Hail to the Dinosaurs!
When I was a kid, I bought a 110 pound
barbell set. So did all of my friends.
There was one difference, though.
I actually used the thing. I trained. The
other guys all quit after a week or two.
In junior high and high school, I was one
of the few kids who lifted weights all year
round. Even most of the other athletes tended
to skip the weight training. For some reason
(which has never made sense to me), they
didn't like it.
I kept on training in college, and I've been
training ever since.
Today, I'm 54 years old, and I still go out to
the garage and hit the iron a couple of times
a week. And I train pretty hard and pretty
heavy.
One thing I do NOT do is overtrain. As you grow
older, it becomes very easy to overtrain -- and
if you fall into the overtraining trap as an
older lifter, you can look forward to nothing
but sore joints, aches and pains and frustration.
How do you avoid overtraining?
You do this:
1. Use abbreviated training programs.
1A. many of my current workouts consist of
a single primary exercise. At most, I do TWO
primary movements in any one session.
2. Use perfect form in all of your exercises.
3. Use the heavy/medium/light system or a
simple cycling system so you don't always
train with your top weights.
4. If an exercise hurts, replace it with an
exercise that works better for you.
5. Lower reps are less fatiguing than higher
reps.
6. Pay attention to diet and nutrition. It's more
important than ever for older lifters.
6A. You want to be strong and lean. Focus on
your training for strength and on your diet for
getting (or staying) lean.
7. Rest and sleep are more important than ever.
8. Work on reducing your over-all stress levels.
8A. I know, I know -- easier said than done --
but it's really important to maintain a
tranquil mind.
9. Do enough cardio work to keep your heart
healthy (but don't do so much that you wear
yourself down).
10. Do things that you ENJOY when you train. The
more FUN it is, the BETTER it works!
So there you have it. Ten tips for older lifters.
I pay attention to them -- and so should 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. For more detail about effective strength
training for older lifters, grab a copy of Gray Hair
and Black Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. I celebrated my 54th birthday by hitting a
hard, heavy workout in the garage -- and I filmed it,
so you can see EXACTLY what I'm doing. You can grab
a copy of the DVD right here:
http://brookskubik.com/goingstrong.html
P.S. 3. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training works GREAT for
older trainees -- and you can use it alone or in
combination with your weight work:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the day: "You're never to old for
a great workout!" -- Brooks Kubik
Another Speedwriting Challenge!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Readers occasionally send me speedwriting
challenges such as "Answer 10 training
questions in 10 words or less per question!"
(which I actually managed to do).
Here's one that came in over the weekend:
"I CHALLENGE you to describe each of your
books, courses and DVD's in a GRAND TOTAL
of 100 words or less."
Now, mind you -- this came from a longtime
reader -- someone I would consider a friend --
and the LAST person on earth I would ever
expect to issue this kind of "impossible"
challenge.
By the way, he added, "If you can do it, I'll
order one of everything and give them away as
Christmas presents. If you can't, I win a
Dinosaur Training hoodie."
I showed the email to Trudi.
"I'll pack up the hoodie," she said.
Ouch. It hurts when you get an impossible
challenge and your better half doesn't think
you can do it.
So here goes:
1. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength
and Development:
The bible of strength training.
(That's 5 . . . )
2. Chalk and Sweat: Dinosaur Training Workouts
for beginners, Intermediates and Advanced
Lifters:
The ultimate workout book.
(9 so far . . .)
3. Gray Hair and Black Iron: Secrets of Successful
Strength Training for Older Lifters:
Must reading for older lifters!
(That makes 14 . . .)
4. Strength, Muscle and Power:
The title says it all.
(Up to 19 . . . )
5. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training:
The encyclopedia of bodyweight training.
(That makes 24 . . .)
6 - 10. Legacy of Iron, Clouds of War,
The 1,000 Pound Total, York Goes to War,
and Barbells in the Pacific:
A time-machine to the golden age
of might and muscle.
(34 . . .)
(BTW, that's not cheating because they're part of
a series.)
11. Horatius:
Epic action adventure.
(37!)
12. Black Iron: The John Davis Story:
The life of a legend -- and how he trained.
(46 . . .)
13. History's Strongest Men and How They Trained,
Vol. I, Doug Hepburn:
Training methods of the World's Strongest
Man!
