Westside for Beginners

Westside

for

Beginners

Sean F. Kelly, CSCS

Please read - Very important!

Prerequisites for undertaking this program include the ability to correctly and completely execute all of the major full body, free weight lifts: the squat, bench press, dead-lift, standing press and basic assistance exercises through their full ranges of motion. A further requirement is the successful completion of a weight training program involving all of these lifts with an adequate volume of work and successful increases in strength. A basic understanding of lifting equipment such as racks, belts and chalk is also required. This program should not be undertaken without the permission of a physician or by anyone with any injuries or health issues that may result in adverse affects.

Disclaimer

Warning: Consult your physician before using this or any exercise program. Any user of this exercise program assumes the risk of injury resulting from performing the exercises or utilizing the suggested equipment. Extreme care must be taken in selecting and using properly maintained exercise equipment. The instruction and advice presented are in no way a substitute for medical counseling. The creators, producers and distributors of this program disclaim any liability in connection with the exercises and advice herein. Nor do they accept any responsibility for any injury, loss, or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining to act as a result of any information or suggestion contained herein. The materials contained herein are provided for general information purposes only. This information is not intended for use as a substitute for consultation or advice given by a qualified medical practitioner or health practitioner. You should consult a physician before beginning any program of weight lifting, exercise or diet.

Introduction

The Westside system – an explanation

Primary methods used

What is % training?

What are box squats?

The 3 week “Wave”

Accommodating resistance

Chains

Bands

The Program

The incredible “New Exercise” Creation Matrix

Warming up before lifting

The dynamic warm-up

Changing assistance exercises

Time length of workouts

Short, Special workouts

Restoration

General Physical Preparation (GPP)

Flexibility

What about muscle size?

Why do all this? Why not just lift more and get bigger and stronger?

How does Westside get such amazing results?

Why Westside? Aren’t there other elite programs?

Differences between this program and the original Westside

Measuring your progress

Where are you lifting?

What about diet?

Final Word

Summary of the primary methods and principles employed by Westside

Miscellaneous exercises

Sample Workouts

About the author

Resources

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Q U E S T I O N :

Okay, so what the hell is “Westside” and why is there a weight training program named after it? A N S W E R :

Westside Barbell Club is a gym located in Columbus, Ohio. It’s not just any gym though. Westside is arguably the most successful and famous strength training gym in the free world. The elite members of this private gym are likely the strongest collection of people on the planet. They have the power-lifting world records to prove it. Many members can squat over 1,000 pounds, and bench press over 800. Hell, they have 132 pound ladies who bench press over 400 pounds and squat over 500. The methods these folks use to get so strong are known are known collectively as “Westside”. The gym is owned and operated by a guy named Louis Simmons.

Q U E S T I O N : Who is Lou Simmons? A N S W E R :

Lou Simmons is an elite power-lifter himself (even into his 6th decade) and a hell of a nice guy. He’s also a strength consultant to countless NFL, college and pro teams, and champion athletes from almost every sport under the sun. For decades now, Louis has compiled the best scientific information available from around the globe for creating the strongest, most powerful athletes possible. He collected these mostly unknown methods and ideas from the best Russian, Bulgarian, and Eastern bloc strength coaches and scientists. He also attained this information from other doctors and scientists who themselves gathered and translated this knowledge from around the world. He then summarized all this stuff and put it into practice. Thus, the Westside program was born. He applies these ideas to the athletes at his gym and anyone else who takes the time and effort to understand them. Applying these methods himself, Lou broke all of his own strength records in his 50’s!

As Louis Simmons and Westside produced more and more champion athletes his ideas became more revered in the world of elite athletics. So much so, that he is not only in demand around the world to divulge the Westside principles, but coaches and athletes the world over come to Westside to learn these successful methods. More and more of the worlds best professional and amateur athletes are benefitting from this elite information on how to become stronger and faster.

What about the rest of us though? What about regular people who aspire to become the best that they can possibly be or those who just want to get into better shape?

I know, I know…. many of us may not be 19 year old aspiring athletes trying to make the Olympics. The vast majority of us reluctantly slog over to our neighborhood “big-box” gym to endure 1 or 2 hours of treadmills, stair machines, aerobics classes and isolating gym machine exercises. We submit to the personal trainers and popular methods of our modern fitness industry. We pay a lot of money in the desperate hope that we can improve our physical conditions.

Unfortunately, statistics and the mirror prove that these methods are failing us miserably. Just take a stroll through your neighborhood grocery store; most of us are overweight or far worse. The diet and fitness industry is getting a ton of our money though – close to $60 billion a year.

Talking about elite athletic strength principles and regular folks in the same breath may sound like a complete contradiction. This apparent mismatch may seem at first a preposterous idea:

■_{Wouldn’t we get injured?}

■Should non-athletic or older people even attempt this stuff?

The answers may surprise you. These ideas are extremely scalable – almost anyone can do them. Would you start with the same volumes? Nope. Would you need to use the huge amounts of weight that many elite athletes use? Nope - not even close! Make no mistake though, the average person, regardless of their age or gender can easily use these highly effective methods to succeed like never before.

So, this program asks and then answers the question:

“What if you applied the most elite athletic strength and conditioning principles

to the average individual, regardless of age or gender?”

I first discovered the Westside methods years ago. After using them myself I then began to study the great body of scientific research Westside was based on. I soon realized that amazing congruencies exist between what regular people like me are after and what these elite methods provide. In my experience, here is a list of what we want:

■_{We want fat loss! We want to lose this damn fat, now!} ■_{We want good looking “toned” muscles}

■We want to be stronger

■We want shorter workouts and less time in the gym ■We want less workouts per week

■_{We want our time at the gym to be less boring, less painful and more exhilarating} ■_{We want results! We want the benefits of working out to highly outweigh the costs}

(that way - we might actually keep doing this stuff)

I can say with complete confidence that the methods in this program deliver everything on this list. More specifically, they provide the following:

✔ Minimum time in the gym (3-4 hours per week will be just fine)

✔ Maximum fat loss given the highest possible rise in resting metabolic rate ✔ Most rapid gains in new functional muscle possible

✔ _{Dramatic increases in bone, tendon and ligament strength}

✔ _{Fastest and most noticeable improvements in physical appearance}

✔ _{Strongest anti-aging effects (due especially to the maximal hormonal responses)} ✔ _{Short, exhilarating workouts that are continually changing}

✔ The integral involvement of the brain (improvement in concentration) in the workout ✔ The maximum amount of benefits for the least amount of time in the gym

✔ Due to the uncommon but highly effective methods (reserved for top athletes) the results allow for often never

before experienced levels of strength, function and appearance, regardless of age or gender

One of the first things you will need to do when undertaking this type of advanced program is to forget a lot of the less effective information you may have learned at your local big gym – stuff like:

• Do only slow, controlled movements

• Isolate your muscles one at a time in the nice, comfortable, cool looking machines

• Just concentrate on “pumping up” the muscles, don’t worry about how much weight you lift

• No pain – no gain

In this program we will address exactly why this information is inferior and can actually prevent you from reaching your goals. Please remember:

The strongest, fastest, physical “bad-asses” on the planet – both male and female are not the

bodybuilders and models you see in the popular fitness magazines!

