Johnnny

The 2 powerlifters I've mentioned that I've spoken to a couple of times at my gym are damn strong. I really haven't seen them train, they'd always be coming when I'm leaving.

Yesterday I saw them do squats. THey did about 8 or 10 sets of squats & that was their leg workout. For the first half of the leg workout they played around with 3 & a half, 4 & 5 plates on the bar.

They threw on 6 plates & squatted it about 7 reps very low slightly below parallel to the floor. Then they did 7 plates for about 4 or 5 reps. Went up to 7 & a half plates for 3 or 4 reps. Then I couldn't believe it, they put on 8 & a half plates for 1 rep maximum & it looked like they could've done more reps if they wanted to. Then they did a few more sets working their way back down to 4 plates on each side. They were using a wide leg stance I noticed it was the same stance I learned for football.

Dayamn that's power.

One guy was about 6ft-6ft2 & was probably at least 280lbs if not more he had a big stomach though & his face was a bit round (not criticising him at all). When I went to get my stuff from the locker room & came out in short shorts & a tank top. For someone with a stomach that big, he was pretty shaped & thick in the upper body & his legs were just massive & they had pretty good shape as well

The other guy was about 6ft3 or 6ft4 & was probably about the same weight maybe a bit lighter as his stomach was pretty flat but he still had a bit of a stomach. His back, & shoulders were looking very thick & pretty hard as his back still had a V but thick. & his chest was pretty full & his arms were pretty big to. His legs were very thick & massive as well.

So far this is the only time I've been able to see them train. I have yet to see them train shoulders, chest, back or arms. But I'm sure they're probably the strongest ppl in the gym.

I know they train hard, but I can't help wondering what type's of steroids they're taking maybe D-Bol? Or testosterone suspension or Anadrol 50? But these guys are using the juice much more to the max than some of the other normal guys in the gym.

But even with steroids how'd they get sooo much power & thickness? I know they train hard, but still.

Saturday Fever

Because they know HOW to train. Whether they use steroids or not, I won't speculate on. But if strength is what you want, you have to use a training style that produces strength. See Westside for the best example.

yay.

Saturday Fever

Whatever you do, don't get sucked in by a lot of the stuf you see in magazines or on the internet. When the biggest squatters/deadlifters in the world all come from the same school of training, you know it's the right way, as science will verify.

yay.

Johnnny

Saturday Fever who's "Westside"? Strength & thickness is really what I want more like what I had when I was 227lbs (5ft9 with a 34 inch waist & descent definition/power) for football in 2001 before my hyper thyroid problems started as a cause from the ephedrine/ephedra supplements with no prior thyroid condition.


I really want strength/thickness but I don't want a big stomach. Some of my exercises I do like a powerlifter. I use a wide stance for squats like them, I do deadlifts every so often, & I do standing military presses. But I think I could get more strength & thickness than I am.

Saturday Fever

Westside is the pinnacle routine for strength training. It's called Westside because the routine originated at the Westside Barbell Club and was created by Louie Simmons and was based on the research done by Dr. Mel Siff and others.

There are 3 ways to gain strength:

1) The maximal effort method. You get stronger by constantly lifting as much as you possibly can.
2) The dynamic effort method. You get stronger when you can produce more force.
3) The repetitive method. This is obviously doing repititions on the individual muscles that make up the compound that lifts bench/squat/deadlift.

Westside is based on doing all 3 methods. There are numerous articles at www.elitefts.com or you could look in atherjen's online journal for a sample Westside routine.

yay.

Johnnny

Well I already do those compound movements. after a light warm up set, my first set on every exercise for every muscle is at most 2-4 reps, sometimes just 1 rep but I usually try to do more reps with this weight. Then I take of 10 or 20lbs & do 5-7 reps, & then on the 3rd set of what ever I'm doing I take off another 10 or 20lbs & do 8-10 reps.

Saturday Fever

That's not strength training. That's beginner stuff. I don't mean to be insulting, but if you want to lift like the big dogs, you have to lift like the big dogs. I'd be more than willing to help.

yay.

Mudge

I am thinking that you mean 4 plates which means 4 plates per side, that would be 405 pounds. If you really meant 8 plates, that is 765, which I would not think a small 280 pound guy would be doing @ 6'2" with a belly, because that is about my size (261 with a waist smaller than my chest).

If they are squatting in the 700s they aren't likely using just one or two steroids, they will be using a cocktail. Almost everyone uses at least 2-3 during each cycle.

Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench
Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu
I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

Saturday Fever

It's not unreasonable for a 6'2/280 guy to be squatting 765. It's unreasonable to think they'd be doing it in a "neon light gym" without a suit, wraps and belt, though.

yay.

Johnnny

Well my bench before my thyroid sh!t caused by the ephedrine/ephedra supplements (with no prior thyroid condition) was 320lbs for 4 reps & I would've been able to add more until the problems & my squat was 4 plates for 4 or 5 reps & was looking to add more.

