Hail to the Dinosaurs!
One quick note and then we'll talk iron.
1. I goofed!
I goofed yesterday. I sent the wrong link
for an Iron League membership.
The correct link is right here:
http://www.ironleague.com/
Head on over and take a look -- I think
you'll like what you see.
2. Workouts for the Working Man
Back in the 1950's, Peary Rader wrote an
article in IronMan titled "Workouts for the
Working Man."
The article covered effective training for
men who work demanding physical jobs.
If I recall correctly, Peary was answering a
question from a man who worked 10 or 12
hour days as a painter, going up and down
ladders, and performing thousands of reps
with a heavy paintbrush.
After a day like that, there wasn't much gas
in the tank for a 2 or 3 hour split routine
workout or 12 x 12 on all of his exercises.
So Peary suggested what we would now call
an abbreviated program -- with low reps,
because low reps help to conserve energy.
It was good advice.
I was reminded of this because I received
an email this week from a man who works
10 or 12 hours a day on a construction job.
After 10 or 12 hours a day of carrying bricks,
concrete blocks and other construction
materials, and operating a jack hammer,
he doesn't have time or energy for a long
workout.
But he still wants to build some serious
strength and muscle.
So what does he do?
My answer is similar to Peary Rader's
answer.
He should follow a short, simple program
with a minimum number of exercises.
He should train one or two times during
the work week for 15 to 30 minutes per
workout -- and take a longer (45 minute)
workout on Sat or Sun.
He should do multiple sets of low reps in
each exercise. 5 x 5 would be perfect for
squats and deadlifts -- and it should be
four progressively heavier sets and one
set with his top weight for the day.
On upper body exercises he can do 3 x 5
or 3 x 6 -- two progressively heavier sets
and one set with his top weight for the day.
He should use perfect form in all of his
exercises. This will target the proper muscle
groups and make his training more productive
and more efficient. And it will be less tiring --
and a lot less wear and tear on his already
tired body.
Thus, his workout schedule might look
like this:
Tues
1. Standing press 3 x 5-6
2. Barbell curl 3 x 5-6
3. Neck work with head-strap 2 x 10
Thurs
1. Deadlift or Trap Bar deadlift 5 x 5
2. One-arm DB row 3 x 5-6
3. Grip work of his choice -- 1 or 2 sets
Sat
1. Squats 5 x 5
2. Bench press (barbell or dumbbell) 3 x 5-6
3. Gut work -- 1 set
If that's still too much work, he should cut
back even more -- and perhaps train once
a week on Sat or Sun -- doing his choice of
squats OR deadlifts, one upper body pressing
exercise, and one upper body pulling exercise,
plus one set of gut work.
For other workouts that would work very
well for this man -- or for any Dinosaur who
works a demanding job or who doesn't have
much time or energy for training -- grab
a copy of Dinosaur Training Secrets,
Vol. 1:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_01.html
In any case, I hope that helps our reader --
and anyone else who is crunched for time
but wants to train!
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. Abbreviated training is very important for
older trainees. See Gray Hair and Black Iron for
effective workouts and training programs for
older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.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: "Where there's a
will -- and some weights -- there's a way."
-- Brooks Kubik
My First Home Gym
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Three quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 3
Is available in your choice of hard-copy or
Kindle e-book -- and it's getting rave reviews
ever since we released it in 2015.
It covers old-school progression methods --
and gives you a ton of different ways to
set up your training for steady gains in
strength and muscle mass.
Go here to grab the little monster:
Hard-copy:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html
Kindle e-book:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html
PDF - see the list of PDF courses on our
products page:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
2. We're on Twitter and Facebook now!
Follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.
It's a good way to stay in touch.
3. The Iron League
John Wood's Iron League is rocking it! I did a
special bench press course that John has posted
on the Iron League. It's one of many Iron League
exclusives. My Dinosaur Training DVD's are also
available at The Iron League.
John has a ton of stuff that I've never seen
before -- and that you're not going to see
anywhere else. He adds new stuff to the
Iron League all the time -- so it's a resource
that just keeps growing.
Go here to grab a membership in the Iron
League:
http://www.theironleague.com
And now, let's talk training . . .
4. My First Home Gym
There's a small ranch house in Park Forest,
Illinois with a birch tree in the front yard,
hedges on the sides, a patio in the back,
and an old wooden fence circling the back
yard.
There are three small bedrooms. One of them
was my room when I was a kid. That's the site
of the original Dino Dungeon -- a/k/a my first
home gym.
I had two small barbells. One was a little thing
made out of pipe and plastic plates. The other
was a real barbell with iron plates that my dad
used.
I had 160 pounds of iron plates and about 40
to 60 pounds of plastic plates -- or more
accurately, concrete in plastic.
The concrete in plastic plates cracked years
ago and are long gone. We still have the iron
plates. My dad used them right up until his
passing in April of 2015.
I had two dumbbell sets -- one for the iron
plates and one for the plastic plates. I didn't
use them much. They took forever to load.
I had some iron boots from Sears. They
didn't work very well. No matter how you
tried to tighten the ankle straps, they
always fell off. So I did squats to exercise
my legs, which was a good thing.
