2001 Articles

Many readers may not realize that I am involved in the training of pro-football teams and many college football and basketball teams. For example, the Kansas City Jayhawks and Utah Utes are heavily influenced by our training as it relates to speed strength. Two of the pro- football teams are the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots. Not a bad group to be associated with, huh? I also talk to a head strength coach that has been affiliated with a winning tradition in the NFL who tells me, although he is ashamed to admit it, that he has...

We are in a new millennium, and the times are a changing, as they say. Bench press shirts are a major part of powerlifting, so get with the program. No one cares what you bench press without a shirt. There are a lot of gym world champs, as long as they stay in their own gym. I’ve always been a slightly above average bencher. I was eighth in 198- without a bench shirt and ninth in 1997 with a shirt. So if I can keep up with the times, so can you.Here at Westside we have 12 men who bench...

It was around 1970, and I was reading Muscle Power Builder and articles by members of Westside Barbell in Culver City, CA. George Frenn was discussing how important strong legs were to breaking squat records. He recommended several exercises and methods that he and Bill “Peanuts” West had developed over the years. They pushed box squatting on different height boxes, good mornings, and even calf work to develop their immense back strength. They were responsible for the first 800 pound squat, by Pat Casey. I realized they knew what they were doing. An old friend, Roger Estep, made the trip...

I have previously discussed the different methods of training that are utilized at Westside. The dynamic method replaces a maximal effort day and builds explosiveness and speed strength. The maximal effort method builds strength speed and absolute strength. We know that training with weights about 90% for 3 weeks will cause a negative training effect. To remedy this, the conjugate method is employed. Each week on maximal effort day we use a different core exercise and max out with 100% or more. It can be a good morning, pull, or special morning, pull, or special squat for the squat and...

I have previously discussed the different methods of training that are utilized at Westside. The dynamic method replaces a maximal effort day and builds explosiveness and speed strength. The maximal effort method builds strength speed and absolute strength. We know that training with weights about 90% for 3 weeks will cause a negative training effect. To remedy this, the conjugate method is employed. Each week on maximal effort day we use a different core exercise and max out with 100% or more. It can be a good morning, pull, or special morning, pull, or special squat for the squat and...

Deadlift records have made little progress in recent years. I believe it is easy to add pounds to a squat or bench press due to more progressive equipment. The supportive gear, in Westside’s opinion, pushes one to gain bodyweight to increase the squat and bench press, but anyone, including myself, can tell you, if you’re too heavy, you pull is destroyed. With all that said, how do you train the deadlift for a meet? You don’t. One must train the deadlift in a multiyear plan. An 8 or 12 week cycle won’t work. For Example, it my take 6 months...