They are in fact top athletes - fighters, football players, weight lifters, strength and Olympic athletes. Don’t worry. They too have great looking muscles.

Many of us read the popular fitness magazines for both men and ladies. They always have a “buff” model on the cover. The articles are mostly predictable: “top 10 ways to get a washboard stomach” or “12 ways to get bigger arms, guaranteed!”. Unfortunately for us, this stuff is mostly old, regurgitated body building information. The point here is to sell magazines, not to get you into the best shape of your life.

You have likely tried the workouts commonly suggested by the fitness industry. These programs typically mix resistance training and cardio training in a non-stop routine with little rest. They are usually high in volume, painful to get through, boring, and require immense will-power to repeat over and over again. The irony here is that these routines are proven to be ineffective and inferior compared to the more advanced scientific methods used by our best athletes. So, even with all of the hard work, pain, discipline, time and money we spend, we end up with really lousy results that were not worth all the time and effort.

You may have never heard much of the information in this program before. If some of the exercises, equipment or ideas are new please don’t worry, that’s to be expected. Most of us are not elite athletes or coaches. Most of us aren’t reading Bulgarian strength training manuals, the NSCA Journal of Strength and Conditioning, or pouring through the translated scientific work of Zatsiorsky, Verkhoshansky, Medvedyev, Prilepin or Siff. Before we start into this program it is important to explain a few of the elemental principles and methods involved. The next few headings will do just that. This way, the actual program will be far easier to understand and apply.

The Westside system – an explanation

Probably the best place to start in explaining the Westside principles is Newton’s second law of motion:

Force = Mass X Acceleration

An increase in either mass or acceleration will increase force. Westside takes both to their reasonable extremes. One training day per week is dedicated to moving as much weight as possible (the maximum effort day) and the other weekly training day is dedicated to accelerating the weight lifted as much as possible (the speed day). The upper and lower body will have both a maximum effort and speed day every week.

We want to work on speed because increasing your acceleration or the speed at which you can develop force, will actually improve your absolute strength. Summarizing Newton’s first law:

Objects in motion tend to stay in motion

Just think of trying to push a huge car that is stalled on the road, once you get it moving it requires less energy to keep it moving. You just need that really explosive effort at the beginning. The same holds true when pushing or pulling any large weight.

So, what this program will do is build the maximum amount of speed along with maximum absolute strength. This is precisely why so many athletes use these methods with such success.

Primary methods used

At the core of the Westside program are the 3 main methods proven to build absolute strength and power via inducing maximal muscle tension:

1. Method of maximal efforts – lifting as much weight as possible for single, or very few repetitions 2. Dynamic method – lifting a sub-maximal amount of weight with as much speed as possible 3. Repetition method – lifting a sub-maximal amount of weight until fatigue causes failure

Other amazingly effective methods will be employed as integral parts of this program, but these are the primary 3 that will build our foundation of strength and power. We will apply these methods first and foremost to the basic strength exercises. These free-weight lifts are good representations of biomechanically correct, multi-joint human movements:

■_Squat ■Bench press ■Dead-lift

These lifts, among many others we will use allow our muscles and joints to operate in the ways they are designed to work. These exercises and their variations will make workouts as efficient as possible. Spending the least amount of time in the gym for the greatest results is our priority here.

What is % training?

This is a method of keeping track of the loads you are lifting by classifying all weights as a percentage of the most you can lift in a single all out effort, with correct form. So, if your best single lift in the bench press is 200 pounds, then 200 pounds would be your current 1 repetition maximum (1RM). That would be 100% of the maximum you can possibly lift. Accordingly, 90% of your 1RM would be 180 pounds.

Percentage training will apply to every primary lift and is an integral part of applying the Westside program. If you want to accurately estimate your 1RM in any lift, do as many repetitions as you can in correct form with a weight just under, but reasonably close to what you think your maximum might be. Then consult a “1RM table” to get an estimate of your 1RM. (See the resources section for links to 1RM estimate tables.)

What are box squats?

Box squatting is simply a version of the basic squat exercise. The difference is that a low, sturdy box is placed just behind the lifter so that when they squat down into the low position, they sit back onto the box and rest for a second before exploding up off the box to finish the movement. Trying to configure a Westside training template without box squats is sort of like trying to teach someone how to play baseball without using gloves. It can be done, but it’s not the same. The box squat is such an integral part of this program that removing it completely and just replacing it with alternatives in an attempt to mimic this exercise will not do the Westside program justice. So I’m not going to try.

Rather, I will provide responsible instruction on how to quickly learn and benefit from this exercise. Please refer to the resources section at the end of this document for some great links to instruction on how to do this valuable lower body exercise. The issue here is not that box squats are an advanced exercise. Rather, it is the importance of being taught this exercise in a responsible way. It also means that only a responsible amount of weight should be used, especially at first. The following simple progression is a good way to begin practicing box squats:

1. With no weight, or a just a wooden bar, sit back gently onto a box that is just below parallel, then squat off the box

2. Squat back onto a box with foam/soft padding and rack pins in place for safety, beginning with a very low bar weight (up to 30% of a 1RM)

3. As above, working up to the 40-50% range of a 1RM

4. As above, but you may remove the extra foam or soft padding

If you are not able to go down to below parallel, start at a box height that your flexibility will allow by using ½ inch or 1 inch rubber pads to lower the box height gradually over time until your flexibility will allow you to be just below parallel.

The 3 week “Wave”

Throughout this program we will refer to a “3 week” wave, whereby you will be doing 1 particular exercise over a 3 week period. Over this period you will get stronger by increasing the load you are lifting, increasing the repetitions, or both. With each of the 3 consecutive workouts you will be improving both strength and speed. At the end of each 3 week period, you will complete a lighter transitional week (week 4) and then start a new 3 week wave with a new exercise. Finally, after 3 such consecutive waves (approximately 12 weeks or 3 months) you will take 1-2 weeks of active rest - doing some enjoyable exercise involving activities entirely different than maximal effort resistance training. This period will likely include getting right out of the gym. This basic plan will repeat throughout the program and will allow for continual gains. The 3 week wave and the subsequent rest periods noted provide built in restoration such that your chances of overtraining are slim to none.

