HAIL TO THE DINOSAURS! ‘We have a grett lino-up fortis issue, imoIudiog material by Cares ‘Smith, Farle Laidennan, Greg Pickett, Bob Whehn and Paul Young. [Be ure to read Greg's article in conjunction with Paul's cortributicn, ‘Greg es gone oat on a liub by talking ebout FIIS favorite raining tool-heavy singles-and | know inst souie of you ure going to want to ‘ene him. Before doing so, please read Paui’s article ‘The Charles Smith ani Rarle Leidenman articles are reprinted from old mags aod are published courtesy of Joe Walder and Muscle & Finess (forthe Siikh arteic) and the York Barboll Company (for the Loidemunarile), want to extend ante of personal dunks for being allowed the epporunity to bring this sor of “old gold” wo my readers-end you will oe rauch more of i in coming issues. ‘Speaking of “old gol" anyone who has not already looked into Bill Miaberu’s reprints of cld books and coursos by such notables as Harry Pasclall, Alan Calvert, Thomas Inch, George Jovet, Edward ‘Aston, and Arlaur Saxon shoulé do so. See Bil's a inthis issue for ‘onler info. Bill esn keep any dinosaur in good reading material [or at least a your..and romombor, his stuff makes tersific birthday amd ‘Xmas preseats fur fellow Iron Slingers! Inadetion o “old gold,” future issues of F122 FILES will coutinue to feature mw material from Bob, Greg, Paul and others. Its an honor to be able to share theie training wisdom and insights with you, ‘Those guys tand for lie boot that woight raining has t offer: deep, abiding passion for te Iron Game, taining knowledge based on DECADES of real world, hands on experience, and a never say die atitude that keeps them training like clockwork, heaving the iroa ‘with all the omthusinsm of « teenager who just got bit by the bartelL bug. ‘Many of you virote in response fo the questions in he 18s ssuc, and [ am inclnding several pages of Mesozoic Mail in this issue. Persomilly, | enjoy letters from readers more than almost any other aspeot of THE FIEES. You guys do a trrifc job in capturing the ‘essence of true strong taining: 4 determined liter ant « heavy barbell. When you get right down to i, Wat's pretty much the ent story. ‘Sinserpion Rates: Sesious Lifers: 12 issues (L 30 $20 Overseas Onders $0 Pumpors, Shapers, Taners anf Sinilee Dweth Bunnies: §2000 per issue Order from: Brooks D. Knit {101 Myelitte Aveane Loniville, Kentuoky USA 40207 The Dinosaur Fites, Vol. t, Ne. 5 IN THIS ISSUE: Hhilto the Dinosaurs! ‘by Brooks D. Kubik Pecan aht Let's Get On With Ie bby Paul Young 2 Eilfestive Barbell in 1,000 Words Dy Brooks D. Kubik... se cee eevee Serf Staph: The Right and Left Hen Dest iy cans A Sh ‘The Bartell in the Basement bby Brooks D. Kubik seccoay # ‘The Day | Met John Grimek DY BOD WHER. eee eee ee urassic Fouings bby Brooks D. Kubik... 7 ‘Toe Sn Rep ST Toston of Sunt Tsang by Greg Pickett ‘Mesozoic Mai By The Dinosaurs. oes cee eee Combat In Chim ‘by Matt Purey 6. eee ee 2 ‘Tarvo Titans of Youtoryoar bby Barle Lederman. vee ve ees 32 Keep sonding th: cards ata eters, and yes, the oceasional article, Don't be shy about sharing your training ideas with fellow dinosaurs. ‘Thisis YOUR magazine, Use itar YOUR foruento go oa record with ‘what works for you.,.wita what youare doing..with wbat you like to do. You guys lnve plenty of valuable infonmion o share we cash oth Tavita by Brooke D. Katie Peooks D. Kuti, Editor Sam Kabik, Eatcral Consultant ‘Spencer Kubik, Research Fier Copyright® Brooks D. Kubik 1997 AL Rights Reserved ‘Any unauihorized repcodvetion is sly rolibtes. December 1997‘Some of you have asked personal training questions. Due to time ‘consirainis I jus can't answer these, although I cectainly would like to do s0. Staring with this issue, I'n going to try to answer some ‘qvesticns from readers in THE FILES. That's not perfect, bat let's ry tome i work, ‘Speaking of sting information, check out the ud for Bob Whelan's ‘Second Anal Capital City NSCA Clinic. Bob and I willbe looking for fellow cinoseuss st this one...and I unerstan that umay readers ‘are making plins (o attend, [look forward to seeing you guys. Bost wishes forthe lnoiday season, and don’t Forget to keep om tuaining tirough the bolly «nd misletoe period. Menry Christmas and ‘a Happy Now Year to exch and every onc of yon! LET'S GET ON WITH IT! by Faal Yourg “furf Batles” are one of the biggest distractions to prodnetive stcengih trxining. [tis actally quite childlike in that they remind me fof the nover-ending, playground debate of, "My dad is better than ‘your dad! .. . Oh yeth, well my dad ean beat up your dad! .. Ob ‘yeah, well my dads Inder than your dad! . . Ob yealy, well my dad is taller than your ded! . .. ec.” As long as the parties involved ‘emctionslly hold Kard and fast fo the notion tut their belief is the ONLY tight ene, aotsing prodaetive will ever be accomplished! We seo these “Batlototde-Death Dues” inthe guise of “HLL.T.v, Ballistio “Training” of “Single-Set ¥, Multi-Set Touning” or “Free Weight. ‘Machine Training.” My feelings t dese types of discussions are apély summed up inthe words made famous in much seen sportswear commercial... “CRT REAL?” Cen you get strong using heavy weight high-rep teining? Yes! Can you get strong using Olympic weighting exercises and teir variations? Yes! Can you get stiong using single-ses taining? Yes! ‘Can you get strong using mutiple seis? Yes! Can you get strong sing fiee weights? Yes! Can you get strong using machines? Yest SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?! If you sulp away the superficial sistractions from all of the zbove means and methods, what they all ave in common is “Progressive Hard Work.” It is not what you do ‘bat how you doit unt comnts! ‘The exchanging of leas is ecitical to the understanding and advancement inany field of study but whenexchanging of ideas tus into “sospbox preaching” nothing constructive is ever aocomplished. ‘Tobe a true stent of strength taining you must read, listen, write, talk, and share your ideas with othors ia this anost wondrous of endeavors! As my friend Clyde Emrich hes said t me on numerous ‘ocasions whes talking about strength trating, “everyone knows something bt no one knows everything.” THE DINOSAUR FILES is {our perfeot opportunity to let other dinosiurs know how you tmin, hhow you have incorporated power snatches isto your workouts, how ‘you have 6 lifting the ear end of your car imo your ining prograin, how you Lit bonkless in your backyard for fun, how you perform deadlift for (00 rept, how you perform a SOtotal reps Wrkout, how land wliy you have iachided tho pullover ito your pressing routine, ow you fit dumbbell cleans into your weekly lifting schedule, how ddo you work the repetition clean ail press into your training, how do you use thick bars in your training. low you fit heavy suppost work jnto your workout, and on and on and on! Let us hear about your personal twist on “Progressive Hard Work." We all might learn something! There are so many imporant doughs and ideas to shace ‘The Dinosaur Files, Vol 1, No.5 and disouss in svength training, let's not get distracted by irvelovans, time consuming, and divisive “Turf Batles.” 's ime to talk about how to got STRONGER! Let's Get On With it!" EKRECTIVE BARBELL TRAINING IN 1,000 WORDS by Brooks D. Kukile Effective barbell taining is simple. You can ontline tke basies ia 1,000 words or less. This article will prove i uy a barbell and 400 to 500 pounds of plates. Aa Olympic bar is, ‘great, but a regular exercise bar will do just fine. Your muscles wor’ iknow the difference (but your pocketbook will) Buy an adjustable set of squat stands. [Now you have all the equipment you need for great results ‘Treinat home, A basement or garage isthe best place to tra ‘Train three days per woek, with at least 48 hours rest between sessions. Low exergy guys should try to times per week; high onorgy and young gujs can try every cther day training. As you zotstionger, Yyoucan experiment with heavy, medium and ight days, as outimed in the old York courses: one heavy day per week, one medinm day and joe light dey. Begin eaca session with a couple of minutes of tigi calisthenios and stretching. Thendo one set of 10 reps in ux power snatch or the ‘clean and press. Keep these LIGHT! They are 4 wamup and nothing Start wilh four progressively heavior sets ofthe sanding press or the press behind neck. Do five or six reps por set. Addl weight on cach sel, For example, 125 x 6, 145 x6, 165 x6 and 185 x6. These will build the shoulders, ciceps, traps and upper back. Stefid on your fest when you do presses. Ground based exercises (where you Saul on your fees) are