Awesome , epic , jizz in my pants!!!
Nice article man. One interesting thing about that and a good example of how things sometimes get lost in translation is that's the original max effort method espoused by westside barbell, but I think most people interpret their version a bit differently. It can be tough when you read a bunch of different strength/performance texts because different researchers from different countries will often use different names and slightly different variations. For example, the brief maximal tension method is much the same but I think you'll hear that from German researchers. I believe Bompa calls his the mxs method or something similar.
It's been a while since I've looked into any westside stuff I just think it's funny how so many things get oddly translated. The "conjugate method" is another one. I'm sure there are others.
As for the pauses, I can kinda see why they wouldn't want to pause reps. When you get really strong one of the hardest things is just unracking and walking out the bar plus all that equipment makes it even more difficult.
On another note, I also think the psych thing is something that contributes the most to the variabiilty in how fatiguing some people feel low rep lower body training...especially high load/high frequency training. I've noticed (and I remember Glenn Pendlay saying this too) that people that have a big gap between training and competitive max will burn themselves out very easily if they're not careful because they tend to get too adrenalized. I 've had some guys who can't succeed with even low volume high frequency training because they burn theirselves out. I suspect a big reason is they just naturally run in high adrenaline mode all the time. Westside guys usually train in "packs" that promotes a competitive high adrenaline atmosphere, so even if they're not supposed to be getting fired up, they do. I used to do westside with a group of guys for a while in the late 90's. We'd work up to a max and try for PRs once per week. I rmember it being extremely fatiguing after a while.
But anyway, for some guys I started using a built in buffer to prevent that. For example, instead of 5 x 1 @90-100% I'll restrict them to nothing more than 85% with specific directions to stay relaxed. Or I'll say something like, "Use perfect form and use a weight you could do 5 reps if you absolutely had to." The buffers are especially something I use the stronger a person gets. In my experience 90% for a 400 lb squatter will be considerably different than 90% for a 200 lb squatter.
Variant 2 from Verkoshansky is pretty interesting since it involves regular PR testing and allows to monitor strength increases pretty well for an intermediate lifter. However what puzzles me is that you are supposed to do 2-3 reps at 100%1rm, albeit with ~15s-60s rest in between. I would still think that this would kill me and I suppose that I would fail the second rep. Do I misinterpret the recommendations? Is 100% meant as 100% of a 2rm or 3rm?
Would that be a reasonable variant to do? I think it is close to Verkoshansky's recommendations for variant 1, but with a regular PR attempt.
Squat
Set 1: 2 paused reps at 90%1rm
Set 2: 2 paused reps at 90-95%1rm
Set 3: 2 paused reps at 95%1rm
Set 4: 1 repetition; PR attempt
1rm would be determined by the weight done during the 4th set of the last MSEM session (but only if the lift was successful).
Also in a session like that, should additional lifts be added if one would be in a power block? I would have thought that power snatches might work well after the squats and for most lifters they won't add much fatigue due to the relatively low weights. Then maybe one upperbody lift for maintenance and that's it.
Thanks for your thoughts!
ya it definitely would be, but i would use it much less than variant 1, for sure.. maybe in a 4:1 ratio of variant-1 to variant-2, for example.
Hey adarqui,
thanks for your thoughts again. I will let the information sink in a bit but thanks to you I already have a general idea about how the next block will have to be designed.
One question came up regarding this:
ya it definitely would be, but i would use it much less than variant 1, for sure.. maybe in a 4:1 ratio of variant-1 to variant-2, for example.
Why do you think that the variant I posted needs to be done in a less frequent manner? The only difference I see is the fourth set with a heavy single. Do you think that this would have such a dramatic effect on fatigue?
well I just don't think you should try and PR your MAX 1RM *every* MSEM session, but that's because I like to rotate things and PR in other aspects like volume etc, for example:
session 1: MSEM var 1: 2 x 2 with 95%
session 2: MSEM var 1: 2 x 3 with 95%
session 3: MSEM var 2: ... obtain PR
session 4: MSEM var 1: 2 x 2 with 95% (of new PR)
session 5: MSEM var 1: 2 x 3 with 95% (of new PR)
session 6: MSEM var 2: ....
so you see there, that's how I like to rotate through, trying to "PR" added volume and then PR max strength 1RM.
hope that clarifies what I meant, cya!
well I just don't think you should try and PR your MAX 1RM *every* MSEM session, but that's because I like to rotate things and PR in other aspects like volume etc, for example:
session 1: MSEM var 1: 2 x 2 with 95%
session 2: MSEM var 1: 2 x 3 with 95%
session 3: MSEM var 2: ... obtain PR
session 4: MSEM var 1: 2 x 2 with 95% (of new PR)
session 5: MSEM var 1: 2 x 3 with 95% (of new PR)
session 6: MSEM var 2: ....
so you see there, that's how I like to rotate through, trying to "PR" added volume and then PR max strength 1RM.
hope that clarifies what I meant, cya!
This looks like a clever approach. Will it work however if I only have one MSEM session every 10 days? I am not even sure if my gains in the VJ will last 60 days after my strength block, I would think they don't but I don't have any experience with that situation...
day
1 MSEM + power
2 rest
3 rest
4 VJ test + power/plyos
5 rest
6 power
7 rest
8 strength
9 rest
10 rest
10 days apart because my original plan was to do this:Code: [Select]day
1 MSEM + power
2 rest
3 rest
4 VJ test + power/plyos
5 rest
6 power
7 rest
8 strength
9 rest
10 rest
MSEM on day 1 would serve as STIM here for the VJ test session on day 4. On that day I would incorporate some higher intensity plyos, too (relative to my ability of course). Day 6 will be another power training day, mainly some olympic lifting variants. Day 8 would be more conventional strength training, some 5s or 3s or something along those lines for strength maintenance.
Great read and all, def. gonna use it.....but....wtf is with the dude being practically naked in the video?
Great read and all, def. gonna use it.....but....wtf is with the dude being practically naked in the video?
that's spikejon bro
Great read and all, def. gonna use it.....but....wtf is with the dude being practically naked in the video?
that's spikejon bro
the fat naked white dude? is he in the forum or something?
Monday: Upper Body:
- (~5 minutes) warmup
- (~10-25 minutes) footwork / skill stuff / med ball throws
- (~3 minutes) shoulder prehab (prone Y T W)
- (~45 minutes)
- flat db bench: 3x5
- seated row: 3x5
- weighted incline pushups (2xF) SUPERSET weighted pullups (2xF)
- weighted horizontal pullups (2xF)
- shoulder matrix (3x10) SUPERSET Tricep Pushdown (3xF)
- (~10 minutes)
- stretch
wads with the (~45minutes)?
Great read and all, def. gonna use it.....but....wtf is with the dude being practically naked in the video?
that's spikejon bro
the fat naked white dude? is he in the forum or something?
Hey man, how is SpikeJon fat? He is not ripped, but he doesn't have to be. It's not that he is training for aesthetics afaik. He is a volleyball player, trying to get strong and luckily he is not of the opinion that he needs to be 5% bf to get his vertical up...
Hey man, how is SpikeJon fat? He is not ripped, but he doesn't have to be. It's not that he is training for aesthetics afaik. He is a volleyball player, trying to get strong and luckily he is not of the opinion that he needs to be 5% bf to get his vertical up...
+1 spikejon is not fat. however, 5% bf cant hurt vert.
andrew, i dont get it. if we're doign fulkl squats, and ur doing half squqats cause it applies more to vertical jump, thn why am i doing full squats?
chao