Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I have a couple of quick notes and updates
for you.
1. Physical Culture Radio
Last week's episode of Physical Culture
Radio gives you an hour of high impact
training advice. We began by talking
about effective lower body training for
older Dinos, and it grew from there.
You can listen to it right here:
http://superhumanradio.com/shr-1811-physical-culture-radio-individualised-prescription-chronic-sleep-restriction-effects.html
I think this is one of the best shows I've
ever done. Let me know how you like
it.
2. Classic Photos on Instagram
I'm on Instagram now, and I'm posting
all sorts of classic photos, including:
A rare ad for Arthur Saxon's wonderful
book, Development of Physical Power.
Bert Assirati performing a one-hand
handstand - at around 260 or 280
pounds.
Clevio Massimo crushing the heck out
of an old-time spring exerciser.
A cover photo from Bernarr MacFadden's
Physical Culture magazine.
A cover photo from a very old issue of
Strength and Health.
Another one from an old issue of Vigour.
Ditto from Muscle Power.
An autographed (to me) photo of John
Grimek.
Norb Schemansky at about the time he
won his Olympic gold medal.
The cover of the extremely rare little
book, Secrets of the Squat Snatch.
A killer photo of George F. Jowett.
A patron's medal from the 1947 World
Weightlifting championships.
And there's more - much more:
Brooks and Trudi at the old-school, black
iron gym where we met.
My first business card - from a Nautilus
club in Dayton, Ohio - I worked there
40 years ago.
A photo of me training at the Island
Gym I describe in Strength, Muscle
and Power.
Photos of the research library here at
Dino Headquarters.
Photos of the Dinosaur Dungeon.
My York Barbell Company paperweight -
which I keep next to me whenever I
write anything for the Dino Nation.
Videos from my workouts.
Dinosaur breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Our favorite farmers and growers - and
our favorite farmers' market.
And lots more. I add to the list every day.
Go here to follow me on Instagram. We
have 746 followers right now, and I'm
looking for a 1,000 as fast as possible:
https://www.instagram.com/brooks_kubik/
3. The February Dinosaur Files
Here's the link for the February issue of
the Dinosaur Files:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
If you missed the December and January
issues, they're right here:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
Be sure to send me an email and let me
know how you like the Dinosaur Files.
We love to hear from you.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
How to Stay Out of the Danger Zone!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I saw an interesting article the other day
reporting on several recent research studies
that looked at the effect of different factors
on injuries suffered by (1) runners and (2)
rugby players.
Now, I know that running and rugby are
different than strength training, but bear
with me. There was some good information
for us.
In both studies, the researchers found that
the greatest risk of injury occurred when
there was a sudden increase in the amount
or intensity of one's training.
An increase of just 20 percent was enough
to put an athlete into the danger zone -- and
an increase of 60 percent or more would
increase the risk of injury by about three
to four times.
Now, you may think, "That's fine -- but who
would ever increase their training volume or
intensity by 20 to 60 percent?"
That's a fair question.
Here's the answer.
We've all done it.
Beginners do it all the time. They go from no
training to "lots of training" (usually far too
much). That's why beginners need to start
light and easy and train progressively, with
slow and steady increases in both volume
and intensity.
Other trainees do it when they come back from
a lay-off. Once again, they go from zero training
to "lots" of training, and usually do it without
any kind of break-in period or any sort of
systematic progression.
Many trainees do it when they go on specialization
programs. You see it happen all the time.
Trainees do it when they go on crash weight loss
programs and start doing high volume workouts
to "burn off the flab".
Trainees do it when they add cardio to their
strength training programs. They go from three
training days a week to six (three days of
strength training and three days of cardio).
I could go on with many more examples, but
you get the point.
So how do you stay out of the danger zone?
It's simple.
You follow old-school, "slow cooking" progression
methods. You increase your volume and your
intensity at a pace your body can handle. You
give your body time to adapt to any increases
in volume or intensity.
In other words, you follow the slow and steady
approach. Not the crash and burn approach.
It sounds simple. But it works. And it's one of
the secrets of lifelong strength and health.
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one -- and stay in the gaining zone, not the
danger zone!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. The progression systems in Dinosaur
Training Secrets, Vol. 3, will keep you on
the right track -- and keep you out of the
danger zone!
Hard-copy
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html
Kindle e-book
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html
PDF with electronic delivery
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets_vol3_digital.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: "Do it one rep at
a time and one pound at a time." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
I saw an interesting article the other day
reporting on several recent research studies
that looked at the effect of different factors
on injuries suffered by (1) runners and (2)
rugby players.
