BODYBUILDER MMA's Westside For Skinny Bastards routine...because I got flamed :(

Bodybuilder MMA

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I'm mostly creating this as I need help with the Westside programs.

I am big into bodybuilding(I know a lot and can help you there, but not with Westside :() and making the switch over to MMA and more strength oriented workouts. I have a lot of size @ 6'4 235 lbs, but strength is down on some lifts.

I've only been lifting about 15-16 months, a lot of Chad Waterbury's work, rippetoe's, 5x5, 10x3, and 4x6 rep schemes.
Most I've done ever:

Flat barbell bench: 250x5(but I had a bit of help on one or two)
Deadlift 455x1
Squat, eh, smith machine backsquat about 305x5 or 6(horrible, no access to a squat/power rack, YET)

I just turned 21 about a month and a week ago. Lifting since the end of October 06.
 
Friday 3-7-2007 RE Upper Body

Incline barbell bench.

160x15
160x15
155x15(had a ton of trouble on last 2)

Weighted Chinups. 3x8-12

bw(235) + 30 lbsx8
+30x8
+30x8

3x8-12 dbell power clean 15sx12, 15sx12, 15sx12

4x8-12 dbell standing strict overhead press 50'sx10, 50x10, 50x10, 50x12

barbell shrug 8-10 reps. 315x10, 325x10, 325x10

2x8-12 JM press. 95x8 95x8


I was pressed for time on this. Workout was only about 70 minutes( I spend a long time on workouts)

My endurance is horrible. I could only get 160x15 on incline, I've done 235x3-4 before on incline, so I know it's an endurance issue.

Chins were fairly easy, I'll go to 35 for 8 next week, then 40x8.

Dbell power cleans were the first time doing them, absolutely fried traps and rear delts, LOVE them.

Shrugs felt good, fairly easy, I had a 1 sec hold at the top on those.

Jm presses were good. I was to do hammer curls, plate pinches, and an ab circuit, but I cut those out due to time.(hit the compounds, then worry about lighter stuff.)
 
Good work, looks like you definetely figured out the program, that is how an RE day is supposed to look.
 
monday 3-10-2008 Max Effort Upper

First time doing barbell bench in about 5 weeks(been doing dumbells)

FLAT BARBELL BENCHPRESS WORKING UP TO A 3RM

BARX12, 95X6, 135X6, 185X3, 205X2

225X3 EASY 235X3 DIFFICULT and had trouble at bottom, 245X3(1 second pause at bottom), got first easy, 2nd was tough, and 3rd I had trouble at bottom but easy lockout. WTF? I did just as good adding 10 lbs and doing a pause. Can anyone explain that? haha.

dbell floor press 2 sets of max reps. 60sx17(paused at bottom) 60x15(paused at bottom)

3x8-12 chest supported rows 35x15 easy 40x15 easy 45x15 easy

3x8-12 bent delt flyes. 15x15 20x12 20x15

3x8-15 dbell shrugs. 90sx15 90sx15 100sx15(straps on last)

4x6 hammer curls. 55x6, 60x6, 60x6, 60x6(straps on last)

4x10-15 swiss ball crunch. +5 lbs x15, 10x15, 15x15, 20x15

3xfailure plate pinches. two 10's each hand 3 sets of about 20 seconds hold.



Bench was first time for barbell, felt ok. But I have trouble at the bottom, any advice? Chest supported dbell rows were extremely easy and I will start with 45 and work up to 50s next week on it. The flys were painful due to lactic acid, but not too difficult.

Shrugs were easy, I'll work up to 110 next week on those(high as gym goes :()

Hammer curls were easy, I've done 80s in the past for 9 reps(not textbook form, though)

Crunch felt great.
 
Reflections and questions:


Ok, the bottom of my barbell bench is my weak area, I am a RAW lifter. What should I do for it? Should I just do paused benching on my ME work? I feel like I could lockout 350, but struggle to get 240 out of the hole.

Incline barbell, my endurance is weak. I got 160x15, what should I aim for this friday? 165x15? 160x20? Or 165 as many as possible?

