Articles

Westside for Skinny Bastards A modified lifting program for “Hardgainers”

Testosterone

by Joe DeFranco
This article originally appeared on www.T-mag.com

I’m a gym scientist. My lab is the weight room and my lab rats are my athletes. Many of these “lab rats” are doing the program you’re about to read. My experiments have proven one thing: this program works. Below I’ve provided four real-world success stories to prove it.

These four athletes represent only a fraction of the amazing results I’ve seen with this program. Below you’ll see examples of normal high school kids who swore it was “impossible” for them to gain weight. Well, look at them now. These kids have packed on slabs of muscle mass using this program and good nutrition – and they’re still growing! As a bonus, every one of these “hardgainers” has the strength to match their newfound muscle! See for yourself:

Success Stories of Former Skinny Bastards

John Iannuzzi1
John Iannuzzi 2

John Iannuzzi, 18-year-old high school basketball player. John went from 171 to 186 pounds in 15 weeks. He can perform strict single leg squats holding 100-pound dumbbells. John also possesses a jaw-dropping 37 and a half-inch vertical jump!

Brian Cushing 3
Brian Cushing 4

Brian Cushing, 17-years-old, #2 ranked high school linebacker in the nation. Brian went from 213 to 231 pounds in 16 weeks. He can now perform 3 sets of 8 strict glute-ham raises on an incline with a mini band strapped around his neck! Brian also ran an official 4.5 second 40-yard dash at a major high school combine!

Nick Brandreth 6
Nick Brandreth 5

Nick Brandreth, 17-year-old high school wrestler. Nick gained 12 pounds this off-season on this modified Westside program. He was also able to maintain his newfound muscle throughout the season. He holds the record for career wins at his high school and was undefeated (31-0) in the county and region this year. Nick has performed 77 consecutive suspended chain push-ups on his repetition upper body day!

Jim Dray 9
Jim Dray 8

Jim Dray, 17-years-old, one of the most highly recruited tight ends in the nation. Jim went from 208 to 232 pounds in just 13 weeks. He also improved his 185-pound bench press rep test from 10 to 18 reps while on this program!

The Method and the Madness

Many of my programs are based on the principles popularized by Louie Simmons and the Westside Barbell Club. Through my extensive research and experience, I’ve found that this system produces the best results. I’ve also found that, like any other system, you must manipulate it to suit your specific needs.

We’re all well aware that the Westside Barbell Club is the home to some of the strongest, most gifted powerlifters in the world. The results this system has produced speaks for itself. The problem is, I don’t train powerlifters. In fact, most of the younger athletes who come to me aren’t physically prepared to jump into such a demanding program.

My clientele consists mainly of football players, wrestlers, baseball players, hockey players, basketball players, and track & field athletes. These athletes range from high school kids to professionals. Through my experience of working with these different athletes, I’m constantly manipulating the system so it better suits an athlete’s specific sport and his training level.

Training

Now, if I were to write about all of the different templates I’ve designed for the different sports and skill levels, this would be the War and Peace of training articles! I don’t think anyone wants to sit at the computer for a couple of hours reading a novel. (My ass hurts just thinking about it!)

Instead of writing a novel about how I manipulate the Westside Barbell system for all of the different athletes I work with, I’ve decided to do something much more practical for T-Nation readers. I’ve decided to appeal to the masses!

Let me explain. You see, I get flooded with phone calls and emails every day asking for my advice on getting bigger and stronger. These phone calls range from high school athletes to 40-year-old businessmen. Most of these people are dying to know the “secrets” of getting bigger and stronger. These guys usually sound as if they’ve been training their entire lives and they’ve tried every training method known to man. They call me in desperation and in need of a quick fix.

The funny thing is, after getting more info about these people, I find they have no right to be desperate and in need of super-advanced techniques! This is because they usually have three things in common:

#1 – They lack muscle mass.

#2 – They’re weak.

#3 – They’re inexperienced.

This is where my modified program comes in. And don’t be fooled by the name, either. This program isn’t just for skinny bastards; you can be a fat bastard and benefit from it as well! Seriously, I’ve used this program for a wide variety of athletes and “normal” people and it’s worked wonders. Simply put, if you’re interested in packing on muscle mass and having the strength to back it up, this program is for you.