(53! We're doing great!)
14. Dinosaur Arm Training:
Your guide to building strong and massive
arms.
(Up to 61! With 6 DVD's to go . . .)
15. The Lost Art of Dumbbell Training DVD:
The key to super strength.
(66 -- 5 DVD's to go -- I may be in trouble!)
16. Bags, Barrels and Beyond DVD:
Heavy awkward objects -- lift, throw, carry!
(That makes 72!)
17. Power Rack Training DVD:
How to be super-human!
(76 . . .This is getting close.)
18. Olympic Lifting Fundamentals DVD:
Build strength, power and speed!
(That makes 81 -- with two DVD's to go!)
19. Strength Training Basics DVD:
Barbell, basement, lifter. The basics.
(And now we're up to 86 -- with one to go.)
20. Going Strong at 54 DVD:
How I spent my 54th birthday -- and how I train
at age 54.
(That makes 99 -- which means -- I WIN!)
I am still UNBEATEN in speedwriting challenges --
so if you think you've got a good one, send it
on in and we'll see what happens!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can grab any or all of the books, courses
and DVD's covered in this email right here at Dino
Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. I need to go tell Trudi to unpack that hoodie!
Readers occasionally send me speedwriting
challenges such as "Answer 10 training
questions in 10 words or less per question!"
(which I actually managed to do).
Here's one that came in over the weekend:
"I CHALLENGE you to describe each of your
books, courses and DVD's in a GRAND TOTAL
of 100 words or less."
Now, mind you -- this came from a longtime
reader -- someone I would consider a friend --
and the LAST person on earth I would ever
expect to issue this kind of "impossible"
challenge.
By the way, he added, "If you can do it, I'll
order one of everything and give them away as
Christmas presents. If you can't, I win a
Dinosaur Training hoodie."
I showed the email to Trudi.
"I'll pack up the hoodie," she said.
Ouch. It hurts when you get an impossible
challenge and your better half doesn't think
you can do it.
So here goes:
1. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength
and Development:
The bible of strength training.
(That's 5 . . . )
2. Chalk and Sweat: Dinosaur Training Workouts
for beginners, Intermediates and Advanced
Lifters:
The ultimate workout book.
(9 so far . . .)
3. Gray Hair and Black Iron: Secrets of Successful
Strength Training for Older Lifters:
Must reading for older lifters!
(That makes 14 . . .)
4. Strength, Muscle and Power:
The title says it all.
(Up to 19 . . . )
5. Dinosaur Bodyweight Training:
The encyclopedia of bodyweight training.
(That makes 24 . . .)
6 - 10. Legacy of Iron, Clouds of War,
The 1,000 Pound Total, York Goes to War,
and Barbells in the Pacific:
A time-machine to the golden age
of might and muscle.
(34 . . .)
(BTW, that's not cheating because they're part of
a series.)
11. Horatius:
Epic action adventure.
(37!)
12. Black Iron: The John Davis Story:
The life of a legend -- and how he trained.
(46 . . .)
13. History's Strongest Men and How They Trained,
Vol. I, Doug Hepburn:
Training methods of the World's Strongest
Man!
(53! We're doing great!)
14. Dinosaur Arm Training:
Your guide to building strong and massive
arms.
(Up to 61! With 6 DVD's to go . . .)
15. The Lost Art of Dumbbell Training DVD:
The key to super strength.
(66 -- 5 DVD's to go -- I may be in trouble!)
16. Bags, Barrels and Beyond DVD:
Heavy awkward objects -- lift, throw, carry!
(That makes 72!)
17. Power Rack Training DVD:
How to be super-human!
(76 . . .This is getting close.)
18. Olympic Lifting Fundamentals DVD:
Build strength, power and speed!
(That makes 81 -- with two DVD's to go!)
19. Strength Training Basics DVD:
Barbell, basement, lifter. The basics.
(And now we're up to 86 -- with one to go.)
20. Going Strong at 54 DVD:
How I spent my 54th birthday -- and how I train
at age 54.
(That makes 99 -- which means -- I WIN!)
I am still UNBEATEN in speedwriting challenges --
so if you think you've got a good one, send it
on in and we'll see what happens!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can grab any or all of the books, courses
and DVD's covered in this email right here at Dino
Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. I need to go tell Trudi to unpack that hoodie!
