Next up is the calf ham/glute bench. You must have incredibly strong hamstrings for squatting, deadlifting, and of course running. The reps can be very high, up to 60, for conditioning or 2-6 for strength with weight. Our glute/ham bench is 34 inches wide, so we can hit the entire hamstring. Raising the foot plate will make it much harder, for added development. For the advanced, use one leg at a time.

Band leg curls are frequently done to thicken the ligaments and tendons. Ten- or 20-pound ankle weights for up to 200 reps will also thicken the soft tissue to prevent injuries. Kinetic energy can be increased by thickening the ligaments and tendons, which will help reversal strength. Switching specialty bars on max effort day will cause added growth and strength development by causing extra stimulation by not allowing you to master the bar. Front squats, the Safety Squat bar, a 14-inch cambered bar, and even the Zercher harness will make it possible for new physical development, due to learning a new task. Using bands and chains to create accommodation to cause max tension throughout the entire range of motion can do amazing things to one’s muscle. Westside was the first to introduce chains, then bands to barbells, and now every commercial has a football player doing something with chains or bands attached to the bar.

Next up is the Plyo Swing. Ours is much like the one shown in the Science and Practice of Strength Training by Vlad Zatsiorsky. We attach bands to the machine first to accommodate resistance and second to increase kinetic energy, causing an overspeed eccentric phase. We also do lots of leg pressing with light weight for high reps, up to 75, or low reps with very heavy weight. It’s important to do one leg at a time to eliminate a bilateral deficit, which almost everyone possesses.

This brings us to power walking with a weight sled. About 1994, I was wondering why the Finns were so good at deadlifting. Of course they were very athletic, but was that the only reason? I doubt it. My good friend Eskil Thomasson from Sweden was staying here with us. He was going back to Sweden for a visit before moving to Westside for 10 years. When he went to Finland, he asked why they were all great deadlifters. To his surprise they had no idea. Some were lumberjacks and would pull the logs out to the road for the tractor to pick them up. They used several ways to pull the logs. One way was to pull them backwards; some would walk forward; some would pull over the shoulder. 

All and all, the key was heavy manual labor, but it added up to a lot of log pulling. On hearing this, I started pulling a tire at first and then sleds, very heavy at times, around 450 pounds for 100 feet for three or four trips. Using 225 pounds for six trips of 60 yards works great for powerlifters, sprinters, and football players. It is done three times a week, weather permitting. The heaviest pulling is on Monday. For strength development, reduce the load about one-third on Wednesday for strength endurance, and on Friday, use a 45-pound plate or two for a warmup or restoration. Sled power-walking will build all the muscles in the lower body while increasing your conditioning at the same time. Don’t forget, you can work your upper body as well by using a second strap. You can do any movement you want, such as curls, upright rows, triceps extensions, pec work, you name it. Kids of 10 years old and up can use a sled.