Westside for Skinny Bastards: The Program

Below you’ll find my basic training template for this program. Notice that I provide lots of variety for your exercise selection and rep schemes. I don’t like turning people into robots by having them aimlessly follow a set program. Choose the exercises and rep schemes you feel work the best for your body. Add some of your own exercises if you’d like. And if you’re not familiar with all the exercises listed, just use the search engine here at T-mag.

After I lay out the basic program, I’ll provide some more detail about it at the end of the article.

+++++ Max Effort Upper Body (Monday) +++++

A. MAX-EFFORT LIFT – Work up to a max set of 3-5 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Thick bar or regular barbell bench press
  • Barbell floor press
  • Rack lockouts
  • Board presses
  • Incline barbell bench
  • Close-grip bench press (index finger on smooth part of bar)
  • Decline bench press
  • Weighted dips
Training 1 Training 2

B. SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT – Perform 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Flat dumbbell bench press (palms in or palms forward)
  • Incline dumbbell bench press
  • Decline dumbbell bench press

C. HORIZONTAL ROW – Perform 4 sets of 10-15 reps.

  • Choose one of the following exercises:
  • Chest supported rows
  • Bent-over dumbbell or barbell rows
Training 1 Training 2
  • Seated cable rows (various bars)

 

D. REAR DELT/UPPER BACK – Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Seated rear delt machine
  • Seated dumbbell “power cleans”
  • Bent-over cable flyes (single arm)
  • Standing face pulls
  • Rope pulls to throat
  • Bent-over dumbbell rear delt flyes
  • Cable “scarecrows”(shown below)
Cable "scarecrows"

E. WEIGHTED ABDOMINAL EXERCISE – 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Barbell Russian twists
  • Low-cable pull-ins
  • Hanging leg raises
  • Barbell or dumbbell side bends
  • Weighted Swiss ball crunches
  • Low pulley Swiss ball crunches (shown below)

 

Low pulley Swiss ball crunches 1 Low pulley Swiss ball crunches 2

 


+++++ LOWER BODY – (Wednesday) +++++

A. MAX-EFFORT LIFT – Work up to a max set of 5 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Trap bar deadlift
  • Box squats
  • Rack pulls (partial deadlift)
  • Front squats
  • High bar Olympic squats
  • Straight bar deadlifts (various grips)
Straight bar deadlifts 1 Straight bar deadlifts 2


B. UNILATERAL MOVEMENT
– Perform 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Single leg squats, back leg elevated
  • Barbell step-ups with knee lift
  • Barbell reverse lunges
  • Barbell reverse lunges, front foot elevated
  • Barbell reverse lunges, front foot elevated (with knee lift)
  • Low-pulley split squats, front foot elevated
  • Walking lunges
  • “Speed-skater” squats (1 and a half rep single leg squats)
  • Barbell step-ups
Barbell step-ups

C. HAMSTRING / POSTERIOR CHAIN MOVEMENT – Perform 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Leg curls
  • Glute-ham raises (various resistance, iso-holds, negatives)
  • Romanian deadlifts
  • Seated or standing good mornings
  • Stability ball hamstring lifts
  • Pull-throughs
  • Reverse hypers
Reverse hypers

D. GRIP TRAINING – Perform 3 sets of timed sets.

  • Choose one of the following exercises:
  • Thick bar or heavy dumbbell holds
  • Plate pinch gripping
  • Captains of Crush gripper – 3 sets of max reps each hand.
  • Wrist roller
Wrist roller



++++++ REPETITION UPPER BODY – (Friday) ++++++

A. REPETITION LIFT – Work up to 3 sets of max reps, rest 60 seconds between sets.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Barbell bench press (max reps on 95lbs., 135lbs., 185lbs. or 225lbs.)
  • Regular push-ups, bar push-ups or suspended chain push-ups
  • Bodyweight dips
  • Dumbbell benches on Swiss ball, flat bench or incline bench
Dumbell benches


B. SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT (triceps)
– Perform 3-4 sets of 5-10 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Dumbbell triceps extensions (flat, incline or decline bench)
  • Dumbbell floor presses
  • Rolling triceps extensions
  • Rope pushdowns
  • Skull crushers (EZ bar or straight bar)
Skull crushers

C. VERTICAL PULLING – Perform 4 sets of 8-12 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Lat pulldowns (various bars)
  • Chin-ups or Pull-ups
Vertical pulling

D. MEDIAL DELT or TRAP EXERCISE – Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Dumbbell side press (single arm)
  • Dumbbell shoulder press (seated or standing)
  • Lateral raises (dumbbell or cable)
  • Barbell or dumbbell shrugs
  • Bradford presses (shown below)
Bradford presses 1 Bradford presses 2
Bradford presses 3

E. ELBOW FLEXION EXERCISE – Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Choose one of the following exercises:

  • Thick bar curls
  • Preacher curls (EZ bar or straight bar)
  • Regular barbell curls
  • Hammer curls
  • Alternate dumbbell curls (standing or seated incline)
Alternate dumbbell curls


F. ABDOMINAL CIRCUIT TRAINING

Just pick a variety of ab exercises and perform them in circuit fashion with no rest between exercises.

