Westside Barbell | Max Effort Bench Workout in 1999

Here is a Max Effort bench press work out from westside barbell in 1999. They are doing the lightning method what means they have the bar hanging on to bands to make it lighter in the bottom and heavier in the top. You will se lifters as Chuck Vogelpohl, Dave tate, Louie Simmons, Mike Ruggiera, Amy Weisberger, Rob Fusner and many more.
Westside Barbell is a world famous gym in the west side of Columbus. The trainer Louie Simmons has a unconventional training method called the Conjugate method. Be developed this method in the 80s based on russian training. In 1986 one of his lifters squted 1010 lbs / 458 kg, the heavyest squat ever!
For more about Louie Simmons and Westside barbell see:
www.westside-b...
www.conjugatem...
www.westsidevs...
This is footage from Video power magazine.

[@razman95x]

The fact that set one, a manageable weight for the whole group is 4 plates is absolutely insane.

[@skidaddler6293]

It’s my understanding that Louise didn’t let anyone in the gym that didn’t total 2,000 already.

[@TheBiggest2004]

@@skidaddler6293 I don’t know about that like that would include like 5 people.

[@COOPZILON]

I agree however the reverse bands take a lil bit off

[@joshferguson9703]

@@skidaddler6293 you had to squat 405 to be allowed to lift in his garage so more than likely that carried over to westside

[@stevemariner6768]

Louie seems like he was a really cool guy back then too. It’s crazy seeing how built he was.

[@PlutoTheGod]

Steve Mariner also, Louie was in his mid 50s then!

[@maxxxmodelz4061]

Yeah, Louie was jacked back in the day.

[@BlackAdam2784]

I was thinking that as well. Louie was a **beast

[@HeightBarbell]

These old lifting videos are gold. Thanks for posting.

[@mikeschmidt4800]

Watching Louie changed my workout routine forever. Bands make it such a different lift. Have we grown stronger? Absolutely. Nothing to brag about here, of course

[@Handcannon77]

Lol the speed of that bench @ 4:21 was wild. These videos are absolute gold, never stop posting them, really makes me appreciate and love Louie Simmons more and im not even a PLer, im a BBer who loves his philosophy on training.

[@cyruslogan896]

Ik this comment was a long time ago but same

[@teiwaztim1482]

kenny patterson man...what a true artform and knack he had for benching. scary efficiency. fucking amazing. would love to see footage of him deadlifting or squatting!

[@viklifts-zk8bl]

He's definitely up there with the top benchers of all time

[@johndonovan5521]

RIP Louie! You will be missed

[@joshferguson9703]

Testament playing in any gym should tell ya they mean business

[@Joshbfil0]

Aye wtf is all of this plastic pop crap playing on alot of the KZbin fitness Barbie vids, the 90’s metal is where it’s at

[@Tripsurfer]

That one guys gutt was monsterous

[@anandnairkollam]

The wad he speaks, he sounds like a robot. He has all that matter and numbers programmed into his head. He was a genius.

[@LDthephysique]

The rainman of powerlifting

[@craigcunningham2542]

There's something about the rattling of the weights that is oddly calming

[@teiwaztim1482]

louie is also no joke. tough veteran.

[@TexaSurvival]

Mike Ruggiera’s triceps were insane.

[@westoncobb7358]

So was his power-belly! Lol

[@viklifts-zk8bl]

His triceps look like biceps lol

[@ClickClack_Bam]

Fuck me, I gained +40 on my bench just watching this.

[@Rascon5]

Rest in peace Louie!

[@caelimshormark8284]

Rip Louie

[@LexingtonPlummer]

What in the hell is with that window at 7:50? It's like something straight out of a Goosebumps intro. Haha

[@yommet]

louie simmons tried to paint it black,but the sun turned it pink

[@davidbennett288]

Special Strengths was by far the best one they produced.