Now, I know that running and rugby are
different than strength training, but bear
with me. There was some good information
for us.
In both studies, the researchers found that
the greatest risk of injury occurred when
there was a sudden increase in the amount
or intensity of one's training.
An increase of just 20 percent was enough
to put an athlete into the danger zone -- and
an increase of 60 percent or more would
increase the risk of injury by about three
to four times.
Now, you may think, "That's fine -- but who
would ever increase their training volume or
intensity by 20 to 60 percent?"
That's a fair question.
Here's the answer.
We've all done it.
Beginners do it all the time. They go from no
training to "lots of training" (usually far too
much). That's why beginners need to start
light and easy and train progressively, with
slow and steady increases in both volume
and intensity.
Other trainees do it when they come back from
a lay-off. Once again, they go from zero training
to "lots" of training, and usually do it without
any kind of break-in period or any sort of
systematic progression.
Many trainees do it when they go on specialization
programs. You see it happen all the time.
Trainees do it when they go on crash weight loss
programs and start doing high volume workouts
to "burn off the flab".
Trainees do it when they add cardio to their
strength training programs. They go from three
training days a week to six (three days of
strength training and three days of cardio).
I could go on with many more examples, but
you get the point.
So how do you stay out of the danger zone?
It's simple.
You follow old-school, "slow cooking" progression
methods. You increase your volume and your
intensity at a pace your body can handle. You
give your body time to adapt to any increases
in volume or intensity.
In other words, you follow the slow and steady
approach. Not the crash and burn approach.
It sounds simple. But it works. And it's one of
the secrets of lifelong strength and health.
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one -- and stay in the gaining zone, not the
danger zone!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. The progression systems in Dinosaur
Training Secrets, Vol. 3, will keep you on
the right track -- and keep you out of the
danger zone!
Hard-copy
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html
Kindle e-book
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html
PDF with electronic delivery
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaursecrets_vol3_digital.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: "Do it one rep at
a time and one pound at a time." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
The Rest Between Sets Question
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note, and then we'll kick the
week off with some old-school training
advice!
1. The February Dinosaur Files
The February issue of the Dinosaur Files
is now available, and has been getting
rave reviews from Dinos around the
world. Grab it here:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
If you missed the December and January
issues, they're right here:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
Be sure to send me an email and let me
know how you like the Dinosaur Files.
The more feedback we get, the better
we can do for you!
2. The Rest Between Sets Question
I received an email from a reader in
Croatia, thanking me for writing the
Dinosaur Arm Training course. But he
had a question about how long to rest
between sets. He wanted to know how
long the old-timers rested between
sets.
That's an interesting question, and it
made me realize that many of the old
time books and courses didn't address
this issue in much detail -- and many
didn't address it at all.
When they did, the advice was pretty
simple:
"Rest a minute or two and then go on
to your next set or your next exercise."
Or this:
"Rest until your breathing returns to
normal, and then do your next set or
your next exercise."
That was pretty good advice 50 or 60
years ago, and it's still pretty good
advice.
Of course, you can go faster in-between
your warm-up sets. I often rest no longer
than it takes to load the bar on my
warm-up sets. That's all you need.
On heavier sets, you rest a little longer.
I typically rest two to three minutes
in-between my heavy sets.
Also, you need more rest in-between
sets of squats, deadlifts, clean and press
or similar movements that hit the large
muscle groups and cause plenty of heavy
breathing.
So the basic rule of thumb would be 1 to
2 minutes rest on your warm-ups, 2-3 on
heavy sets, and perhaps 3 to 5 on really
hard and heavy sets.
The most important thing is to work at
a pace that allows you to stay warm and
stay focused. If you rest so long that your
body cools down, that's not good -- and
it's also not good to rest so long that
your mind begins to wander.
Keep your mind on your workout. Focus
on the next set or the next exercise
(whichever you will be doing). Visualize
it. Play a little movie in your mind's eye.
You're the star -- and you perform all of
your reps in perfect form.
Do NOT talk, chatter, watch TV, or use
your cell phone during your rest period.
Focus on your workout.
I prefer standing on my feet for my entire
workout. It keeps me loose and it keeps
my muscles from cooling down. But most
of all, it helps me stay focused.
If you prefer to sit down and rest between
sets, that's fine, too. But use your rest
period to get ready for the next set or the
next exercise. Make it an integral part of
your workout. Keep your focus from the
beginning of your workout to the very
end.
