My Routine for 8/29-->until I get bored

[RyanA]

Hey again,

I always like to share what I am doing and I am new to westside(never done it before but really like the idea). just looking on some input on my routine.

I am trying to gain some strength in my overhead press so I put that on what would normally be my ME bench day and I am going to try benching after a few weeks of really focusing on press strength(I dont like bench and dont compete so it doesnt matter too much). On what would be the DE bench day I put Power snatches because I love them but I am keeping that day really short so I can play more Basketball and Raquetball. Anyway, I will shut up and post my routine.

Please fire away with any questions/comments(I am 21, weigh 230 lbs, am 6 feet and have been lifting pretty consistently for 8 years).

Primary Goals: Learn to Box Squat. Straight Lower Back on all lifts
Secondary Goals: Hamstring and Rotator Strength
/ indicates a switch To these exercises every 1-3 weeks for 1 week

Rotator Work all for 2x10-12
L-Lateral Raises
Cuban Press, what is decent weight on these?
Lying Abduction ss External Rotation

Sun(45min)
Box Squats(45-60%) 9x2
Back Extensions 3x8
Side Bends 4x8-12
Calves 3x15
DB Rows 3x8
Reverse Hypers

Mon(30min)
Power Snatches 3x3,3x1
Cable Pushdowns 3x8
Bicep Curls 3x8
Rear Raises 3x8
Pull ups
Rotator Work

Wed(55min)
GM/Squats 6x3,3x1
RDL/Cable Pulls 3x8
Weighted Situps 4x8-12
Calves 3x15
Pulldowns 3x8
DB Shrugs 3x8
Reverse Hypers

Fri(55min)
Military Press/BP 6x3,3x1
CloseGripBP/DBSP 3x8
Cable Pushdowns 3x8
Bent Over Rows 3x8
Rear Raises 3x8
Rotator Work

~Ryan A

[Pam]

You know Ryan the first thing I notice about your workout is that your not working your abs. I could be way off on this, Jack feel free to correct me, but have weak abs could be the reason your back is rounding when you do RDL's. I dont have my book right in front of me but I believe it was something like 50% or more of your back strength is directly related to your abdomials. I hate working my abs so usually do mine at the beginning of my leg workouts. I had read that you shouldnt do that because it could affect the rest of your exercises but Jack had me try it and I havent noticed any difference in my other lifts.

Anyway thats just a thought, I'm sure Jack will have a whole lot more to add to that.

Pam

[Ryan A]

I am doing abs on the my ME squat day and doing side bends on the DE squat day. Prior to this routine I didnt do much for my lower back or abs so I added the back extensions and switched the Squats to GM's. Do you think I should do more abs?

~Ryan A

[jack]

Welcome aboard Ryan.......if you're really interested in Westside training you need to "camp out" at elitefts.com and soak in everything,especially the ariticles......some are contradictory but you'll get a feel for the big picture,see if you can beg,borrow or steal some of Louie's Westside videos....a video is worth it's weight in gold and if you really get into it try to attend one of Dave Tate's seminars......it's well worth it. In the mean time,we can help fill you in with questions you may have.

Westside can be confusing at the start but it's a program that definately works if you follow the basic tenants. I'll jump in a little later with some comments on your workouts. Keep posting and welcome.

[Ryan A]

Thanks Jack,

Pam says you are the expert. I have been reading up at westside barbell and other sites. I read Dr Squat's site daily and some of the guys there do westside routines so I feel I have a pretty good idea what it is all about. I do not compete nor do I want to; I just want to get stronger. I am an ex-track and field athlete and had 1 year college experience. I did shot and discus through high school and discus and javelin for the year in college. Andy Bloom(4th place finisher in the shot in 2000 Olympics) is the strength coach where I threw and the shot/discus coach. I guess I am saying I have a pretty good background in sports; I also played football and basketball in high school.

I really like the idea of the DE and ME days in terms of a biophysical standpoint. I think it makes a huge amount of sense and I cant wait to start the routine this Sunday. I am pretty competent with scientific jargon (I will be getting my B.S. in physics at the end of this year) so get as technical as you need to make your point.

I look forward to all your input in the future(hopefully soon).

~Ryan A

[jack]

Give me a little more background......primarily where do you train and what equipment do you have access to. Describe your weakpoints in your lifts.

I'm just a novice and I'm afraid Pam's designation of me as an "expert" is probably embellished but I'm thankful that she holds me in such regard.