Accommodating resistance

Have you ever noticed that when you bench press or squat, the hardest part is when the bar is in the bottom of the lift? With the bench press, that’s when the bar touches your chest. This is where many of us get stuck with heavy weight. At the top though, usually just past the mid-point the weight becomes easier to lift. Near the top, generally the weight will feel the lightest. This is why you see a lot of guys not lowering the bar all the way down to their chests when bench pressing. It is also one of the reasons many people don’t go all the way down below parallel when doing the squat.

The simple reason for this difficulty is that in these lower positions, you are in the worst mechanical position for lifting the weight. Your leverage is the weakest here. So for any lift, your posture changes the difficulty throughout the range of motion. “Accommodating resistance” simply means that you will make up for these differences and maximize muscular tension throughout the entire range of motion. Thus, the force you create will now match your posture. You will make the resistance greater at the top, and lower at the bottom. This is best accomplished by using chains.

Chains

Each length of chains should be 5/8 inches in size and 5 feet long. One of those lengths will then weigh approximately 20 pounds. Lighter chain, ¼ inch (or smaller size) will loop around each end of the bar. The heavy chain will then loop into the lighter chain so it is hanging off of each end of the bar. The chains must be set up so that when you are lifting the weight, in the bottom (lowest position) of the lift all of the heavy chain is coiled on the ground and only the bar weight (and the light chain) is being held. From that low position, as you lift the bar, more and more heavy chain will then be raised off of the ground thus increasing the load you are lifting. At the top of the lift when you are in the highest position, roughly ½ of the heavy chain should be off of the ground. You don’t want the entire length of the heavy chain off the floor, because it will swing in the air. Also, if you keep roughly ½ of the heavy chain on the floor when you are at the top of any lift you can quickly and easily keep track of how much you are lifting at the top by always adding ½ of the total chain weight to the bar and plate weight.

So, let’s say you used 135 pounds of bar and plates and added one 20 pound chain length on each end of the bar as described above. In the bottom of the lift, your total amount of resistance would be 135 pounds; at the top of the lift it would be 155 pounds. Again, approximately ½ of the heavy chain length should remain on the ground when you are at the top position of your lift. If you want to accommodate the resistance further, just add more heavy chain lengths and follow the same procedure. Chains can be used with dumbbells as well, simply by using one chain at a time.

Anyone starting this program may use chains. You can also use chains to suddenly release resistance in almost any lift, body weight or abdominal exercise. Pushups or reverse pushups are a good example. You would start with chains draped over your back, do as many pushups as possible and then have a partner take them off one at a time, allowing you to do more pushups with less resistance, until you stop after completing as many as you can with just your body weight. Please refer to the resources guide at the end of this program for all kinds of further information on how to set up and use chains.

Bands

Bands (basically, giant elastic bands) will accommodate resistance much like chains. Although, with bands the tension or resistance is even greater since they stretch. Bands used in conjunction with added weight on a barbell or dumbbell are a very advanced progression in the Westside program. Although anyone may start with chains, bands are not for use by novices in this capacity. Even those who have been on the Westside program for a few years do not need to use bands. They will provide no additional success over the other great tools in this program. In fact, bands will cause more harm than good for beginners. As such, they are a tool only to be used after other adaptations and methods have been thoroughly employed. Only advanced lifters with individual lift totals that are 2 and 3 times their body weight should consider using this advanced tool. We are still going to use bands though! The difference is that we will use only body weight and single bands alone, but no added weight. This will open up a whole new world of adaptations

that are highly effective and provide new and amazingly effective resistance. You can use a band to do pretty much any movement you can think of; for many exercises all you need is a rack, or something to which you can anchor the band. One example is throwing the band over the top of a power rack, holding it around your neck and doing standing sit-ups. You can do squats or good mornings by standing in a band with your feet on it and looping it over your back. Use your imagination and you can do pretty much any resistance movement. Simply change to a stronger band or add more bands to create more tension. The resources at the end of the program will provide some great instruction.

Devices that allow for accommodation of resistance such as bands and chains allow maximum speed at the beginning of the movement and maximum overload at the top where the lift is easier and requires an increase in load.

The Program

This program will involve 4 workouts per week – two for the upper body and two for the lower body. Remember Newton’s equation: Force = Mass X Acceleration. For the lower body, you will have one day dedicated to the maximum amount of weight you can lift (maximal effort day) and one day a week dedicated to acceleration (speed day). You will do the same thing for the upper body – two workouts per week, one for maximal efforts and one for speed. So, you are creating as much force as possible by addressing both mass (the amount of weight lifted) and acceleration (the speed at which you can move the weight)

“Lower body” days generally cover the muscles of the legs and lower back. “Upper body” days cover all other muscles.

W E S T S I D E T Y P I C A L W E E K L Y S C H E D U L E :

This weekly schedule is set up to allow for 3 days of recovery after the heavier “maximal effort” day workouts before the same muscle groups are worked again on the “speed” days. Of course, as long as adequate rest between workouts exists, you can change the workout days of the week to fit your own schedule.

I have divided and listed the exercises you will be doing under the headings “primary”, “assistance” and “additional”. So please refer to a particular list to choose a designated exercise. Now let’s look at what to do on each particular day:

M A X E F F O R T L O W E R B O D Y D A Y

■Choose 1 exercise from the Lower Body - Primary Exercises list and after warm up sets, work up to a weight

at or above 90% of your 1RM, where you can complete only 2-3 repetitions with an absolute maximal effort. Do 2 additional sets with the same weight or less, but use a load that is still above 90%. The next week you will try and beat the records you set by doing the same weight for additional repetitions or by adding weight. When you reach 5 repetitions or more it is time to add weight such that you can only do 2-3. Do the same exercise for 3 weeks, improving your numbers each week. You will then take a transitional week and after that start a new primary lower body exercise for a new 3 week wave.

■Choose 2 exercises from the Lower Body – Assistance Exercises list and complete 3 sets of 5-10 repetitions. ■Choose 1 exercise from the Lower Body – Additional Exercises list and complete 3 sets of 7-15 repetitions. ■Choose 1 exercise from the Abdominals list and complete 2 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions or higher.

Even though they are obviously not lower body muscles, lat work, shrugs or other upper back work may be done on this day. This will allow you to skip that muscle group on upper body days. These muscle groups would be done last at the end of the workout.

Monday

Tuesday

Sunday

Saturday

Friday

Thursday

Wednesday

M A X E F F O R T U P P E R B O D Y D A Y

■Choose 1 exercise from the Upper Body - Primary Exercises list and after warm up sets,

work up to a weight at or above 90% of your 1RM, where you can complete only 2-3 repetitions with an absolute maximal effort. Do 2 additional sets with the same weight or less, but use a load that is still above 90%. The next week you will try and beat the records you set by doing the same weight for additional repetitions or by adding weight. When you reach 5 repetitions or more it is time to add weight such that you can only do 2-3 reps. Do the same exercise for 3 weeks, improving your numbers each week, then start a new primary lower body exercise. You will then take a transitional week and after that start a new primary upper body exercise for a new 3 week wave.