far superior to seated oF supine movements, Next, do four progressively heevier ses of barbell eurs. Use the same sort of weight progression used on the presses. Curls build the biceps and forcarms. If you with, wrap heavy towel around the ‘comer of the bar, secure it with duct pe and do “thick bar” curls. ‘These provide extra grip work. Do the eurls~and all other exescises in sii form. Do NOT vse “stow motion” or “cout the seconds” whon you train. Lit hard and fast~push or pull the bar “through the ceiling” on each rep you do, ‘but do the reps in good form. ‘Next, do squais. If possible, do full squats--fla footed, with the beels on the floor, aot on a board. Osherwtise. do parallel squats. Do five progreasively heavier sets of five Co eight reps ‘Squals Work the thighs, hips and lower back, an stimulate dhe metabolism, which triggers gains turoughout the entire body. Get SERIOUS about squats. They are the single most productive ‘exercize you can do. ‘Work VERY hard on the squats {and on ALL of the exercises!) Hard work isthe KEY to big gtins. Oa your final set of each exereise, the ber should be soheavy that squeezing out the required aumber of ‘reps is almost impossible. I should take sll of your will power, courage, éesire and deteraination to hit the required number of reps in good form. ‘Alter the squats, do four sets of five reps in the power eloan, the power pull er the siff legged deadlift, Same weight progression as ‘fore. These movements will work your entire back from head to toe, cepsoialy the all importaat lower tack. December 1997= f Nex, do barbell bont-over rowing. Four sets of six reps, Start light and add weight oncach st, Strict form—and pull the bar close to the logs, up t the lower abdomen, NOT up to the ehest away from the body. Bend your legs. bit when you do these, and kesp ihe tack flat, Train these HARD; rowing is tops for building « thick and powerful upper buck. Finish up with some ben-legged sizups or leg raises, One to three sets of 10 0 25 reps. Use weight resistance as you get stronger. ‘As far as your dist goes, eat PLENTY of good, solid food Supplmests are not nevessory. Anything ether Gana mul yzamin/ ‘mineral tablet is a waste of money. The “steroid replacement” supps sre pure stake-il Suy away from anabolic steroids an anyone who uss supports them. If you need to lose weight, do some cario work. Guys 35 and ‘elder should do cardio work regardless of whether they are tying to gala of lose weight, Keep the cardio stuff simple, and don't do s0 rch of i that it makes heavy training impossible. Two or three Limes per week, 20 t0 30 minutes per session. Togeing, eyeling oud rope skipping ace good choices. ‘Work up to bodyweight oa the presses, 2/3 bodyweight on the ‘ears, 1 1/2 to 2x bodyweight onthe squats and stil legged desdlifts, bodyweight plus 20 to 50 pounds on the cleans ani pulls, and tho ‘same on the best-over rowing, rhe basic workout gets (0 be tov easy, add bench presses if a ‘bonch and power rack are evailable; four sets of five to eight reps, adding weight each set, (Noe: do NOT bene slone withou.& rick; people have died that way.) Ifyou want more work and benches don’t grab you, sd dips or chins.heavy dumbbell excreises (clears, prestes, incline prosien, ‘bench presses, ceadlits, swings and rowing) to replace similar hatbell movements from time to time,.the sandbag carry or the farmer's vyali...grip work (he cheices are endled)...heavy side bonds. eck work with headstrap. ‘Remember, the secret of weight raining is PROGRESSION. Add weight (o the bar whenever possible. In fact, ada weight to the bar coven if it scans to be IMPOSSIBLE © do se. You will surpiise ‘yourself. Goethe said: “Do the thing snd you will have the power.” ‘Make thie your motto, Sul poundsge inescases work best for mustinen. Over dine, the small increases add up (BIG gains. Be confident that you will suecood. Thousands of men have made ‘tromendous gains ia strength, power, bodyweight and muscalar size ‘as @ result of bssic alaing programs similar (0 this one. If THEY ‘cand it, so can YOU! Good luck, sn good training! 1 aol oF SECRETS OF STRENGTH: ‘THE RIGHT AND LEK HAND DEADLIFT by Charles A. Smith Giéitor’s Note: “This artiote appeared in the January, 1951 jase ‘of Muscle Power, and is repainted with te permission uf Joe Weiler and Muscle & Finess. As 1 mentioned list moni, those of you who have never had the pleasure of reading Chars Smith’strsining articles The Dinesaer Files, Vol. 1, Ne. 5 are in for a sare teat, . .. Sani was one of the bes! sirength and over aullors in history. Check this article out, and see why.) Pate dips the dark pen of dospair into an ink of tars end regrets, and oa a shest of hopelessness writes the Word—BAILURE. Every month there are thousinds of youxg mea who enter the raaks of ‘weiaht trainers with high hopes and the conviction tha the world of weights is their oyser. All dey have to do is find some way of ‘opening its shell and fang ad fortune is theirs. They coumcnce ‘Vining —alas—along the wrong lines and with an oumpded schedule of exercises, “They work and sweat and ork again, They write to all the “authorities” end bay all the mapezines bat the eageriy worked for, looked for and waited for resus are a lito lato in arriving. ‘They begin to regsct the Gime spent in uaising. They feel here le 10 hope for Wem and siowly become convinced, tey are just failures. Aud we lose perhaps another Pete George or Reg Park or whoever your favorite hero happens to be. The Puspese of These Articles Now Ihave always maintained that iis essential for every beginner to dart off right. If it were possible for me to say what novices sould and should net do, then I would commence with every veMcomer laking an extensive course in anatomy, physiology and Kinesiology. 1 maintain that there need be no faifaes in the field of ‘weight taining ifeaci and every beginner knows BEFORE be totiches| 1a barbell, why he is txining, what he can expect from taining and the fects which tha raining las on his entire body. The possessicn, of Knowiedge isa bright light which guides us om the right path, ard siays us from stumbling in the derkness of hephazard methods ‘Wher you know what happens, what the specifc efits are when you earl or press or amich or bench pross, then all major obstactes are removed flow dhe road lo greater muscularily and physteal impressiveacss AND power. Nothing can replace tho CORRECT performance of any givenexercise, There is only ene way to workout and that isthe CORRECT way. Imagine the disappoinineatthe Liter ‘cxperiences when he discovers thatthe minate amount of progress he dhxs made ipa travesty of what progress really should be alongside of weight trainer who hes followed 2 planned, modern, and seientic course of exercise ‘The reason for these srticles is not only to advisg training i the many lifts but te clear the air of the many arguments ia vainiag for ‘Ue msximum in development and strength. These to qualities are all oo often separated. There is a competition side to all weight training and we haveas evidence, the inereasing popuariy of bench press contest, curling coateats and deep leno» botd contests One-Hand Deadift Rules ‘You DON'T pecform a single hand dead lit by strapping the wrist othe bar or tying it there with a handkerchief, You can be the most honest guy in he werld, but ether folks have an awkward habit of exaggerating and you might be called on one day 10 mske a genuine ‘ae hand dead fil. You will ook an almighty foo! if you fail to give forth. ‘There are rules which govern the performance of single fined dead lifting and you DO NOT make a dead lit of 650 Ibs. by rapidly luting the Weight from the floor an inch. [No instructor worthy of the same would give you exercises without CAREFULLY explaining how to do them, why you must do them and what results you can expect depending on you type of phys Devember 1997‘and potential. If this isso, taen why expect to got away with a sloppy ‘perfomance witea you KNOW full well there are rules which govern that performance, You kid no one but yourseif aad you certainly don'tkil the experts, "There are few referees and judges who can officiate oatside of the International its. Ic is with no lle pride that Lexy Tam capable of calling the shots on every lit from a right or eft hand press cight through ro the two hands dead lil. [am not bcasting, just merely snaking statement of feet. When it comes (o judging a curler @ one hnaudl swing or a sido press, most officials are sadly and badly off the beam. I doubt if there are more than four men ia the entire county who can toll you Whata man can be nulbd out for ma beat press ora two hands swing or any oder Tit in she book oder than the International 1. Lets take the single band dead Is. Ieze ace she mules as recognized by the Briish Amateur Weightliters Asscciation, “Tne barbell, which atthe ecmnmencement of the Lit may le ether pacallel or at right angles to the liters front, stall be ited from the ‘ground to AT LEAST the height ofthe liter's kkoces, Should the bar be brought into contact ‘wth the logs during the lift it shall not be cccunted cause for disqualification, At the ‘contusion ofthe it due Jegs shall be strayht ‘and briced atthe Knezs, the eels remaining ‘astriethroaghont but placed nt wir than 15% inches.” 