My westide upper adventure...

[gibbs_6]

I am doing the 9 week thing from http://www.elitefitnesssystems.com/documents/9week-training-program.htm.

Mon. 16th
2 Board press: 245
Lying Barbell tricep extensions: 6 sets of 10 reps: 85
Push Downs: 3 sets of 10: 5 plate thingies
One Arm Press: 3 sets of 15: 35's

Not bad, not used to volume on triceps so they are sore( today is tues.), but was pretty easy, pushdowns were easy, but one arm press was hard I guess from being tired from first excercises. Well my 2 board is the same as my bench so I think I found my main weakspot. Next week going for 255 :).

I am doing this along with the 11 week Smolov squat routine also, which I will not be posting workouts on though.

[BPP]

awesome bro :)
im currently on week 3 of the same program!


http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132092

been changin it here and there to accomodate not having some of the machiens or areas to do someof the exercises

good luck :)

[AMG]

Good luck with West Side. It should treat you good.

[gibbs_6]

Hopefully, what would be a nice goal to shoot for since this is basically my first real westside try( I did it for like 3 weeks once). Just a guess would be nice.

[gibbs_6]

Thurs. 19th

Speed Bench 10 sets of 3 at 50%: 122.5
Dumbell skulls 4x8: 20's
Side Raises 3x10: 15's
Bent Side Raises 3x10: 15's
Cable rows 3x8: All plate thingies

Pretty easy. Dumbell skulls were easy, but awkward since I have never done them with dumbell. As you can see I have weak shoulders by my side raise weight and weight on bent side raises, but hopefully that will change some.

[AJ010]

Good luck with westside. Nice workouts.

[gibbs_6]

haha thanks, going for 255 tomorrow morning on 2 board

[gibbs_6]

2 Board- 255 10 lb. pr
skulls 6x10: 90
pushdowns 3x10: 6 plate things
1 arm press 3x15: 35's
1 arm db row 4x6: 80's

Wasn't to bad. The 255 was hard as hell, so I probably only go for 260 next week and skulls were quick and not difficult. 1 arm press whooped my ass again like last week, but not as bad.

[gibbs_6]

Thurs. 5/27

Speed bench 50% 10 sets of 3: 122.5

DB skulls 4 sets of 8 reps: 30's

Dumbbell Side Raises 3x10: 25's

Bent Raises 3x10: 25's

Shrugs 3x15: 225

Pretty easy and quick DB skulls were a bit easy, but still getting used to using dumbells on them.

[gibbs_6]

Mon. 6/1

2 Board- 235x3 and 255 for 1 again

Skulls 6x10: 95

Pushdowns 3x10: 57.5

1 arm press 3x15: 40's

It was alright, skulls were good and so were pushdowns and 1 arm press. I am going to start doing the ME excercises for 2 weeks, because after the 2nd Im pretty bored of the same one and not feeling anything out of it.

[AJ010]

Did you even try 260? And yeah, thats a good idea only doing the same ME exercise 2 weeks in a row. I never tried 3 wks in a row, but it seems bad. Good job on the 10lb PR

[gibbs_6]

Ya I gave 260 a shot and got pinned, so I went back to 255 and got it with some struggle.

[AJ010]

Originally posted by gibbs_6
Ya I gave 260 a shot and got pinned, so I went back to 255 and got it with some struggle. ]

Oh, ok. At least you tried. Try only doing main ME exercises 2 weeks in a row tops. That may be better for ya.

[gibbs_6]

Yup thats what Im gonna do. I orded some mini and light bands today so I will start to throw them in somewhere. Probably use them first on ME excercise to work on speed off my chest.

[BPP]

Originally posted by gibbs_6
Yup thats what Im gonna do. I orded some mini and light bands today so I will start to throw them in somewhere. Probably use them first on ME excercise to work on speed off my chest.
i just bought minis at bench america saturday
gonna see wher ei can throw them in :)

congrats on the pr btw

[gibbs_6]

Mon. 7/7

Floor press: 245

Jm press 2x3: 145

Incline Db 2x10: 60's

Seated Db cleans 4x8: 35's

Military 3x8: 100

Floor press was alright, tried 250 first time and lost form, went for it again and almost had it, I figure if I woulda kept form first time it woulda been mine, but o well. First time doing Jm press and I tried to get them down and still not sure about doing them after watching about 5 videos on em. Everything else was quick and decent.

[gibbs_6]

Got my mini's and light bands today :D:D

[Fullback_45]

Your doing real good bro. Keep it up. Nice floorpress aswell.

[AJ010]

Awesome floor press bro. Is that more than your flat bench?

[gibbs_6]

It's the same as my best flat bench, dunno if thats good or not lol.

[gibbs_6]

7/10 Thurs.

Speed bench 10 sets of 3 at 50%: 95+mini's

1 arm tricep extensions 3x10: 25's

Close grip bench 2x3: 200

Front plate raises 3x10: 35

Pretty good I guess. Bands felt different, but good and close grip was still a bit easy even though I accidently did the extensions before them. I figure next week should be about 210 or 215 on em hopefully.

[Fullback_45]

Awsome progress. Nice CG. Keep it comeing.

[AJ010]

Nice workout man. Howd the bands feel?

Also, I'd say from how you did on the floor press, that the middle of your bench is your weakness. That might be of help to you.

