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Question: Hey Eric, do you use the anabolic supporting supplements even on GPP days?
And, after training with pretty high volume* for some time, the gurus would suggest suddenly switching and trying something like "westside" again. What do you think? I know you tried it before, but its the switch and the conditioning your body is currently in that would make it different then before.
Answer:
I am experimenting with some interesting supplementation in my training right now; both on primary and G.P.P./supplementary S.P.P. days. I will let the cat out of the bag soon... :)
Keep in mind that I have never trained at Westside, so I cannot completely and totally speak from an educated point of view. But as I have stated previously, I believe that Westside (as I understand it) is not the best for me. I don't believe that it implements the maximal effort method for developing absolute strength as well as it could, I believe it could use more of the repetition method, and finally I believe that the development of speed-strength for the sport of powerlifting is unnecessary for me.
Here is the deal: when I hit my PR raw bench of 290 a couple of years ago, I weighed 177. It was also done under APF conditions which are not as strict as how I have been competing lately. Truth be told, I actually moved 90% and 95% in my skills evaluation for the bench press as fast as I ever have this last cycle. I missed 285 right at lockout in October 2008 and had I not jumped (and I BARELY jumped it) the press command in the Raw Unity meet this year 282 would have been not that bad. Go back and watch the video (posted in my log) and I bet you will agree that there was more in the tank. So, although my bench press is not that great (comparatively), it might be a little unfair of me to characterize it as "stuck". I think the most I have actually ever officially benched at a body weight of 165 in a competition is 275. Therefore, either the 285 in October or the 282 this past January would have been meet PR's for me.
We believe we were on to something in October and January, but it just has not been realized in a competition yet. I will not be making any dramatic shifts to my programming in preparation for my competition in April. We want to give our theories another chance before completely and totally going back to the drawing board. If my skills evaluation had not been so favorable, then maybe an overhaul would be in order. We will see what April brings.
About Eric Talmant
Eric Talmant is a top lightweight powerlifter and has a "passion for all things nutrition." A 1996 graduate of the University of Evansville, Eric is a certified Metabolic TypingŪ advisor and Functional Diagnostic nutritionist.
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