1948 Beition ofthe mules ‘You will note that I have emphasized the words “AT LEAST” in the above ruling. The weight cam be lifted while placed BETWEEN the logs or while held inthe foot of the highs or across the {ronts of he thighs. You will nts that itis NOT required forthe lifter to have his boly UPRIGHT at the conclusion of the HN DUT i. 13 essential ‘thatthe barbe KNEE HEIGHT atleast. The knees MUST be locked at the coacinsion of the Tit ani the feet are NOT allowed to move during the lif, The loge aod kneos must he STRAIGHT while the ‘count is being given. If enc end of the bar i Tower than the other, then this is perfect'y OK PROVIDING tat eud of the bar dees NOT ‘euch the ground. Teaining for ce Lift “The bodybuilding qualitics of the deaditls ere outstanding and 1 am noi lore in my opinion. IT had to choose a singe lift on which would be allowed to tain, then T think that I would take eter the single hand dead lifts or the two hands version. The entire showder girdle, the spinal column, the thighs, the forearms and the appor ars ind calves aze all vigorousiy called iat play when this weight ‘movement is eed as part of a schedule OR practiced on ts own, The pulling power, he sastching and clossing sireagih which om may bulla up with the dead Tt is alost beyond belief. Ono oan even ‘improve one’s curling strongth with #. Tue triceps are afeced by being PULLED into lock and the lateral deltoidsrigbt dovn near that ower hard-to reach portion, gota going over not possible wilh any ‘ther exercise. "The singh Laed dead lis affee the body even moze ‘widely, The obique muscles ane developed to their fullest extent and the ereetor spine ace given individual weeumen: ensuring that an ‘equal development of strength and size is obtained. Great bodily power isthe dircet rosult, ‘The Dinosaur Files, Vol. 1, No. $ ‘When 1 think of “bodily power” the images of three tans of strength blossor in my memory. Charles Rigowlet—Herman Geerne:—anl Maleoim Breance. OF them all. for sheer stare strengta, Goeruer takes the proverbial cake, Despite the temendous foree of Rigoulet’s ils, and despite the fact that Goerner NEVER approached the quiek Fi pf the Frenchman, yet I pisk Herman beeatse of tt basic ALL, AROUND strength which rade it possible for him to pecform foals with weights that well nigh defy the imagination. His single band desd lift of over 700, his Wo hard deadlift of 798and the ‘odd ways he had of hoisting the iron, stamp hian ¢8 one ofthe all time ‘greats, His was thai brutal crushing power as opposed tothe strength of blinding specd aud flashing style which Rigoubst had in plonty, A= friend Johnny Davis once said, people no longer 25k him wat now records he is going to create, They say *When are you going to break Rigoulet's records.” It is hard to conceive 4 one hand snatch (06253 tbs—ana jst a hud (oinnegine 264 snatched to arm's length, ‘Actwo hands clean, unolfieial of 422 pounds and an averedited lift of 4405, stem Rigoulet asa superhummnindeed. Young Malcolm Brenner has the best possibilities ofall weight trainers (o eclipse the rezords of ‘Gocener and closely approach those of Rigoulot. Malcolm claims a single hand dead lit of 620 ant his power in ott 1s, its which insidety he dovsa’t train on, provide emple evidence of his giant potentialities, -youcan manage it, place the pictures of thoys three men together, [Notice something? Right fst tin, ‘They all had, or aye inthe ease ‘of young Brenner, a certain inéofinable something, which ean be not builer desorbed than “bulkiness” combined witha pleasing defisition. Byon the squat Rigoulet had certain shapeliness about hint ant ‘Gocrnsr of course wes ono of the biggest “muscular” men the world has seen. ‘The most probable cause forthe shape and definition whic these mea possess isthe direct inuence on te abdominal and lower back region of the single handed work with weights—an OBVIOUS cause, one might be tampted toagy, Inthe following exercises, Kean guaraniee You the resus which you heve bvea seeking for « long time, bul which have until now eluded you. In my opinion, the dead its should be uel in preference t0 the deep knee bend because of their POWER bailding qualities, qualities which make growth all the ‘more eagy to gain and swifter in arsiving. Assistance Kxercises ‘Exercise 1. Paralll squats with dambbolls, Load up evo dumbbells sith a wefghi you usually use iu your regular deep knee bends. A, safe gauge isto take a weight you are able to hanile 10 eomfortbie reps with a farbell, Place the dumboells at each, side and bending down, grasp them snd retara to upright postion. rom here bend the legs Unk dhe upper thighs are level or parallel with the floor and ‘olurn to upright position repeating for 9 eps. Work up wo 3 sess of 12.rops boforeincseasing the weight. Throughout the exere'se, make every effort to keep the back as upright as possible. Try and place all resistance omo the thighs, Ia this exereise the aim isto strengthen the sprip and the “STARTING” strength of the upper legs. You will experience a rapid increase in “gripping” power once you are used to (his waueusl movement Exercise 2. Parallel stiff logged deed lifts. Load up your bar to your best clean and jerk, Ploce the bar across @ box or bene and ‘Mand right in from: off, Bend forward and grasp the bar, If the box js the corroet height, the entire back shouid be level or paraie! with, {he floor. Prom this position, perform your stiff paged desd fits Deosmber 1997= Ss Ss SS Ss SS Commence with 5 reps and work up to 2 sets of 12 reps before ‘noteasing the weight. Theropettons shoul be performed as rpily as possible ‘Pree. Dunbbel wing moss. Th exec i perfomed with one andata tims, Phos the nen exercising han ena bec 80 thatthe body is in a bent forward postion. Grasp the dumbbell nthe fexerebing a and PULL up with afl you hove. As he dambbel reaches shoulder height, TWIST the body to the side amd make every ‘effort to pull the Weight HIGHER. This body twis: is very essential for 4 strengthens the extemal obliques ard the Tower sections of the rector spe muses. Change hands whea you have compl tho alloted mumber of repetitions. Stari off with a weighk you ean comfortably han for re ses of 8 reps and work up tote sets ‘oF 15 rept tefore increasing the weight Brerdse 4. Amistod single hand dead ifs. The purpose of this exorcise i 0 ge you accustomed (o handling weights in excass of Yyourbest one hand dead it. Takea weisht around 20-25 bs. UNDER ‘yous best one haad dea lit. Place ic wo boxes so that tb bari just below knoe height Grasp the bar withthe exensising bad—eay {he sigh, and thew GRASP yous REGU wrist wih the lela. Lift the wejt eff the boxes and rebix the grasp onthe wrist WITHOUT Jeting go. Hold fora short count of two and lower and repeat. Make sure you have th bar well entered —that i balanced so that there is zo swing from sido o sido. Start off with Uhos rope fortwo sols ond Work up w thee ses of 8 eps. Exercise 5. Singlohanded high pulps. Here is another exercise designed to incase the power ofthe entire ack. Take a weight ‘which you can comfortably bandle for 8 zope in the one am rowing motion Wih the weight placed in out of you, grasp the bar inthe center and stand erecta the same time paling on the weight. ‘Take the tarto chin height and lower and repeat. The kavekes should be tothe frontend asthe weight raves to chin height, the elbow should be pointed UP. Stat eff wih 3 sot of & reps aad work up (03 sets of 19 reps before increasing the weight, ‘THE BARBELL IN THE BASEMENT. bby Brooks D. Kubik Sometime in the mid 1940s there was a young man who lived 10 (Chicago who saw a weightlifting magazine and decided he wanted t0 get big and song, He was 15 years old, st90d about 576" and weighed ‘round 110 pounds, His cies! measured all 29". I's fair t say he tad pleaty of room for improvement. ‘The Kid sent away for a York barbell set, aad when it arrived, took it down to his basement and stated to tr The