World of Strength and Power
Recommend doing only a total of four exercises per workout.
To gain weight, add two exercises to add muscle mass.
One must train at a fast pace to ensure that the most important work is completed in 45 minutes.
while training, a pump in the hips and lower back will occur while squatting and doing back work. To think that one must fully rest between sets is old thinking
Prilepin’s Table: Number of reps for percentage training
Percent | R/S | Optimal | Range |
---|---|---|---|
55-65 | 3-6 | 24 | 18-30 |
70-75 | 3-6 | 18 | 12-24 |
80-85 | 2-4 | 15 | 10-20 |
Above 90 | 1-2 | 7 | 4-10 |
too many weights above 90% will cause deterioration in coordination, which causes deterioration in form.
Train a bar exercise for only two weeks and switch.
Change the core exercise on max effort day every week.
Use 3–5 special exercises to complement your core exercise.
- Train speed bench press at 45–50% of your max bench
- Train speed squat in waves of 50–60%, jumping 2.5% each week and then start over with 50%.
Never wear knee wraps but wear a belt.
For the bench press, two workouts are done per week—one for speed and acceleration and one for the development of reversal strength.
We always train at 60%, 8–10 sets of three reps.
Use close and moderately close grips,
After the 8–10 sets, train the triceps very hard.
Triceps are most important. Lats are next, followed by delt raises, upper back, and forearms.
Three days later, Wednesday, is max effort day. On max effort day, you must max out (but not in a regular squat, bench, or deadlift).
Do a one or three rep max in exercises such as the board press, floor press, incline, decline, or seated press, or rack lockouts.
When one trains a particular exercise maximally for even three weeks in a row, growth hormone production is greatly reduced.
That is why you must use special core exercises and rotate them every two weeks.
Remember to pursue greater bar speed in all lifts.
Stay with short rest periods on dynamic day. For squats, rest 45 seconds and for the bench, rest one minute.
The short rest between sets causes lactic acid to accumulate. By working through the lactic acid, growth hormone production increases greatly. So don’t be a wimp.
Percent Training
65–82.5% of a one rep max is best to build strength in the squat.
At Westside Barbell, we do sets of two
Large muscle groups recover in roughly 72 hours and small muscles in 24 hours.
As far as deadlifting goes, we seldom do it. But when we do, we do multiple singles with very short rest periods (30 seconds).
Time in Strength Training
First, be very explosive and accelerate throughout the movement.
Second, you only have so long to complete a max lift or a work set.
concentrating on bar velocity, which consists of an acceleration phase and deceleration phase.
Importance of Volume
The number of lifts should be performed on one of two training days.
The light percents are for the development of explosive or speed strength.
We were using between 50–60% of a contest max in the squat.
Example #1: A 700-lb squatter would use 350 (50%) for 12 sets of two reps, which is 8400 lbs of volume. At 60%, ten sets of two reps are performed or 420 lbs for 20 lifts, which equals 8400.
Example #2: A 500-lb squatter would use 250 for 12 sets of two reps, which equals 6000 lbs of work. At 60%, ten sets of two reps are performed or 300 lbs for 20 lifts, which equals 6000.
On max effort day, three days later, we used the conjugate method where we perform core exercises similar to the classical lifts.
We employ good mornings of many types, special squat bars, and other apparatus, but we never do a regular squat.
Start increasing the bar weight after a good warmup. Do a lift of about 90%, try for a personal record and maybe one more, and then do your assistance work.
If you look at both days, it looks like this—80 lifts for explosive and speed-strength and 12 lifts for strength-speed and absolute strength per month.
For squatting or deadlifting, the posterior chain must be developed. This includes the hamstrings, glutes, all back muscles, and hips.
This means the total work is distributed like this—40% special exercises for strength, 40% barbell lifts, and 20% restoration and flexibility.
If your squat is stalled, more squatting won’t help.
We complement the deadlift with many variations of squatting and good mornings.
Deadlifting is done with no more than 70% and only for singles. The intensity is raised by using short rest periods between sets, usually about 30 seconds when doing 6–10 total lifts.
In 1995, Zatsiorsky stated three methods of inducing maximal muscle tension:
- Overcoming maximal resistance that causes maximal or near maximal muscle tension (maximal effort method),
- Using considerably less than maximal resistance until fatigue causes one to fail (repetition method),
- Using submaximal weights accompanied by maximal speed (dynamic method).
The keys to success are as follows: Volume with correct intensity (refer to Prilepin’s intensity chart) Use a max effort day and, 72 hours later, a dynamic method day Raise work capacity
To calculate volume on max effort workouts, there are two methods to consider.
- The first is when the objective is to increase muscle mass in order to move into a higher weight class (e.g., 6 –8 lifts in the 90% range).
- The second method is 3–4 sets of two reps, the second at 90% and then the next one or two a PR. We prefer the second method from a psychological point of view.
For the deadlift and squat, work low back, hams and glutes, and abs in that order. Don’t move on to the next exercise until the muscles are thoroughly worked.
For the bench, do triceps, lats, upper back, and rear and side delts.
TRAINING METHODS
You must plan to obtain certain objectives. Increases in speed, explosive strength, absolute strength, and stamina are equally important.
Doing the same exercises repeatedly will rapidly decrease your coordination.
Conjugate Method
Five elements of strength are trained: quickness, explosiveness, speed-strength, strength-speed, absolute strength
To push up a squat, heavy good mornings or squatting with different bars is done on max effort day. The different bars make squatting very awkward and extremely hard to do, much harder than a regular squat.
On max effort day, we may do a type of squat in week one, a good morning in week two, and a front squat in week three. Each exercise contributes to the next week’s exercise, which in turn will build a bigger squat by strengthening the weaker muscle group and perfecting form.
When raising out of a squat or deadlift, the shoulders should raise first.
Pick 4–5 core exercises that work for you and rotate one of them every two weeks. Do a max single for a 2-3 rep max, but no more.
For example, you could do bent over good mornings, safety squat bar squats, Zercher squats, or very low box squats and then finish with two weeks of rack pulls. This represents a ten-week cycle, rotating each of the above exercises in two-week mini-cycles.
After your selection of a core barbell exercise, pick 3–5 special exercises. Your workout should last less than 60 minutes. Pick a few special exercises and do them very intensely.
select four exercises for the lower back such as back raises, straight leg deadlifts off a platform, pull- throughs with the legs straight, and reverse hyperextensions. Rotate them when necessary.
For weak hamstrings, do heavy reverse hyperextensions, squatting pull-throughs, glute ham raises, and sled pulling with your hands behind your back or below your knees while holding onto a strap.
For weak glutes, do heavy reverse hyperextensions, low belt squats, high rep deadlifts (two sets of 20 with back arched, glutes pushed out to rear, shoulder-width stance, hands outside shoulder-width; after the first rep, drop the bar to just below the knees, and catch and raise it as fast as possible for the entire 20 reps), and glute ham raises.
If your abs are weak, do side bends with a cable bar or dumbbell, leg raises, standing lat machine curl-overs, and strict sit-ups.
For the bench press, you could do board presses, floor presses, inclines, declines, or rack lockouts for singles. Rotate one of these every two weeks.
By training with this system, you can max out every week of the year while working continuously on speed and building muscle mass.
On max effort day, the entire volume consists of unidirectional loading. One training workout contributes to the next.
The sequence of exercises you use does not matter just as long as the load is maximal.
The time it takes to do a maximal effort (i.e., a low box squat with a Manta Ray) lift is at least the same amount of time that it takes to do a max deadlift or squat. This is called “time under tension.” Time under tension is the key for max effort work.
This method requires that the lifter lift submaximal weights as fast as he can.
Reversal strength is developed, for example, by floor presses, board presses, and box squats.
By sitting back, not down, on a box of any height, the squatting muscles are stretched maximally. Relaxing the hip flexors, glutes, and obliques for 30 seconds to one minute and 30 seconds and flexing off the box dynamically in a box squat will also increase your pulls off the floor.
A bar on the floor is static, and this position must be overcome dynamically.
For the floor press, lower the bar until the elbows are in contact with the floor. Relax the triceps and other pressing muscles, flex dynamically, and press upward.
For the board press, we use 2–3 2x6s attached together. Lower the bar quickly onto the boards, relax, and then explode concentrically.
Remember, lower, relax, and then contract dynamically. Don’t forget, the stretch reflex lasts up to at least two seconds.
Repeated Effort Method
The dynamic method replaces a maximal effort day and builds explosiveness and speed-strength.
The maximal effort method builds strength-speed and absolute strength.
We know that training with weights above 90% for three weeks will cause a negative training effect. To remedy this, the conjugate method is employed.
we also use the repetition method to failure, though never in the classical lifts. Rather, we do special exercises with dumbbells, belt squats, the reverse hyper, and so forth.
I prefer to do repetitions for time in a slow tempo and don’t bother to count reps.
Using weights of roughly 20–30% will serve as restoration because they’re not heavy enough to stop adequate circulation via strong muscle contraction.
This method is also commonly known as lactic acid tolerance training. It promotes a high degree of growth hormone production, which can increase size and strength.
