Westside Journal

[majutsu]

Since I have my new workout space at home, I thought I'd do an online journal of my Westside run.

A few points: 1) I am a beginner (405squat, 405dl, 315bench all raw), and I'm sure I'll make mistakes. I've read a lot about Westside (i.e. conjugated periodization) and think I might understand it. But I expect to learn a great bit as I go. So someone, whether I do well or poorly, may learn something from this.

2) I am also going to work in a bench shirt, a Titan Fury NGX. I detail my success with that, no matter how humilating. No squat suit as yet, so I'll be lifting with just a belt and wraps for this run.

3) Not working out for a while, and not really being able to do a full powerlifting program until now, I am going to ease into it, both weight and volume, especially with my assistance work, until my GPP and overall strength comes up a little.

It looks like I'm starting with ME-L Sun, ME-U Tue, DE-L Thus, and DE-U Sat. Being Saturday, it looks like I'll start with DE-U, which is a nice way to enjoy the freedom from a commercial gym, because it involves bands, boards, chalk, and Slayer!

 

[majutsu]

DE-U Sat 4/9

Musical selection: Slayer Reign in Blood

Speed movement
-Banded bench press
(45lbs + 1 doubled red mini)x1
(95lbs + 1 doubled red mini)x2
(115lbs + 1 doubled red mini)x3x8. Grip varied wide, med, narrow, rotating in that order. 30sec rest. Getting set and doing the 3-rep set took 30sec too.
Assistance
Tris
-3 Board press
135x3
185x8x3
-JM press
95x6
115x8x3
Lats
-Chins
Body weightx6x2
-Bent rows
115x3
135x8x2
Shoulders
-Plate raises
45x6x2

 

[Illuminati]

2) I am also going to work in a bench shirt, a Titan Fury NGX. I detail my success with that, no matter how humilating. No squat suit as yet, so I'll be lifting with just a belt and wraps for this run.

not sure how much you want to spend on a squat suit...i have the Inzer Hybrid+, it will run you about $300, but its a sick suit.

 

[blut wump]

Cool, majutsu. I've recently been reading avidly on all things Westside. Thanks for starting this thread. I'm sure there'll be lots of interested followers. Congrats again on your home gym.

 

[majutsu]

ME-Lower Sun 4/10/05

Musical selection : Nile In their Darkened Shrines

Heavy movement
-Parallel Box Squat
45x1;95x1;135x3;165x3;185x3;205x3;225x3;275x3
belt goes on: 315x1;345x1
knee wraps go on with belt: 365x1;405x1

Assistance work
Hamstrings & low back
-Stiff-legged deadlift
45x2
95x9x3
-Banded pull-throughs (with single blue band)
blue band single x12x3
-Good mornings
45x2
95x6x3

Abs
-Hanging leg raises
Body weightx5x3
-Straight-leg weighted sit-ups
25x3 (too heavy)
10x8x2

As for the good mornings, I went light because the back of my body (the posterior chain) was already fried from the max effort work. On speed lower day, I'll go heavier. When good mornings are the max effort lower movement, of course, I will drop the assistance good mornings.

The abs in westside, from what I've read, should be trained with straight legs so as to get the full functional benefit of the abs (as hip flexors) to use in heavy squatting or deadlifting.

Again, westside is conjugated periodization. Periodization is how your workout (weights and reps) varies over time. With linear (old-fashioned) periodization, you did low-weight, high volume for a while, then dropped to high-weight, low-rep for a while. It was good for peaking for a meet, but what to do if you compete a lot, or want to avoid career plateaus? Conjugated periodization means you join all the different kinds of training together, instead of separating them into isolated chunks of time.

They identify (in my words) three types of training/strength: 1)maximum-effort, reflected by a one-rep maximum, called heavy training by me, 2)bodybuilder, 8-10 rep training, called assistance work to build mass in key areas, called bodybuilder training by me, and 3) dynamic-effort, light-weight, high speed training for explosiveness, called speed training by me. So each week we do heavy training, speed training, and bodybuilder training. This is conjugated training. Heavy upper body and heavy lower body training, and speed upper body and speed lower body training, for a total of 4 days/week. Then bodybuilder training is done after the main task all 4 days.

That is my beginner-level synopsis of conjugated periodization, to answer some pms and karma messages. You should go to http://www.elitefts.com/ to read the articles section for the accurate, un-filtered view. But hopefully my simple explanation will keep the main idea intact so you don't lose the forest for the trees.

 

[jcp2]

I am new to gear as well, i have bought alot of stuff second hand, but barely used to get a feel for different equipment. Deepsquater, and fortifiediron have good forums for things for sale, you should probably pick up a pair of briefs to train in midwestbarbell has good prices on Frantz, and Karins briefs, inzer is crap, and the metals are very expensive. Also is that the new slayer album i heard about, i haven't listened to them since i was kid, is it good.

 

[Chambewy20]

Everything looks pretty good, you can use Good Mornings as a Max Effort movement as well, we work up to heavy triples typically due to Good Mornings getting really strong and fear of injury.

I would watch using knee wraps, we never use them unless taking a weight. Surprisingly, you will get used to them not being there quicker than you think, once you do use them, you will see a world of difference.

Let me know what weight and were you may want to compete. Like JCP2 said, you can typically pick up some used stuff, although at more popular, typical weight classes, it's hard to find stuff. I'm a 198 and can't find any decent used crap.

Titan's are great shirts to start with, especially for the money. Stay away from any Inzer, customer service sucks and the Rage X is a cheap version of the Metal Viking.