Lone-Wolf or Multi-Station?
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I got a catalog of strength and conditioning
products in the mail the other day.
One of the items was a great big multi-station
thing that looked like a big piece of play-ground
equipment. It combined pull-up bars, overhead
supports and hooks for suspension system training,
monkey bars, dipping bars, push-up bars, places to
attach ropes and bands and cables -- all sorts of
stuff.
One of the things was so big that up to 10 people
can train on it at one time.
Another was even bigger. It can handle 20 people.
I have to admit, I looked at this with mixed feelings.
On the one hand, it's great that more and more people
are dropping the typical Chrome and Fern workouts and
starting to do some serious bodyweight training
instead. And this multi-station thing had some cool
stuff.
But on the other hand -- I'd hate to train with 10 or
20 other people using the same piece of equipment.
I've been training alone for so long that I've become
pretty much of a hermit. It's just me, the barbell,
and the lifting platform. If I do a bodyweight
workout it's just me, the ropes, the rings and the
wrestling mat.
I train alone because it allows me to CONCENTRATE as
deeply as possible on each and every rep of every
exercise I do. And concentration is one of the most
important skills for a serious trainee. It's your
secret weapon for great gains.
I've trained in gyms before, and when I did, I
managed to focus on my training and shut out all
possible distractions. And if I ever had to do it
again, I certainly could. But it's easier to
concentrate when I train by myself.
Other people may be different. Some of you may do
better when you're training with other serious, like-
minded individuals. You may find it helps to have
spotters, coaches, and encouragement. You may find
it helps to compete against others. If that's the
case, then go for it.
Remember, we're all different, and we all need to
find what works best for us.
Now -- getting back to those multi-exercise
stations -- I have to admit, they would have been
pretty darn good when I was a high school wrestler.
We could have run through them for 30 minutes or so
at the end of wrestling practice -- and it would have
been a pretty good workout!
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day.
If you train today -- whether it's alone or with a
bunch of other folks -- make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. That 20 person multi-exercise workout station
won't fit in your Christmas stocking -- but I have
a ton of books, courses and DVD's -- as well as shirts,
sweatshirts and hoodies -- that would look awfully
good under the Christmas tree:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. For more about concentration -- including
a detailed approach to developing your powers of
concentration to the absolute maximum -- grab a copy
of DINOSAUR TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 3. I also cover concentration in detail in
DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "I train because the
idea of not training is impossible to imagine."
-- Brooks Kubik
I got a catalog of strength and conditioning
products in the mail the other day.
One of the items was a great big multi-station
thing that looked like a big piece of play-ground
equipment. It combined pull-up bars, overhead
supports and hooks for suspension system training,
monkey bars, dipping bars, push-up bars, places to
attach ropes and bands and cables -- all sorts of
stuff.
One of the things was so big that up to 10 people
can train on it at one time.
Another was even bigger. It can handle 20 people.
I have to admit, I looked at this with mixed feelings.
On the one hand, it's great that more and more people
are dropping the typical Chrome and Fern workouts and
starting to do some serious bodyweight training
instead. And this multi-station thing had some cool
stuff.
But on the other hand -- I'd hate to train with 10 or
20 other people using the same piece of equipment.
I've been training alone for so long that I've become
pretty much of a hermit. It's just me, the barbell,
and the lifting platform. If I do a bodyweight
workout it's just me, the ropes, the rings and the
wrestling mat.
I train alone because it allows me to CONCENTRATE as
deeply as possible on each and every rep of every
exercise I do. And concentration is one of the most
important skills for a serious trainee. It's your
secret weapon for great gains.
I've trained in gyms before, and when I did, I
managed to focus on my training and shut out all
possible distractions. And if I ever had to do it
again, I certainly could. But it's easier to
concentrate when I train by myself.
Other people may be different. Some of you may do
better when you're training with other serious, like-
minded individuals. You may find it helps to have
spotters, coaches, and encouragement. You may find
it helps to compete against others. If that's the
case, then go for it.
Remember, we're all different, and we all need to
find what works best for us.
Now -- getting back to those multi-exercise
stations -- I have to admit, they would have been
pretty darn good when I was a high school wrestler.
We could have run through them for 30 minutes or so
at the end of wrestling practice -- and it would have
been a pretty good workout!
