Switchin' up routines

[lilmikey]

I have been lifting for a little bit over two years. The first year was doing whatever the kids around me were after school in the weightroom. Everything done with the worst form ever seen, indubiously (sorry i just like that word). Hence, I didn't really make much progress. I was discouraged and stopped lifting for a month or so. Shortly thereafter, I discovered i needed to recieve some rib surgery to fix up an old injury that wasn't ever taken care of. No biggie.

So last fall I went back to school and a new weight training coach had been hired to teach physical education classes. He is a really cool guy; he knows a lot about olympic lifting, track and field throwing events, strongmen competitions, and powerlifting. If you came to him with goals in mind, he would help you to attain those goals by discussing them and creating a plan to reach them. Being more interested in strength than size, he introduced me to the sport of powerlifting.

He gave me a quick rundown of it initially, and then after seeing that I gave it 100% in the weightroom and was truly dedicated, brought in some Powerlifting USA magazines for me to peruse and told me some internet sites to check out. So i began the learning process. By October last year I had read everything i could find on the sport and started a simple periodization program. I didn't get much out of it and was missing lifts that i should have been getting. He helped me to get my form down but whenever he wasn't watching i always messed it up...

Eventually after that program ended, I said i wanted to try something else. So he helped create a modified Westside program to try. I didn't gain much on that, either, because I changed the form of my lifts to benefit from the Westside training techniques. Of course, Form is something learned through repetition and conscientiously thinking; aptly stated, my form sucked. Still does, for that matter, shortly after ending that program.

Currently, my lifts are shit. My Bench is a meager 235 pounds and my squat is only ten pounds more at a titanic 245 pounds. Whoopie. I have deadlifted 315 pounds when trying to learn the form with my coach at the end of the school year (a couple months ago), but I haven't really trained for it at all and don't think that my form is all that great either.

Sure, my lifts have gone up a tiny bit here and there since I started to do some "powerlifting" training, but my gains leave much to be desired. I really do intend to stick with this sport and am almost obsessed with gaining strength. I put my all into doing this and get shit back as a reward. Not encouraging.

Because I believe that my failure is a product of shitty form and trying to do too many different techniques within short periods of time, I would like some feedback pertaining to what i should do. I think that I should do a periodization program again and focus on my form more than anything. Westside can help beginners a lot, but I think that it will benefit seasoned lifters to a greater extent. With a oldschool program, I can practice my form on certain days. I do feel, though, that speed work (for bench) has been somewhat beneficial.

Thanks for any opinions and replies that I get. I have been reading this board a lot longer than I have been posting and know that there are a lot of talented and educated people here that kindly help their fellow lifters. Sorry I can't give feedback until later tonight, but I am going out for a while and will be back around nine o clock chicago time to respond. Thank you for putting up with that annoyingly long post!

 

[endpoint]

I know im gonna get shot for saying this....but i dont belive in westside for begginers.
there are not enough heavy full ROM.

I belive that a newish lifter should stick with a program that lets them get farmiliar with the bench press squat and deadlift in its purest form

 

[benchmonster]

Depending upon your bodyweight and age, those are not numbers to get terribly discouraged about.

IMHO, I would not recommend doing a western periodization type workout to anyone. I would especially discourage a person who is not naturally fast and strong, with big joints and great recovery ability from trying it.

I lifted weights for 10 years before discovering Westside. In the 10 years of slugging around doing poorly thought out workouts with not much of a plan besides "I want to get strong" I managed to get up to a whopping 355 bench at age 26 and bodyweight of 215.

One year later, I am benching over 500 lbs at just a slightly higher bodyweight. I absolutely know that the Westside system is responsible for this gain. I lifted hard for the last 10 years, I watched what I ate, and I increased my bodyweight during that time from about 150 to over 215, but with marginal strength increases.

If you are really interested in getting strong, I strongly recommend getting with the conjugate system. Read everything you can get ahold of that discusses strength, and stick to the program. Don't miss workouts.

Go to elitefts.com and read every single article over there. Then read them 2 or 3 more times. Get a copy of the videos, if you can't swing them, e-mail me, and I will let you take a peek at my copies. Do these things and you can get to a strength level you can hardly imagine right now.

