# COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING - POWERLIFTING - ATHLETICS & SPORTS > POWERLIFTING FORUM >  Huge Presser's Westside Barbell Progress

## Huge Presser

Alright bros, I've decided to give the much hyped over Westside barbell routine a second try. I will be dieting hardcore, with more calories and carbs. Also I am going to start getting more sleep, seeing that school is starting up next week (oh yeah ill rhyme :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): . While completing this routine I will also be preparing myself for a bench press competition about two months from now, in California. 

Alright well I have set up my routine with the core lifts as of this point. I have my speed days set at 55% of my max, and on max days I will be doing 4 board press. On my DE Squat days, 65% of my max again, on ME Days I will work up to a max box squat. But I still have a couple questions, hopefully some of you guys can help me out here. As you know I've tried this routine before, only to have bad luck, and I think it had something to do with what I did after doing my core lifts...

1. What should I do after I'm done with DE bench??? Incline, decline, flies??? And if I do them should they be done fast as well? Also I have the same question for squat... after I'm done should I do leg presses or partial deadlifts or what? And what about on ME days... should I finish with heavy incline and decline presses?

2. Last year when I tried this, I would do the speed days with bands, then afterwards I would go really heavy on incline, decline, and dumbell presses... do you think this contributed to my poor results?

Thanks bros for helpin me out :Big Grin: !

HP

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## cdog

Well lets see when I did westside this is what I was doing 

ME Bench (I would max out on a brd lets say 4 brd)
then after I maxed out on that I went on to tri push downs say 5x10 then after that I would do one thing for the back heavy like BB Rows 5x5, then after that I did one shoulder movement like lat raises 4x10 Then that would be it 

My DE Day for bench would look like this 50% 1RPM 10x3 ,then I would work the tris hard with push downs say 4x8, then a back movement like barbell Rows 4x8 ,then shoulder work shrugs 5x10 then that was it .The thing I would do is I would do heavy back and shoulder work on my max days with low Reps then on DE Days I did less weight more volume .Hope this helped some .............CDOG

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## Huge Presser

Thanks brotha. Although I feel there should be more shoulder work in this routine. But I'm going to follow it as closely as possible. I do have another question though, will it hinder my gains to do back and biceps on a seperate day besides bench?

Anyhow, here's how my DE days are lookin right now:

Bench: 155*3*3, 165*3*3, 175*3*3, close, medium then contest grips

But what next? Sorry I'm really going to miss doing decline and incline bench so I'm going to try and fit them in my routine somehow. But if it will hinder my gains, I won't.

Peace,
HP

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## cdog

I would not miss with it .Although it seams like not enough shoulder or back work you must remember that your working the back and shoulders twice a week .I would not even mess with arms at all !I wanted to add size to my arms and they only way I could get them to grow was to drop arm curls and crap and go big with back .I still will do hammer curls when I do back but I dont waste time with anything else unless Im recovering .After all if you did say DB Rows compare that weight to what you could do for say DB Curls .You can lift WAY MORE weight for your bis if you hit the back heavy.And guess what comes ?????SIZE BRATHA!Plus you dont need to spend all that time on arms.Oh by the way my arms grew about one inch after I droped arm work and started hiting back heavy in about 3 mo .............CDOG

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## strongerthanall

HugePresser,
You're going to have to change some of your numbers. My best bench is 630 and the most I have used in training for speed work is 225-245 with a mini band. I have used as little as 185 depending how I felt that day. DE day is just to work speed and explosiveness. Too many people get caught up in trying to lift heavy on this day, then turn around and try to hit something big on ME day. Your CNS will go to hell. Think of DE day as a light day. But that doesn't mean 'easy'. Increase the intensity by adding reps of 10-15 and cut the amount of time between sets.
Another thing, change up your exercises on a weekly basis. Don't get stuck doing 4 board presses every max effort day. Max out on floor presses, reverse band presses, two, three board presses, declines and so on. 
I try to hit a tricep movement after speed work followed by a shoulder movement, upper back and abs. ME day, I'll hit my max effort movement followed by two tricep movements, another shoulder exercise, upperback and abs.
Don't give up decline benches. These are great for the tricep as long as you push the bar straight up and not back over the head.

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## solidj55

HP, since your a bodybuilder I would recomend doing these exercises on your ME day for bench.

1)Widegrip Bench Press
2)Closegrip Bench Press
3)Dumbell Bench Press
4)Widegrip Incline Press
5)Closegrip Incline Press
6)Dumbell Incline Press
7)Widegrip Decline Press
8)Closegrip Decline Press
9)Dumbell Decline Press

These are in no particular order or anything, its just a list of the ME exercises that I would do if I were using WSB to increase strength for bodybuilding purposes. Some will argue to use boards, etc into your ME work but I dont think it is needed because it doesnt allow for full range of motion, which bodybuilders need. This is all strictly my opinion though. I would do my board work as supplementary work after DE bench and after ME bench days. For example, on your DE day do your 8-10 sets of bench then hit some heavy 4-5 boards. Then on your ME day after one of those ME exercises I would hit a 2-3 board heavy. This is strictly my opinion though. But with those exercises I listed you could add chains and or bands to add variety. You could also use cambered bars, thicker bars, etc into the mix for more variety. On the widegrip exercises I would go for a max set of five reps, on the closegrip exercises I would go for a max set of 3 if using chains or bands and a max single if using just raw weight. When using the boards I would go for max triples on DE day and max singles on ME day. I would alternate the kind of boards I used every week on both days. I could lay out a full routine of what I would do if you like, just let me know.