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day.
If you train today -- whether it's alone or with a
bunch of other folks -- make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. That 20 person multi-exercise workout station
won't fit in your Christmas stocking -- but I have
a ton of books, courses and DVD's -- as well as shirts,
sweatshirts and hoodies -- that would look awfully
good under the Christmas tree:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. For more about concentration -- including
a detailed approach to developing your powers of
concentration to the absolute maximum -- grab a copy
of DINOSAUR TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 3. I also cover concentration in detail in
DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "I train because the
idea of not training is impossible to imagine."
-- Brooks Kubik
Autograph Requests for Dinos
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
It's Holiday season, and we're getting
a ton of orders from sisters, girlfriends,
wives and mothers.
Some of them ask for an autograph on the
books and courses they order -- but some
don't. We try to follow up and see if an
autograph is desired (it always is), but
that takes time and slows things down by
a day or two.
So please help us to help you -- and do
this:
1. If you place an order for a book or course
and you want me autograph it and include a
brief personal message, then ask for an
autograph in the Special Instructions section
of the on-line order form.
1A. Give the name you want me to use when I
write the message to you -- "James" or "Jim" --
"Mike" or "Michael", etc.
1B. If you want the message to reflect a personal
goal ("Good luck in hitting that big 500 pound
squat!"), then let me know.
2. If someone else places an order for you,
as a Christmas or birthday gift, please ask them
to request an autograph and to give me the info
I need for a personal message to you.
3. Several folks have asked how much I charge
for autographs.
The answer is ZIPPO. NOTHING. NO CHARGE. It's a
special free bonus for Dinos. A way to help make
your book or course a little more special and a
little more memorable.
4. As I've said before, I'm always happy to
autograph a book or course and include a brief
personal message to the reader. In fact, I'm
honored to do so. All you have to do is ask!
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 Headquarters is your one-stop shopping
place for great gifts for serious strength trainers,
garage gorillas, cellar-dwellers, fans of Iron game
history, and other physical cultural enthusiasts. You
can find my books, courses, and DVD's right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Save clams on shipping by ordering two or
more products at one time!
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "The answer to any
training question is to KEEP ON TRAINING. Think
it through, make a plan, and implement." -- Brooks
Kubik
It's Holiday season, and we're getting
a ton of orders from sisters, girlfriends,
wives and mothers.
Some of them ask for an autograph on the
books and courses they order -- but some
don't. We try to follow up and see if an
autograph is desired (it always is), but
that takes time and slows things down by
a day or two.
So please help us to help you -- and do
this:
1. If you place an order for a book or course
and you want me autograph it and include a
brief personal message, then ask for an
autograph in the Special Instructions section
of the on-line order form.
1A. Give the name you want me to use when I
write the message to you -- "James" or "Jim" --
"Mike" or "Michael", etc.
1B. If you want the message to reflect a personal
goal ("Good luck in hitting that big 500 pound
squat!"), then let me know.
2. If someone else places an order for you,
as a Christmas or birthday gift, please ask them
to request an autograph and to give me the info
I need for a personal message to you.
3. Several folks have asked how much I charge
for autographs.
The answer is ZIPPO. NOTHING. NO CHARGE. It's a
special free bonus for Dinos. A way to help make
your book or course a little more special and a
little more memorable.
4. As I've said before, I'm always happy to
autograph a book or course and include a brief
personal message to the reader. In fact, I'm
honored to do so. All you have to do is ask!
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 Headquarters is your one-stop shopping
place for great gifts for serious strength trainers,
garage gorillas, cellar-dwellers, fans of Iron game
history, and other physical cultural enthusiasts. You
can find my books, courses, and DVD's right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Save clams on shipping by ordering two or
more products at one time!
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "The answer to any
training question is to KEEP ON TRAINING. Think
it through, make a plan, and implement." -- Brooks
Kubik
The Road to Nowhere
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Yesterday, life sent me on a journey
over a winding, two-lane country road
way out in the middle of Nowhere.
The nearest town was Not on the Map,
and turkey vultures ripping shreds of
flesh off the roadkill were the only
signs of life.
It was early in the morning, foggy and
cold.
The road dipped, and sloped downhill.
It was one of those spots where it's
downhill in both directions.