I had some chest expander sets -- the old
spring kind. My dad bought one from the
local sporting goods store. We found the
others at garage sales.
I had a rubber hand gripper and an old set
of Sandow spring-grip dumbbells. Those
came from a garage sale, as well. I still
have them. In fact, they're lying on my
desk as I type this email.
I had a head-strap for neck training. It was
from the local sports store, and it was too
flimsy and weak to hold much over 10
pounds. A lot of equipment was flimsy
and weak back then.
I had a sandbag to practice wrestling throws
and isometric leg scissors. I made it from an
old duffel bag my dad used in the Navy. That
was the origin of the sandbag workouts I cover
in Dinosaur Training.
At first I did bench presses by lying on my
bed to press the barbell. But later, my parents
bought me an honest to goodness weight
bench. It had adjustable weight racks that
doubled as squat stands, and the bench
adjusted from flat to incline.
I'd been reading about the incline bench
and how to use it to build the all-important
pec-delt tie-in, so I was eager to do incline
bench presses and incline flies.
Of course, the first time I tried the incline
bench, the thing broke -- so I used it as a
flat bench only after that. Like I said, much
of the equipment we bought back then was
pretty poor.
I saw a portable isometric exerciser advertised
In IronMan, and I bought that so I could do
isometrics and gain 2 percent in strength
every week in only six seconds a day, which
is how they advertised isometrics back then.
It didn't work, but it was fun to use. I wish
I still had it.
One of my junior high school coaches let me
borrow an Exergenie device from the school
and use it over the summer. That didn't work,
either, but it was fun. I attached it to a discus
(also borrowed from the school) and practiced
a discus throwing motion against resistance.
I had a doorway chinning bar, and I rigged up
a lat machine with it. I used the sandbag for
weight for the lat machine.
The house was set on a concrete slab, and the
floors were covered with linoleum tiles. I never
thought about putting anything on the floor
when I trained, so there are some dings and
dents in the linoleum. There's even a big
chunk missing from when I dumped a 95
pound squat bar one day. Oops! Sorry, mom!
Sorry, dad!
I haven't seen that house for more than 40
years, but I still remember it -- and I remember
my home gym most of all.
It didn't make me Mr. America -- but it made
me a Dinosaur, and that's what counts.
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 Dumbbell Training and Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training are great for home gym
training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right here --
including links to all of my Kindle e-books:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "Old iron never
fades away. It stays with us forever." -- Brooks
Kubik
**********************************************************************************
Three quick notes, and then we'll talk training.
1. Dinosaur Training Secrets, Vol. 3
Is available in your choice of hard-copy or
Kindle e-book -- and it's getting rave reviews
ever since we released it in 2015.
It covers old-school progression methods --
and gives you a ton of different ways to
set up your training for steady gains in
strength and muscle mass.
Go here to grab the little monster:
Hard-copy:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets_03.html
Kindle e-book:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_secrets3_kindle.html
PDF - see the list of PDF courses on our
products page:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
2. We're on Twitter and Facebook now!
Follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.
It's a good way to stay in touch.
3. The Iron League
John Wood's Iron League is rocking it! I did a
special bench press course that John has posted
on the Iron League. It's one of many Iron League
exclusives. My Dinosaur Training DVD's are also
available at The Iron League.
John has a ton of stuff that I've never seen
before -- and that you're not going to see
anywhere else. He adds new stuff to the
Iron League all the time -- so it's a resource
that just keeps growing.
Go here to grab a membership in the Iron
League:
http://www.theironleague.com
And now, let's talk training . . .
4. My First Home Gym
There's a small ranch house in Park Forest,
Illinois with a birch tree in the front yard,
hedges on the sides, a patio in the back,
and an old wooden fence circling the back
yard.
There are three small bedrooms. One of them
was my room when I was a kid. That's the site
of the original Dino Dungeon -- a/k/a my first
home gym.
I had two small barbells. One was a little thing
made out of pipe and plastic plates. The other
was a real barbell with iron plates that my dad
used.
I had 160 pounds of iron plates and about 40
to 60 pounds of plastic plates -- or more
accurately, concrete in plastic.
The concrete in plastic plates cracked years
ago and are long gone. We still have the iron
plates. My dad used them right up until his
passing in April of 2015.
I had two dumbbell sets -- one for the iron
plates and one for the plastic plates. I didn't
use them much. They took forever to load.
I had some iron boots from Sears. They
didn't work very well. No matter how you
tried to tighten the ankle straps, they
always fell off. So I did squats to exercise
my legs, which was a good thing.
I had some chest expander sets -- the old
spring kind. My dad bought one from the
local sporting goods store. We found the
others at garage sales.
I had a rubber hand gripper and an old set
of Sandow spring-grip dumbbells. Those
came from a garage sale, as well. I still
have them. In fact, they're lying on my
desk as I type this email.
I had a head-strap for neck training. It was
from the local sports store, and it was too
flimsy and weak to hold much over 10
pounds. A lot of equipment was flimsy
and weak back then.
