There are countless ways to write a program that will yield results, but the name of the game is efficiency. Last year I went back to a Westside style program. The table below shows a month’s worth of exercises, and proper percentages: The Westside approach to bench pressing is, in my opinion, the most superior way and it’s because of the emphasis Lou puts on speed bench press. This is where a properly programmed and executed Westside style plan surpasses the standard raw programming, efficiency. Westside has had nine men capable of a 600-pound raw bench over the years. The following is a 6-week general program that Westside follows. It took my 340lb bench at 172lb body weight, to a 515lb bench at 212lb body weight. You can also do dumbbell rollbacks on a flat bench, lowering the dumbbells to touch the shoulders, rolling back to the rear as far as possible and pressing back through to the top. Bill told me to bench ultra wide (illegal grip), one inch outside of the rings. So much of the 9 week westside program im using right now focus's on The part of the bench that is primarily triceps. Use one bar weight per workout. I program my speed bench days exactly as Lou prescribes in the Westside Book of Methods. Westside is a system, not a program. The Westside Method, also known as the Conjugate Method, is a program that is often times misunderstood in the raw powerlifting realm. Most write it off as only working for geared lifters, and instead turn to other types of programming that emphasize volume and simplicity in exercise selection. My training for raw and equipped benching is basically the same. I program my speed bench days exactly as Lou prescribes in the Westside Book of Methods. The Westside Barbell program in its current form was developed by Louie Simmons, a veteran powerlifter who achieved elite status in five bodyweight classes. Today, we do two sets after speed or a max effort workout. With a four-day split, you can give equal consideration to your press and bench press, but this allows you to manipulate important variables, utilize supplemental lifts more effectively, and include assistance work that can directly target your benching needs. When people ask me for bench advice, I cringe because I'm still chasing 600. To reach my goal, I will be implementing a conjugate bench program. I prefer to use 75% bar weight for my dynamic squat days. So how does Westside train their triceps? I was 32 at the time, and had been benching half my life. Since conjugate periodization was popularized for powerlifting by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, my first instinct when writing this program was to do what everyone else seems to and call it “Westside for Novices”. I was a Top 8 bencher in 1980 with a 480lb lift at 220, without a shirt. You will need about six minutes between each set to fully recover. However, if you’re a raw lifter, then you may need to tweak some things to suit your individual needs. 2 – Bench Press. In my experience, if you are properly executing speed bench your bench will climb drastically. All of the strongest people I know in the world all have one thing in common; they know their body and they know how to train themselves. If you are not using the dynamic effort method to train your bench press you are cheating yourself. The fourth week I perform a good morning exercise between 80-85%. for 42 reps using this simple program. The table below shows a month’s worth of exercises, along with the proper rep schemes and percentages: To train my bench, I employ the max effort method primarily, however I do use the repeated effort method once a month to give my shoulders and elbows a break while also achieving some upper body hypertrophy. Raw Bench Pressing Westside lifts in mostly gear meets. At Westside we have 34 guys benching over 500 pounds and eight benching over 600. Will this training still help a raw bench press? I have noticed my presses are always stronger after doing so. First, contrary to what you might think, you'll rarely do the three central powerlifting exercises—the bench press, deadlift, and squat. This is generally where people make mistakes when trying to run a Westside program; they can’t properly identify their weaknesses and make poor exercise selections because of it. The secret to Westside isn’t a trick in the program, it is the fact that when you are at Westside Barbell you are training directly under Louie Simmons, along with a host of other knowledgeable people who are constantly watching and identifying your weaknesses. Westside: The Program. I squat to a box 3 times a month typically. The trainee will use this variation for 3 weeks in a row while maintaining the same weight on the bar. I also like to use my dynamic effort upper days to train my overhead press immediately following my speed bench. The Westside Barbell program is the brainchild of powerlifter and strength coach Louie Simmons. After college, I hit my