Coach Defranco, thank you for taking your time to answer questions here in this forum. Allright, couple questions on your training protocols, if you would be so kind:
At what point do you qualify as a “skinny bastard”? I ask because I’m currently 27 years old, been training for 10 years seriously, 6’ 190 lbs with around 9% bf. Best lifts include 315 bench, 500 deadlift, 350 lbs squat (below parallel). I like the program though and have started it.
On the bench press for reps day, you recommend repping out with 185, 205, or 225, how do you decide which you should use? Is there some “cutoff” like if you bench <x work with 185, <x use 205, ect?
Sorry if these are redundant questions or have been asked and answered before. Once again, thanks for your help!
Like I stated in the article, my modified westside program isn’t just for skinny bastards. I first started using those protocols for skinny bastards, but then I found other uses for these protocols.
For example, when Augie Hoffmann of Boston College first started training with me for his NFL Pro Day, I used my “skinny bastard” template with him for the first couple of weeks. (By the way, Augie is 6’02" and 317lbs.) He’s NOT a skinny bastard!!!LOL! But I used the skinny bastard program with him because his shoulders were a little banged up from his long season and he had lost quite a bit of muscle mass while gaining some fat during the season. Substitutung the dynamic upper body days with the rep days were easier on his joints and helped him to pack on some muscle mass and change his physique. It also got him to build up a tolerance to high rep training for the 225lb. bench test at his Pro Day.
So as you can see, the skinny bastard program isn’t really about whether or not you qualify as a skinny bastard. It’s about what your training goals are for a particular cycle.
Now onto your question about what weight to use for the barbell benches for reps…
I recommend a weight that you can perform between 20-40 reps on your first set. The weights that I listed were just popular weights that we often choose. You can use any weight that you like. Some people find it fun to do 3 sets of max reps with their bodyweight. Just make sure that you don’t choose a weight that’s so heavy that you get buried on your 2nd and 3rd set!
[quote]Joe DeFranco wrote:
Like I stated in the article, my modified westside program isn’t just for skinny bastards. I first started using those protocols for skinny bastards, but then I found other uses for these protocols.
For example, when Augie Hoffmann of Boston College first started training with me for his NFL Pro Day, I used my “skinny bastard” template with him for the first couple of weeks. (By the way, Augie is 6’02" and 317lbs.) He’s NOT a skinny bastard!!!LOL! But I used the skinny bastard program with him because his shoulders were a little banged up from his long season and he had lost quite a bit of muscle mass while gaining some fat during the season. Substitutung the dynamic upper body days with the rep days were easier on his joints and helped him to pack on some muscle mass and change his physique. It also got him to build up a tolerance to high rep training for the 225lb. bench test at his Pro Day.
So as you can see, the skinny bastard program isn’t really about whether or not you qualify as a skinny bastard. It’s about what your training goals are for a particular cycle.
Now onto your question about what weight to use for the barbell benches for reps…
I recommend a weight that you can perform between 20-40 reps on your first set. The weights that I listed were just popular weights that we often choose. You can use any weight that you like. Some people find it fun to do 3 sets of max reps with their bodyweight. Just make sure that you don’t choose a weight that’s so heavy that you get buried on your 2nd and 3rd set! [/quote]
3 years gone,but this great program from even greater coach still rocks!!!
lol wtf, why is this here…and that guy trained for 10 years?! with those gains, thats kinda shitty lol. i hope his goals weren’t strength and size, and he played soccer or something.
[quote]rasturai wrote:
lol wtf, why is this here…and that guy trained for 10 years?! with those gains, thats kinda shitty lol. i hope his goals weren’t strength and size, and he played soccer or something.[/quote]
You call his gains shitty? I think his stats are good.And you dont know where he started from.