[@owenplewacki7367]

Roll backs with a band. Nice variation

[@j.p.7298]

I noticed they were listening to the "Demonic" album by Testament!! Hell, yeah!!! \,,/

[@stray88]

Wanted to know who that was. Thanks.

[@awmlawoffice]

Thanks

[@gezimruci6]

Iron Maiden is pure testosterone !💪

[@postworld1185]

Tris first then lats then upper back then delt raises.I understand tris and delts. Is lats and upper back strictly to give you a larger base to push from or are lats and upper back an important part of the lift? I don't feel my lats or upper back when lifting. Only shoulders, pecs and tris.

[@justamustachewithoutaguy9370]

very very important. Try lifting huge weights without a strong upper back support, your triceps aren't gonna be enough to stabilize the weight

[@jesusesparza8984]

You feel lats when u tuck ur elbows and upper back when u tuck ur shoulder blades to the bench with an arch

[@johntrains1317]

Yes

[@GaColares]

The upper back needs to stay tight the whole lift and the lats are the stabilizers. Also, rows can be trained as special exercises as a ''bench in reverse'' (kroc rows for examples). Dave Tate talks a lot about this, watch his content on bench press and you will see.

[@scottcarter3385]

When you bench in shirts as rigid as the bench shirts they use you physically have to row the weight to your chest as well

[@richardbrown9728]

Anyone know the music during the rolling tri ext?! It’s awesome!

[@mattyT686]

Damn man I was wondering the same thing it’s awesome

[@redearthpaul178]

It's sound like the testament album 'low' at the beginning

[@adrianagolisano7871]

Have you noticed the medium wide grip ? Not that wide as those "back archers" use nowdays .

[@oncle_dan]

On a max effort day like this, let's say you need to do 85% of your max, is it 85% of your max for that particular exercice WITH bands? Or do you calculate based on your raw bench max?

[@liverpoolynwa9029]

On max effort day, Westside did 3 lifts over 90% of their max. I believe it is a percentage of the particular exercise they are doing, so in this case with bands.

[@oncle_dan]

@@liverpoolynwa9029 thanks! That would make sense.

[@sebastienleblanc2708]

But I usually do racks lockout pulls 5x1x ... 465kba @ the bar 4 long Mini bands at the bottom so that bout 580 lbs at the top

[@agentorange4807]

These mofos are built like tanks!

[@Aaron_S]

We don’t save pecs around here. -Louie

[@MilosPetrov855]

whats the song at 2:37

[@gzeuskraiste]

Testament - All I Could Bleed. The one before it is Dog Faced Gods. They're basically playing the Low album until about 7 min in

[@Grimmjow19872]

@@gzeuskraiste thank you man

[@jeff-hh9mc]

The bands are set up not down. So there pulling the weight up from you NOT down onto you…so how is that adding more resistance forcing you to get stronger?

[@GrantJim]

Because with the assistance of the band youre able to put more weight on the bar not only improving the strength and speed of your lockout but also turning on your CNS to be able to accommodate more weight/load in the future.

[@thomasokeeffe4719]

Yeah what he said^ it teaches you to keep firing through to the lockout because the weight gets heavier towards the top because the bands stop helping. The key is to pick the right weight and proper position of the bands to keep the lift hard. It's a similar principle to sprinting at a slight downhil to train your body to sprint faster. Your not using the downhill to make it easier to run the same speed. Watch video (the force posture strength curve) very educational.

[@jeff-hh9mc]

@@thomasokeeffe4719 I dated a woman who ran sprints in college I can honestly say that I’ve never ever seen or heard a sprint workout that ran downhill. They always ran uphill for their workouts.

[@Fidelio13]

How many sets on max effort day is ideal?

[@joeskii123]

First song?

[@_sp1cymemes_]

Dog Faced Gods by Testament

[@RecallingHappines]

Bro who is that mike dude , mans built like a mountain

[@TexaSurvival]

Mike Ruggiera.

[@LambeauLeeeper]

His belly seemed deformed

[@Dr_Footbrake]

@@LambeauLeeeper hernia

[@Mr.Scorpio79]

How much help is the green bands???

