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As you can see, there is a significant amount of success within this gym.
Louie Simmons, the founder and owner of Westside, is behind the success of the
gym. He is the only person over the age of 50 who has been able to squat 920
pounds, deadlift to 722 pounds, and bench press 600 pounds. This is incredible.
Louie continues to contribute to the fitness industry and he is the creator of the
Westside-Barbell Conjugate System. He has received a significant amount of
attention for this and been able to explain all of the benefits. While he offers a
number of articles and products to help explain the Westside system, there are
still a lot of people who are clueless as to how to get the benefits in their entirety.
As a result, I have created this user's guide to help you with the Westside-Barbell
conjugate method for your own strength training goals.
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Deadlift: this can be run on the same three-week wave as the squat or you can
choose to change it every week. You will choose a variation, perform 6 to 10 sets
of 1 to 3 repetitions and this will come AFTER you perform the squats.
Bench press: one day each week, bench press training will take place. You will
choose a variation and it will go on a three-week wave. You want to focus on 9
sets of 3 repetitions and maintain the same weight on the bar throughout the
three weeks. This is your main move on this day, and the first exercise that you
will perform on that day.
Accessory work: this is a higher-volume and lower-intensity training day than
what you'll find on the Maximal Effort days. You must focus on your weaknesses
and perform exercises that will continue to help you improve your various muscle
groups. It is also important to note that you must continue to work the same
muscle groups on Dynamic Effort days and Maximal Effort days. More on
suggested muscle groups will be covered under Maximal Effort training.
Guidelines
Frequency: 1 day for squat/deadlift AND 1 day for bench press
Main Move: Perform each repetition quickly and as explosively as possible. Take a
maximum of 60 seconds between each set. Perform the sets/repetition at the
suggested percentage of your 1RM (see below)
Dynamic Effort Squat
Geared Lifters 10-12 sets/2 reps/40-60 percent
Raw Lifters 10-12 sets/2 reps/70-85 percent
Dynamic Effort Deadlift
6-10 sets/1-3 reps/60-85 percent
Dynamic Effort Bench
9 sets/3 reps/50 percent
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The same variation should be used for three weeks and the weight should be
increased each week. After three weeks have been completed, a new variation
should be chosen and you can cycle back down on the weight based upon the
starting percentage of your 1RM.
Variations: don't use the same variation very frequently. This is going to be
covered more within Maximal Effort, but you don't want to kill yourself trying to
come up with the perfect variation. I have made some suggestions below.
Squat: choose any variation that you like, just be sure to do it on a box. You can
use a wide stance with a low/parallel box in order to build up the hips or close
stands in order to build up the lower back. You can also use an above parallel box
to assist with the normal sticking point.
Deadlift: choose any variation that you like and you may wish to use a sumo
stance for hip building as well as a conventional stance to build up the rectors and
lower back.
Bench: Choose any variation that you like, and a closer grip can help to build the
triceps.
Accessory work: Be sure to focus on the muscle groups that work based upon
your individual weaknesses. If you are not good at something, choose those
exercises so that you can strengthen those muscle groups.
Squat/Deadlift: choose exercises that include hamstrings, erectors, glutes,
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Guidelines
Frequency: 1 day for squat/deadlift AND 1 day for bench press
Main move: Work up to a 1-3 repetition max for EITHER a deadlift, good morning,
or squat on lower body days and a bench press for upper body days.
Rest as long as you need in between attempts. I usually take 3 to 5 minutes, but it
can vary from person to person. Remember that you want to be as calm as you
can during a max lift. A training max is very different from a contest max. Do not
stress yourself out until you are in a competition setting.
Variations: many people get confused over the conjugate method when it comes
to variations. The variation should not be repeated for at least 4 to 6 weeks and
I have been known not to repeat a variation for close to a year. These can vary
slightly, based upon the width of your grip, your stance, or even reducing or
increasing the range of motion. Once you do repeat a variation, you always want
to try to beat your own personal record. You want to avoid becoming impatient
or breaking your record by a substantial amount of weight because it is going to
potentially cause injury. A 5-pound improvement on your personal record is still
an improvement.
As long as you are working with maximal weight, you are doing what needs to get
done. You don't need to spend a lot of time with the perfect variation. However,
you do want to keep track of what variations you are doing so that you don't
repeat them by accident.
Accessory work: everyone has to do their own accessory work, so it is impossible
for me to give you exact directions. You may need to lose weight in order to
maintain steam while other people may need to gain mass. You may need work
on your lower back while someone else needs work on their glutes and
hamstrings. There is no perfect formula for everyone. I can, however, provide you
with some basic guidelines.
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Squat/deadlift: After the main move, incorporate some exercises for glutes,
low back, hamstrings, traps, lats, and abs.
Bench press: After the main move, incorporate exercises for triceps, traps,
shoulders, upper back, lats, and abs
Switch to another move after one to three weeks. For example, if you are
doing weighted dips to help you after the bench press, move on to something
else to work that same muscle group.
Go hard and heavy throughout all of your accessory work.
Find exercises that you are not good at and continue to work on them until
you are stronger. The goal throughout all of the accessory work is to build on
your weaknesses.
So now you have learned about the Dynamic Effort and Maximal Effort days and
what you need to be doing. You will be in the gym for a total of four days a week
and this is broken out by spending two days on Dynamic Effort and two days on
Maximal Effort.
Later in this e-book, I will provide you with a sample schedule that you can follow
so it will be easier to see what you need to do throughout the week and how to
work in the variations and the accessory work.