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## solidj55

Also, I wouldnt do much on the shoulder work like you were asking. I would alternate between Side, Front, Rear raises every time. For example, on your DE you do front, then ME you do rear then the next DE you do side, then ME you do front, then DE you do rear, etc etc. I would pick a few back exercise and alternate them every two weeks. Personally I would pick 3 rowing movements and 3 pullup/chinup variations. I would do the rows on DE day and the pullups or chinups on ME day. I would use these rows-bentover BB rows, dumbell rows, chest supported T-bar rows. I would vary my grips(on the bentover and chest supported rows)using an overhand grip, underhand. For the pullups or chinups I would use medium grip pullups, chinups(palms facing you), and semi-supinated grip chins(palms facing each other). For the reps on rows I would stick to sets of 5-7 for 4-5 sets and on the chins I would do my sets about 1 rep short of failure on each set for 3 sets. I wouldnt do any isolation work at all, no curls, pushdowns, flys, etc. The only isolation movements would be the shoulder raises and ab work.

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## solidj55

Screw it, I am bored this is what I would do. I will lay out a template of what the days look like then I'll show you how I would rotate exercises week to week.

DE day
Bench Press-8x3
Board Press-go to a max triple
Rows-4-5x5
Shoulder Raise-3x8


ME day
ME exercise
Board Press-go to a max single
Pullup or chinup variation- 3 sets
Shoulder Raise-3x8

Ok for the ME work I would alternate like this.
Week1- Widegrip Incline-max set of 5
Week2- Closegrip Decline-max set of 3
Week3- Widegrip Bench-max set of 5
Week4- Dumbell Incline-3x20(do light sets short rest)
Week5- Widegrip Decline-max set of 5
Week6- Closegrip Bench-max set of 3
Week7- Widegrip Incline-max set of 5
Week8- Dumbell Decline- 3x20
Week9- Widegrip Bench- max set of 5
Week10- Closegrip Incline- max set of 3
Week11- Widegrip Decline- max set of 5
Week12- Dumbell Flat- 3x20
***I never have used chains/bands but feel free to add when you want

For my back work I would do this on DE day.
Weeks1-2- Chest Supported Row(overhand grip)- 4-5x5
Weeks3-4- Dumbell Row- 4-5x5
Weeks5-6- Bentover Barbell Row(overhand grip)- 4-5x5
Weeks7-8- Chest Supported Row(underhand grip)-4-5x5
Weeks9-10- Dumbell Row-4-5x5
Weeks11-12- Bentover Barbell Row(overhand grip)- 4-5x5

For my back work I would do this on ME day.
Weeks1-2- Pullups
Weeks3-4- Semi-supinated Chinups
Weeks5-6- Chinups
Weeks7-8- Pullups
Weeks9-10- Semi-supinated Chinups
Weeks11-12- Chinups

Board Work I would follow this on DE day.
Weeks 1,3,5,7,9,11- 4 board
Weeks 2,4,6,8,10,12- 5 board

Board Work I would follow this on ME day.
Weeks 1,3,5,7,9,11- 3 board
Weeks 2,4,6,8,10,12- 2 board

I already explained how I would do the shouler raises up above...

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## solidj55

I just re-read your post and saw that you are going to compete in powerlifting so just disreagard my posts lol, if you are a bodybuilder then go ahead and read them.

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## Huge Presser

Thanks a ton for the help bros! Solidj, I am in no way a bodybuilder, if you read my cycle diary and look at my pics you will see why! I have no biceps but a huge chest and lats... I am all about strength!!! I appreciate your help on helping me set it up. 

strongerthanall... what do you suggest I use? My RAW bench is 320, so I figure I should go with 50-55% of that. About 160-170. But I guess I'll just go with 135-155 to play it safe. 

HP

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## Huge Presser

K I think I have DE days set up pretty much:

Bench: 135*3*3, 145*3*3, 155*3*3, all with small bands that add about 15 at the top and 5 at the bottom.
Pushdowns: 3*8
Cable Tris: 3*8
Rows: 3*8
Pulldowns: 3*8
Shoulder raises...

So hows that?

HP

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## BigGreen

> Alright well I have set up my routine with the core lifts as of this point. I have my speed days set at 55% of my max, and on max days I will be doing 4 board press. HP


Hey HP, two things:

1. I think i heard you complain in the past about speed days and the fact that you're not exactly enamored with them, to put it mildly. You may want to speak with PLJay (if he still pops in here), as he was instrumental in talking me through a great deal of my westside "issues" when I went on the program. His best piece of advice to me was something along the lines of "the biggest mistake people make in westside training is to not go heavy enough on ME days and to go too heavy on DE days." I think I knocked my DE bench day weight down as low as 40% 1RM and felt that this was much more effective. I was able to get some amazing speed without ever feeling as if I was compromising safety and injury prevention like i had at 55% 1RM. Remember, if you bench 365, the goal on DE day is to generate 365lbs worth of lifting explosion whether you have 180 on the bar or 135. 

2. If I'm in fact recalling correctly, one of my favorite things about westside was the fact that ME day core exercises were cycled every third week or so. I felt that this was ideal for preventing the sort of injuries that might result from 9-12 straight weeks of floor presses, board presses or close grip bench ONLY. By sticking with a core exercise for only three weeks and then switching up, I felt you were able to get the benefit of that particular exercise, but switch it up in time to allow ME days to inflict their damage, so to speak, at an entirely different point of flexion...thus mitigating the chance of wear and tear resulting in an injury. It's my opinion that sticking with something like 4boards as your core throughout the entirety of the program is only effective if you are an extremely advanced powerlifter specifically targeting a glaring weakness that this particular exercise (and only this particular exercises) addresses. But, BIG BUMP on this one, as I'm only operating in the realm of theory (having done one westside cycle...but having read EVERYTHING on the subject) and guys with more actual experience may take an entirely different stance.