I had a sandbag to practice wrestling throws
and isometric leg scissors. I made it from an
old duffel bag my dad used in the Navy. That
was the origin of the sandbag workouts I cover
in Dinosaur Training.
At first I did bench presses by lying on my
bed to press the barbell. But later, my parents
bought me an honest to goodness weight
bench. It had adjustable weight racks that
doubled as squat stands, and the bench
adjusted from flat to incline.
I'd been reading about the incline bench
and how to use it to build the all-important
pec-delt tie-in, so I was eager to do incline
bench presses and incline flies.
Of course, the first time I tried the incline
bench, the thing broke -- so I used it as a
flat bench only after that. Like I said, much
of the equipment we bought back then was
pretty poor.
I saw a portable isometric exerciser advertised
In IronMan, and I bought that so I could do
isometrics and gain 2 percent in strength
every week in only six seconds a day, which
is how they advertised isometrics back then.
It didn't work, but it was fun to use. I wish
I still had it.
One of my junior high school coaches let me
borrow an Exergenie device from the school
and use it over the summer. That didn't work,
either, but it was fun. I attached it to a discus
(also borrowed from the school) and practiced
a discus throwing motion against resistance.
I had a doorway chinning bar, and I rigged up
a lat machine with it. I used the sandbag for
weight for the lat machine.
The house was set on a concrete slab, and the
floors were covered with linoleum tiles. I never
thought about putting anything on the floor
when I trained, so there are some dings and
dents in the linoleum. There's even a big
chunk missing from when I dumped a 95
pound squat bar one day. Oops! Sorry, mom!
Sorry, dad!
I haven't seen that house for more than 40
years, but I still remember it -- and I remember
my home gym most of all.
It didn't make me Mr. America -- but it made
me a Dinosaur, and that's what counts.
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 Dumbbell Training and Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training are great for home gym
training:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses are right here --
including links to all of my Kindle e-books:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the day: "Old iron never
fades away. It stays with us forever." -- Brooks
Kubik
**********************************************************************************
Revealed - The Super Secret 25 Second Workout!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
(Note: Here's an email from several years
ago. I'm re-sending it because it's a pretty
important message.)
I had a great workout in the garage last night.
I did 10 minutes of stretches and loosening up
exercises, including overhead squats and snatch
drills with a broomstick.
Then I began doing a series of squat snatches.
I started light, and worked up slowly but
steadily to my top weight for the day -- and
did five singles with it.
I filmed each lift, and checked my form on
the replay after each lift - and did some more
stretching in-between each lift. At close to age
60, the stretching gets to be more and more
important for me. I need to do it in order to
hit the bottom position in a squat snatch.
So the pattern was:
1. Lift
2. Review lift on video and focus on what to do
to make the next lift better.
3. Add weight to the bar if the next set calls for
more weight.
4. Stretch.
5. Repeat 1 - 4.
I did a total of 25 singles.
I started at 6:12 and finished at 7:00 on the nose.
So the workout took a total of 48 minutes.
Or did it?
If you just count the time it took for each lift --
the actual lifting time -- it was more like 25
seconds -- because each snatch takes about
one second from start to finish.
Now, that doesn't sound like much -- and it's
not. But remember, each squat snatch was a
fast, fluid, total body effort -- and each lift
literally worked everything from toes to
eyeballs.
In other workouts I focus on the squat style
clean and jerk. I follow the same sort of
progression. I lift for about an hour, and I
do nothing but singles -- and I get a terrific
workout.
You can do the same thing -- and you don't
have to do Olympic lifting.
Nor do you have to do singles -- although you're
welcome to do them if they work for you.
The key point for all of us is this:
1. Focus on quality, not quantity.
2. It's not how long you train that matters --
it's HOW you train.
3. Stay 100% focused from start to finish.
4. Concentrate on every rep -- including the
warm-up sets.
5. Strive for perfect form on every rep.
6. Block out all forms of distraction when you
train.
a. Anything that interferes with your
concentration interferes with your training.
7. Keep detailed records of what you do, and
strive to improve your performance from one
workout to another.
8. Find what works best for you and stick to it.
9. Use basic, compound exercises and total body
movements to do the most work in the minimum
amount of time.
10. For older trainees, and those of you who are
pressed for time, give one and two exercise
workouts a try -- they really deliver.
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 about effective training with
abbreviated and ultra-abbreviated workouts,
grab any or all of these great books and courses:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 2. Support your training with the right kind
of diet and nutrition -- the kind I cover in Knife,
Fork, Muscle:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "It doesn't take much
time, but it does take effort." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
(Note: Here's an email from several years
ago. I'm re-sending it because it's a pretty
important message.)
I had a great workout in the garage last night.
I did 10 minutes of stretches and loosening up
exercises, including overhead squats and snatch
drills with a broomstick.
Then I began doing a series of squat snatches.
I started light, and worked up slowly but
steadily to my top weight for the day -- and
did five singles with it.
I filmed each lift, and checked my form on
the replay after each lift - and did some more
stretching in-between each lift. At close to age
60, the stretching gets to be more and more
important for me. I need to do it in order to
hit the bottom position in a squat snatch.