Ab exercises

NOTE: Athletes who are approaching their season and want to incorporate running/conditioning/GPP work into their program can break up the week as follows:

  • MONDAY (A.M.) – MAX-EFFORT Upper Body lift
  • MONDAY (P.M.) – Sprint work, conditioning, GPP or skill training
  • TUESDAY – OFF or Restoration techniques
  • WEDNESDAY – Sprint work, conditioning, GPP or skill training
  • THURSDAY – REPETITION Upper Body lift
  • FRIDAY – Sprint work, conditioning, GPP or skill training
  • SATURDAY – Lower Body lift
  • SUNDAY – OFF or Restoration techniques

Major Modifications

Now, before all of the hardcore Westside “disciples” start grumbling, remember that this program is not intended for advanced powerlifters. It’s intended for athletes and regular people looking to pack on some muscle mass without being “all-show, no-go.”

Below I’ve provided descriptions of how the key components of this program have been manipulated from the traditional Westside template.


Max Effort Upper Body Day
The max effort method is the best method for developing maximal strength. In my opinion, max effort work should be the “nuts and bolts” of any strength-training program. If you’re weak, you’re dead!

Remember that most athletic qualities (sprinting speed, jumping power, etc.) rely heavily on your foundation of maximal strength. This is because maximal strength builds the foundation for all other strength qualities such as speed-strength and strength-endurance.

Your first exercise on this day will be your max-effort exercise. Traditionally, most advanced lifters will work up to a one-rep max on this exercise. This is very neurologically demanding on your system and it takes great coordination. Because most beginner and intermediate lifters are less neurologically efficient, we’ll shoot for a 3-5 rep max on our max-effort lift in this modified program. This still enables the lifter to train with maximal loads, but it’s much safer than going for a one-rep max. The extra reps also increase the time under tension, which can lead to greater hypertrophy (size) gains.

I recommend rotating your max-effort exercise every two to three weeks to prevent your nervous system from getting burned out. Whether you shoot for a 3-rep max or a 5-rep max, the goal is to break your previous record every week!


Lower Body Day –
Unlike a traditional Westside template, you’ll notice there’s only one major lower body day in this modified program. There’s a reason for this: most beginner/intermediate athletes couldn’t recover from two lower body days a week in conjunction with their running and conditioning work. Their legs would never fully recover and it would take away from their speed and conditioning workouts. One day has worked out much better for many of my athletes.

(If you’re not an athlete or you only play one sport and it’s your off-season, check out the “Extra Workouts, GPP, Conditioning Days” description below for adding another day to your lower body training.)

The first exercise on your lower body day will be a max effort lift. You’ll work up to a max set of five reps in this lift. This lift will be rotated every two to three weeks as well.

On this modified program you’ll always follow your max effort exercise with a unilateral exercise. This is one of the major differences between this program and a traditional Westside template.

I incorporate unilateral movements for many reasons. First of all, most athletes develop muscular imbalances between limbs. Unilateral exercises are a great way to overcome these imbalances. They also improve flexibility, balance and overall conditioning.

The unilateral exercises I prescribe are mostly quad-dominant exercises. Yes, I said the four-letter word, quad. The quads have gotten a bad rap lately, while the “posterior chain” has taken center stage. We must remember that the quads are extremely important for athletes and you can’t neglect them. The quads are very active when an athlete accelerates into a sprint due to their forward body lean. The quad muscle on the inside of your knee (vastus medialis) also plays a major role in stabilizing the knee.

Finally, one of the most overlooked aspects in all of training is grip and hand strength. Improving your grip and hand strength will help with numerous athletic activities. We usually do our grip training after leg workouts. You’ll see some of my favorite grip exercises in the training template.