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## Huge Presser

After reading previous posts I have no intention of sticking with 4 boards throughout the 9-week routine. Instead I will be rotating ME excercises every 3-4 weeks. Once again thanks everyone for the help, it is very appreciated. I now see why this may not of worked for me, maybe because most of my so called "Westside" routine was actual Huge Presser's routine. I incoorporated too much of my usual training into the routine which may have fucked it up.

BTW, Solid I believe you said that I am going to try doing a competition. I've actually done a few. Here is my pathetic competition resume:

Summer, 2000, age 17: 181 bench @123
Winter, 2001, age 18: [email protected]
Spring, 2001, age 18: [email protected]
Winter, 2002, age 18 and 11 months: [email protected]
Summer, 2002, age 19: [email protected] with a phatass bench shirt that gave me about 45 pounds. Too bad it doesn't fit anymore  :Smilie: .

And now: 320 raw touch n' go @ 163
Hopefully with my next bench shirt, the Phenom by Inzer, I will have 350+. I am really hoping for the best results possible out of this routine.

Once again much thanks to everyone.
I will start posting my progress in a few days. I will give everyone an idea of what my final routine will look like sometime later today.

Peace,
HP

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## strongerthanall

ALRIGHT! I can't take it anymore! There is only one WS program. I know. I train there. Rotate ME movements every week. We NEVER train the same movement two weeks in a row. NEVER!

HP, do not do pushdowns or cable tri's. Matter of fact don't do any stuff with a cable unless it's lat pulldowns or standing crunches. Grab some db's and hit your tri's with some Tate Presses or Rolling db ext. You can do presses to the face or ext with a straight bar too. These exercises will develop the part of the tricep that you need for the big bench.

HP, are you using the JumpStretch mini bands? If so you should be getting about 70lbs of tension at the top if you're hooking them up right.

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## Huge Presser

No, I'm using some little shitty bands I found at my gym. I asked a personal trainer how much tension they should provide.... but fuck it. I'm gonna go out and get some real bands. I don't think it would be worthwhile to train with the other ones.

Thanks for the advice bro. I'm just trying to juggle information that I'm getting from others, along with websites explaining the routine in detail... no doubt you would know the routine better then anyone else. Thanks for the help...

Last day of my shit routine is today. Starting WS on Tues with Dynamic bench.

HP

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## saboudian

I don't know if you've read it or not, but this article gives a general overview and an outline of each day.

http://www.testosterone.net/html/133per.html

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## strongerthanall

Dave's one of my training partners and owner of www.elitefitnesssystems.com , I also help out with the Q&A on that sight. 

Saboudian, that's a good article. If you go to Dave Tate's website, he's got a library of articles on Westside training. Alot of good reading.

HugePresser, if you ever have any questions just yell. I'll be keeping an eye out for your posts to see how you're doing. GOOD LUCK!

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## Huge Presser

Bros you have all been very helpful. I hope to get the best out of this routine... 

I am ordering an Inzer Phenom this week. I will be minusing 2 inches off my relaxed chest, 1 inch off my arm, 2 inches off my shoulders. I want it to be as tight as possible.

HP

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## Huge Presser

WEDNEDAYS – DE BENCH
Bench press	135*3*3 close grip,	145*3*3 medium grip, 155*3*3 competition grip
Triceps	1.	Overhead Barbell Extensions 3*8
Delts	1.	Side raises 2*8	Lateral raises 2*8	
Lats/bis	1.	Rows 3*10	Pulldowns 3*10	Hammer curls 3*8

THURSDAY – DE SQUAT
Box squat	1.	185*3*22.	195*3*23.	205*3*2
Glutes	1.	Glute curls 3*8
Back extensions, then calves

SAT – ME BENCH
Board Press… week one:	Work up to a solid 1RM
Triceps	3.	Overhead Barbell Extensions 3*8	Pushdowns 3*8
Delts Side raises 2*8	Lateral raises 2*8	Side raises 2*8
Lats/bis	Rows 3*10	Pulldowns 3*10	Hammer curls 3*8	



SUNDAY – ME SQUAT
Zercher Squat… week one	Work up to a max effort single
Arched Back Good Mornings	3*6
Back Raises 3*12
Quads	Leg extensions 3*8
Glutes	Glute curls 3*8
Calves	Calf raises 3*10, holds on top

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## Huge Presser

Well there's my finalized routine. I'm starting it tomorrow, can't wait. More updates to come!

HP

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## Huge Presser

Today I started WSB training, it went very well. I was with my friend who lives in Denver, haven't seen him in a while... he started doing the routine as well.

DE BENCH:
135*3 close grip...2.0 seconds
135*3 close grip... 2.2 seconds
135*3 close grip... 2.3 seconds
145*3 medium grip... 2.3 seconds
145*3 medium grip... 1.9 seconds!!!
145*3 medium... 2.1 seconds
155*3 contest grip... 2.2 seconds
155*3 contest... 2.2 seconds
155*3 contest... 2.3 seconds

Feelin good, all the sets were done in less then 2.5 seconds which I was very happy about...

Tricep overhead barbell extensions: 3 sets of 8
Pushdowns: 3*8
Shoulder raises 2*8
Barbell rows, 115*8, 125*8, 125*8... all sets were easy
Pulldowns: 3 sets of 8
Hammer curls

Kick ass workout, great way to start off the routine. Look for more updates in the future!

HP

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## Huge Presser

Bodyweight at 161 lbs even.
Box squat:
185*3*2
195*3*2
205*3*2

Good mornings 3*8
Leg extensions 3*8
Glute/hams 3*8
Calves 3*10 pauses on top

Feelin good about today, all my box squat sets were done in under 3 seconds. Felt like I should have used more on both days, but I promised myself I will not by any means fuck with the routine in order not to mess up my results, which is what happened previoiusly.