Good luck.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

I would watch using knee wraps, we never use them unless taking a weight. Surprisingly, you will get used to them not being there quicker than you think, once you do use them, you will see a world of difference.
.

exactly..before i started trainng westside i would wrap my knees on my heaviest top sets..i have found for me clost stance squatting is death on my old injured knee..squatting wide has eliminted all my knee pain and i havent wrapped my knee in months except like chamb said when taking a weight but that was only on my last set..

journal looks good bro keep it updated

 

[majutsu]

Tue 4/12/05
ME-U

Musical selection: Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains (with Buckethead!) The Big Eyeball in the Sky

Heavy movement
-Bench (wide grip)
135x4;185x3;225x3
put the new shirt (Titan Fury 48) on: 275x1 (a touch!)
315x1
335x1 *PR*

Assistance work
Tris
-JM presses
135x6x3
-Rack lockouts (6" off chest)
275 too heavy
225 too heavy (maybe tris are fried . . . )
185x7x3
-Single blue band pushdowns
single blue band x8x3
Lats
-Chins (supinated i.e. underhand)
BWx6x2 BWx4
Shoulders
-Anterior plate raises
45x8x2
-Blue band pulls (like a chest expander for rear delts)
BBx8x2

The bench shirt worked great! I really believe doing wide grip pushups with the shirt and just wearing my shirt to listen to music and stretch it out helped. I had no problem touching the 275. It just got smoother from there. I probably had more left but I like to hit PRs and train for success. I read somewhere that training till you miss can train you neurologically to fail at lower weights (to get weaker) because your body can sense that failing is the way to bail out of the workout. By training for success, to reach a goal, my body learns that the way to end a workout is to do what the master says.

Also, my tris were clearly more fried than I realized. Obviously, assistance work will be a little lighter on ME-Upper day for me. . . I was going to do barbell extensions, but substituted the pushdowns because I could tell my tank was full.

All in all, a good workout!

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

The bench shirt worked great! I really believe doing wide grip pushups with the shirt and just wearing my shirt to listen to music and stretch it out helped. I had no problem touching the 275. It just got smoother from there...

Matjutsu - did anyone mention to you yet that if you are able to do push-ups in your bench shirt that it may not be strong enough/tight enough? Just wondering about it. Take care, glad to hear its going well!

 

[Chambewy20]

Great news on the shirt work. Have you done much shirt work in the past?

 

[majutsu]

This is my first shirt ever. I am 46inches, and I got a 48, the so-called "meet fit" recommended for beginners and training. I tried a 46, but 405+ wouldn't touch, and boards didn't help either. So I exchanged for the 48 on the idea that I could work a newbie shirt (it seems to give me about 40-50lbs right now, which is all the support I want). I can touch 275 in this shirt, and weigh about 220, so I can deliver about 260+lbs with a angled pushup. If you're fat enough, you can touch a shirt in pushups, and the grip was wider than regulation. But that was just to break the shirt in and because I had no gym for a while. I am only going to work out with it now. I figure now that I'm working out, I might grow and inch or two as well, so the shirt might be competition tight by the time I'm ready to compete. Or I can buy a more macho shirt then. . . This is the first time I ever successfully used a bench shirt! So my expectations were low, and were well-satisfied. Don't forget I'm a total newbie to PL (been bodybuilding prior), and that's why my numbers are so piss-poor. I'm still riding the short bus to westside . . .

 

[Chambewy20]

Keep on keeping on then. Starting out, I would only suggest using the shirt in training every other week. I will do that ~10-8 weeks from a competition, otherwise, I would not use one but once a month. There is a difference between being shirt strong and having raw strength that is enhanced by using a shirt. Just my two bits.

On another note, I just got a Viking X-Type, bought it Friday and used it Sunday. Pretty tight, could not touch a three board until I got up to 365. Proceeded to go up to 455 and double off of a three. I'm not thinking I'm super-strong or nothing, just trying to learn the shirt and see how much weight I can touch and lock out with it.

Keep in mind, I'm a pure 198 and this is the second time I've ever went over 365 benching. For a single ply, it is as good or better than any double poly out there, in my mind.

 

[majutsu]

Thu 4/14/05
DE-L

Musical selection: Joe Satriani Surfing with the Alien

Speed movement
-Parallel Box Speed Squats with single red mini each side
135+SRM x1
155+SRM x2x8 with 30 sec rest
-Speed deads
225x2x8

Assistance
Hamstring and lower back
-Stiff-legged deads
135x8x3
-Dimel deadlifts
135x9x3
-Doubled up blue band pull-throughs
DBBx10x3
Abs
-Hanging leg raises
BWx6x3
-Straight leg weighted situps
10x10x3

Was really not in the mood. But I did feel much better when I finished than when I started All in all, it was pretty good. The bands were bugging me today, so I resolved to get some chains before the next workout Saturday.

 

[majutsu]

Sat 4/16/05
DE-U

Musical selection: Slayer South of Heaven

Speed movement
-Speed bench
135x2
155x2
155 with chains (3/8" galv. 6')x3x8 30sec rest
Assistance
Tris
-3 board press
225x8x3
-JM press
155x6x3
Lats
-Bent rows with straps
155x8x3
-Chins
BWx6x3
Shoulders
-Side laterals
10x10x2

A great workout! The chains were so enjoyable. I will use bands for bench, but more sparingly as it's very tough on the shoulders. I loved the feel of chains, and it's very easy to pick up a new pair.

