The one thing I dislike about westside...need some help from the pros

[AJ_H]

Currently I am training the westside template as follows:

Sun. Bench, RE day (don't think I'm ready to do speed work just yet)
Mon. Squat/Deadlift, RE day
Wed. Bench, ME day
Fri. Squat/Deadlift, ME day

Ok so in the westside template, the squat, deadlift and bench all get hit twice a week, the bench gets its own day, but the squat and deadlift share a day.

Well, I like to prioritize any leg training over any upper body training and I normally feel sapped when I come to do deadlifts after squats, so currently I am considering this:

Day 1, ME Squat
Day 2, ME Bench
Day 3, ME Deadlift
Day 4, RE Bench
Day 5, RE Squat (Minimise all core, glutes and hamstring work here)
Day 6, RE Deadlift (Make up for missed core, glutes and hamstrings work from day before)
Day 7, Rest

What do you guys think? If you have any better suggestions, please state. And say if you don't think this is a good idea, I am only consideringthe above split. Also opinions will be good from anyone, pros or not pros.

Any help much appreciated.

AH

[jbrin0tk]

The reason that DL's don't have their own day is because they use many of the same muscles as the squat.

For me personally, I didn't pull heavy off the floor for about two months. Instead I did rack pulls and defecit pulls, and my DL went up by 25lbs. Of course, my squat was going up, too, so I had a feeling like my DL might as well.

[mikesbench]

You might want to consider the split Brian Schwab from Orlando Barbell uses. I believe he has something like this...

Sun - DE or RE Bench
Mon - ME Squat / Deadlift (alternate weeks, squat variation one week, deadlift variation the next)
Tues -
Wed - ME Bench
Thurs -
Fri - DE or RE Squat / Deadlift (Work whichever lift was not trained in the Monday session)
Sat -

I think this is a little better idea in terms of recovery. But of course experimenting is how you find what works for you; good luck with your training.

[Lones Green]

try the westside template. your deadlift will go up. in 3 months, i hadn't done a rack pull, pull with band, heavy deadlift, nothing. just all heavy squats and speed DL's. i went back 3 months later and hit a 65lb PR on the deadlift. i believe i could have gone even heavier, but that was enough volume.

i was the same way, "how will my deadlift go up if i don't train it?" it will go up, all the assistance movements and heavy squats will shoot it right up. there is an ungodly amount of research and YEARS of trials Louie has put into the westside barbell template.

[AJ_H]

Thanks all for the advice, well appreciated. Yeah, when I stated the routine, I just said deadlift RE/ME for simplicity's sake, what I really meant was some kind o deadlift variation.

[Sean S]

I would stick to a four-day-a-week template. I don't know many who could adequately recover from the six-day-a-week template above. Another idea is to alternate on your SQ/DL ME day and do Heavy squats and speed pulls one week and then do DE squats and work up to a heavy pull the next week. Then simply alternate back and forth each week. On your other SQ/DL day, you could work up to a couple heavy (but not always maximal) sets of ~5 reps on a GM, DL variation, or SQ variation then do your other accessory work (back raises, rev hypers, GHR, abs, etc...). This has worked well for my training partner and I for the last year or so.

[muscle_g]

Instead of having a RE squat day, why don't you just have a Squat day and a Deadlift day by them selves

Day 1- ME Bench
Day 2- Squats
Day 3- DE Bench
Day 4- Deadlifts

[RhodeHouse]

Westside works. Would you try to re-invent a better shape of a wheel? Follow Westside as stated, for 6 months to a year. If your numbers don't go up, you have no clue how to train. It works, do it.

[Big_Byrd52]

You might want to consider the split Brian Schwab from Orlando Barbell uses. I believe he has something like this...

Sun - DE or RE Bench
Mon - ME Squat / Deadlift (alternate weeks, squat variation one week, deadlift variation the next)
Tues -
Wed - ME Bench
Thurs -
Fri - DE or RE Squat / Deadlift (Work whichever lift was not trained in the Monday session)
Sat -

I think this is a little better idea in terms of recovery. But of course experimenting is how you find what works for you; good luck with your training.

i like this idea from schwab. never seen the lower de rotate like that.

[Eric Downey]

When I was doing a the westside temp B4 training with Jesse monday I would do something like that. Keeping the same movements for squat and dead for a few weeks Bs changing though. Good mornings were my fav to do.

[deeder]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Westside was moving towards deadlifting more regularly. I'm not saying pull heavy every week, but speed pulls on the DE day after your squats and maybe every 3-4 weeks an ME deadlift of some kind.

[AdamBAG]

We use a WSB template and do some type of pull every week. On the weeks I do a GM or Squat for Max Effort I'll pull for speed w/ or against bands for speed after my dynamic squats. So I end up pulling heavy every third week and pulling for speed on the others. It's working well so far.

[mickyjune26]

The reality is that unless you have been lifting solid for more than a few years, you're going to make progress no matter what routine you use. The question is how long will you be able to use a routine before you physically or mentally need a change. Here's my thoughts:

Your routine - 3 weeks
Muscle G's routine - 4 - 5 weeks (from my experience)
Westside - should be able to stick with it indefinately. There program is structured in a way that it gives plenty of recoop time, allows you to change up the exercises, and always has something new that keeps you motivated.

Do what you want, just don't stop lifting and eating.

[mickyjune26]

...now if I could just convince my lifting partner who is much stronger than me to switch to Westside... lol.

[AJ_H]

The question is how long will you be able to use a routine before you physically or mentally need a change. Here's my thoughts:

Your routine - 3 weeks

lol is it that bad? yeah, I was never really thinkin of using that routine anywa, just wanted to see what ideas I could get.

Anyways, I'm just gonna stick to westside.