PEACE  :Strong Smiley: 

HP

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## BigGreen

HP, slightly off topic, but I'm wondering if your decision to use WSB training had anything to do with post cycle recovery and/or conditions. The more I think about it, with its conjugated methods that keep any form of overtraining (muscular, joint, or CNS), WSB might just be an excellent coming off cycle routine, provided you give yourself adequate time to recover from the beating you took while on.

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## Huge Presser

Exactly. I was planning to actually hit Metal Militia 3 weeks post cycle, or right after PCT. Instead I decided to give WSB second try, this time I'm doing it right. I believe that WSB almost forces your muscles to get stronger due to it's conjugated methods, such as speed... this is an aspect of training that is surely missed often while "on". I hope that these radical changes will make a difference. 

HP

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## Huge Presser

Max effort bench, 8-16:

Weighed in, 161.5 lbs...

4 Board press:
135*5
185*5
225*5
245*3
275*1
295*1
315*1
335*1
350*1
355*miss

HP

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## cdog

Bro looking good Ill benching tomorro maybe Ive been overtrained for 2 weeks now sheesh.I hit 325 2weeks ago and have been messed up for awhaile .Plus my stinkin partner is going back to school so Im going to have to be takin the weight my self so this is going to screw things up a bit .Who needs school anyway lol ...I need a partner oh well ..I love doing Metal militia bro I go up fast in weight but you can overtrain in a short time if your natural ......Good luck brother keep it real CDOG

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## Huge Presser

But it sounds like you're doing great.
I'm looking to hit about 350 lbs bench when I get my next bench shirt. I figure the 4 board press is similar to your max in a bench shirt.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your results.

HP

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## Huge Presser

Btw the above workout is obviously not everything I did. But other then the bench work, it's pretty much the same workout that I did on Wednesday.

HP

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## boz_hardwick

After DE Bench Day we generally do a heavy tricep movement up to a max 5. i.e. 4 board with a close grip. You could do lockouts or any other board. TRain your weakness. 

Boz

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## Huge Presser

Boz, do you train at Westside?

Anyways here was what I did today, ME squat day, for the lift I chose kneeling squats. Unfortunately I couldn't get the form down so I didn't know what to do, instead I just a max off 8 inch box squat... 335. Can anyone help me with a description of how to perform a kneeling squat?

HP

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## Huge Presser

Well today and tomorrow I have off, so I'm just gonna sleep, eat, and hopefully grow :Smilie: . I'm trying to get my diet fixed up right now. Expect another update in two days.

HP

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## BigGreen

Nice work so far...just remember to keep the faith. And, if i didn't say it already, you've got to keep fighting that urge to go too heavy on DE days...it's all about CNS training and "learning" to explode, not taxing the muscles.

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## cdog

Rest up my man .Are you doing DE squat next or ME??? Eat and sleep ,eat and sleep ,see ya in two days ........CDOG

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## Huge Presser

Hey Big Green, bro go up a few posts you will see that I was using weights that I was able to move VERY fast. My slowest set was 2.3 seconds and my average set was about 2.15 seconds. So I'm liftin large on ME days, but playing it safe on DE, don't want to make the same mistake that I did last time!

Cdog next is DE Bench on Wednes, then on Thursday DE Squat. 

Update in a couple days!

Peace,
HP

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## Huge Presser

Alrighty another good day. Feeling as if I'm making some progress. Didn't have anyone to time me today but I still felt fast and I'm sure all the sets were under 2.5 seconds.

135*3*3
145*3*3
155*3*3
Barbell Tri Extensions: 2*8, elbow started to hurt, had to move on
Overhead Barbell Extensions: 2*8, behind head
Pushdowns: 2*8
Rows: 3*8 with 135, bent over at 90degrees
Rows: 135 2*8, 155*8, bent over at 135 degrees
Pulldowns: 125*3*8 wide grip
Shoulder raises
Hammer curls 3*10

Was tired as hell from six sets of rows. I tried to be like cdog on my last set of rows and raised it up to 155. I'm now going to cut the shrugs and go with 3 sets of rows at 90 degrees and 3 sets at 135. 

Peace,
HP

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## lilbull

Keep it up bro. everything sounds good. Lovin the journal. keep us posted. I'll be starting my journal soon. 
Bull

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## Huge Presser

Aren't you going to be hitting that HRT routine Big Green posted in the Workouts forum? I assume you're going for size this time around more then strength... what are your goals?

HP

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## lilbull

yes, size this time, I'm trying to reach 170lbs, up from 155 right now. and I really wanna pack some mass on my chest and back.

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## Huge Presser

Your back is easily your strongpoint. Really focus on the chest and delts and you'll be 170 in no time. I've actually cut down a bit since I started this routine. I'm trying to stay right around 160 and hold my weight there until I can bench 350, which will hopefully be before my next cycle in October. Then I'm going to try and hit 180 bodyweight benching 400 raw. I'm working my ass off so hopefully I'll be there soon enough. As for yourself, just keep working hard and eating right. Keep us posted!

HP

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## Huge Presser

Meal 1, 6:30 am
-2 scrambled eggs with 2 oz of ham
-2 whole wheat slices of toast
-1 banana
-bowl of grain cereal with 2 cups milk
-another separate 2 cups milk

Meal 2… 9:00 am
-1 “Protein Plus” protein bar
-1 “Naked Fruit Juice” protein shake
-1 banana

Meal 3… 11:30 am
-1 chicken ceaser pita at the Pita Pit
-1 apple
-gallon of water, drink steadily up until workout

Meal 4, 3:00 pm
-2 bananas
-1 “Red Bull” energy drink
-Finish water
-Work out until you vomit!