I really felt the groove of board presses today. I'm really starting to enjoy these. They may appear as a max effort movement soon.

Today is the first time I could do 3 sets of chins for 6 reps! I just really value this exercise for my own idiosyncratic reasons. I was happy to hit a personal goal in this assistance movement.

I went softer on my shoulders today, just doing the plate laterals, as they seem to take quite a beating with all the other elements of westside.

Now for the max movements, I probably going to do everything a second week. I know I have a new PR in both box squat and shirted bench coming this week. So I want to stick with them. I probably could go three weeks and still hit new PRs, but I will definitely start to feel stagnant, so I finally decided on two weeks for my max effort movements at this point in my training. After next week, I'm probably going to switch to 3-board press or floor press and deads from the floor. Two weeks after that will probably be the upper movement listed I don't pick and good mornings. Then I'll go back to box squats and shirted bench. That's the plan for now . . . though I remain flexible and listening to my body

 

[wnt2bBeast]

looking good bro..on DE day stick with something for 3 weeks then change it..meaning use the chains for 3 weeks then go to straight weight then to bands or back to chains..

bands for some (like me) can be very hard on your shoulders especially if you dont have access to specialty bars..i would hit DE bench on sun then monday GMM's for ME the next day and my shoulders would be screaming having say a SSbar or cambered bar would help out tremendously..but dont feel bad my crappy gym dont have anything like that either..its hard enough finding a bar that wont bend lol

 

[Illuminati]

looking good bro..on DE day stick with something for 3 weeks then change it..meaning use the chains for 3 weeks then go to straight weight then to bands or back to chains..

bands for some (like me) can be very hard on your shoulders especially if you dont have access to specialty bars..i would hit DE bench on sun then monday GMM's for ME the next day and my shoulders would be screaming having say a SSbar or cambered bar would help out tremendously..but dont feel bad my crappy gym dont have anything like that either..its hard enough finding a bar that wont bend lol

yes, the bands are very hard on the shoulders. some people (like me) start to experience pain in the elbows. if you use bands, rotate them in and out of your workouts like wnt2 suggested.

 

[majutsu]

Sun 4/17/05

ME-L

Musical selection: Primus Anti-pop
Heavy movement
-Parallel Box Squats
135x5;185x3;225x3;275x1
belt on 315x1;365x1
Knee wraps 405x1;425x-
Assistance
Hams and lower back
-SLDL with straps
155x8x3
-Single blue band pull-throughs
SBBx12x3
Abs
-Straight leg weighted sit-ups
25x6x3

I was really disappointed with missing 425. I was pushing off the workout all day, probably knowing I should switch max effort movements. I scammed myself because of my desire to work with the shirt on ME-Upper in 2 days. So I pushed ahead, with my heart not in it. I will probably switch every week after this week. I should have done that in the first place. I also think I'll do good mornings next, as my knees came forward a little on 425, which is why I couldn't do it. So my hamstrings were not strong enough to keep sitting back . . .

I really did a good job with SLDLs, especially since I was motivated to get those hammies up!

Pull throughs feel better at the higher rep range too.

I lighted up stomach a little, as folding over (an old problem from weak abs) is not happening anymore. Now it's those hammies . . .

I will do shirted bench on Tues, especially since I sacrificed today's ME-Lower workout for it . . . but then I'm going to do board presses and good mornings for one week.

Well, live and learn!

 

[majutsu]

Alright! Back on the track!

Tues 4/19/05

Musical selection: Shadows Fall

ME-U

-3-board press wide grip
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x5
215x3
235x3
255x3
275x1
295x--

-Reverse grip bench
135x7x3

-Chins
BWx6; BWx5

Now I got it! That was perfect! About the last 5 sets are over 80%. And the last 3 are 93%, 97% and 100% respectively. 5690lbs total, just shy of 3 tons of lifting

I used to think the purpose of the max effort was to hit a pr quickly. It's not. How could it be if you switch movements every week, try new ones, etc.? In fact, the muscles would receive little stimulation to develop power, to change. The learning and growth would mostly be CNS or neurological training, by racing up to a PR. By spending time in the "power zone", the muscles should receive a variety of stimuli to adapt and develop power, from a variety of movements which prevent accomadation! It felt great!

I cut the assistance work as I was overtraining. I also went back to movements I like, even if they're not in the westside coda. Reverse grip bench was a fun tri exercise. And I love the chins, since probably the most successful part of my last two weeks was my back work anyway.

This was a big leap in understanding today. I can't wait to hit Good mornings properly on max effort lower day now.

I am going to ditch knee wraps, shirts, wrist wraps, etc for now as suggested by many of you all. The associations of wraps etc are too high stress and high cortisol, and I want to develop some real strength. I will shirt once and a while to keep the groove, but will focus on strength instead for a while.

I am also going to hold off on a squat suit. They really mess up your form I hear. I want to develop my raw squat a little first, as it's my sorriest lift.

 

[Chambewy20]

I wouldn't abandon the thought of buying a suit totally, there's nothing wrong, in my opinion, with just getting a crappy little single ply cheap inzer to protect your hips somewhat while getting used to wearing spandex again.

Dependant upon what federation you plan on lifting would dictate what kind of suit or shirt you should get. If you lift in a single ply poly fed, first develop you raw strength, as you have been working on, and work into more advanced types of equipment. What I'm beginning to realize, it's only taken a friggin year, is that a lot of the top guys use these super double ply breifs all of the time and when leading up to a meet, introduce their double canvas or poly suits. That's four plys of tough ass material on you.

