It doesn't matter what I think. What do you think? Never be satisfied with what you have done. Always look forward to setting new and reaching new goals. There will be plenty of time to reflect when you are dead.  My advice to you is to keep training and setting PR's and in time you will get what you want. It takes time to make it to the national level but its worth it. I feel anybody can make it there with smart training and the right attitude.

Thanks for your comments.

Try the Westside barbell program. Read all Louie articles, view the videos, subscribe to PLUSA. The program you are using is and has been a dead horse for some time now. The Westside program has produced and still has the world bench press record in the 220, 242, and 275 classes, as well as over 50 (500) pound bench pressers and 6 (600) pound bench pressers. These are just the numbers from our gym and does not include those from all the other lifters that follow our program. If you have any questions or would like to order the videos call 1-614-309-6176

The best max effort exercise for a weak start of the chest is the cambered bar board press. Set it up so the bar goes only one or two inches lower than your chest (this is what the boards are for). Your assistance work should be composed of a lot of lat work and close to medium grip pressing.

Parallel is defined in every federation the same way. When the crease of the hip is parallel is parallel to the knee. Some federations want you to just break parallel while others want to see your ass on the floor. It is best to set your box up so you are breaking parallel by 1 or 2 inches. If you can't tell have somebody check for you. As far as your forward lean, learn how to arch your back. You can sit back and keep a tight arch. This will keep the bar moving in a straight line. 

You can get the bands from Jump stretch Inc. 1-800-344-3539 and the chains from Toppers 1-614-444-1187. You will keep the percentages the same and add the chains and bands to it. Keep in mind the tension is only greater at the top, where you are stronger. We are in the process of making a new video about the use of contrast methods. I will post a message to this page when they are ready for sale. 

1. I spoke to John Stanford at the APF junior nationals, and he told me that Louie advocates using the bench shirt six weeks prior to a meet to realize the full potential of assistance gear. yet, from i what i gather, on maximum effort day a standard heavy bench is never preformed. So what is the answer
to problem? Should I use the shirt for board and floor presses, and inclines or should preform regular bench presses?

I have no idea what John is talking about. We do not train with a bench shirt EVER. We may try it on in the gym to see how it fits once before a meet (aprox 4-6 weeks out) We will work up to around what we plan to open with. We do this 5 or 6 weeks out in case we need the alter the shirt. This may have been what john was referring to.

2. Increasing the volume of my tricep work has resulted in a large jump in my bench. i have included a lot of tricep extensions and moved my grip in on all of my pressing movements. The problem is though that my elbows are KILLING me. When I preform extensions i fell lile my elbow tendon is going to snap. My elbows are constantly sore. It is beginning to impede my progress.

If your elbows hurt then cut back down on the extension work to only one time a week. If you squat move your grip out. This can also cause elbow problems.

3. I live in Southern Califorina and powerlifting gyms are not readily available. The gym I work out in is a commercial gym. They do not have a reverse hyper, and to be perfectly honest with you, I don't know if I could justify blowing $1000 for a piece of exercise equipment. Is there some way I can work around this? Or perhaps if you know of any powerlifting gyms in the San Diego area, any infromation will be gratefully appreciated. Thank you very much for your time. I hope to hear from you soon.

It is hard to simulate  the reverse hyper. It is worth every cent!!!! I do not know of any gyms in your area. Try calling around to see if you can find one. (note from Deep: I hear the LA Lifting Club has two reverse hypers 1-818-846-5438)

Thanks for the info. I have pre ordered copies from stadion. I will post to the Q and A when the book is released. I also will be getting the following books some time next week:

Super Training (Siff & Verkhoshansky)
Science and Practice of Strength Training (Zatsiorsky)
Theory and Methodology of Training (Bompa)
Periodization Training for Sports (Bompa)
The Steroid Game (Yesalis)
Ergogenics Edge (Williams)
Anabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise (Yesalis)
Power Eating (Kleiner)
Program Design for Personal Trainers (Brooks)
Explosive Power and Jumping Ability (Starzynski & Sozanski)
European Perspectives on Exercise and Sports Psychology (Biddle)
High Powered Plyometrics ( Radcliffe & Farentinos)
Program and Organization of Training ( Verkhoshansky)
Fundamentals of Special Strenth Training in Sport (Verkhoshansky)
The Training of the Weightlifter (Roman)
A System of Multi-Year Training in Weightlifting (Medvedyev)
The management of the Weightlifter

I am not sure on the prices yet. Most are set by the publisher. Give me a call if your have any questions Dave Tate 1-614-309-6176

I think you should see a doctor.

Kenn Patterson
World Record Holder
728 @ 275

Thanks Kenny

As often as you want. We like to use it for suspended good mornings and low box squats. I would suggest using it in some way every third mini cycle.

For our max effort stuff we  did a lot of cambered bar good mornings, as well as  low box safety squat bar squats,  Band Deadlifts, Suspended safety squat bar good mornings, buffalo bar good mornings, and arch back good mornings (only the second to last week before the meet). We did each movement no more than two weeks, must of the time it was only for one week. After the max effort work we did a ton of  Glute Ham Raises, Pull Down Abs, and reverse hypers. 

Thanks for all the great info on powerlifting !

We train Raw all year round. The only exception would be  loose suit bottoms on speed squat day.  I would not change anything.

You should strive to do your speed sets at  parallel or 1 inch below . On max effort day try to work in some exercise going 2 to 3 inches below you speed day squat box. This can include safety squat bar, front squats, or manta ray

Second I was wondering about diet? I know this may be a off the subject of westside methods but it would really help me alot to understand how you guys eat.

We eat anything we want. I recommend trying to keep your protein up to as close to 1 gram per pond of lean body mass. Your lean body mass is determined by subtracting your percentage of body fat from your overall body mass.

Lastly. I'm 39 yr. old. I am so inspired by Louie at age 52!! I think you are 39?

I feel old sometimes, but I am not there yet. I am only 31

Could you give us some insight on getting older and how your training has changed and how age effects Louie and yourself?

Most of it is in your mind. I am the wrong person to ask on this because I am not a master lifter. I can however comment on how Louie feel about it. He feels age means nothing and will not compete as a master EVER. I have to agree with him that age can't matter that much because he kicks all our
asses in the gym year round.

Thank you again.

Warm up the same way you would when you do your sets. Once you get to the weight you would usually do your sets at cut back and just do singles until you hit your max.

Also I would like to know your opinion about what grip to use for the bench press.  I have been doing most of my speed work and special exercises with the little finger inside the ring, and some sets with close grips and in between.

I feel you should train your bench using three grips. None of these should be your compensation grip.

Today I am in my sixth week and I used illegally wide benches for a six rep max, and I found my strength at this position is not good at all.  I feel good with my little finger inside the rings, but I keep reading articles that suggest I go out as wide as possible. What grip do you guys recommend at Westside?

We train all our exercises wit a medium or close grip. Save the wide grip for the meet.

Breathing can have a huge effect on your strength. It can and will make or break a lift. You should try to holding your air during a Max effort attempt. The Valsalva Manoeure that is part of breath holding helps to create intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure will help to stabilize the spine and keep the core tight during the lift. If you are exhaling during the concentric phase of a heavy lift you will loose your tightness as well as your core stability. At the same time don't be stupid, you can't hold your breath for a set of ten reps. I try to keep my air as long as possible. On my squat days I can do this for one squat rep, and bench days I can hold for 3 reps. For any submaximal lifting I would recommend not worrying about it as much,  just breath naturally. 

The stability ball can be used for what ever you can think of. We use it for all types of presses and abdominal work.

The Videos:

The Squat Video: This is a great video to start with. It shows the proper exercise tech. of many of the max effort exercises as well as how to do the box squat. I also explains some of the methodology behind the squat training.

The Squat Workout: These tapes show it there entirety 3 max effort workouts and 3 speed workouts. These videos help to put it all together. 

The Bench Video Revised: Same as the squat video except it is the bench press.

