I often mention Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell to people who want to get strong or are injured. Louie was against hypotheticals. He analysed training and competition data, experimented with people who became world record holders and used simple maths to calculate the volume needed for progression. The result was a system that anyone can follow. I came across his podcasts in 2020 during Covid and discovered his reverse hyper machine. Soon after I built one which repaired my severely damaged lower back in a few short months. Four years later I was back competing in strongman. That was the stepping stone back to judo which I had consigned to the rear view mirror.
The thought, detail and effort involved to produce these podcasts is astonishing – a free window into elite performance. Louie’s friend Dave Tait recently paid tribute and summerised Louie’s gifts, saying something along the lines of: “He freely gave away information that he paid expensively for.” Dave Tait is doing much the same now in his own EliteFTS broadcasts.
Experience teaches us, but it’s never wasted money to pay to learn something new. Sometimes the people don’t charge enough or at all. In that instance we should provide some service in return. Sweep the floor for the coach at the gym, maybe empty the bin once in a while. Buy a dinner, give a lift. Promote their system. Old time martial arts students provided service for their instructors – much in the way one would for a beloved uncle or aunt. That’s not so usual these days. We can easily change that.
I did some deadlifts this morning. I think they are the best exercise for general strength and whilst I know that the guys who inhabit the squat rack will disagree, I’ll add that they are the best for those who choose to train alone. There isn’t much technique to master and there isn’t the same danger of being folded in half by heavy weights with poor form. If a deadlift is too heavy it simply won’t move. As per Louies suggestion, I vary bar heights, stances, stand on platforms and have the weight raised so that I’m not doing the same lift every week – it takes sometimes half a year to repeat the same combination by which time assistance exercises and general improvement has added some capacity. Reverse hypers and abdominal work is also vital for rehabilitation – before and after the big lifts.
At 52 I’m still improving. Although distractions, diversions and circumstances hamper progress the system is sound. I talked once to Louie via email, he replied and I was grateful for that. When he died, I felt some loss. An institution had gone: he left behind a legacy. Technology allows him to live on via my MP3 player. Tom Barry, his student – continues the work. On the wall in my gym is the title of one of Louies podcasts: “No once said it would be easy.” I laugh along to many of his sayings: “You gotta be smarter than the weights,” “If it ain’t hard, it ain’t worth doing.”
Criticism about following older systems of training and adapting it into his own workable system was answered: “I didn’t invent toilet paper either,” he reflected “but I’m smart enough to use it.”
See you down the road.