When lifting in a single ply fed, in my mind, the best thing to do is train in a loose or cheap single ply suit and introduce a tougher suit around 10 weeks out of the meet to get used to it.

Don't know if this helps or not but for protecting your hips and learning a suit, I wouldn't be so hesitant to get yourself into one of those cheap Inzer champion suits for starters and work you way up to a Metal Viking. I use all Metal stuff and got the X-type bencher as well, the best equipment out there, ~$50 more than the best inzer suits but you'll only have to buy them once.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

good advice Chamb..i started with cheap inzer powerpants (30bucks) used them until the weights told me this aint doing anything..then switched up to metal

definitely dont use 2-ply if you plan on competing single ply

 

[majutsu]

4/21/05
Thurs
DE-L

Musical selection: Tool Aenema

-Speed box squats (parallel)
45x2
95x2
115x2
135x2x8

-1-legged bench hamstring curls
BWx10x2

-Blue band standing abs
BBx10x3

Wow! what a great workout! One great Max effort workout, and now I had a great speed workout. First time. I had a big realization: speed day is to develop speed.

See, I was doing 3 things wrong, 1) I was flying through my speed work and taking very little rest. Unfortunately, speed day is not aerobics (i.e. GPP in westside terms). Speed day is to move faster. I needed to focus on bar speed, not intervals. 2)My weights were too heavy. I started with the bar, and went up by 20lbs until the bar slowed significantly. Then I backed off. I used to take 50% of my max. The problem is I realized I was very, very slow. I should have known, as when I was a kid I always got like 21 seconds on my 50-yard dash. I was hanging with the fat kids and palsied. I am strong and have mass but no speed. So 225 lbs (my 50-60%) was way too slow, the same speed as my max. I really got the bar moving. and 3) I was not doing the whole movement ballistically. I would lower very slowly and half slowly press up. I needed to do the whole movement very quickly. This way I could stimulate my fast twitch fibers and get my bar speed up.

I really got in a great groove. The whole movement became much smoother and liquid fast (as fast as my lard-ass can go that is). I'm going to do straight speed work on speed day, as I now see this is a big weakness. It should really boost my numbers to have the strength with a little momentum to get past sticking points.

Each day I get farther . . . I can't wait for good mornings on sunday, as I know now they are going to go well. Also, that will be my first four day rotation completed with my head OUT of my ass!

Also, I really lightened the accessory volume today. Two reasons, 1) I want to recover a little to keep my schedule but allow neurological regeneration from my overtraining, and 2) I used to rush through speed work to overtrain on accessory. If I have nothing else to run off to, maybe I'll do the "main event" (speed work) properly for a change. Best of all it worked!

BTW for the unfamiliar, a 1-legged hamstring bench curl is on this page http://www.bodyresults.com/E2Hamstrings.asp . Don't laugh, it works.

 

[majutsu]

4/23 Sat
DE-U
Speed bench
45x3
95x3
115x3
135x3x8

JM-press
135x8x3

Chins
BWx7x2


Much more ballistic on the bench. Getting the hang of speed day!

4/24 Sum
ME-L

-Suspended Good Mornings
45x5;65x5;85x5;105x3;125x3;145x3;165x1;185x1;205x1;225x1;245x1;265x1;285x-

Romanian Deads with straps
225x3
275x4x3

Hanging leg raises with straps
BWx7x2

Really enjoyed the good mornings. Too many sets though. I've been shooting for 10 sets. Next time I'll start at 85lbs and work up. But I'll rotate through low box squats and rack pulls first.

 

[majutsu]

4/26 Tue

ME-U

Medium grip rack lockouts

95x5;115x5;135x5;155x5;175x5;195x5;215x3;
235x1;255x1;275x--

JM presses medium grip
155x5x2

Bent rows with straps
155x6x3

This didn't go so well. When I first switched to high volume on max effort day, it was good. But now I'm wasting too much energy training in my 80% range, which is more conducive to hypertrophy than strength development.

I went back and read some Louie articles. One thing kept standing out, his rep table.

70%/3-6 reps-set/12-24 total rep range
80%/2-4 reps-set/10-20 total rep range
90%/1-2 reps-set/4-10 total rep range

For speed work, 3 reps per set, 24 total reps. For max effort, 1-2 reps per set, 6 total reps or so.

So for this movement, I should have done 95,135,185,225, all 1 warm up set each, 255 sets of 2, 275+ sets of 1-2.

Now I think I will do better at this on future max effort days.

I think if I keep tying together speed and raw strength, I should see some lift increases. It's taken some time to really understand and put together the elements of westside training. I sure this will be an ongoing process though . . .

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Maj heres a great article by Wendler on ME work..Also dont feel you have to do everything you want listen to the body..if youre feeling good do more work if not cut it short and get the hell outta there

http://www.elitefitnesssystems.com/documents/max_effort_easy.htm

 

[majutsu]

That is a good article! Thanks man. I have learned most of what he said by trial and error the last 3 weeks, but it's great to see it verified by a pro! Very helpful, thanks.

 

[majutsu]

Thus 4/28

DE-L

-Parallel box squats
135x2x3;155x3

185x2x5
185x1
185x2x3

-Doubled blue band pull-throughs
x8x2

-Straight leg sit-ups
25x5x2

A great workout!

Several big improvements. Much better speed work today. I go up and down very fast, but the weights are truly 50% of my max now. I think I am going to start waving my weights on DE days.

