Thread: westside help

It's for powerlifters.

I know but supposedly it is very good for strength without getting to big.

1RM strength, yes. I wouldn't advise it for anyone but powerlifters. Risk > reward. I wouldn't go lower than 3RM.

Besides, you should focus more on functional strength for your martial arts.

thanks bro. any workout you recomend? btw today i deadlifted 4 plates on each side.

I'd work on all your aches and imbalances a bit more if I were you. No use deadlifting 400 now, but never being able to deadlift again in two years time.

You don't need any special workout. A standard program will do just fine (as in, stickies). Read Functional Training for Sports by Michael Boyle.

what do you think of this workout for me?
Back
POWER: week 1

- Rack deadlift...3 x 3-6
- Bent row...3 x 4-6
- Weighted chin...2-3 x 4-6
- CG seated row...2-3 x 4-6

REP RANGE: week 2

- CG weighted chin...2 x 6-8
- WG T-Bar row...2 x 8-10
- Dumbell row...2 x 10-12
- Pullover...2 x 12-15

SHOCK: week 3

- Pullover/WG pulldown superset...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Stiff arm pulldown/reverse grip bent row...1-2 x 8-10 each
- CG seated pully row dropset...1 x 6-8, drop, 6-8, drop, 6-8



Biceps/Triceps
POWER: week 1

- Barbell curl...2 x 4-6
- Preacher curl...2 x 4-6
- Hammer curl...1-2 x 4-6
- CG bench press...3 x 4-6
- Skull crush...2 x 4-6
- Single arm dumbell extension...1-2 x 4-6

REP RANGE: week 2

- Alternating dumbell curl...2 x 6-8
- Cable curl...2 x 8-10
- Concentration curl...1-2 x 10-12
- Weighted dip...3 x 6-8
- Pushdown...2 x 8-10
- Kickback...1-2 x 10-12

SHOCK: week 3

- EZ bar curl/CG chin superset...1 x 6-10 each
- Preacher curl/reverse curl superset...1 x 6-10 each
- Dropset cable single arm curl...1 x 6-10, drop 6-10
- Pushdown/CG bench press superset...1-2 x 6-10 each
- Reverse grip pushdown/incline overhead extension superset...1-2 x 6-10 each
- Dropset weighted bench dip...1 x 8-10, drop 8-10



Chest
POWER: week 1

- Dumbell bench press...3 x 4-6
- Incline press...3 x 4-6
- Weighted dips...2 x 4-6

REP RANGE: week 2

- Incline dumbell press...3 x 6-8
- Bench press...3 x 8-10
- Flye...2 x 10-12

SHOCK: week 3

- Superset...cable crossover/incline smith press...1-2 x 8-10 reps each
- Superset...incline flye/dips...1 x 8-10 reps each
- Dropset...machine bench press...1 x 8-10, drop 6-8, drop 6-8 optional



Deltoids
POWER: week 1

- Military press...2-3 x 4-6
- Upright row...2-3 x 4-6
- "Cheat" lateral...2 x 4-6

REP RANGE: week 2

- Single arm dumbell press...2 x 6-8
- Bent lateral...2-3 x 8-10
- Cable side lateral...2 x 10-12

SHOCK: week 3

- Seated side lateral/hammer machine press superset...1-2 x 8-10
- Severse pec deck/WG upright row superset...1-2 x 8-10
- Cable front raise dropset...1 x 6-8, drop 6-8, drop 6-8 optional



Legs
POWER: week 1

- Squats...3 x 4-6
- Leg press...3 x 4-6
- Single leg extension...2 x 4-6
- Lying leg curl...3 x 4-6
- Stiff deadlift...2-3 x 4-6

REP RANGE: week 2

- Leg extension...2 x 8-10
- Hack squat...3 x 10-12
- One legged leg press...3 x 12-15
- Lying leg curl...2 x 6-8
- Stiff deadlift...2 x 8-10
- Single leg curl or seated leg curl...1-2 x 10-12

SHOCK: week 3

- Superset: leg extension/front squat...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Superset: leg extension/sissy squat or leg press...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Dropset: lunge...1 x 8-10, drop, 8-10
- Superset: leg curl seated or lying/toes pointed hyperextension...1-2 x 8-10 each
- Dropset: single leg curl...1-2 x 8-10, drop, 8-10

Originally Posted by Witchblade

1RM strength, yes. I wouldn't advise it for anyone but powerlifters. Risk > reward. I wouldn't go lower than 3RM.

Besides, you should focus more on functional strength for your martial arts.

Wtf, Westside won't build functional strength? Westside is all about functional strength. Why do you think several NFL and collegiate teams use it? Athletes of all kinds use it.

Risk? Again, what are you talking about?

It irks me when people misrepresent even if from ignorance.

Westside will build a lot of 1RM strength, but it doesn't translate directly to the field. You need it to develop a good base of course in the off season, but in season you want to focus more on translating your 'gym strength' into 'functional strength'. Benching 700lbs means you have a good strength base, but it won't do much for your sports performance. Actually, barbell benching (roughtly stated one third of the program) isn't that great for sports performance at all.

