The Long Journey
By Mark Deppen
For EliteFTS.com


I would like to begin this article by expressing to every coach in the strength & conditioning field that ignorance has no place. I began my coaching career about 8 years ago in the sport of powerlifting at Glen Mills in PA. As a former high school and collegiate football player that earned many honors, I was clueless on what powerlifting was really all about. I lifted weights since the age of 14 and thought that this job was going to be easy. I was wrong. I was baffled by the numbers these young teenagers were putting up in such exercises as the bench, floor press, box squat, dead lift, pin pulls and pin presses. I was being introduced to my first dose of Westside training principles. My good friend, co –worker and training partner, Willie Croner informed me that it will all make sense once you visit Westside next month. I was skeptical, ignorant and arrogant about believing in this style of training that was so foreign to me. I kept telling myself to be open minded, to listen, and learn something. 

We finally arrive and I meet this guy who Willie is raving about to me named Louie Simmons. I got to meet the Westside gang of Tate, Vogerpohl, Chester, Patterson, Smith, Gritter and Weisberger. I was truly amazed and more so over whelmed by the training intensity these individuals possessed. But in my mind I am still this bad ass saying, “ I can do this stuff too.” So, I watched, listened, asked a hundred questions and was becoming a believer in the Westside principles. I even took part in a few workout sessions where Louie ripped me a new asshole on my horrible form and weaknesses. I left the Westside training facility sore, over whelmed, amazed and astonished towards how serious they all are about getting stronger. But most of all I had a whole new perspective on what powerlifting is really all about as well as strength training. I returned to Westside the next year only to learn more training secrets and meet new Westside lifters. I would be lying if I said Louie took it easy on me this time around. I began powerlifting and putting this training style to the test and figured if am going to teach it then I must be able to do it myself. I was still a little confused on how to perform each exercise precisely as Louie demonstrated and explained. But never hesitated once to give him a call and grill him with questions in which he so gladly answered. To this day I call Louie, and Dave Tate with questions about injuries, training, or whatever’s on my mind. Louie himself invites me down to Westside personally to train and see what new ideas he has come up with in regard to training.

I went on to have a glorious coaching career at the mecca of H.S powerlifting Glen Mills. Through the years I learned more than I ever could of imagined. I learned, trained with and stayed in touch with the best in the business. I traveled on to New Jersey where I landed a job as a football coach, teacher and serve as the head strength and conditioning coach at Monsignor Donovan High School. In addition, I was given a chance to form a powerlifting team. The weight room was a huge task to tackle but I had big plans in mind. I cleaned house right away by throwing out every useless piece of equipment in the room. I was left with a few dumbbells, 2 curl bars, and some free weights. I proposed a plan to the administrators and parents on what I needed to run a successful strength and conditioning program. I took no excuses and bluntly laid out the plans for building a successful program. They believed in me and 4 years later I have one of the finest weight rooms in New Jersey. About 75% of the weight room is equipped by EFS (deluxe power racks, monolifts, CB3 benches, reverse hypers). The 1400 square foot facility houses some of the strongest teens this side of the Mason Dixon as well as many fine athletes. The powerlifting team began in 2000 with 6 kids and now has 14 members both male and female. Currently, 7 team members have found themselves on powerlifting USA’S top 100 lists for their respective weight classes and accomplishments. Every lifter past and present have set or broken state and national records in respective USAPL and WNPF federations. 

As far as athletics, the Westside training has helped produce all-conference football players, boys and girls soccer championships, and girls track championships. You may be thinking that I am some elite lifter or benching a monstrous 800lbs? I am not even close to elite or within 300 pounds of benching 800lbs but pay close attention as I explain to you the key ingredients to building a successful program. First, do not use language such as; “should have…”, “could have…” or doubt yourself in anyway.. Second, get out to a Force Training seminar, take a visit to Westside, attend a Nazareth Barbell seminar, ask questions, and most importantly surround yourself with “pros” that know what strength is truly all about. Third, don’t train kids while standing on a soapbox or from behind a desk. You must practice what you preach by performing the exercises yourself. Last but not least, get the kids excited about the program; get administrators, parents, alumni, and athletic directors to believe in your system.

To conclude, Mr. Dave Tate has mentioned in the past that I don’t give much credit to those in the strength and conditioning field for the sole purpose they have no clue on what strength really is. However, if they would come out from beneath the rocks they hide under, the answers would smack them in the face. Through my travels I have witnessed Westside and Metal Militia lifters train with some outrageous weights to become stronger, so I stop and say to myself I want to know how to get that strong. Most say they’re on juice or they wear ridiculous equipment to enhance lifts and their just powerlifters. Hello! Wake up out there because aren’t we all looking for our athletes to become stronger and perform better on a football field, soccer field or wrestling mat? My hat goes off to those out there, who have taken the time to learn, educate themselves, and produce results by implementing the Westside Barbell principles.