Also, I was not really box squatting right. I was squatting free and using the box as a depth guage. But I read at elitefts that you should even sit back so far as to have your shins going backward from vertical, toward you even. This really stresses the squatting muscles and takes all tension off the knee, enabling you to avoid wrapping for training. So I box squatted correctly today. Very good.

The pull-throughs were different too. I saw a picture at elitefts of some advanced female trainer doing her pull-throughs with a low box squat kind of movement, versus the straight-leg deadlift sort of pull-through I had been doing. I thought this kind of pull-through really worked my hamstrings well.

And the sit-ups I did with spread eagled legs with feet against the power rack, versus the closer leg stance I was using. This hit the obliques and lower abs very nicely.

A good workout this time.

 

[majutsu]

Sat 4/30
DE-U
-Bench
45x5
45 with red minis x2
135 with red minis x2

135 with red minis x3x7

Barbell extensions
45x6
65x8x3

Chins BWx5x2


Evening extra workout
20 one-legged squats
60 blue band pushdowns

 

[majutsu]

Sun 5/1

ME-L

-Suspended GMs close stance at navel

45x2
135x1
185x3
225x2

245x2x2
255x1
265x1
275x1 ** PR

Blue band leg curls
x8x2

Hanging leg raises
x8
x7

I'm really enjoying good mornings now, and I finally am getting stronger. The volume (about 7 reps at 90%) is near perfect for max effort day.

I think I'm going to try 3-board presses on upper max day, to have a satisfying workout Tuesday now that I have a better idea how to run max effort day.

Basically, I use this table a lot

Intensity . . . . . . . Reps . . . . Sets . . . . Total . . . . . . Range
55-65%. . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . 24 . . . . . . . 18-30
70-75%. . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . .6. . . . . . . 18. . . . . . . . 12-24
80-85%. . . . . . . . 2 . . . . .. . . 4 . . . . . . . 15. . . . . . . . 10-20
90% . . . . . . . . . . 1. . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . 4-10

Particularly row 1 (for speed day) and row 4 (for max effort day) are the most important. This is what I shoot for now, and this table is basically the essence of westside training.

 

[Parabellum]

Nice lifting.

 

[majutsu]

Tue 5/3
ME-U
3-board press medium grip

135x1
185x1
225x1

275x2
275x2
285x1
295x1 ** PR
305x -- (got it, but my ass came off the bench 1/8" so I nixed it)

Barbell extensions
75x5x3

Chins
BWx6x2

Another great ME day. 6 reps at 90% and above, perfect volume for this day. I did change the grip to medium instead of wide, but it made no difference in my numbers.

By the way, wide means index on power rings, medium means pinky on power rings, and narrow means index on smooth bar. Med-wide would be halfway between the two.

I need to think of a new max effort move for upper. It may be close grip full bench, or wide grip with chains, or shirt work, but I'm not sure I've settled into anything but the board presses yet. I could do rack lockouts, but I didn't like the feel that much. . .

For lower ME, I'm going to do close stance low box squats next, then definitely back to good mornings, and rack pulls. I have already selected comfortable max movements, but need to figure out the numbers for the box squats and the rack pulls.

I like barbell extensions more than JM presses.

The chins are quite solid now. I know my reps look the same, but my form is visibly better. I always want to do rows or something else, but I'm tired, and chins are easy, no set-up and super-effective.

 

[majutsu]

5/5 Tue
DE-L
Parallel box
45x3
135x2
185x2

195x2x7
195x1
195x2x2

SLDL close stance
95x7x2

Straight leg sit-ups
25x5x2
25x3

5/7 Sat
DE-U
45x2
135x2

145x2w
145x3x4(wmnw)
155x3x3(wmn)

Barbell ext
75x6x3

Chins BWx6x2

Blueband pushdowns x20x3

Beginning to wave weights on the speed work

5/8 Sun
ME-L
Low box squats (9"- 0 boards on my velco board adjustable box squat) wide stance

45x3
135x1
185x1
225x1
275x1

315x2
325x1
335x1

Double blueband pull-throughs
x10x2

Blueband ab pulldowns
x10x2

Really feeling like that was fine for the max effort. I think though I did 4 (instead of 7), parts of it were above 90%. I was wondering about close stance low box squats, but I think I'll grow these a time or two. They felt good.

 

[majutsu]

Tue 5/10
ME-U

wide grip bench

135x1
185x1
225x1
275x2
315shirtx1
335shirtx-

Medium grip 3-board
225x6x3

This was an interesting workout. . . I was really trying to find a good max effort upper movement. The lower movements (gms, low box (wide or narrow), rack pulls/mat pulls) are pretty set. The upper is uncertain still. So I was considering wide grip raw bench, but I knew raw narrow grip was more likely to be my raw max movement. So I knew in the back of my mind I really wanted to use a shirt today. I threw on my loose titan, that basically just tightens my shoulders and gives my 30 lbs. But I didn't even chalk or wrap my wrists, because all that effort of equipped lifting is a real drag on the training flow. This max movement was great and easy. I think loose shirted wide bench is one of my max movements, to go along side board presses, close grips and rack lockouts!

It's hard to compare my raw bench or my fully equipped bench to what I did today. I think I should have had 335 if my speed hadn't lagged. This gives me new focus for speed day!

Now for the 3-board treated as an accessory: I used 75% of my 300lb 1RM on 3-board. By that ubiquitous table, 18 reps at 75% is a good growth range. So I did 225 for 3 sets of 6. This is heavier actually than I would use as a bodybuilder, so my past reference to these accessory movements as bodybuilder workouts is inaccurate. Its heavier than that and less pump oriented. I think I am going to use max movements at lower percentages as accessory movements more often. This idea was very successful.