B.

 

[p03t1c]

i have to agree with bm on this one.

my gf is my workout partner and she's 5'10" and before going to westside she just sorta did some horseshit in the corner with my guidance though horseshit none the less, but after switching she has hit the 300 lb deadlift and is soaring for more. u just have to take out your frustrations in the gym. maybe u just need some motivation. maybe u need to find a person that motivates u and have them smack u around or whatever the hell it takes to get u to lift the weight. the more time i spend complaining about what i lift the lower my total goes. if i get a little crazy and go hit the weights a pr is gonna fall or i'm gonna bust my ass of trying to get it.

 

[lilmikey]

Depending upon your bodyweight and age, those are not numbers to get terribly discouraged about.

IMHO, I would not recommend doing a western periodization type workout to anyone. I would especially discourage a person who is not naturally fast and strong, with big joints and great recovery ability from trying it.

I lifted weights for 10 years before discovering Westside. In the 10 years of slugging around doing poorly thought out workouts with not much of a plan besides "I want to get strong" I managed to get up to a whopping 355 bench at age 26 and bodyweight of 215.

One year later, I am benching over 500 lbs at just a slightly higher bodyweight. I absolutely know that the Westside system is responsible for this gain. I lifted hard for the last 10 years, I watched what I ate, and I increased my bodyweight during that time from about 150 to over 215, but with marginal strength increases.

If you are really interested in getting strong, I strongly recommend getting with the conjugate system. Read everything you can get ahold of that discusses strength, and stick to the program. Don't miss workouts.

Go to elitefts.com and read every single article over there. Then read them 2 or 3 more times. Get a copy of the videos, if you can't swing them, e-mail me, and I will let you take a peek at my copies. Do these things and you can get to a strength level you can hardly imagine right now.

B.

Thanks B. I have read everything there two or three times, and it all makes sense on paper. I hardly ever miss workouts as it is, and it isn't diet cuz i am really good with that too. I eat like a bulking bodybuilder only i don't cry if I have Wendys.

It isn't that I am discouraged with my lifts. I am relatively strong. It is the lack of progress that discourages me. And I can totally say that it is not a lack of intensity, motivation, or anything like that. It is my form on the lifts. I am particularly mentioning the squat. I've done wide stance, narrow stance, feet out, feet straight, etc. The only consistency lies in a hella arched back and solid abs while leaning forward in a good morning position. I do box squats and sit way the hell back, release the hip flexors, and without moving my feet stand up as fast as i can. But when i go to do a real squat once every blue moon... it feels foreign and i fucking suck at it. That's where discouragement sets in.

I just don't feel like the world renowned box squats are doing much for me. They get my hammies strong and then I can't hold good squat form... so when i actually do squat... I don't utilize much of the strength i gained. Err... I don't use it as well as i could.

This is like why i think, as endpoint said, that I should be practicing the actual movements. Granted I have no doubt that Westside makes people strong as hell. you are a living testament. Obviously a lot of people are. But, I appreciate your feedback and don't think that I will give up westside all together... I just want some way to incorporate actual movements into the system. Perhaps in the way that powerlifterjay incorporates the actual benchpress movement into his routine, I could incorporate the actual squat instead of speedwork into my routine. At least in this point in my training. My bench has been increasing steadily, just slowly; my squat has gone from up to down to up to now.


Anyway, thanks again and i appreciate any other feedback.

 

[lilmikey]

i have to agree with bm on this one.

my gf is my workout partner and she's 5'10" and before going to westside she just sorta did some horseshit in the corner with my guidance though horseshit none the less, but after switching she has hit the 300 lb deadlift and is soaring for more. u just have to take out your frustrations in the gym. maybe u just need some motivation. maybe u need to find a person that motivates u and have them smack u around or whatever the hell it takes to get u to lift the weight. the more time i spend complaining about what i lift the lower my total goes. if i get a little crazy and go hit the weights a pr is gonna fall or i'm gonna bust my ass of trying to get it.

