At Westside, we have one of the strongest gyms ever in history. To back up these statements, we have a 260-lb man squatting 1150 lbs, a 242-lb man benching 766 lbs, the world record total at 242 lbs, the world record squat at 181 lbs, and more 800-lb deadlifters in one place than in most countries. Many lifters and coaches look to us for guidance, help, and progress. But where do we find our progress?
Most of what we find is in our own gym. We keep a very open mind for results and always experiment. If you’re not willing to experiment, you’re not willing to find the best way to train. The people who learned what we were doing 5–10 years ago could come into the gym now and see a whole new environment of innovative ideas and devices. A few things that they would find different are the use of bands and foam and new accessory work.
Bands have changed the way training is done here and in other places that are cutting edge and have greatly influenced the circa max phase (peaking for the squat). The conception of foam in our training has had a dampening effect on our training system. We also use the lightened method, originally designed for junior lifters in parts of the Soviet Union. Our accessory work changes all the time as well. We now have about four different models of hypers and plyometric swings among others.
Where does research fit into the equation? Well, as many of you already know, most of our training research is based off of writings from the former USSR. We’ve found that much of the Russian literature can be biased. It seems that works from Medvedyev and Zatsiorsky follow many of the same guidelines and training ideals here at Westside while much of Verkoshansky’s work is a different path. How is this possible? Look at how many different views are in our own country. We have many educated people arguing to do many different things. Where is the truth?
What we do is try to look at results. Medvedyev was able to study, work with, and observe one of the greatest weightlifting groups ever—the “Dynamo.” The Dynamo wreaked terror on Olympic lifting from the 1970s through the 1980s until the fall of the USSR. They had more than 50 variations of lifts to choose from and many different means of assistance work. They also placed great emphasis on GPP (conditioning). There were many advantages that the conjugate system had to offer. Zatsiorsky did much work with different methods of training for specific needs and abilities needed in weightlifting and sport in general.
A.S. Prilepin got Westside to understand loading parameters, which helped lay the foundation for our system as we know it today. Russia is a big country with many different schools and training centers. So much of what was going on in one place may not be done at another and vice versa. If you asked all of these different researchers to write a program for obtaining a big squat, each would have his own view.
At Westside, we have experimented and advanced much of their original works. We know that they had accommodating resistance, but we’re not sure if it was bands. We don’t know if they used foam. We use the research of the past and create results for the future. Sometimes it isn’t always exactly the way it was observed in the book, but should it be? If we weren’t trying to make what the pioneers did in the past better, would we be doing our job? There is research, and there are results. Research is great and theory is fine, too, but all of us—at least here at the gym—are after results.
We have interns who come to learn from us every year, and we invite anyone with an open mind, some education, and lots of balls to come. But what you will see is that we find results by training, experimenting, and reading. If all I read was a particular author, I would only know what he or she has written. But if I read everyone with an open mind, I can find my own path. This is what we have done.
Some of it was right on the money, and some of it was garbage, but all of it was part of the journey. If all I do is read, how do I know that what I’m telling people or making athletes or myself do is beneficial? I don’t. But if I train my butt off, learn from mistakes, read a little here and there, and listen to people who have been where I want to go, I’m a better lifter, a better coach, and I can tell people facts instead of fiction.
There are five reasons why our system works. This will let you understand what we have found to be some of the most important rules in training.
1. The conjugate system is based on training the three methods of training—the maximal effort method, the dynamic effort method, and the repetition method—equally. If your training is only based on one of these methods, it will fail.
2. Our system follows the two main bioadaptational laws—the law of accommodation and the law of specificity. If these laws are ignored, gains will halt, injury is certain, and burnout will occur.
3. We never have to detrain or take time off, so consistent volume and intensity can be done year round while maintaining 92 percent of our top strength. This is due to optimal loading parameters and variation.
4. We can develop strength, speed, and size all year round, never having to sacrifice one for the other. This gives us constant, long-term results.
5. We base all work on weaknesses, not strengths. A weak muscle is what holds back technique and personal records. Find the weaknesses and fix them. Lifts go up period. This is what all of our accessory work is based on.
I hope this article gets your brain turning and starts getting you to not only read but train smarter and with a little more validity. Variety and consistency are the keys for long-term results while training hard is just as important as training smart.
Matt Wenning is one of only a handful of people to total over 2600 lbs in a professional competition, hold an all-time world record of 2665 lbs in the 308-lb class, and bench press over 800 lbs in a full powerlifting meet. He currently is a private strength coach at Lexen gym in Grove City, Ohio, a personal trainer to many executives and professionals at Capital Club Athletics, and contracted by the US Army. He also works with firefighters, physicians, children with disabilities, and all forms of athletes in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit us at www.EliteFTS.com.
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