Critique WS4SB Routine

I’m starting westside 4 sb and i just wanted to get some input on what i’ve laid out.

Mon:
Bench(work up to max set of 5 reps)
DB Press 4x6-10
Horizontal Rows 4x10-15
Standing Face Pulls 3x12-15
Abs 3x8-15

Wed:
Squat(WOrk up to max set of 3-5 reps)
Barbell Step ups 3x8-15 reps
Reverse Hyper 3x6-10
Leg Press 3x6-10

Fri:
Bench(3 sets of max reps)
Rope pushdowns 4x5-10 reps
Pull Ups 4x8-12
DB shoulder press 3x10-15
Barbell Curls 3x8-10
Ab Circuit

any advice is appreciated, thank you

hi j281,

Questions:

  • Do you play a sport or do any training outside the WSSB program? If you do what sport?

  • Are you planning to do any grip work (as suggested in the program)?

Comments:

  • On your leg day, you have squat then step-up then leg press, it seems to me that it is too quad dominant and no enough ham work. Would you think about replacing leg press with RDL, pull-through or glute-ham raise?

  • I would also suggest benching with a different grip on the two upper body days i.e. Wide grip on ME, medium or narrow or DB bench on RE day.

Just my 2cents,

Geek boy

I don’t play organized sports other than ball with friends.

My gym doesn’t offer many devices that i can utilize for grip work…so i usually wait till i get home to do plate pinches.

Yes i added in the leg press because…without it i only had 3 exercises for that day which i dont think was enough…so i’ll try to incorporate the workouts you provided. Btw…what is RDL?

Why do you need someone to “critique” this workout? It was a workout template laid out for people to follow to get bigger/stronger so aslong as you just follow it you will get results. No need to just type out a workout that an article was already written about.

well adziar to make sure i’m getting the right idea with this program.

If you aren’t playing a sport or doing sprints or some other physical activity you should opt for the added leg day. I can’t remember Mr. Defranco’s exact recommendations but it was similar to the assistance work on the ME leg day. Take out the leg press and add something like good mornings or a romanian deadlift as suggested, do a search and you’ll find some descriptions.

[quote]adziar wrote:
Why do you need someone to “critique” this workout? It was a workout template laid out for people to follow to get bigger/stronger so aslong as you just follow it you will get results. No need to just type out a workout that an article was already written about.[/quote]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Aside from questions about the DE/RE leg day, there isn’t much to ask about this program.

For some reason people seem to have a hard time dealing with this, but if you follow the program as DeFranco wrote it, it works. Why change it?

[quote]j281 wrote:
well adziar to make sure i’m getting the right idea with this program. [/quote]

Follow the program. After 7 or 8 months, you’ll know exactly what you can switch up, what’s weakest, etc.

Cycle your ME exercise every couple weeks, and don’t be afraid to add a set or two to your pulling, especially on your back (there’s alot of pressing in this program).

After a while, you’ll adapt to the volume, and be able to either increase the intensity or add some sets, or both. Its worked great for me.

[quote]j281 wrote:
I don’t play organized sports other than ball with friends.

My gym doesn’t offer many devices that i can utilize for grip work…so i usually wait till i get home to do plate pinches.

Yes i added in the leg press because…without it i only had 3 exercises for that day which i dont think was enough…so i’ll try to incorporate the workouts you provided. Btw…what is RDL? [/quote]

RDL is Romanian deadlift.

I echo what FightinIrish said above. Stick with the original (that’s why I recommend a p-chain dominance lift instead of leg press). It works fine for me and other T-Nation members as well. Once you get the hang of it (it may take a few cycles), you may look into switching things up and/or add a extra leg day.

btw, I train a 4-days split: Upper body ME, lower body ME, upper body RE and a KB day (as recommended by DeFranco).

Geek boy