My "Attempt at Westside" Log

[herderdude]

Hi all,
This log will serve to track my progress and also to learn from others with more experience in this style of training.
I've been training religiously for almost ten years now, the first nine years of which were spent bodybuilding/Greco-Roman wrestling training (leaning toward bodybuilding). This year, I realized that I preferred the tangible goals of powerlifting to the more abstract ones of bodybuilding. I also enjoy moving (relatively) large weights. Most of this year I have based my program on compound movements for low reps, and after doing a lot of reading and lurking, I have decided to attempt Westside training. I have read and reread as many of Louie's articles as I can get my hands on, as I have done with technique videos on youtube. I feel my understanding of body positioning from wrestling in high school and college, along with my training experience, will allow me to do this, but I'd like your help with any comments noted in my programming.
Enough talk, here are my current maxes (all within the past month):
Squat 455
Bench 350 raw, 385 in the cheapo Inzer Blast shirt
Deadlift 465 Conventional (I am working toward sumo, being 5'8" and 220 with a 73" reach, but am currently too weak in the hams)

Thanks for viewing, I hope you enjoy.

[herderdude]

12/26 ME Upper
Bench
45x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
295x1 put on shirt
295x1
315x1
335x1
365x1 (probably the most difficult rep of my life)

DB Shoulder Press (already toasted)
70x15
70x12
70x12

Tate Press
30x12x4 (WeightxRepsxSets)

Pullups
BWx10x3

Pendlay Rows with hold at top, replicating bench grip
135x12x4

Ab Wheel (kneeling)
12x4

Bench was weird, warming up felt more painful than the sets above 225. Lost tightness at 365, which resulted in a hellacious effort that had me seeing more stars than usual and laying on the bench helpless for a minute. I need more GPP badly. First time trying the Tate press, and I like it. Need to keep the effort up for the whole workout next time, but I gave it all I had. DE Lower on Friday.

[herderdude]

12/28 DE Lower

Box Squat
275x2x8
Added and subtracted ~80# chains based on speed of previous set. Speed was very inconsistent.

Sumo Speed Pulls
275x1x5 +80# chains)
Conversely, speed was my best ever for these. Truly studied the setup, watched video of myself, and got to do them in a mirror. I see a big PR coming soon.

Sumo Deadlift PR attempts stemming from high confidence
315x1
405x1 PR+40

GHR with a wimpy band of unknown tension
BW+Bandx6x3

Spun around on the GHR machine to do reverse hypers with the same wimpy band.
BW+Bandx10x3

Squats were inconsistent today because I'm tweaking my stance for the long haul. My current max squats are all done with a slightly less than shoulder width stance and a high bar. I'm waking up some lagging glutes by moving the bar down. The result was me being slow off of the box and accelerating from the midpoint to the top. The last set I finally pushed my butt back and it felt really good. Just going to keep plugging away at it. Everything else felt really strong today. DE Upper on Sunday.

[herderdude]

12/30 DE Upper

Speed Bench (Two grips, pinkie on the ring, pointer on the ring)
210x3x8 + 20# of chain (still collecting chains for the home gym)

CG Bench with pause
225x12x4

Side laterals
30x8x4

Barbell rows
175x12x4

Pullups
BWx10,6,6 (haven't been good at these in a long time. Might start doing them every session.)

Notes: I had a ****ty time controlling 60% of my max at top speed, anybody who is out there feel free to chime in on whether I should sacrifice speed to tighten up form? Or do I keep top speed, sack up, and just be better at it? I have to say that my tolerance for lactic acid has dwindled to almost nil since I switched to the lower rep ranges. I don't like it.