Meal 5… 5:30 or so depending on when workout is finished
-Whey protein shake
-Soy protein shake
-4 boiled eggs
-6oz turkey

Meal 6… switch off nights steak/chicken/seafood. also with a salad... like a dinner almost  :Big Grin: 

Meal 7… 8:00
-Soy protein shake
-1 bowl grain cereal with 2 cups milk
-1 apple
-1 boiled egg
-6oz turkey

Meal 8… but not really a meal
-Whey protein shake

Alright I know this isn't the Diet Forum, but just so you guys are filled in on every little detail, I'm gonna share my diet which I am officially starting tomorrow, and will be running up until the end of the WSB training program. On October 15th, I will bump up everything (carbs/protein/fat) as I will be starting my second big cycle. I have yet to figure out the total cals/carbs/protein/fat but I'm working on it right now as I'm typing this. 
K peace bros...

HP

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## cdog

Hey bro those rows are looking great .Just keep rowing and rowing and you back and bis will be strong as well as huge . You had a good workout today nice job ..I look forward to your ME day ..............CDOG

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## Huge Presser

Thanks bro. The thing is all my friends can hardly rep 115 two times on rows so they think MY rows are sick. :LOL:  Also I know a lot of guys who bench in our "range"... about 300-325, most of these guys only do BB rows with 135 for sets of 6. I don't see how the fuck you're so damn strong at these!!! Arrg I need to work harder  :Big Grin: .

ME day is Saturday... going to go for a max Decline press. My old max is 300 exactly, which I did right before I started my cycle. So I'll hope for around 335 on Saturday. Wish me luck!

HP

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## cdog

I dont know why Im as strong as Iam on rows .I do alot of them and thats the only thing I can think of ?? Maybe it all these years of roofing LOL....CDOG

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## Juggernaut

Good luck on the decline press this Saturday Huge Presser. I've been following yours and Cdog's threads. You both have me wanting to hit this program when I get clearance to workout again.

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## Huge Presser

Juggernaut, are you currently injured?

HP

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## BigGreen

HP, I don't mean to hijack your thread or bog it down, but it's become clear in only a few days that this thread is going to get a lot of hits from guys looking to do this for the first time (as should be the case when you take the time to do this up). Seeing as how that's most likely going to be the case, I just wanted to tack on three quick reads appropriately titled "Beginner's Mistakes" (applying, of course, to the WB program). If you don't want them watering this thread down, let me know and i'll remove them and move them to a thread all their own, but I think that would dissapear to the bottom in time while this will keep a full head of steam.

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## BigGreen

Beginner Mistakes - Part I: Max Effort Progression
By Jim Wendler, Elite Fitness Systems

When I first started training using the Westside methods, I would often end my max effort exercise and feel like I didnt do anything. Sure, I maxed out and strained, but I never felt like I did that much. Now that I am stronger, max effort days are extremely hard and painful. I hadnt thought about this phenomenon until recently when Dave Tate and I talked one night after a seminar. We were talking about our training logs and how they would influence people. I had mentioned that many times on a max effort day, I would perform the core exercise, one other exercise and leave. I was unsure if this was the correct message to send the younger lifter. He quickly pointed out that because of my present strength level I had done a quite a bit of work on the core exercise. Even though I worked up to a 1RM, the total amount of weight lifted was large and what was needed to bring up my strength. He had me grab a piece of paper and told me to write down what I did for my max effort bench day. 

3 Board Press (straight weight)

2 sets of 5 repetitions @ 45lbs
2x5 @ 95
2x5 @ 135
1x5 @ 185
1x3 @ 225
1x3 @ 275
1x3 @ 315
1x3 @ 365
1x1 @ 405
1x1 @ 455
1x1 @ 495
1x1 @ 525
1x1 @ 550

Dave then told me to add up the total weight that I lifted that day. This amounted to 9645lbs. Three lifts were done over 90% of my max.

He then mentioned that too many times a younger, weaker lifter will make huge jumps between attempts and thus the total amount of weight lifted is significantly reduced. Here is a sample workout of what I would use to do.

3 Board Press (straight weight, previous personal record was 355lbs) 

135x3
185x3
225x1
275x1
315x1
365x1

The total amount of weight lifted is 2140lbs with only one lift over 90%. This is a far cry from what I am doing now. Of course my current strength level will dictate that I will lift more weight during a session. But how could I have increased my volume on the max effort day without sacrificing strength? Here is what I should have done.

2x5 @ 45
2x5 @ 95
1x3 @ 135
1x3 @ 175
1x3 @ 205
1x3 @ 235
1x1 @ 265
1x1 @ 295
1x1 @ 325
1x1 @ 345
1x1 @ 365

This now equals 5955lbs with three lifts in the 90+% range. This is over 2 ½ times the weight lifted from the previous example. This is a great way for a beginner to increase his strength and work capacity. These smaller jumps were less than 10% of my 1RM. In the first example, I would jump 40 or 50lbs between sets. This represents a 15% jump. If I were to do that now it would be over 80lbs between attempts. There is no way I could do that, so why should I expect a beginner to handle that? I made this mistake and I suspect that many other young lifters are doing it now. Take smaller jumps and make bigger gains.

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## BigGreen

Beginner Mistakes, Part II: The Dynamic Bench Press
By Jim Wendler, Elite Fitness Systems

Having coached for several years and after attending several Force Training seminars, I see the same problems on dynamic bench day no matter where I am. These problems aren't always reserved for the beginner; I seem to make some of these same mistakes and have to take a step back and re-evaluate. Let us first take a look at the general parameters on this day so that we are all on the same page.

1. Perform 8 sets of 3 repetitions at given percentage. (see below for percentages)
2. Rest periods between sets falls between 45-60 seconds.
3. Use three different grips; all grips should be inside the power rings.
4. The bar must be pushed with compensatory acceleration. This means that the concentric, or raising, portion of the lift must be done explosively.
5. The bar must be lowered quickly, but under control. Remember that the faster the bar comes down, the faster it comes up. 
6. Your form must be perfect on each rep. See Dave Tate's article "How to Bench Press 600" in the articles section at EliteFTS.com for more information on correct bench press form.
7. The bar weight remains the same throughout the training cycle. This is referred to as a smooth wave. It does not wave like the dynamic squat. Once you find the correct bar weight, stick with it.