Dinosaur Files, Vol. 1, No. § Ho used the basie exercises in the York courve that came with his bell: squats, deadlits, presses, beat-over roving, curis, power cleans, power swatches and jerks Ve saw pictnres of squat racks in the magazines, go be built «sot 10 ‘use in his tascmont. That gave him everything he nzeded: a barbell set and a pair of spat sunds. Although Le progressed enormously over the years, the basement gym never became anything other then bere and spartin. He only had the basics. A barbell, plenty of plates, ‘an adjustable dumbbell sor, and homemado aqust stands ‘Nowadays, people will ell You tat you need to spend hundreds of dollars on memberships to expensive gyms, Uhtt you need to hire a personiltrsinsr at rales from $60 to $100 per hour for “one on one instruction,” and that you nood a vast army of equipment to build stiengtl, power anut muscular size. The ides tha a barbelland a sat sack is all you need for great results would be considered outright heresy to virtually any of the modern day “expens." Dare to voiee suck an opinion asd yeu will be labelled a Junutic. Luckily for him, du Kid Lived in an age where sanity, nov IN-saniy, was stl the nonin, ‘in physical training. He never feK that he was Timited or restricted in any way besaase of his equipment, Heck, he was the only kid on the block who owed « barbell st! Compared to everyone else, le had (critic se-up! ‘The Kid's taining programs were as basic as his equipment, He rained three dimes per week, and always trisd to add weight (0 the bor. He dida'theve a coach, # wainer, ora library of raining books 19 toll him what to do. He dida’t have aa army of research sckakixs 1 lve conflicting reports of how he should train. The magezines he read didn't talk about shaping, toniag, firming, cutting, carving, sculpting or costaeties. He never wersied about separation, definition, cute, or striations, and he never agonized over which det to follow, ‘whioh food supplement to uy or whieh designer gym shoes to wear when he trained. By modern standards, his (raining quarters, taining, rogram and training philosophy were woefully primitive. He didn’t have any of the medcen “bonofits” we have in thy 1990s, He also didu'¢ have any of cre modera hang-ups dat plague 50 many modern trainees. He started training before the Era of The Exercise Police. No one ever told him that squats were bal for the ences, that standing presoos wore bad for the lower buck, that bert over rowing would exipple him, or Uut power clears would destroy his elbows, shoulders, wrists and spine. He was fortunate enough io have started training years hefore the slow motion fd, the ant Olympic lifing crusade, support gear, steroids, periodization, fad diets, saake- oil food suppkemeats, muscle pumping, the pec dec or the insidious ropagunta that says thal only a man with one in a million genetics ‘can ever hope to achieve anything signfioaat from his training. ‘Our kid in Chicaye in the 1940s did’ have to worry about genetic limitations or keeping up withthe steroid users. He dn't have vo deal ‘withthe modem hang-ups that dog the beels of wenld-te weight trainers inthe 1990s. He lacked anything approaching a modern education in ‘2olh century bodybuliding. When you get right downtoit, the Kid sd nothing but his bartel, his squat stands and a burning desire to become big and strong, “What so:t of reaulis did the kid yet? {In one mouth he put five inches on his chest. In two years time he ‘was strong enough to enter his fir! official Olympic ling contest, ‘where he competed in the 148 pound class and totalled $45 on the press, smatch ani clean aad Jerk. tn another wo years be won the Junior Netionals in the 165 pound class, totalling 765 pounds via a December 1997220 pouad press, 230 pound suaich and 315 ofsan and jork. Two ‘years Iter he won the senior mationals and placed third iv the werld Championships, The following year he took second place inthe warld ‘chamnpioaships. He eventually Won the senior natiosals four times, ‘and placed second on four oer occasions. He won s gokl medal in the 1959 Pan-American games. (On March 30, 1957 the kid became the lightest man in history— 198 pounds officially clean and jerk 400 poanas in competition. “the lif, of course, was world record, Two weeks later he exceeded his record with an incredible it of 407 3/4 pounds. “The kid wen onto share his knowledge of stenghh and conditioning with zoveral ponorations of world elass athletes, sorving asthe Strength, Couch of te Chicago Bears for over n quarter of a century "Those of you who are studeats of the Ire Game already know ‘ho Fan talking about: Clyde Emrich, one of the finest Orympic lifters ever prodiaced in the United States. ‘Nowaihys, die Baflbedy Crowd has convinced all ofthe aspiring novices that you need a personal Laincr, » compatecized peridization, progeam, anda membership ina chrome-plated woterfand to buikd ‘your body. Armchair acalemics who probably couldn't TOTAL 400 ‘pounds on the powerkits bave convinced thousands of yours, men {hat you need onc ina million genetios to ever achieve anything more than themost moves: of results from a weighttssining program. Most ‘modern lifters aro coavinced they will fil before they even start training! No wonder they never get much inthe way of resuls from dir wsining ‘We dort uoed any more guys like that. We nsed move men who ‘ain for strength and power. We med mare men who do powor cleans, power snatohes and standing presses. We need more men who do squsts. We need more Olympic lifters. We need more sen wilh Gye courage, determination aad tenacity to train in @ basement fEym, We necd more nen who unerstand shot weight training is « Simple activity, not an advanced form of nuclear physies. We need ‘more men who recopsize the importance of adding weight to the ber. ‘We need more men who TRATH instead of talking or reading abeut it. We need more men who ignore the armehnir experss. We nead ‘more men who simply grabube bar and lift it We need more nea Hike Clyde Emre, BARBELL The Strongest name in Fitness ‘The Dinosaur Fites, Vol. 1, No.5 ‘THE DAY MET JOHN GRIMEK by Bob Whobs. Teall began for mie at age 10. 1 Mit .6C0 thot year and jast exe home from my Bittle league tasebell yame. “How many its ya get, ya Dastand?” my father asked, beer in hand, m his typical semi eosicatod sate. “Three!” I proucly replied. “How many home runs?” “Nowe, replied. “You weak gonofa bitch, got onthe flor snd do pushups. {id enly one aul he ccaly tore nto me for at! Tusually managed to make 4 positive cut of riost of the negative childbocd situations ‘vith my Gather. (You should hear how I leermedtobex!) Hemace me ‘do pushups every aight hofore bed, but soon { began to LOVETT and ‘was doing 90 in a row. 1 pat up 4 ehinning bar in the basement and ‘yas upto 18 innotime, 1 walked around constantly squeezing rubber ‘alls strengthen my wrists boeause chat i what Ted Willams did, 1 ‘vas hooked om teiining at an BARLY age. Teas during thistime that bought my first copies of Stremeth and Heatth ans Muscular Development magazines. Twas baying baseball ‘cards near the magazine rack and Ge cover caught my oye. Mascuiar Development was wew magazine al tis ine (1964) axe John Grsnck was the editor, T always read every word in MD and liked it even tetor than SAH, (dida’t even know about fron Man until 3 few yoors later.) Tltted coment blocks and copper tubing store in the fellar Gand cid pushups, chins, ot.) until T got my first York 110- pound barbell set for my birthday at age 19, ‘Las ¢ fanatie and devoured.every(ung I could get my hands on. was sad when Thael all the articles read and couldn't wail unt, nox. month £0 1 eould ride my bike to the (Sherborn, Massachusetts) Town ‘Spotiecaty and buy the next issue. Tean remember the smell ofthe ink inthe new issues, 1 vould hide them uadst my pillow as my father thcuphtthey wereall “msclebound,” but Fkew teter. Ye Weaver, Jim Haislop, Joe Abbenda, and Bill Pearl are some of my early heros, ‘The biggest herox of al, though, were Bob Hofiimanand Joln Grimek. [ ail bave + deep affection ani loyalty to the tradition of the York barbell Company (an always will). To this day, will ONLY buy York weights. ‘This background information is jmportan, because it helps you understand the magnitude of the thrill [hed in April, 1976 when 1 rove to York, Peansyivania and met John Grimek.” This was the ‘equivalent of mccting Babe Ruch to the Iron Game/Physical Culture ‘eulhusiast, Thad hoped to mect Beb Ieffinan foo, a8 I viewed hie wilh equal respect remember looting at all of Bob Hoftiman's medsls ant spending ‘an bour or se in the