■Choose 1 exercise from the Triceps list and complete 4 sets of 5-10 repetitions.

■Choose 1 exercise from the Upper back and Lats list and complete 3 sets of 7-15 repetitions. ■_{Choose 1 exercise from the Shoulders list and complete 3 sets of 7-15 repetitions.} ■_{Choose 1 exercise from the Abdominals list and complete 2 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions}

or even higher.

M A X E F F O R T D A Y S – G E N E R A L G U I D E L I N E S

■The 2 additional primary exercise sets on maximum effort days are to be completed with

the same explosive effort as the first set, but small decreases in the amount of weight lifted may allow for slightly higher repetitions. Still, the same amount of weight used for the first set (or even more) may also be used. Ex. first attempt for 3 repetitions resulted in 5, so weight increases by 10 pounds and a second attempt for 3 repetitions, 3rd set – attempt another 3 repetitions at the same weight. The lifter will adjust their basic plan here depending on their first set and how they feel during each workout. There are no strict rules regarding varying the reps as long as the most intense efforts are made and the load is above 90% of a 1RM. Examples of repetitions from first to last set could include: (3,3,3) (2,3,5) (1,3,3) etc. Rest between sets of primary exercises will typically be from 3 to 5 minutes.

■Rotate all of the exercise choices over the 3 week waves such that they are all being

included in your program. The primary exercises especially must be rotated such that they are equally included. Example, the first 3 week wave for the lower body max effort day may include a squat, and then the next 3 week wave would involve a form of dead-lift, followed by a good-morning.

■_{Don’t get too “psyched up” before lifting or you will burn yourself out.}

L O W E R B O D Y S P E E D D A Y

■_{The primary exercise on this day will be in the form of a box squat. Choose 1 form of}

squat exercise only from the Lower Body - Primary Exercises list and after warm up sets, start with 40% of your estimated 1RM and do 5 sets of 2 repetitions off of a box. You will rest only 1 minute between sets here. The idea is to concentrate on moving the bar with as much speed as humanly possible. After resting on the box for a split second, think of exploding off of it with as much force and speed as possible. Use approximately 10% of additional chain weight at the top of the lift to accommodate resistance. The next week, repeat the exact same box squat but this time use 45% of your estimated 1RM on the bar. Use the same sets and reps and add the same chain weight. The 3rd week, move up to 50% of your estimated 1RM on the bar. This 5% weekly increase in the load is known as a pendulum wave. Again, do 5 sets of 2 reps and keep everything else the same. Once this 3 week wave is completed and after taking a transitional week, start a new type of box squat and repeat the process, starting with 40% of a 1RM for a new 3 week wave. The height of the box can be varied from 1) below parallel 2) upper leg parallel to the floor 3) just above parallel.

■_{Any form of the dead-lift may be added right after the squats. You should do 5 sets of 1 repetition only and}

use 60% of a 1RM. Take no more than 45 seconds rest between these single rep sets. Like the squats, these dead-lifts must be completed with as much emphasis on explosive speed as possible. You do not need to add these dead-lifts sets to every lower body speed day. You can add these as much as every 2nd workout or even once every 3 or 4 workouts. For dead-lifts, simply “drape” the chains evenly over the ends of the bar, so that as you raise the bar the chain is progressively lifted off of the floor.

■_{Choose 1 exercise from the Lower Body – Assistance Exercises list and complete 3 sets of 10 – 15 repetitions.} ■_{Choose 1 exercise from the Lower Body – Additional Exercises list and complete 3 sets of 10 - 15 repetitions.} ■_{Choose 1 exercise from the Abdominals list and complete 2 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions or even higher.}

Always change exercises each 3 week period, via bars, bands, chains, stance, box height, etc. For example, a safety squat bar may be used for 3 weeks, followed by a cambered bar, then a regular bar. Front squats, high bar squats or low bar squats may also be rotated.

A box squat of some form will always be done on this day. Box heights variations include below parallel, at parallel and just above parallel.

U P P E R B O D Y S P E E D D A Y

■_{Our primary exercise here will be the bench press using a barbell. Choose 1 form of the bench press involving}

any type of barbell or grip and after warm up sets, use 60% of your 1RM. Do 5 sets of 3 repetitions. You will rest only 1 minute between sets here. The idea is to concentrate on moving the bar with as much speed as humanly possible. Try and improve your speed each week. Then start a new variation on the bench press. Use roughly 10% of additional chain weight at the top of the lift to accommodate resistance.

■Choose 1 exercise from the Triceps list and complete 4 sets of 10-15 repetitions

■Choose 1 exercise from the Upper back and Lats list and complete 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions ■Choose 1 exercise from the Biceps list and complete 3 sets of 7-15 repetitions

■_{Choose 1 exercise from the Abdominals list and complete 2 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions or even higher}

Pendulum waves are not used in the primary pressing exercise on speed days, like they are with box squats – just 60% of a 1RM with a primary goal of continually increasing the bar speed. Only a new 1RM record (or 1RM estimate given higher reps) in the bench press therefore will increase the bar weight since it will always be 60% of your 1RM.

Grips may be changed continually from a close grip where arms are roughly parallel, to an extra wide grip, one hand space outside of your regular grip. You may apply these grip variations to the sets in each workout, or change them for every 3 week wave.

Lower the bar and reverse it as quickly as possible, catching as though it is falling and reversing hard.

Always use chains if they are available to accommodate resistance. Use approximately 10% additional weight in chains, in addition to the 60% of a 1RM bar weight. Do only 3 reps per set and keep rest periods no longer than 60 seconds between sets.

S P E E D D A Y S – G E N E R A L G U I D E L I N E S

■One of the underlying principles here is that with sub-maximal weights you can exert more force than is actually

on the bar as long as speed is adequate, since F = M x A. Explosive bar speed is the most important factor here!

■_{Always use a barbell for the main lift.}

■Chains should always be used if available to help accommodate resistance.

■Always change the primary exercise for each new 3 week period, via chains, grip, stance, etc. ■Remember, repetitions for the primary lifts on speed day will always be:

- 2 for squats - 3 for bench - 1 for dead-lift

The reason here is to ensure the lifter can do the rep(s) at maximal velocity, without slowing down. These numbers have been carefully arrived at. Do not increase the reps just because you can! Put all your effort into moving the bar as fast as you possibly can for those few short repetitions.

■_{Rest between sets will be 1 minute or less.}

■_{Lower the bar with control, but with as much speed as possible. (see “high speed eccentrics” a little later on}

for explanation as to why).