Let's just start with the basic premise of Westside......speed days and max effort days with accessory and supplemental work for the involved muscle groups.....basically that's all there is to it. That's quite an oversimplification but that's the main concept. Now bring on the questions.........good to have you aboard.

[Ryan A]

I train at the college recreation center at UC Davis. I have access to some squat racks but not the best stuff. I think they are bodymasters if im not mistaken. We have this machine that says you can do GHR and reverse hypers, but the machine is lying cuz they look nothing like the machines on elitefts or anywhere else. It is basically a cheap piece of crap; it has already been broken and the gym just opened(brand new) in spring of last year. I have access to lots of free weights, pulldowns, cable rows, lots of other pulleys for tricep pushdowns and the like. From what I've read, the only thing I cant do are the GHR and reverse hypers.

The other problem, which is what lead me to Pam in the first place was trying to find a way to box squat because there are no boxes in the gym. I am going to try to make one and then see if I can store it there. If I cant I will just take it with me on sundays when I box squat in my car or I will get some boards to stack up on some of those stupid plastic fitness step things.

Weakpoints, hmmm well I do not use gear and dont plan to, but most of my problem in the squat is changing direction from a deep squat which is why I am trying to hit the box squats. Also, I have some weakness in my groin and hamstrings and these start to get very sore with heavier weights(around 275 on the squat). I had a couple of hamstring pulls and groin strains while sprinting/throwing for javelin training 2 years ago.

With deadlift, I struggle mostly to keep my back straight, I am pretty quick off the floor or not at all off the floor LOL. I have a lot of reps with Olympic lifts and high pulls etc, a year ago I could snatch pull around 245 and hang clean pull around 275. Sometimes I have a little trouble gripping and locking out the top of a deadlift but I dont focus on deadlift and just sometimes throw it into a 3-5 week cycle of progressive overload. When I did that it seemed like I just got burnt out on it really fast so that another reason Westside appealed to me.

I would assume my weakness on bench press is my triceps and shoulders. I almost never worked my triceps and I have weak rotators. I work rotators every once in a while but not like I should be. I do a fair amount of overhead pressing and have started more recently to work the triceps.

I have always included speed work in my routines whether it be O.LIfts or speed squats so I am reasonbly fast but need to get stronger.

That is a lot of info, but I just wanted to be thorough.

Thanks,
RYan


Give me a little more background......primarily where do you train and what equipment do you have access to. Describe your weakpoints in your lifts.

I'm just a novice and I'm afraid Pam's designation of me as an "expert" is probably embellished but I'm thankful that she holds me in such regard.

Let's just start with the basic premise of Westside......speed days and max effort days with accessory and supplemental work for the involved muscle groups.....basically that's all there is to it. That's quite an oversimplification but that's the main concept. Now bring on the questions.........good to have you aboard

[Pam]

Hey Ryan, sorry its taken so long to get back to you. Not sure what exactly you do as far as ab work goes to know if you should do more but I would be working them on every leg day. Side bends are good but they mainly hit your obliques (sp?). I think its important to build your core strength no matter what kind of lifting you do. I hate ab work so thats why I do it first. I have started doing ab pulldowns and dont mind those. Another good one if you have access to an exercise ball is to do cruches off the ball. Hold a plate or dumbbell behind your head and it really works your abs good. Be sure that you're not just "rocking" on the ball and really focus on using your abs to pull you up. This is also a good way to work your core strength because you have to balance on the ball.

You can also do reverse crunches on the ball. You just hang on to a bar, I used my rack for these, have your lower back on the ball and then raise your legs up. First and last time I did those I raised my legs up and rolled back right off the darn ball and hit my head on rack. Not a pleasant experience.

Leg lifts are good too. I do mine with my legs off the end of a bench. Prevents me from 'cheating' and having my legs touch the ground. Ankle weights work good for these too. If you have access to some ab slings those are real killers for me. You can also just hang from a bar to do those, good way to work your girp at the same time.

Anyway, like I said not sure what you're doing but I would throw in at least 2 ab exercises on ever leg day.

And I know you were asking Jack about this but if I were you I'd be doing one or two rotator exercises everytime you work your upper body.

Have a good one,

Pam

[Ryan A]

Hey pam,

Thakns for the advice,

after some more thought I realized I was not doing my abs(besides obliques) on the one day. So I am trying to incorporate some of your suggestions into my routine to get abs on both days. I am doing rotator stuff on both upper body days. I hope it works out. I am going to post my workout today in the training log section.

~Ryan