And then I saw her.
A very large female deer -- standing right
in the middle of the road -- in my lane.
I slowed down and hit the horn.
The deer didn't move.
I hit the horn again.
It still didn't move.
I glanced to the right -- and saw nothing but
a shoulder too narrow to drive on.
I glanced to the left -- and saw three, maybe
four other deer, facing the road, milling
anxiously, moving their feet up and down.
I looked in the rear view mirror -- and saw
a car topping the rise behind me, and starting
down the slope.
I looked ahead, and saw a pick-up truck topping
the rise in front of me -- and speeding downward.
So we had four, maybe five deer that were probably
going to be somewhere in the middle of the road
at any second -- and three vehicles that were going
to either hit them or swerve to miss them -- two
lanes, no shoulder, and nowhere to move to get out
of the way.
I tapped the horn, not wanting to spook the deer, but
wanting the one in the road to move -- and started to
move forward.
The deer in the road walked out of my lane and into
the on-coming lane -- and then slowly walked to the
side of the road.
The other deer turned and headed into a dark,
fog-shrouded hollow.
It all happened far more quickly than it takes to
type these words. Far faster than it takes to
read them.
The funny thing was this:
You're in the middle of a sudden emergency, and your
brain goes into total concentration mode.
You see everything -- process everything -- and make
instantaneous decisions.
And you're functioning at 110%. Maybe 120%.
If you play (or played) sports, if you do martial
arts training, if you hunt, or if you shoot, you know
what I'm talking about because you've done it before.
You go into that place where mind and body are linked
so perfectly they become one. And they function as one.
That also happens in training. At least, it SHOULD
happen in training.
When you train, you lock into razor-sharp focus -- you
shut out the rest of the world -- and your body and
mind become one.
I cover concentration in detail in DINOSAUR TRAINING --
and I also cover it in DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING.
You can see it in action in my Dinosaur Training
DVD's -- including my most recent DVD, GOING STRONG
AT 54.
It's an incredibly valuable tool -- and it will do more
to maximize your training results than anything else you
could ever do.
And yes, the ability to CONCENTRATE comes in handy on
lonely country roads in the middle of Nowhere.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day.
If you train today, CONCENTRATE -- and make it a great
one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can grab DINOSAUR TRAINING, DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING, GOING STRONG AT 54, or any of my other books,
courses or DVD's right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Remember, if you want me to autograph a book or
course for you, include a request in the Special Comments
section of the on-line order form! If someone else orders
a book or course for you, be sure they know about this!
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "The barbell is the world's
best teacher." -- Brooks Kubik
Yesterday, life sent me on a journey
over a winding, two-lane country road
way out in the middle of Nowhere.
The nearest town was Not on the Map,
and turkey vultures ripping shreds of
flesh off the roadkill were the only
signs of life.
It was early in the morning, foggy and
cold.
The road dipped, and sloped downhill.
It was one of those spots where it's
downhill in both directions.
And then I saw her.
A very large female deer -- standing right
in the middle of the road -- in my lane.
I slowed down and hit the horn.
The deer didn't move.
I hit the horn again.
It still didn't move.
I glanced to the right -- and saw nothing but
a shoulder too narrow to drive on.
I glanced to the left -- and saw three, maybe
four other deer, facing the road, milling
anxiously, moving their feet up and down.
I looked in the rear view mirror -- and saw
a car topping the rise behind me, and starting
down the slope.
I looked ahead, and saw a pick-up truck topping
the rise in front of me -- and speeding downward.
So we had four, maybe five deer that were probably
going to be somewhere in the middle of the road
at any second -- and three vehicles that were going
to either hit them or swerve to miss them -- two
lanes, no shoulder, and nowhere to move to get out
of the way.
I tapped the horn, not wanting to spook the deer, but
wanting the one in the road to move -- and started to
move forward.
The deer in the road walked out of my lane and into
the on-coming lane -- and then slowly walked to the
side of the road.
The other deer turned and headed into a dark,
fog-shrouded hollow.
It all happened far more quickly than it takes to
type these words. Far faster than it takes to
read them.
The funny thing was this:
You're in the middle of a sudden emergency, and your
brain goes into total concentration mode.
You see everything -- process everything -- and make
instantaneous decisions.
And you're functioning at 110%. Maybe 120%.