I hope that helps, and if you have any
comments or questions, send them on
in.
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 Arm Training is available in
your choice of hard copy of PDF with
immediate electronic delivery:
Hard copy
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
PDF version
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtrainingpdf.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: "Details are
important, but the most important thing is
to train progressively, consistently,
passionately and intelligently."
-- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
One quick note, and then we'll kick the
week off with some old-school training
advice!
1. The February Dinosaur Files
The February issue of the Dinosaur Files
is now available, and has been getting
rave reviews from Dinos around the
world. Grab it here:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
If you missed the December and January
issues, they're right here:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
Be sure to send me an email and let me
know how you like the Dinosaur Files.
The more feedback we get, the better
we can do for you!
2. The Rest Between Sets Question
I received an email from a reader in
Croatia, thanking me for writing the
Dinosaur Arm Training course. But he
had a question about how long to rest
between sets. He wanted to know how
long the old-timers rested between
sets.
That's an interesting question, and it
made me realize that many of the old
time books and courses didn't address
this issue in much detail -- and many
didn't address it at all.
When they did, the advice was pretty
simple:
"Rest a minute or two and then go on
to your next set or your next exercise."
Or this:
"Rest until your breathing returns to
normal, and then do your next set or
your next exercise."
That was pretty good advice 50 or 60
years ago, and it's still pretty good
advice.
Of course, you can go faster in-between
your warm-up sets. I often rest no longer
than it takes to load the bar on my
warm-up sets. That's all you need.
On heavier sets, you rest a little longer.
I typically rest two to three minutes
in-between my heavy sets.
Also, you need more rest in-between
sets of squats, deadlifts, clean and press
or similar movements that hit the large
muscle groups and cause plenty of heavy
breathing.
So the basic rule of thumb would be 1 to
2 minutes rest on your warm-ups, 2-3 on
heavy sets, and perhaps 3 to 5 on really
hard and heavy sets.
The most important thing is to work at
a pace that allows you to stay warm and
stay focused. If you rest so long that your
body cools down, that's not good -- and
it's also not good to rest so long that
your mind begins to wander.
Keep your mind on your workout. Focus
on the next set or the next exercise
(whichever you will be doing). Visualize
it. Play a little movie in your mind's eye.
You're the star -- and you perform all of
your reps in perfect form.
Do NOT talk, chatter, watch TV, or use
your cell phone during your rest period.
Focus on your workout.
I prefer standing on my feet for my entire
workout. It keeps me loose and it keeps
my muscles from cooling down. But most
of all, it helps me stay focused.
If you prefer to sit down and rest between
sets, that's fine, too. But use your rest
period to get ready for the next set or the
next exercise. Make it an integral part of
your workout. Keep your focus from the
beginning of your workout to the very
end.
I hope that helps, and if you have any
comments or questions, send them on
in.
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 Arm Training is available in
your choice of hard copy of PDF with
immediate electronic delivery:
Hard copy
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtraining.html
PDF version
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_armtrainingpdf.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: "Details are
important, but the most important thing is
to train progressively, consistently,
passionately and intelligently."
-- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
How to Train for the Sig Klein Dumbbell Challenge
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. The February Dinosaur Files.
Is ready, and Dinos around the world are
loving it. Go here to grab the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
And be sure to send feed-back on this issue.
We love to hear from you!
2. Shipping Quotes.
We can usually save you some serious clams
by shipping two or three books or courses
in one package. This is especially true for
international orders. If you want to order
several items with international shipping,
please email first and ask for a shipping
quote. Include your shipping address in
your email.
3. How to Train for the Sig Klein Dumbbell
Challenge.
Not long ago, I sent out an email about Sig
Klein's legendary dumbbell challenge. It's
to perform 12 continuous reps in the two
dumbbell clean and press with a pair of 75
pound dumbbells.
You do the first rep from the floor, and all
of the following reps from the hang.
You do one clean and one press on each
rep.
It's pretty darn tough. Klein estimated that
less than 10 men in the United States could
meet the challenge. Klein was one of them --
and he only weighed a shade over 150 pounds,
so he was doing 12 continuous reps in the
two-dumbbell clean and press with a total
weight just under his own bodyweight!
Yesterday I got an email about how to train
for the dumbbell challenge. One of our Dinos
gave it a try, and managed 12 reps with a
pair of 55 pound dumbbells. He wanted to
know how to move up to 75 pounders.
