Louie, Louie, and More Louie

.Origin

.. Louie mentioned to me in a phone conversation that the basis of the principles used by the Westside Barbell Club have come from Russia from the Soviet era. Many of the exercises were used by Vasili Alexeyev himself. Look at Soviet lifting in that era, and you will see many interesting things. First, It s easy to see who was on top. It was the Soviets or allied countries. Second, The athletes from the Soviet bloc were always on top ,while the U.S. athletes were always up and down. Third, Many of the Soviet athletes far outlasted their western counterparts.

These three observations cannot be attributed to drug use as the drug users are the ones who shoot to the top, go up and down , then do not last long. It must be something in the training.

Description

..What Louie Simmons has done is take the highly successful Soviet training training methods and adapt then to powerlifting. A lift is trained by using a max effort day in which a lift is trained by using an assistance exercise such as box squats for the squat. Usually a rep schedule like 10 sets of 2 is performed. This would be much better than 2 sets of 10 or 4 sets of 5 as heavier weights can be used and endurance is not a factor in doing the set, however , endurance is improved by the fact the 10 sets fo 2 are performed in rapid succession. The main asst. exercise is changed every 2 weeks or so in mini-cycles. Each mini cycle will transfer over power to the main lift. The ether day is the speed day in which the lift is performed explosively, as it will be done in a contest. This all makes sense as does his use of bands and chains.

.Louie then took this highly adaptable program and further adapted in to a powerlifting federation in which there are little or no restrictions on assistance, or outside help. His choice of exercises reflect this as the top portions of a lift are worked more. The Westside Barbell club has many notable lifters in that federation who have big numbers in a squat which amounts to an over-assisted quartersquat without backing out of racks and benches in which the bar has to be pulled to the chest and flies most of the way back up with little effort. Those numbers cannot be compared with the mainstream or raw powerlifting. Where you can compare is in the deadlift which is improved little by asstistance of any kind. Now look at Louie, himself. The man deadlifts well into the 700 s at well over 50 yrs of age!!! Other members of the Westside Barbell club have good deadlifts. Forget the over assisted lifts, the program does work, and can work for you.

Louie is strong, even if you discount assistance!

My Experience

.I got Louie s tapes last December and watched them the first time and thought: what goof-ball stuff is this? The second time, I picked out many good concepts. My training partner and I decided to give the program a try, but modify it for our own lifting. We love the 2 week mini cycles and many of the exercises he promotes .We use bands, do box squats, good mornings, and the rapid fire sets. Now we do not get bored with training and can do many of the exercises we didn t have time or a place in our workouts. The mini-cycles keep us from burning out while allowing us to train harder. My joints even feel better and I feel stronger.

..To do Louie

.Now, How to a modified program. WE use our standard days and order of exercises. The mini cycles are done similar to what Louie does, with differences. WE have to squat deep and raw, so we do our box squats accordingly and use a narrower stance. We work on explosiveness out of the bottom rather than a lockout . Same with the bench. Changing the major exercises keeps us from burning out and is better on the joints. This program is for the advanced lifter and not for beginners, who need to put more time in on the actual lifts. I recommend serious lifters to get his tapes, watch ,listen, and to apply where it may help. There is much to learn and his tapes include many good ideas; however one must sort through them and pick out what techniques will help most. Louie has popularized many of the Soviet era concepts and adapted them for powerlifting and again for the specific use of his group. Knowledge IS power and Louie is just one of many good sources of knowledge.

A Sample workout

Monday: Heavy Bench Day.{max effort}

75% to85% of max for one set of 5 reps{ contest style} then
55% to 65% of max for 6 to 10 sets of 2 to3 reps of one of the following exercises
Narrow bench with or without bands, extra wide with or without bands, J.M. presses, negatives, reverse grip, inclines, or any other form of bench.