Methods Breakdown in Training
Max Effort Day
we train with either very light weights or max weights. Very seldom do we use medium weights in the 80% to low-90% range.
Remember, if you train at 90% or higher for more than three weeks, you will fail because of central nervous system fatigue.
Regardless of our trainability, we max out. It might not be an all-time record, but it’s all you’re capable of on that day.
Let’s start with the maximum effort bench day, which occurs 72 hours after the speed bench day.
In the bench, we will lower the bar as fast as possible and then catch it just before it hits the chest and reverse from eccentric to concentric as fast as possible.
This ballistic lifting is to be done with speed-strength weights of 40–60% while doing your triples.
DOMS can be avoided by doing small restoration workouts 6–12 hours after one of the four major workouts.
Dynamic Effort Day
On speed day, use submaximal weights with maximal speed.
For squatting, do 10–12 sets of two reps. For benching, do 8–9 sets of three reps. For deadlifting, do 6–10 sets of one rep after squatting.
Contrast and Reactive Methods
One reactive method is heavy-light sets. First, lift a heavy barbell for 1–3 reps. Take a short rest of 10–20 seconds, reduce the weight 20%, and repeat for 1–3 reps.
The best method is to use two sets of jump stretch bands. Perform a set of bench, squats, or pulls. Rest 10–20 seconds and remove a set of bands. Then do a second set.
When using barbells for the reactive method effect, it is best to use a large amount of band tension or a large amount of chains on the weight releasers and a small amount of bar weight.
If you don’t have weight releasers or jump-stretch bands, the heavy-light method can be done by first using a weight of roughly 90% for 1–2 reps for 2–3 sets. Then reduce the bar weight to 40–60% and do 2–3 sets of 2–3 reps.
Lightened Method
Ballistic Method
use it for bench pressing with submaximal weights on speed day.
drop or lower the bar as fast as possible and catch it 1–4 inches off your chest. Reverse to the concentric phase as fast as possible.
never pause the bar on the chest in training. Kinetic energy is lost
The stretch reflex will remain for up to four seconds in high-skilled lifters and two seconds for less skilled athletes,
Concentric Method
With the bar suspended by chains or using power rack pins, simply crawl under the bar and raise it concentrically.
Going from a relaxed condition to overcoming a stable load with light and medium loads of 50–80% will develop a rapid rate of force development.
Dynamic Method
For benching or squatting, 20–24 total lifts are standard on dynamic method day.
For benching, use 40–50% of a 1RM with a method of accommodating resistance (i.e., bands or chains). For squatting, use 50–60% with a method of accommodating resistance.
Pendulum Wave
for the squat, do 50% in week one, 55% in week two, 60% in week three, and back to 50% in week four.
Change from bands to chains, add weight releasers, use the lightened method of overcoming a rested load, or change your grip or stance.
Conjugate Sequence Method
Always rotate special exercises on speed day.
WESTSIDE SYSTEM INTRODUCTION
Three basic methods of achieving maximal muscle contraction:
- Max effort method
- Repetition method
- Dynamic effort method
Overview of the Westside program
Monday: Max effort squat & deadlift
1 | The max effort exercise:
Work up to 1–3 rep max. Sometimes use the repetition method and do reps to failure.
Max effort work periodization: Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Week 1 camber bar good morning sled work Week 2 low box safety squat bar reverse band deadlift Week 3 rest sled work Week 4 take a weight with gear suspended good morning
2 | Supplemental exercises:
Do an exercise that works your glutes and hamstrings, lower back, or abs, depending on what your weakest point is or what adds to your squat and deadlift the most.
works your glutes and hamstrings, lower back, or abs, depending on what your weakest point is
This can be working up to a heavy set of 5 reps in the 45-degree back extension, doing 3–5 sets of 6–12 reps on the glute ham raise, or doing many sets of curls with bands.
3 | Accessory exercises:
These include abdominal exercises such as standing ab work in the lat machine for 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps and lower back exercises such as reverse hyper extensions for 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps.
4 | Other exercises:
Do other exercises such as lat work, grip, or neck training.
such as lat work, grip, or neck training.
Sample workouts for Monday:
Workout #1: deadlift standing on a block work up to max 1 glute ham raises
4x6-8 weighted leg raises 3x10 reverse hypers 3x10 neck extensions 2x20
Workout #2: low box safety squat bar work up to max 1 leg curls with bands 3x15
reverse hypers 3x15 side work with landmine 3–4 sets
Workout #3: reverse hypers 5–8x8–12 standing abs on lat machine 5–8x8–12 t-bar
rows 3–5 sets grip work 3–5 sets
Wednesday: Max effort bench press
The max effort exercise:
Work up to 1–3 rep max using the repetition method at times.
Max effort work periodization: Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Week 1 floor press dumbbell press for reps Week 2 reverse band press 3-board press Week 3 rack lockouts bench with chains Week 4 take a weight with shirt rest
Supplemental exercises:
this means mostly exercises for triceps strength such as triceps extensions with dumbbells or a straight bar, 3- or 6-board presses, JM presses, or close grip presses.
Accessory exercises:
These include lat and upper back work such as lat pull-downs or upright rows done for 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps and shoulder and chest exercises such as dumbbell presses or delt raises.
Other exercises:
Do other exercises such as rotator cuff work, upper body sled work, and forearm training.
Sample workouts for Wednesday:
Workout #1: Bench with mini-bands work up to max 1 incline triceps extension
5x8 chest supported row 3x10–15 side delt raises 3x10–15 hammer curls 2x20
Workout #2: dumbbell press max rep sets with 2 weights or 3x8–15 straight bar
triceps extension 3x5 lat pull-downs 4x10 upper body sled work 4 trips
Workout #3: 2-board press work up to max 1 4- or 5-board press work up to max 5
elbows out extensions 3x15 one arm rows 3x15 face pulls 3x15
Max effort guidelines:
Don’t prepare mentally or you will burn yourself out.
Don’t plan the ME exercises too much in advance.
The most important things are time under tension and strain (max effort ), not the records
Limit the number of lifts over 90% to 2–3. Do one with 90%, one with 95–98%, and then try for a record. You can also jump from 92–95% straight to a new record.
It isn’t necessary to do max effort work every week.
Max effort standards: Load: 90–100 % + ME exercises per workout:
- 1 ME exercises per week 1 for the squat/deadlift and 1 for the bench
- Reps 1–3 Rest 2–5 minutes
- Weeks per ME exercise 1–2
Friday: Dynamic squat and deadlift
The box squat: This is the basic format for squat and deadlift training.
You should usually perform 6–8x2 at 40–60% of your max depending on your background and level.
5–6x2 with bands 6–8x2 with chains 8–12x2 with straight weight
The most important factor on bar weight and percents is the lifter’s level of preparation: advantaged lifters 40–50% medium level lifters 45–55% beginners 50–60%
This may sound strange, but the higher your level of preparation, the more force you can put on the bar.
Sample dynamic box squat execution: Box squat sets reps weight 2 3-5 135 2 2 185 1 2 225 1 2 275 1 2 315 8 2 375
Speed deadlifts: This means do explosive singles at 50–70% of your max.
These are done after dynamic box squats and are not necessarily performed every week.
The usual speed deadlift workout would be 5–6 x 1 with 50–60% of our best in the meet.
Accessory exercises: These include abdominal exercises and lower back exercises.
Other exercises: Try other exercises such as lat work, grip, or neck training.
Sample workouts on Friday:
Workout #1: box squats 6x2x45% using bands speed deadlifts 5x1x45% with the
mini-bands reverse hypers 4x10 straight leg raises 4x10
Workout #2: box squats 12x2x55% sled work 5–6 trips with heavy weight Russian
twist 3x6-8 one leg reverse hypers 3x6-8 lat pulls to abs 2x15 neck training 2–3 sets
Workout #3: box squats 8x2x50% using chains speed deadlifts 6x1x60% glute ham
raises 5x8–12 ab work on a lat machine 3–4 sets sled work 2–3 trips with very light weight
Sunday: Dynamic bench press
The bench press: Work up to eight sets of three reps using three different grips all inside the rings.
Work up to eight sets of three reps using three different grips all inside the rings.
The correct training percentage would be 45–50% of your shirtless max for competitive powerlifters and 50–60% for less advantaged lifters.
Supplemental exercises: Perform some triceps work.
Try exercises like close grip bench presses, JM presses, and dumbbell or barbell extensions. Sets and reps may vary from 4–6 x 8–12 to working up to a heavy set of five reps.
Accessory exercises: Try other triceps exercises
like push-downs or elbows out extensions, lat and upper back work like lat pull-downs or any kind of rows, and shoulder and chest exercises such as delt raises and weighted push-ups.
Other exercises: Try other exercises such as rotator cuff work, upper body sled work, and forearm training.