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Fighting Accommodation by
Accommodating Resistance
Resistance is a key factor when you look at the Westside gym and its success. You
have to learn how to accommodate resistance. There are various tools that can
help you with this resistance accommodation. Weight releasers, chains, bands,
and different specialty bars can all be used. When you learn about all of these
different tools, it will allow you to create more variations within your training
system. Additionally, you can target specific weak points at the same time.
Each time you incorporate a different tool, such as a band, a weight releaser, or a
specialty bar, you are establishing a new variation.
You may find that you do not have access to all of these different tools. This is
likely because you are not training at a powerlifting gym. While I am not telling
you to leave the gym that you are at and go to a powerlifting gym, I am telling you
that you need to learn about how to use some of these tools and potentially
access them in various ways. Considering that you have to change your variation
every three weeks at a maximum, you need to come up with quite a few and
changing your stance alone is not going to provide you with enough. I cannot
stress how important it is to use resistance throughout your training. You can
read up more on the use of accommodating resistance online (or wait for my next
e-book), or even visit a powerlifting gym to talk to some of the different coaches.
Keep in mind that there are various resistance bands that are cheap and also
highly effective. The Westside gym also has a store online where you can
purchase various bands based upon the amount of strength that you need to
resist.
Investing in resistance bands at the very least will allow you to gain the full
benefits within the Westside-Barbell conjugate method that have been covered
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MONDAY
Max Effort
Squat/Deadlift
Close-Stance
Below Parallel
Squat
1 RM
WEDNESDAY
Max Effort
Bench
2-Board Bench
Press
1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Rack Pull @ Pin
1
1 RM
Bench
Close Grip
1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Wide Stance
Bench
Floor Press
FRIDAY
Dynamic Effort
Squat/Deadlift
Wide Stance
Below Parallel
Squat
12 sets, 2 reps,
75% 1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Wide Stance
Below Parallel
Squat
12 sets, 2 reps,
80% 1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Wide Stance
SATURDAY
Dynamic Effort
Bench
Close Grip Bench
Press
9 sets, 3 reps,
50% 1 RM
Bench
Close Grip Bench
Press
9 sets, 3 reps,
50% 1 RM
Bench
Close Grip Bench
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Above Parallel
Box Squat
1 RM
1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Good Morning
3 RM
Bench
Dbell Bench
3 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Zercher Squat
1 RM
Bench
Rack Press
1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Sumo Deficit
Pull from 2-inch
mat
1 RM
Bench
1-Board Bench
1 RM
Below Parallel
Squat
10 sets, 2 reps,
85% 1 RM
Squat/Deadlift
Conventional
Stance Parallel
Box Squat w
Bands
12 sets, 2 reps,
75%
Squat/Deadlift
Conventional
Stance Parallel
Box Squat w
Bands
12 sets, 2 reps,
80%
Squat/Deadlift
Conventional
Stance Parallel
Box Squat w
Bands
10 sets, 2 reps,
85%
Press
9 sets, 3 reps,
50% 1 RM
Bench
Floor Press
9 sets, 3 reps,
50% 1 RM
Bench
Floor Press
9 sets, 3 reps,
50% 1 RM
Bench
Floor Press
9 sets, 3 reps,
50% 1 RM
This sample shows when you need to change the variations, the percentages of
your 1-RM and much more. Notice that the variations can change from week to
week, though you are still doing a squat, deadlift, and bench press. You can
choose any four days of the week that you like, though I do recommend allowing
for at least a day of rest between the four days so that you can allow your
muscles to recover.
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Note that there are some muscle groups that you will be using from day to day. If
you notice that your lats need a lot of work, be sure you dont overwork that
group since you see them on both days. While Louie says you want to work them
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until they hurt, if you actually tear a muscle, you are not doing yourself any bit of
good.
You will be able to do more accessory work movements when you have more
tools and equipment available to you. While Im not saying that its a must, I do
recommend that you find a powerlifting gym in your area simply because it will be
easier to come up with more variations. Just as I mentioned about
accommodating resistance, it is important to have tools to help you.
If you continue to do the same exercises again and again, your muscles will get
used to things and you will be at a standstill at some point. The people who are
breaking records and winning competitions are using the Westside-Barbell
conjugation system and they are doing it by following all of the recommended
variations.
Figure out where you can go to buy, borrow, or use some new equipment so that
doing the accessory work movements will be easier. You will see the changes in
your physique, in your ability to move more rapidly, and in the weight that you
will be able to lift.
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Conclusion
The Westside-Barbell conjugate method is a tried and true method. The reason
that the Westside gym has become the strongest gym in the world is because of
this conjugate method. I hope that I have explained everything in greater detail so
that you understand what needs to be done. There is nothing easy about what
was covered and you're going to have to work hard if you want to strengthen
your entire body. Whether you are looking to squat, deadlift, or bench more, you
have to do more than these three things. There is also no reason that you can't do
all three of these things. It has been seen before and through hard work and
training, it can be used to hold three new records one in each of these lifts.
One of the easiest ways to close this out is with a comment directly from Louie
Simmons. He will be able to provide you with the insight that can propel you
forward on your own gym workouts.
"Many have the theory that in order to squat, bench, or deadlift more, you simply
have to do the three lift. If it were that simple, no one would need special
exercises, machines, or systems of training. But we know this is not true."
This is a man who has made his entire living off of the conjugate system and he
has not only made himself stronger, but has made countless others stronger. He is
a wise man, and the system can be yours easily by following the instructions that I
have laid out.
Trust me, trust Louie, or trust someone who has been using this system and seen
the results. It works and it can work for you and your clients. This should have
shed some light on how to use the system and use it so that it works for you and
your goals. Good luck!
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