If you play (or played) sports, if you do martial
arts training, if you hunt, or if you shoot, you know
what I'm talking about because you've done it before.
You go into that place where mind and body are linked
so perfectly they become one. And they function as one.
That also happens in training. At least, it SHOULD
happen in training.
When you train, you lock into razor-sharp focus -- you
shut out the rest of the world -- and your body and
mind become one.
I cover concentration in detail in DINOSAUR TRAINING --
and I also cover it in DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT TRAINING.
You can see it in action in my Dinosaur Training
DVD's -- including my most recent DVD, GOING STRONG
AT 54.
It's an incredibly valuable tool -- and it will do more
to maximize your training results than anything else you
could ever do.
And yes, the ability to CONCENTRATE comes in handy on
lonely country roads in the middle of Nowhere.
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day.
If you train today, CONCENTRATE -- and make it a great
one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. You can grab DINOSAUR TRAINING, DINOSAUR BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING, GOING STRONG AT 54, or any of my other books,
courses or DVD's right here at Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Remember, if you want me to autograph a book or
course for you, include a request in the Special Comments
section of the on-line order form! If someone else orders
a book or course for you, be sure they know about this!
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "The barbell is the world's
best teacher." -- Brooks Kubik
Different Ways of Doing the Same Thing
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
In response to my recent post titled "Two Kinds of
Trainees -- Which are You?" I rec'd a very interesting
email from Paul Murray.
Paul is just a l-i-t-t-l-e bit older than me -- and like
me, he's an ex-wrestler, so I pay attention to what he
has to say.
To set the stage, remember that I wrote about Group I
guys (the guys who are good at all sorts of different
wrestling moves -- and the group one guys, who drill
and drill until they perfect one or two unstoppable
moves).
I noted that there was a parallel among strength trainers.
Some guys (the Group I guys) need to change their exercises
around fairly often. They're happier, and they progress
much faster that way.
Other guys (Group II guys) need to stay at the same
exercises for a long, long time -- until they perfect
them. They do much better on this type of program than
they do on one where they change things up like the
Group I guys.
Paul wrote:
"Brooks, in wrestling, the group I guys are REAL
athletes. They're good at anything and everything.
The group II guys are determined, bull-headed
grinders who get by on guts and determination.
I was a group-II'er, who tried to make something
out of nothing. As the years have gone by, as a
Dino, I have gradually become a group I guy out
of necessity. I need to find different ways of
doing the same thing, if that makes sense.
Best always. PM"
And that's a very insightful comment.
Paul's been hitting the iron for close to half a
century now -- and look at what he says:
"I need to find different ways of doing the same
thing. . . "
You know, that pretty well sums up the whole thing
about serious strength training for older lifters.
As you grow older, you find that things that once
worked GREAT for you -- don't work nearly as well.
Workouts that once seemed EASY become workouts that
make you feel like you spent the entire day working
on a chain gang. Or doing the french Foreign Legion
"March or Die!" thing out in the desert.
Do you remember that GREAT program you did when you
were in your 20's -- or in your 30's -- the one that
turned you into a Human Hercules?
Forget it -- now that you're 50, you'd be lucky to
do HALF as rugged a program and still make gains.
And frankly, that's fine.
I'm 54, I'm a grandfather (2 grand-kids), I'm a father
(3 kids), and I've been doing this stuff for more than
40 years. If the same programs that worked for me 40 years
ago -- or 20 years ago -- or even 10 years ago -- still
worked for me, then something would be wrong with the
Universe.
Things change, people change, and lifters change.
Your body changes.
Your response to exercise changes.
What works best for you changes.
But one thing remains the same.
Whoever you are, and whatever your age -- if you DON"T
train, things are gonna be pretty grim.
Whoever you are, and whatever your age -- if you DON'T
hit the basics, things are gonna be pretty grim.
Whoever you are, and whatever your age -- if you
DON"t train hard, heavy and serious -- on abbreviated
programs -- things are gonna be pretty grim.
Me, I'm 54 and I'm a grandfather times 2 -- and I'm out
there snatching and cleaning and jerking and making the
bar bend and the chalk fly.