first official 400-pound bench in a contest—and did it raw. Learn this stuff for yourself, form your own training group, help bring up the group training IQ, and you will find yourself making constant gains in the gym. I created this six-week program exclusively for T-Nation, based on the principles I learned as a competitive powerlifter at Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio. Louie has spent a long time perfecting the Westside Method for geared lifters. Sunday – Dynamic Effort Bench Press Session Bench Press 8 X 3 @ 55% 1RM, Triceps – Rack Lockouts, 4 X 5 Shoulders – Military Press, 4 X 5 Lats – Pulldowns, 4 X 5. My best was 13, 11, and 9 reps with 155lbs, 23, 21, and 19 reps with 125lbs, and 29, 24, and 20 reps with 100lbs. Overhead Pressing Variation-The overhead press is great for building a huge raw bench, include them in … Raw Bench Pressing Westside lifts in mostly gear meets. By constantly identifying and attacking weakness, you are ensuring you are producing the strongest lifter you can using the most efficient means. Three weeks out of the month I will select a deadlift exercise, and then the fourth week will typically be a good morning variation. Simmon’s best lifts include a 920-pound squat, 600 bench press, and a 722 deadlift. There is a lot to learn on how to use a bench shirt, but you must also raise your raw strength as well. On repeated effort method day I work up to a top set, on dynamic effort day I warm up to a working weight, then execute 10-12 working sets. Is this why? The Bench Press By Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. Speed Bench Press-Speed in the bench is critical just as it is in the squat. The way I use my max effort lower days is to focus on training the deadlift and the good morning. There were no bench shirts until around 1984. Test your 1RM 2. Once the weakness is identified, main and accessory exercises are selected to strengthen the lagging muscle group. The Westside approach to bench pressing is, in my opinion, the most superior way and it's because of the emphasis Lou puts on speed bench press. When pressing, press the bar straight up, not over your face. Understanding this, the focus of a raw bench program should lie more on lifts with a greater range of motion. If I am training to 85% of my max, I work up to a triple. I am often asked how to get a big raw bench. by Jordan Syatt November 14, 2011 . Incidentally, Pat was the first 600lb bencher (officially), and also held the world record in the squat (as did Mr. Williams). Program for RAW bench press by Scott Mendelson 1. Paul- I bought your program 3 weeks ago and have been using it for bench press only right now (to try and overcome a plateau) I'm a little uncertain by what you mean by "testing week". 3 – Pause squat or front squat. 1 – Deficit or pause deadlift. Raw powerlifters will struggle to succeed on a program that, does not use the free squat, does not include deadlifting, and does not train the paused bench press. In 3 months my bench has only gone up 5 pounds!” My answer is always the same, find a damn program and stick with it! An incline works best for these. Your success is 100% dependant on your ability to identify your weakness, and make proper exercise selections. As of 2005, Westside has produced 16 700+ benchers and one 800+ bencher, in addition to 25 650+ benchers, with the lightest being Jason Fry, who did 650 at 180 pounds. Dynamic Effort Dynamic Effort is developed with the Westside Touch and Go Method as well as Paused Explosive/Power Bench Pressing. Each month I dedicate two weeks to squatting weight without bands or chains, and the other two I employ the dynamic effort method using accommodating resistance. At that point, he said to go eight reps until I could no longer make progress, then on to ten reps, and again to failure. The biggest variable in the program is the human being using it. Simply return it within 30 days for an exchange. Getting stronger is a lot easier than you think. Every way possible. The main idea behind the Westside Method is identifying and attacking weakness. Louie Simmons Train your speed bench from a variety of grips to improve your pressing power. 3 – Deadlift. Basically the only change made from the typical Westside plan is the use of the repeated effort method in place of the dynamic effort method on Friday. Westside has had nine men capable of a 600-pound raw bench over the years. However, in the past I have ran a completely conventional Westside style program and had great results only using the dynamic effort method on squat day. Floor press, incline, and decline press should also be rotated in. The Westside Barbell philosophy challenges popular beliefs about the way we think, how a strength training program should be structured and implemented.The efficacy of the program is validate… Follow a 1RM with a top set of 6, 8, or 10 reps for added muscle mass. Westside has a method to its madness, and