Haha... yeah. I am motivated enough, though, I don't have a training partner. I will have one during the school year but I don't know anybody committed enough to training, and even less so, to strength training. And you are right, taking out your anger in the weightroom is the most productive thing to do with it. Thanks.

 

[powerlifterjay]

This by no means the gospel speaking! But here is what i do.

Monday, Flat bench, then tris, and shoulders

TUes ,, Back, We will do either, Good mornings, chains susopended, or not, maybe seated, or do reverse dead lifts with green bands, or stiff legs off blocks, then revers hypers, and lats

Wed off

Thurs Boards any size board we feel like, ( i sometimes use all of them in one workout) . 1 week may be bands up , next bands down, next no bands. Or NOW we will do Floor presses, with bands done the same way. Then one more Tri exercise, (dumbells behind the head, or Elbow outs),

Friday We do box squats 1 week is speed , the next wek i will go to a single or double. With bands up ,( remeber every Tues is heavy) down whatever i feel like. Low box , high box , whatever i feel like. Then other leg shit. Then i hit lats again lightly.

Now monday i bench. This last monday me and Jimmie Dean met down the middle! I did speed up to 315lbs. I did 225 for a few then 275 then 315. All were pretty fast. But then we had blue bands suspended in the rack. I then did singles up to 625lbs no bands or boards, just an old fashion bench press with the weight getting heavier all the way up. I had about 475 on my chest, and 600 at lockout. We loved it. Now i may not go to singles every week but thats the way were gonna do this. After speed your warmed up then you go right into about 5 sets of 3 or to a single and you get the best of both worlds. He was happy and so was I! I will let you knwo how this new way is working for me.

But i like full rang of motion. Tongiht we pulled sumo only straight from the floor no bands just weight and gravity. So do full range movements but throw in westside execises were you need them. If you need speed, work on it, then the next week go heavy. Sorry if i am being too vague but its so simple and i like it that way. Beside were strong so it works!!

 

[lilmikey]

You're not being too vague at all! Thank you very much Jay. That is an excellent routine! I love the idea of using speed bench to warm up! It seems to be just the thing i am looking for. Like you said - there is no refuting that you are strong. I really do appreciate your reply. Tell me how it all works out. Ill create a tentative routine based on what you said and wait until others respond.

I think it's very clever to combine both programs like that. It would allow me to learn the form and keep it fresh so that come maxing time, I would beable to have it down. Yet the benefits of westside aren't compromised!

Do you do Quad work and shit like that, like FREAK19 does for Squat supplemental exercises? I rarely do that stuff if ever, but i think that is something that is dependent on the form of the squatter.

Btw I don't know if i listed my physical stats:
I am 151 lbs, and 5'6.6" tall. Around 11-12% BF.

 

[Cubanito17]

WOW what's this westside is not for beginners. CAN someone please elaborate on that I've been lifting since Nov 2001 would that consider me a beginner stil????? I train westside right now

 

[lilmikey]

WOW what's this westside is not for beginners. CAN someone please elaborate on that I've been lifting since Nov 2001 would that consider me a beginner stil????? I train westside right now

You've made good gains on Westside from what i remember. I think you just popped three hundred on the bench - good job. Some people think that strictly westside powerlifting as a beginner doesn't allow the lifter to get a feel for the form and learn it through repetition, because the only time that you perform an actual bench press, deadlift, or squat is when testing your max, or toward the end of a cycle.

Periodization routines are simpler, and these programs allow you to bench, deadlift, and squat often, thereby helping you get a "feel" for the form of the lifts. Come maxing time, the lifts may feel foreign if you are a beginner and had been training with westside.

But like everyone said, Westside works, and works well. The majority of the board uses their tried and true techniques and posts jaw dropping numbers on a daily basis. I am just saying that it isn't working well for me. I am getting stronger on all of the assistence and supplemental exercises, but that doesn't mean shit because i get no carryover to the actual lifts. This is mostly due to shitty form which isn't ever practiced. Sure, i've read all about them, but mere words cannot duplicate coaching by an experienced individual.

Hope this clears up something about my post and/or your question Cubanito. Btw, I just wanted to say it's really cool how much you've progressed since December when i was reading these boards. Great job.