Westside Barbell Training 101

Westside Barbell, based in Columbus, Ohio, has produced some of the strongest powerlifters in the world. Under the tutelage of Louie Simmons, over fifty members have recorded elite totals in national and international competitions and countless others have gotten brutally strong by adhering to the Westside Barbell training philosophy.

Central to the Westside system is the concept of conjugated periodisation. Unlike the popular linear periodisation paradigm favoured by Western coaches, the conjugate method develops several aspects of performance simultaneously by utilising three distinct training methodologies: the maximal, dynamic and repetition effort techniques.

The Westside Barbell training week is divided into four sessions:

Monday: ME Lower

Wednesday: ME Upper

Friday: DE Lower

Sunday: DE Upper

During maximal effort sessions, lifters select one primary exercise and perform several heavy singles using weights exceeding 90% of their 1 rep max. Popular choices for lower body days are good mornings, low box squats, and deadlift variations; on upper body days floor presses, board presses and close grip bench presses are among the most common exercise selections. ME sessions develop neuromuscular efficiency and expose lifters to extremely heavy loads, which has a direct bearing on strength levels. However, due to the stresses placed on the central nervous system by the aggressive loading parameters, primary exercises are cycled once every 1-3 weeks to prevent CNS burnout.

Dynamic effort sessions increase trainees’ ability to generate peak force rapidly by teaching them to move the bar as fast as possible. Box squats are the exercise of choice on Fridays; lifters perform 8 doubles with 45-70% of their 1RM. On Sundays, 8 triples on the flat bench press with varying grip widths are used; again with 45-70% of the lifter’s 1RM. Advanced trainees use percentages at the lower end of the scale, whereas a newcomer to the Westside Barbell training philosophy would be able to use a higher percentage. It is important to remember that bar speed is far more important than weight lifted on DE days.

After performing the main lift in each session, the athletes perform several supplemental and accessory exercises, all of which are trained using the repetition effort method where multiple sets of 5 to 15 reps are preferred. This repetition range is optimal for inducing hypertrophy and complements the ME and DE methods by strengthening an individual’s weak points. Particular attention is usually given to the abdominals and lower back on lower body days and the triceps, upper back and deltoids on upper body days.

Consider this article to be a ‘bluffer’s guide to Westside’ – the theory and practical application behind Simmons’ methods is far more intricate than can be explained here, but this gives you an insight into the tools used by some of the strongest athletes in the world.

Russell Willers