And YOU -- whatever your age -- YOU need to be doing the
same thing. Not necessarily doing snatches and cleans and
jerks -- but going after it when you train -- using whatever
exercises you most enjoy, and whatever exercises let you
work hard, heavy and serious without leaving you feeling
like you got run over by a Mack Truck.
So you do NOT need to do exactly the same exercises that I
do -- but you DO need to train with relentless determination.
And yes, I mean YOU.
YOU need to be hitting it hard and heavy -- bending the
bar -- and making the chalk fly in all directions every
which way.
You may not be able to do what you did when you were
younger -- and that's okay -- but you need to be able
to kick you know what and take names -- and when you
do THAT -- then wherever you are, and whatever your age,
you're doing pretty darn well, my friend.
Pretty darn well.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. I feel so strongly about the needs of older
trainees -- and about the nobility of older
trainees -- that I wrote a book for them. It's
called Gray Hair and Black Iron -- and you can
grab a copy right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Here's a quick little idea for older trainees:
combine weights and bodyweight training. Works real well:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. Thought for the day. "These young guys are
great -- but why don't they put some weight on the
bar?" -- Brooks Kubik
In response to my recent post titled "Two Kinds of
Trainees -- Which are You?" I rec'd a very interesting
email from Paul Murray.
Paul is just a l-i-t-t-l-e bit older than me -- and like
me, he's an ex-wrestler, so I pay attention to what he
has to say.
To set the stage, remember that I wrote about Group I
guys (the guys who are good at all sorts of different
wrestling moves -- and the group one guys, who drill
and drill until they perfect one or two unstoppable
moves).
I noted that there was a parallel among strength trainers.
Some guys (the Group I guys) need to change their exercises
around fairly often. They're happier, and they progress
much faster that way.
Other guys (Group II guys) need to stay at the same
exercises for a long, long time -- until they perfect
them. They do much better on this type of program than
they do on one where they change things up like the
Group I guys.
Paul wrote:
"Brooks, in wrestling, the group I guys are REAL
athletes. They're good at anything and everything.
The group II guys are determined, bull-headed
grinders who get by on guts and determination.
I was a group-II'er, who tried to make something
out of nothing. As the years have gone by, as a
Dino, I have gradually become a group I guy out
of necessity. I need to find different ways of
doing the same thing, if that makes sense.
Best always. PM"
And that's a very insightful comment.
Paul's been hitting the iron for close to half a
century now -- and look at what he says:
"I need to find different ways of doing the same
thing. . . "
You know, that pretty well sums up the whole thing
about serious strength training for older lifters.
As you grow older, you find that things that once
worked GREAT for you -- don't work nearly as well.
Workouts that once seemed EASY become workouts that
make you feel like you spent the entire day working
on a chain gang. Or doing the french Foreign Legion
"March or Die!" thing out in the desert.
Do you remember that GREAT program you did when you
were in your 20's -- or in your 30's -- the one that
turned you into a Human Hercules?
Forget it -- now that you're 50, you'd be lucky to
do HALF as rugged a program and still make gains.
And frankly, that's fine.
I'm 54, I'm a grandfather (2 grand-kids), I'm a father
(3 kids), and I've been doing this stuff for more than
40 years. If the same programs that worked for me 40 years
ago -- or 20 years ago -- or even 10 years ago -- still
worked for me, then something would be wrong with the
Universe.
Things change, people change, and lifters change.
Your body changes.
Your response to exercise changes.
What works best for you changes.
But one thing remains the same.
Whoever you are, and whatever your age -- if you DON"T
train, things are gonna be pretty grim.
Whoever you are, and whatever your age -- if you DON'T
hit the basics, things are gonna be pretty grim.
Whoever you are, and whatever your age -- if you
DON"t train hard, heavy and serious -- on abbreviated
programs -- things are gonna be pretty grim.
Me, I'm 54 and I'm a grandfather times 2 -- and I'm out
there snatching and cleaning and jerking and making the
bar bend and the chalk fly.
And YOU -- whatever your age -- YOU need to be doing the
same thing. Not necessarily doing snatches and cleans and
jerks -- but going after it when you train -- using whatever
exercises you most enjoy, and whatever exercises let you
work hard, heavy and serious without leaving you feeling
like you got run over by a Mack Truck.
So you do NOT need to do exactly the same exercises that I
do -- but you DO need to train with relentless determination.
And yes, I mean YOU.