■_{The weights used on speed days will be increased only when new 1RM maximums in the bench press and}

squat have been achieved since they are percentages (%) based on 1RM’s.

■_{All of the assistance and additional exercises on speed days should be completed with more emphasis on}

speed and explosiveness. As such, the repetition ranges are a little higher to allow for weights that are a little lighter than on the maximum effort days.

T H E T R A N S I T I O N W E E K S

As mentioned earlier, after every 3 week wave, take the 4th week as a transition week. For the upper body, that means on max effort day, substitute the usual primary, low rep barbell exercise with dumbbell presses. Any form can be used – incline, decline, off the floor, etc. Use a weight that allows a rep range of 15 to 20 and you must go to failure. 3 sets should be completed with up to 5 minutes rest between sets. Weighted pushups may also be used in the same way. The additional assistance work will remain the same; choose any of the exercises and do the prescribed or even higher repetition ranges.

For the lower body max effort day choose anything but a primary lower body exercise and do 3 sets of repetitions from 15 to 20 or even higher. That could be calf-glute-ham raises, back extensions, lunges, or any other assistance exercise. The additional assistance work will remain the same; choose any of the exercises and do the prescribed or even higher repetition ranges.

For the lower and upper body speed days, you can take them off entirely. Get out of the gym and enjoy some other form of physical activity. Alternatively, if you wish to stay in the gym choose any of the exercises on the respective lower and upper body days or variations thereof that you have not done recently or have never tried and do reps of 30 or above. The total # of sets and reps on these days will be purely at your discretion. Keep these workouts under 1 hour.

You will take another 1-2 week transitional period after 12 weeks have passed (3 full “3 week waves” along with the subsequent transition week after each wave). Take 1-2 weeks off, get out of the gym and enjoy some other form of exercises (active rest). For those who just can’t stand to be out of the gym, take just 1 transition week but do completely different exercises that you wouldn’t normally do on this program, or high repetition versions (even in the 30 to 100 rep and higher range) of exercises that you have never tried.

Please make sure you are following this list of responsible guidelines:

■A set should stop immediately as soon as the correct technique for an exercise can no longer be maintained ■Any exercises that are new must be approached with reasonable caution, respecting the new movement

pattern. Emphasis must be on correct technique and as such low weights should be used when first learning these lifts. Injury prevention is of paramount importance here.

■_{Once you are have effectively learned a new exercise, all repetitions must be done as explosively as possible}

with a primary emphasis on speed of movement, regardless of the load. Lighter loads on all speed days for all of the exercises will especially accommodate this emphasis.

■_{Repetitions and loads must be increased relentlessly. When repetitions of an exercise exceed a given range}

at one weight, increase the weight to lower the repetition range then work up to higher reps again. Repeat this process.

■For higher repetition abdominal exercises – work up and into the “burn” but not through it. Increase repetitions

and add resistance in the form of equipment adjustments to more difficult positions, added weight or band resistance. (Working through exquisite pain via higher and higher repetition abdominal exercises is one of the best ways to ensure you will eventually quit doing them. There is no need for this. Just do the work, change up the exercises and your abdominals will become incredibly strong – because of consistently working them.)

■_{“Pre-loading” the weight before you lift is important, such that the weight is never jerked, risking joint damage,}

ex. "squeezing the bar off the floor” in completing a dead-lift. This will be automatic in almost every exercise since we are using free weights and not machines.

■Nutrition and possibly supplements (before, during, and especially after workouts) must be adequately

addressed to ensure adequate recovery from intense workouts.

■Participants in this program should have a basic understanding of belts, chalk and the basic strength equipment. ■This program includes partial ranges of the basic lifts, such as rack pulls to work the top part of the dead-lift,

or bench pressing off the pins above chest height. The high leverage and short range of these movements will allow for weights that are actually above your 1RM. Keep the ranges here long enough such that you only exceed your 1RM weight by a maximum of 10%.

Note: choose the exercises and subsequent variations based on the equipment to which you have access. If you don’t have access to chains or some of the other stuff don’t sweat it. Just do the exercise without them.

L O W E R B O D Y – P R I M A R Y E X E R C I S E S

■Low bar back squat

■_{High bar back squat (can also use a “Manta Ray” accessory)} ■_{Front squat}

■_{Safety squat} ■Zercher squat ■Belt Squat

■Good morning (only in low bar position) ■_{Dead lift (conventional)}

■_{Dead lift (sumo)}

■_{Dead lift with trap bar (allows for a neutral grip)}

L O W E R B O D Y - A S S I S T A N C E E X E R C I S E S

■_{Romanian dead-lifts} ■Dimel dead-lifts ■Stiff legged dead-lifts ■_{Pull-throughs}

■_{Back extensions} ■_{Calf-glute-ham raises} ■Reverse-hypers

■Power cleans (limit sets to 3 repetitions) ■Power snatch (limit sets to 3 repetitions) ■_{Leg Press}

L O W E R B O D Y – A D D I T I O N A L E X E R C I S E S

■_{Single leg squats} ■_{Step ups}

■_{Split squats} ■Bulgarian squats ■Leg curls

■_{Jumps up onto a box (not depth jumps)} ■_{Reverse lunges}

■_{Forward lunges} ■Walking lunges ■_Bridges

■_{Seated cable rows to the abdominals (various attachments and grips)} ■_{Calf raises}

■Sled pulls ■_{Prowler pushes}

Note: on Lower Body days, for added variations on the exercises, forms of the “Primary” exercises may also be completed as higher repetition “Assistance” or “Additional” exercises. Similarly, forms of “Assistance” exercises may also be performed as “Additional” exercises (but not Primary). Exercises on the “Additional” list may not be used under the other two headings

U P P E R B O D Y – P R I M A R Y E X E R C I S E S

■Bench press ■Incline press ■_{Floor press}

T R I C E P S

■_{Close grip bench press} ■Dips

■Triceps pushdowns ■_{Triceps extensions}

■_{Dumbbell triceps extensions}

■Dumbbell flared triceps extensions (elbows out to the sides) ■Dumbbell floor press

■_{Triceps reverse dips}

■_{Overhead triceps extensions}

U P P E R B A C K A N D L A T S

■Seated cable rows to the chest or higher (various attachments

and grips)

■_{Barbell rows} ■Dumbbell rows

■_{Chest supported rows} ■_{Reverse push-ups} ■Upright rows

■Lat pull-downs (various attachments and grips) ■_{Chin ups} ■_{Pull ups} ■Rope face-pulls ■Scarecrows ■_{Reverse flyes} ■_{Upright rows}

S H O U L D E R S

■_{Shoulder Press}

■_{Dumbell press (various types)} ■_{Push press}

■_{Dumbbell laterals - front} ■_{Dumbbell laterals – side}

A B D O M I N A L S E X E R C I S E S

■_{Side bends (with single dumbbell, overhead band or cable)} ■_{Leg raises (from lying and hanging positions)}

■_{Roman chair sit ups}

■_{Standing sit ups, pulling down over the shoulder (resistance is from above)} ■_{Bridges (held static)}

■_{Landmine Russian twists}

■_{Sit ups – while holding a ball or cushion between the knees. The following}

variations are also useful:

- Spread eagle, using a wide foot stance and holding the feet under a support - Sit-ups at different angles

- With added weight or bands

- Static method, holding for 3-5 seconds in different positions

- Russian twist variations with added weight, such as a medicine ball or a plate Note: Standing abdominal work is the most popular at Westside. The rational here is that when you are playing most sports, wrestling, fighting, working, or lifting weights, for the most part you are standing up.