Here are the percentages used on this day. Estimate which category you fall into and start with that percentage. Adjust from there.

Beginner - 60%
Intermediate - 55%
Advanced - 50%

Note: This percentage changes when using bands. This will be addressed below.

Let's examine the most common mistakes that are seen on this day and what you can do to correct them or avoid them.

*1. Training too heavy*

This is probably the biggest mistake that is being made. Most of it has to do with ego and gym machismo. Let your competition bench do the talking and let the critics laugh during your workout. One of the best ways to know if you are training too heavy on dynamic day is if your max effort work is not going well. This does not mean that once you have 1 or 2 bad max effort days to immediately change your bar weight. But if it becomes a trend, it may be time to back off. Another great way to see how fast a bar should move is to watch Westside Barbell's Reactive Method video. It has great footage of a dynamic bench workout and you will have a better idea of what kind of bar speed is needed.

*2. Your back comes off the bench*

I hear this all the time. It's almost like the people are bragging as if to say, "Look how explosive I am! I can lift myself off the bench." Unfortunately, this just means that your form is terrible. You should push yourself through the bench, not push the bar away from you. Your upper back and lats must be driven into the bench. You cannot do this if you are constantly throwing yourself off of the bench.

*3. Improper set up/use of chains and bands*

First, let me say that the new wave of "geniuses" in the strength training world have finally embraced using chains. Unfortunately, they know nothing about lifting, why the chains are supposed to work and the whole concept of accommodating resistance. If they did then they could easily see that the set up that they sell is, and I am putting this kindly, retarded. There must be a total deload at the bottom portion of the lift. This can only be done if all or most of the 5/8 inch chain is on the floor. Simply attaching the large chain to the bar ensures that about 5 links (probably 5lbs) is being deloaded. See the exercise index at EliteFTS.com for a better understanding on how to set up chains. When using bands the set up must be done correctly. There must be tension at the bottom of the lift and mini-bands should be used. Again, see the exercise index for information and pictures on how to correctly set up the bands. 

When using the bands you must account for the tension at the bottom of the lift. This is unlike chains. Remember that when using chains, there is a deload at the bottom of the lift thus the bar weight should remain the same. But with bands, there is tension at the bottom of the lift and this must be accounted for. You can save yourself some time and headaches by not measuring the tension but by performing some simple math and coaching. If you loop the mini-band correctly around one dumbbell, estimate that there is 30lbs of tension at the bottom of the lift. Take your bar weight and subtract 30lbs. This is the weight you should use for your sets. If the weight is moving too slowly, take some weight off of the bar. It's that simple.

Another big mistake that I see and read about is the use of bands and chains on this day. Many times people want to use bands during every workout. This can be tough on the shoulders, chest and elbows. There are many ways to use bands. Here are a few examples;

3 weeks bands/ 3 weeks chains
3 weeks bands/ 3 weeks straight weight (this means no chains or bands on the bar)
1 week bands/ 1 week chains or straight weight

There are numerous combinations. Those listed above are some of the most popular. You have to decide what is best for you.
*
4. Using time as your guideline*

Too many times people use the "3 second rule" as if it were written in stone. For those that don't know, Louie Simmons timed competition bench presses and they were all around 3 seconds or slightly above. Louie knew that explosive strength is best developed around 60% of one's max. Louie timed his lifters at 60% and found out that they could perform 3 reps in about 3 seconds. This is why 3 reps are used on this day. Unfortunately, too many lifters want to rush their reps to fall within this time frame. This leads to reps that are not locked out, sloppy form and a complete waste of time. Remember that time, like the percentages, is a guideline. If I feel as if I am rushing through my reps, I will remind myself to perform each rep independently. I will also make sure to tell my training partners to remind me as I prepare to do my set and during my set. This always leads to better form and better speed.

*5. Lack of understanding and importance*

Of all the days in the training template, I feel that this day is the most overlooked. I have told the following story several times, but I feel that it is worth mentioning again. One Sunday, I was lifting with Dave in London, Ohio and after our dynamic bench presses we moved into lockouts. For the record, Dave's best bench press is 605 and mine is 575. We moved to high pin lockouts and started with 315. After my set, we moved to 365 and Dave started to psyche himself up. At first I thought he was joking, and laughed at him. He stared back at me, grabbed the bar and proceeded to grind out 3 reps. I think he ended up doing 455 for 2 reps and burst every blood vessel in his face in the process. I moved to doing 500 for two easy sets of 3 reps. So how did he bench 605 and but can barely lockout 450? It has to do with bar speed. Without that component, Dave would have never come close to bench pressing over 600lbs.

Before you start each workout, whether it be a max effort, dynamic or extra workout, ask yourself why you are doing it. Have a clear understanding of why you are doing what you are doing. If you cannot answer the question, do some reading and you'd be surprised how much better your training will become.

These five mistakes are the most common that I see and receive questions about. I hope that this article answers some of your questions and that you can better your training and your total. If you have anymore questions see the FAQ or ask the Q/A staff at EliteFTS.com. Be sure to check out the exercise index and other articles to help with your training questions.

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## BigGreen

Beginner Mistakes, Part III: Have a Plan
By Jim Wendler
EliteFTS.com

Recently I had the opportunity to talk to a group of powerlifters that were preparing for a meet. This meet was about 7 weeks away and I asked them what their current dynamic squat cycle was and what kind of band tension and bar weight that they were using. The group stared at me like I had a third eye and a stalk of unsightly nose hairs. They told me that they just put whatever band on the bar they felt like using and worked up to a weight that they felt was appropriate. Now these guys were not beginners and should have known better. Furthermore, they had a meet in less than two months. I could not understand why they didnt have their squat training planned out or even a general idea of what kind of weight they used during their training.

Many times I see people read an article and immediately try to apply the newest idea or exercise into their training with little regard to why or how it would work for them. For example, when Westside Barbell began using the Safety Squat Bar during dynamic effort squat training how many people ditched their current routine and jumped on this new trend? I would be guessing that many people started doing this and also started doing Lactic Acid Tolerance training. I believe that both of these methods have merit but only when done at the appropriate time. 

I will be the first to admit that many times through a training cycle I have changed things, especially with my squat training. But these changes were not drastic and many times they were due to a nagging injury. I adjusted accordingly and put together a new plan. Before every single workout, I map out a list of exercises, sets and reps and try to stick to it. For example, after my dynamic bench training, I always do some kind of heavy triceps work. I may do 4 board press, 5 board press with bands, or lockouts. I dont always plan the exact exercise, but I know that I will do something to improve my lockout.

Here are 10 things that will help you plan your workouts and help keep you focused throughout your training cycle.

1. Set a date. Whether it be a meet or a testing day make sure you have a date in which to test your training, your exercise selection and your overall program.
2. Set goals. Write down these goals and have them around so you understand what you are training for. You should also have a list of daily goals for the training session.
3. Write down a general template for your training. For example, if your meet is 16 weeks away you may perform 4 weeks of Safety Bar Squats, 4 weeks of chains and an 8 week cycle using bands.
4. Examine your weak points. Find out where you are weak and pick exercises that you believe can help you.
5. Build on your strengths. Dont neglect what got you strong in the first place.
6. Keep a record. If you reach your goals or exceed them, a record will allow you to see what you did correctly. On the other hand, if you did not reach your goals, this record will serve as a reminder of what needs to be altered for your next training cycle. 
7. Understand your training age. If youve been training for 2 or 3 years, you probably dont need a circa-maximal phase. Dont attempt training cycles that are above your training level.
8. Be ready to change. I know this goes against what Im preaching in this article, but sometimes the best plan goes awry. When this happens, look at your goals and try to figure out how you can reach them despite the obstacles in your path. Before my last meet, I managed to slightly injure my pec. In order to get around this and continue training, I began performing all of my maximal effort work with my shirt and my dynamic work with either a one-board or with the floor press.
9. Individualize. If you need more work in your bench shirt then you may need to practice using it every other week. 
10. Have patience. Understand that training and knowledge takes time. When beginning a new training style, not everyone will make incredible gains their first cycle or even their first year. Look at your training as a multi-year process and have a clear picture of where you want to be. This will help you to take smaller steps, with less frustration, and allow you to grow. Think of your goals as being a large boulder that needs to broken down. If you try to take a sledgehammer and take violent swings, youll do nothing but tire yourself out and the boulder will remain unbroken. Now if you take a hammer and take a methodical approach, youll eventually break the boulder down without burning out and without tiring yourself out.

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## Huge Presser

Big Green, much thanks for your help. I love reading elitefits articles.

I'm confident as hell right now and ready to smoke up a big new decline max BP on Sat. Hopin to broke my old max (300 even) but at least 30 lbs!!! Wish me luck!

Once again thanks for putting those up. Quite interesting reads...

(DE squat, 8-21-03)
Squat: 185*3*2, 195*3*2, 205*3*2
GM's: 3*8
Back Ex: 3*12
Quad extensions: 3*8
Glute/hams: 3*8
Calves: 3*10 holds on top

Good luck to everyone.

HP

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## Juggernaut

Yes, Huge, I'm still forbidden to lift weights due to my neck surgery. It's been 71 days, 12 hours and 3 mins since I last lifted but who's counting. Doc gave me clearance to start back doing some serious cardio so I'm doing cardio twice a day five days a week to drop as much fat so that when I see him next time (9/18) I hope he'll say I can go back to lifting. Odd huh, most people complain about having to exercise yet for us it's so much a part of our lives that we can't stand to go without it. Sorry to be so long winded. Excellent work bro.....keep me inspired!

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## Huge Presser

The best wishes from over here, of course. I don't think I would be able to go without lifting for 10 weeks, you've got strength to be able to listen to those who know what's best. Keep us posted when you get back!

HP

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## Huge Presser

Wow, what a day. I've been having some sleeping problems as of late. The fact that I'm back in school again and waking up early has really thrown me off... I don't know how to explain this, but the only thing I've had the will to do is watch TV and lift, I hardly have eaten in the past 4 days. It shows too. Woke up this morning, and realized how small I suddenly looked, in my arms, chest, etc. My pecs were still sore from my workout on Wednesday, my elbow was giving out wierd little pains when I bent it, so I knew it going to be a fucked up workout. Boy it was. Hit the decline max, at the lowest bodyweight I've been since June... 

I was saying before how I was going to shoot for 335, but in all honesty, 360 was my goal for today. I figure if I'm benching 320+, my Decline press should be well over 350, if you use the proportion of decline/flat bench I've had since I started doing both. Sadly, here's how it went:

135*5
185*5
225*5...surprisingly heavy
245*3
275*1...felt like 300+ when I lifted it off, but it went up like smoke.
305*1... easy
325*1 easy
340*1 slowin down a bit
350*miss

I couldn't finish my workout after that, my pecs were so sore and I just didn't feel right. I did some pullups and left. What a horrible day :Angry: . But I deserved it. I'm going to get my act together soon hopefully and we will see if I can make a comeback. I figure if I can get my scrawny ass back up to 160 I should be hittin 320 again soon enough. Four days of rest and we will see.

HP

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## cdog

You need to pump the brakes bro .....You dont want to get overtrained and sick ! If your off for 4 days this will do you some good .And if you dont feel great in 4 days wait longer .Force that food down and supps and youll come back blastin just dont over do it .I can tell you this I overtrain all the time and Im ok with that cause I know thats when I ve gone to the limit and now its time to rest for a week or 2 ,sometimes 2 weeks off relly helps me alot .Anyways you got alot of things going on mentaly also with school starting and all... If was you I would just take that time off and pull it together .You know your strong already so just rest up and youll be fine ...........CDOG

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## Huge Presser

> You need to pump the brakes bro .....You dont want to get overtrained and sick ! If your off for 4 days this will do you some good .And if you dont feel great in 4 days wait longer .Force that food down and supps and youll come back blastin just dont over do it .I can tell you this I overtrain all the time and Im ok with that cause I know thats when I ve gone to the limit and now its time to rest for a week or 2 ,sometimes 2 weeks off relly helps me alot .Anyways you got alot of things going on mentaly also with school starting and all... If was you I would just take that time off and pull it together .You know your strong already so just rest up and youll be fine ...........CDOG



Thanks for the support cdog. I know we all have to go through shit workouts sometimes, and it sucks, but in the end you know it's gonna be ok. I really need to get out and go to the store to pick up the food I'm gonna need for this week to start my diet, but I just can't. I feel like I'm gonna throw up all over the place, and I have a nauseating headache. I'm still only weighing in at 158.5... argg this sucks, but there is some good news, I did have a good workout. Here's what I did:

Kneeling squat:
45*5
95*5
135*5 man these things are heavy!
185*3
225*1
245*1
275*1... had about 10 more left in me but I stopped cuz my elbow sucks

Then just for the hell of it:
Regular squat (deep!):
275*1, 325*1, 375*1, all easy. Felt great to hit 2.35x my weight after doing all the other shit already, and with the given conditions I was proud at how fast it went up.
Good mornings: 135*8, 145*8, 165*8... definately getting stronger at these!
Leg press: 730*3*8
Glute/hams: 3*8
Calves: 3*10 holds on top

OK I'm gonna go take a fatass shit and eat. Hopefully I don't have that west nile virus shit that everyone's been coming down with in Colorado. Fuck it I'm gonna take a nap.
Peace and good luck to everyone!!!

HP

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## Huge Presser

My official diet, starts tomorrow:

DIET (UNTIL OCTOBER 15TH, THEN REVAMP)

ON WORKOUT DAYS:

Meal 1… 6:30 am (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
2 scrambled eggs (140,2,14,8)
3 oz ham in eggs (60,1,12,2)
2 whole wheat slices of toast (120,22,4,2)
1 banana (105,27,1,1)
3 cups milk (300,36,24,7.5)
TOTAL: 725, 88, 55, 20.5

Meal 2… 9:00 am (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
1 “Protein Plus” protein bar (290,38,24,5)
1 “Naked Fruit Juice” protein shake (420,54,34,3.5)
1 banana (105,27,1,1)
TOTAL: 815, 119, 59, 9.5

Meal 3… 11:30 am (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
1 chicken breast pita (551,61,41,15)
1 apple (80,21,0,0)
TOTAL: 631,82,41,15)
(On weekends, instead eat 6oz turkey, 4 cups milk, 2 bannas, total: 745,102, 85, 14)

Meal 4… 3:00 pm (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
2 bananas (210,54,2,2)
1 “Red Bull” energy drink (10,3,1,0)
TOTAL: 220, 57, 3, 2

Meal 5… 5:00 (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
Whey protein shake (101,5,18,1)
2 cups milk (200,24,16,5)
Soy protein shake (110,0,24,1)
2 cups OJ (225,48,3,0)
1 boiled egg (70,1,6,4)
TOTAL: 706, 83, 67, 11

Meal 6… 6:00 (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
6oz chicken (240,0,48,4)
OR 6oz steak: (340,0,52,12)
1 cup veggies (50,10,6,0)
1 cup strawberries (20,5,0,0)
2 cups milk (200,24,16,5)
TOTAL (Chicken): 510, 39, 70, 9
TOTAL (Steak): 610, 39, 78, 17

Meal 7… 9:00 (cals,carbs,pro,fat)
Whey protein shake (101,5,18,1)
2 cups milk (200,24,16,5)
1 “Protein Plus” Powerbar (290,38,24,5)
TOTAL: 591, 67, 58, 11

TOTAL FOR THE DAY (Chicken): 4,198, 535, 353, 86
TOTAL FOR THE DAY (Steak): 4,198, 535, 361, 94
TOTAL FOR THE DAY ON WEEKENDS: 4,312, 555, 397-407, 85-93 

-With at least one and a half gallons of water per day
-9g of extra amino acid supplementation daily

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## BigGreen

Good to see you've built in some rotating variety, i think a lot of people hit a wall when they don't allot for the fact you get damn sick of the same foods over and over again. What I'll often do is have two or three breakfast protein sources (A,B, and C) and four or five breakfast car sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). From there, as with all meals, I'll just build one for Monday along the lines of B1, for tuesday B3, for Wed, C5...so on and so on. That way it's strict but I'm given at least the illusion of some insane variety.

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## lilbull

can you give us some examples of these meals BG? I'm hitting a wall with my diet I need some things to spice it up.

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## BigGreen

> can you give us some examples of these meals BG? I'm hitting a wall with my diet I need some things to spice it up.


Tonight or tomorrow I'll be starting my year-long diary project and one of the first posts will be the entirety of all the food that is allowed to pass my lips over the 365 days (every saturday will allow a cheat meal and every other saturday will allow for two or three while bulking...but cheat these days is increasingly meaning columbo yogurt and a burger on a whole wheat bun or homemade pizza using whole wheat crust, low fat cheese and chicken as a topping...so "cheat" is used somewhat loosely).

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## cdog

Hey where you been bra??? Are you taking sometime off? Hope all is well CDOG

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