Sample dynamic bench press workouts:
Workout #1: bench press 8x3x45%/raw max using one chain per side 4- or 5-board press
work up to 2–3x5 lat pull downs 3x15 rear delt raises 3x15 upper body sled work 2–3 trips with very light weight
Workout #2: bench press 10x3x35%/meet best close grip press 5x5
elbows out extensions 2x20 hammer curls 2x20 reverse hypers 2–3 light sets each for 25–35 reps ab work 2–3 light sets each for 25–35 reps
Workout #3: bench press 8x3x45%/raw max using mini bands
dumbbell extensions 5x12 lying on the floor chest supported rows 5x12 one arm side delt raise 2x15 rotator cuff work 4–8 light sets
Dynamic effort guidelines:
Bar speed is the most important factor.
Percentages are mentioned as a guideline.
One set should be performed within a specific timeframe than do a max single.
Use maximum force no matter what the bar weight is.
Do heavier sets occasionally to monitor bar speed.
Dynamic effort standards:
- Load: 40–60%
- DE exercises per workout: 1 (2 when doing deadlifts and box squats )
- DE exercises per week 1–2 for squat/deadlift and 1 for bench
- Reps 2 for squat, 3 for bench, 1 for deadlift
- Rest 30–90 seconds
- Weeks per DE exercise 3–4 week mini-periods
DEVELOPING SPECIAL STRENGTHS
Being fast won’t do it alone and being strong won’t do it alone.
Remember two important points be very explosive and accelerate throughout the movement and you only have so long to complete a max lift or a work set. When time runs out and your muscles don’t work under the load anymore, you will fail.
Maximal Strength
This is the basis of all types of strength.
Strength Endurance
Strength endurance is the ability to perform a lengthy display of muscular tension with minimal loss of work capacity.
the ability to perform a lengthy display of muscular tension with minimal loss of work capacity.
two forms of strength endurance—static and dynamic.
Speed-Strength
Powerlifting and weightlifting are speed-strength types of activities.
Each requires one to execute a lift at full speed and have the strength to do it.
Strength-Speed
Strength-speed is the ability to move heavy weights as fast as possible.
Isometric Strength
In powerlifting, you may have to push or pull for a long length of time while locking out a bench or deadlift, respectively.
Here, the velocity is extremely slow. This is different from standard isometrics where the bar or object is motionless or fixed.
To develop quasi-isometric strength, use a barbell at the position where you are having problems (e.g., the last four inches in the bench press).
Next, apply a large amount of bands to the bar so a slow start is achieved, making the lockout nearly impossible.
A second method is to start the bar below the minimax and extend the arms to the precise point where you fail with or without the arms locked.
The benefits are that it can build maximal strength and active flexibility. The cons are that it has no effect on maximal power or speed.
With standard isometrics, strength can be developed not only at the precise angle one exerts from but also in a radius of 15 degrees either way. Here, the velocity is zero.
Its main purpose is to develop absolute strength when doing long contractions of 3–5 seconds. But it can also be used to develop explosive strength just as dynamic exercises do by pushing or pulling violently with quick jerks.
which is more productive—dynamic or isometric exercises? In my opinion, both must be trained. There are always pros and cons for any type of training.
with a max effort deadlift, the bar stops at the knee or just before lockout. Hardly any work is done at the minimax. It’s just too fast. A three-second isometric hold can be equal to many dynamic contractions.
How are isometrics performed? Here is how Westside does them. The simplest way is to push or pull against a pin, which can be placed at different positions.
the duration that you push or pull on the bar can vary from 2–6 seconds per exertion.
For a more detailed explanation of the above, see Verkhoshansky (1970) or The Fundamentals of Special Strength-Training in Sport.
Explosive Strength
is the ability to use the muscles and central nervous system to achieve maximum force as quickly as possible after an intense muscular stretch.
the ability to use the muscles and central nervous system to achieve maximum force as quickly as possible after an intense muscular stretch.
Explosive strength is developed after a strong stretch that builds kinetic energy during the lowering phase in different forms.
Shock training builds explosive strength.
Some examples include: hang cleans or hang snatches depth jumps push jerks
box squats or box squats with bands, chains, or weight releasers.
Two of the best methods to build explosive and absolute strength are: static overcome by dynamic work relaxed overcome by dynamic work
Box squatting accomplishes both.
why do many fail to increase their jumping ability while increasing their squat? The most probable reason is that as their squat weight goes up, the bar speed slows.
They concentrate only on strength-speed while neglecting speed-strength.
Approximately 80 lifts per month must be devoted to explosive and speed-strength and roughly 16 lifts per month for strength-speed.
Plyometrics are just one type of shock training. Others include maximal eccentrics, forced reps, all contrast methods mentioned above, and anti-restricted range of motions to max (partials).
Accelerating Strength
To ensure the development of accelerating strength, bands or chains should be employed
Eccentric and Concentric Strength
the ability to lower and raise weights.
Concentric Strength
the squat and bench require eccentric work followed by concentric work, both must be worked.
The deadlift does not require the ability to lower the weight, only to raise it concentrically.
half of the good mornings are done concentrically by supporting the bar from heavy duty chains.
Eccentric Strength
The eccentric phase causes most muscular soreness or the burn that bodybuilders talk about.
When performed slowly, it greatly contributes to muscle hypertrophy (growth).
We also know that in an attempt to raise absolute strength, eccentric training alone fails miserably.
most injuries occur during the yielding or eccentric phase.
Vince told me that anything will make your deadlift go up, except eccentrics.
Eccentric training alone is a waste. However, a strength-shortening cycle and eccentric training followed by a concentric phase can be very beneficial when done correctly (i.e., with optimal speed).
However, a strength-shortening cycle and eccentric training followed by a concentric phase can be very beneficial when done correctly (i.e., with optimal speed).
Training with heavy weights will add strength potential to muscles, and training with light weights with a rapid concentric phase will increase speed and explosive strength.
Using jump stretch bands will cause a forced overspeed eccentric phase. This is maximal powermetrics.
The combination of eccentric and concentric actions forms a natural type of muscle functioning called the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) (Norman and Komi 1979; Komi 1984).
In the calculation of kinetic energy, increasing velocity is much more important than increasing mass. This is because velocity is squared into the equation KE = (1/2)mv.
As the barbell grows heavier, one tends to lower the bar more slowly. However, this is counterproductive.
When slowing down the eccentric motion, we are emitting the energy that can be stored in the muscles and tendons.
The myotatic reflex occurs when a muscle is stretched by an external force. Yes, this causes a stretch reflex, but the faster the eccentric phase, the greater the stretch reflex.
The Golgi tendon reflex helps prevent extremely high and potentially dangerous loads to the tendon. With overspeed eccentrics, we try to override this phenomenon.
In Science and Practice of Strength Training, Zatsiorsky states that Elite athletes develop very high forces of elastic energy in the tendons rather than the muscles.
If the barbell slows down as the weight grows heavier, the length of the muscle is stretched and the muscle tension increases, which could lead to injury.
Because this myotatic reflex is counterbalanced by the Golgi tendon reflex, an inhibition of muscle action occurs, causing a less than maximal concentric phase.
Simply said, the faster down, the faster up.
Learn to relax to reduce some muscle tension in the eccentric phase to prevent inhibiting the stretch reflex,
TRAINING OF THE POWER LIFTS
You must become faster to become stronger. To become stronger, you must become faster.
The special work will make you bigger.
Technique
Technique is a tool for a lifter to build the best leverages possible. With good form, you can stress your strong points and eliminate weaknesses.
Squat
Most people think of the squat as a multi-joint movement. I see it as flexion of the spinal erectors and hip flexors and a slight extension of the knees.
If you watch a good squat technician, nothing moves but the hip joint. He bends only at the hips.
If you see someone walking with their feet turned outward, they have weak hamstrings.
When you squat, think about pushing your feet out, not down.
Push your knees out the entire time,
Next, start pushing the glutes to the rear as though you are searching for a chair that is too far behind you.
start pushing the glutes to the rear as though you are searching for a chair that is too far behind you. Arch the lower back hard and keep the chest and head up. Lean as much as necessary to keep the bar in your center of gravity.
Arch the lower back hard and keep the chest and head up.
Lean as much as necessary to keep the bar in your center of gravity.
To ensure correct bar placement, raise the chest and pull the shoulder blades together. This creates better leverages by placing the bar as far back as possible.
raise the chest and pull the shoulder blades together. This creates better leverages by placing the bar as far back as possible.
However, if you carry the bar too low, it causes you to bend forward and destroys the leverages.
Everyone should box squat with a wide stance. This builds the all-important hip muscles.
While descending, always squat back, not down. If you push the glutes back, the knees won’t go forward.
After breaking parallel, you must first push against the bar. After all, the bar is what we are trying to raise. Pushing with the feet first is a mistake. This causes the lifter to bend over
Breathing is important. First, take air into the abdominal section and chest. Hold the air until you have reached the hardest part of the lift. Exhale when you are near the top position.
Bench Press
For training, use 3–4 different grips. Alternate from the index finger just touching the smooth part of the bar to a grip that is two inches wider than the grip where the little finger is in contact with the power ring.
pulling the shoulder blades together and gripping the bar as tight as possible.
pull the bar out of the rack as if you were doing a pull- over. This activates the lats properly.