So the pattern was:
1. Lift
2. Review lift on video and focus on what to do
to make the next lift better.
3. Add weight to the bar if the next set calls for
more weight.
4. Stretch.
5. Repeat 1 - 4.
I did a total of 25 singles.
I started at 6:12 and finished at 7:00 on the nose.
So the workout took a total of 48 minutes.
Or did it?
If you just count the time it took for each lift --
the actual lifting time -- it was more like 25
seconds -- because each snatch takes about
one second from start to finish.
Now, that doesn't sound like much -- and it's
not. But remember, each squat snatch was a
fast, fluid, total body effort -- and each lift
literally worked everything from toes to
eyeballs.
In other workouts I focus on the squat style
clean and jerk. I follow the same sort of
progression. I lift for about an hour, and I
do nothing but singles -- and I get a terrific
workout.
You can do the same thing -- and you don't
have to do Olympic lifting.
Nor do you have to do singles -- although you're
welcome to do them if they work for you.
The key point for all of us is this:
1. Focus on quality, not quantity.
2. It's not how long you train that matters --
it's HOW you train.
3. Stay 100% focused from start to finish.
4. Concentrate on every rep -- including the
warm-up sets.
5. Strive for perfect form on every rep.
6. Block out all forms of distraction when you
train.
a. Anything that interferes with your
concentration interferes with your training.
7. Keep detailed records of what you do, and
strive to improve your performance from one
workout to another.
8. Find what works best for you and stick to it.
9. Use basic, compound exercises and total body
movements to do the most work in the minimum
amount of time.
10. For older trainees, and those of you who are
pressed for time, give one and two exercise
workouts a try -- they really deliver.
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 about effective training with
abbreviated and ultra-abbreviated workouts,
grab any or all of these great books and courses:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
P.S. 2. Support your training with the right kind
of diet and nutrition -- the kind I cover in Knife,
Fork, Muscle:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "It doesn't take much
time, but it does take effort." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
25 Impressive Things that Dinos Do!
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
When it comes to training, most people focus
on "the champions" and what the "champions"
are doing.
I tend to focus on the ordinary folks -- people
like you and me who love to train and who stick
to it through thick and thin, and who end up
pretty darn strong and pretty darn impressive.
For example, I read something years ago about
a top NFL strength coach who was in his mid-50's.
Someone saw him training one day.
He was doing squat snatches.
To me, that's impressive. He may not have been
setting a world record, and he may not have been
outlifting the much younger NFL players -- but he
was doing something very impressive.
As anyone who's ever tried to do a squat snatch
will tell you, the lift requires strength, power, speed,
timing, coordination, balance, flexibility, mobility
and athleticism. So when a 50-something-year
old coach steps onto the platform and hits some
squat snatches in perfect form, that's impressive.
I got to thinking about it, and I started a list of
Impressive Things that Dinos do. Here it is. See
if you can spot yourself on the list (and note
that you may be there more than once):
1. Lifting and carrying great big stones.
2. Giving a heavy sandbag the ride of its life.
3. Making great gains from your training even if
you only have time for one or two workouts a week.
4. Doing squats -- and doing them hard and heavy.
5. Any of the advanced workouts in Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training.
6. Heavy dumbbell training -- with the emphasis on
heavy. (See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training for details.)
7. Finishers.
8. Thick bar training.
9. Heavy partials in the power rack.
10. Keeping at it after age 40.
11. Keeping at it after age 50.
12. Keeping at it after age 60 and beyond.
13. Making a date with a special strength stone
somewhere in Scotland - or in Iceland.
14. Teaching your children how to train.
15. Teaching your grandchildren how to train.
16. Learning to do new stuff -- whatever your
age.
17. Using the same barbell at age 60 that you
used at age 12.
18. Growing as much of your own food as possible.
19. Entering your first powerlifting, weightlifting
or strongman comp.
20. Saying "no" to roidskies.
21. Dropping 40 pounds and five inches off your
gut because you know it's good for your health --
and staying just as strong at your new bodyweight as
you were when you were heavier.
22. Focusing on lifelong strength and health.
23. Learning about the lives and lifting of the great
old-time champions -- and striving to match their
lifts in your own workouts.
24. Setting a good example for others.
25. Having the greatest workout of your entire life
and NOT posting about it on Facebook.
There are many more. Send in your ideas and I'll
post the best ones!
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. No. 26 on the list is having a well-read copy
of Dinosaur Training on your bookshelf or in
your gym bag:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 2. Diet and nutrition is one of the keys to
lifelong strength and health -- and Knife, Fork,
Muscle covers everything you need to know about
healthy eating:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "The only person you
should be trying to impress is YOU." -- Brooks
Kubik
**********************************************************************************
When it comes to training, most people focus
on "the champions" and what the "champions"
are doing.
I tend to focus on the ordinary folks -- people
like you and me who love to train and who stick
to it through thick and thin, and who end up
pretty darn strong and pretty darn impressive.
For example, I read something years ago about
a top NFL strength coach who was in his mid-50's.
Someone saw him training one day.
He was doing squat snatches.
