me that the hip belt squat
twists his hips -- which twists his lower back --
which is a real problem for him.

He goes to the chiro, gets an adjustment, and
everything is fine -- and then he does the hip
belt squat and BOOM -- he needs another
adjustment.

That's another good example that what works
well for one Dino may not work as well for
another.

5. The Trap Bar

Hands down, the majority of Dinos said to stick
to the Trap Bar deadlift as the primary lower
body movement -- and I think that's excellent
advice for this Dino (and for many older Dinos).

It's perfect for him because it doesn't put any
torque on his shoulders or hips -- and it actually
helps him keep square to the bar as he does his
reps.

John Wood sells the original Gerard Trap Bar --
made in the USA. If you're looking for a Trap
Bar, go with the original:

http://www.trapbartraining.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. Productive, effective and pain-free training
gets much more difficult as you grow older --
but Gray Hair and Black Iron will help you
sort things out:

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

P.S. 2. My Dinosaur Training e-books are
a big hit with Dinos areound the world:

a. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 1.
"Exercises, Workouts and Training
Programs"

http://brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets01_kindle.html

b. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 2,
"How Strong Are You?"

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

c. The Training Secrets of John Grimek

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

d. The Dinosaur Military Press and Shoulder
Power Course

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Train to be strong, fit,
and healthy at age 50, 60, 70, 80 and beyond."
-- Brooks Kubik

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

A Gym In Your Pocket!

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Several Dinos have asked about how to get
a good workout while travelling.

The problem is that even if you find a gym --
or stay at a hotel with a gym -- it's usually
not a Dino-style gym.

For example, you might find a gym with
dumbbells, but they only go up to 50
pounds.

Or you might find a gym that has barbells,
but no squat racks.

Or you might find a gym with good equipment,
but the "feel" of the place drives you crazy,
and not in a good way.

Hey, I'm right there with you. The last time I
tried training on the road it drove me so crazy
I left the gym half-way through my workout
and never went back.

Chuck Sipes used to have a good way of
dealing with this sort of thing.

You may recall Chuck Sipes from "back in
the day." He was a top bodybuilder in the
1960's. Won the Mr. World contest.  He was
big, thick and muscular, with extreme
definition for a big man back then.

He was strong, too.

He could bench press close to 600 pounds,
and he moved really heavy iron in all of
his exercises. Did lots of heavy rack work
and support lifts. Trained his ligaments and
tendons. Real Dino stuff.

He specialized on forearm and grip strength,
and had the biggest, freakiest forearms
you've ever seen.

He did a strongman show where he bent
iron bars, blew up hot water bottles until
they exploded, broke heavy chains with
his bare hands, and drove a heavy spike
into a thick board with arm power alone.

So with power like that, how did he train
when he was away from the gym?

Well, get this.

Sipes worked as a counselor at a boy's
camp for what we would now call "at risk"
youth.

Sipes was an avid outdoorsman -- and
a former lumberjack -- and he knew
the California mountains like the back
of his hand.

He took the  boys on some serious hiking
and camping trips. He thought it was good
for them. He was probably right. There's
something about the great outdoors, fresh,
mountain air, camp-cooked meals, and doing
plenty of walking, climbing, and working.
It's good for the body and good for the
soul.

Anyhow, when he went on the camping
tricks, Sipes carried a gym in his pocket.

It was a set of super strong rubber cables.

And he would put in some ferocious, super
intense workouts with them.

One time, he was caught in a blizzard. He
used the cables inside his tent. Later, he said
it was one of the best workouts of his entire
life.

And remember, this was coming from one
of the strongerst and best built men in the
world.

So if you're travelling, consider taking those
rubber cables. You might surprise yourself
by how much fun they are -- and by how
great a workout they can give you.

Heck, you might even decide to use them
at home -- along with your weights. That's
what Chuck Sipes did.

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 like the heavy-duty cables that John
Wood sells. You can find them here:

http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/products/chest-expanders

P.S. 2. Cables are great for older lifters. Use
them with any of the workouts in Gray Hair
and Black Iron:

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

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Where there's a
Dino, there's a way to train." -- Brooks Kubik

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

To Squat or Not to Squat -- Part Two

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

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

1. Physical Culture Radio!

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

You can find Physical Culture Radio right
here at the SuperHuman Radio network:

http://superhumanradio.com/

It will be a great show -- I'm looking forward
to it, and I hope you enjoy it.

On the training front . . .

We received a ton of feedback from Dinos
around the world in response to yesterday's
email about a Dino who has problems with
the squat but can do Trap Bar deadlifts and
leverage leg presses without pain.

So the question is, does he tough it out and
do squats -- or find an alternative exercise --
or skip any kind of squatting altogether?

Here's what some of you had to say:

1. Not Necessary Unless He Powerlifts!

"I think unless he's planning on competing
in a powerlifting meet, there's no real reason
he absolutely HAS to squat.

That being said, some time rolling around on
a lacrosse ball would probably take care of
that piriformis pain. I know it does for me!"

Jim Arkuszweski

2. Try Pause Squats.

"I too have long legs. I use an isometric hold
(pause) at the bottom. And I don't go beyond
parallel."