I N S U R A N C E E X E R C I S E S

■_{Rotator cuff (various)}

■_{All unilateral (one limb at a time) exercises, especially done at higher repetitions} ■_{Static planks and bridges (various)}

■_{Any exercise with 30% of a 1RM or less for 30 - 100 repetitions or higher}

B I C E P S

■_{Barbell curls} ■_{Dumbbell curls} ■_{Zottman curls} ■_{Hammer curls}

The incredible “New Exercise” Creation Matrix

The following chart will give you a virtually endless array of new exercises to try, both primary and assistance. Variation is of paramount importance to this program because your muscles will keep responding only if new and different adaptations are continuously applied.

Note - all of the above can be combined (where practical) to create many additional variations

Warming up before lifting

A 3 part warm-up must be completed prior to each workout:

1. Cardio: 5 to 12 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise to break a sweat and warm up the body.

2. General: move every joint about its full range of motion – from your neck to your ankles. Give lots of attention to the hip area and shoulders.

3. Dynamic: 3 to 5 light sets of the exercise you will be performing (the next heading will have a more detailed explanation of this important part of the warm-up).

This protocol is essential, even if brief; especially #1 and #3. Workouts should not be attempted if there is no time to properly warm up. Proper preparation is required both mentally and physically before intense lifting. Chances of injury will increase greatly without a proper warm-up.

The dynamic warm- up

Dynamic warm-up sets for the first primary exercise on maximum effort day should increase progressively until within approximately 20% of the first maximum effort set. These are not the main work sets. Their purpose is to prepare the body for the actual maximum effort sets. As such, do not turn the warm up sets into a “pyramid”

Take any exercise and apply any of the following possible variations to create new exercises:

Grip – regular, medium, narrow, wide, neutral, overhand, underhand, reverse, snatch, thumb-less Stance – shoulder width, medium or really wide (sumo)

Type of Load - barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, plates, rings, cables, body weight, strongman equipment, sled, etc. Position of load relative to the body – distance of load from the pivot point. More distance = greater resistance Type of bar - regular, fat grips, football, trap bar, safety-squat bar, cambered bar, etc.

Position of bar – front, high bar, low bar, etc.

Apparatus type – Zercher harness, Manta Ray, sled, box squat, hassock (soft box), board press, carpet roll, foam, etc Height of platform off the floor

Angle of the body, the platform or bench – incline, decline and to various degrees Accommodating resistance – chains, bands, weight release (and combinations)

Method used – ex. concentric, interval, repetitions, max effort, dynamic, contrast, reactive, ballistic, lightened, etc. Type of muscular action – dynamic, isometric, quasi-isometric (really slow) iso-inertial (free weight), etc.

Range of movement – partial movements of a lift only, or extended beyond normal, ex. dead-lift standing on blocks Unilateral vs. bilateral – using both limbs, or one single limb at a time

Body position – seated, standing, hanging, lying on the floor, etc.

of progressively harder sets. Minimal mental and physical effort should be put into these sets. Correct technique and breathing only should be emphasized.

The purpose of these warm ups is to condition the body to the movement pattern and technique of the lift and to prepare the mind, muscles and connective tissue for the heavy, maximum effort weights you will be lifting. This way, when the first maximal effort set is executed, the vast majority of mental effort will be on explosively driving the weight up and not on the fine points of technique. For example, in a workout that involves squatting 200 pounds for 3 repetitions as the first max effort set, a typical dynamic warm up would be as follows:

45 lb bar x 10 repetitions 95 lbs x 5 repetitions 135 lbs x 2-3 repetitions 180 lbs x 1 repetition

Although this general protocol must be followed, this is only one example. Actual weights used will differ for each individual. Some respond better on their first work set after more lower-weight, higher rep warm up sets. Whereas some will attain greater results by warming up with single repetitions that are even closer to the weight used for their first max effort set.

Following the first primary exercise, generally fewer warm up sets are required for the remaining exercises in the workout, especially those which involve the same body parts (ex. squats then dead-lifts).

Changing assistance exercises

Assistance exercises can change more often than the primary ones to enhance adaptations and prevent boredom. The exact timing on changing exercises will depend on how each individual adapts to each exercise, but plateaus in strength or simple boredom are excellent signals to change. I like to do the same assistance exercise for at least 2-3 weeks if only to show progress in strength via increased repetitions or weight lifted. If in doubt, changing at least every three 3 weeks along with the primary exercises will work just fine.

It will always be of primary concern to use assistance exercises to improve weaker muscle groups. When weak areas are exposed, prioritizing them will always be an important reason to change exercises.

Time length of workouts

After warming up, your workout should be completed within roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour. That is, starting with your first work set until you are done. The reason for this is that intense resistance exercise carried on for longer than approximately 1 hour will result in a your hormonal response changing from anabolic (building up) to catabolic (breaking down). When this happens, the experience is often described as “hitting a wall”. Don’t worry if occasionally it takes a little over an hour to get everything done, as higher intensities demand longer rest periods between sets. Workouts may also be shorter and more frequent, as described under the next heading.

Short, special workouts

What if you are progressing well on this program but want to improve to an even greater degree? You would need to do more work. Still, there are definite limits on training volume given high intensities. If an intense workout is optimal at 45-60 minutes only (energy and testosterone levels fall dramatically after that) then longer workouts are not the answer. Obviously, steroids will never be an option for most people.

