Thread: West-side program

Too much volume for some people. The program obviously works well for many.

West-Side can be phenomenal... my problem is that there is TOO MUCH literature out there on it. I tried it for two months and my bench stagnated...but my squat was improved and my dead went up a lot...as mudge said TOO MUCH VOLUME ... however .. the easiest way to counteract this is to cut the amount of assistance work you do and/or cut the amount of sets you do. Never go to failure on assistance work. It is a 4 day a week program but you can set it up for 3 days...I personally would stick with 4 days at low volume and after you start seeing gains for about two or three weeks i'd add a set or two, or an exercise each workout ... nothing drastic, ever. But the first and most important question is....

Is this your frist strength routine? If so then do NOT do west-side. It is a great program to target your weaknesses and eliminate them, not a basis or foundation for strength. The most important lesson i got out of WS was the exercises. They are powerful and can easily be incorporated into a regular strength routine without focusing so much on 1 or 3RM twice a week, which is a lot ... on your central nervous system, which is what you want to eventually train in power...not necessarily strength. See, if you can bench 225 for 12 reps and can barely get up 300 or not at all you have strong muscles but not the greatest intermuscular connection and more importantly you haven't trained your central nervous system to react and handle such a heavy load. I gave that an example of me, I should be able to bump out 315 with no problem but I have to train my CNS. My first goal is to get a foundation of strength then I will switch to a more traditional power routine or even WS...right now I'd stick with a strength routine ... if you want the one I'm doing with success I'd gladly give it to you or point you in the direction on here where it is able to be downloaded.

Thanks

TYG

Westside has only a couple good benchers, Metal Militia is where its at. Westside is better for squats and deads.

Yeah mudge i agree and I think that is because WS focues more on assistance lifts on ME and DE Bench days...which pisses me off LOL thats why i made a new program!!!

The only things i kept from louie's program was i set ONE day not TWO aside for speed...just doing speed squats/bench on saturday along with clean and press...but basically a three day routine as you probably saw in the online journal section if not take a look and let me know what you think.

if u r looking to gain strength (in your three main lifts) a westside barbell style program is your answer. however, if u r a bodybuilder and are looking for a more balanced physique then i would advise against it. especially if you are bulking, a powerlifting programs can leave u with overdeveloped pecs and a huge ass (i know this from experience).

Originally Posted by Vise

if u r looking to gain strength (in your three main lifts) a westside barbell style program is your answer. however, if u r a bodybuilder and are looking for a more balanced physique then i would advise against it. especially if you are bulking, a powerlifting programs can leave u with overdeveloped pecs and a huge ass (i know this from experience).

Overdeveloped pecs?!?! If anything it leaves them more underdeveloped. A powerlifter benches mainly with tri's/shoulders/ and lats.

Rock is right...god overdeveloped pecs are unheard of...MOST BODYBUILDERS HAVE UNDERDEVELOPED PECS IN RELATION TO THE REST OF THE BODY!!! Anyway...i suggest not to do WS from my own experience...go to online journals and check out my routine or rock or mudge's routine...mine is probably more for a beginner which is what i assume you are...

well, i beg to differ on that one. have u seen pictures of powerlifters, their chests are massive in general. plus, i've trained with a powerlifting for the past 5 years (thru the midst of my prime "muscle-building age; 14-19). my pecs are anything but underdeveloped even though i have always used a close, shoulder width grip. imo, your pecs are considered overdeveloped when u begin to have shoulder problems b/c your mid/low traps are over powered by your chest (as i did experience). and my traps are not small by any means. heavy hang cleans have turned my traps into monstrosities.

just my .02

Maybe you got the genetics for it But if your form is correct your using little chest. And people develop shoulder problems mainly from the anterior deltoid developing more rapidly than the anterior deltoid muscle.

I have made some excellent increases on the program. In 11 weeks, my bench press went from 225 to 245; my deadlift went from 305 to 355; my squat went from 255 to 295.

Granted, my numbers are still pretty paltry, but the progress is excellent. Some of my accessory work has gone through the roof even more. My SLDLs in particular.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

I have made some excellent increases on the program. In 11 weeks, my bench press went from 225 to 245; my deadlift went from 305 to 355; my squat went from 255 to 295.

Granted, my numbers are still pretty paltry, but the progress is excellent. Some of my accessory work has gone through the roof even more. My SLDLs in particular.

Your SLDL's and GM's are just sick Cow!

Originally Posted by Mudge

Westside has only a couple good benchers, Metal Militia is where its at. Westside is better for squats and deads.

I totally agree with this. I tried Westside for awhile and it didn't do a thing for my bench. Squat and deadlift went up quite a bit though.

Originally Posted by rock4832

Your SLDL's and GM's are just sick Cow!

Thanks rock. Yeah, my good mornings have improved a lot too.

I read somewhere that westside reccomends that you are able to bench your bodyweight, military press your bodyweight, deadlift and squat twice your bodyweight, before you use some of their custom programs...

Originally Posted by Vise

well, i beg to differ on that one. have u seen pictures of powerlifters, their chests are massive in general.

Its a fact. When you bench powerlifting style the whole idea is to take out the chest and delts. I still get plenty of chest workout, but I dont lift shirted, and I dont wear an open back shirt so there is only so far I can keep my arms back. How do you think these guys avoid pec tears benching over 1000 pounds now? By not using the chest very much at all. Why are lockouts used so much in PL? Because that is whats needed for a big bench, strong triceps.

Originally Posted by BigDyl

I read somewhere that westside reccomends that you are able to bench your bodyweight, military press your bodyweight, deadlift and squat twice your bodyweight, before you use some of their custom programs...

I can barely military press my bodyweight, maybe for a couple reps, but I can bench far more than bodyweight. I would find it odd for someone to bench 250 and military 250, and then dead/squat 500? Those would be some very unbalanced numbers.

I saw some gains too on westside...and that is because it introduces a different routine and a lot of new and different exercises...changing a routine and doing new exercises in itself will yield gains...anyway to the original poster do a WS routine for two months and see if you like it...its the best thing to do...I will def. do it once i get my core strength and lifts up...but for now i won't do it from previous experience...good luck

Originally Posted by Mudge

Westside has only a couple good benchers, Metal Militia is where its at. Westside is better for squats and deads.

I don't see a big difference between the Westside and the Metal Militia routine except for bands and chains work.

For starters, Militia is about technique, not speed training.