I have been doing CS Sloan’s “Frequent and Furious” program for the last 7 1/2 weeks. During this time I have seen my bench press numbers go up about 40lbs and my squat about 50lbs.
I have been very happy with these numbers but I am noticing something on my heavy days (Mondays). By the time I get to squats after the bench, I feel like I don’t have as much in me anymore, especially when I am doing sets with higher reps. I don’t know if it my CNS telling me to cool it or what.
If anyone has any advice, i would really appreciate it. I don’t know if I am ready for Westside, as my numbers are pretty low. I bench 230 for two reps. I squat 205 for five reps. I pull 320 for two reps. Thanks for any help or suggestions!
“I don’t know if I am ready for Westside, as my numbers are pretty low. I bench 230 for two reps. I squat 205 for five reps. I pull 320 for two reps.”
I bench 185. Squat 225. I dunno what I pull and I’m doing Westside. What makes you think that you have to have good numbers now to do be able to do Westside?
Good point. I am basing it on my numbers and my training experience. I only started lifting smart in January. I don’t know if I am technically ready for Westside, i.e. not enough training experience behind me. I look at the pictures of guys at Westside and the other powerlifters and they look pretty big even before they started Westside. I am not trying to be dumb, just hoping for some help.
I did “F&F” (beginner) a couple of times this year in 4 week cycles. To be honest, the risk of overtraining was definitely on my mind. I did add a couple of sets of back work–a different exercise each day (seated row=heavy, pullup=light, shrug=medium).
I really found that the medium days were more exhausting than the heavy ones but maybe it’s because medium workouts came at the end of the week while I hit the heavy day coming off of a 2-day rest.
Either way I was happy with the gains but 4 weeks is about my max for using it continuously.
My numbers aren’t all that much higher than yours, and Westside has been working fine for me. Only thing you really have to worry about is not doing too much in the way of auxiliary work. In other words, just stick to the basic template - i.e., bench press, triceps exercise, lat exercise, delt exercise, you’re done - for the first few months.
Also, genpo, considering that the technique for training Westside is different from regular training (e.g. squat - different foot positions, focusing on keeping shoulderblades together and back, initiating with hips not knees; bench - keeping elbows in, shoulderblades together, pressure on neck, traps, shoulderblades). So basically, the sooner you start training Westside, the easier it’ll be to break your current bad habits (and yes, they are bad habits). After benching 10 lbs more Westside style than your current bench form will make you realize that Westside is the way. If not for training split then at least for form on big 3 lifts.
Thanks for all the suggestions about Westside. I think I am going to start it tomorrow with a dynamic bench workout. I was enjoying the gains I saw with the Frequent and Furious workouts but it didn’t seem like I was able to put the focus into each exercise like I wanted to.