museum soction downsairs. I finally got the thervs t ask if [could meet Bob Hoffinan, but was told he was notin ‘tha day. Til repyet not mccting him. But John Grimek was wpstaies jinhis office and { was told that he Would be happy to sec ane. Lwvatkeed ‘up acreaky slairease (o John Grimek’s office and my heart wes racing, { sheepishly knocked on his office door and politely refered to hima 2s Mr. Grimok. ‘He invited ma in end was extromely ftiondly. Iwas only 21 a¢the time and was completely in awe. At frst I was surprised because he ‘was well into his sixties atthe time, but most ofthe phetos {hed seen ‘were notreceal. He was in great shape hough, and I conld tell that he still trvined hard and regularly. He ha his shirt sleeves rolled up so T cou sce his huge biceps in ful glory. He looked at least 20 years Yyounger thin os. mea his age. He asked me as mary questions about my tmining {and my life in gencra) 28 lasked him, He seemed ‘penuinely interested in me and { was impressed at how approschable ‘and kine heavted he was, He answered every question J had and was in no rush to have me leave. He signed an autogrph for me that 1 sgnacd widh my life and proudly display on the wall of my gym. Aer December 1997asking every pessible question could think of and spending about 30 ‘minutes in his office, I fel Light stat to be a pest. 1 thanked ‘Mi. Grimek for his tie, shook his baad ard politely Te hin get hack “olin Grimek is lorger than fife sort of lke John Wayne was. He fs wht the Iron Garne and Physical Culuzo are all about. He isthe ‘essence of how things were and how things should stil be. When You think of Jen Grimek, you think of the glory days of te Iron ‘Game before drugs rained th: hones: competion and the brotherhood. “The “ocd guys" in this field have 2 sacred duty to earry on the ‘eadition that the “old-timers” stood for aad that John Grime, Vie Bott (and otter) sll represent. Give no respect to any steroid user; they sre scum, ‘Take down thei pictures. Always keep your focus ‘on good health as the primary motivation for your toils, and build mise the old-fashioned way . .. BARN IT! JURASSIC JOTTINGS Ws in te Mil.” ‘Several of You have missed issues of THE FILES, or vallod or ‘wrote because Your issues Were slow in arriving, This is because 1 switched to buik mail beginning with the October issue. (The bulk ‘mail rates are much lower than the first-chss rates.) However, ['ve decided that buike mail lakes too long to gel to you guys, and is less rolible then first class, so Tam going back to first clase mail. From ‘how on, cach issue should arrive by the 108 of themonth. Loonsider ‘he bulk mail o be an experiment that filed. If you ever miss an issue, seml mea card at T'sboot outa tree replacement issue. Be suse (o specify which issue you need. Also, i ‘youmove, please send change of address card. i don't waat io lose any of you guyst Hard Work ‘The longer Isyend in this yame, the more convinced I become of ‘he paramount importance of HARD WORK. Guys, if you are not aaining the vay you want to be gaining, theres probibly one answer to your wees. You probably are not puting for the simple season ‘that you are not working HARD when you tra, Lets of guys SAY thoy train had, and los of guyss THINK they ‘tain hard, buy very fow ectually hit he iroa with the sort of intensity {Gat gets resus, ‘Take a second and ask yourself these questions —and be honest! ‘Am [REALLY using a8 much Weight as possible or the number cf reps 1am doing on my heavy seis? ‘Am IREALLY doing as many reps as possile on my heavy sets? ‘Am I REALLY concentsating at haed ss possible on each rep of every set of every exercise [ do? ‘Am U REALLY pushing to improve my performance feom one workouttothe next? If your answers to these questions include even oae response that 4s less than an unqualified “YES!” then you need to knuckle down and start working HARDER in fature workouts. NOTHING LESS WILL DO THE TRICK! Remember, this whole business of weight training is an exercise in eI improvement, and soifimprevemnon! is the mest dificul: thing ‘on the face of the carth—which 8 why 30 fow people even give it a uy! Tdoesn' come easy. ik ukes enormous effont t» get bigger and ‘The Dinosaur Fites, Vol. 1, No. stronger. ‘You have © be tough, hard-nosed, resolute, courageous sand determined. ‘These are the atributes that build dinesaurs. You rust consciously and rigorously ealtivete these characterises. You ‘must make them an integral parvof your being, ‘Thea tke Liew w the ‘gym and use them to train harder and harder in every session, The results will astened you. Warning! We are going to have FUN with this newsleter, Yep, dht's right \No serious, sour-faced doom-and-glocm sayers will pepulate these pages. The essence of weight taining isthe opportunity to do that are demanding, challenging and dowaright ENIOYABLE. “The Joy of taining” is not an idle phrase. It nas a very real meaning to sdinosaurs. And in keeping with tha! sprit, Tam going to keep this newsletter fun and fest-psced. Some oft is goingtobe a litle bit over {hc edge al times, but hey—most of the nomlifters we know think We are prety far over the edge anyway. You can expect to encounter my golden retsievere, Sam and Spencer, on a regular basis, al you can ‘expect to encountor an attitds that says “You, we're going to tain hard as heck, bat we don't have to treatt with the same formality aa funeral.” Most weigh trinors lake the thing (on seriously, Sur, it's net a _gume, but its NOT the be-all ad enxl-all of your existence, nor it it ‘he mostimportant thing in your life. Besides, you will do BETTER if you maintsin your sense of humor. Winston Churehill ence told is niliary commanders (o mainiaiu a sease of husnor in combat beeause it olped them perform tetler and seta good example for their men. He said “Laugh a lite and teach yourmen to laugh... warisa game that’s played with a smile. If yon can't smile, grin. IPyou can't grin, keep out of the way til you can.” Shortcuts “One fine thing about this international competition isthe fact that cur boys have s chance to tee whut cthors are deing ang adjust their sights upward. I don'Cobink they will fad that aay county has @ new ‘method of trairing that is superior to our own. We already know HOW todo it what we neod is active competition to bring out the best (hat is in us. One fact still remains clear - the way to train w lift ‘eights is to ft weigh’s . .. not to moakey around with gymnasium short cuts evolved inthe pseudesciesfifie brainofthe nom iter,” Harry B, Pavetall, December, 1946, Sirengih & Heaith Cloghora McCallum faus will recall the aniele about meeting Harold Clephorn, the New Zealand lifting champion, at the British Empire Games ia 1954. Cleghorn was over 40 at the time, bat did the best Liking of his life, How did Le de i He got serious about heavy ssuatting... Anyhow, 1 thonght you would approciste Ray Van Cleef"s ‘conlemporancous comment's concerning Cleghorn’s libing (which appeared in the December, 1954 edition of Strength & Health): December 1997‘One of the most gratifying featarss of the recon! British Empire Games was we impressive iting performance tuned in by Harold Cleghorn, New Zealand's veteran heavyweight champion ‘Though be placed third in defending his Brits. [Empire te against Hepburn and Baillc, be ‘yarrants special aechin for his efforts, At ‘Vancouver this 41-year-old chempion titer exeveded the 900 total he tablished in wining al the ’3) Games by a full 30 pouns. His 930 agercgate at Canada in August was composed ‘of 305-275-350 lifts, Ii a tribute to the sport tw have a liter of Cloghorn's calibre register sich impressive progress at this stage in is carer. ‘Harey Paschall's Books Bill Hinbern has done a second evition of his modern repsins of lacey Paschal’ thro great books: DEVELOPMENT OF STRENGTH, MUSCLE MOLDING, an MUSCULAR ARMS AND SHOULDERS. "These are three of tie best and most exjoyable Laining, books over ‘written. They come wih a ten stor endorsement (oma four sar rating system), ‘These thres volumes are tersific additions to any cinosaur's Libeary of strength lore. By the way, many of you recognized Harry's artwork in the ist two isiues of THE FILES, featuring the inimitable ‘Bosco, Hacrs's ficnl and creation aad the patron saint of ronStingess, Cellar Dells and Garage Gorillas dioughout the world, (He's in thks Issue as well) THE FILES ete intended primaly for those of you who tin ono, ia basement or garage gyms. In tis respect, THE FILES owe ‘much to Harry Passbull, Harry's pride and joy-the group of guys founing the stience he soally wrote for-—wore the fellows whotrained alone