I just didn't feel like doing back today. I really felt my lagging tris today, and I think I've been working back a little too hard for westside. (As I was told weeks ago by you all . . . ) So I skipped out of school early today.

 

[majutsu]

I made a table of my max effort movements, 90%, speed ranges, and assistance ranges. I do my assistance and speed work at too light a weight. I might do boards and raw one day and shirt another with upper end work.

Exercise............1RM.....90%.....55%.....65%.....80%
Shirt bench........315.....283.5...173.25..204.75..252
Low box squats..335.....301.5...184.25..217.75..268
3b press ...........295.....265.5...162.25..191.75..236
Sus GM n...........275.....247.5...151.25..178.75..220
rack lockout.......255.....229.5...140.25..165.75..204
Parallel box........405.....364.5...222.75..263.25..324
rack pulls..........405.....364.5...222.75..263.25,,324
raw bench........315.....283.5...173.25..204.75..252

Sorry for the trippy formatting, notepad just did that

 

[wnt2bBeast]

be careful about getting to heavy..speed is the important thing even if its not te right %..

but like you said you used 135 for 8x3 on DE bench and your raw 1rm is 315 thats only 42% bumping that up to 50% would be a good idea as long as it doesnt hurt your speed..

always strive to use more weight on your assistance moves..granted these will and should be smaller moves as these are being done after your main ME..I wouldnt go to failure as you may find it very hard on te body..once in awhile is fine to see what you really got..

keep it up looks good..after a few months everything will make more sense and youll better understand why you are doing the things you are doing

 

[majutsu]

Thanks Beast. It's all slowly getting clearer. I actually almost quit on Tuesday, after my lame bench. But then I read an interview by Sebastin of Metal Militia where he said intermediates make the mistake of switching systems every few months. He said if you are doing westside, stick with it for years, not weeks, until you genuinely grow and understand. I did read metal militia training, and will incorporate some of their ideas into my westside: 1)More shirt benching. 2)More use of "max" efforts as assistance movements at about 80%, like they do with their board warmups (4-, 3-, etc). 3)Focusing on the most useful movements and really growing with them and in them.

So, as the chart above showed, I picked 4 upper movements: 1)raw close grip, 2)loose shirt bench (mm trick), 3)board press -3 , 4)rack lockout. Also, I picked 4 lower movements: 1)parallel box, 2) suspended gms close stance, 3)low box, 4)rack pulls. The first are squat oriented, and the last two deadlift oriented. Also, the board presses and rack lockouts make great assistance movements, as do gms and rack pulls. As shown above, once you know your 1RM, you can find 90%, 55-65%, and 80%. On max days, you go for 90%+ for 7 total reps. On speed days, 55-65% in a 3-week weight wave for 24 reps total. Assistance work is 80% intensity for 3 sets of 5 or 6, a total of about 18 reps. The speed/max/assistance groups are from wsb. The small exercise set with concentration on the most effective movements and heavy volume and repetition come from metal militia. Other assistance work will certainly go in for variety. I will do speed and assistance at current maxes. The 90% will be based on new projected maxes 10lbs over my last. I suspect a strong growth curve on this for a month or so.

I then suspect I will need to do chain/band max movements and speed work, as well as altering some max movements, like mat pulls, different board press heights, different stance gms, etc. But I will wring a small set of exercises dry.

The first workout this way was awesome:

5/12 Thurs

Parallel Box
135x1
185x1
225(55%)x2x10

Suspended gms
225 (80%)x5x3

Blue band ab pulldowns
x13x2

An amazing workout. My hams feel like balloons!

 

[majutsu]

Sat 5/14

DE-U
Bench
45x3
135x3
155x3

175(55%)x3x7 (wmnwmnw)

Rack lockouts medium grip
205 (80%)x6x3

Fantastic workout! Good tri work.

Sun 5/15

Parallel Box
135x1
185x1
225x1
275x1
315x1

Belt 365(90%)x1
385x1 **PR
405x --

This is a PR because it's no knee wraps, suit, etc. 405lbs was my geared free squat. 385lb is now my raw box squat! The volume was a little low because my percents were based on my geared free squat. So I am sure the volume is ok at the much higher intensity.

Rack pulls
325(80% of my raw dead)x5x3

I need to max out on rack pulls to see where I'm at.

However, I realized clearly that a stronger good morning would have given me that 405 box squat. Some I am going to use GMs next max or two again.

 

[majutsu]

5/17 Tue
ME-U
Eyehategod Dopesick

Med grip raw bench warm-up
135x1
185x1
225x1
275x1

Loose-shirt bench
285(90%)x1
315x1
325x1 **PR
335x-

Woo-hoo! Popped my head over 315; it's on now . . . !

3-board press
235(80%)x6x3

The shirt groove was awesome. Tri work was awesome. The numbers are growing. The program is clicking. Resistance is futile.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

Glad to hear you are doing so well with your program. So...you popped your head huh?

I wonder if you meant 'blood vessels' in your head? Do you look like you've got a sunburnt head now??? Just messing with you.

Great job, take care.

 

[majutsu]

5/19 Thurs

DE-L

Parallel Box
135x2
185x2

215 (55%)x2x8

Suspended Good Mornings
235(80%)x5x3

 

[majutsu]

5/21 Sat
DE-U

Bench

135x1
135x2
155x2

180 (55%)x3x7

Rack lockouts (6" My old ones were too long a stroke)
225x6x3

Bent rows
135x6x3

Really focus on the top of the bent rows, the fibers most helpful in getting right off my chest.

