Layne Norton

[str8flexed]

i know just keeping you on ur toes but to me ur an amateur until u step on a pro stage

Fair enough. I don't disagree with you. But I'm not going to do it until I feel I can be competitive.

[Gabri]

CIAO LAYNE, what do you think about the importance of acid base balance inside a bb diets? How much is important for you this kind of factor?

[gainmusclefast]

whats up layne! i know u said when bulking on off days to keep carbs/cals just as high as workout days, what about when cutting? thanks m8!

[str8flexed]

actually i would decrease carbs by 10%

[gainmusclefast]

so barely any lower when cutting, gotcha, i thought it would be something like that, so i would hold onto all my muscles

[Toddbz]

Layne,
I noticed in another thread (it was actually the squat one by gainmuscle fast), that you spoke of a 'quick' eccentric movement causes more muscle fiber damage. That seems to contrast with the 'time under tension' that we're used to as being more beneficial to hypertrophy. Can you explain in a bit more detail?
Thank you

[bhman6]

F = ma

if you accelerate a mass, you get more force or tension, and more eccentric tension produces more growth, especially when the weight moved is significant

[joshdickinson]

but this would only be at the point of directional change wouldn't it, and how quick is too quick? during the concentric with force yes, but to lower with greater speed only makes the eccentric easier - just thinking out loud here

[Klaus Urine]

but this would only be at the point of directional change wouldn't it

I believe that's key.

[Quelly]

Layne,
I noticed in another thread (it was actually the squat one by gainmuscle fast), that you spoke of a 'quick' eccentric movement causes more muscle fiber damage. That seems to contrast with the 'time under tension' that we're used to as being more beneficial to hypertrophy. Can you explain in a bit more detail?
Thank you

time under tension is definitely one aspect of hypertrophy training, but fast contractions, ie speed training, or RE training in Westside terminology, causes you to use more fast twitch fibers, moving the bar as fast as possible is another way to get hypertrophy and strength. Lots of ways to get it done, in my opinion, do a few of them until they stop working, then throw in a different one. Low volume, high volume, time under tension, forced reps, reduced rest time, increased frequency, speed work, etc.

[str8flexed]

but this would only be at the point of directional change wouldn't it, and how quick is too quick? during the concentric with force yes, but to lower with greater speed only makes the eccentric easier - just thinking out loud here

no, you still resist the eccentric but you allow it to descend more rapidly

it is not black and white

[Klaus Urine]

Just checked out your interview on Big Nation; great stuff, Layne.

It's not a bad show, actually (the MD hate wears a little thin, though).

[str8flexed]

Thanks West, I'm glad you enjoyed the interview

Today was the max effort day for my pressing movement. Now in typical westside routines they do a lot of lockout work on this day, because they wear shirts which give them a big boost out of the hole, the lockout tends to be most difficult for them. Since I am doing my lifts unequipped, the hole will actually be the most difficult part of the lift for me. So I decided to modify 'lockouts' so that I could work on the deep part of my lift. I got in a power rack and set the pins so that the bar came down to rest less than an inch above my chest. To break up the eccentric concentric chain and improve my power out of the hole, I would unrack the bar, then do the eccentric until it hit the pins, then I would let it rest there for a 2 count, and while not totally relaxing, I let it stop for a good few seconds so I could work on my power out of the hole. Theoretically this should be much more difficult than a normal bench press due to the fact that I will have less stretch reflex and almost no kinetic energy built up from the eccentric portion of the lift.

1- 135 X 10
2- 165 X 7
3- 195 X 5
4- 225 X 5
5- 255 X 5
6- 285 X 3
7- 315 X 3
8- 335 X 1
9- 355 X 1
10- 365 X 1
11- 375 X 1

I was very happy with this and theoretically my max bench press should be more than this number. I also was not using wrist wraps since they may not be allowed in some of the meets I choose to compete in.

I also did auxilliary work for the rest of my upper body.

-Layne

[Klaus Urine]

Thanks West, I'm glad you enjoyed the interview

Today was the max effort day for my pressing movement. Now in typical westside routines they do a lot of lockout work on this day, because they wear shirts which give them a big boost out of the hole, the lockout tends to be most difficult for them. Since I am doing my lifts unequipped, the hole will actually be the most difficult part of the lift for me. So I decided to modify 'lockouts' so that I could work on the deep part of my lift. I got in a power rack and set the pins so that the bar came down to rest less than an inch above my chest. To break up the eccentric concentric chain and improve my power out of the hole, I would unrack the bar, then do the eccentric until it hit the pins, then I would let it rest there for a 2 count, and while not totally relaxing, I let it stop for a good few seconds so I could work on my power out of the hole. Theoretically this should be much more difficult than a normal bench press due to the fact that I will have less stretch reflex and almost no kinetic energy built up from the eccentric portion of the lift.

1- 135 X 10
2- 165 X 7
3- 195 X 5
4- 225 X 5
5- 255 X 5
6- 285 X 3
7- 315 X 3
8- 335 X 1
9- 355 X 1
10- 365 X 1
11- 375 X 1

I was very happy with this and theoretically my max bench press should be more than this number. I also was not using wrist wraps since they may not be allowed in some of the meets I choose to compete in.

I also did auxilliary work for the rest of my upper body.

-Layne

You normally use wrist wraps for bench?

[italian heat]

layne , how do you feel about your above workout as far as gaining size.