Westside Barbell Training Routine

Transcription

1 Westside Barbell Training Routine Westside Barbell Training is a highly productive system of power training that incorporates heavy maximum effort lifting and lighter dynamic effort or speed training. This style of training has produced some of the strongest powerlifters in the world. The program incorporates maximum effort days for both the squat/deadlift and the bench press. Squat and deadlift workouts are coupled together as they both work similar movements and utilize the same muscle groups. Training a heavy exercise week after week is very taxing on the muscles and central nervous system. For this reason the Westside barbell program cycles the maximum effort lifts every 3 weeks. For more experienced lifters the lifts will be change on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. This helps to continue strength gains over the long term. I have followed this style of training back when I competed in powerlifting and it is very productive. I like how the exercises change frequently. Not only does this allow for steady strength gains to be made over the long term. It also prevent training boredom. The only downside to the routine is that I often found the Dynamic Effort Days a bit monotonous, but the strength gains that they produced were well worth it. This is an excellent workout program for intermediates and advanced lifters to follow to help them build up functional strength and power throughout the entire body.

2 Here is the basic workout template: Sunday Dynamic Effort Bench Dynamic Bench Press Triceps Shoulders Lats/Upper Back Monday Max Effort Squat and Deadlift Max Effort Exercise Hamstrings Low Back Abs Wednesday Max Effort Bench Press Max Effort Exercise Triceps Shoulders Lats/Upper Back Friday Dynamic Effort Squat and Deadlift Dynamic Squat Hamstrings Low Back Abs With the dynamic workouts you perform multiple sets with light weights as fast as possible. For example, a Dynamic Bench Press workout calls for 8 sets of 3 reps using 50% of your 1 rep max weight. The repetitions are to be performed as fast and explosively as possible. With the maximum effort workouts you will pick a variation of the bench press, squat, or deadlift and work up to a maximum weight set of 1-3 reps, striving to hit a new personal record or PR. Below I have outlined a sample 9 week workout program utilizing the basic workout template:

3 Weeks 1-3 Sunday Dynamic Effort Bench Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps (lift as fast as possible, rest 45 seconds. between sets) Lying Dumbbell French Press: 4 sets of 10 reps Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps Dumbbell Bent Over Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps Monday Max Effort Squat / Deadlift Arch Back Good Morning: workup to a heavy set of 3 reps (rest 2-3 mins. between sets) Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets of 10 reps Hyper Extensions: 4 sets of 10 reps Pull Down Cable Crunches: 4 sets of 10 reps

4 Wednesday Max Effort Bench Press Board Press: workup to a heavy set of 3 reps (rest 2-3 minutes in between sets) Lying Ez Bar French Press: 4 sets of 10 reps Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4 sets of 10 reps Wide Grip Lat Pulldown: 4 sets of 10 reps Friday Dynamic Effort Squat / Deadlift Box Squat: 10 sets of 2 reps (lift as fast as possible, rest 45 seconds. between sets) Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4 sets of 10 reps Dumbbell Lunges: 2 sets of 10 reps (for each leg) Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps Keep records of all the exercises, sets, and reps. Each week try to beat what you did for the previous week. For the dynamic effort exercises keep the weight at 50% of your 1 rep max of the bench press and squat. Each workout strive to perform the exercises faster and more explosive. The only time you increase the weight for these exercises is when you set a new 1 rep max in the bench press or squat, and then you adjust the 50% weight for your dynamic effort workouts accordingly.

5 Weeks 4-6 Sunday Dynamic Effort Bench Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps (lift as fast as possible, rest 45 seconds. between sets) Close Grip Bench Press: 5 sets of 8 reps Bradford Press: 3 sets of 10 reps Chest Supported T-Bar Row: 5 sets of 8 reps Monday Max Effort Squat / Deadlift Power Rack Squat Lockouts: workup to a heavy set of 3 reps (rest 3 mins. between sets) Stiff Leg Dumbbell Deadlifts: 5 sets of 8 reps Bench Lunges: 2 sets of 10 reps (for each leg) Decline Bench Sit-ups: 3 sets of 15 reps

6 Wednesday Max Effort Bench Press Floor Press: workup to a heavy set of 3 reps (rest 2-3 minutes in between sets) JM Press: 5 sets of 8 reps Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 5 sets of 8 reps Bent Over Barbell Row: 5 sets of 8 reps Friday Dynamic Effort Squat / Deadlift Box Squat: 10 sets of 2 reps (lift as fast as possible, rest 45 seconds. between sets) Seated Leg Curls: 4 sets of 10 reps Hyper Extensions: 4 sets of 10 reps Abdominal Crunch Machine: 4 sets of 10 reps Keep records of all the exercises, sets, and reps. Each week try to beat what you did for the previous week. For the dynamic effort exercises keep the weight at 50% of your 1 rep max of the bench press and squat. Each workout strive to perform the exercises faster and more explosive. The only time you increase the weight for these exercises is when you set a new 1 rep max in the bench press or squat, and then you adjust the 50% weight for your dynamic effort workouts accordingly.

7 Weeks 7-9 Sunday Dynamic Effort Bench Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps (lift as fast as possible, rest 45 seconds. between sets) Elbows Out Dumbbell Extension: 4 sets of 10 reps Plate Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps Seated Cable Row: 4 sets of 10 reps Monday Max Effort Squat / Deadlift Sumo Deadlift: workup to a heavy single (rest 3 mins. in between sets) Smith Machine Lunges: 4 sets of 10 reps (for each leg) Abdominal Twist Machine: 3 sets of 10 reps (for each side) Frog Kicks: 3 sets of 20 reps

8 Wednesday Max Effort Bench Press Power Rack Bench Lockouts: workup to a heavy set of 3 reps (rest 3 mins between sets) Tricep Cable Push Downs: 4 sets of 10 reps Face Pulls: 4 sets of 10 reps Hammer Strength Row: 4 sets of 10 reps Friday Dynamic Effort Squat / Deadlift Box Squat: 10 sets of 2 reps (lift as fast as possible, rest 45 seconds. between sets) Standing 1 Leg Curls: 4 sets of 10 reps (per leg) Hyper Extensions: 4 sets of 10 reps Lying Leg Raises: 4 sets of 15 reps Keep records of all the exercises, sets, and reps. Each week try to beat what you did for the previous week. For the dynamic effort exercises keep the weight at 50% of your 1 rep max of the bench press and squat. Each workout strive to perform the exercises faster and more explosive. The only time you increase the weight for these exercises is when you set a new 1 rep max in the bench press or squat, and then you adjust the 50% weight for your dynamic effort workouts accordingly.

9 This is a brief overview of the Westside Barbell Program. For more detailed information and advanced variations of this routine check out: and