Are dumbell, paused floor presses fine even if my lockout is strong? Or are they a waste if lockout is a problem? I figure if I can make a strength stronger, there is no harm, as long as I work on my weaknesses as well. Basically, what can I do to get stronger out of the hole?


*edit* I do seem to progress quite efficiently on lifts for 4-5 weeks, relative to others.


 
201352orig.jpg
 
If you are weak off your chest I think more paused benches and DB bench presses are in order. I don't really see the point in DB floor presses. But others more qualified than I can probably give you better advice.
 
If you are talking about raw benching, almost everyone is going to be weak off the chest. That's why bench shirts work; they contribute almost nothing to the lockout of a bench, but when they are fully stretched in the "hole" they give the rebound to get out of that sticking point. People read about Westside and get confused because they are always talking about building the top of the bench, well you have to understand they are talking from the perspective of geared lifters. If you want a good article on what to do for raw benching....

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/bench_like_a_stripper.htm
 
Keep up your log. It is the best way for you to track your progress and learn about what works for you and what doesn't. If nothing else, it gives you a chance to reflect on what you accomplished during your workout.
 
I possibly do a fraction of what you can push. I mean like 1/8th haha
 
good job with the log and workouts.

Top exercises for the bottom half of the bench:

-paused bench(including incline and decline) with various grips at the chest for various periods(1-3 sec)
-dips(weighted if necessary) leaning forward and going deep
-pin pressouts from the chest inside a rack
-isometric presses inside a rack at the chest
-DB presses/flyes
 
Flat barbell bench: 250x5(but I had a bit of help on one or two)
Deadlift 455x1
Squat, eh, smith machine backsquat about 305x5 or 6(horrible, no access to a squat/power rack, YET)
What the hell is going on here? Oh well, you are stronger than I will ever be, so I will shut up. Welcome to the logs.
 
your gym has no type of squat or power rack?

or did I miss the memo and you don't lift in a gym?
 
3-12-2008 MAX EFFORT LOWER BODY

A. Conventional deadlift

(these are warmups)
135x12
225x6
275x3
315x2
345x1

(working sets)
385x3(deload each rep/no bounce)
395x3(deload each rep/no bounce)

Barbell lunges

85 lbsx12(each foot 12 times)
95 lbsx10(each 10)
105 lbsx10(each foot 10)

Stiff legged deadlift

235x8
255x6
275x5

3 sets of ab circuit.

Laying with toes in air touches, V situps, sprinter situps, crunches.





Great workout. Deadlift was very easy. I am going for 405x3 and maybe 415x3 next week. I am not struggling quite enough on it, which is very good! I sometimes use straps, sometimes don't on deads.

Barbell lunges were fun, haha. My ass is so sore today due to them, oh man. I'm still fairly new to them, they're a great unilateral movement for the glutes and quads. I'll go up fast on them as they are new. Stiff legged deads weren't all that difficult, either. I had more gas in the tank.

Ab circuit, fun, but I needed more exercises.

Power cleans and calf raises were omitted due to being tired as hell!


A friend at the gym was showing me an armbar in the hallway, he had me crawl up onto him, this female worker watched the entire thing, I'm quite certain she believes we are homosexual now.
 
if you don't have a squat rack and you want to squat heavy, all you really need is a fat friend.

have his fat ass sit on your shoulders and get to work.

when i wrestled, i didn't have weights, but we had different weight-class wrestlers and you could just shoulder one and get to working.
 
good job with the log and workouts.

Top exercises for the bottom half of the bench:

-paused bench(including incline and decline) with various grips at the chest for various periods(1-3 sec)
-dips(weighted if necessary) leaning forward and going deep
-pin pressouts from the chest inside a rack
-isometric presses inside a rack at the chest
-DB presses/flyes

What should I do next ME day for press?

All paused at the bottom? Or work up to a 3RM touch n go and then a few sets paused? 245x3 was paused, but only the first rep was completely clean. Thank you for posting! Dips, I was dipping my bodyweight(235) + 70 lbs for quite a few reps, I figure that should be enough. I need to find where I could throw them in, as well.
 
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