Here's my advice:
1. Don't stick to 12 rep sets exclusively. Mix
things up. If you do multiple sets of 12 reps
in the two dumbbell clean and press, you're
asking for trouble -- as in, very sore inner
elbows and wrists. Mixing things up will help
avoid this.
2. For example, you might try 5 x 5 in one
workout. That allows you to work up to
heavier weights, which will build more
strength, and make the weight feel lighter
when you try your higher rep sets.
3. In another workout, do 10/8/6. If you
need warm-up sets, then do two or three
warm-up sets. Use anything from 5 to 10
reps in the warm-up sets.
4. Holding onto the dumbbells will be
tough when you do those 12 rep sets.
So train your grip by doing a set of
dumbbell shrugs immediately after
your final set of clean and press. Do
10 to 12 reps in the shrug.
a. If you prefer, do dumbbell deadlifts
after each set of the two dumbbell clean
and press -- or do the farmer's walk --
or do a timed hold after your final set.
b. Do the extra grip work after the final
set only -- because you will fry your
grip, and that means you won't be able
to safely perform another set of clean
and press.
5. Work the two-dumbbell curl and
press into your program. This allows
lighter training days that will have good
carry-over to the heavier days when you
do the two-dumbbell clean and press.
6. Do other dumbbell exercises. The
more dumbbell training you do, the
better you become at handling heavy
dumbbells. And using different exercises
helps avoid over-use problems from doing
just one movement.
a. I would do the two dumbbell clean and
press once a week, and do other dumbbell
exercises once a week -- and do another
workout where I focus on leg training
and rest my arms and shoulders.
b. See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training for
tons of other dumbbell exercises.
7. Include squats, push-ups and pull-ups.
You need plenty of conditioning to do 12
non-stop reps in the two-dumbbell clean
and press. Squats, push-ups and pull-ups
will help.
a. See Chalk and Sweat for some leg training
workiouts that will help build strength and
stamina -- and see Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training for some great push-up and pull-up
variations.
Those tips ought to help you hit Klein's
dumbbell challenge. But don't rush things.
It's a tough challenge, and it will take time
to get there.
If anyone else is working to meet Klein's
challenge, shoot me an email and let me
know what you're doing and how it's
working for you.
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 Dumbbell Training
and Dinosaur Bodyweight Training. Go here
to grab them:
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and
links to my Dinosaur Training books and
courses on Kindle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Challenge yourself.
Make every workout a step on the road to the top
of the mountain." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Two quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. The February Dinosaur Files.
Is ready, and Dinos around the world are
loving it. Go here to grab the little monster:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
And be sure to send feed-back on this issue.
We love to hear from you!
2. Shipping Quotes.
We can usually save you some serious clams
by shipping two or three books or courses
in one package. This is especially true for
international orders. If you want to order
several items with international shipping,
please email first and ask for a shipping
quote. Include your shipping address in
your email.
3. How to Train for the Sig Klein Dumbbell
Challenge.
Not long ago, I sent out an email about Sig
Klein's legendary dumbbell challenge. It's
to perform 12 continuous reps in the two
dumbbell clean and press with a pair of 75
pound dumbbells.
You do the first rep from the floor, and all
of the following reps from the hang.
You do one clean and one press on each
rep.
It's pretty darn tough. Klein estimated that
less than 10 men in the United States could
meet the challenge. Klein was one of them --
and he only weighed a shade over 150 pounds,
so he was doing 12 continuous reps in the
two-dumbbell clean and press with a total
weight just under his own bodyweight!
Yesterday I got an email about how to train
for the dumbbell challenge. One of our Dinos
gave it a try, and managed 12 reps with a
pair of 55 pound dumbbells. He wanted to
know how to move up to 75 pounders.
Here's my advice:
1. Don't stick to 12 rep sets exclusively. Mix
things up. If you do multiple sets of 12 reps
in the two dumbbell clean and press, you're
asking for trouble -- as in, very sore inner
elbows and wrists. Mixing things up will help
avoid this.
2. For example, you might try 5 x 5 in one
workout. That allows you to work up to
heavier weights, which will build more
strength, and make the weight feel lighter
when you try your higher rep sets.
3. In another workout, do 10/8/6. If you
need warm-up sets, then do two or three
warm-up sets. Use anything from 5 to 10
reps in the warm-up sets.
4. Holding onto the dumbbells will be
tough when you do those 12 rep sets.