To me, that's impressive. He may not have been
setting a world record, and he may not have been
outlifting the much younger NFL players -- but he
was doing something very impressive.
As anyone who's ever tried to do a squat snatch
will tell you, the lift requires strength, power, speed,
timing, coordination, balance, flexibility, mobility
and athleticism. So when a 50-something-year
old coach steps onto the platform and hits some
squat snatches in perfect form, that's impressive.
I got to thinking about it, and I started a list of
Impressive Things that Dinos do. Here it is. See
if you can spot yourself on the list (and note
that you may be there more than once):
1. Lifting and carrying great big stones.
2. Giving a heavy sandbag the ride of its life.
3. Making great gains from your training even if
you only have time for one or two workouts a week.
4. Doing squats -- and doing them hard and heavy.
5. Any of the advanced workouts in Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training.
6. Heavy dumbbell training -- with the emphasis on
heavy. (See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training for details.)
7. Finishers.
8. Thick bar training.
9. Heavy partials in the power rack.
10. Keeping at it after age 40.
11. Keeping at it after age 50.
12. Keeping at it after age 60 and beyond.
13. Making a date with a special strength stone
somewhere in Scotland - or in Iceland.
14. Teaching your children how to train.
15. Teaching your grandchildren how to train.
16. Learning to do new stuff -- whatever your
age.
17. Using the same barbell at age 60 that you
used at age 12.
18. Growing as much of your own food as possible.
19. Entering your first powerlifting, weightlifting
or strongman comp.
20. Saying "no" to roidskies.
21. Dropping 40 pounds and five inches off your
gut because you know it's good for your health --
and staying just as strong at your new bodyweight as
you were when you were heavier.
22. Focusing on lifelong strength and health.
23. Learning about the lives and lifting of the great
old-time champions -- and striving to match their
lifts in your own workouts.
24. Setting a good example for others.
25. Having the greatest workout of your entire life
and NOT posting about it on Facebook.
There are many more. Send in your ideas and I'll
post the best ones!
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. No. 26 on the list is having a well-read copy
of Dinosaur Training on your bookshelf or in
your gym bag:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
P.S. 2. Diet and nutrition is one of the keys to
lifelong strength and health -- and Knife, Fork,
Muscle covers everything you need to know about
healthy eating:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.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: "The only person you
should be trying to impress is YOU." -- Brooks
Kubik
**********************************************************************************
A Message for the Forgotten Men
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Before we talk about The Forgotten Men, let
me give a great big THANK YOU to everyone
who has been reading and enjoying the new
monthly Dinosaur Files training journal.
We're running late on the August issue, but
it will be out very soon - and it's a heck of
an issue.
If you missed any of the earlier issues from
Dec 2015 to July 2016, they're available in
PDF format at our products page - under
the section for PDF products:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
On the training front, Peary Rader coined the
term I'm using in today's email message.
He believed that older trainees -- which meant
anyone over the age of 35 or 40 back in the
day -- were "the Forgotten Men."
By that, he meant that the muscle magazines
catered primarily to younger trainees -- men in
their teens or twenties -- and weren't interested
in addressing the needs of older trainees.
By and large, that was true -- and by and large,
it's true today.
To the degree that it's changing, it's changing
because the pharmaceutical and supplement
industries have targeted older trainees.
So we're starting to see more of an emphasis
on selling Youth in a Pill than ever before.
Older trainees are urged to use HRT, roidskies,
gray-market supplements, and everything else
they can find to stay cut, jacked, swole, buff,
pumped, and awesome looking.
Of course, that still ignores the two most important
things that older trainees need in order to maintain
lifelong strength and health:
1. Sensible exercise,
and
2. Sensible diet and nutrition.
You can use all the pills, powders, patches and
potions in the world -- but if you're not training
and eating the right way, they're not going to do
very much for you.
And on the flip side of the coin, if you DO train
the right way -- with challenging but age-appropriate
workouts -- and if you DO eat the right way (with an
emphasis on high quality protein, healthy fats and lots
and lots of fresh veggies) -- you probably are NOT
going to be a very good target for the supplement
companies and the pharmaceutical industry.
You just won't need the stuff they're peddling.
When John Grimek was in his 50's, 60's and 70's,
he didn't train the way he did when he was in his
20's or 30's -- but he was squatting 400 pounds or
more for sets of 10 to 15 reps and handling 100
pound dumbbells in the alternate dumbbell press.
That shows you what you can accomplish when you
keep on training for your entire life.
And one final (and I hope, encouraging) note. I'm
closing in on age 60, and I'm having more FUN in
my workouts than ever before.
That may be because I don't have as many of them
left as I did when I was getting started 50 years ago,
so I try to make the most out of each workout.
Or may just be that my lifelong love affair with the
Iron is burning as hot as ever.
I don't know. But I do know this. Training on the
sunny side of 50 is a heck of a lot of fun -- and it
sure does make you feel good!
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. Gray Hair and Black Iron covers sensible
and effective training for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2 I cover diet and nutrition for older trainees
(and trainees of all ages) in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "You can't stay young
forever, but you can stay strong, fit and healthy for
a long, long time." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
Before we talk about The Forgotten Men, let
me give a great big THANK YOU to everyone
who has been reading and enjoying the new
monthly Dinosaur Files training journal.
