Got any Westside Style Training Tips?

[quote]marlboroman wrote:

[quote]andrew88 wrote:
What do you guys like to do as your second exercise on upper body days? Heavy triceps stuff like board work with relatively higher reps (5-8), and for how many sets? How much work with the general bench stroke have you guys found to be too much? I am at school and I don’t have boards or a place to do floor presses so I feel like doing a second full range of motion press is a little too much on my shoulders.

Also, I have found recently that my lats get a lot of work in every training session and accumulate a ton of fatigue. I have adjusted my back work on upper body days to reduce the overall stress a bit. Has anyone else had this?[/quote]

my current favorite is narrow grip 2 brd and 3 brd …2 to 4 sets in the same rep range as the ME lift . sometimes I move it to DE day in place of pressing against bands , but then Ill work it for more sets .

my lats dont get over-stressed , but my lower back seems to get hit hard ever since I started focusing on a tighter bench set up . and something in the left pec/collar bone area screams from benching and squatting (kinda wish I had a safety squat bar).[/quote]

I have had the same collar bone problem, I think. Check out Eric Cressey’s shoulder/t-spine mobility thing, it has definitely helped me out.

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]marlboroman wrote:
SRS…about your #1 . care to elaborate further ?
I sometimes think I put too much emphasis on this .

WildIron…Ive noticed similar posts about “group” training when using WS/conjugate templates . that stance would be true regardless of the system…no ? (not doubting…just asking)

squatting against bands took it’s toll on me pretty quick (hips/low,low back);same thing happened when benching with them at first . but that second lower body day did wonders for me from a recovery standpoint . next 2 DE cycles will be box squat against bands , but lighter than recomended…more for hamstring/glute recovery .[/quote]

Yeah, it probably is true for almost any sport really. How many top athletes in any sport practice alone with no coaching? I’m not sure why people are so stubborn about lifting not requiring coaching.[/quote]

expense is probably the main reason why most guys dont seek a coach. and access . powerlifting is such an underground sport , its practitioners are few and far between .

thanks Andrew…I’ll have to try that

[quote]thephantom wrote:

Pinto, how often do you do the free squatting for your ME work? I am considering making my ME exercises just variations of the free squat (band-lightened, suited, etc) and was wondering what you do.

[/quote]

Every week. For example, a few weeks back I did:

Week 1- reverse green band squats to max double (wraps); SSB suspended GMs for a a few heavy singles
Week 2- camber bar squats w/280 of chain to a max single (wraps); camber bar GMs to a max single
Week 3- straight bar squats to max triple with straight weight (briefs/wraps); deficit pulls to heavy single
Week 4- SSB squats to max single (briefs/wraps); deads with 405 base weight, adding chains up to a max single

[quote]Pinto wrote:

[quote]thephantom wrote:

Pinto, how often do you do the free squatting for your ME work? I am considering making my ME exercises just variations of the free squat (band-lightened, suited, etc) and was wondering what you do.

[/quote]

Every week. For example, a few weeks back I did:

Week 1- reverse green band squats to max double (wraps); SSB suspended GMs for a a few heavy singles
Week 2- camber bar squats w/280 of chain to a max single (wraps); camber bar GMs to a max single
Week 3- straight bar squats to max triple with straight weight (briefs/wraps); deficit pulls to heavy single
Week 4- SSB squats to max single (briefs/wraps); deads with 405 base weight, adding chains up to a max single[/quote]

Thanks for the info!

[quote]marlboroman wrote:

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]marlboroman wrote:
SRS…about your #1 . care to elaborate further ?
I sometimes think I put too much emphasis on this .

WildIron…Ive noticed similar posts about “group” training when using WS/conjugate templates . that stance would be true regardless of the system…no ? (not doubting…just asking)

squatting against bands took it’s toll on me pretty quick (hips/low,low back);same thing happened when benching with them at first . but that second lower body day did wonders for me from a recovery standpoint . next 2 DE cycles will be box squat against bands , but lighter than recomended…more for hamstring/glute recovery .[/quote]

Yeah, it probably is true for almost any sport really. How many top athletes in any sport practice alone with no coaching? I’m not sure why people are so stubborn about lifting not requiring coaching.[/quote]

expense is probably the main reason why most guys dont seek a coach. and access . powerlifting is such an underground sport , its practitioners are few and far between . [/quote]

It can be difficult to find a true powerlifting gym. Most of them aren’t that expensive compared to other sports though. It’s not like buying personal training or anything. Even in California which is more expensive than most places the powerlifting gyms are $75-150/mo. I was paying $100/mo to play hockey once a week, so getting to train 4 times a week for that price is a pretty good deal.

Has anyone had luck with using ME band presses to help with a midpoint sticking point? I was thinking about doing it with a phonebook or two to spare my joints.