So train your grip by doing a set of
dumbbell shrugs immediately after
your final set of clean and press. Do
10 to 12 reps in the shrug.
a. If you prefer, do dumbbell deadlifts
after each set of the two dumbbell clean
and press -- or do the farmer's walk --
or do a timed hold after your final set.
b. Do the extra grip work after the final
set only -- because you will fry your
grip, and that means you won't be able
to safely perform another set of clean
and press.
5. Work the two-dumbbell curl and
press into your program. This allows
lighter training days that will have good
carry-over to the heavier days when you
do the two-dumbbell clean and press.
6. Do other dumbbell exercises. The
more dumbbell training you do, the
better you become at handling heavy
dumbbells. And using different exercises
helps avoid over-use problems from doing
just one movement.
a. I would do the two dumbbell clean and
press once a week, and do other dumbbell
exercises once a week -- and do another
workout where I focus on leg training
and rest my arms and shoulders.
b. See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training for
tons of other dumbbell exercises.
7. Include squats, push-ups and pull-ups.
You need plenty of conditioning to do 12
non-stop reps in the two-dumbbell clean
and press. Squats, push-ups and pull-ups
will help.
a. See Chalk and Sweat for some leg training
workiouts that will help build strength and
stamina -- and see Dinosaur Bodyweight
Training for some great push-up and pull-up
variations.
Those tips ought to help you hit Klein's
dumbbell challenge. But don't rush things.
It's a tough challenge, and it will take time
to get there.
If anyone else is working to meet Klein's
challenge, shoot me an email and let me
know what you're doing and how it's
working for you.
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 Dumbbell Training
and Dinosaur Bodyweight Training. Go here
to grab them:
Dinosaur Dumbbell Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and
links to my Dinosaur Training books and
courses on Kindle -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Challenge yourself.
Make every workout a step on the road to the top
of the mountain." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Sensible and Effective Calf Training
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Buried somewhere in my email box is a
question from a reader about calf training.
It's a good one, so I thought I'd answer it
in an email to the entire group.
It's a three part question. My answers
follow each of the questions:
Q. Have you ever read Arnold's book, The
Education of a Bodybuilder?
A. Yes, many, many years ago.
Q. Do you agree with his statement in the
book that the calves are the most difficult
muscle to develop?
A. Yes and no. They are very difficult for
some people, but not for others. Bodybuilder
Chris Dickerson was famous for his massive
calf development, but according to Arthur
Jones he had a twin brother who never
trained but who had even BIGGER calves!
Q. Do you believe that the only way to make
your calves grow is to bomb them mercilessly
with a muscle-blasting blitzkrieg of exercises,
sets, reps and weight?
A. No, not at all. I think there's a much better
and more effective way to train your calves.
Back in the day, the muscle magazines
would always run an article every so often
that said the calves are a very dense muscle
group because of all the walking we do -- and
the only way to make them grow is to do a
super program of daily workouts, many
different exercises, and plenty of sets
and reps.
I remember reading one of those articles
when I was in high school.
The next day, I went to the school weight
room and did day one of the author's
recommended program.
I couldn't walk right for two weeks.
And that's the problem with the super-duper
high volume calf workouts. They can literally
cripple you.
To me, it makes much more sense to just do
ONE calf exercise in any given workout -- for
two to five sets -- and give your body time to
adopt to the program and start to show some
results. You can train hard without overdoing
things and without developing extreme
muscular soreness.
If you have the genetics for big calves, this
simple approach will work perfectly fine and
everyone else will THINK you have some kind
of secret workout.
If you do NOT have the genetics for big calves,
this simple approach will build strong lower legs
and help to injury-proof your feet and ankles --
without the risk of over-training.
As far as exercises go, the basic calf raise on
a calf machine is hard to beat. Do five sets of
8 to 10 reps and gradually work up to heavy
weight. Reg Park famously used 800 to 1,000
pounds in his calf raises.
If you don't have access to a calf machine, do
one-legged calf raises while holding a dumbbell
in one hand. Do sets of 10 to 20 reps.
People always asked Arthur Jones to build a
special machine for calf raises. He refused to
do so because one-legged calf raises were so
effective.
And Chuck Sipes used to train his calves in a
very low-tech way. He did them in a power rack,
and allowed the barbell to slide up and down
against the uprights so he could keep his
balance. He would stand with his toes on
two old bricks to increase his range of
movement. It worked pretty well -- he
was one of the top bodybuilders in the
world, and one of the strongest -- and
he had terrific calves.
So calf training is like anything else. Keep it
simple, train hard and focus on quality rather
than quantity.