The answer is small, special workouts lasting only 15-30 minutes. These workouts were proven to work by the world leading strength athletes of Bulgaria. These special workouts are also a highly successful tool in the Westside program. They will be short and specific to one particular area or issue. They may be used for increasing the strength of one lagging muscle group. They are also highly effective to improve flexibility, agility, or dexterity. These workouts may also be used for restoration, or speeding up the recovery of muscles. This is accomplished by using high repetition ranges with a load of 30% or less of a 1RM. Ironically, using these short workouts for restoration creates an interesting paradox in that more workouts = the ability to train more, given a faster recovery. Thus, short, restorative workouts will allow for even more frequent and effective intense training sessions. Short, special workouts are a fantastic tool for added fat loss. Remember, every time you train intensely you are not only creating more fat burning muscle, but you are also raising your resting metabolic rate. This increased “revving up” of your metabolic engine will increase your fat burn to radically high new levels. Further, this method is entirely natural. The effects on fat loss for the average person who has never experienced this will be dramatic. Special workouts should include 1-3 exercises with 2-5 sets per exercise (depending on the # of reps) and should involve loads that allow higher reps of 15-25 per set, or reps to failure. They can include body weight exercises like push-ups or the use of bands alone with body weight. Exercises must be done briskly and almost non-stop. This will build muscle mass in the area needed and also raise work capacity. Really high reps up to 100-200 are also highly beneficial for restoration and building tendon and ligament strength. Progressions should start with one small workout per week, adding another and continuing as one feels the benefits continue. Again, the duration of these short, special workouts should be limited to only 15 to 30 minutes, including any abdominal work. Finally, these workouts are an excellent way to modify your schedule if you do not have enough time to adequately train all body parts in a particular workout. For example, you may plan on doing your primary upper body exercise, then triceps, then shoulders in an upper body maximum effort workout, but find you run out of time and cannot fit in your shoulder work. You could easily do shoulders on their own later that evening or the next day in a short, special workout specifically for that body part. Similarly, you can add these workouts for other body parts you wish to work, but cannot fit in to your regular workouts. Common areas include forearms, calves, neck or grip work.

Restoration

One of the best things about participating in elite strength training is experiencing the relationship between training intensity, volume, and rest. As intensity goes up, volume will go down. Even better, as intensity goes up, rest and general restoration must also increase accordingly. The Westside program is about as intense as it gets. That means short workouts and lots of rest. This is especially true compared to common high-volume body-building routines. With this type of training “Less is More”.

This is exactly why we will be spending much less time in the gym compared to many of the common lower intensity methods. It is also why common body building routines and circuit training, with their non-stop pace and high volume can seem so long and arduous. When training for intense strength and power, in a 1 hour

Intensity Rest/Restoration

training session, the actual time under a load will be well under 5 minutes. Plenty of rest between the heaviest sets and between workouts is absolutely necessary.

The weekly workout schedule is based largely on the fact that large muscle groups can be trained every 72 hours and smaller muscle groups every 24 hours. These are the approximate times for restoration.

Further, please remember that short workouts using loads of less than 30% of a 1RM can actually be used to restore tired muscles. To build muscular strength, loads of 30%-100% of a 1RM must be used. This causes a restricted blood supply resulting in hard muscle contraction – thus providing a strength gain. Using 30% or less will positively affect restoration by increasing circulation.

Restoration is built into this program via changing exercises, changing methods (max effort, speed, repetition), 3 week waves, transitional 4th weeks, and taking 1-2 weeks off every 3 months or so. You will still need to add more ongoing restoration including active rest on an ongoing basis. Popular forms of restoration include: stretching, yoga, massage, Jacuzzis, acupuncture, etc. are all wonderful ideas. Please remember:

If you do not properly address active rest and restoration – rest and restoration

will address you!

Colds, the flu, and other illnesses will result regularly from a weakened immune system. Injuries will be far more likely and every few months you will hit a “wall” where gains will either stop or your strength will suddenly decreases sharply.

Again, please follow the plan! These guidelines are strongly supported by a tremendous body of documented research and experience. Following these guidelines will help to ensure steady progress, keep the program enjoyable and exhilarating and avoid injury and overtraining. In this respect, these active periods of rest are just as vital to progress as the actual training days. Enjoy this wonderful part of advanced training – rest and relaxation.

General Physical Preparation (GPP)

For athletes, GPP is the foundation of their physical fitness ability. It is the base upon which their particular, special sporting skills are developed. Great athletes are separated by their amazing technical skills specific to their sport. Yet, these skills can never be manifest unless the rudimentary abilities and fitness levels they are based on are not initially and then continually developed. A fighter’s wickedly fast, knock-out left hook will do him no good if he is too tired to even hold his arm up by the 3rd round. A hockey player’s blistering wrist shot into the top left hand corner of the net cannot be revealed if he is too tired to repeat the shot or drive down the ice.

For the average person, GPP is even more straightforward. The idea is to not only build faster, stronger fat burning muscle, but also to get into better and better overall physical condition. Okay, we may not be playing a professional sport. But we may be playing a sport at some level in our spare time. We may be doing other stuff we love like mountain climbing, sailing or martial arts. We may have intensely physical jobs. Regardless, this program will build our functional abilities and skills at those activities. Even jogging or walking on a regular basis will help improve our levels of GPP. These other activities outside of the gym will in turn build our physical conditioning and enable us to get even faster and stronger at the gym. This is in fact a vital relationship - one reinforces the other.

Doing this program alone will improve your GPP. On speed days especially there is very little rest between sets. Utilizing short rests between sets of assistance exercises, sled work, and the higher repetitions of transitional weeks will all improve GPP. The “repetition” method with short rests of less than 2 minutes between sets will serve to improve GPP. The General Physical

Preparation idea is seminal to improving absolute strength because it allows a physical fitness level that permits one to continually increase loads and repetitions. Further, we can use GPP work to “fill in the holes” by addressing our weak points with specific exercises. Examples would be sled work or repetitive functional exercises working the week muscles or muscle groups. Doing short, special workouts involving higher repetitions at a fast pace will improve GPP and hit a weak point at the same time. Adding extra sets and repetitions in the regular workouts will serve the same purpose. Please remember “A pyramid is only as tall and strong as its base will permit”.

Flexibility

Just to complete the primary strength exercises through their full ranges requires a good measure of flexibility. To get into a low squat position with a straight back requires excellent posterior chain and hip flexor flexibility. Placing the bar in the low bar position on your back will require good external shoulder rotation. Nonetheless, this program will continually build new muscle and ongoing stretching is required to ensure that flexibility increases or at least remains the same. An proven rule of thumb is to increase your flexibility to 20% beyond what you normally require. This creates a buffer zone that your body can occasionally be pushed into without causing injury.

Restorative stretching and flexibility work should take place on training days that did not involve the particular area of the body being stretched or on non-training days. Ex. stretching a particular part of the body a few days after it was trained; stretching the lower body muscles and areas immediately after a workout targeting the upper body and vice-versa. Please see the resources section for further great information regarding improving and retaining your flexibility.

What about muscle size?