[herderdude]

1/1 ME Lower

SSB Squat
65x6
155x5
205x5
245x3
295x2
335x1
385x1 removed box
395x1 added knee wraps
405x0,1 PR

Glute Bridges
Barx12
Bar+90x10
Bar+180x2x8

GHR
BWx12,8,7,6

Reverse Hyper
BWx4x12

KB Swings
88x4x12

Kneeling Ab Wheel
4x12

Notes: First time doing max effort SSB work. Last rep off of box and both free reps were big grinds. Hit the safety catches the first attempt at 405 and it was game over. First time with the glute bridges, too. Need to toughen up the area where the bar rests so I can work with more volume. Really hammered the entire posterior chain today, I'm giving it no choice but to become stronger. ME Upper tomorrow. Weight is steadily drifting up from holiday foods. Trying to work down to 198, currently sitting at 221.

[Rodja]

12/30 DE Upper

Speed Bench (Two grips, pinkie on the ring, pointer on the ring)
210x3x8 + 20# of chain (still collecting chains for the home gym)

CG Bench with pause
225x12x4

Side laterals
30x8x4

Barbell rows
175x12x4

Pullups
BWx10,6,6 (haven't been good at these in a long time. Might start doing them every session.)

Notes: I had a ****ty time controlling 60% of my max at top speed, anybody who is out there feel free to chime in on whether I should sacrifice speed to tighten up form? Or do I keep top speed, sack up, and just be better at it? I have to say that my tolerance for lactic acid has dwindled to almost nil since I switched to the lower rep ranges. I don't like it.

Lower the weight if you can't keep speed and technique.

[herderdude]

Lower the weight if you can't keep speed and technique.

Much appreciated. I will do that. I've noticed that the 50-60% of 1RM was an older protocol and it's my understanding that lower percentages are now used. What are your thoughts on using 40-50% 1RM? I'm very confident that I'll be able to improve my technique as I continue to put the time in.

[Sean1332]

Subbed. Here to see how you run this and progress.

[Rodja]

Much appreciated. I will do that. I've noticed that the 50-60% of 1RM was an older protocol and it's my understanding that lower percentages are now used. What are your thoughts on using 40-50% 1RM? I'm very confident that I'll be able to improve my technique as I continue to put the time in.

DE recommendations are not static and they vary for the raw and geared lifter. Raw tends to be a heavier percentage (60-70%) while geared is anywhere from 40-60%.

[herderdude]

Regardless of the weight I'm using, I do need to tighten up. I'm happy with the speed of it. I'll do at least one wave of straight weight to make up for the loss of control.

[Rodja]

If this is your first time using Westside, I'd multiple waves of straight weight before adding any accommodating resistance.

[herderdude]

When you put it that way, it sounds very logical.

[herderdude]

1/2 ME Upper

Floor Presses
45x2x5
95x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x1 then put on shirt
295x1
315x1
335x1 PR
345xFAIL. HARD.

CG 3-Board Press
225x4x12

Standing Overhead Press
95x4x15

DB Rows
100x12,10,10

Ring Pullups
BWx6,4,3

Tate Press
40x3x12

Facepulls
70x3x15

Was thoroughly worn out by the end of this session. The 345 floor press attempt was the first time I whiffed with my shirt. I lost all semblance of back tightness and bar path. Luckily, the rack was set just below the bottom of my ROM, or I'd have had a face improvement, free of charge. I'm going to emphasize pullups for the forseeable future. Also tried to wrap a pseudo Fat Grip for my DB rows, but it made the DB 3+ inches in circumference and I only got three reps. I'll try again with a lighter dumbbell next session.

[herderdude]

1/4 DE Lower

Pullups
BWx2x12

Box Squat
275x6x2

Speed Pulls
315x4x1

Reverse Hyper
BWx4x6

GHR
BW+light band (weight unknown)x4x6

Cable Crunches
120x4x12

Definitely need to adjust my dynamic effort to be a percentage of my BOX squat max instead of my squat max. Form was fine, as good as it's been. Speed was lacking, though. It's always the same: slow off the box with good acceleration. The pulls were god-awful. From here on out, the weights will be much lower for all speed work. Conditioning must continue to improve as well, as I was absolutely gassed throughout the squats and pulls.