Currently I'm at 275lbs for bench for 5 reps or so & my squat is 3 plates for 7 reps.

I'd like to hear your advice. I can't over work myself or I could irritate my thyroid even though I'm on drugs for it & things are starting to look almost perfect.

Saturday Fever

Take a look at atherjen's online journal and you'll see a sample Westside routine. Give the routine a good 8 weeks and you should be sufficiently pleased.

yay.

Johnnny

Mudge they had 8 plates of 45lb plus a 25lb weight on each side on each side of the bar. Those guys were playing with 4 plates on each side, that was one of their warm up sets.

Johnnny

Saturday Fever where would I find this online journal? If you could supply a link that would be helpful. Thanks.

Saturday Fever

yay.

Johnnny

Yeah I know about steroid stacks, I was just listing a few mass building compounds.

Johnnny

Thanks for the link. They were using weight lifting belts & knee wraps, no body suits though.

atherjen

" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed."

NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd
NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th
NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

Saturday Fever

for jen.

yay.

Rich46yo

Ya also have to admit. Olympic weightlifting is an exciting sport..........Take care..........Rich

Johnnny

Saturday Fever 3 questions. The routine there on that link, is that the actual Westside routine? & it's only 4 days a week, but how long would each training session following that routine be if I didn't stand around talking too much? & some of the exercises I'm no familiar with, I'll look at them today & list the ones that I'm not familiar with. One of them is push press, I've seen some college football routines with that exercise as apart of it.

Also if I watch my diet, will I get a big stomach from doing a routine like this? & should I even be doing 15mins of deep breathing cardio on the treadmill each time or would it not interfear with gains? Thanks.

Johnnny

Saturday Fever I'm surprised Mudge thinks a 280lbs man at 6ft-6ft3 is small & doesn't think they could squat 8 & a half plates per side on the bar.

My best squat was legs parallel with a wide stance at 4 plates per side on the bar for 5 reps & I was only weighing around 225. & I'm completely natural.

One things for sure Saturday Fever, if Mudge was at my gym on Friday at 5pm, his jaw would be dropping as was everyone else's.

Johnnny

Saturday Fever would you also be able to narrow down each day for me on what I should be doing if you have the time? I see there are lots of options in brackets that you could be doing. Plus I don't see too much emphasis on biceps.

Mudge

For several reps? Yeah I'd say so. The local big guy is an Olympic shotputter, who can pull off a low 8s squat, and hes no average gym going cheeseball.

Mudge

Ass to heels? I saw a kid wearing tights (looking rather fruity with his balls hanging out for everyone to see) doing 1/4 squats with 405, sad.

Mudge

Working out doesn't make you fat.

If a guy that tall is 280 and fat as described, yes I would not expect such lifting.

I would have been very impressed, 790 for even a half squat is not a small achievement. About the best I've seen from a non-competing lifter is 5 plates plus quarters for half squats, on a smith machine.

Johnnny

Mudge these guys were doing 8 & a half plates a side going so low that their LEGS BELOW PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR.

Like I said the one guy who was probably around 290lbs & had a stomach, was still VERY WELL SHAPED shaped in the upper & lower body with his thickness as was his 6ft2 or so 280lb or so friend/training partner. He had much less of a stomach & he could still squat the 8 & a half plates LEGS BELOW PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR.

Johnnny

These guys are much stronger than you thinks. If you can do that much on squats with LEGS BELOW PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR, than you have amazing power.

Mudge

So much stronger than who thinks? If anything thinks a 790 squat even if half way is not an abnormally impressive feat, then obviously they dont know what strength is. It is so abnormal that I had expected that it was a goofed up post from the get go, a lot of newbies talk plates in total count as opposed to one side, which is what I was expecting. Our local big chief squats low 8s and is an Olympic shotputter, throwing 16 pounds for 72 feet, thats not exactly your average gym goer. I had someone talking to me the other day about my "amazing" SLDL and I told him straight out that it was pussy weight.

So I have no idea who you are talking about here because I haven't seen anyone call them weak.

Johnnny

Mudge just for your information I'm not a newbie, I've been training for almost 10yrs. My bench was 320lbs for 4 reps & my squat was 405 for 5 reps LEGS PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR before my hyper throid problems started caused by the ephedrine/ephedra supplements with no prior thyroid problem. Even experienced ppl I know talk in "Plates".

There's nothing goofed up about this thread, only that you misunderstood from the get go.

Mudge

To the floor is below parallel, so if you mean parllel to the floor, that is a half squat not a full squat.

I never said talking in plates was incorrect, again your reading comprehension is poor. People talk in plates per side, just as you had done - which I has incorrectly assumed was both sides. Rarely does anyone squat 405, much less nearly 800 pounds as you had seen that day.

I never said the thread was goofed, I said that I assumed that. Please read more carefully