The world of powerlifting is dominated by explosive strength and lightning-fast reps. Westside Barbell, a name synonymous with powerlifting excellence, places high value on Dynamic Effort Day, a training session designed to build explosive power and tricep strength. This blog post delves into the core principles and exercises used in this high-intensity workout.
The Philosophy Behind Dynamic Effort Day
Westside Barbell emphasizes explosiveness over slow, controlled movements on Dynamic Effort Day. Here’s the reasoning:
- Building Concentric Strength: Lowering the weight with control contributes to raising it with explosive power. Slow lowering builds muscle mass, but Dynamic Effort Day prioritizes strength gains.
- Mimicking Plyometrics: The concept mirrors plyometric training, where the body uses the energy from lowering the weight to generate explosive power on the lift.
Key Elements of Dynamic Effort Day
- Reps and Sets: 8-10 sets of 3 reps are standard.
- Grip Variations: Using various grips, including inside the power rings and with the pinky finger inside the ring, targets triceps and anterior delts.
- Bar Path: Pushing the bar back in a straight line, not over the face, minimizes shoulder rotation and utilizes triceps more effectively.
- Weight Selection: The weight should be approximately 20% above your training weight, with the focus on maintaining high bar speed. Slowing down indicates a need to adjust the weight.
Exercise Breakdown:
The workout focuses heavily on building tricep strength after the bench press:
- Dumbbell Extensions: 60 total reps are broken down into sets of 8-10 reps, targeting triceps with palms facing inward.
- JM Presses: This close-grip press focuses on the lower portion of the tricep movement, holding for a brief pause before pressing back up.
- Front Raises, Side Deltas, Rear Deltas, and Lat Work: These exercises round out the workout, emphasizing heavy weights for delt and lat development.
Sample Dynamic Effort Bench Exercises:
- Speed Bench with Bands: Utilizes bands to create increasing tension throughout the lift.
- Speed Bench off Power Rack Pins: Involves lowering the bar to pins, relaxing briefly, then explosively pressing it back up.
- Buffalo Bar: This specialized bar with a camber encourages a more tricep-dominant pressing motion.
- Floor Press: A variation where the press starts from the floor, often used by lifters with tricep injuries.
- Incline/Decline Press with Bands: These variations utilize bands for accommodating resistance and building explosive strength.
Important Note:
Dynamic Effort Day is an advanced training method. Consulting a qualified coach experienced in Westside principles is crucial before implementing this program.
Ready to take your powerlifting to the next level? Explore the principles of Westside Barbell’s Dynamic Effort Day and consider incorporating it into your training regimen with proper guidance. Remember, safety and proper technique are paramount!
Check out our previous post about Westside Barbell: No Such Thing as an Off-Season for Powerlifters.