Repetition Upper Body Day –
I’ve substituted dynamic-effort days with repetition days for the upper body. This may be the biggest change from the traditional Westside template. I’ve also found it to be one of the keys to success for muscular growth in my younger athletes. Simply put, dynamic days just aren’t that productive for weak, skinny bastards!

Remember that this modified program was put together for athletes who lack muscle mass. Well, the repetition method is an incredible way to elicit muscular hypertrophy. Compared to a smaller muscle, a bigger muscle has a better chance of becoming a stronger muscle. Packing on some muscle mass by means of the repetition method lays a great foundation for the more advanced dynamic days to come.

I even substitute dynamic days with repetition days for my NFL football players during the initial stages of the off-season. This is because repetition work is easier on the joints following a grueling season and it’s a great way to pack on any muscle that was lost during the season.


Extra Workouts, GPP, Conditioning Days
Remember that my entire clientele consists of athletes. That’s the reason why there’s “only” three lifting days on my template. I don’t use this program for bodybuilders or physique-geeks. I must leave room for conditioning workouts, GPP (general physical preparedness) and skill training.

If you’re a non-athlete just looking to pack on some size and strength, you can incorporate “extra workouts” on non-workout days. Since Wednesday is your only leg day, I recommend a lower body sled-dragging workout on Saturday. This is just one example.

There’s a lot of room for variety in this training template. That’s what I love about it. Get creative and find out what works for you!


About the Author

Joe DeFranco’s training techniques have become a hot topic worldwide. This did not happen by accident. The training programs Joe develops and the athletes he produces speak for themselves. You can learn more about Joe, his athletes, and his techniques at http://www.defrancostraining.com/.

Joe DeFranco

 

54 Comments

  1. KBergetar,Tonton Cerekarama myflm4u Senrai Drama Live Video Kepala Bergetar Tonton Malay Drama Dan Melayu Telefilem Online, Layanon9 Mega Drama Akasia Malaysia. Myinfotaip malay Drama Download Pencurimovies Telemovie Melayu, Tonton Drama Melayu Full Episod, Download the Latest Drama Malay Sub Episod on kepalabergetar8.com

  2. Amazing pieces. Continue to post such sort of data on your site.
    Im truly dazzled by it.
    Hi, You have worked really hard. I’ll positively digg it and as I would see it prescribe to my companions.
    I’m certain they’ll be profited from this site.

  3. They are extremely efficient which they eat a wooden crate overnight.
    This technique is easy to make use of and is very effective in controlling Termite.
    Swearing repeatedly, such as while emotionally venting frustration, doesn’t cause you
    to be incur bad karma. Camping NSW

  4. one of the best program if tested made gains in both weight and strength in only 3months =) love it

  5. I see you don’t monetize your blog, don’t waste your traffic,
    you can earn extra bucks every month because you’ve got hi quality content.
    If you want to know how to make extra bucks, search for: Ercannou’s essential
    tools best adsense alternative

  6. I have checked your site and i have found
    some duplicate content, that’s why you don’t rank
    high in google’s search results, but there is a tool that can help you to create 100% unique articles, search for: Boorfe’s tips
    unlimited content

  7. I have noticed you don’t monetize your website, don’t waste your traffic, you can earn additional bucks every month because you’ve got high quality content.

    If you want to know how to make extra money, search for: Mertiso’s tips best adsense alternative

  8. ) One Cleaning Supply at a Time – Instead of cleaning one room top to bottom then moving onto the next on cleaning day, pull out one cleaning supply and use

  9. 4) One Cleaning Supply at a Time – Instead of cleaning one room top to bottom then moving onto the next on cleaning day, pull out one cleaning supply and use
    it everywhere you need to in your home. The places that are found in this lovely
    area are there for the convenience of the customers.

  10. Can you give us a lower-body (for that extra day) template of workouts? I’m not an athlete and I want to work out on that one extra day, but not sure which exercises I can do besides sled dragging…

  11. They are extremely efficient which they eat a wooden crate overnight.
    This technique is easy to make use of and is very effective in controlling Termite.
    Swearing repeatedly, such as while emotionally venting frustration, doesn’t cause you
    to be incur bad karma.

  12. The common earwig is an omnivore, so that in addition to eating many different kinds of insects,
    they’re going to also eat a number of different kids of plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruits.

    Spray a small quantity mixture around the surface area of bonsai tree and it to dry.
    Find out more and claim Steven’s popular free monthly guitar lesson e-course available at: =>.

