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Kyseinen artikkeli on osa Louie Simmonsin kirjaa Westside Barbell Book of Methods. Yli 230 sivuinen kirja käsittelee kaikkea voimailuun liittyvää Louien ainutlaatuisella käytännön ja tieteen yhdistävällä tavalla.

TRAINING METHODS by Louie Simmons, osa II

There is much talk about training philosophies, methods, and methodologies. It seems everyone
has their own, which they devised on the basis of their own experience. They recommend such
strategies as doing reps to failure to eliminate assistance work and doing only the squat, bench
press, and deadlift. Have you ever wondered what the author has accomplished as a lifter, a
trainer, or a scientist? Did they ever total Elite or fi eld a team of Elites at a national meet? Did
they ever make a top ten lift in one or more categories? Or is what they are doing a personal
philosophy with no proven results?
It has been asked what philosophy Westside adheres to. The answer is none. We use training
methodologies and the science of methods. Everything we do is based on a scientifi c principle.
We can not be so arrogant as to form a personal philosophy. At Westside, we are responsible
not only for our own training but for the training of our loyal readers. Many of our “extended
members” have become national, world, and European champions.

Maximal Effort Method

On max effort day, the entire volume consists of unidirectional loading. One training workout
contributes to the next. Keep in mind that if you train a lift at 90% or more for more than three
weeks, your central nervous system is negatively affected and your progress will go backward.
But by switching exercises each week (for the high level lifter), you can use 100% and more each
week. The sequence of exercises you use does not matter just as long as the load is maximal.
The time it takes to do a maximal effort (i.e. a low box squat with a Manta Ray) lift is at least the
same amount of time that it takes to do a max deadlift or squat.
This is called “time under tension.” Time under tension is the key for max effort work. You
don’t have to do conventional squats or deadlifts to improve these lifts. For example, world
class throwers throw everything from medicine balls to hammers to long pipes, using objects
of different weights. They throw everything except the offi cial implement. This is the conjugate
method in combination with the maximum effort method. It will improve form as well as build
phenomenal strength.

On max effort day, we do good mornings (fi ve varieties), belt squats, speed deadlifts (60%
for 6–8 singles), and safety power squat bar squats to different box heights. Mike also pulled his
fi rst 800 deadlift without doing any conventional squats or big deadlifts. After squatting, he does
deadlifts for singles with 60% for speed, and three days later, he maxes out on special work. This
is the conjugate method.
To push up a squat, heavy good mornings or squatting with different bars is done on max effort
day. The different bars make squatting very awkward and extremely hard to do, much harder than
a regular squat. (The same is true of box squats. They are harder than competition squats.) On
max effort day, we may do a type of squat in week one, a good morning in week two, and a front
squat in week three. Each exercise contributes to the next week’s exercise, which in turn will
build a bigger squat by strengthening the weaker muscle groups and perfecting form.

Dynamic Effort Method

The dynamic effort method is used on squat/deadlift day and in the bench press. This method
requires that the lifter lift sub-maximal weights as fast as he can. This method should be together
with compensatory acceleration. You must apply as much force as possible to the barbell, pushing
as hard and as fast as you can in the concentric phase of the lift. If you bench 700 lbs and are
training with 350, then you should be applying 700 lbs of force to the barbell in each rep.
The weight used should be non-maximal in the 50–75% range. Many experts, like Siff, Verkershonsky, and Spassev agree that this is the best range for developing explosive strength. This method is for increasing the
force output. Many times being fast and strong are more closely related than you think.
Let’s move on to two methods that develop both explosive and absolute strength—static overcome-
by-dynamic work and relaxedovercome-by-dynamic work.

Static means isometric, and dynamic can refer to concentric, eccentric, or what I am going to address—reversal strength. Reversal strength is developed, for example, by floor presses, board presses, and box squats.
The value of these exercises is also a second means of strength development. When doing the three exercises noted above, both of these methods occur simultaneously. Some muscles and connective tissue are held relaxed while other muscles are held static. Box squatting is an example. By sitting back, not down, on a box of any height, the squatting muscles are stretched maximally. Relaxing the hip fl exors, glutes, and obliques for 30 seconds to one minute and 30 seconds and fl exing off the box dynamically in a box squat will also increase your pulls off the fl oor. A bar on the fl oor is static, and this position must be overcome dynamically. You can use a box height that duplicates the position of the second pull relative to the hip position. Rest the bar on the thighs and execute the second pull.
For the fl oor press, lower the bar until the elbows are in contact with the fl oor. Relax the triceps and other pressing muscles, fl ex dynamically, and press upward. For the board press, we use 2–3 2x6s attached together. Lower the bar quickly onto the boards, relax, and then explode concentrically.
If one does a pause squat or bench press, the bar’s eccentric speed will be gradually reduced to
zero. By using a box, board, or the fl oor, the bar has speed as it reaches any level, creating kinetic
energy that greatly contributes to the concentric phase. Remember, lower, relax, and then contract
dynamically. Don’t forget, the stretch refl ex lasts up to at least two seconds. All this illustrates
that we have combined two proven methods of strength development both used during each
week.