New routine (Shorty, in here)

[exlude]

Shorty posted this routine up a while ago, and I'm would like to switch up what I'm doing a bit, so I figured I would try it...just a few questions:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459321

On the max effort lifts, it says work up to max set of 3-5 reps. If I already know what will max me, should I head straight for it? Or should I be building up to those three reps with some lighter weights? (I'm asking what the author means.)

I started this program yesterday, going into legs tomorrow, but a few of these exercises I am unfamiliar with. Could someone give me a link to or explain to me these:

High bar Olympic squats
Barbell reverse lunges
Low-pulley split squats, front foot elevated
Romanian deadlifts

Thanks for any and all help.

[tex]

You can find descriptions and clips of those here (http://www.exrx.net/).

[Shorty]

Shorty posted this routine up a while ago, and I'm would like to switch up what I'm doing a bit, so I figured I would try it...just a few questions:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459321

On the max effort lifts, it says work up to max set of 3-5 reps. If I already know what will max me, should I head straight for it? Or should I be building up to those three reps with some lighter weights? (I'm asking what the author means.)

I started this program yesterday, going into legs tomorrow, but a few of these exercises I am unfamiliar with. Could someone give me a link to or explain to me these:

High bar Olympic squats
Barbell reverse lunges
Low-pulley split squats, front foot elevated
Romanian deadlifts

Thanks for any and all help.
you should never "know" what your max will be for the exercise. You should have a goal, but what you do will depend on what you do. Take for example yesterday morning I had max effort pin pulls from below the knee. I had previously done 385, and was hoping for 405. I did a warmup, did 135x5, 225x5, 275x3 (wasn't feeling warm yet so I made a smaller jump), 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 455x1, and then missed 500. So I'll keep track of that number and then next time I do that exercise for max effort work, which will likely be 2-3 months from now, I'll pick a goal, say 500, and work towards that.

so to answer your question directly, you should build up to your goal weight, but go by how you feel, making larger or smaller jumps in weight. You should try to get at least 2 or 3 "heavy" sets though, so don't go 135x5, 225x5, 405x3 and then stop. It will take a few weeks of max effort work to get a feel for your body and decide on sets.

[exlude]

Awesome, appreciate the info from both of you.

But I still can't find out what a effin high bar olympic squat is.

[Shorty]

Awesome, appreciate the info from both of you.

But I still can't find out what a effin high bar olympic squat is.
you put the bar higher up on your traps, foot placement shoulder width, and you go all the way down instead of just to parallel.

[exlude]

At a month in, I'm not sure how much I like this routine. I'm having a lot of trouble tiring myself with it and have added several extra lifts to any given day to where my routine is looking more like a traditional 3x8 to burnout workout.

I dunno, it's very possible that my unfamiliarity with this workout is causing me not to work as hard as I could, but I'm considering going back to the four days a week, traditional routine.

[Shorty]

Try more sets in your max effort exercise or heavier weights in your assistance lifts. Throwing in a set or two more in an exercise if you're feeling good is no problem. That's the most important thing about the westside template, it is built to be tuned to each individual based on their weaknesses and strengths.