MY REPLY TO HIS 2nd PM:
slobberknocker wrote on Today 04:43 PM:
The routine I posted in the forum is actually slightly different than the one I pm'ed you, because after I sent that pm I read some more posts and some articles on elitefts. Here's the latest version:
SUN ME sq/dl
gm, low box squat, or dl, work up to 1 rm
SLDL work up to 3 rm
reverse hypers 3x10
standing cable crunches or weighted decline crunches, 3x10
TUES ME bench
incline, close bench, or floor press, work up to 1 rm
JM press, or military press, work up to 3 rm
barbell rows or seated rows 3x10
front dumbell raises 3x10
THURS DE sq/dl
box squat 8x2, 60-70%
speed deads/power cleans, 5-6 singles
glute ham raise 3x10
reverse hypers 3x10
standing cable crunches or weighted decline crunches, 3x10
SAT DE bench
bench 8x3, 50%, various grips
JM press/lying extensions 3x10
dumbell rows 3x10
side dumbell raises 3x10
With regard to the order of the days, I thought this was basically the same as M, W, F, Su, except it's offset one day. I just have trouble training M, W, F, because those are my heavy class days. Only one class T, Th.
The thing I noticed reading some posts and articles is there's a lot of leeway for personal preferences in this routine. I'm sure that whatever routine I start out with will no doubt change and morph after a few months as I learn what works for me. So with that in mind I'm not going to obsess too much over the nitty gritty, as long as I have the basic concepts in place.
I plan on starting right away, so if I follow the split above my first workout would be tomorrow. I'll post up a journal in the forum so you guys can help me along with it.
When I was referring to the days of the week, I was referring to the set up and time between each type of day. Meaning there's a speed day, followed immediately by a max effort day, then 48 hours of rest before another max effort day, then 48 hours before another speed day, and another 72 hours to rest before it start all over. This way, the speed days are 3-4 days apart to allow for neural recovery, and the max effort days are 2 days apart to allow for recovery there too. Also, there's a 3 day gap between de bench and me bench, and a 4 days gap between max squat and speed squat. I really feel like this program goes out of its way to work the recovery aspect into the training regimen. I personally do M,T,R, Sat, which is the same as the SMWF, only a day late.
I think one of the most simple aspects, and yet overly complicated aspect, is the autonomy/flexibility. For people that come from a more regimented program, it's very difficult to grasp the simplicity of Westside. We have a list of things we like to do for max effort. Then we have a list of tricep moves, shoulder moves, lat moves, hamstring, and core moves. We walk in to the gym knowing what kind of day it is, for example ME squat, and that we will have 2 main moves, and the accessory work. What we do, EXACTLY, we decide that day. Let's say on ME squat day, our ME choices are low box squat, high box squat, low box with an SS bar, high box with an ss bar, 36" GMs, 49" GMs, 36" gm safety squat, 48" GM safety squat, 36" GM ss or regular wide, 48" ss or regular narrow or wide, reverse bands deads or rack pulls, free standing GMs, kneeling squats, front squats, etc....the list is FOREVER long. We look at our training journal, see what we feel like doing that we haven't done in a while, and do that. It's that simple. It just so happens to work out that main move 1 tends to be more compound (partial squat, bench, dead, or GM for max effort), and main move two is a little less compound (JM presses, SLDLs, Zercher front squats, etc...). Then for accessory work we try to pick things that are in the same plane as the lift. We each have 3 or 4 favorites that we kind of rotate; not a set schedule, just go by feel. Maybe this day I want to do GHRs, Spread Eagle Situps and reverse hypers. Then lets say on the next squat day I want to do pull throughs, weighted straight leg situps on the GHR and 45 degree hypers with a bar or plate. I really just make it up as I go along. The accessory work is where you can throw in your own hypertrophy styles. Sometimes I do drop sets, or rest/pause sets, sometimes slow negs, sometimes I triple set the three moves for three sets of 15 non stop, other times I do the accessory work for speed. Somtimes I do 6 x 8 rather than 3 x 15 (about the same volume, just a different split-up). I run on instinct most of the time. Speaking of abs, you will probably want to start choosing ab work you can do in the squat plane; that is, with your feet wide (or in your squat stance) and your legs straight. Standing ab pull downs, straight leg situps or crunches, straight leg spread eagle situps, straight leg raises, etc...
I would start by making a list of all your compound moves and all your accessory moves, and then giving yourself the freedon to pick and choose those on each day, based on feel. On the days you do GM as a main move, you will want something less taxing on the back as a second move (like front squats). On days you do a 2 board press for bench as a main move (low end-shoulders), you will want something more top end/tricep as a second move (close grip 5 board). If you look on elitefts, you will see articles called "list of max effort squat exercises" and the like. These are constructed to show the many different types of moves and variations that are possible. I bet I could go a whole year and never do the exact same ME move twice. lol
Once you know your weaknesses you can focus on those in your training. You may already know. From time to time you will find that your weaknesses change, and move choices will change based on that. New failing points mean a new weakness has been created, but also that an old weakness has become a strength....prgress will force you to change your set up, and likewise a new set up is a sign of progress. Without change you aren't going anywhere. I'm sure you've been in this game long enough to know that.
It's almost like Westside means success by definition: Improving your weakness means increasing strength, and increasing strength means success, and Westside means improving your weakness; therefore, by default, Westside means success. lol It's like if the program isn't making you stronger than you aren't doing it right for you, therefore you failed, not the program. Damn logisitcs.
Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