The principles behind this program allow you to control how big your muscles become. The hormonal responses from the intense creation of your new speed and strength will allow you to build a maximal amount of size. Conversely, it will be easy to minimize muscle size and build mainly powerful, contractile muscle. Since we are talking about size, we might as well address other common goals as well. The following table makes general sense out of loads, repetition ranges and goals:

L O A D S A N D R E P E T I T I O N A S S I G N M E N T S B A S E D O N T R A I N I N G G O A L

On max effort days we are creating maximal force by completing intense low repetitions with heavy loads. Here we will optimally address the goal of added strength by consistently being above 90% of a 1RM on our primary exercises. We are also maximizing force on speed days with the primary, high acceleration lifts we do at the beginning of the workout. With regard to hormone production, both maximal efforts and speed days will absolutely maximize our testosterone production (more Human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin growth factors if you are female). We love these hormones. Trust me - we want them; especially as we grow older. They keep us young, strong, vivacious and charge our libidos with youthful exuberance.

“Hypertrophy” refers to muscle size. When we are doing our assistance exercises every workout, we are mostly within the 6-12 repetition range with less than 2 minutes rest between sets. As identified in the chart above,

Training

Goal

Strength

Muscle Size (Hypertrophy) Muscular Endurance

Load

(% of 1 Rep Max)

Rest period

between sets

# of Sets

to Complete

Goal

Repetitions

this use of the repetition method will maximize muscle size. The “burn” or “pump” you feel includes high lactic acid production which increases HGH hormone levels. Even higher repetitions above 12 will still contribute to increasing muscle size.

So, the key to creating additional muscle size is to simply add more use of the repetition method with our assistance exercises. Using the repetition method after we have done a maximal effort with a low-rep primary exercise or created maximal acceleration will best set the stage for maximal muscle size, since both of these methods drive production of the anabolic hormone testosterone to the greatest degree. Hormonally, for men this is the secret to attaining absolutely huge muscles. In this way we can control how much muscle size we create. We have all the tools to get the strongest, and if we like - the biggest we can become. Muscular endurance is also strongly addressed as we go above the 12 repetition mark on a regular basis, even into the 30, 50, and multiple 100 rep range. This is done mainly during the transitional weeks and in short, special workouts.

Thus, with regard to goals we are intensely covering all of them at the same time. Further, we do not need to give up one goal for the sake of another. Indeed, even on the hormonal level, this program covers all bases concurrently.

Why do all this?

Why not just lift more and get bigger and stronger?

Simple “progressive overload” doesn’t work on its own for very long. Try bench pressing more weight each workout and see how long it takes before you stop making gains and even go backward. It will happen within a few short months. Conversely, this program will allow you to create new muscle and increase strength continually. That is exactly why the strongest athletes on the planet use it with such success.

Regardless of your age, gender, athletic experience or ability this program is about increasing your absolute strength. Why? Because more absolute strength means that you have created more functional, contractile muscle - not just bigger, puffy muscles. This muscle not only looks great but makes you faster, stronger, and more injury proof. With regard to attaining a lean muscular physique, this is most important because - MUSCLE BURNS FAT.

You create functional, fat burning muscle when the contractile, working parts of the largest muscle cells have been engaged. Thus, you need to use the most effective methods known to increase your absolute strength. This will be the simple empirical measure of your progress on all levels. Your mirror and how your clothes fit will strongly reinforce this relationship.

It gets better! Working out this way causes the highest possible increase in your resting metabolic rate, for up to days after the workout. So, aside from the new fat burning muscle which will burn fat constantly, the workout itself will amp up your fat-burn like nothing else. Doing this stuff will increase your fat-burn after the workout, to a much higher degree than a typical “boot-camp” or long, difficult “cardio” workout.

How does Westside get such amazing results?

Reading the proven scientific research that Westside is based upon, one begins to understand how it takes the most successful and proven methods and effectively combines them into one unified system. The lifter is constantly developing speed, but at the same time is building absolute strength. One continually feeds the other. Concurrently, the lifter is improving their general physical fitness and endurance levels.

Lifting maximal weights above 90% but also completing high repetitions until failure ensures that the optimal anabolic hormonal responses are triggered - maximizing both testosterone and human growth hormone production. Restoration is inherent in the program and thus, the lifter can improve steadily all year long, in all types of special strengths.

On a physiological level, we know that muscle burns fat. Going a little deeper here, please recall Newton’s equation: Force = Mass x Acceleration. Now, twice a week on both our “max effort” and “speed days” we are

pushing the force equation to its limit. By causing the biggest muscle groups in our upper and lower body to create as much force as possible, we are engaging the largest, fastest muscle fibers we have.

Muscle fibers engage sequentially. So, the smallest and slowest ones engage first, followed by the mid-size ones, then the largest and fastest. This efficient process happens at lightning speed depending on just how much force is required when we contract a muscle. Using a Westside program, 4 times a week we require 100% of the force we can possibly create via either the “mass” or “acceleration” parts of the equation.

The black circles represent individual muscle cells/fibers engaging as the

force we create increases. The greater the intensity of muscular contraction,

the higher the amount of force that is produced.

Thus, creating as much force as possible engages all of these muscle fibers. Without getting too clinical, all of the mitochondria in all the cells burn more fat and they all get stronger. This is one reason intense resistance training creates the greatest fat “after-burn” following the workout. This is also why increasing absolute strength via the Westside system automatically improves other special strengths including:

■ _{Reactive strength – the ability to display quick, instantaneous muscular strength} ■ Starting strength – rapid and immediate muscular strength and power from rest ■ _{Accelerating strength – strength driving a rapidly increasing speed of movement} ■ _{Speed-strength – the ability to exhibit muscular strength at high speed}

■ Explosive strength – all the above combined, with the greatest rate of max force development ■ _{Strength-endurance – the ability to display muscular strength repeatedly over time}

Research shows that if any of these specific types of strength are not trained during a three-week period, a loss of strength of 10% or greater can occur. This is also true for agility, coordination, and flexibility. Uniquely, Westside delivers the concurrent development of all special strengths in the same program.

As a prerequisite for building physical strength, Westside concentrates primarily on the largest muscle groups of the body. The powerful working muscles of the back, hips, hamstrings, and triceps get the most attention. The same priority is not given to shaping individual “showy” muscles like the pecs and biceps so commonly but erroneously associated with physical improvement. Knowing the effect of new, contractile muscle fiber on fat loss, the reasons for effectiveness are more than obvious.

Another overriding, key concept at Westside is explosiveness. Every exercise whether primary or assistance, high rep or low rep, must be completed with as much explosive effort as possible.

NOTHING AT WESTSIDE IS DONE SLOWLY – EVERY MOVEMENT IS EXPLOSIVE!

Indeed, at work, in sports, in emergencies or life in general, moving with incredible speed and power can be vital. Moving slowly is not a problem – we can always slow down! Speed on the other hand is an invaluable ability that will set us apart physically. For athletes, it’s the difference between mediocrity and greatness.