Lower the bar quickly in a straight line. Press the bar straight up and slightly toward the feet.
Rotating the bar back over the face can cause rotator and pec injuries.
Hold your breath for up to five reps. Holding the breath defines heavy training.
Deadlift
center the bar over the joint of the big toe or a little closer.
The shoulder joints must be behind or over the bar when starting the pull.
Pull slightly toward the center of the body to keep the bar close to the legs and always push the feet out to the sides.
For most lifters, pointing the feet out provides a stronger start because of the greater leg drive.
When using sumo style in deadlifting, the width of your stance depends on your flexibility. The longer your legs are, the wider your stance.
For breathing, keep the air out of the lungs. Use abdominal breathing. This keeps the torso short for better leverages and builds stability.
PERIODIZATION
simply means the organization of training plans for one year or more into shorter manageable plans (i.e., weekly or monthly).
Each week, the lifter switches a barbell exercise, always working up to a max single in a special squat or box, rack, or band deadlift.
Only good mornings with an eccentric phase preceding a concentric phase are performed for a 3RM.
A heavy effort means weights above 90% of a 1RM. Lifting weights at 90% or more for three weeks or longer will cause a negative effect on the central nervous system.
switch the core lift each week.
The same holds true for bench pressing. The floor press, board press, rack work, incline, decline, and others are conjugate exercises.
Speed-strength work is done for a three-week cycle.
The weight with bands, chains, or both is changed each week, normally increasing each week for the three weeks. On the fourth week, the load is decreased or changed, and again, another three-week wave is started.
Note: Use weight releasers for only two-week waves. Eccentrics are responsible for most muscle soreness due to damaged muscle cells.
I suggest everyone read books on periodization by noted authors such as Tudor Bompa or Vladimir Zatsiorsky.
To find your total loading volume, multiply the sets by the number of reps.
At Westside, we follow the “rule of 60%.” An extreme workout should occur every 72 hours. The max effort day will be about 60% of the dynamic day.
- First wave: light band, 70 lbs of tension 325 10 sets 2 reps 375 10 sets 2 reps 415 8 sets 2 reps
- Second wave: medium band, 140 lbs of tension 325 10 sets 2 reps 375 10 sets 2 reps 415 8 sets 2 reps
- Third wave: strong band, 260 lbs of tension 325 8 sets 2 reps 375 8 sets 2 reps 415 6 sets 2 reps
Intensity Zone Loading
Dr. Ben Tabachnik has said that it is common for athletes to be adapted to quickness exercises. That must be addressed either by:
- varying intensities
- changing the apparatus you are using
We do both: by using a pendulum wave, mostly with 50–55–60% changing part of the resistance by adding chains or bands
Controlling Volume
To squat 600, we know that a total volume of 7200 lbs is needed.
This is arrived at by using a top percent of 60% and a lower percent of 50%.
For example, 50% of 600 = 300 x 12 sets of 2 reps = 7200 lbs.
On week three, the weight is 60% of 600 = 360 x 10 sets of 2 reps = 7200.
A volume of 9600 is used to squat 800 so 50% of 800 = 400 x 12 sets of 2 reps = 9600 lbs and 10 sets of 2 reps with 480 (60%) = 9600 lbs.
During the three-week wave, you also rotate special exercises such as glute ham raises, pull-throughs, and the reverse hyper.
One can’t succeed by doing only the classical lifts. One will cease to make progress. The greater the lifter, the more tasks you need to stimulate progress.
suggest reading books such as Supertraining, which contains the ideas of many well-respected
Speed Training
In a yearly plan that truly works, one must increase speed, work capacity, and of course, absolute strength. With the conjugate method, all this is possible. There is truly never an off-season if you are aiming for greatness.
If you don’t train for two weeks, your strength can drop 10%.
If you don’t do sled work for two weeks, your work capacity will fall greatly.
Advanced System for Beginners
It can be used by a 300 squatter or a 900 squatter. They would both train with the same percent.
They would use a three-week pendulum wave. The percentages range from 50–60%.
A 300-lb squatter would use 150–180 lbs on speed day:
- Week 1, 150 for 12 x 2 reps
- Week 2, 165 for 12 x 2 reps
- Week 3, 180 for 10 x 2 reps
Short rests (45 seconds) between sets are used.
The short rest will build general physical preparedness (GPP). It will also build mental toughness.
We insist that beginners squat wide and bench close. This ensures that the correct muscle groups are developed.
For squatting, it’s the posterior chain—the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors.
Someone with little knowledge will try to build the quads to increase their squat. But this will reduce hip flexion, resulting in difficulty reaching a parallel position in the squat and destroying the lockout in the deadlift
Beginners should learn form first and then add chains and later on bands.
There should be no circa-max squatting until you can squat three and a half times your body weight.
WESTSIDE BENCH PRESS TRAINING
On Sunday, we use the dynamic method. We do 8–10 sets of 3 reps
It’s best to use three or more grips in a workout. Most of the sets are done with a grip inside the power rings on the bar, or with the little finger inside the ring
Using grips inside the rings will aid greatly in triceps and anterior delt development.
The reps must be very explosive. Lower the bar quickly but with control.
Lowering contributes to raising concentric strength. Lowering a bar slowly will build mass but not strength
The bar should be pushed back up in a straight line, not back over the face. This requires strong triceps
The barbell will always seek the strongest muscle group. That’s why most push the bar over the face. Their delts are stronger than their triceps but it should be the reverse.
We do approximately 20 reps out of 200 above our training weight. We may add only 30–50 lbs to the bar, mainly to check that bar speed remains high.
If the bar speed or reversal strength slows, you have a problem.
After bench pressing, go first to triceps work. Basically 60 total reps are done with dumbbells broken down into five sets of ten reps or possibly seven sets of eight reps.
The palms should be facing inward toward the body when dumbbells are used for extensions. When a barbell is used, 40 reps should be done, bringing the bar to the forehead, chin, or throat.
After triceps, do front raises with a bar, plate, or dumbbells. Use heavy weights.
Also, do side delts with dumbbells or a cable, rear delts, 4–5 sets of lats, and a few hammer curls. Do delt and lat work by feel but continously do more and heavier weight.
This workout is done on Sunday and should last no longer than one hour and ten minutes.
Here are a few examples
Speed bench with bands: These should be done for 8–9 sets of three reps. Use 45% of your 1RM on the floor press. The bands should provide 40 lbs of tension on the chest and 85 lbs of tension at the top.
Speed bench off power rack pins: Set the pins at chest level. Lower the bar to the pins, relax for a second, and then blast the bar to completion. This is relaxed-overcome-by-dynamic-work. Use bands or chains.
Buffalo bar: The same can be done with a Buffalo bar. It has a two-inch camber. Bill Gillespie of the Seattle Seahawks used this method and the previous one to their fullest and so far has a 782 bench to prove it.
Floor press: Chuck Scherza uses the floor press for his dynamic work. His bench has gone from 525 to about 700 with this method. By the way, Chuck had triceps surgery after he did the 525 bench.
Incline or decline press: Incline and decline press with a bar can also be used. Use jump- stretch bands to accommodate resistance and to build starting and accelerating strength. You can even use bands with dumbbells by placing the band around your back and looping the ends over your palms before you pick up the dumbbells.
Lightened method: This is done by attaching bands at the top of a power rack or Monolift to reduce the bar weight at the chest.
Blue bands reduce the weight by 150 lbs at the chest, green bands by 95 lbs, and purple bands by 65…
Maximum Effort Day
On Wednesday, the workout is called the maximum effort method day. When using a barbell, do singles. Naturally, work up slowly but always try a new max.
We do many exercises on this day that resemble the bench press but are not regular bench presses.
We train at 100% plus all year long by changing a barbell exercise every 2-3 weeks.
There are three standard methods of training.
1. Dynamic method
submaximal weights with maximum speed. This method teaches the lifter to display explosive strength
2. Maximum effort method
lifting the heaviest weight possible for one rep with no time limit
3. Repetition to near failure
reps are done to near failure for triceps, lats, and delts.
The dynamic method is not intended to raise maximal strength but to teach you to display explosive strength and improve the rate of force development.
Zatsiorsky explains this in Science and Practice of Strength Training.
Remember, your testosterone will drop rapidly after 45 minutes. This is why dense training is a must.
Floor Presses
This will build explosive strength as well as the bottom part of the bench press.
Board Press
will build the middle part of the bench press.
Rack Lockouts
Don’t pause the bench press in training. This builds mainly static strength.
However, do pause when doing floor presses and board presses.
Periodization for the Bench Press
Rest 45–60 seconds between sets and always use proper form. Use bands, chains, or weight releasers to cause the reactive method effect.
Dynamic method
Do regular benches with 40–55% of the shirtless max. Lower the bar quickly and reverse as fast as possible to completion. Do 8–10 sets of three reps.
Ballistic method
Use the same 45–50% load of a shirtless max. Drop the bar quickly but control it in the descent with the lats, not the triceps. Catch the bar 1–3 inches off the chest and reverse it concentrically as fast as possible.