[gibbs_6]

Yup I belive it is. I usually stall 3 or 4 inches off my chest.

[gibbs_6]

Total bull**** today, pissed me off but o well.

Floor press- 245 almost had 255 and 245 was harder than last week

JM's 2x3- 155

DB incline 2x10- 65's

seated db cleans 4x8- 40's

Military 3x8- 110

Pissed me off, went up on everything else but didnt get any on my floor press. I have been going to bed at 2 the past nights as i have been having state tourney games at 9 aclock and them being done at 12 and a hour drive home and practice so maybe that contributed to it, ready to rip close grip bench thurs. a new hole. Jm's were easy and the rest not to bad.

[AJ010]

Good workout. Sorry to hear you didnt get a PR, but at least you didnt get weaker. Try upping it by 5lbs the second week. Thats how i did it. 10lb pr second week is quite a bit.

[gibbs_6]

Speed bench 10 sets of 3 at 50%: 95+mini's then 185+mini"s for speed single

dumbell room locked so did french press 3x10: 75

Close grip bench 2x3: 210 first 205 second

Front plate raises 3x10: 45

Also did some face pulls after this workout, pretty fun did it at school gym.

[gibbs_6]

Doubled mini press- 160
Jm's 2x3- 165
Incline 2x10- 165
Seated Db cleans 4x8- 50's

Tired as hell today, went to bed at 6 in the morning and woke up at 1 and lifted at 2 in the afternoon, it was 100+ degrees outside plus how much a insulated shop adds to that.

[AJ010]

Wow, despite the heat, the workout still looked good. howd the bands feel, and how would you rate your speed on the bench?
JMs looking good too.

You need to get A/C there!! :D

[Fullback_45]

Sweet incline bro!!! Keep it up.

[gibbs_6]

Speed felt good, and haha i wish i had a/c out there

[BPP]

good workout bro :)

how often do you use the bands??

iread somewhere with bench they shouldnt be used weekly or anything
too stressful on the body :confused:

[gibbs_6]

Done them on DE day the past 2 weeks, but am not the next 2 weeks as I am using them on ME day.

[gibbs_6]

Speed bench 9 sets of 3- 125
single- 185

1 arm db extension: 30

Close grip bench 2x3: 210 both sets

Front plate raises 3x10: 45

Then did a single with 225 after workout.

[AJ010]

Awesome workout bro. Nice close grip

[gibbs_6]

Me bench 7/27

Doubled mini press- 165

Seated dumbbell Shoulder Press 5x10: 45's

Incline Barbell Tricep Extensions 5x6: 105

face Pulls 5x15

[AJ010]

Nice workout. Tricep extensions are lookin awesome.

[gibbs_6]

Was at Las Vegas for a few days, but found a place to lift. Here is how Tues. through Thurs. went.

Tues. Me squat 7/29

Squat- 225x10 285x4 300x1(miss)

glute/ham raise 3x10- bodyweight plus 55

pullthroughs 4x8- 120

chins 4x6- bodyweight plus 25

Ran out of weight on the pullthroughs, coulda done quite a bit more and squat I dunno tired I guess. They had no boxes so didnt get to do 2nd week of 10 inch box squat but will do next week.

Wens. 7/30

Did some bicep work and some super light leg work to get some blood into them and did some stretching.

Thurs. 7/31 De bench

Speed bench 10x3- 125

Db overhead tricep extension 4x6- 65

Reverse pushdowns 3x15- 50

Front-side- rear combo raise 2x60- 15's

Not bad, combo raise sucked ass, but different.

[AJ010]

Nice job bro! I'm sure you could have had 300. Maybe you did too much repping. Oh well, everything looked good.

How was las vegas?

[gibbs_6]

3 Board press- 275

Military 3x6- 120, 120, 125

incline barbell skulls 5x6- 115

some lat work


Decent I guess, first time I have ever done 3 board press. Also 2 a days started today 7am to 230 pm with only 45 minute lunch break. Lifted at 5 pm, so I was a bit tired.

[AJ010]

Workout looked good, even thouigh u were kinda tired. Good job

[Nino]

Re: bands

I'd suggest you take it easy on the bands when using them for stuff other than DE work. At first you will love em, and will get stronger. Unfortunately, after a while, they will wear you down and stall your progress. I've found out the hard way...beware.

I'd suggest alternating your DE bench as follows:
week 1 - minis
week 2 - chains
week 3 - minis
week 4 - chains
week 5 - straight weight
week 6 - chains - repeat at week 1

Don't take this as the only way, it's just a suggestion to try it out. I've gone to this after doing mini/chain alternating every other week, and found it to be very benificial to work in a straight weight occasionally. If you dont have chains, I'd really sugest trying mini's alternated with straight weight every other week.

Also, beware overuse of bands on ME days. Honestly, the bands will tear you up after a while (if they tear up the guys who bench 500-600 they will sure as hell tear us normal humans up too!) so reserve bands on ME day as a once in a blue mood type of movement...maybe once every 2-3 months.

Bands can really help you out once you figure out when to use them. Just take your time and if you see the word "band" on your training log more than once every other week or so, it's a sign of possible trouble.

As an aside, band use on DE squat days seems to be fine all the time. I know the westside guys say it's so, and I have to agree with them after staying on a 3 week squat wave with bands for about 6 months now with continued progress.