Travis Bell utilizes this perfectly. After being stuck at a 440-pound bench press for years, one of my training partners crushed a 490-pound bench in a full meet after just 18 weeks of Westside-style training. Powerlifting programs specific to the bench press are a … To reduce bar deceleration after speed benching, do the high rep dumbbell presses, then extensions. As a lifter it is paramount that you begin to learn your body and the basic principles of strength for yourself. You could run the programming I provided above for as long as you wanted, making basic tweaks in exercise selection and percentage adjustments, and make great gains in strength. Use one day for explosive power; this will be 40-50% of your 1RM + 25% tension at the top with either chain or bands. Why not? Then roll the bar back toward the throat while raising the elbows upward, and press up. Floor press, incline, and decline press should also be rotated in. The table below shows a month’s worth of exercises, and proper percentages: This is where I make the biggest change to the standard template, by using a mix of the repeated effort and dynamic effort methods. About this Conjugate Method Powerlifting Program. In 1971, I had a 340lb raw bench. The throat is the most demanding on the elbows, but very effective. Did it work? Paused Explosive Bench Press Training Paused Power Bench Press Training with loads of 48 - 62% of your 1 Repetition Pause Bench Press increase Explosive Power off the chest. At that point, he recommended returning to sixes, and repeating the cycle- going for a new record with six reps, then eight, and so on. Bench Press Program; I was Top 6 in 2002 with a 575lb lift at 220 in a shirt. I have used conjugate training to bench 605 pounds raw at SHW, 600 pounds raw at 308, and 850 pounds equipped at 308. Overload. A lot of my bench training came from East German shot putters. Day 2 – Deadlift + Bench Press . I saw George Halbert do things on a bench that made my face hurt. Start 15kg lighter than your 1RM 3. Summary for Raw Powerlifting using the Westside Method Westside is specific to geared lifting but not for raw powerlifting. This keeps us from overtraining one muscle group that would otherwise result in a muscle imbalance. When it comes to strength training there is more than one way to skin a cat, but as Lou says, Westside Rules. I think this program can be very effective at improving one's rep performance, like an NFL combine test. For instance if I were to take a max effort press against average bands in week two, week three would be a repeated effort method day to give my upper body a break. Westside employs a form of progressive overload. My competitive bench-pressing career peaked in 2000 when I won best lifter at the NPC National Championships with a press of 534 pounds at 289 pounds body weight. Bill was a bench record holder as well. The Conjugate Method is a term and methodology made most popular by Louie Simmons, owner of the Westside Barbell Club and the creator of what has become known as the “Westside” method of training. A quick review of their gym stats will tell you all you need to know; these men and women have the art of strength down to a science and are quite simply the best at what they do. The program's principles are borrowing from Soviet and Bulgarian weightlifting training techniques and ingeniously adapted to powerlifting. Over 90% of the questions I’m asked at the gym or via email are about …, Westside for raw made easy by Burley Hawk, Dennis Wolf back in the gym training after 1.5 year layoff, Basic Powerbuilding tips by Stan Efferding, Interview with Zydrunas Savickas ‘Big Z’ 4 X World’s Strongest Man, Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall teaches you how to deadlift properly, Julius Maddox, 723lbs American record bench, Alexey Nikulin squats 360 kg/794 lbs at 83 kg/183 lbs BW(raw, no wraps), Brian Shaw 1025 LB/466 KG deadlift in training, Speed Squats to normal box (average bands), Speed Squats to normal box (heavy chains). Bench Press Parameters for the Standard Template (dynamic, max effort and repetition) Dynamic bench press – 8 sets of 3 repetitions; all sets done are done with 55% of raw 1RM. He recommended that I do a six rep max week after week, until I could go no further. I prefer box squats for two reasons; I believe they yield better strength and speed gains versus conventional squatting, and the box relieves stress in my knees. This schedule ensures your rest periods between training days are in line with the recovery times Lou suggests. About this Advanced Powerlifting Program. Just like my previous article, Building the Raw Squat, I’m going to go into great depths about what it takes to build the raw bench press.Also just like with the squat, there is a plethora of information on this site to help you with the technical side of things, so this will not be discussed in great lengths. He used a close grip style, with his massive