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]marlboroman wrote:

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]marlboroman wrote:
SRS…about your #1 . care to elaborate further ?
I sometimes think I put too much emphasis on this .

WildIron…Ive noticed similar posts about “group” training when using WS/conjugate templates . that stance would be true regardless of the system…no ? (not doubting…just asking)

squatting against bands took it’s toll on me pretty quick (hips/low,low back);same thing happened when benching with them at first . but that second lower body day did wonders for me from a recovery standpoint . next 2 DE cycles will be box squat against bands , but lighter than recomended…more for hamstring/glute recovery .[/quote]

Yeah, it probably is true for almost any sport really. How many top athletes in any sport practice alone with no coaching? I’m not sure why people are so stubborn about lifting not requiring coaching.[/quote]

expense is probably the main reason why most guys dont seek a coach. and access . powerlifting is such an underground sport , its practitioners are few and far between . [/quote]

It can be difficult to find a true powerlifting gym. Most of them aren’t that expensive compared to other sports though. It’s not like buying personal training or anything. Even in California which is more expensive than most places the powerlifting gyms are $75-150/mo. I was paying $100/mo to play hockey once a week, so getting to train 4 times a week for that price is a pretty good deal.[/quote]

true

there is a hard-core dungeon type gym in my city …for something like 30 bucks a month . very small membership and I know nobody who lifts there . Ive thought about joining , but then thought about it this way…so I get there for ME bench day , and to my surprise theres absolutely nobody else there (key-card entry)… now what to do . at the ymca ($25 per month) Im currently at , I at least can find somebody to spot on the bench even without a regular training partner . but Ive heard theres a few pretty good lifters at the hardcore place . fuckin’ dilemna .

but yeah , you’re right . gym membership is pretty cheap compared to most hobbies . it’s the meets that I cant afford…haha . in time .

[quote]marlboroman wrote:

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]marlboroman wrote:

[quote]Wild_Iron_Gym wrote:

[quote]marlboroman wrote:
SRS…about your #1 . care to elaborate further ?
I sometimes think I put too much emphasis on this .

WildIron…Ive noticed similar posts about “group” training when using WS/conjugate templates . that stance would be true regardless of the system…no ? (not doubting…just asking)

squatting against bands took it’s toll on me pretty quick (hips/low,low back);same thing happened when benching with them at first . but that second lower body day did wonders for me from a recovery standpoint . next 2 DE cycles will be box squat against bands , but lighter than recomended…more for hamstring/glute recovery .[/quote]

Yeah, it probably is true for almost any sport really. How many top athletes in any sport practice alone with no coaching? I’m not sure why people are so stubborn about lifting not requiring coaching.[/quote]

expense is probably the main reason why most guys dont seek a coach. and access . powerlifting is such an underground sport , its practitioners are few and far between . [/quote]

It can be difficult to find a true powerlifting gym. Most of them aren’t that expensive compared to other sports though. It’s not like buying personal training or anything. Even in California which is more expensive than most places the powerlifting gyms are $75-150/mo. I was paying $100/mo to play hockey once a week, so getting to train 4 times a week for that price is a pretty good deal.[/quote]

true

there is a hard-core dungeon type gym in my city …for something like 30 bucks a month . very small membership and I know nobody who lifts there . Ive thought about joining , but then thought about it this way…so I get there for ME bench day , and to my surprise theres absolutely nobody else there (key-card entry)… now what to do . at the ymca ($25 per month) Im currently at , I at least can find somebody to spot on the bench even without a regular training partner . but Ive heard theres a few pretty good lifters at the hardcore place . fuckin’ dilemna .

but yeah , you’re right . gym membership is pretty cheap compared to most hobbies . it’s the meets that I cant afford…haha . in time .[/quote]

Usually guys at places like that train at a given time that doesn’t change from week to week. Getting with a good training group and people who are stronger than you is by far one of the best things you can do for your training.

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Has anyone had luck with using ME band presses to help with a midpoint sticking point? I was thinking about doing it with a phonebook or two to spare my joints.[/quote]

Yes. I have done these shirted and raw off 2 and 3 boards. Its a tough movement as compared to straight weight board presses. The bands seem to take mostthe benfit you get out of popping the weight off the wood. You have to stay very tight throughout.

Most gyms like that should have set times where most of the members show up to train together. It’d be worth contacting the owner. You honestly want that team environment where people train together.

My gym is only open 10 hours a week. You have to go the 4 times a week when everyone else is there to train. I didn’t want it to be where people show up when they need help/spotters, then aren’t around when other people need help from them.

It’s worked out great. There’s no official rules about it, but everyone comes in to help even when they take the week before/after a meet off. There’s no official rule about going to meets to help handle lifters, but everyone does it unless they are out of town that weekend. It’s just the expectations that we have for each other.