WS rant :)

[leatherface]

A little rant here. After 12 weeks of WS, even though I love the idea/concepts behind it, it didn't do much for me in the 3 big lifts. My bench went up by like 5lbs, my deadlift stayed the same and my squat did too. My box squats went up a shitload though, as well as my goodmornings and just about any other exercise i'm semi-new too. I pretty much followed WS to a T, I eat and sleep right and everything so im not sure whats going on. Ok, im going to try a modified 5x5 routine for a couple months then ill try to do something with WS again. Thats my rant, thanks heh

 

[t3c]

maybe the problem was that you followed it to a T instead of catering it to YOUR needs...thats what makes it so effective afterall

 

[Liftbig]

i westside if your not getting stronger than something is wrong, this is wear you access your weaknesses, why your failing in a lift, and change your training to bring them up. when i started training this way my best lifts were pathetic for me, 580 squat, 335 bench, and 600 deadlift. my first bench meet after i started training this way i benched 500. my first full meet, i squatted 675, benched 505, and pulled 620. in my very next meet i increased my squat by 100lbs to 775, benched 510, and pulled an easy 650. mind you my equipment in all these meets were the same, (save for my lifts before i started training this way, they were all raw) and as of yet i have not used any drugs.

im curious to see what your workouts were like, are you using bands, chains, boards, equipment.

 

[Liftbig]

one more thing, how is your technigue? if your technique is not up to par this is a big problem and will slow your progress. you said your box squats and good mornings have improved alot which means you are stronger. look at is this way, a boxer can have all the punching power in the world, but if his aim is off and he misses the target what good is it?

 

[leatherface]

My technique is good for sure. One problem for me is that you don't actually bench, deadlift or squat. I do cater to my specific weaknesses but nothing worked. I can post up a few routines if you would like. Hell I hope I was doing something wrong and you guys could point it out, I would love to go back to WS soon.

Here are a few random weeks

Week 2
Monday (ME squat)
Good Morning: work up to one rep max.
RDL and calf raise 3 sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest
Reverse Hypers 3sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Glute Ham Raise 3sets 6reps 2 min rest
Abs 4-6sets

Tuesday(DE bench)
Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps 45% of 1RM +minis 1 min rest using 3 grips
Close Grip 4 board 3sets 3 reps 2 min rest
Elbow out extension 3 sets, 5reps 2 min rest
Snatch 3sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest
BB Lat Row 3sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest

Thursday(DE squat)
Box Squat: 8 sets 2 reps 45% of 1RM + Blue Bands 1 min rest
Rack Pin suspended GM ( 38’’) 4 sets 3reps, 2 min rest
Speed Sumo Deadlift +band(on waist/rack)(60% 1rm) 6sets 1rep, 1 min rest
Pull Throughs 3 sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Abs, 4 -6sets

Friday(ME bench)
2 Board Bench Press: work up to one rep max
Wide Grip Reverse 5 Board Press 5 sets 3 reps, 2 min rest
Seated Overhead Press 5 sets 3 reps, 2 min rest
Barbell Row + purple bands (low weight)5 sets 3reps, 1 min rest


Week 7
Monday (ME squat)
Deadlifts: work up to 1RM
Box Squats 3 sets, 3 reps, 3 min rest
Glute ham raise 3sets 6 reps, 2 min rest
Abs 4-6sets
Grip work - plate pinch

Tuesday(DE bench)
Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps 40% of 1RM + minis pause at bottom 1 min rest using 3 grips
Bench Press 3sets 5 reps 2 min rest
Close Grip 3 Board Bench Press 3 sets, 5 reps 2 min rest
Reverse Barbell Row 3sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest
Snatch 3sets, 3 reps, 2 min rest
Plyos -

Thursday(DE squat)
Box Squat: 8 sets 2 reps 60% of 1RM 1 min rest
Deadlift 3 sets 5 rep, 3 min rest
Glute Ham Raise 4 sets 6 reps, 2 min rest
Abs, 4 -6sets
Plyos -

Friday(ME bench)
Incline Bench Press: work up to one rep max
Flat Bench Press 2 sets 3 reps 2min rest
Pull ups close/in 3sets 3 reps 2 min rest
Standing Overhead Press 3 sets 3 reps, 2 min rest
Wide Reverse 5 board Press 3 sets 3reps, 2 min rest
Grip Work - Board Walking


Week 10
Monday (ME squat)
Box Squat: work up to one rep max.
Partial Squat Work up to 3RM 3 min rest
Glute Ham Raise 3 sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Abs 4-6 sets
Grip Work -

Tuesday(DE bench)
Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps 40% of 1RM bounding 1 min rest using 3 grips
Close Grip Bench work up to 3RM 3 min rest
Cleans work up to 3RM 3 min rest
Reverse Barbell Rows 4 sets, 8 reps 2 min rest
Plyos-

Thursday(DE squat)
Box Squat: 8 sets 2 reps 50% of 1RM 1 min rest
Deadlift + Calf Raise Work up to 3RM 2 min rest
Leg Curl 3 sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Abs, 4-6sets
Plyos -

Friday(ME bench)
4 Board Bench Press: work up to one rep max
Flat Bench Press Work up to 3RM 2 min rest
Reverse Close Grip 3 sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Seated Overhead Press 3 sets 5 reps, 2 min rest
Pull Ups med/out 3 sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Grip work -

Towards the end I changed a few things up, like higher reps and incorporating actualy benching/deadlifting in there. Thanks for the comments guys

 

[sinjinsmythe33]

liftbig, did your bodyweight go up after you started wsb? did you go up in wight class? how long did it take you to go from 335 to a nickel on the bench?

 

[spatts]

maybe the problem was that you followed it to a T instead of catering it to YOUR needs...thats what makes it so effective afterall

BINGO.

