questions

[jeremys]

hey, we just got our computer fixed so i'm back...again..

i'm 3 workout days into the beginner westside program and my freakin hips and lower back hurt like hell for 4 days. usually if i'm sore in a bodypart, it's for less than 3 days...but anyways, whenever i do reverse hypers my lower back gets REALLY tight and it hurts really bad, i can barely walk or finish the set at hand. is this because i havent' done reverse hypers in a while or what?

another thing, i know i'm probably gonna catch shit for this , but im starting to think i wanna train for bb reasons again...i think i'd do very good at either one as i have a lot of potential. i mean, i'm only 14 but i have a strong base for pl, but then again i have 18 inch arms and i barely train them....i dunno..someone talk me out of it or give me tips to design a program w/ a little westside in it or something please? thanks

 

[solidj55]

Go with what you feel is best as far as powerlifting or bodybuilding. I have done both, I sucked at bodybuilding but powerlifting have done good so far. Bodybuilding is political and if you dont "know" or "blow" someone it can be hard. Powerlifting is real, either you can lift or you cant. As far as the sorness, listen to your body, if it hurts like an injury then get it checked, if it is just sore then rest and make sure your diet and protein intake are in check. Powerlifting can cause deep muscle sorness due to the heavy training and multijoint exercises where as bodybuilding doesnt seem to do as severely.

 

[IrishPower]

jeremys,

potential and execution are 2 different things.

have you ever done a 3 lift meet?

why dont you do a 14 week training cycle and do a powerlifting meet. if you dont catch the fever at your first 3 lift meet, you should switch over to BB.

regarding the hypers and sore lower back: i hope you are not trying to dive into westside going 100% on everything. You will wind up overtrained.

rules of thumb for beginning westside:

1. limit your workouts to under an hour

2. do not do more than 1 ME exercise per week for lower back or bench (the tendency is to do more because you dont thin

3. keep your speedwork FAST (i can't count the number of people on this board who are using over 225 on their speed work but have never benched 500 in a meet).

4. buy yourself some minibands (they are cheap) and add these to your tricep and speed work.

good luck.
/irish

 

[Arioch]

There are any number of reasons, including technique, hydration levels, mineral levels, supplements, and 'supplements' that can cause extreme cramping and fatigue in the lower back.

 

[jeremys]

im thinking the lower back problem was because of technique...because the setup is really weird, its like a preachers bench but a place to put your feet, like a little platform at the bottom and i swung all the way down and back up, dont know how far i shouldve gone..and it couldnt be anything else besides technique, that was the first time i ever tried them and im well hydrated, my diet is shitty but i've made gains the past couple weeks, so who knows, and i'm not using supplements or 'supplements'

 

[jeremys]

would the assistance excercises in the beginners westside program be enough for hypertrophy if more quad work and back work were done for assistance/supplemental lifts?

i've heard powerlifters gain more size than people who train for hypertrophy than strength? any truth to this? if so, could i just throw in some curls and more front squats or something?

 

[Cubanito17]

jeremy's your 14 and HAVE 18 inch arms. DAMNIT NOW I FEEL SMALL FOR 17(18 in 21 days).

What r ur stats and lifts.

Stick with whatever u like. I mean honestly u won't know powerlifting until u do a meet. And if ur lifts are high at 14 then u can break records(that's a REALLY good feelin).

 

[Arioch]

would the assistance excercises in the beginners westside program be enough for hypertrophy if more quad work and back work were done for assistance/supplemental lifts?

There should be an abundance of back work of all sorts in a proper Westside program. Your quads may receive enough stimulation from the squatting once or twice weekly, and you can vary your stance, where you do 6 of your 12 sets of speed work with a close stance. You can also incorporate front squats or front squats from a low box as an ME exercise.

i've heard powerlifters gain more size than people who train for hypertrophy than strength? any truth to this? if so, could i just throw in some curls and more front squats or something?

As a general rule, powerlifters do not have a cutting phase. There are advantages to bulking year round and this is one of them.

You may need to waste time doing curls.

 

[jeremys]

my stats are (14 years old, turning 15 august 31)
5'9, 230-240. my lifts suck for my size...250 or so bench, low 300 squat, high 300 d-lift

As a general rule, powerlifters do not have a cutting phase. There are advantages to bulking year round and this is one of them.

so you're saying a powerlifter's program is just as good for growth/size/whatever as a bodybuilder's program? what if the bodybuilder doesnt cut for say a couple years...do size gains come quicker than the powerlifters? i realize diet and rest, etc are factors also....

 

[Arioch]

so you're saying a powerlifter's program is just as good for growth/size/whatever as a bodybuilder's program? what if the bodybuilder doesnt cut for say a couple years...do size gains come quicker than the powerlifters? i realize diet and rest, etc are factors also....

Depends more on training program, genetics, and diet than anything else. Any quality program should include the big lifts, and any decent diet should include plenty of protein. However, and this is where many PL'ers hurt themselves, just because you are getting enough protein does not mean that you can cram a metric assload of shit down your throat. If you are trying to add mass, yes, you do not really need to agonize over every single gram of food, but it is still better to eat relatively clean. Quality carbs from low GI sources, except post workout, quality protein (avoid crap sources like pork), minimize useless fats, as if your protein intake is high enough, you will be getting plenty of cholesterol to allow your endocrine system to function properly.


One of the big differences between being a bodybuilder and a powerlifter is the type of muscle gained. A bodybuilder will (or should) accept size from anywhere, as that is the goal. This would include sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, or any form of growth in non-contractile tissue within the muscle. This will add size, but will do little wrt functional strength. This is the opposite of what a powerlifter should want. Extra size that makes it harder to stay within a weight class but adds next to nothing to your total is counterproductive to most pl'ers.