 

[majutsu]

5/22 Sun

ME-L

Susp GMs

135x1
185x1
225x1

250(90%)x2
265x1
275x1
285x1
295x1 **PR**

Yeah! I had more in me, but that was a 20lb PR jump for this exercise already! I figured I'd cash in my chips. Next weekend I won't be able to workout, so I'll miss speed bench and max lower. So I can start GMs the week following, knowing even with the 2 week rest, I should hit a PR . . .

Doubled blue band pull-throughs
x8x2

I'm sure you can tell I like low volume. For one, I am lazy. Secondly, I figure as long as my good mornings, board presses, bench, squat, and pulls are rising, I am getting the job done. So I just focus on that. When this streamlined and simple approach runs dry, I already know that's when I throw in chains and bands!

 

[Parabellum]

Congrat's on the PR.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

I'm sure you can tell I like low volume. For one, I am lazy. Secondly, I figure as long as my good mornings, board presses, bench, squat, and pulls are rising, I am getting the job done. So I just focus on that. When this streamlined and simple approach runs dry, I already know that's when I throw in chains and bands!

congrats on the PR..
what you said above makes very good sense..the goal is to make the lifts go up...period!!!!

what height you doing the GM's at?

 

[majutsu]

navel height. Which means when I'm under the bar I'm about 5 degrees below parallel.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

navel height. Which means when I'm under the bar I'm about 5 degrees below parallel.

sounds good

 

[majutsu]

5/24 Tue

Was sick for two days (virus). Vomiting, diarrhea, etc. In fact, I lost 10 lbs in two days (220-210), obviously water. So I knew my max upper would be limited. I would have skipped, but family business this weekend might have me missing sat and sun (speed bench and max lower). Therefore, I really wanted to do something. Also, sitting around sweating and feeling bad sucks, so I might as well move, sweat out the virus and work out the achiness. So I ploughed ahead . . .

3-board press
135x1
185x1
225x1

265(90%)x2
285x1
305x1 **PR**

Very interesting on the 305. I went down it was stuck, and I thought, "I'm done." Then I thought, "You stupid fucker, you didn't even try." I figured if my ass rose off the bench when I cheated, I could at least figure I had tried. So I told myself, "Just put it back up, even if you cheat." So I pushed, but my ass stayed down, and the bar kept rising. After a rep so slow (5 seconds or so) that I thought time had stopped, I realized I was racking the weight! That was truly the "maxest" effort I ever had.

After that I was done. Not only did I have nothing left, but I figured a large proportion of my anabolic resources were already allocated to viral healing, so if I didn't want to hurt myself I should accept this stimulus today as the best I could do and benefit from.

So this is how I handled my sickie workout. All things considered, a successful day for the circumstances.

 

[blut wump]

Sounds like a dream of a single on the 305. Congrats on motivating yourself.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

5/24 Tue

".....After a rep so slow (5 seconds or so) that I thought time had stopped, I realized I was racking the weight! That was truly the "maxest" effort I ever had."

Haha....!!! That's how I have done some lifts in competition - so slow the refs got up to go to the bathroom...came back...nah, but seriously - I get ya on that!

Things seem to be going so well for you. Self-motivation is very important and you are doing so well. Keep up all the great work and the PR's will keep coming.
__________________
Mythicwrld

"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."

 

[majutsu]

5/26 Thurs

Music: Nirvana

Because I got the blues. Everything that can go wrong, fuck me up and cost a lot of money that could possibly happen has happened this month. In the words of Buddy Guy, "Damn right I got the blues!" And what's more blue than Kurt? Plus listening to Pennyroyal Tea while squatting ("I got really bad posture . . . ") is hilarious.

But weight wise, the man is back!

Parallel box squats
45x1
135x2
185x2
205x2

210x2x7

Suspended GMs
235x6x3

Weight spread eagle sit-ups

10x8x2

 

[Illuminati]

5/26 Thurs

Music: Nirvana

Because I got the blues. Everything that can go wrong, fuck me up and cost a lot of money that could possibly happen has happened this month. In the words of Buddy Guy, "Damn right I got the blues!" And what's more blue than Kurt? Plus listening to Pennyroyal Tea while squatting ("I got really bad posture . . . ") is hilarious.

But weight wise, the man is back!

hahaa. you definately dont wanna have really bad posture when squatting!!! your workouts are coming along very well. congrats. on the recent PR. I was looking at your ME movements...I was thinking that you might want to take more than a 10lb jump between sets, until you are getting close to your max. I read one article over at elitefts.com by Louie saying something about doing only 3 sets over 90% of your 1RM. Take your 5/22 ME w/o where you did Susp. GM's.

Susp GMs

135x1
185x1
225x1

250(90%)x2
265x1
275x1
285x1
295x1 **PR**

You might want to go 250x1 then 285x1, if that is a strain, hit the 295, but if its not, go straight for 305. dont under estimate yourself, or burn energy on sets when you get close to your max.

 

[majutsu]

Good thoughts -- I think you're right illuminati . . .

 

[majutsu]

Was able to work out very close to midnight The advantage of a home gym . . .

Only problem was I had a lot of wine with dinner. I usually work out stoned. But alcohol is a whole other matter. I had some coffee later, so I had a weird mixture of late night buzzes . . . I was afraid I'd be too careless with speed movements and hurt myself. All in all a great workout though!

