3 Things I Learned From Westside Barbell

#1 How to lift under real weight

I thought I was a powerlifter… until I met some real ones. The first Westside Barbell member I ever met was a super heavyweight named Tim Harold. Tim is 6’6, weighs 410 lbs., and has deadlifted 855 lbs. with a conventional stance. I told Tim that I want to learn the Westside system, and with him being a nice guy, he didn’t make fun of “fitness model” Cory. He said, “I’ll be here on Monday at 7am to teach you Westside.” Tim worked nights, and he took the time to stop by Old School on the way home from work.

Tim began to explain the conjugate system to me, and on Day 1, he prescribed Max Effort Good Mornings. I honestly have never really done any good mornings before. It was a 1 Rep max, and mine was barely 185 lbs. which was totally awful. Tim on the other hand did 700 lbs… I was sitting there like “How the fuck do I spot this?” I eventually worked up to 335 lbs. for a triple, which was a personal best. Tim said, “Cory, you have to learn how to lift tighter so you don’t get hurt.” He was one of the main people who taught me how to use a belt to lock into the major three lifts.

#2 Learn how to strain and not be scared

I was scared of big weight because I didn’t know what “real” form was. So, as a result I wasn’t comfortable straining with heavier weights. Once I learned how to push into my belt, set up and finally complete the lift, it made me more willing to really take some true max effort weights.

If you are scared of the weight, you lose. That’s it. Louie, the founder who started Westside, has one thing that hangs in his gym: a flag that says, “Kill or be killed.”

These guys don’t fucking play. All this saying means is how to grind through weights in the safest way possible. All the GPP work, meaning lunges, sled work and now all the squats, help you build up for that moment when you need to rely on that work and grit. A scared lifter will never hit any real numbers.

#3 Meet day mindset

I love being around the guys that have helped me from Westside, especially Tony Ramos. Tony is on the famous record board at Westside Barbell for a 2060 total at 181 lbs., which is unreal.

Tony always would tell me that I have something to prove. He said that when you are deadlifting, no matter what, don’t you fucking quit pulling. On the squat, he says “Take this weight like you mean it; push in the belt aggressively.” My favorite is when he looks at me dead in my eye, and says all these people bought tickets to the show. “I want to see the show, don’t let me down.” I embody this when I hit the platform.