Floor press
Again, use the same 45–50% load of your shirtless max. Lie on the floor inside of a power rack. Lower the squat J-hooks to use as bench supports. Lower the bar until the triceps are resting on the floor and the arms are relaxed. Violently contract all the pressing muscles and drive the bar to completion.
Speed-strength
Attach a 4x4 under each side of the power rack and loop mini-bands underneath it. Stretch both ends of the mini-bands under the bar. Do eight sets of three reps and lower the bar as fast as possible.
Strength-speed
Use two mini-bands in the same manner as above.
Speed bench off power rack pins
Set the pins at chest level. Lower the bar to the pins and relax for a second. Then blast up to full completion.
Incline or decline press
The incline or decline press with a barbell can also be used. Use jump-stretch bands to accommodate resistance
You can even use bands with dumbbells by placing the band around your back and looping the ends over your palms before you pick up the dumbbells.
Lightened method
This is performed by attaching the bands at the top of the power rack or Monolift to reduce the bar weight at the chest.
Intensity Zone Loading for the Bench Press
dynamic method day. Here we do nine sets of three reps.
use three different grips on the bench. We do three sets with the index finger just touching the smooth part of the bar, three sets two inches from the smooth part of the bar, and three sets with the little finger on the power ring.
Increasing bar speed is most important, not raising the bar weight.
Loading for Repetition—Work to Failure
For dumbbell work, we do three sets to failure with a set weight
First, warmup with lighter dumbbells. Then do a max set to failure. Rest about five minutes and then do a second set to failure. Take five minutes of rest again and do a final set.
Sample Bench Press Workouts
will now outline a six-week program. The sequence can change to fit your preferences, and you can add or replace the core exercises in this program.
Workout # 1: Do floor press with 200 lbs of chain draped over the sleeve.
Next, add weight to the bar until a max on that day results.
Try a new max or the most on this day. Then, as on speed day, do triceps, lats, upper back, and rear and side delts.
A 300–350-lb raw bencher should use three sets of chains. A 350–450-lb bencher should use four sets of chains.
Although anyone can use any amount of chain to set a record, you have five workouts to choose from if you use two different grips with all three chain weights.
Workout #2: Do overhead band presses or the lightened method by attaching a jump-stretch band at the top
Get a PR with a close grip and a wide grip with three different band strengths and two different grips. This represents five completely different workouts.
Always follow with triceps, lats, upper back, and rear and side delts.
Workout #3: Do football bar presses.
This bar allows the palms to face each other.
We use it by itself or with mini-bands, light bands, or a set(s) of chains.
During the workout, at least two grips are used. This bar works the triceps hard.
You must again work extensions with dumbbells with the elbows in or the roll back variety. Then do lat work.
Always rotate exercises that work the same muscle groups but in a slightly different way.
Last, do upper back, rear and side delts, and hammer curls.
two different band tensions, three chain weights, and three grips to choose from adds up to eight different workout PRs to break.
Workout #4: Do illegally wide benching.
Take a grip outside the power ring, wider than allowed at a contest. Work up to a max of six-reps.
On the day after benching, do dumbbells on an incline or decline for several sets. This is primarily a hypertrophy day.
Most dumbbell presses are done with the palms facing each other. A few sets can be done with the thumbs facing each other because that simulates taking the bar out of the rack.
As always, do triceps first, then lats, upper back, and rear and side delts.
Workout #5: Do band presses by attaching bands to the bottom of your rack.
Don’t forget to do triceps, lats, and so forth.
Workout #6: Do board presses.
Here’s the truth about board presses. They are not a triceps builder if you start the lift with your pecs.
Start the motion with the arms.
Favorite routines and exercises:
if you miss a heavy lift, it wasn’t too heavy but wasn’t lifted fast enough.
THE SQUAT
Using the Box in the Squat
Box squatting is the most effective method to produce a first-rate squat.
This is, in my opinion, the safest way to squat because you don’t use as much weight as you would with a regular squat.
By doing sets of two reps for at least eight sets with short rest periods, you will get about a 200-lb carryover to your regular squat.
One of the most important is recuperation. You can train more often on a box than you can doing regular squats.
Our advanced squatters use all below parallel boxes. This builds so much power out of the hole that there will be no sticking points.
As an added bonus, box squats will build the deadlift as well by overloading the hips and lower back muscles. Your ability to explode off the floor will increase greatly.
Now, how do you do a box squat?
Fill your abdomen with air and push out against your belt.
Push your knees out as far as possible to the sides and with a tightly arched back and squat back (not down) until you completely sit on the box.
Every muscle is kept tight while on the box with the exception of the hip flexors.
By releasing and then contracting the hip flexors and arching the upper back, you will jump off the box,
Remember to sit back and down, not straight down.
Your hamstrings will be strengthened to a high degree, which is essential.
Many don’t know this, but the hamstrings are hip extensors. Some great squatters have large quads, and some do not, but they all have large hamstrings where they tie into the glutes. Remember to sit on the box completely and flex off.
Box squats are much harder than full squats! Do 8–12 sets of two reps with a one-minute rest between sets. This is a tough workout!
Squat Training
First, if you can’t sit back in the squat, your glutes and hamstrings are weak. Try glute ham raises.
Pull-throughs work the glutes and hamstrings very well.
Pick an ab exercise and do supersets.
When you fail a squat, many times it is caused by your back bending so good mornings are in order. Try using jump-stretch bands on the bar.
For one workout do them with a bent over style and for the next with an arched back. We also do a lot of regular weighted good mornings of all types.
For squatting without placing a bar on your back, do belt squats.
One method is belt squats with weights. A second method is to hook a jump- stretch band through your power belt and stand on both ends. Then do box squats. This will build lower body flexion.
Pull a weighted sled. Early in the week use the heaviest weight and reduce the amount as the week goes on.
You could substitute reverse hypers for a squat workout.
you know how to squat, there is no need to do extra actual squatting. In fact, if your squat form is not correct, more squatting will reinforce the same bad form.
If your back is weak, you will bend over causing bad form.
If your glutes and hamstrings are weak, it is hard to sit back properly.
If your abs are weak, you will be weak in the bottom and fold over.
Periodization in Squat Training
One must develop speed-strength, which is the ability to accelerate with light to medium loads, creating explosive force.
Strength-speed is a learned process to push maximum weights as fast as possible. This increases the powerful stretch reflex system and can be accomplished only by accelerating eccentrics and progressive concentrics.
Strong bands must be used here. The bands will drive you down at a much faster rate than gravity alone, thus creating a great amount of kinetic energy which is transferred into the muscle and connective tissues causing a strong stretch reflex and providing an equally fast concentric phase.
Several bars can be used on squat day. I use the safety squat bar on speed day quite often
If the weights are too light, the bar moves too fast, and force is not developed.
The squat day on boxes is Friday and maximal effort day is Monday.
Monday is devoted to exercises for the squat as well as the deadlift. A core lift such as a good morning or a safety squat bar squat is done followed by 2–3 special exercises for the trunk, glutes, hamstrings, or hips.
Intensity Loading for the Squat
For squatting, we use a pendulum wave of three weeks. A squat cycle of a box is 50–60% of contest max, always accommodating resistance.
The simplest method is to use chains.
Weekly load is five sets of two reps.
Sample Squat Workouts
First wave with the safety squat bar:
- Week 1: 8 sets of 2 reps with 325 plus light bands
- Week 2: 8 sets of 2 reps with 375 plus light bands
- Week 3: 6 sets of 2 reps with 415 plus light bands
- Week 4: 8 sets of 2 reps with 325 plus medium bands
- Week 5: 8 sets of 2 reps with 375 plus medium bands
- Week 6: 6 sets of 2 reps with 415 plus medium bands
Switch to a 14-inch cambered bar:
- Week 7: 8 sets of 2 reps with 405 plus strong bands
- Week 8: 8 sets of 2 reps with 465 plus strong bands
- Week 9: 6 sets of 2 reps with 505 plus strong bands
Circa-max phase:
- Week 10: 5 sets of 2 reps with 435 plus medium and strong bands
- Week 11: 4 sets of 2 reps with 465 plus medium and strong bands
- Week 12: work up to 565 with medium and strong bands, about 350 lbs of band tension at the top
Deload phase:
- Week 13: work up to 565 with one strong band for 1 rep
- Week 14: work up to 405 plus 120 lbs of chain for 3 sets of 2 reps
- Week 15 (meet): 2005 IPA Nationals
After Friday’s squat workout:
- Speed pulls: 335 plus 100 lbs of band tension at the start and 220 at lockout, 5–8 singles
- Forty-five-degree hypers: 3–5 sets with 45–135, 2–6 reps
- Calf/ham glute raises with a 45-lb plate, 4–6 sets of 3–6 reps
- Abs of some kind
- Roller reverse hyper machine, 280 for 3x10
- Strap reverse hyper machine, 380 for 3x10
DEADLIFT TRAINING
There are close to hundred 700-lb benchers and over 50, 1000-lb squatters. But when one looks at the deadlift, there are only eight, 900 plus deadlifters.
