WS4SB - ME Sets?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
21

[quote]Control_61 wrote:
I will post another question here! :slight_smile:

Does anyone here have some tips about how to rotate the upper body max effort exercise?

The exercises I can perform:

  • Regular Barbell Bench Press
  • Incline Barbell Bench Press
  • Close Grip Bench Press
  • Rack Lockouts
  • Board Press

Should I stay with the same exercise for perhaps 3 weeks? And then rotate? Anyone has any tips about how to rotate?[/quote]

It`s up to you in which order you change the exercises, but you should change it every 3-4 weeks.

22

[quote]Rampage74 wrote:
what i do is a week scheme…

week 1 = 5 reps max
week 2 = 3 reps max
week 3 = 1 rep max

and then rotate the exercice…

exercice…

-flat bench,incline,decline,Floor press

Im curious to see if people use db for max effort sometimes!![/quote]

I know defranco personally uses db bench variations for ME, but only for athletes like quarterbacks or pitchers who use overhead throwing movements. Regular BB benching would be too hard on their shoulders I think.

23

[quote]Bartleby83 wrote:
I do also train the WS4SB schema.
I try to explain it with an example.
You can perform 3-5 reps with 100 max. In this set you reach muscle failure within the 3-5 rep.
So warm up and to gain a certain volume you start with, for example, 70.

70 x 5 reps
80 x 5 reps
85 x 3 reps
90 x 3 reps
95 x 3 reps
97,5 x 3 reps
100 x 3-5 reps
[/quote]

I think this method is great if you’re trying to gain mass and need extra volume. However, if you’re looking for a true 3 or 5 rep max, this method will tire you out long before you get to that max. Remember that warm-up sets are just that: warmups.

If you blow your wad before you hit your max then you may be selling yourself short. This is the way I do it, and I got this example straight off Joe’s website:

For example, if you were going to �??work up�?? to a 3-rep max on the bench press and your goal was 200 lbs., your warm-up would be as follows:
Set #1 - Bar X 5
Set #2 - 95 X 5
Set #3 - 115 X 3
Set #4 - 135 X 3
Set #5 - 165 X 2
Set #6 - 185 X 1
Max attempt set - 200 X 3

Now, if you’re a “skinny bastard” like Joe says and want to build more mass, feel free to use triples all the way. However, if you’re looking to see what your strength truly is then less may be more.

24

It`s a thing what works best for you. If you blast your guts out with the warm up sets and you have not the power for the last max set then it is not a waist of time, but not intended so :wink:

My post isn`t a law engraved in stone, it was only a schema to show what it can look like. You can choose the weights as you want it, but you should do some sets (5-6).

On and on we get something together but i think Joe DeFranco described it very well on his website or in his T-Nation articles.

25

Even Loui Simmons says that the best way to build Speed is with Jump Training.

26

today i did

20 x 20
40 x 15
60 x 10
80 x 4
90(circa 80% 1rm) x 4
92½ x 4
95 x 4
97½ x 4
100 x 4
102½ x 3 <— then called it because i couldn do 4 reps anymore

this gives me 5 lifts above my 80 of 1 rm… and then next week im going to start 5 kg later with the small increments and then try to hit a new PR and then change the exercise…

I dont think joe desribed this very well because he always only gives one explanation in examples but in text he gives another example.

i read that with his athletes they mostly only does a couple of sets with the bar and then he does some sets up at their max… trying to find out what their max is.

i fell that the way Margahe described it is the best because you get so many lifts above your 80% and who doesnt like lifting alot of heavy shit ?

27

the point of rotating exercises is so that you are always gaining; meaning you either are putting more weight on the bar or doing 1 or 2 more reps every week.

if your not gaining on a certain exercise then why would you continue to do it week in and week out.

2 or 3 week stretches are probably best

28

Since I my gym has limitations, I will now train:

Week 1-2:
Close Grip Bench Press

Week 3-4:
Rack Lockouts

Week 5-6:
Barbell Bench Press

Week 7-8:
Floor Press/Board Press

Sounds somewhat good??