Works every time.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Have you seen the February issue of The
Dinosaur Files? We're getting great feedback
on the little monster:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
P.S. 2. If you missed the December and January
issues, go here to grab them:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.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: "Those aren't
calves, they're cows!" -- Classic line repeated
by many over the years
***********************************************************************************
Buried somewhere in my email box is a
question from a reader about calf training.
It's a good one, so I thought I'd answer it
in an email to the entire group.
It's a three part question. My answers
follow each of the questions:
Q. Have you ever read Arnold's book, The
Education of a Bodybuilder?
A. Yes, many, many years ago.
Q. Do you agree with his statement in the
book that the calves are the most difficult
muscle to develop?
A. Yes and no. They are very difficult for
some people, but not for others. Bodybuilder
Chris Dickerson was famous for his massive
calf development, but according to Arthur
Jones he had a twin brother who never
trained but who had even BIGGER calves!
Q. Do you believe that the only way to make
your calves grow is to bomb them mercilessly
with a muscle-blasting blitzkrieg of exercises,
sets, reps and weight?
A. No, not at all. I think there's a much better
and more effective way to train your calves.
Back in the day, the muscle magazines
would always run an article every so often
that said the calves are a very dense muscle
group because of all the walking we do -- and
the only way to make them grow is to do a
super program of daily workouts, many
different exercises, and plenty of sets
and reps.
I remember reading one of those articles
when I was in high school.
The next day, I went to the school weight
room and did day one of the author's
recommended program.
I couldn't walk right for two weeks.
And that's the problem with the super-duper
high volume calf workouts. They can literally
cripple you.
To me, it makes much more sense to just do
ONE calf exercise in any given workout -- for
two to five sets -- and give your body time to
adopt to the program and start to show some
results. You can train hard without overdoing
things and without developing extreme
muscular soreness.
If you have the genetics for big calves, this
simple approach will work perfectly fine and
everyone else will THINK you have some kind
of secret workout.
If you do NOT have the genetics for big calves,
this simple approach will build strong lower legs
and help to injury-proof your feet and ankles --
without the risk of over-training.
As far as exercises go, the basic calf raise on
a calf machine is hard to beat. Do five sets of
8 to 10 reps and gradually work up to heavy
weight. Reg Park famously used 800 to 1,000
pounds in his calf raises.
If you don't have access to a calf machine, do
one-legged calf raises while holding a dumbbell
in one hand. Do sets of 10 to 20 reps.
People always asked Arthur Jones to build a
special machine for calf raises. He refused to
do so because one-legged calf raises were so
effective.
And Chuck Sipes used to train his calves in a
very low-tech way. He did them in a power rack,
and allowed the barbell to slide up and down
against the uprights so he could keep his
balance. He would stand with his toes on
two old bricks to increase his range of
movement. It worked pretty well -- he
was one of the top bodybuilders in the
world, and one of the strongest -- and
he had terrific calves.
So calf training is like anything else. Keep it
simple, train hard and focus on quality rather
than quantity.
Works every time.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Have you seen the February issue of The
Dinosaur Files? We're getting great feedback
on the little monster:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
P.S. 2. If you missed the December and January
issues, go here to grab them:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.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: "Those aren't
calves, they're cows!" -- Classic line repeated
by many over the years
***********************************************************************************
News, Notes, Updates and Questions for Dinosaurs!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I need to cover a bunch of different
topics this morning, so let's get going!
1. The February Dinosaur Files
We just released the February issue of
the Dinosaur Files. Go here to grab it:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
If you missed the December and January
issues, go here to grab them:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
And, as always, a very big THANK YOU to
everyone who reads and enjoys The
Dinosaur Files! Your support and your
enthusiasm means the world to us.
2. Tommy Kono
As I noted last week, Tommy Kono is
very ill, and may not be with us much
longer. If you'd like to send him a card
or letter to wish him well and to thank
him for everything he has done for the
Iron Game, send it to me and I will
forward it to Tommy.
Mail it to me at this address:
Tommy Kono
c/o Dinosaur Training
PO Box 4426
Louisville, Ky 40204
We've had a terrific response so far --
but please step up and take action if
you have not already done so. I know
it will mean a great deal to Tommy.
3. Follow Me on Instagram, Facebook
and Twitter!
I'm posting some great photos and video
on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Be
sure to follow me and join the fun. And
hit the LIKE and SHARE buttons as much
as you can. (Consider it "active rest" for
your thumbs and fingers.)