Several reasons for this. One is the lack of supportive gear
Some lifters are born to deadlift (i.e., short back, long arms, and large hands). In fact, most big deadlifters lack a big bench except for Gary.
Exercises for the Deadlift
- Jump-stretch band pulls:
- Ultra-wide deadlifts, sumo style:
- Rack pulls:
- Dave Draper’s squat device:
- Belt squats:
- Glute ham raises: These are to be done to 2–10 reps per set,
- Pull-throughs:
- Modified glute ham raises:
- Band leg curls:
- Band good mornings:
The deadlift is done for singles, squats 1–3 reps, and good mornings 1–5 reps.
For grip, Ed Coan told me to train the fingers to hold on to the bar. Training the forearms makes them bigger and your hands thicker, making your grip worse.
Using the Conjugate Method in the Deadlift
I like the safety squat bar for this exercise.
Push the glutes to the rear as far as possible. Very little leg bend is used. Overarch the back. In the bottom, pause for a split second, push your head into the pad by picking up your chin, and come up.
If it sounds like Westsiders do a lot of good mornings, we do.
Westside does a lot of grip work with various devices such as the Rolling Thunder from Ironmind, the G-Rex Grip from Sorinex, the Telegraph Key, and by holding the bell end of a hex dumbbell.
Pay attention to stretching and joint mobility work. Ab work is also essential.
The Reverse Hyper Extension Machine
will not only build the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors but also traction the low back by rotating the sacrum and rehydrating the disks.
This machine is used at least four times a week.
Westside Favorite Types of Deadlifts
- Jump Stretch band pulls:
- A second method is to drape chains over the bar.
- Ultra-wide deadlifts, sumo style: This develops extremely strong hip muscles.
- Box deadlifts: This is a productive method. These are done by standing on a platform
- Rack pulls:
Periodization for the Deadlift
Train the deadlift in a multi- year plan. An 8–12 week cycle won’t work.
For the advanced lifter, do three lifts, all singles—one at roughly 90% and then a PR, and if it is truly a max, stop. If not, try one more.
Here are several workouts for the deadlift that can be coupled any way you want.
- Workout 1: Safety squat bar squats on a 12-inch box. Work up to max. Next, glute ham raises, the reverse hyper, and abs.
- Workout 2: Bent-over good mornings to a max single or a three-rep max. Then sled pulling for eight trips of 200 feet with moderate weight, the reverse hyper, lat rows on a chest supported machine, and abs.
- Workout 3: Deadlift using the lightened method by placing the jump-stretch bands at 5 feet 6 inches off the floor to lighten the load by 65, 110, or 150 lbs. Work up to a max. Next, do pull-throughs, dumbbell rows, the reverse hyper machine, and leg raises.
- Workout 4: Front squat on a parallel box. Try a new max, a single or a three-rep max. Next do glute ham raises, sled pulling with ankle straps, the reverse hyper machine, and standing ab work.
- Workout 5: Rack pulls with the plates two inches off the floor for a max single, pull-throughs, incline sit ups,…
- Workout 6: Heavy sled pulls with a belt around the waist for six pulls at 200 feet a pull. Then glute ham raises, dumbbell rows,…
- Workout 7: Cambered bar good mornings. First bend over close to parallel. Now squat as low as comfortable and then raise up. Work up to a single or a three-rep max. Then do pull-throughs, snatch grip rows,…
- Workout 8: Arched back good mornings. Remember, when doing a good morning, the bar must be in front of the knees. If not, it is a quarter squat. Work up to a max single or a triple. Pull a sled backward for six trips of 200 feet each. Barbell rows…
- Workout 9: Concentric safety squat bar good mornings. Crawl under a bar that is suspended three feet off the floor and do good mornings. Do a max single. Then glute ham raises, chest…
- Workout 10–14: Band deadlifts on a platform. Here, you can use one or two mini-bands, or purple, green, or blue bands. This is workout 10–14 if you use a different strength band each of these weeks. Work up to a max single. Then perform chest supported…
- Workout 15–17: Suspend the Buffalo bar or 14-inch cambered bar or do Zercher squats with a suspended bar. This is workout 15–17. Then pull a sled with a power belt for four trips of 200 feet backwards. Then…
- Workout 18: Box deadlifts off a four-inch box for…
- Workout 19: Sumo deadlifts off a two-inch box. Then do hanging leg raises, pull-throughs, and…
- Workout 20–22: Belt squats off a low box. Workout 21 is off a parallel box. Workout 22 is off a high box. For these workouts use a very wide stance. If you use the same boxes but with a…
- Workout 26: One-legged squats with a straddle stance. Support the back foot on a box while the front foot is far out in front. This will build the entire leg while increasing flexibility in the hip and groin. Then do Janda sit-ups, backward sled pulling for six…
Speed Training for the Deadlift
These can be done on either dynamic squat day or max effort day. When using 60–70%, do between 6–10 singles. The rest intervals are important, 30–45 seconds between…
BANDS AND CHAINS – RESEARCHING RESISTANCE
Using chains, bands, or weight releases is known as the contrast method where the weight is different at different points of the lift. Remember, you must work at all angles of a lift.
“If you are going to a knife fight take your guns.”
Accommodating Resistance
Accommodation causes your performance to stagnate or decrease.
Zatsiorsky stated that the response of a biological object to a given constant stimulus decreases over time.
Using different bars can train neglected areas. We use a three-week pendulum wave, going from 50–60% in three weeks and returning to 50%. A safety squat bar may be used for three weeks.
Every time you change something and master its performance, you become a better lifter or athlete.
If one is to do speed work, he or she should use no more than 50% for the 8–10 sets of three reps.
This is based on a no-bench shirt record and is for explosiveness, strength, and acceleration.
You must bring up your weaknesses through special work and develop special strength such as starting, accelerating, eccentric, and concentric strength.
Using Chains in Training
There are many keys to success, but two invaluable ones are accelerating strength training and accommodating resistance by adding chains or bands or sometimes both.
When the bar is on your chest, only the weight of the bar should be on your chest. That is, all the 5/8 chain should be on the floor.
A special note: Lower the bar fast and try to catch and reverse the weight as fast as possible. Never pause.
Training with chains in this manner accomplishes three things:
- We have maintained our original weight in order to use the correct percentage for explosive training.
- We have overloaded the top portion of the lift, which normally does not receive sufficient work because of increased body leverage at this position.
- A neurological response to build explosive strength is developed. This training will train you to drive to the top because you can’t slack off at the top phase as you used to.
about 10% of your squat weight should be added with chain weight.
The Force—Velocity Curve, Science Behind Bands
while using light loads an increase in speed has little effect.
In contrast, strength becomes much more important when the load or external resistance is increased.
When implementing the theory of accommodating resistance, one must look at the relationship between force and posture. At different joint angle positions, the amount of weightlifted will differ because of one’s mini-max, or sticking point. At some joint angles, great force can be generated.
The Effect of Bands—Virtual Force
Using a large load of chain at the bottom teaches you to explode at the start to enable you to overcome the additional load as it reloads onto the bar becoming heavier toward completion.
Bands have an added value of kinetic energy.
box squatting is essential to the stretch reflex action. The stretch reflex lasts up to two seconds and longer in trained athletes (Wilson, Supertraining).
sitting on a box fully is most important. Remember also that the stretch reflex lasts a full two seconds so there is no need to touch and go off the box.
When using chains, the chain must be almost totally deloaded onto the floor.
Training with the Bands – An Overview
To use bands for squatting, if you squat 650 or less, use green bands. If you squat more than 650, use blue bands.
When squatting, wave your training weights from 50–60% in 3–4-week cycles. Do mostly 6–8 sets of two reps with 45-seconds rest between sets. For max effort work, one can choose a bar weight of say 400–500 lbs. Do a single and then add a set of chains. Keep doing singles and add a second and third set of chains until you break a PR or miss.
OVERCOMING PLATEAUS
There are basically four reasons for failing or succeeding:
- physiological
- psychological
- technical
- exercise selection
On maximum effort day, go until only the top man is left. On a dynamic day, try to hurt your training partner with short rest periods. To win, you have to put yourself through hell.
While striving to develop the best method of resistance training, we are led down many paths. The three most common approaches are:
- accentuation peak
- contraction
- accommodating
Accentuation: Accentuation occurs when exercises are used at precise angular positions in which maximal efforts are developed during a specific, sport movement. The greater the force, the greater the velocity.
Peak contraction: With the peak contraction principle, maximal force is developed at the weakest body position such as at the start of a pec deck.
Accommodating resistance: Accommodating resistance refers to maximizing muscular tension throughout the entire range of motion. This is done with bands or chains
The Mini-max Point
Using only bar weight causes the optimal training weight to be too heavy at the bottom and too light at the top of the lift.
Box squatting is a must.
Use a box that is slightly below parallel. Sit fully on the box, keeping all muscles tight, most importantly the abs and the obliques. By releasing only the hip muscles, you are going from a relaxed state to a dynamic phase. This is one of the best methods of developing absolute strength as well as explosive strength.