Another thing I was thinkin about.
Been looking through the youtube videos at defrancostraining.com but can’t find any examples.
When performing the dynamic effort jumps. Lets say box jumps.
Should I jump up and down? Or should I jump up, then step down and then start again?

Thanks to everyone for all the help!

29

Overthinking. Just do it.

30

Well i not see the problem :slight_smile:
Jump up, then move down, concentrate and jump up…this for 1-3 times or so often you like.

31

if you want to get in more volume warm up and work up to a new PR then drop some weight and do a few more sets.

32

westside-barbell.com has some information on this under the articles section. Look for explosive leg strength and speed this and other articles with that kind of title.

33

I’ve been searching WS4SB threads for a certain question but have yet to see it answered (or even asked).

On the ME lifts, Defranco says to try and hit a new PR every week. But what about all the supplemental lifts – should I try to increase those every week as well?

For example, I’m doing single leg squats as a supplemental lift on ME lower day. Last week I did 90x10, 110x10, 120x10. Today I did 90x10, 130x8x8. Should I stick to 90x10x10x10 (e.g.) each week instead?

34

No you should always try to get a little more…

the way i do it.

i choose a weight that makes me able to do 8-8-8 or just about that. then i lift that until i hit 12 reps on the first set. then i up the weight so i can only do 8.

thats if your rep range is 8-12.

35

Ok, cool. Next week I should try for 130x8x8x8, then try to work up to 130x12x8x8, then attempt 140.

Is it ok to alternate between 2 exercises on the ME lifts? I did bench for a couple weeks and got to 195x5 but really struggled. I switched to incline. When I stall on it, can I go back to bench? Should I start again @ 195x5 or drop a little lower (180-190)?

36

[quote]blunt wrote:
today i did

20 x 20
40 x 15
60 x 10
80 x 4
90(circa 80% 1rm) x 4
92½ x 4
95 x 4
97½ x 4
100 x 4
102½ x 3 <— then called it because i couldn do 4 reps anymore

this gives me 5 lifts above my 80 of 1 rm… and then next week im going to start 5 kg later with the small increments and then try to hit a new PR and then change the exercise…

I dont think joe desribed this very well because he always only gives one explanation in examples but in text he gives another example.

i read that with his athletes they mostly only does a couple of sets with the bar and then he does some sets up at their max… trying to find out what their max is.

i fell that the way Margahe described it is the best because you get so many lifts above your 80% and who doesnt like lifting alot of heavy shit ?[/quote]

Did you read his article?
http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/articles.htm

[quote]You�??ll notice that I don�??t list the number of warm-up sets for your main lift on Max-Effort days or Repetition Upper Body days. Instead, I use the term �??work up.�?? This is because the number of warm-up sets you�??ll be performing is determined by how strong you are! The stronger you are, the more sets you�??ll need to reach your max weight. I favor multiple sets of low reps for warming up on Max-Effort Day and just 1 or 2 sets of 6-8 reps before your first exercise on Rep Upper Body Day.

Before you warm up with weights, however, you should be performing a 5-15 minute general warm-up. Make sure you have a light sweat going before getting under the bar.

Here�??s an example of �??working up�?? to a max set of 3 reps in the box squat. Assuming the athlete�??s goal is to box squat 315 lbs. for 3 reps, a sample warm-up would look something like this:

95 X 5
135 X 5
185 X 3
225 X 3
275 X 3
295 X 3
315 X 3

It should be noted that these warm-up weights are not engraved in stone! Some people like to take bigger jumps and some prefer smaller. YOU must figure out what works best for YOU! The one thing I will suggest is that if you are a weak, skinny bastard, you must make sure you�??re performing at least 5 total sets for your max-effort exercise. For example, let�??s say you�??re going for a 5RM in the box squat and your goal is 185 lbs. Don�??t just do 95 X 5, 135 X 5 and 185 X 5. Skinny bastards need more volume in order to grow, so make sure you make smaller jumps in weight and get more sets in before your main set.
[/quote]

37

Oboile what he writes in the article might not be what he does with his athletes… read his ask joe on his website.

38

Which session of “Ask Joe” do you mean?