Working out without machines, the way men use to?

I have been reading a book called "Dinosaur training", by Brooks Kubik, it is a book that my strongman friend Dan Cenidoza once reccomended to my friend Steve Moore. It is in large what inspired today's post. Brooks slanders today's 'breakthroughs' and 'miracle machines' passionately. His reason for doing so is simple though, they don't seem to work that well. Some may, but the latest off the assembly line with the extra hightech buttons seems to always be unneccasry. Instead Brooks would like to see more return to the old rules of the "iron game", and work like the strongman of the past use to. That is why it is marked "dinosaur training".

This goes beyond just lifting normal weights over machines. Brooks, like my own strongman friend, has toys. These toys help build raw strength even seeing their continuing rarity to hear of their use.

Before I list some toy ideas, let me tell of one of my own expierences. I have been wanting to build some grip strength lately. So one day on the job at a home where our company was remodeling a bathroom, I was asked to take some discarded (big) tile out to the trash pile. There was plently, while carrying I relized what a chance I had. I now have two tiles in my basement available whenever I wish for pinch grip training. I think this is the mindset Brooks encourages, almost childlike simplicity.


Now here are some toys right out of the strongman's toybox. Heavy and ocward to handle are the key themes:

• An anvil. Try picking even a small one of these up by the horn.
• A sandbag
• A barrell (or keg)
• Chains (for pushup bling etc.)
• Tires 

Be creative, work hard, build muscle.