John Bohlig

3. Reduce the Weight and Work on Form!

"I think he should dial back on the weight
progression and  pay more attention to form,
only adding weight to the bar when the desired
reps are completed in perfect form. Isn't that
what Grimek would say?

And those bodyweight squats you teach are no
joke. Have him give the deep knee bends a try."

Adam Schreiner

4.  Find a substitute exercise.

"Although it'as one of my favorites the ability
to squat is not the be all and end all. If he can
perform the Trap Bar deadlift, then do that. Ditto
for other variations such as hip belt squats or
front squats. No point in beating yourself up over
it unless like me you compete in powerlifting."

Chris Martin

5. Look for an exercise that does not cause
joint pain.

"To squat or not to squat. Lifting should be a
safe and enjoyable pursuit. It is one thing to put
yourself through a hard workout using good form,
and feel a bit sore a few hours later or the next
day (the kind of muscle soreness you know is
doing you good) -- but if you're doing a
particular exercise and it is causing joint or
orthopedic pain, that's not good.

I would try other exercises that do not cause
joint pain. Trap Bar deadlifts are a great exercise
and really work a lot of muscles.

Dumbbell squats are a great challenge as well,
and a great alternative to the back squat.

Use the exercises that help you get stronger
and improve your health. Discard the exercises
that cause pain and damage your body."

Jim Figurniak

Those are all excellent points, and great advice
for any Dino who has serious trouble doing squats.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who sent in a reply.

We'll cover some more thoughts from your fellow
Dinos tomorrow.

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

Yours in strength,

Brooks Kubik

P.S. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training has plenty of great
exercises -- including some terrific dumbbell squat
variations:

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

P.S. 2. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training will teach you
how to work your legs super hard with old-school
bodyweight exercises:

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

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

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

P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Train for today,
tomorrow and 50 years from now." -- Brooks
Kubik

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

To Squat or Not to Squat?

Hail to the Dinosaurs!

Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.

1. The "How Strong Are You?" Course
We mailed a ton of copies of my new
"How Strong Are You?" course on Mon
and Tuesday.

I included a personal card with every
order -- be sure to look for it. I slide them
into a book or course most of the time, but
they can fall out and end up in the bottom
of the mailing envelope. So look for your
note -- it's there!

If you've been travelling in Outer Congolia
and missed my emails and did not grab the
new course, do it now:

a. Hard-copy

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_02.html

b. Kindle e-book

http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets2_kindle.html

2.  How to Save Clams on Postage!

International postage rates are really high,
but we can save you lots of clams on postage
charges if you order two or more books or
courses (or issues of the Dinosaur Files
quarterly), and we ship them together.

We saved one reader 25 clams last week --
and we saved another reader 30 clams. That's
real money -- you can use it to buy brontosaurus
burgers for post workout nutrition.

For a shipping quote, send us an email and let
us know where you live and what you want.
We'll work it up and get back to you asap.

3.  To Squat or Not to Squat?

Since today is April 1, some of you may think
we're heading into an April's Fool's post. We're
not. This one is serious, and it's for real.

As you know from my books and articles, I'm
a huge fan of the squat. It's one of the very
best exercises there is -- and many would rate
it as the very best of all exercises. It certainly
ranks right up there as a strength and mass
builder.

Also, as all Dinos know, it stimulates big gains
in muscle mass throughout the entire body.

So I'm not a big fan of the guys who train
in "spot me, bro!" world and use the squat
rack or the the power rack as a place to hang
their gym towels and park their water bottles
while they pump their bi's and tri's and power
blast their pecs.

That said, there are some trainees who really
cannot do squats -- or cannot do them safely --
or can do them, but need to keep the weight on
the bar to around bodyweight.

For example, I received an email from a
trainee who has:

1. A past shoulder injury that makes it hard to
get the bar into position and hold onto it.

2. Long arms and long legs relative to his torso.

3. Lumbar rotoscoliosis.

And for the record, he's one of our older Dinos --
mid-40's or early 50's, I believe.

He's tried squatting for the first time in a long
time, and over a period of four or five months he
worked up to 113 kg (250 lbs.) for 7 reps --
and then he started to get some pain in the
piriformis muscle -- and stopped squatting.

Now, here's the important part. He does fine
with Trap Bar deadlifts and leverage machine
leg presses.

So what should he do?

Grit his teeth and tough it out and keep on
squatting?

Or stick to the Trap Bar deadlifts and leverage
leg presses?

Or drop the weight and work on his form?

Or try front squats, safety squats or the Dave
Draper Top Squat?

How about bodyweight squats -- or the different
variations of bodyweight squats that I cover in
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training?

Or the dumbbell squats that I cover in Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training?

There are lots of options. Let's talk about some
of them tomorrow. In the meantime, let's hear
from the Dinos. What do YOU think he should
do?

Send an email and let me know. I'll share the
best answers later in the week.

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 Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
and Dinosaur Dumbbell Training. Go here to grab
the little monsters:

a. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training

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

b. Dinosaur Dumbbell Training

http://www.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

And remember -- send an email and ask for a
shipping quote on multiple item orders.

P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Train hard, but train
smart. Remember that you're in it for the long
haul." -- Brooks Kubik

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