Tuesday: Heavy Squat Day {max effort}

75% to 85% of max for one set of 5 reps {contest style} then
55% to 65% of max for 6 to 10 sets of 2 to 3 reps one of the following exercises
Olympic squats, with or without bands, with or without box{4 diff. Ex} front squats, partials in rack, extra wide, extra narrow, stop squats, or any other variation.

Tuesday: Light Deadlift Day

The light deadlift workout consists of assistance exercises such as rows, pulls, and, shrugs. This is usually done as supersets or a circuit.

Wednesday:{off}

Thursday: Light Bench Day {speed day}

50% to 60% of max for 6 to 10 sets of 2 to 3 reps performed with a blast in a form of the lift which is basic or the opposite of Monday {usually a form of closegrip}

Friday: Light squat {similar to speed day}

50% to 65% of max for 50% to 75% of the total number of reps done on Tuesday in sets of 3 to 5 reps, in one of the following exercises:
wide squats, olympic squats, stop squats, or any squat which differs from tues performed with a blast.

..Heavy Deadlift {max effort}

WEEK A: one set of 5 with 50 to 55% of max done stiffleg , Followed by 2 to 6 sets of 2 to 5 reps in one of the following exercises: stiffleg pulled fast or slow against bands or well before a meet one of the many variants of good mornings.

..WEEK B: one set of 70% to 85% of max done contest style followed by 2 to 6 sets of 2 to 5 reps in one of the following exercises; regular deadlifts pulled fast or slow against bands or well before the meet one of the many variants of good mornings

Light DEADLIFT was performed on Tuesday in the form of rows, shrugs, or a type of pull for top of lift.

NOTE: Heavy Deadlifting is best performed every other week, with a lighter form in between..ON week A our aim is not to over work, but to condition for the next weeks deadlift routine on week B

..Assistance Exercises

..Monday {after bench}

Incline bench: with bar or dumbells Supersetted with

Lat pulldowns front to chest

Side lateral raises supersetted with

Seated dumbell press or equiv.

Bicep and Tricep

Tuesday {after squat} {as light deadlift }

Choose 2 or 3 exercises from the following:

Dumbell shrugs, upright rows, Pulls, supported bent over rows

Read delt ex.. Boat rows, barbell shrugs, bent over and upright rows with

Dumbells. {be sure to include a row and a shrug}

Note: the above exercises are always supersetted or circuit trained

.Thursday:{after light bench}

Dumbell bench or equiv. Supersetted with

Seated row {one of many var.}

Front raise or equiv.

Behind the neck lat pulls {one of many var}

Cable crossover supersetted with

Curls

Friday:{after Squats and deadlifts}

Leg press or similar

Leg curls

Leg extentions

.Overview of assistance:

The assistance exercises are usually performed in 3 sets of 5 to 8 reps with supersetting. This is very important as it not only transfers power to the actual lift, but gives the endurance and cardio. Many lifters lack. As the meet approaches and weights in the power 3 rise the sets, exercises, and reps decrease. Chest, arm, and leg asst. tapers off, but some form of lat work remains right up until the meet.

.Conclusion:

.This is the basic workout plan which combines Louie s program into a more traditional approach. I have listed the assistance exercises we also do, They are performed after the main lift in superset form or in circuit for cardio. As one gets to within 3 to 6 weeks of a contest a shift to more traditional approach will occur. When peaking for a meet the Friday squat gets lighter as well as the Thursday bench. The Monday, Tuesday, and Friday-B workouts mainly reflect the 3 powerlifts .All other assistance exercises gradually trail off. This basic workout can be re worked to fit any individual s schedule or preferences. I believe this workout will benefit most advanced lifters. If anyone has any questions, you may E-mail me at boblift@msn.com

.Bob Strauss

Sources:

Louis Simmons: squat, bench, and deadlift videos

Ed Coan: squat, bench, and deadlift videos

Nathan Desloge: 2000 Junior Olympic Powerlifting Champion

N.C. State University Barbell Club 1971-1977

William K. Bellucci

By: Bob Strauss