Train on a box with 50–60% of your best contest squat.
A 500-lb squatter would start at 250 and jump 10 lbs a week for six weeks. Now, the weight is 300 lbs. On week seven, drop back to 250 (50%) and a new wave.
The combination of changing special exercises and using short rest periods (about 40 seconds between sets) has proven to be most effective for producing growth hormone. The short rest will cause lactic acid to build up.
Because all the muscles that squat are located in the back of the body with the exception of the abs, select exercises for the spinal erectors, glutes, and hamstrings such as back raises, reverse hyperextensions, pull-throughs, sled dragging, and calf/ham glute raises.
The abs are very important for squatting,
Because when you squat or deadlift you are standing up, we do the majority of our abdominal work standing up.
This is done on the lat machine. Face away from the machine and pull a triceps rope down to the base of your neck. Hold the ends of the rope against your chest. Now, bend over by forcing the abs to flex downward into the hips.
The obliques are the most important ab muscles. When you flex a weight off the floor or start out of a heavy squat, it is the lower obliques that initiate the entire upward motion.
Leg extensions are a waste. It’s true that they isolate the quads, but the amount of weight is insignificant.
Leg press machines are very dangerous in general. They place a tremendous amount of strain on the lower back.
A glute ham machine works both the knee and hip extenders simultaneously.
As in running and jumping, the quads do very little in squatting. So don’t waste too much of your time on quads.
The Bench Press
The bar should be lowered with the lats, not the arms.
Strong lats will ensure the bar is placed in the correct position, that is, with the forearms vertical.
The path of the bar in the concentric phase (raising) should be a straight line.
When the Clemson University coaching staff wanted to know which are the most important muscle groups for benching, George Halbert told them triceps are first, lats second, upper back third, and delts last.
It is also important to have strong forearms.
The tighter your grip, the easier it is to activate the triceps.
To use the biceps fully when benching, imagine you are stretching the bar apart.
The Deadlift
Most lifters deadlift too often and too heavy. This has an ill effect on the central nervous system.
A better method is to use a variety of exercises that mimic the deadlift or special exercises that develop the individual muscles that are used while deadlifting
The good morning is a valuable exercise in the conjugate method. For deadlifting, the bent over version is the best.
Bend at the upper back first and round over while lowering the bar. The legs can be slightly bent to prevent hyperextension of the knee.
By doing a variety of special exercises for the upper back, the muscles of the entire back are more likely to receive equal work. These exercises include shrugs, lat work, spinal erector work, good mornings, back raises, reverse hyperextensions, glute ham raises, sled work, and pull-throughs.
GENERAL PHYSICAL PREPARATION
General physical preparedness (GPP) is a term that refers to a degree of fitness, which is an extension of absolute strength.
GPP raises your ability to do more work by special means. Rest periods should be 45–60 seconds between sets for explosive and speed work.
The muscles should be in an excitable state or slightly fatigued. This will cause an increase in difficulty of training.
Sled Work
There are several ways of raising work capacity. One method that we use at Westside is pulling the sled for the hips and glutes.
We pull the sled with the strap attached to the back of our power belts. We walk with long, powerful strides, maintaining an upright body position, pulling through with the feet, which stress the hamstrings and glutes.
Another style of pulling is with a double handle held behind your back and below your knees. The torso is bent over, and the strides are long. This is great for building the hamstrings.
To work the front of the hips and lower abs, attach a strap to each ankle and walk, pulling the sled by your feet.
For building the outside of the hips and the inside of the legs, position the straps around the ankles and walk sideways, first one way, then the other, left then right, forward and backward.
For the quads and front of the hips, walk backward with the strap around the front of your belt.
For the legs and upper back and for building your grip, try pushing and pulling a weighted wheelbarrow.
Now, let’s go back to the sled, but this time for the upper body.
There are many methods for doing this. One duplicates the motion of a pec machine. Start with the arms behind your back. Slowly pull your arms to the front. Walk forward slowly, let the tension in the strap pull your arms to the rear, and again pull forward.
For the lats, start with the arms behind your back and raise your arms, palms up like a double upper-cut by first flexing your lower lats. The farther forward the hands go, the more the upper lats are worked.
By walking backward, you can do rear delt work, upright rowing, and external shoulder work.
Extra Workouts
if you are to become better, you must do more work.
We know that a workout should last 45 minutes, 60 minutes at the most. Your energy and testosterone levels will fall off greatly after that.
So common sense tells us that longer workouts are not the answer. But we must spend more time in the gym. This can be done by adding more workouts.
We do a dynamic method workout using 60% of a 1RM for force development. It is also intended to build starting and reversal strength, and with the help of bands, eliminate the deceleration phase of the bench press.
After the bench press, triceps, lats, and delts are trained maximally for the development of absolute strength in each of the individual muscle groups. This is done on Sunday.
On Wednesday, we do max effort exercises with a barbell. Many core exercises are done but only one per workout (e.g., floor press, steep incline, chain press).
This is followed by pushing the triceps, lats, and delts to the max.
There are three main methods of restoration:
- Anabolic: This is, of course, out of the question for the truly drug-free lifter.
- Therapeutic: This includes massage, sauna, whirlpool, ice, electric stimulation, and so forth.
- Small workouts: these should last 20–30 minutes and should be done 24 hours after major workouts.
In the old Soviet system, 10–16 workouts per week were prescribed. In football, three a day workouts are quite common.
you can work the legs everyday as long as you switch exercises.
Large muscle groups can be trained every 72 hours and smaller muscle groups every 24 hours or less.
for benching only, add two workouts per week. They must consist of special exercises for the pressing muscles: triceps, delts, lats, upper back, and abs. Do only 2–3 per workout, which should last less than 30 minutes. Rotate the exercises as often as necessary.
The extra workouts for the squat and deadlift should be no longer than 30 minutes paying special attention to the abs, entire back, hams, and glutes. Again, only do 2–3 exercises per workout.
Always work the abs in each workout plus 1–2 other exercises.
Designing Your Extra Workouts
Bench pressing
- Workout #1: Lat pull-downs, dumbbell extensions, and side delt raises. Always do abdominal work.
- Workout #2: Barbell rows and four sets of dumbbell presses to failure. Use a weight where 15–20 reps can be done. Rotate from flat, incline, decline, and seated press. Also do abs.
- Workout #3: Three sets of seated dumbbell power cleans. Use a weight where 20 reps can be done but with much effort. Also do one-arm dumbbell rows, 2–4 sets, and two sets of push-ups to failure as well as abs.
- Workout #4: Two sets of benching for 25 reps. Use a different grip—wide, close, thumb or thumbless, or even reverse. Also do chin-ups, inverted flies, and abs.
- Workout #5: < One of our 198s, Sonny Kerschner, had a 410 bench and was stuck. He began doing triceps push- downs with a pink flex band looped over a door at his house. Using strict form and a moderate tempo, he did 100 total reps three times a week.
All of the above workouts must be brisk and almost nonstop.
For the squat and deadlift, the same exercises will work for both.
It is important to do ab work in every workout. Sometimes abs can be the only muscle group worked.
- Workout #1: Pull-throughs, leg raises, and dumbbell rows.
- Workout #2: Reverse hypers, stability ball, and abdominal work.
- Workout #3: Pulling a sled from a belt, rows, and standing abdominals.
- Workout #4: Pulling a sled from the ankles and lat pull-downs.
- Workout #5: Glute ham raises, weighted leg raises, and dumbbell power cleans.
- Workout #6: < Walking lunges, side bends, and sit-ups.
- Workout #7: Flex band good mornings and chest supported rows.
- Workout #8: Box squat with a band looped through your belt and stand through both ends. Don’t remove the band between sets. Then hook a band to the top of a rack and over your head to do standing abs.
- Workout #9: Choke a band around the base of a rack and do seated leg curls. Then do lying leg raises with chains draped over your ankles.
- Workout #10: Good mornings with a band looped through your belt, standing in the loops, plus a second band over the neck and under the feet.
Use 1–3 exercises per workout. Limit the workout time to 30 minutes including abdominal work. This time can also be used for flexibility work, which is important but often overlooked.
Foundational Training for the Powerlifts
By doing so much chest work, the body will automatically let the arms turn out prematurely in the bench press, thus placing all the stress on the pecs and taking the lats, which act as stabilizers, out of the bench press.
At Westside, we instruct all lifters to lower the bar with the lats. The lats work as stabilizers to keep the bar in line.
Lowering the bar with the lats primarily and the arms secondarily allows for an explosive start by contracting the triceps in the concentric phase.
The Squat and Deadlift
Almost every time a squat article is written, it concludes with assistance work for the legs such as leg presses, leg extensions, and leg curls. With the exception of non-machine leg curls, the foundation work is all wrong.
When you miss a squat, it is because the lower back is giving out.
If you overdevelop the quads, you are very likely to go forward when squatting. This can cause two problems: knee pain from overstretching the patella tendon and difficulty breaking parallel.
As far as leg curls are concerned, they are adequate but not nearly as effective as glute ham raises.
good morning is a compound exercise that also works the spinal erectors and glutes to a greater degree than squatting.