  13. Species identification and also other taxonomic jobs are often conducted with all the soldiers’
    heads, mandibles and nasus due to each species’ distinct characteristics.
    This method is easy to use and is extremely effective to managing Termite.
    Spray surfaces in places you have seen ants repeatedly throughout the day.

  14. Look across the foundation for loose siding, boards, cracks, or settling
    from the foundation where openings can appear.
    Joe had an unusual habit of breaking or biting his guitar picks by 50 % to
    a more compact size which he felt was more comfortable.
    Just because Harijan class occupies the pious responsibility of sweeping the city within the same way the demigod class occupies the onus
    of preventing distortions and strife created by
    demons.

  15. Help prevent costly future engine trouble and identify problems when purchasing or selling a pre-owned vehicle using the MULTOBD scan tool.
    They bite and some children may be allergic to them.
    It is considered an agricultural hazard as it feeds on fruit trees.

  16. The common earwig is surely an omnivore, which means that in addition to
    eating several different kinds of insects, they will also eat many different kids
    of plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruits. It is really a rich,
    syrupy supply of food for microorganisms, in addition to a source of carbon and sulfur to the soil.
    Well, healthy, thriving, well-fed microorganisms equals a wholesome, thriving garden.

  17. Here the author, James, writes this content about white ant treatment.

    To have a closer check out the warts after they’ve turned
    white, problems could use a colposcope, a tool which has a strong magnifying lens.
    Looking back into ancient history find the word
    “tar” in Sanskrit, which meant the boundary or edge.

  18. Actually, the problems that can be caused by traditional
    chemical products can be enormous. This lets them know how they have done and it helps
    them to improve their cleaning. Equipment should also be serviced on a weekly basis to make them more efficient.

  19. Remember that people trust real address workplaces more than online ventures
    because contact with the business is more real.
    You can also keep containers of various colors and sizes in different rooms.
    While you schedule your work, make sure that you make allowance for cleaning different parts
    of the house on different days.

  20. If you have the tendency to horde things, you
    will have to learn let go. Will you need the cleaning
    service to do a thorough cleaning for you. Of course, you don’t want to be doing something every minute of the day, so take some time to relax too.

  21. Another must-have piece of equipment is a cell phone to enable easy response to your customers.

    Will you need the cleaning service to do a thorough
    cleaning for you. Of course, you don’t want to be doing something every
    minute of the day, so take some time to relax too.

  22. 4) One Cleaning Supply at a Time – Instead of cleaning one room top to bottom then moving onto the next on cleaning day, pull out one cleaning supply and use
    it everywhere you need to in your home. The places that are found in this lovely
    area are there for the convenience of the customers.
    There are a couple of excellent e-courses available that give a lot
    of really valuable information on how to structure your business,where and
    how to get clients, how to calculate prices, what equipment and supplies
    are needed etc, and in my opinion are well worth the $30 or
    $40 they cost.

  23. 4) One Cleaning Supply at a Time – Instead of
    cleaning one room top to bottom then moving onto the next on cleaning day, pull out
    one cleaning supply and use it everywhere you need to in your
    home. The places that are found in this lovely area
    are there for the convenience of the customers.
    To begin with, you would need an office, some people who will clean the apartments and also some cleaning equipments.

  24. obviously like your website but you need to test the spelling
    on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very bothersome to inform the reality on the other hand I will surely come back again.

  25. Before you start calling properties and getting estimates,
    you may need to find out what you need cleaned.

    When apartments get the unit “make ready” for the next
    tenant, they usually employ a cleaning service to complete this.
    Is there anything special that the cleaning service needs to know about.

  26. These same apartment cleaning services Los Angeles use 100% biodegradable and green products.
    Many mothers today work outside the home in addition to raising children, and sometimes housework suffers as a result.
    There are a couple of excellent e-courses available that give
    a lot of really valuable information on how to structure your business,where and how
    to get clients, how to calculate prices, what equipment and supplies are needed etc,
    and in my opinion are well worth the $30 or $40 they cost.

  27. Love your stuff. I hope to come out and lift with you in Texas. Not sure when. I am a sophmore in high school in Arizona, a start at olb for the varsity football team at Westwood High School, hoping to make it to a Division 1 college. Keep up your posts. They are extremely helpful.

  28. Excellent pieces. Keep posting such kind of information on your site.
    Im really impressed by it.
    Hello there, You have done a great job. I’ll certainly digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends.
    I am confident they’ll be benefited from this website.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *