I can realize the potential I have. What did those ranked under him think? Training is more complicated than many make it out to be, but it’s still simpler than most think. Miss my opener? The club “top” list got very freaky and keeps growing today. I was stuck training on the machines at Matt's place and doing physical therapy, so all I could do at Westside was spot. When I first arrived at Westside, Louie was retired. Louis Simmons (born 12 October 1947) is a former American powerlifter and current strength coach. Keep in mind none of these rules were ever explained to you or posted on the wall. All of us used to do the same max effort work regardless of what we wanted to do. By this, I mean that smarter decisions were made. There is no reason not to be able to pull your shit together for 10 fucking seconds. Good or bad, it fits the mentality of the group of the ‘90s so maybe, for us, it was optimal. "We're going to attach them to the platform and wrap the other end around the bar for squats.". Max effort waves that built on each other were added. Westside Barbell is a private, invitation-only, elite training facility in Columbus, Ohio that was created by Simmons. Guys online have almost mythologized Westside. We used and created many supplemental progressions like this. Those who looked up to him? I had breakfast with him when I could afford it and work allowed it. I never missed a meet and had many poor meets or bomb-outs because I lifted injured. When I showed up, Westside was in the process of changing from a commercial-type gym to a private powerlifting club. I have posted this before, but I think it fits in this article to provide more context on the time and changes that were happening. There’s only one way it will get done and that’s by earning their respect “under the bar.”. These were guys who, to a man, could've walked into any commercial gym and assumed the title of "strongest guy in the gym," but Louie had them all believing they were just spokes in a bigger wheel. By alternating ME and DE sessions, the conjugate sequence system is meant as an alternative to traditional Western periodization in strength training, in which only one quality, such as hypertrophy, speed, or strength, is developed in a given week. There were only a handful of people who were there to move into that gym and were still around 10 or so years later when the next move happened. Better yet, ask their wives or ex-wives. That would've knocked most lifters completely off their game, but he just borrowed another shirt and benched. These people included those who were there training every session or every week: Louie Simmons, Dorris Simmons, Chuck Vogelpohl, Amy Weisberger, and me. Guys grew to need this mental trauma. Still, despite opening the doors to the world's best, many of Westside's current top lifters are guys born and raised in Columbus. [9] Two "Max Effort" (ME) sessions a week, one each for the upper and lower body, require training with maximally heavy weights on the special exercises described above. We never knew what movement we'd be doing, but always knew the goal – to strain. He's paid his dues and earned the right to take the truly great ones and make them extraordinary. We trained Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday morning. The club was open to aspiring lifters and world-class athletes alike, and its members used the most advanced training systems yet devised. Again, I was pissed. I will be the first to say, while I was there, we didn't know what training "optimal" was yet. But the training never stopped. At first, we just did what we did. I saw Westside was selling a poster some time ago of Louie's rules — many of the ones I covered were on there, many there were others I forgot. When Louie told me after I tore my pec that I could be better, it wasn't a vote of confidence he was giving me, but responsibility — responsibility to be better, and if I was going to make it at Westside, I’d better get better. I can't tell you what's going on at Westside today. When I first came, it was a commercial gym, which then moved to the Boxer in the Basement location, and finally to the location in projects. The training methods were what interested me most about this documentary, though they spent a large portion of it telling the stories of the gyms most famous members. Its original co-director and cameraman, out on bail last March after a drug-dealing arrest, emptied the production bank account. I could get angry, but the only way to shut him up would be to get stronger. Sign up for our e-mail and be the first who know our special offers! I'd do a set of 455-pound squats that would feel heavy. We discovered that you have a better chance of getting injured with triples and fives than with singles. Unwrap him and roll him out. NO, WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING MEMBERS. Extra workouts were added for weak points. I am five minutes late.”, "The rest of us are here 30 minutes early. It's my turn to squat. Westside Tactical -CC Description Instructors Notes In this section you... by on August 08, 2018 ... Westside Barbell is an Invitation Only Training Facility/Living Laboratory pushing the boundaries of Athletic performance under the guidance of … Dynamic squat (speed squat) training evolved to include other bars outside of the straight bar. He wouldn't toss you out; we would. Just because they’re in the videos doesn’t mean we did rolling dumbbell triceps extensions for eight sets of eight (20-second rest) twice a week every week of the year. That was it. It was all in or nothing. In many cases, the old things are what advanced us to the new ones. My point is the Westside Crew was usually not as big as many think. Sign up for our e-mail and be the first who know our special offers! Westside Barbell was created by world-renowned power lifter Louie Simmons. In time, we stayed with one movement until it stalled and then moved on. If you're new to box squats, I suggest you do them once per week. The vote count was: he was gone. There are no contracts and no monthly fees; you earn your right to be there by competing on the platform. Never back out! Although weight releasers were used sparingly, they gave very good results when used correctly. I can’t begin to count the number of times I left that place wanting to tear the steering wheel of the dashboard and beat fucking Louie (or many of the others) over the head with it. Westside Barbell is an invitation only powerlifting gym owned by Louie Simmons. It wasn't worth the bullshit. Westside Barbell had produced 40 or 50 elite lifters before anyone from outside Columbus moved to train there. Christmas Sale: save 15% sitewide with code HOLIDAY20, Free Shipping + free beanie with a $49.95 qualifying order. Guys would be at each other's throats on Friday, but we'd be back on Monday because that's when we squatted. Try walking into Westside and teaching those guys what to do! You're crammed into a small room full of huge guys, all on edge, a second away from exploding. The physical part was also on me, as in my mind, I was already on borrowed meathead time before I got to Westside Barbell, due to accumulated injuries. Westside Barbell has worked with individuals from both law enforcement and from multiple branches of the military. To say this place was a dump is an understatement. That's why when one of us broke a world record it wasn't just the guy under the bar that felt pride. Louie learned what too much was from us (and from HIM, as he was right at the top of the mix - in his 50's). Over 95 percent of those who came to train and stay didn't last one month. It meant more to us than a world record. All it took was one bad session, and this vote was 100 percent because we all knew that shit could spread like wildfire. Training hard was not expected, it was a given. With the Tactical programming, you can expect four days of training: max effort lower day, max effort upper day, dynamic lower, and dynamic upper. Nitro was always waiting on Louie and Westside Crew to come train at gym and was a very important member of Westside. Do you know what he talked about? I never did it again. The catch was, you had to either have totaled elite or benched 500 pounds to get the invite, and the lifts had to have been performed at Westside. 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Weight classes Saturday, you jumped in at whatever the weight was traveled to rat...

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