The reverse hyper machine is tremendous for the hamstrings. It outperforms the Romanian deadlift almost 2:1 on an EMG machine.
Glute ham raises are great. Someone at Westside is always doing them. You have to be fairly strong to do one.
Pull throughs are effective when you use a low pulley machine with a single crossover handle. Face away from the machine, grasp the handle between the legs, and walk out a few feet. Let the machine pull the handle between your legs and squat up and down. It will blow up your hamstrings.
For the back, back raises, good mornings, reverse hyperextensions, and a variety of special squats (safety squat bar, MantaRay, front squat) will greatly increase back strength.
Rowing should be done as well. We do chest supported rows most often, one- arm rows occasionally, and barbell rows sparingly. Barbell and dumbbell shrugs are done as they also assist the bench press.
We do a lot of sled dragging. This will build tremendous hip and glute strength. We drag 200 feet at a time, which constitutes a set. Do six sets with weight that does not cause you to lean forward too much. If possible, do them the day after squat and deadlift day. This is active rest, which works as restoration and also raises work capacity.
the abdominals play a tremendous role. Some at Westside work their abs every day.
don’t recommend crunches because they are mostly a waste. When you are squatting or deadlifting, your abdominals work while straightening your legs.
you should do lots of leg raises.
Also, do a lot of side bends. Your obliques do most of the work because of how they attach to the hip and back.
Static abdominal work is important too. Learn how to push out and hold the abs against the belt for the duration of a lift.
Muscle groups such as the pecks, quads, biceps, and all other “showy” muscles develop easily. It’s the hips, lower back, hamstrings, and glutes that no one seems to look at that do all the work.
Pay most of the attention to the functional muscles, not the “showy” ones. If you want to build a tremendous future, you have to build a solid foundation.
SPECIAL EXERCISES
Special work is raised throughout the first three weeks in an upward wave.
we recommend training special work as hard as possible. By doing this, you’re able to make further gains after three weeks.
Exercises can fall into three categories:
- general
- directed
- sports-specific
General exercises
include the reverse hyper machine, glute ham raises, box jumps, inverse curls, lat work, ab work, triceps extensions, and hip extensor/flexor work.
Directed exercises
include good mornings, belt squats, deadlifts on a box or from a rack, floor presses, rack or board presses, and dumbbell presses.
Sports-specific exercises
include legal depth box squats, close grip bench, wide bench, and deadlifting with the opposite style that you normally use (sumo versus conventional).
Back Exercises
When squatting or deadlifting, a successful lift is dependent on keeping your back in a good position. This takes a strong back as well as strong abs.
Good mornings
The following variations of good mornings can be used:
- Bent over good mornings
- Power arched good mornings
- Combo squat/good morning
- Seated good mornings on a box
- Good mornings on floor
- Suspended good mornings
- Back attack
- Back raises or hyperextensions
- Lower the upper body until your head is close to the floor.
- Then raise yourself up to parallel but no higher to avoid hyperextending the back.
- Pull-throughs with straight legs
- Reverse hyper extensions®
- Reverse hypers are the best exercise for lower back problems
- People with bulging or herniated disks can do them without pain.
- They rotate the sacrum in a very safe way with no compression on the lower spine.
- At the same time, they build the glutes and hamstrings.
- Sled dragging
- Upper back and lat work
- Upper back
- upright rows to thicken the traps.
- inverted flies with dumbbells and dumbbell
- Lat work
- Chins are great either with weight or without.
- Zercher squats
- Deadlift using the opposite style
Leg Exercises
Whenever you have a tight lower back, you will also have tight hamstrings.
In addition, a weak back is almost always accompanied by weak hamstrings.
When doing any type of squat, occasionally wear shoes with heels because this places more of the work on the quads. Also, squat as deep as possible.
- Glute ham raise
- Dimel deadlifts
- Pull-through
- Belt squatting
- One-legged squat
- Leg curls with bands
- Deadlifts behind the back
Squatting can also be done to develop flexibility.
- Lateral roll squat
- Frog squat
- Side-stepping squat
- Uneven squat
- Wall squats
- You can also do front squats, free squats, or Hindu squats for high reps in the 20–500 rep range.
Many of these squats are illustrated in Twisted Conditioning by Bud Jeffries
Plyometrics and jumping
Paul Anderson was doing jumping exercises in the 1950s. He would jump onto boxes of different heights to build explosive leg power.
Abdominal Exercises
Abdominal strength is extremely important in preventing back injury.
learn to use your abs correctly while wearing a lifting belt. You must push out against the belt. It is very important to push out to the sides or exert outwardly with the obliques.
- Standing abdominal work
- do a great deal of abdominal work standing up, and why not?
- When you__ fight, wrestle, play ball, and, of course, lift weights, you are standing up, not sitting.
- Side bends
- the side bend is the most important exercise for the abs.
- The obliques not only work as stabilizers but are responsible for hip extension when lifting off the floor or out of the bottom of the squat.
- Side bends with a dumbbell at a time
- Side deadlifts which also work the abs and obliques.
- Standing sit-ups with the lat machine
- Leg raises
- raise the feet until you touch the bar that you are hanging from.
- Do them with bent legs until you are strong enough to keep your legs straight. Use weight if possible.
- Landmine
- One-arm lifts
- Sit-ups
- A bent leg sit-up is worthless unless you have a very weak back and stomach.
- Sit-ups while holding a ball or cushion between the thighs will realign the lower back.
- Spread eagle sit-ups
- Try doing sit-ups with different bench angles.
- Do sit-ups with added weight or bands for extra resistance.
- Use the static method.
- The Russian twist is a great variation.
Triceps exercises
- a close grip bench will raise your contest bench press.
- Flared arm dumbbell extensions
- Dumbbell triceps extensions
- Exercises with bands
- JM press
- Straight bar triceps extensions
PLYOMETRICS & POWERLIFTING
EXPLOSIVE LEG STRENGTH
Books That Lou Recommends
- Program of Multi-Year Training in Weightlifting by AS Medvedyev A System of Multi-Year Training in Weightlifting by AS Medvedyev Adaptation in Sports Training by Atko Viro
- Basic Physics by Karl F. Kuhn
- Beyond Stretching Russian Flexibility Breakthroughs by Pavel Tsatsouline Circuit Training for All Sports by Manfred Scholich, PhD
- European Perspectives on Exercise and Sport Psychology by Stuart J. H. Biddle Explosive Power &
- Explosive Power and Jumping Ability by Tadeusz Starzynski/Henry K Sozanski, PhD Facts and Fallacies of Fitness by Dr. Mel Siff
- Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports by Jurgen Hartmann,
- PhD Fundamentals of Special Strength Training in Sports by YV Verkhoshansky
- Manage the Training of Weightlifters by Nikolai Petrovich Laputin/Valentin Grigoryevich Oleshko
- Periodization Theory and Methodology of Training by Tudor O. Bompa
- Periodization Training for Sports by Tudor O. Bompa
- Power Training for Sport by Tudor O. Bompa
- Programming and Organization of Training by YV Verkhoshansky
- Science and Practice of Strength Training by Vladimir Zatsiorsky
- Science of Sports Training by Thomas Kurz
SQUAT AND DEADLIFT EXERCISE INDEX:
- Good morning styles:
- regular
- bent over
- arched back
- standing on ramp from chains
- (concentric) foot stance
- regular
- Box squat styles:
- low box
- high box
- soft box (hassock or foam)
- foot stance from chains (concentric)
- Resistance variables on squats and good mornings:
- chains
- reverse band
- bands from floor
- bands and chains together
- straight weight
- weight releasers
- Different bars and tools to use on squats and good mornings:
- straight bar
- cambered squat bar
- safety squat bar
- buffalo bar
- MantaRay
- Dave Draper's top squat
- front squat
- harness
- Resistance variables on deadlift:
- chains
- reverse band
- band
- platform
- straight weight
- Deadlift styles:
- regular
- box or platform
- sumo
- conventional
- rack pulls
- snatch grip
- hack deadlifts
- Different bars to use on deadlift:
- deadlift bar
- standard power bar
- thick bars,
- squat bar,
- Apollo’s axle
- trap bar
BENCH PRESS EXERCISE INDEX:
- Floor Press:
- chains
- bands
- reverse bands
- football bar
- fat bar
- Board Press:
- 1-2-3-boards
- 3-4-5-boards
- chains
- bands
- fat bar
- Regular bench Press:
- chains
- bands
- reverse bands
- all special bars
- incline
- decline
- Repatition Work:
- dumbells
- arc bar
- football bar
- all special bars
- incline
- decline
- floor
- stability ball
- Resistance variables on the bench:
- chains
- reverse band
- football bar
- bands from floor
- bands and chains together
- straight weight
- weight releasers
- Different bars and tools to use on the bench press:
- straight bar
- cambered bar
- buffalo bard
- football bar
- fat bars
- foam
- stability ball
Choose exercises based on your weak points or sticking points, lack of speed on big weights, ability to use equipment, or anyting else that may hold your progress back.