[@rivahkillah]

Can't give you a number, but it helps a lot at the bottom of the lift because the band is stretched, but at the top of the lift it isn't much help.

[@bobbobnovic4903]

Reverse grip? Hell..

[@veritas2145]

I just farted on my dog's nose..... he loved it

[@tomsettles6873]

Is Louie from Seattle? WTF is with the Seahawks hat?

[@westoncobb7358]

If I remember correctly, he was a consultant for a couple of different NFL teams, the Browns were another team too

[@bendagostino2217]

What's with Louie's bench press grip??

[@thebeast-vn5hn]

I only have speed days i max out once every 18 weeks my one rep max is 450 at a 225 bodyweight and im natural most of these powerlifters take alot of steroids

[@P.BarnesTaser]

If you took some, you'd probably bench more

[@trevor4521]

He doesn’t believe in max effort but this is a max effort day

[@zachcreel4991]

The goat of powerlfiting

[@stuartsims7612]

Fuck I can bench 100 more lbs on top of my max with bands

[@frankjames2547]

who was juiced and how much...bunch of blocky dudes with short arms

[@lift_play_boogie]

Louis Symons is the perfect example of a bullshitter who was never challenged. You wonder why nobody respected powerlifting when it was going through the multiply phase. Because it's just ridiculous and doesn't exhibit real strength. I'm glad those days are over.

[@barndencactus]

And you bench how much?

[@tropicalpalmtree]

@@barndencactus Multiply and the constant reduction of ROM did ruin powerlifting. Although that wasn't all down to louis, just something he took advantage of with his lifters.

[@viklifts-zk8bl]

He literally dominated powerlifting for decades, he was never challenged because no one could challenge him

[@xbenxwilsonxhighlights7879]

They went to worlds in the 90s and won every weight class. Maybe you should put 500 on the bench like these guys and bang out some reps show us how it's done.

[@tiagobaptista5706]

How much do you bench?

[@rustymyers1659]

i could out lift them all

[@frankcastle1813]

Hahaha 😂

[@brandonb5764]

I bet ur extra chromosome really helps you lift more

[@mingoreyes1]

They are strong, but not fit. I rather be fit and strong.

[@joelthompson4796]

Its just there diet I'm sure if they cleaned it up they would be shredded but I don't think they care about being shredded they just want to lift huge weights.

[@paulnikeqt]

@@joelthompson4796 overall body mass helps in all exercises especialy push ones like bench, its all physics, heavier object can interact with heavier weights

[@Marniuhhh]

They're fit too. GPP training is a big part of Westside for driving their work capacity up. I bet you wouldn't hold a week during what they do.

[@xbenxwilsonxhighlights7879]

If your not strong how can you be fit lol

[@westoncobb7358]

Chick V was both

[@psl127]

Westside training is such bull. The best powerlifters never used these methods.

[@llleerrooyy]

R u dumb? Are you just kidding or no, I can’t tell...

[@RecallingHappines]

Lol

[@Phsoco]

You're comparing raw lifting to equipped lifting. All the best equipped lifters used Westside.

[@justinbracken8610]

Listened to a Dave Tate podcast, he said these methods are effective for geared and no geared lifters alike.

[@hboig8676]

these *are* the best powerlifters lmfao

[@davidcrosse2502]

Biggest complaint is that these guys are benching with your triceps that doesn't count thoughts of cheating if you want to get real chest gains you can't do that

[@jordanfisher9149]

David Crosse powerlifters vs bodybuilders. They aren’t doing that for chest gains it’s moving the most weight.

[@davidcrosse2502]

That bull

[@TexaSurvival]

It’s pec, tricep, and shoulder. They’re exploiting movement for efficiency to move the biggest weight; don’t criticize the best in the world.

[@jarondavis9795]

Have you seen George Halberts chest. Lol

[@jessegarris7037]

You gotta be stupid to think those guys were there to bodybuild.