How to Build the Lifts .... and Why not to Westside!

There is a huge crush on Westside training in the Western World. I can understand that. The attitude and atmospehere in the WSBB must be awesome.

Yet, there are thousands of lifters worldwide who tried westside with pitiful results. I was one of them. I think people should understand two very important things before jumping on the westside training. (Luckily, guys like Dan Green, Jay Nera and others are bringing it back to normal).

One: most Louie's trainees were strong as fuck even before they joined westside

Two: the training heavily relies on equipment.

For raw lifters, general strength training and ninety percent of lifters out there, the traditional volume based Eastern style training should be used. It's not sexy, it's not fancy, there are no bands, chains, boxes and boards. But it delivers results like nothing else.

Some Westside myths and what to do:

Use your glutes, hams a hips for your squat. Quads are not important.
A: No. build your quads as your primary movers. Don't be afraid to do lots of Oly squats and front squats. Oh yeah, don't sit back. Sit back and down at the same time.

Train your triceps for a huge bench.
A: Yep, that's true. But at the same time your pecs and front delts must be up to par. You can have the biggest triceps in your gym, if you have weak pecs and front delts, your bench will suck balls. Do some high-volume ovehead pressing. Possibly, multiple times a week.

Deadlift is all about speed. Deadlift infrequently. Do lots of speed pulls.
A: Deadlift as frequently as your recovery allows. Do reps. In strongmen, most of the guys pull over 360k (800) any day of the week, some pull over 380k (850) and many of them close to 410k (900). They do reps as well. Do 6 triples with your 80%. That's stregth building!. Do 6 sets of 5 with 60% then repeat it two days later and watch your back, glutes and hams grow like weed. Many lifters in the Poland, Russia, Ukraine deadlift 2-3 times a week with excellent results. I myself might do conventional heavy sets at 80% and two days later sumo 4x4 at 70%. One feeds the other. Volume deadlifting also builds strong and big glutes, the biggest muscles in your body. Ahh, the glutes ....