[herderdude]

1/6 DE Upper

Speed Bench
140+60chainx12x3 (3 grips)

JM Press
135x12
155x3x10

Tate Press
40x2x8

DB Row
100x4x15

Log Press
165x4x6

Band Pullaparts

Facepulls
70x3x12

Good speed, good groove. Definitely a good decision to lower the DE weight. Really hammered the triceps on this day, which was needed.

[herderdude]

1/7 ME Lower

Sumo Suspended GMs (paused on the rack, bent knees at bottom for max overload)
Worked up to 275x3

GHR
BW+bandx5x8

Reverse Hyper
BW+bandx5x6

Back Extension (took glutes out to focus on erectors)
Bandx5x12

Roman Chair
BW+45x5x12

First ME Good Morning session. Really far behind on those. I'll be catching up on them in the upcoming weeks to give my hips a break and improve my deadlift. Bands took about 80lbs from the bottom of the GMs. Really focused on the posterior chain from neck to knees, as that's where I need the work. Both yesterday and today I cranked up both the volume and the pace. Both sessions were completed in under an hour. I WILL become conditioned even if it kills me.

[herderdude]

1/9 ME Upper

Floor Press
Worked up to 275+60# chains for two sets
295x1
305x1

Tate Press
35x5x15

Pseudo-Fat Grip DB rows
70x4x10

Pullups SS w/ SOHP

BWx10/95x12
BWx10/95x10
BWx6/95x8
BWx6/95x8

Lateral Raises
25x4x12

All floor presses were done raw, and the chained and straight weight presses were both PRs. Chained floor press was hellacious at 275, both were long-ass grinds. After hitting 305 I was thoroughly satisfied. The weight usually moves upward pretty quickly in all of my flat bench variations. I never miss on the positive portion, it is always a collapse on the negative, sometimes minor, sometimes spectacular. "Fat Grip" rows were done by wrapping some sort of gel pad around the dumbbell handle. It's a huge circumference and I'm happy with how I did. I've noticed that all huge benchers have bowling ball forearms. I want that.

Also, yesterday I was putzing around in the gym spotting my friend and doing some light accesories when I saw my former manager at G N C squatting WAY high with 420. So I stepped in, unracked it, took it to the floor as a demonstration, and absolutely blasted the rep. It seems the conjugate system is already yielding gains in the squat, judging by how I dominated ~92% of my 1RM.

[herderdude]

1/10 DE Lower

DE Box Squat
185x2x12

Sumo Speed Pulls
185x1x6

BB Lunges
135x6x2 glute/ham tweak on rep one of set three

Hammer Strength Horizontal Leg Press
4 platesx6x5

Back Extensions (all erectors)
BWx20x5

Good session except for the tweak. I'm getting better at the box squats every week. Everything flew except for the last rep of pulls. I haven't done lunges of any sort since September, and those were walking lunges. The stationary lunges with (relatively) heavy weight make me question why I ever abandoned them. They're so good! Shifted gears after the setback. Leg press was the first dedicated quad exercise I've done in some time, felt good. The next two ME days will be spent setting big PRs in front squats to ease up on the back end. Really enjoying the program, I feel big things coming.

[herderdude]

1/13 Sunday Fun Day

Came in with full intentions on doing speed bench, but after considerable foam rolling, I left myself with a half hour to train. I felt strong and had a good workout, though.

Ring Pull-Ups
BWx10,6

Bench
275+60chainx4
315x6 PR
365x0

Butt came off of the bench and random spotter told me he touched it. I was damn close to a big 15lb raw PR. Stability 2in from my chest was the issue, as always.

Stability bench
Bar+88lbs of suspended KBx6x4

Superset with Bottom-Up KB OHP
30x6,6,6,10

Tate Press
50x12
60x7

DB Bench (Neutral Grip)
100x10

Good day. Hammered stability in the delt region. My nemesis in staying tight is usually shoulder or brachialis pain. Didn't realize how intense KB presses are on the grip, so I welcome the challenge. Basically today I did all the hard stuff that made me look like a beotch, but not before I showed off a little.

[Sean1332]

Solid bench, I'm jealous