The Bench Press Workout: Same as the squat workout except it is the bench press.

The Deadlift video: Very similar to the squat video except it goes more into deadlift tech.

If you are interested in these or have any other questions call me at 614-309-6176.

This is because you haven't developed your hip strength yet. I feel your hips and glutes have a greater strength potential than you quads. 
Yet it seems that the Louie Simmons method of squatting is with an extremely wide style. The same goes for benching.  I find that I get the most power with a wider grip yet Louie advocates a narrower grip. Thanks for your help

We only train with the narrow grip, we compete with a wide grip. The close grip will isolate the triceps more.

1.How often should I do board presses to overcome this weak point?
2.What other max effort exercises should I do to overcome this weak point?

Check the archives. I have already answered this question.

I do the same tricep exercises on both speed and max effort days, then I switch them out every 2 weeks. Do you think it's better to do different tri exercises for the speed and Max efforst days?

If it is working for you keep it the same. I like to change it up every workout with higher reps on speed day and lower reps on max effort day.

The only cardio work I would have you do is sled dragging. I feel your body fat is a little to high for your weight class. 10 - 15% would be a better range for you. The sled work I would have you do would be some where around 20 minutes non-stop after every workout.

Keep it all the same. Don't go too heavy. Remember the sled is being used for restoration not strength training. Restoration is a greater issue for the drug free lifter because they don't have the same recuperation as the drug using lifter. I would drop the sled work the week before the meet.

You have already answered your own question. Change It up! If you are 12 weeks or more away from a meet only do the hypers twice a week, one time heavy and one time light. As the meet approaches push the hypers up to twice a week heavy (5 - 8 reps) and twice light (10 - 15 reps).

I think the best explanation of Compensatory Acceleration I have ever read is by Fred Hatfield in his book POWER. He writes of the lifer who squats 5 sets of 5 reps. He guessed that only 25% of the work was enough to force the adaptive. This 25% was in the bottom part of the lift where the lifter
strains. The upper part of the motion involves better leverage so the weight is lighter. This is why you can partial squat more than you can full squat. He also writes that what you are left with is only the last two reps are difficult enough to force any kind of adaptive process. The first three reps are easy because you not in fatigued state. Thus 75% of the movement is wasted.

As I see it, there are three ways to get 100% efficiency out every rep. 

1. Isokinetics
2. Contrast Methods
3. Compensatory Acceleration

I will discuss the last two as they are the easiest to use. The use of contrast methods such as chains and bands will cause greater efficiency because the weight will never feel lighter. At the point where you body will normally start to slow down the bands and chains kick in. This will cause the lifter to have to apply force throughout the entire movement. Thus, a higher percent of efficiency.

Compensatory Acceleration is similar to contrast methods and Isokinetics except that you have to control the amount of effort being produced. The idea according to Fred is to "speed up the movement in such a way that increased leverage is accommodated for" Other benefits according to Fred are Fewer Injuries because you can use a lower percentage of weight and the over all Power is increased. He also states that with explosive movements against resistance the Golgi tendon organ will be delayed in sending its stretch message to the brain. When the happens the brain sends a message to the contracting muscle to shut down. This response limits strength. So by delaying this message you are allow your strength to increase.

This information provided by Fred can help you see the why  percent training with fewer reps and Compensatory Acceleration has helped so many of our lifers. When this is combined with the use of contrast methods the overall effect is much greater as seen in the recent PR's set by Westside lifters.

Also, what type of rep performace is used in the repeated effort method or in traing for muscle hypertrophy?

I have found the best range to be in the 12 to 17 rep range.

Keep the weight the same on your speed exercises: Squat and Bench Press

 hould I try to do these higher rep sets for speed?

A good Tempo would be X~1~2. This means explosive on the concentric with a 1 second pause, and 2 seconds concentric. Another good Tempo for hypertrophy is 2~1~2.

ON Max days I am reducing the weight slightly as well, but keeping the high rep sets as heavy as manageable- but not able after maxing to then do them at same weight.