Westside uses all of your body's recovery abilities to improve strength, which is not good in season. In the off season, Westside doesn't sound like a bad idea and some coaches can use it with good results. However, 1RM attempts come with relatively high risks. You're using a crapload of weight and you're pushing near or to failure. That's a lot more risky than, say, 3RM attempts that don't go to failure. Powerlifters do it for a living, so the risk comes with the job, but the average gym rat or basketball player shouldn't use (super)maximal weights and push to failure just for that strength edge compared to ~3RM lifts.

I'd rather have my athletes do push-ups, pistols and unilateral deadlifts than 1RM bench presses, squats and deadlifts.

IMO.

Originally Posted by Witchblade

Westside will build a lot of 1RM strength, but it doesn't translate directly to the field. You need it to develop a good base of course in the off season, but in season you want to focus more on translating your 'gym strength' into 'functional strength'. Benching 700lbs means you have a good strength base, but it won't do much for your sports performance. Actually, barbell benching (roughtly stated one third of the program) isn't that great for sports performance at all.

Westside uses all of your body's recovery abilities to improve strength, which is not good in season. In the off season, Westside doesn't sound like a bad idea and some coaches can use it with good results. However, 1RM attempts come with relatively high risks. You're using a crapload of weight and you're pushing near or to failure. That's a lot more risky than, say, 3RM attempts that don't go to failure. Powerlifters do it for a living, so the risk comes with the job, but the average gym rat or basketball player shouldn't use (super)maximal weights and push to failure just for that strength edge compared to ~3RM lifts.

I'd rather have my athletes do push-ups, pistols and unilateral deadlifts than 1RM bench presses, squats and deadlifts.

IMO.

I agree.

Originally Posted by Witchblade

Westside will build a lot of 1RM strength, but it doesn't translate directly to the field. You need it to develop a good base of course in the off season, but in season you want to focus more on translating your 'gym strength' into 'functional strength'. Benching 700lbs means you have a good strength base, but it won't do much for your sports performance. Actually, barbell benching (roughtly stated one third of the program) isn't that great for sports performance at all.

Westside uses all of your body's recovery abilities to improve strength, which is not good in season. In the off season, Westside doesn't sound like a bad idea and some coaches can use it with good results. However, 1RM attempts come with relatively high risks. You're using a crapload of weight and you're pushing near or to failure. That's a lot more risky than, say, 3RM attempts that don't go to failure. Powerlifters do it for a living, so the risk comes with the job, but the average gym rat or basketball player shouldn't use (super)maximal weights and push to failure just for that strength edge compared to ~3RM lifts.

I'd rather have my athletes do push-ups, pistols and unilateral deadlifts than 1RM bench presses, squats and deadlifts.

IMO.

I'd disagree. Personally I think people are more likely to get injured hitting a 3RM every week but we actually do have fighters come to Westside and as Chris said lots and lots of football players. If I'm not mistaken, Lou is actually the strength consultant for several pro teams. Westside, when done properly is completly about functional strength. Now a 3RM can fit into the Westside program, but not every week for ME lifts.

I'm also confused why you say that Westside "uses all of your body's recovery abilities to improve strength"

Not sure what that is supposed to mean.

Now am I recommending this program to danny? I probably wouldn't but thats because it take experience to make Westside work because you need to know what you're doing. For danny, I'd really recommend you just lift right now. Just pick something and do it

But on the general topic of whether Westside is good in sports or not, it is and has been used as such with great success

I think Westside is an awesome template, and i love it, but like Travis said - it requires experience. I dont see how a 3RM is more likely to get you injured though - surely the more intense the exercise, the more strain it puts on the body, thus a higher potential for injury/more time needed to recover?

Obviously we're just going on a straight-up basis of intensity here. 10 sets of 4 at 3rm with 30sec rest WOULD be easy to get injured on, but program design doesnt come into this really.

I don't think anybody's going to argue that 1RM attempts arent the most taxing stress on your body (or at least near the top), or that Westside is a tough program.

But like WB said, on season its a bad idea to be putting that much stress on the body, or trying to cause any sort of huge adaptation at all. In season training should be maintenance and sport-specific to keep somebody at the top of their game when they need to be at the top.

Thats the bit i was agreeing with the most. Some people dont need to go that heavy, and it can even be counter productive or at best a waste of time.

True, and I will say Westside isn't the "one and only" way to train either. But it does work well.

With the 3RM thing, right now my 3RM on bench is 465lbs. If I were to bench 465x3 every week, my left pec would give me a really hard time, as would my right eventually. But when I go to a max every week I'm fine. Might not be the same with everyone I s'pose so maybe not a good example.

But for Danny, just lift bro. Just get in the gym and lift

Originally Posted by Travis Bell

With the 3RM thing, right now my 3RM on bench is 465lbs. If I were to bench 465x3 every week, my left pec would give me a really hard time, as would my right eventually. But when I go to a max every week I'm fine. Might not be the same with everyone I s'pose so maybe not a good example.

Possibly because of the accessory/recovery work inherent with Westside? Plus you may just not be used to the x3 rep range.

I dont think anybody should do the exact same thing every week, whatever it is. Hell, with the WS program i put together i was doing 1x1RM every week on a different movement during the strength phase, and the other days was doing Speed Bench/Squat as recovery.

In the 8 week program i managed to add 5-15lbs to all 4 lifts i was using (Bench, Dead, Squat, Good Mornings).

those were the days.