YOU need to be hitting it hard and heavy -- bending the
bar -- and making the chalk fly in all directions every
which way.
You may not be able to do what you did when you were
younger -- and that's okay -- but you need to be able
to kick you know what and take names -- and when you
do THAT -- then wherever you are, and whatever your age,
you're doing pretty darn well, my friend.
Pretty darn well.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. I feel so strongly about the needs of older
trainees -- and about the nobility of older
trainees -- that I wrote a book for them. It's
called Gray Hair and Black Iron -- and you can
grab a copy right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. Here's a quick little idea for older trainees:
combine weights and bodyweight training. Works real well:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. Thought for the day. "These young guys are
great -- but why don't they put some weight on the
bar?" -- Brooks Kubik
The Magic of Lifting
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Cold, wet, rainy.
Gray.
Gloomy.
Typical November weather.
Herman Melville said it best -- in the very first
paragraph of Moby-Dick:
"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth;
whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul . .."
Melville's solution was to go to the sea -- to go off on
a whaling voyage around the world.
Mine is to go out to the garage and train.
And that's what i did.
Yes, it was cold.
Big deal. I wore double sweats.
Yes, it was wet.
Big deal. I wore a windbreaker out to the garage and went
out in tennis shoes -- and then changed into my lifting
shoes once I was in the a garage.
Yes, it was dark and black and gloomy.
Big deal. A single electric light-bulb overhead was all the
light I needed.
The bar certainly didn't mind the dark, the rain, or the cold.
It lay on the platform and waited for the fun to begin.
So did the plates.
They lay against the wall (they take up nearly an entire wall)
and waited for action.
An hour later, I had a new age 54 PR in the squat clean and jerk.
It was still dark, still wet, and still gloomy -- but it didn't
matter.
That damp, drizzly November in my soul was gone.
And that, my friend, is the magic of lifting.
I experienced it last night. And I hope you experienced it as
well. If you didn't, I hope you experience it very soon.
Everyone needs magic in their life. And you can't beat the magic
of lifting.
As always, thanks for lifting and have a great day. If you train
today, make it a good one -- and a magic one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. We're moving into the Holiday Season, and we're working hard
to get every order out the door as fast as possible. You can help us
by ordering early -- so go ahead and grab a book, a course, a DVD or
a subscription to the world-famous Dinosaur Files newsletter -- and
let us send you a little piece of magic:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the day: "Instead of saying 'Shut up and train!',
he should have said, 'I can't hear you -- I'm training.'" -- Brooks
Kubik
Cold, wet, rainy.
Gray.
Gloomy.
Typical November weather.
Herman Melville said it best -- in the very first
paragraph of Moby-Dick:
"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth;
whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul . .."
Melville's solution was to go to the sea -- to go off on
a whaling voyage around the world.
Mine is to go out to the garage and train.
And that's what i did.
Yes, it was cold.
Big deal. I wore double sweats.
Yes, it was wet.
Big deal. I wore a windbreaker out to the garage and went
out in tennis shoes -- and then changed into my lifting
shoes once I was in the a garage.
Yes, it was dark and black and gloomy.
Big deal. A single electric light-bulb overhead was all the
light I needed.
The bar certainly didn't mind the dark, the rain, or the cold.
It lay on the platform and waited for the fun to begin.
So did the plates.
They lay against the wall (they take up nearly an entire wall)
and waited for action.
An hour later, I had a new age 54 PR in the squat clean and jerk.
It was still dark, still wet, and still gloomy -- but it didn't
matter.
That damp, drizzly November in my soul was gone.
And that, my friend, is the magic of lifting.
I experienced it last night. And I hope you experienced it as
well. If you didn't, I hope you experience it very soon.
Everyone needs magic in their life. And you can't beat the magic
of lifting.
As always, thanks for lifting and have a great day. If you train
today, make it a good one -- and a magic one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. We're moving into the Holiday Season, and we're working hard
to get every order out the door as fast as possible. You can help us
by ordering early -- so go ahead and grab a book, a course, a DVD or
a subscription to the world-famous Dinosaur Files newsletter -- and
let us send you a little piece of magic:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the day: "Instead of saying 'Shut up and train!',
he should have said, 'I can't hear you -- I'm training.'" -- Brooks
Kubik
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)