5/28 Sat

Bench
45x2
135x2
185x2

185 with chains x3x7

3-board
245x6x3

Bent rows
145x6x3

Much fun! Don't think I'll do this often, but buzzed I was able to make a game of speed and had some lickety split reps!

 

[majutsu]

5/29 Sun
Parallel Box
135x2
225x1
315x1

345x1
375x1
395x1 **PR

Dimel DL
135x15
135x13

A new PR on the box! Yeah!

And to those few upset by the mention of alcohol and training . . . fuck off! This is a training log, and every variable is listed. If you want it clean and blemish free, wait for the sanitized second edition. But these are the facts, pretty or ugly. . .

5/31 Tue

Music: Hound Taylor for max and Ramones Ramones Mania for post-analysis

medium grip raw bench
135x1
225x1
275x1
295x1 **PR
315x--

I call it a PR because it's the first time I did a raw bench for max effort. Some points about shirts . . . My form is much better on raw benching from shirted benching. I engage my tris better and rarely get stuck at the bottom. Speed has given me good blasting off the chest and a nice tight, compact benching base. I think shirted benching would be helpful for raw benchers. I think Westside training is good for raw benchers too.

That being said, you can see a Metal Militia influence here. I am doing "low-end" work for "raw strength" as my max effort movement. I am doing "high-end" "shirt" work for my assistance work. The terms in quotes are Metal Militia sort of terms. I will probably do more raw work in the future.

 

[majutsu]

Thur 6/2
DE-L

Parallel box
135x1
135x2
185x2
215x2

215 with chains x2x8

Seated good mornings
45x5
65x7
65x6

One-legged bench hamstring presses
x7x2

Spread leg weighted sit-ups
12.5x8x2

I really liked the seated good mornings. My lower back really felt it!

 

[majutsu]

Sat 6/4
DE-U

Bench
135x1
135x2
155x2

Bench with blue bands
155 with blues x 3 x 7 (grip cycle: wmnwmnw)

JM press
135x5
x5
x4

Pullups
x4
x2
x2

The bands were great today, and I really enjoyed it. I was reading an article on the idea that the fast twitch fibers are best trained with speed for both strength and compensatory hypertrophy, showing the advantage of speed work. I also read how bands and chains with speed work produced more strength gains than straight weight speed work alone did.

As for JM presses, my weights vary contingently upon my definition of what a JM press is. Today I really felt it ballooning my tris, but the numbers went way down. I lowered it in a straight line to the neck with my elbows flared out to take out the shoulders and chest.

As for the pullups, I felt my back power was stagnant. I got to thinking that if I am 220 lbs and do 6 pullups, I can at most add 25 lbs to my waist and do one. So my body weight is like 90%. So by prileppin's table, I should shoot for 7 total reps; I was overtraining my back and decreasing my power. That's my reasoning today anyway.

 

[majutsu]

Sun 6/5
ME-L

Suspended good mornings
135x1
225x1

265x1
285x1
305x1 **PR**

Blue band pull-throughs
x10x2

Weighted sit-ups
15x7x2

Good mornings are becoming a favorite exercise! This rep was mighty slow and my head was a little swimmy at the top. Great fun! I was amazed how much I feel in the hips, hams as well as the lower back.

The pull-throughs felt great today. I didn't worry so much about the crouch, but instead focused on a good, rhythmic contraction of that posterior chain. I had this image at one point of feeding my posterior chain growth stimuli

 

[majutsu]

6/7 Tue
ME-U

Loose shirt

135x1
225x1

shirt goes on . . .

285 (90%)x1
315x1
335x- (old pr is 325)

Damnit! Damnit! Good, smooth lowering. Nice, explosive turnaround. 5 inches up and then . . . back down Damnit! No form issues, just not strong enough tris!

Reminds me of the advice of larry pacifico on the best ways to bench more: 1) Gain weight, and 2) work your tris. I got number one covered . . . number 2 needs work.

Another lesson is that I shouldn't avoid shirted bench too much. You lose the groove, the feel of handling the heavier shirted weights, etc. I need to do this like 50% of my ME efforts.

How to handle a lack of hitting this pr after another attempt in 2 weeks . . . ? Well, I might start by doing more sets of 315 and 325 singles until I nail 335. Or I might do 315 and add chains for three weeks.

3-board medium grip with blue bands

225 with blue bands x4x3

Wow! This was an awesome tri movement. I got this from the elitefts website. This is a great tri movement. This will make a regular appearance.

JM presses
135x5
x3

I didn't change weight on the presses. I just tried to bring it straight down to the neck while reproducing that same cramp in the contracted tricep that failed me on bench. I really felt the JM presses for the first time.

I didn't feel like lats after this. My back is very strong, and I see my tris are holding me up big time!

Fred Hatfield "Dr. Squat" says on squatting that the weakness is always the lower back. Whatever you think your weakness is, he says, is that and the lower back even more so.

So I am really hitting my low back, hammies, and tris. I need to blast these to kingdom come and back!

 

[wnt2bBeast]

dont worry too much..
the shirt takes a long time to really feel comfy in..

i would do more reps in the shirt even if its a sub 90% weight..
im not a fan of using boards with a shirt on but if you wanna use a 2-brd with your shirt and then for your last set try to get a weight to touch without a board might be helpful for you.

JM's are great..so are Tate presses and DB extensions..Dont overlook rack lockouts either..when you step up to a strong shirt almost everyone will have lockout problems lol..