We're running late on the August issue, but
it will be out very soon - and it's a heck of
an issue.
If you missed any of the earlier issues from
Dec 2015 to July 2016, they're available in
PDF format at our products page - under
the section for PDF products:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
On the training front, Peary Rader coined the
term I'm using in today's email message.
He believed that older trainees -- which meant
anyone over the age of 35 or 40 back in the
day -- were "the Forgotten Men."
By that, he meant that the muscle magazines
catered primarily to younger trainees -- men in
their teens or twenties -- and weren't interested
in addressing the needs of older trainees.
By and large, that was true -- and by and large,
it's true today.
To the degree that it's changing, it's changing
because the pharmaceutical and supplement
industries have targeted older trainees.
So we're starting to see more of an emphasis
on selling Youth in a Pill than ever before.
Older trainees are urged to use HRT, roidskies,
gray-market supplements, and everything else
they can find to stay cut, jacked, swole, buff,
pumped, and awesome looking.
Of course, that still ignores the two most important
things that older trainees need in order to maintain
lifelong strength and health:
1. Sensible exercise,
and
2. Sensible diet and nutrition.
You can use all the pills, powders, patches and
potions in the world -- but if you're not training
and eating the right way, they're not going to do
very much for you.
And on the flip side of the coin, if you DO train
the right way -- with challenging but age-appropriate
workouts -- and if you DO eat the right way (with an
emphasis on high quality protein, healthy fats and lots
and lots of fresh veggies) -- you probably are NOT
going to be a very good target for the supplement
companies and the pharmaceutical industry.
You just won't need the stuff they're peddling.
When John Grimek was in his 50's, 60's and 70's,
he didn't train the way he did when he was in his
20's or 30's -- but he was squatting 400 pounds or
more for sets of 10 to 15 reps and handling 100
pound dumbbells in the alternate dumbbell press.
That shows you what you can accomplish when you
keep on training for your entire life.
And one final (and I hope, encouraging) note. I'm
closing in on age 60, and I'm having more FUN in
my workouts than ever before.
That may be because I don't have as many of them
left as I did when I was getting started 50 years ago,
so I try to make the most out of each workout.
Or may just be that my lifelong love affair with the
Iron is burning as hot as ever.
I don't know. But I do know this. Training on the
sunny side of 50 is a heck of a lot of fun -- and it
sure does make you feel good!
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. Gray Hair and Black Iron covers sensible
and effective training for older Dinos:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2 I cover diet and nutrition for older trainees
(and trainees of all ages) in Knife, Fork, Muscle:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_nutrition.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "You can't stay young
forever, but you can stay strong, fit and healthy for
a long, long time." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
The 7 Best Assistance Exercises for the Press
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
The military press is a majestic lift.
The lifter tightens his belt, chalks his hand and
approaches the bar.
He stands over it, eyes closed, concentrating
fiercely.
He opens his eyes, gets into position, sets
himself, and cleans the bar to his chest.
He stands tall and straight -- and then drives
the bar off his shoulders. There's no leg kick,
no hip thrust, no body drive and no back bend.
It's nothing but arm and shoulder power.
He hits the sticking point and drives twice as
hard as before. It's man against iron, and for
a second, no one knows who will win.
He pushes through -- and suddenly, the bar is
up and over his head. He holds it high, arms
locked, every muscle straining, as the crowd
goes wild.
Good lift!
And it's not just a magnificent lift. It's a
terrific muscle builder.
Back in the day, John Grimek was the best built
man in the entire world -- and one of the best
pressers in the world. He owed much of his upper
body, arm and shoulder development to the
military press. He set American and unofficial
World records in the press -- and you can see
why when you look at his photos. He had
cannonballs on top of his shoulders.
He also had triceps that looked like they
were carved from solid marble -- or that
he had borrowed them from a bronze
statue.
Grimek had a favorite assistance exercise for the
military press. So did most other lifters. Here are
the seven top assistance exercises for the press:
1. The Seated Military Press
A favorite exercise of John Grimek. Nuff said.
Do them strict. That's the whole point of the
seated press.
2. The Two Dumbbell Press
All of the York lifters liked heavy dumbbell pressing.
Frank Spellman thought dumbbell presses were
the best way to bring up the press. He won the
Olympic gold medal in 1948, so that's gold medal
advice.
See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training and my Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training DVD for detailed instruction and
tons of useful training tips on dumbbell work:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
3. The Incline press
This came into vogue in the 50's, and helped many
top lifters improve their press.
I used to do lots of pressing on an 80 degree
incline, and built some serious shoulder strength
doing it. I did the exercise in the power rack, and
set the pins so I could start from the bottom
position. I worked up to 320 pounds, which is
a lot of iron.
4. The Two Dumbbell Alternate Press
Also known as the see-saw press. Another John
Grimek favorite. He learned the exercise from
Sig Klein.
