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Louie Simmons on Bodybuilding

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I was going to call this "Westside for Bodybuilders" but I didn't want Louie, Dave Tate, and Jim Wendler making a funny YouTube video about me. And they'd be right to do it, really: this isn't "Westside for" anything. This is a program based on the principles that Louie Simmons popularized at his Westside Barbell club. 

This came from an old issue of the now-defunct Peak Training Journal where Louie was discussing how he went about training IFBB Pro bodybuilder Mike Francois (allegedly, as I haven't been able to track down an original copy of this article, I'm going by faith that the Internet hasn't lied to me).

The influences of Louie's more widely known Westside Barbell System are obvious, and following with his entire philosophy: an athlete must be strong to be effective. All other qualities flow from strength, and then it's simply a matter of filling in the weak points. Weak points, in this instance, refer to anywhere the athlete is lacking.

UPDATE 20 October 2007 - I've been sent a copy of the original article from the Peak Training Journal titled "Beast Meets West" (thanks to Lyle McDonald for scanning it and sending it over), and man I dunno where the program originally listed here came from exactly (I found it on a web forum awhile back), but while similar, it's not the program laid out in the article.

Then again, the article flat-out says that this is a sample routine anyway, so it's just as likely anything falling in these parameters would capture the theme. Your mileage may vary. 

 The actual program outline isn't far different; it still involves heavy strength work in the AM sessions, followed by more traditional pump-and-exhaust bodybuilding fare in the evening sessions.

From "Beast Meets West" in the Peak Training Journal:

Sunday AM:

Bench Press (moderately close to close grip) 8 sets of 5 reps with 55-65%
Dumbbell Tricep Extension,  5-7 sets of 8 reps, 20 second rests between sets
Side Delt (sets and reps as needed)
Rear Delt (sets and reps as needed)
Dumbbell Power Clean, 3-4 sets of 20
Lat work, 3-4 sets

Sunday PM:

Dumbbell Flyes, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Barbell Curl, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Tricep Pushdown, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Abdominal work

Monday AM:

Regular-stance Deadlift, 15 sets of 1 rep (30 second rest between sets)
Lat Pulldowns, 5-6 sets of 8-15 reps
Bench Rows, 5-6 sets of 8-15 reps
Reverse Hyperextensions or Regular Back Raises, 6-8 sets of 8-12 reps

Monday PM:

Light Squats, 4 sets of 15 reps
Calf work
Abdominal work
Treadmill, 20 minutes

Wednesday AM:

Choose one of the following exercises, work up to a max, and then rotate every 3-4 weeks:

• Steep Incline Press
• Medium-grip Rack Lockouts
• Floor Press
• Barbell or Dumbbell Seated Press

Dumbbell Triceps Extension, 4 sets of 15 reps (short 20-30 second rest)
Side Delt Raise
Shrugs

Wednesday PM:

Pec Deck or Flyes
Dumbbell Curls
Standing Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise
Abdominal work

Friday AM:

Squats, 8-12 sets of 4 reps (45 second rests. Add weight every 3-4 weeks then start over)
Good Mornings, 4 sets of 8 reps
Reverse Hypers or Back Raises, 4 sets of 15 reps
Abdominal work

Friday PM: 

Giant set of:

• Leg Extension
• Leg Curl
• Hack Squat or Leg Press
• Calf work 

Lat work, 4-5 sets of 8-12
Treadmill, 20 minutes

*** 

The original as-yet anonymous layout: 

Day 1 AM:

Lower Body Core Exercise: Work up to a 5 rep maximum of a Maximum Effort movement
Lower Body Assistance: All sets and reps are variable

1. RDL
2. Lunges
3. Leg Extensions
4. Lying Leg Curls
5. Calf Raise

Medicine Ball Ab Work

Day 1 PM:

Back Work:

1. Rotate Different forms of Row for a 5RM
2. Lat Pull Downs: Variable Sets and Reps
3. External Pulls: Variable Sets and Reps

Biceps: Variable Movements, Sets & Reps
Reverse Hypers: 5x8 (If you do not have one of these, perform Pull-Thru’s)

Day 2 AM:

Upper Body Core Exercise: Work up to a 5 rep maximum of a Maximum Effort movement
Chest Assistance: All Sets and Reps are Variable

4. Dips
5. Chain Push-ups

Triceps: All Sets and Reps are Variable

6. JM Press
7. DB Tricep Extension

Day 2 PM:

Shoulder Work:

1. Military Press: Up to a 5 RM
2. Lateral Raise: Sets and Reps are Variable
3. Clean Shrugs: Sets and Reps are Variable

Ab Work: Sets and Reps are Variable

Day 3AM:

Dynamic Box Squats: 50% of 1RM for 8-12sets of 2 reps
Superset: All Sets and Reps are Variable

4. Glute Ham Raise
5. Reverse Leg Extensions (Seated Hamstring Curls)

Superset: All Sets and Reps are Variable

6. Single Leg Squats
7. Step-ups

Calf Raise: 6-8 sets with variable reps
Ab Work: All Sets and Reps are Variable

Day 3 PM:

Back Work:

8. Pull-ups: All Sets and Reps are Variable
9. Cable Rows: All Sets and Reps are Variable
10. Clean High Pulls: 4 sets of 5 reps

Biceps: Variable Movements, Sets & Reps
Arched Back Good Mornings: 3x10

Day 4 AM:

Dynamic Bench Press: 8-10 sets of 3 reps with 50% of your 1RM
Chest Assistance: All Sets and Reps are Variable

1. Superset: DB Incline Press with Pullovers
2. Superset: Illegal Wide BP with Chest Flyes

Triceps work: All Sets and Reps are Variable

3. Close Grip BP
4. Superset: Triceps Extensions with Pressdowns

Day 4 PM:

Shoulder Work:

1. Snatch Shrugs to a 1RM
2. Front, Rear, Side Laterals for 3 sets of 15 Reps

Ab Work: All Sets and Reps are Variable

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