I’m thinking of starting a Westside program. I’m contemplating buying a set of chains and a 2-board press from elitefts to start. Would these be two good items to have? Or would a 1 board or 3 be more beneficial??
Elitefts is a great place but I would go check out some home improvement stores. For the price of their 2 board you could make a full set of boards. And if you look you can setup the chains yourself for cheaper. Use the money you save to buy training templetes or DVD’s from elite
have you lifted in a powerlifting style before? im not going to offend you by asking if youve lifted weights before, but i ask about powerlifting because i had been given the advice that if i wanted to get into more of a powerlifting style then i should try Westside For Skinny Bastards (WS4SB) first.
also, its not necessarily for skinny bastards as you might think. i am 5’9" 202lbs. while im not the biggest mofo around, i do have some muscle to speak of. anyway, i just completed a week of it and loved it. i would suggest checking it out at least.
this doesnt need bands or chains or anything like that also. you can choose to do board presses as part of it though i believe.
[quote]infin|ty wrote:
I’m thinking of starting a Westside program. I’m contemplating buying a set of chains and a 2-board press from elitefts to start. Would these be two good items to have? Or would a 1 board or 3 be more beneficial?
[/quote]
A two board is more beneficial to you than a 3 or 1 board. You can use a 2 during ME upper body workouts and get more benefit as a raw lifter.
I use a westside template and train without gear and have used three boards, but I like them better for lockout work after DE work rather than a ME exercise.
You can really get boards for cheap. I just have a bunch and tape whatever number I want together with duct tape. Chains and bands are great tools, but they aren’t a must for someone who hasn’t lifted this way before.
If I were you, I would do WSSB, or at least read through it, as it is a great program to introduce a lifter to the Westside style.
If you’re really ready to use those methods, I would buy their chains and build your own boards.
You can’t buy the chains they use at Elite at Home Depot, or they’re at least not readily available. By the time you buy enough of the heaviest chain they have at HD to make a 30 lb chain, you’ve spent as much as it would cost you to buy them at Elite. And you’ve wasted a lot of time.
The boards though are just too easy to make on your own to bother buying them. Just go buy a 12 foot 2x6, cut it up and screw the peices together. You can make 1, 2, 3 and 4 board presses in no time.