How can it be a Max Effort if the weight is reduced. Try to do the max effort exercise for sets of 3 reps. This will keep the muscle under tension longer.

Please comment.  And again thanks for your generosity.

I also need to loose 50 pounds of fat. Can I do this while still training to become faster, stronger and throwing farther? If so, how?

Why be a follower when you can be a leader? Why do they promote Olympic Lifting? I would suggest trying the Westside program as outlined in Louie's articles as well as through this page (strength online). I will be shocked if you don't notice a difference within 6 weeks. You can lose weight and get
stronger at the same time. The key to doing this is keeping the protein up and losing the weight slowly.

Proper form and technique is the most important aspect of training at any age. If you make sure you are using good form and you will not get hurt. Joining a gym is a good idea because it will expose you to more people who have the same goals as yourself as well as providing you with spotters.

To get a bigger carry over on your box squat you need to get stronger. Your percent carry over  is at 90%. This is above the Westside "Elite" average of 84%. So you are getting a higher carry over than we do.

2) Today, I did those Inlcline triceps ext. w/db for  10 sets of 10. I usually stay with the same weight for all the sets. But could I work up the weight each sets? Or will this be too hard on the elbow because I can't understand how you can put 25 lbs on your bench by doing these 3-6 weeks.

If you can work up the weight with each set then you have picked the wrong weight to start with. Try increasing the weight and see what happens. Keep in mind again the "percentage" when I say 25 pounds on a bench. This is 25 pounds on a 550+ bench press.

The journal is finished and I like the way it turned out. The cost of the journal is $35.00 (shipping included). Call me at 1-614-309-6176

All the exercises are explained in the Westside Barbell Videos. Give me a call at 1-614-309-6176 and we will figure out which ones will work best for your training needs.

Most of it is BS. There is a lot of Westside misinformation on the Internet. There are too many so called Westside experts on the Internet. Very few have ever trained with Louie or at Westside for any duration. The information you find on my Q and A comes from my education in exercise science, continuous reading,  as well as spending the last 9 years being training partners with Louie Simmons, Kenny Paterson, and Chuck Vogelpol. We make up part of the the AM CREW at Westside barbell. Kenny and Chuck are TRUE  Westside barbell. 
They have been with Louie for over 15 years and have established themselves as the best in the world. They also have made me the lifter I am today (whatever that is?), and will make me a better lifter tomorrow.

We have been around this style of training so long that it is easy to determine where someone is weak and what they need to do to bring it up. This is because we have seen it many times before. Very rarely is there a new problem to solve. It always seems like the same shit but a different person. Here is the most important aspect of training at Westside "You need to listen to your training partners". They know better than you do about what you need. You see most people will never admit or don't know how to tell  where they are weak so the problem is never corrected. Not listening to your training partners is still the number one problem I see at our gym time and time again by both the new comers and experienced lifters.

 By the way the Westside posers who think they know what they are doing couldn't last a week with these guys in the gym! If you want to know what we do at Westside or what Louie says and does then you have to go to the source "WESTSIDE BARBELL"

Why do you say this when the programs you are doing call for training the failure on every set whereas we never train to failure. Training has to be specific to the individual regardless of whatever circumstances. There are many drug free lifters making great gains with the Westside system. They
have to customize the program to their own needs and weaknesses the same way a enhanced lifter would.

You can still maintain you speed and power and even bring it up some. You don't need the strength of a powerlifter in your sport so the cardio won't hold you back. You do need speed endurance and strength endurance so try to keep your cardio specific to your sport. Try specific interval training
using exercises that are based around grappling.

My second question pertains to the squat.  My regular style is slightly narrow and I feel I use alot more quad strength when I lift.  I still train the box squat the way Louie described it, utilizing my glutes and hams. Will I benefit from modifying the way I box squat to better resemble my regular squat?  Any advice is always appreciated.  Thank you

When you are grappling are you in a narrow or wide stance? I would recommend trying the squat using three stances wide, medium, and narrow.

Try throwing in 6 to 8 singles with 50% after you speed squat workout. Train it with the same speed style you do your squats.