size. The only way you will have depth issues from box squatting is if you set your box height too high. Many know about our “max-effort day” workouts, each week choosing a different barbell My bench pretty much sucks when compared to the others in the gym. Otherwise, you will be doing pointless presses against light bands. Larry Pacifico said I had to raise my bench if I was going to win a national title. Follow the two day system, 72-hours apart for optimal recovery, and watch your bench soar. The trainee must choose any type of Bench Press variation and perform roughly 9 sets of 3 repetitions at 50% 1RM. A 3-week wave at one weight worked best for me. Thanks, Bill. Programming for Your Bench Press The four-day split organizes your programming into two upper-body days and two lower-body days every week. © 2021 Westside Barbell. A bench press program is a training routine designed to increase an athlete's upper limit strength in the bench press, their work capacity with the bench press, or a similar goal. I program my speed bench days exactly as Lou prescribes in the Westside Book of Methods. They would do four sets of a moderate weight every other day, always alternating angles. Do not depend on an online coach, or anybody else to constantly give you guidance or feedback. Warm up a lot, and make smart jumps. The max effort method is your meat and potatoes. His raw bench has gone from 365 to 565, and his shirt bench has gone from 405 to 805 in 2 ½ years. One day per week is devoted to Dynamic Effort Bench Press training and it runs on a 3-week pendulum wave. My goal is to explain it simply, that way you can immediately apply it to your training. This is a minor tweak that makes a huge difference recovery wise. The Westside approach to bench pressing is, in my opinion, the most superior way and it’s because of the emphasis Lou puts on speed bench press. Make your morning email scroll and coffee stronger. Now after 25 years, I am beginning to understand more fully how to bench. 12-Week Program Lifting Chart; Workout-1: Max Effort Squat/Deadlift Training Workout-2: Max Effort Bench Press Training Workout-3: Dynamic Effort Squat/Deadlift Training Workout-4: Dynamic Effort Bench Press Training Powerlifting is a competitive sport that takes years of hard work and consistent dedication to become proficient at. Rack press on two different height pins, board press to a 4 and 3-board, a 3 and 2- board, or a 2 and 1-board. It will be a 12-week cycle culminating in a meet March 29. The game is to be told not sold, so if some asshole is trying to get you to paypal some cash for advice, spend the money on a book instead. My version was to do a top set of three at one weight. Nowadays, online strength coaching personalities like to make training into rocket science, but when you break it all down it is fucking simple. The days where I use 90% I keep the reps between 1-2,working up to a top set. Rest periods are approximately 60 seconds, but have never really seen the purpose of this, personally. Follow a 1RM with a top set of 6, 8, or 10 reps for added muscle mass. We already have: 1. Orders shipped out within 24 hours when placed on business days. I find that I always feel very fresh when I take the box away and free squat, and there is no loss in strength because of the box. The table below shows a month’s worth of exercises, and proper percentages. When pressing, press the bar straight up, not over your face. Take the time to learn, and you will be strong for a lifetime. To perform, lay flat and lower the bar straight down over the upper chest, using a close grip. If something isn’t working, ditch it. You can also do dumbbell extensions, lowering then to the upper chest, as the elbows stay out to the sides. I wave my percentages for deadlifts week to week, 90-85-90. or should i make some changes in the program? Optimal Weekly Training Schedule; 12-Week Program Lifting Chart; Workout-1: Squat Training Workout-2: Bench Press Training Workout-3: Deadlift Training Workout-4: Accessory Work (optional) Powerlifting is a competitive strength sport that takes years of hard work and consistent dedication to become proficient at Since Louie started publishing his articles on his methodologies in Power Lifting USA back in the 1990’s, the methods grew wildly in popularity […] Thu Oct 13, 2016. Larry Pacifico also told me and anyone who would listen, to train the triceps like crazy. WESTSIDE … To ensure you are executing proper speed, use 3 seconds as the maximum amount of time it should take to complete a set. Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and PayPal. There is a lot to learn on how to use a bench shirt, but you must also raise your raw strength as well. Speed work for raw powerlifting gets a bad rep sometimes, and I can understand why. A total of 50-70 reps is standard with heavy weight. What I intend to do is provide you with a basic explanation, and examples of how I put my main exercises together for raw training using Westside principles. The way I program Westside for my raw training is pretty similar to the standard template, however there are some adjustments I have made over the last few years that have allowed me to make great strength gains. Take responsibility and read the books the online coaches read, attend the seminars they attend. If you are going to bench big raw, you need to get bigger. He thought 75% of your bench came from the triceps, and I later found this to be true. How is this possible? While at Westside I watched huge raw benches. All Rights Reserved. In my experience, if you are properly executing speed bench your bench will climb drastically. Dynamic Effort Bench Press. I train max effort lower on Monday, max effort upper on Wednesday, repeated/dynamic effort lower on Friday, and dynamic upper on Saturday. 2 – Bench Row or Chest Supported Row. You always want to squat to a slightly below parallel box, or lower depending on the selected exercises. Now that you know how to lift serious weight, it's time to put your new technique into action. I typically throw the repeated effort method day in after my heaviest press week of the month. Likewise, the popularity of the Westside Barbell program should be credited to the efforts its creator. If I could make a Top 10 bench for 32 years, so can you- here’s how. press is a 75% extension, and 25% bench. 4 – light bench assistance volume. Pat Casey was an original Westsider, and was big on dumbbells- just like Jim Williams, who made a 675 raw bench in 1972. If you're a bench press addict and want to bench twice a week, I'd suggest doing some lighter, moderate volume close-grip work on the second day. Max Effort Method. We will do 60-80 total reps of these movements. I saw Tony Bologne bench 5 plates on 1 side and 6 on the other. First, you can do laying extensions with a straight or EZ curl bar, in many different varieties: bar to forehead, bar to nose, bar touching, and bar to throat. In addition to the tricep work, you will need to add in upper back, rear and side delt work, and hammer curls. April 12, 2013 April 12, 2013 Mark Williams. In my experience, if you are properly executing speed bench your bench will climb drastically. The advantage of a Westside style program is the level of customization, and personalization it offers. 6-Week Bench Press Program. Considering not everyone will have the opportunity to train under Lou, it is important you have your own knowledgeable crew of lifters willing to help contribute. Bench Press Workout Program Spreadsheets. 5 – 2-3 upper back and shoulder movements . Each elicits a different training response. Follow the two day system, 72-hours apart for optimal recovery, and watch your bench soar. Using board presses and floor presses? ... On the max effort days, you work up to a max single any variation of the bench press, squat, deadlift, or good morning on the respective upperbody and lowerbody days in the program. Once you begin to see the results from the program, I encourage you to buy the Westside Book of Methods to understand the what and the why. In my experience this approach provides adequate rest week to week, and won’t leave you broken or in need of a deload. Many know about our “max-effort day” workouts, each week choosing a different barbell exercise. A J.M. I just completed the first three weeks of my program and used your spreadsheet. This is a trick I learned training at Westside on Sunday mornings with one of the greatest benchers of all time, George Halbert. Before getting into the nuts and bolts of the program, it'll help to know two key facts—both of which are often surprising to those first venturing into the ways of Westside. Not long after, I met Bill Seno; he was a bodybuilder/powerlifter, which was common in the 1970’s. On max effort day, rotate the bar exercise each week. (In fact, six of those eight guys press over 650!) I used a flat bench, but I kept records on all floor angles- flat, seated, incline, and decline. Building the Bench Press – Westside Barbell Style. more towards where the triceps would take over. Lots of equipped lifters swear by the power of speed work to help increase a one-rep maxes, but when a raw … People who say box squatting doesn’t translate well to raw, or will affect your ability to hit proper depth simply do not understand what they are talking about. Teach yourself, teach your group, and you will be surprised at how fast you can get strong. What I have provided above is a very basic, simplistic approach to the Westside method that you can implement into your training immediately. Westside Barbell is the strongest gym in the world. My college workout partner worked up to 225 lbs. Personally, I would never recommend Westside to the raw lifter. I always shoot to beat 3 seconds, but if you cannot complete a set in under 3 seconds you need to immediately drop the bar weight. 4 – RDL or TNG Deadlift 5 …