I'm on Facebook at Brooks Kubik.
I'm on Twitter at #brookskubik and
#dinosaurtraining.
And I'm right here on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/brooks_kubik/
4. Dinosaur Training DVD's
I still carry my Dinosaur Training DVD's
and my Bodyweight Training DVD's -- but
I've also let John Wood upload them at
his member site, The Iron League. Of course,
there's a ton of other great stuff at The Iron
League -- including some things that are so
rare that I've never seen them anywhere
else -- or even knew they existed. And that's
saying a lot, because I've been collecting Iron
Game books, courses and magazines for close
to 50 years, and I thought I had "seen it all."
Go here to join up:
http://www.ironleague.com/
5. Dinosaur Training Seminars
Are you interested in attending a Dinosaur
Training seminar here in Louisville?
Are you a gym owner -- and would you like
to host a Dinosaur Training seminar?
If the answer to either question is "Yes!" then
shoot me an email. If there's enough interest,
we can make start doing some seminars this
year.
The Wrap-Up
There's more to cover, but that's enough for
now. 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. You can find all of my books and courses
right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "The more you
do, the more you CAN do." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
I need to cover a bunch of different
topics this morning, so let's get going!
1. The February Dinosaur Files
We just released the February issue of
the Dinosaur Files. Go here to grab it:
February 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
If you missed the December and January
issues, go here to grab them:
January 2016 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
And, as always, a very big THANK YOU to
everyone who reads and enjoys The
Dinosaur Files! Your support and your
enthusiasm means the world to us.
2. Tommy Kono
As I noted last week, Tommy Kono is
very ill, and may not be with us much
longer. If you'd like to send him a card
or letter to wish him well and to thank
him for everything he has done for the
Iron Game, send it to me and I will
forward it to Tommy.
Mail it to me at this address:
Tommy Kono
c/o Dinosaur Training
PO Box 4426
Louisville, Ky 40204
We've had a terrific response so far --
but please step up and take action if
you have not already done so. I know
it will mean a great deal to Tommy.
3. Follow Me on Instagram, Facebook
and Twitter!
I'm posting some great photos and video
on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Be
sure to follow me and join the fun. And
hit the LIKE and SHARE buttons as much
as you can. (Consider it "active rest" for
your thumbs and fingers.)
I'm on Facebook at Brooks Kubik.
I'm on Twitter at #brookskubik and
#dinosaurtraining.
And I'm right here on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/brooks_kubik/
4. Dinosaur Training DVD's
I still carry my Dinosaur Training DVD's
and my Bodyweight Training DVD's -- but
I've also let John Wood upload them at
his member site, The Iron League. Of course,
there's a ton of other great stuff at The Iron
League -- including some things that are so
rare that I've never seen them anywhere
else -- or even knew they existed. And that's
saying a lot, because I've been collecting Iron
Game books, courses and magazines for close
to 50 years, and I thought I had "seen it all."
Go here to join up:
http://www.ironleague.com/
5. Dinosaur Training Seminars
Are you interested in attending a Dinosaur
Training seminar here in Louisville?
Are you a gym owner -- and would you like
to host a Dinosaur Training seminar?
If the answer to either question is "Yes!" then
shoot me an email. If there's enough interest,
we can make start doing some seminars this
year.
The Wrap-Up
There's more to cover, but that's enough for
now. 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. You can find all of my books and courses
right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "The more you
do, the more you CAN do." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Safe and Effective Lower Body Training for Older Dinos!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Back in December, Trudi and I were
talking about training -- and she asked
me about squats for older trainees and
whether I thought they were a good
idea or a bad idea.
Of course, it's one of those "it depends"
questions -- but it was a very interesting
one.
I ran the question by the Dinos in one of
my daily emails -- and the answers starting
pouring in faster than you could say the
Dinosaur motto ("Hard work, heavy iron,
super strength.")
Before you knew it, I had close to 50 responses
from older Dinos. Some of them were just a
sentence or two, and some were a page or
two long.
The Dinos shared some remarkable stories.
Some Dinos used back squats to CURE
serious knee, hip or back problems.
Some Dinos were still squatting hard and
heavy in their 70's.
We received one report of a lifting champion
who is still doing back squats, front squats
and Olympic lifting in his 90's!
Other Dinos had switched to other movements,
and they outlined what was working for them.
Some combined squats with other exercises.
Some used movements you probably have
heard about but may never have tried -- or
used very unique equipment to train their
legs, hips and back. Again, stuff that may
not be on your radar screen -- but stuff
you ought to know about.
