My Mistakes
By Chris Bartley
For EliteFTS

There's been a few articles dedicated to a subject such as this, but it's a pretty important topic when dealing with new lifters to the Westside method. I made several errors when I first started, so I'm hoping this can help someone by showing them what I did wrong.

Heavy weight before form

When I first started I jumped into it head on and started taking 1 rep maxes on every Max Effort lift. The first Max Effort Squat/Deadlift workout I did I took a 1 rep max for a lift I had no real grasp over. I did this for a few months and noticed almost 0 progress because my form was atrocious.

After smartening up, and reading through the EliteFTS.com Q&A section for hours, I started taking 3 to 5 rep maxes instead of 1 rep maxes. I would spend a great deal of time focusing on form. At the time I had no partners, so I would take videos of myself to make sure I was doing everything right. I'd send these videos to experienced lifters in hopes of some critique, and that's what I got.

Lesson: Take time to get form down before you go gung-ho.

Too much accessory work

When I first started I felt the need to do tons of accessory work. Why? Because when I first began lifting weights, I was inspired by bodybuilders. Again, I made no real progress. My training volume was higher than elite lifters. I actually lost strength due to the extremely high volume.

I started to cut back on my accessory work and my main lifts started to go up. I know that supplemental and accessory work makes you strong, however it is not meant to be overdone, especially for a beginner.

Lesson: Let go of the bodybuilding ways.

Overcomplicating things

I would look at the training logs at EliteFTS.com and see some of the different stuff they do. I started to deviate from the basic Westside template and again, my strength regressed. Westside has coined many odd looking lifts, but I feel that as a beginner you should simply bust ass and stick to the basics. When I figured this out I started making the best gains I ever had. I stuck to the very basic template. For example, for ME bench day I'd do a ME movement, a triceps movement, a lat movement, and a shoulder movement. That's it.

Look, a beginner does not need a circa-maximal phase. A beginner does not need tons of band tension. A beginner needs to stick to the basic template laid out on EliteFTS.com or the 9 week beginners program.

Lesson: Stick to the basics when you start and make the biggest gains.

Nutritional errors

I remember reading a post by Bob Youngs that said: "Most Elite lifters I know don't eat very strictly. Yet, I see all of these lower level lifters eating like birds. They also lift like birds."

This is when I knew I had to change my ways. I started eating, and eating a lot, and my strength went through the roof. I am not advocating that you go and eat shit constantly, but you cannot restrict food intake if you want to get strong, it's that simple. Try to get enough protein, carbs, and healthy fats. A good post workout drink is also very helpful for recovery. Again, though, don't stress about it. Just eat.

Lesson: If you're not a bodybuilder, don't eat like one. Eat big, get strong.

Extra workouts

You need to be very careful when adding in extra workouts as a beginner. GPP is important, but if you add too much you will drive yourself in the ground. I threw myself into extra workouts by doing 4 a week when I first started. And, basically, it drove me into the ground; I couldn't keep up with it at all. A beginner’s body is simply not ready to handle all of the extra work.

I reduced it to 1 or 2 extra workouts a week, mainly for restoration using a sled, and I benefited greatly.

Lesson: Extra workouts are made to add to the overall training and benefit your main 4 workouts, not take away from them. Don't jump into it head on, listen to your body.

Forget the "showy" muscles

I'll be blunt. Powerlifting is a sport of function, not of being showy. Westside is a program of strength, not show. Want a thin waist? Wrong sport, a thick waist is a powerful waist. Want a V-taper? Wrong sport. Want ripped abs? Wrong sport. Want huge biceps? Wrong sport.

Want to squat, bench, and deadlift huge numbers? Well then you're at the right place.

This was probably one of my biggest errors so I want to stress this. Drop the curls, kickbacks, and leg extensions.

Lesson: The "showy" muscles do almost nothing for your lifts. Do not pay them much attention. Focus too much on them and you will lose strength.

Additional tips:

1) Buy the seminar tapes. Seriously. The seminar series of tapes is one of the best investments you can make for this type of training. It is extremely informative, easy to follow, and answers a ton of questions, as well as being motivational. The Squat and Bench workout tapes are also great.

2) Read everything you can on EliteFTS.com. EliteFTS.com is the most informative site on the entire internet when it comes to this kind of training. Read every article, and use the search button as much as possible. There are thousands of questions answered on this site, and if you can't find your question answered you can always ask one by the great staff there. I know of no other sport in the world where the elite members of it are so helpful.

Another great site is growordie.com, it has great videos.

3) Get partners. I was doing OK with no partners, but once I got partners stronger than me who wanted to lift big ass weights, my lifts FLEW up. In one session I gained 30 pounds on a ME lift that I was stuck at for ages. It's extremely motivational to have stronger partners than you who want it as bad as you do.

4) If you have a small private gym, invest in a Reverse Hyper and a Glute Ham Raise. Nothing replaces a Reverse Hyper. It's one of the best tools I've ever used. A good GHR (from EFS) is also an extremely, extremely good piece of equipment to have.

5) Get some loose briefs for DE Squat day or use an a suit with the straps down. Your hips will thank you greatly down the road. I love the Metal Briefs, however when I couldn't afford them I used Inzer Power Pants, but they seem to be tight in the wrong places. The Metal Briefs are simply awesome.

That covers it for the errors I've made so far. I hope that this can help a beginner not make the same mistakes I did. Good luck getting strong.