People think Westside is a PROGRAM. It's not. It's an outline. You have to be able to think outside the box and apply the principals to yourself.

 

[Liftbig]

yes my body weight went up considerably since starting to train this way. in high school i played football and for it i did alot of running and plyos and such, so my weight always stayed around 350-370. when is stopped playing ball i gained alot of weight, mostly becuase of bad eating habits(which im chainging alot) earlier this year i weighed alot to the tune of around 460 at least, we didnt have a good enough scale to weigh me on, lol. my last workout i weighed 428(my water weight fluctautes alot lately). i am carrying considerably more muscle than i was in high school it that means anything. as far as my bench going from 335 to a nickel, that is a combo of the training and working with the bench shirt. the first time i put on a shirt i barely benched 365, its alot different than normal benching, but once my technique improved and i was able to train the right muscles to use the shirt correctly my bench skyrocketed in a short time. last aug i benched 500 for the first time, and earlier that year in feb i benched 335 at a meet.

 

[revexrevex]

You're an animal liftbig. DO well in your meet

 

[Liftbig]

You're an animal liftbig. DO well in your meet

thanks.

 

[endpoint]

my advice: address your weak points.

dont do a 2 board press just because its week 4......if you need to floor press do it. If you need to do a lock out do it.

also there is a difference between a max effort day......and a MAXEFFORT DAY. I have seen people not apply themselves 100% to the lift

 

[Hannibal]

also there is a difference between a max effort day......and a MAXEFFORT DAY. I have seen people not apply themselves 100% to the lift

abso-fuckin-lutely...

 

[MULE1]

BINGO.

People think Westside is a PROGRAM. It's not. It's an outline. You have to be able to think outside the box and apply the principals to yourself.

Spatts watch what you say, you keep giving people advice like this and there all apt to get very strong..

 

[leatherface]

I understand what you guys are saying. I did like a sample 4 weeks of WS so I could find my weakpoints, and after that I tried to target them to bring them up. Maybe I was still looking at WS as a program instead of an outline too much, but even towards the last 4 weeks when I completely changed some stuff around to fit my needs, I didn't see much improvement. I'll start this back up in like 8 weeks, but does anyone have any more advice? I posted 3 random weeks already. I'll try to target my weakspot even more next time, and I think I'll incorporate actual benching, squating, and deadlifting nexttime also.

 

[coolcolj]

if your a begineer or intermiediate lifter you need to do the lifts. Getting the timing, form and ksill is important.

 

[bignate73]

with regards to training your weak points. heres an example of a mistake i made

i started tinkering with WSB stuff and decided i wanted to try a 2 board press. (3 board is way high and i know i have a pretty good lockout). 2 boards were pretty easy to pick up. i didnt feel "uncomfortable" doing them, which if i was picking out my weak spot in the press, i would think it would be tougher. so....last week i went to a 1 board press. bingo! there it was. my weakness. the exact point where the bar slows down. so now im off to bring up that point. im up about 10 lbs over my full bench press weight, at the 1board press. so i know when i apply a bit of the acceleration (1RM time) i'll blast through my weak point. did that make sense? some people have trouble with their lock out, some right off the chest, some a bit above the chest. since i train raw, im not planning on moving my sticking point around with a shirt so i focus on the lifts that will kill that sticking point. 1 board, floor presses and pin presses set at that height.

hope that helps.

btw, ive focused mainly on just the bench portion right now. but i skwatted the other day.....oh man. im sore. MY LATS are sore. been tinkering with a PL style of squatting, learning the technique. i can see how GM's and hammy work is so vital. but as was said earlier, im keeping it focused on MY needs. so im going to implement front squats to keep the quads growing. (i'll get back onstage someday)

keep plugging away at it bro. you gotta take a look at what you want to acheive and build your system around westside, instead of building westside and adding your goals in.

 

[endpoint]

if your a begineer or intermiediate lifter you need to do the lifts. Getting the timing, form and ksill is important.

i cant rememeber how often they suggest....but they recomend competing heaps of times a year.

so when i was using ws i would have fake comps at gyms and my house to get my form down and max out

 

[Exodus]

well here is my opinion for what its worth. your cns is so fried and i belive your overtrained.


why............... i may have missed it.......... but i didnt see a single accessory or secondary movement that was over 6 reps. everything you did was for under six reps on everything.

you need to bump your reps up a little, otherwise the repetition will not work for you. i think you should try it again.......... and go to the top of the training boards and read the training methods sticky of 9 week wsb sampler program. a ton of the exercise are in the 8- sometimes 15 rep range on accesory exericse.

and im sure you need to work on technique. everyone needs work.......... even the wsb guys are improving technique.

also you still need to either bring up your weak points or you already did, and now you have knew ones. just because you spent 12 week doing a wsb problem doesnt mean you corrected your weak points, they may still be weak, and this is why your numbers are realitively the same.

just my opinion.

X

 

[leatherface]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I know my technique still needs work, I just meant its not bad. I know how it should be done, and im trying to make sure I do it that way.

As far as my CNS being fried, i believe your 100% right. I noticed that after about the 9th week, so i started adding 10repish stuff. I'm definitly going back to WS in 8 weeks, but this time i want to make sure it works for me. My goals are based around strength speed and martial arts. I'm trying to stay at about the weight I am now. Benching, my weak point is about 4-5 inches off my chest, so probably a 2-3 board press would work I guess. Squat, out of the pocket, hell I think i can box squat more than i can actually squat now. Deadlift, about a foot off the ground. Thanks so much for all the help so far guys. Next time around I'm going to get this shit right and come back with PR after PR

 

[leatherface]

Oh ya, and just for the record here, this isn't a rant about WS really, just that I't wasn't working for me. I love WS, I just need to adjust it so it works for me.