Several older Dinos didn't start doing squats
until they were close to retirement age -- and
then they made terrific progress on them.
And many outlined the sets and reps, and the
training frequency, that worked best for them.
It was real-world, no nonsense, straight from
the shoulder training advice.
Training advice from men who are walking the
walk -- and still hitting it hard and heavy no
matter how many candles are on the birthday
cake.
Stuff you don't see anywhere else -- because
the rest of the world is more interested in the
silly stuff. One-legged squats on wobble boards
while wearing a suit of armor and walking a pet
penquin perched on a pogo stick.
The rest of the world also tends to ignore the
unique needs of older trainees and focus almost
exclusively on the young lions. That's totally
understandable, but it leaves a big gap in the
information that older trainees need to be
successful.
Anyhow -- when I saw the responses, I knew
I had to share them. So I ran about half of them
in the January issue of The Dinosaur Files.
And then I ran the other half in the February
issue of the Dinosaur Files.
You can grab them right here -- and while you're
at it, you might as well grab the December issue
if you missed it. It has plenty of good stuff, too.
February 2016 Dinosaur Files (cover photo of Robert
Ruckstool)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
January 2016 Dinosaur Files (cover photo of Eugene Sandow)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files (cover photo of Sig Klein)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
Of course, the Dinosaur Files contains plenty
of different articles in each issue -- but the
series covering effective lower body training
for older Dinos is solid gold. After all, you're
either an older Dino right now -- or you're
going to be one sometime in the future!
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 books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. "You're never strong enough, and you
never know enough about training. Always
keep growing, learning, advancing and moving
forward." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Back in December, Trudi and I were
talking about training -- and she asked
me about squats for older trainees and
whether I thought they were a good
idea or a bad idea.
Of course, it's one of those "it depends"
questions -- but it was a very interesting
one.
I ran the question by the Dinos in one of
my daily emails -- and the answers starting
pouring in faster than you could say the
Dinosaur motto ("Hard work, heavy iron,
super strength.")
Before you knew it, I had close to 50 responses
from older Dinos. Some of them were just a
sentence or two, and some were a page or
two long.
The Dinos shared some remarkable stories.
Some Dinos used back squats to CURE
serious knee, hip or back problems.
Some Dinos were still squatting hard and
heavy in their 70's.
We received one report of a lifting champion
who is still doing back squats, front squats
and Olympic lifting in his 90's!
Other Dinos had switched to other movements,
and they outlined what was working for them.
Some combined squats with other exercises.
Some used movements you probably have
heard about but may never have tried -- or
used very unique equipment to train their
legs, hips and back. Again, stuff that may
not be on your radar screen -- but stuff
you ought to know about.
Several older Dinos didn't start doing squats
until they were close to retirement age -- and
then they made terrific progress on them.
And many outlined the sets and reps, and the
training frequency, that worked best for them.
It was real-world, no nonsense, straight from
the shoulder training advice.
Training advice from men who are walking the
walk -- and still hitting it hard and heavy no
matter how many candles are on the birthday
cake.
Stuff you don't see anywhere else -- because
the rest of the world is more interested in the
silly stuff. One-legged squats on wobble boards
while wearing a suit of armor and walking a pet
penquin perched on a pogo stick.
The rest of the world also tends to ignore the
unique needs of older trainees and focus almost
exclusively on the young lions. That's totally
understandable, but it leaves a big gap in the
information that older trainees need to be
successful.
Anyhow -- when I saw the responses, I knew
I had to share them. So I ran about half of them
in the January issue of The Dinosaur Files.
And then I ran the other half in the February
issue of the Dinosaur Files.
You can grab them right here -- and while you're
at it, you might as well grab the December issue
if you missed it. It has plenty of good stuff, too.
February 2016 Dinosaur Files (cover photo of Robert
Ruckstool)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_february2016.html
January 2016 Dinosaur Files (cover photo of Eugene Sandow)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_januaryr2016.html
December 2015 Dinosaur Files (cover photo of Sig Klein)
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaurfiles_december2015.html
Of course, the Dinosaur Files contains plenty
of different articles in each issue -- but the
series covering effective lower body training
for older Dinos is solid gold. After all, you're
either an older Dino right now -- or you're
going to be one sometime in the future!
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 books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. "You're never strong enough, and you
never know enough about training. Always
keep growing, learning, advancing and moving
forward." -- Brooks Kubik
***********************************************************************************
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