in tumble home gyms around the glote. Harry refecred to ‘hose readers as “The Lonsly Hearts Club,” and did everything he ‘sould to bring fellowship, good cheer ard metivation to such readers. “Heeranks as one of my owa personal favocites among all weight training, writers, and is one of the men who did 25 much as anyone else 10 shape my barbell eareer and help me on tke road to training success, ‘You eannst do beter then to cheek out Harry at his very best—and his the books are vintage Mary ‘The Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia ‘Many of you have asked where to purchase tis tetife text, which, {is quoted in DINOSAUR TRAINING. ‘The book is stl in print (or was two years ago), and can be ordered from Athletic Prest, P.O. Box 30250, Pasadcaa, California 91108-8250. The author, of course, is Jom Jesse By the way, the ENCYCLOPEDIA includes some great photos of ood time supetmen, and som basic instruction on how to perfoom many of the old fio fftssomething that several of you have asked about. "The chapter on grip work is especially good, Old Time Lifting ‘Speaking of classic lis, maay of youliave asked about gaiance ‘on how to perform old time feats such as the bert press, the one acm The Dinosaur Fites, You. 1, No. $ swing, the one hand soatc, the tskish ge-up, and so on. One of the best places (o Start is wilh original Milo Berbell Company courses ‘reprinted by Bill Hinbern. BuI's reprint of Arthur Saxon's book, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL POWER, is encther good guide to lhe clssie lifts. Rob Hoffman's WEICHT TRAINING is excellent, bat hard to find, ay is W. A. Dullom's WEIGHT LIFTING MADE INTERESTING AND BASY, The OX York Courses No, 3 and 4 also address many of the of! te lifts. ‘Standing Press Poundages Te previous aole on Harold Cleghorn gives a good training goa! {for the standing press. At age 41, and a bodyweight of around 250 rounds (estimated by MeCalium), Cleghorn clean and pressed 305 ‘Pounds, of roughly 120% of Yodywelght. That's a prety good pross- to-bodyweight poandage for the 35 to 45 year old guys wo shoot for. ‘The rato that Brad Steiner offered as a “superman” standard in THE (COMPLETE GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE RARRELL TRAINING was 130% ‘of bodyweight. Stecoids Again ‘One reidsr scolded me for boing too hard on storoid users in the fies issue of THE FILES, He argued wat drug use was a mater of choies. You knov-—"individua! freedom,” So let's clear up exnclly where we stand on the drug issue. Steroids have all but rained woight training. ‘The entire fiekt has been ina state of total disurray ever since the denna things First got inte ‘he hands ofthe human gaines pigs who zed them in the late 30's and carly 60's, By 1969, when I got intrested ini woight traning, steroid use wae ‘pkdenic. These were only a fow writers with balls enough to condemn their uso. Peary Raverdid so, and Brad Steiner did so. The other gays ignored the problem, Brad znd Peary said it in simple, direct and lunmistekable terms: steroids sre tad, they are harmful, they are dangerous, they axe # foam of cheating and they are contrary (0 overything that is good i the field of physical culture Tnthis instance, individual choice can be damned. 1LOVE the Iroa Game, and | HATE what ansboliz steroids have done (it. Anyone who uses stervids is king the easy way out, Period. No excepticns. No special circumstanzes. Ifyou “choose” wo tke the dings, hen you have “chesen” to become one more in the long Ist of drug users who bave helpsd to destroy 99% of what is good in the Game, ‘And by the way, consider this: do steroid users “choose” to tke the drugs, or do they do soas a resul of peer pressure fostered by the mainstream mussle media and We marketing mavens of Madison Avenue? In my book, drug users demonstrate about as much “individeal freedom” as lemmings. ‘Think xbout it ‘THE SINGLE REP SET-THE TOUCHSTONE OF STRENGTH TRAINING by Greg Pickett Olympic Tiers ard powerliers have done them for years. The ‘tin of the century stronemen thrived on them. But, in recent years, ttsy heve fallen into disfavor as boing ‘angerous,” “harmful to the and merely 2 meus of “esting” streagh. Pm talking aboat single rep sets, December 1997aS = {Lam no armchair wainer widh gard to singles. 1 began working all of the core moves in my training with single rep seis well over ‘hee years ago. The only exceptions have been abdominal and some stip work. Singles have been the most effective taining method I've Je rep sez embodies all of ie requiresnents for suuecessful strengih traning, ‘The Key points are: Single Rep Sots Force You to Take Respoasibilty for Your Ovn Tralsing lteusty 1 will no get ito pss fight with High Ineasty people. But, the problem vith aos trains" approach to High Intensity Training is the fact dat most gays will no rain in a trve high intemity manner tales clotely eupervsel. Ics been my experinze that T have always held beck a bit when F attempted to train alow in a bigh intensity manner. realize Gut dere axe some rare individuals who ‘eam really go all out on such 2 program and reap the rewards. 1 am otone of hem. This does rot mean at High ivensity is noteffective Ging tack to my original point, single rep sets allow noe to tke respansbilityformy own tining intensity. How? Through cuanel vision foeas on the top single oF sori of singles Tl be doing on a particular ceining day. 1 now that Ihave te make that top single ot tories of singles, [don’t havea prelude of eps ina setto prepare for the realy hard rep. Wid single rep sets, i ight now or nothing Its note “going to faiue” but 2s "mk the rep, othe st isa faire." You get immedini feedback on yous aitude and tang focus. Singh: 1 set are done wilh a weight ut, iu uke words of Steve Jeck, “is going fo tamnt you all day.” Why would a weight taunt you sl day? Because Single Rep Sets Allow the Use of Heavy Weights ‘Singles don’t merely test strength; they build it, "They build it because of the sheer poundige on the bar and its gradual increase Singles have a sledgehammer effce: oa the body that ha to he felt 0 be appreciated, Why have singles fallen inte disfavor? My opinion is tan gays are afraid of hosvy weights, expecially on moyeancass in ‘which you have to stand on your feet, Thave personally knowa g0YS: ‘who can bench press the Empire Slate Builling, but ether do abt squat, deadlil, or overhead press or use cream puff poundages in these moves. “A man who can do a standing press with 250 pounds fora solid single i: stronger and has thicker deltoids and triceps than ‘@ man who presses 150 pounls for 10 reps. A man who exn squat 450x1, no knee wraps, no squat suit, belt only, is stronger aad bas thicker hips, thighs, nnd lower back than a asin who squats 225210. Singles are the direct road to heavy poundage. Don't fear heavy ‘poundage, relish it am not advocating that you (rain with all-out astxiniusn singles all the tine, “The weight should be heavy and ctallengiag, but not ‘always “right at the edge.” Only time and experience can give you the right working ponnilage range for your singles. Singles Are Not Time Dependent Unlike some trsining methods, singles may be done wich as mnie ‘estas you desire between sets and sil be effective. If Lam doing a series of progressively heavier singlos leading to © hoary top single, vil take roletively Ios rest between sets, There wil be a litle mone rest before the top single a8 I nced to concentrate in order lo give my all ( this set. When I squatted 410 for 18 singles, I ook note of the {tal time ittook to complete the singles, but Lreslly did not care how The Dinescuer Piles, Vol, No. 5 ‘neh tine took betwoen sets. Was this har, strength building work? ‘My body sereamed, YES IT WAS! Don't be fanatic abont the amon oftime you take between singles. A strength athlete is not training for \ pump. He is not sculpting. He is not training to be a prety boy, Singles are mot a prety-boy training method, Take your tine, be ‘ough, put some serious iron on the bac, snd TRAIN. Singles Require Guts Twas doing prosresively havi singles in a squat workout is, year. My top sei vas 500 pounds, 1 stood before the bar, with ay gate fixed upon the bae's eonter, concentating a8 { do alwys. | lightened my belt, dipped male the bar, inaled, anacked, and et up. T-weat dow, hl, below parallel, and started my ascot. As L drove up, it was aif someone had added anes 75-100 potas to the bar. ‘No mater how tard I pashed, the bar Wouid act move, L bailed ou, leaving the SO0-pouad squct bar to sia violently ea the power rci’s bottom supports, Physically, vas okay; emotionsly,{ was