5. Handstand pushups
A favorite of many top pressers, including Sig
Klein, who set a professional World record in
the press, and Tony Terlazzo, who won the
Olympic gold medal in 1936. Even the big
men did them -- Paul Anderson and Doug
Hepburn both did plenty of handstand
pushups.
See Dinosaur Bodyweight Training for tips
and progressions on handstand pushups:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
6. Overhead lockouts in the power rack
The secret weapon of the York champions,
including John Grimek and John Davis. The
latter won six World championships and two
Olympic gold medals. See my power rack
training DVD for more ideas about how to
do heavy rack work for pressing power.
7. The bench press
John Davis, Doug Hepburn and Paul Anderson
all used the bench press to build strength and
power for the military press. Once again, nuff
said.
Of course, you have to do strict benches to
have any carry-over to the military press. No
bench bounces!
You now have seven terrific assistance exercises
to help build a world class military press. Have
fun with them -- and set some PR's in the press!
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 information about building a world
class military press, see The Dinosaur Training
Military Press and Shoulder Power Course. It's
available in your choice of hard-copy, PDF or
Kindle e-book:
Hard-copy
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
Kindle e-book
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_kindle.html
PDF edition
See the section for PDF courses at our
products page:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters -- along with links
to all of our Kindle e-books:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "When you train,
train like a champion. Give every workout
everything you have." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
The military press is a majestic lift.
The lifter tightens his belt, chalks his hand and
approaches the bar.
He stands over it, eyes closed, concentrating
fiercely.
He opens his eyes, gets into position, sets
himself, and cleans the bar to his chest.
He stands tall and straight -- and then drives
the bar off his shoulders. There's no leg kick,
no hip thrust, no body drive and no back bend.
It's nothing but arm and shoulder power.
He hits the sticking point and drives twice as
hard as before. It's man against iron, and for
a second, no one knows who will win.
He pushes through -- and suddenly, the bar is
up and over his head. He holds it high, arms
locked, every muscle straining, as the crowd
goes wild.
Good lift!
And it's not just a magnificent lift. It's a
terrific muscle builder.
Back in the day, John Grimek was the best built
man in the entire world -- and one of the best
pressers in the world. He owed much of his upper
body, arm and shoulder development to the
military press. He set American and unofficial
World records in the press -- and you can see
why when you look at his photos. He had
cannonballs on top of his shoulders.
He also had triceps that looked like they
were carved from solid marble -- or that
he had borrowed them from a bronze
statue.
Grimek had a favorite assistance exercise for the
military press. So did most other lifters. Here are
the seven top assistance exercises for the press:
1. The Seated Military Press
A favorite exercise of John Grimek. Nuff said.
Do them strict. That's the whole point of the
seated press.
2. The Two Dumbbell Press
All of the York lifters liked heavy dumbbell pressing.
Frank Spellman thought dumbbell presses were
the best way to bring up the press. He won the
Olympic gold medal in 1948, so that's gold medal
advice.
See Dinosaur Dumbbell Training and my Dinosaur
Dumbbell Training DVD for detailed instruction and
tons of useful training tips on dumbbell work:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dumbbelltraining.html
http://brookskubik.com/dinosaur_dvds.html
3. The Incline press
This came into vogue in the 50's, and helped many
top lifters improve their press.
I used to do lots of pressing on an 80 degree
incline, and built some serious shoulder strength
doing it. I did the exercise in the power rack, and
set the pins so I could start from the bottom
position. I worked up to 320 pounds, which is
a lot of iron.
4. The Two Dumbbell Alternate Press
Also known as the see-saw press. Another John
Grimek favorite. He learned the exercise from
Sig Klein.
5. Handstand pushups
A favorite of many top pressers, including Sig
Klein, who set a professional World record in
the press, and Tony Terlazzo, who won the
Olympic gold medal in 1936. Even the big
men did them -- Paul Anderson and Doug
Hepburn both did plenty of handstand
pushups.
See Dinosaur Bodyweight Training for tips
and progressions on handstand pushups:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_bodyweight.html
6. Overhead lockouts in the power rack
The secret weapon of the York champions,
including John Grimek and John Davis. The
latter won six World championships and two
Olympic gold medals. See my power rack
training DVD for more ideas about how to
do heavy rack work for pressing power.
7. The bench press
John Davis, Doug Hepburn and Paul Anderson
all used the bench press to build strength and
power for the military press. Once again, nuff
said.
Of course, you have to do strict benches to
have any carry-over to the military press. No
bench bounces!
You now have seven terrific assistance exercises
to help build a world class military press. Have
fun with them -- and set some PR's in the press!
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 information about building a world
class military press, see The Dinosaur Training
Military Press and Shoulder Power Course. It's
available in your choice of hard-copy, PDF or
Kindle e-book:
Hard-copy
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_course.html
Kindle e-book
http://www.brookskubik.com/militarypress_kindle.html
PDF edition
See the section for PDF courses at our
products page:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. My other books and courses are right
here at Dino Headquarters -- along with links
to all of our Kindle e-books:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "When you train,
train like a champion. Give every workout
everything you have." -- Brooks Kubik
**********************************************************************************
"I Don't Listen to Old Guys!" He Said
Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Over the past couple of days, I've been
buried in emails from readers in response
to the emails I've sent out this week.
The consensus is this -- it's a crying shame
that more guys and gals don't start training
the right way from the very beginning -- as
opposed to wasting so much time and effort
on the high volume muscle blasting programs.
And everyone wonders why that happens.
Especially if you have the proof right in front
of you.
A number of older Dinos mentioned that their
nephews or grand-nephews -- or their sons or
grandsons -- are teenagers or twenty-somethings
who are just getting into weight training.
They have an older family member -- father,
grandfather or uncle -- who is a very strong
and very accomplished lifter. He clearly knows
what he's doing -- and how to put together a
workout that brings FAST and BIG results.
But the newbies don't ask for his advice. They
just jump right into the muscle-blasting nonsense
in their favorite muscle comic or muscle comic
website.
Uncle Joe trains twice a week in his garage,
and does the basics -- and lifts a ton.
The kids run off the the nearest Chrome and Fern
Gym and do a 6-day per week triple split routine
featured in their "must read" muscle comic.
Forget about Uncle Joe.
What does he know?
He's OLD, man!
The same thing happens in the gym.
The newbies do what they read in the muscle
comics. Never mind that there's a big, thick,
strong as a horse older guy doing 5 x 5 in the
squat over in the corner -- or pressing double
what the young guys are deadlifting -- or doing
heavy deads from the knees with more than the
combined weight of the young guys, their curl
bars and their pec decs.
They. Just. Don't. Ask. Him.
It's such a shame. The evidence is right there --
right in front of them.
Here's someone who knows what he's doing.
Just look at him. Look at the weight on the
bar!
And he's doing something WAY DIFFERENT than
what they tell you to do in this month's issue of
Ultra-Massive Super Muscle or Inter-Galactic
Power Pecs.
Why not ask HIM for a training program?
Or for some advice?
What do you have to lose?
(End of rant.)
Okay, deep breath.
I guess all we can do is keep fighting the fight.
If you're a younger trainee, give the old-school,
basic, hard and heavy approach a try. You'll be
shocked by your results.
If you're an older trainee who knows the score,
keep on squatting, pushing and pulling. They'll
ask for help someday.
And when they do -- be ready to drop some
knowledge bombs on them!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S.Speaking of knowledge bombs, Strength,
Muscle and Power has plenty of them:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.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: "A prophet is without
honor in his own country, and so is anyone who trains
old-school style -- even if he's the strongest guy in
the room. And that needs to change." -- Brooks
Kubik
***********************************************************************************
Over the past couple of days, I've been
buried in emails from readers in response
to the emails I've sent out this week.
The consensus is this -- it's a crying shame
that more guys and gals don't start training
the right way from the very beginning -- as
opposed to wasting so much time and effort
on the high volume muscle blasting programs.
And everyone wonders why that happens.
Especially if you have the proof right in front
of you.
A number of older Dinos mentioned that their
nephews or grand-nephews -- or their sons or
grandsons -- are teenagers or twenty-somethings
who are just getting into weight training.
They have an older family member -- father,
grandfather or uncle -- who is a very strong
and very accomplished lifter. He clearly knows
what he's doing -- and how to put together a
workout that brings FAST and BIG results.
But the newbies don't ask for his advice. They
just jump right into the muscle-blasting nonsense
in their favorite muscle comic or muscle comic
website.
Uncle Joe trains twice a week in his garage,
and does the basics -- and lifts a ton.
The kids run off the the nearest Chrome and Fern
Gym and do a 6-day per week triple split routine
featured in their "must read" muscle comic.
Forget about Uncle Joe.
What does he know?
He's OLD, man!
The same thing happens in the gym.
The newbies do what they read in the muscle
comics. Never mind that there's a big, thick,
strong as a horse older guy doing 5 x 5 in the
squat over in the corner -- or pressing double
what the young guys are deadlifting -- or doing
heavy deads from the knees with more than the
combined weight of the young guys, their curl
bars and their pec decs.
They. Just. Don't. Ask. Him.
It's such a shame. The evidence is right there --
right in front of them.
Here's someone who knows what he's doing.
Just look at him. Look at the weight on the
bar!
And he's doing something WAY DIFFERENT than
what they tell you to do in this month's issue of
Ultra-Massive Super Muscle or Inter-Galactic
Power Pecs.
Why not ask HIM for a training program?
Or for some advice?
What do you have to lose?
(End of rant.)
Okay, deep breath.
I guess all we can do is keep fighting the fight.
If you're a younger trainee, give the old-school,
basic, hard and heavy approach a try. You'll be
shocked by your results.
If you're an older trainee who knows the score,
keep on squatting, pushing and pulling. They'll
ask for help someday.
And when they do -- be ready to drop some
knowledge bombs on them!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S.Speaking of knowledge bombs, Strength,
Muscle and Power has plenty of them:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.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: "A prophet is without
honor in his own country, and so is anyone who trains
old-school style -- even if he's the strongest guy in
the room. And that needs to change." -- Brooks
Kubik
***********************************************************************************
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