pisted. ‘untae the bar and se the empty squat bar back upon dhe ome due powor ack, Uh two choices go wpsairs wih my tall betwee imy legs or reload the bar to 500, ge tough and squat. T ekose the lle. After an 8-10 mini cest/psycke period, I ghd the bel, unracked, squatted, and roared ott of the hole with a suocessful it ‘The key points [DID NOT GIVE UP BECAUSE OF THE MISSED LIFT. Heavy singles require tonghnost, ‘The toughness to ht heevy weights workout str workout ‘Training with heavy sivglcs is very hard wouk, ‘Too many guys ‘anak unt miss wal a heavy single Signa’ the need to reauce the ‘weight on te bar by 100 pounds ana rebuild steting with bi rep ‘et, Theliove that you lose too much valuable tracing ie with Eis appreach. "The lessonto be learned here 8, be aggressive and stack heavy singles MESOZOIC MALL {im getting a great response from readers of THE DINOSAUR FILES for he 2né Anmual Capital City NSCA Cline. We have guys coming from a8 far away as Eaglaes, Nebraska, Misois, Coleralo, ee. 1 oingto be like a Dinosaur Convention! Lastissue was gre; Keep up the good work. = Rob Whelen ‘Washington, DC ‘Good work, Brooks. You're helping to get people to understand what strength Gaining is all about! = Clyde Banric’ Strength Coach, Chicago Bears Chisago, IL, [tke dhe book and was training that way, somewhat, for years, ‘bt other liters thoughs, and sill do, that Twas crazy... Theve dinosaur setup, with powor rack, rocks, thick bar, logs, barrel, dumbbells und plenty of plates, leuk = Brian Briggs Holcombe, WE December 1997I'm the dotensive coordinalor and sirength coseh for the Goorgetovin College football eam, We met ala NASA met a few" yesrs ago. Aller the mect we sat reat (0 cach oer ata Rich Peters Seminar. Anyway, tieroason In wring to order your newsleter, THE DINOSAUR FILES. 1 would also lke you to know that I've applied miny of the principles disoussed in your book to the seam training at weil as my own, Needless to say, we all experienced great results, Our toam avorego equst wont up over 100 pounds per sn, [etched a PR 200-pound squst ia competion (nig fre!) at 242 pounds, Jast wanted fo say thank you. Dave Cumpbell ‘Strength Couch, Georgetown College Geongeiown, Kentucky Twyunted to tell you dat “abbrevigted training” works. T've beom using your first routine published in te January 1991 issue of Hlrdgainer avd may progsess is phenomenal. I've been lilting for nine months and my ourrent lite are squat 315x8; deadlift 32026%2; ‘bench press 200n6%2; scaled miltary press 130x8x2; barbell curl 105x8x2. Literally phenomenal, Vietor Bspinost Houston, TX Many thanks for sending. me the fint copy of your newsletter. 1 ‘wis uostimprossed. Tmust aay {ike the style of stamp on it, ervsh it, Ki 4, ausbude wo any type of taining whieh isa" “dinosauresque” ints approsch, t's your sort of newstetier that shoud be up on the newsstands an the chrome/fern/hong up your backside glossies that should be ecafined 10 subscription only forthe elowns who can’t live ‘yrthoutit, We Hive ina strange world indeed, : Dave Pugh Worcestershire, England Las delighted to see that you had decided to publish a monthly, ewsleter. I bought your bock, Dinasaur Training, and found ii cexcellcat. 1 personally tod to fin 5x5 Vest on the big moventexts, ‘owing fo injuries in the past. 1 Tind too may reps leud to aggravate lower tack, ete. [finda single set to feilure on dumbbell pross, ct. tobe best for me. s Frank Brodie London, Englend Please send me your monthly publication. Tam G¢ years olf end stil {iting and making gas. 1 appreciate all your work and knowledge. You have really helped me. : Prank R. Zelarney Laguna Beach, CA, ‘The Dinosaur Fits, Vol. 1, No. 5 hope the sewslitter will include information on how to construct “dinesaur” exercise (ools aud the insuuctions are suite for the ‘mechnnically disinclined, "Thanks. ALRammellamp Huntington Beach, CA [Reiter's note: The Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia ' good, as is John Brookfield's hook, Mastery of Hand Strength, available through fronmind Enterprises. Also, Bill Hinbera has some {good courses and books about constricting heavy duty rome gyn equirment, including homemade tarbels | hope whet slLis well, ‘Thank you for Dinosaur Training. Because of your book I'm now enjoying my thick bar (Hammer Strength) ant singles. agivo with you entirely in regard to your philosophy of tasing mukiple ses of singles. Using this method I've finaly pushed my three powerlifts to where I'm somewhat happy with them. 2 Lloyd H. Net Gren Bay, WI Please send mo THE DINOSAUR FILES nowelster, Ws good to “see you doing something on your own. I’m sure i€ will be very inveresting. T'went hackto gorage trvining again, di realize how ‘mh Tiuissed it. T invested mostly ia York equipmiost. I also had some pieces made. Onc thing I really enjoy is my 4x4 dip bars. York thse such history. makes me feel good to te training with the real men ofthe past. By Ube way, Pun the fella who Was in Randy's magazine inslining the 150s on bWo-ineh handles. I'm doing a lot of iso holds right now are! loving it. Thope someday we might run nto ¢ne another. ‘Thank you. - Bie Fiorillo “Albany, NY Tam a big fan ofall your writings .. . Uhave incorporated mary of ‘your iceas into my taining. "To top everything off, purchases your book, Dincsaur Training, which 1 can't ssy enough about. It's rofreshing to red information about training tat actually works for tho drug-rve atmlete, and even more refreshing Is the faci that the information comes froma person that is not only drug-free, but strong, asa bear also, ‘The fact that you have a lifo outside the Iron Game is abo quite motiveting. myself just gradaated trom the University of Winleor with a degree in Criminology. The fact that I was able 10 _praduate trom seiool and al tke same tine train hard afd hevea noranal social lie can be partially credited to the sensible training advice and dliscipline I have gathered from the fren Game. Although nct an ‘older, I greatly sdaaze all the eldsime stcoagmen and their caning techniques much more than the modem steroid bloated mirror pretty December 1997boys. Ine world mostly dominated by “pumpers ené shapers” the publications T meationed previously are my only sources for information and motvation, and now I have one more ¢o add (o tho list. Ie sure anzoys me when some dummy Tooks at you funny while you aro doing « set of heavy deadlifts, while they finish off 2 set of ‘able crossovers. Well, anther reason I aun veriting this letter is to Jet you know that your DINOSAUR FILES will be my training partner from now on as 1am making the big step from commercial gym to home gym (ia my dad's shop), tls Full T cane wait, for now T-ean dd barvels ad sandhags to my rouline, as wellas the farmer's walk, ‘where I will have low of room to lug thoss dumbbells around considering | live on a farm. Rob Raakin Dover Centre, Outario, Canada I osrsestly reovive THE DINOSAUR FILES and enjoy immensely, 1 would like to send » git subscription to my brother inlaw. He read my copy of Dinosaur Training and was quite taken wilh it. ‘Asa multe of fct, he vest out and purchased a Gerard trap bar and buil himself a power race out of four-inch square timbers and ‘had 2 Ioval fellow weld up soute pins for him. He's quiteinventve, so for weight he filled two five-gallon buckets ‘with comeat sus et hook in the top which gives him two, 100- pound “plates.” So with 245 pounds on his bar he does sets of 40-45 reps. Heis ‘of course a lot bigger dinosaur then me bat we bothhisve fun. "Thanks Greg Niekless Scarborough, ME Thad fantastic result from following Dinosaur Training. My only problem is keaping irining partaers, Thank yon - James 8. Jones Bakimore, MD Trocsived te fit amas of THE DINOSAUR FILES an think is temife. Keep up te good work. The boys here really mate the thought ofme finding aow ways to trtre them! Aston Hillmana Strength Coseh, University of Connecti Storrs, CT [Editor's note: ‘Thanks to Couch Hillman for the kind words and ‘the special edition XXL T shit, with the Husky weight room slogan. I wearit when I work on articles for THE FILES'] Inresponsie to your Vols. 1-3 Jurassic Jotines: my workouts id anol become truly productive until I worked up to 20 rep squats wih ‘more tian body weight on the bas. ‘Thon T just came to know real hhard work and 515 workouts became effective The Dinoswur Bes, Vol. 1, NO. 5 [have yet (find a baurdeore gym in South Carolina. Those that come closest are infiltrated by distracting bunnies (both sexes) and tosinlizers, My home gym ia ono dodieated room witha simple mic, standard, Olympic and 1 3/4" thick barbell and dumbbell bars; wrist ‘ng ankle weights; a seHlom used incfine bench; ancl an ankle carl device. Almost all movements are done standing. ‘There axe n0 minrors. Framed posters and pictures of Klein, Berry and other pre- sStoroidie greats surround and inspire me daring workouts. These are no gloves, pads, suis, wraps, ec. —litng fs completely raw, including no bell. Al best, I et in wo good workouts within seven days. One day is aday off. Allof the cther days are aerobio, stretshing or simple ‘whole ody routines wy aide recovery and reduoe the soreness I've learned to look forward to and live with ‘Our asighbors are convioed that Tmenuzy. 1am frequently extght ling the railroad axle sets and manhole covers ia the buckyard, and casrying inconvenieatly shaped 100++ pound landscape rocks around aohhouso only to pu thom tno where thoy came from. Loxperiencod congestive heart failure abou 2 year and = hall ago, 10 they ask, “Does your doster know you're doing that?" In fac, he encourages me — my recovery was unusually rapid and my heart function has continually improved in spe of a congenitally enlerged heart. ‘The aeighbors look ineredulons at my response and I ean seein their eyes (hat Her Doktor is crazy top. Between us, the relatively low expense {or iron and the fiction of our time required to use it properly beats the earnings of any other investment hands down, Kep up the great work. The oxc-oFwkind DINOSAUR FILES tas been a long time eomting, John P. Svimarsti, Jr Mauldin, SC | just finished realng the premier issue of THE DINOSAUR FILES snd was very impressed, It gerves at an excellent follow-up to your ‘ook, which will always have aphice insny collestionof yuilty raining sources. have telioved ia hard traning For quito some tine, and have seon ‘my strenghh and muscalar size increase a great deal. Coincidence’? Let me say unequivocally that feel blessed to be a Iong-time member of Dr. Kon's Iron Ieland Gyms, Inall my travels, it has beon rere to find 2 gym where people don’t trat you Hike a political subversive ‘when you train heavily. Ihave done a great deal of rack work there. sanging from oycihead leckouts, to bench press lockouts, to dead lifts from the knees, as well as squats from the bottom position ofthe lit All have helped me resp tremendons strength and size gains. "The common denominator from all these lilly is dat Chey put your ‘manhood on the fine, and make you "bast a mut” to get the lilt done, [Not only do 1 feel the movernses™ while doing the Hit, Lalo “feel the movement” for bwo or dies days afterwards as weil. Its great Ghat peopl: ike Ramty Strssen, Ken Leistner, ani you holp raise novice’s training awareness on all the “secrets” of sirengih training, such as sack work, Stove Brybki East Kokaway, NY December 1997COMBAT IN CHINA, bby Matt Furey ‘Whoa most Amorioan ao cebbrating Christenss, be competing ‘nme Kung Pu World Championships in Beijing, China ‘The style of Kuag Fu being contested isa grappling style called ‘hini-Chino-the original style of Kung Fu ta emphases and penis highralitute body las The Chinese government is hosting the eveat aud Pl be particgating along wilh contestants from 18 olher countries. Never before have the Chinese hosted s tournament like this, Por thousands of years, they have held the sheai-chiao ‘ovrramest, but never 3s 4 ‘world event, [¢wil bon television before hundreds of milinsof popte But here's the catch: The Chinese have teea preparing fortis coves. for om: year with ull knowdue that they would wat oni the last minut to tell ws. They only gave ue six weeks notice. Some poople have complained thet this n't onough time. T say i is. [Especially when you train Ike a madman arst nave help from the community “To help sponsor the tip, Tam prodoieg a video efited “Combat “Trang - The Roed fo China.” The video, which wil highlight the physical and meats aspects of my bal-busting sralning reginen, is $69 plus $5S&H, Sead your checks to Maria Arts U.S.A. 1687 Branham Lave, San Jose, Calfornin ©5118, o all (408) 448 (6818 to ordorby oxic avd ‘WIRE TITANS OF YESTERYEAR by Earle Leiderman (reprint from Strength and Health, May, 11959) (With permission from York Barbell Company) [Pilor’s nto: Barle Leideiman is one of the alltime GREAT viriters in ‘The Iroa Game. Here's his aceount of an unpsralelod stcongth feat performed by the mighty George Jowett} “The name of George Jowell can never be omitted from the category ‘of hutian powerhouses, because George used io perform feats whick 1 doubt huve been duplicated for the siple reason that ors lacked Ue facilities to do #0. They woro edd lifts. George as a min of power, not in ay one particular place but in all sound compact ‘generality, And as { bave known him well throughout mumerous years gone by, Tmast relate one unforgetable incident that happened ‘back in 1925 at Philodelphia, Ponssylvania. ‘The late Alan Calver then staged a special show which was held within Hemann's gymnasium and about 125 people attended. The evening was hot and feveryone was perspiring. [twat also the night when Henry Steinborn performed the then stipendous feat of making five reps with 550 ‘Pounds jn full squats. And ic was also the time when [ watched Goorge Jowett sake a blacksmith’s anvil and perform a one-arm balancing overhead press to the astonishment of everyone, Now 1 feel Mit 1 should explain wiat a blacksmiths anil sally wes ori, I consisted of « sold iron bic shaped conlcaly et one en while its orher bulk was somewhat squared yet oblong in shape, i Sich an amatenrish description will do, ‘These anvils came in two standard sizes, one size weighing 150 pounds znd the other size being 168 pours, Tathe olden, goklon days blacksmiths tlizedtasse anvil to poured and shape re hot glowing iron sos ints horses ith various four-legged erestures who used Co pull anything frem street cars fo heavy brewery trucks loaded with ful bares of boer, These shoes protected the hooves ofthe animals as they walked or toed Song Cobble stone stoats inthe era before antoncbiles also befor= fost of any reading lock wore latched. Anyway, George Jowot, ‘wo oree had been a backs himself, was paral towards Ting these heavy things, BU: sow hack to the balmy summer evening at Prhiladelpiia— George lowest, who was i his shit sleeves dus the heat ofthe night, placed the Reavy anvil before his fot and then quickly swept it ‘or swulug [Lo his shoulder whexe be balanced i by only his mighty {nip upon the hora or extousin of the mess of tron. ‘The heaviest Seaton, or body, of the anvil remained vertically above his right arm and tad tobe swiiardybalancedas the readermielt surmise. George fnext proceeded to slowly prese aloft to straight arm overhead this heavy anvil amid profound spplauss. Now thoa, I have to ofthis reat many dues ant bave aeays given anvi' swig a9 137 pounds which { Lough was, yet I was evidenily weong, Decause in receat ‘cerammunization wih Towed, Ihave befere me his reply te my questons tconeeming the sual weight of tho object. Gooras writes me that it either weighed 150 pounds o 168 ponds, ie forgets which, bot sds that Charles MacMalion and Otley Coulcr wrore about it at the ine Aand'slted de anvi's weight to be 168 pounds! So my seaders can pick itup trom hese and scoop: whatever rouncage they wish. am ‘only reporting, Yet no mater whet actual weight & vas, even 130 pounds, it still remains « most remarkable feat that has not been Suplicsted to my kaowledge. Undoubtedly our own Paul Anderson, “were he to every try rc a fat, cou readily equal or maybe beat Yet Paul has mover, 0 my knowiedgs, aempled it. Therefore, exe, til ingers with George Jowet for ifs achievement. And i. reatins Cconjscural also as to how the hlting of an envil compares with iting ‘uml. Surely ananvl due ois awkwardness of balance desorves 2 place above te sume povdge at a dambbel, don't ya think? 1, personally, consider mush more efoult dn wuld be the Ting of a dumbbell of ecual weight by balancing th tell upright and pressing ‘overhead by resting is lower glote upon the hand, REMINDER ‘The 2nd Annual Capital Cay NSCA Clinic, sponscred by Whelan ‘Surengh Training, will be held in Washingion, D.C. on Saturday, Jemuary 10, 1998. Speakers will include Bob Whelan, Brooks ‘Kubik, Drow Israel and Jamie LaBelle. For turner information, call Bob Whelan at (202) 638-1708. Avoid extincion, Join your fallow dinocaues for what promises to be an outstanding program BOUGHT -SOLD- EXCHANGED oyna Peoria ‘Waiting & r WILLIAM The Dinoscur Files, Vol. 1, No.5 Feats of Suara on song Horn F. HINBERN 2430 CLOVERDALE 4 ARMANGTON, HICRCAN 18595-4008 USA ery ar Deceunber 1997