Author Topic: Mike Wolfe Q and A (Read 16589 times)

bigbadwolfe · « **on:** January 24, 2009, 07:22:04 AM »

Hey guys I was asked to start a Question and Answer thread to help address some PL/Bench questions. As far as the Squat and Deads go I'm not very knowledgeable but as for the bench ask away.

Wolfy!!!!

QuakerOats · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2009, 08:38:22 AM »

what are your favorite or most important triceps movements for a huge bench?

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:13:20 AM »

For a shirted bench I would say closegrip highend board work 3 board and higher. I also incorporate lots of Tricep DB presses where I keep the DB's parallel to the body. Also to simulate this movement at Westside we have a Tricep Pushpress machine that was designed for Football Linemen to strengthen there pass block abilities. That machine hits the tris REAL hard also.

And I also finish EVERY bench workout with HEAVY cable pushdowns lotso f people overlook these but I have done them throughout my whole carrer and I think it is a big reason as to why my Triceps are as big as they are.

So my 3 would be ~
HEAVY Highboards closegrip
DB Tricep Presses
Heavy Cable Pushdowns for added size and strength

QuakerOats · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:16:07 AM »

Quote from: bigbadwolfe on January 24, 2009, 09:13:20 AM

For a shirted bench I would say closegrip highend board work 3 board and higher. I also incorporate lots of Tricep DB presses where I keep the DB's parallel to the body. Also to simulate this movement at Westside we have a Tricep Pushpress machine that was designed for Football Linemen to strengthen there pass block abilities. That machine hits the tris REAL hard also.

And I also finish EVERY bench workout with HEAVY cable pushdowns lotso f people overlook these but I have done them throughout my whole carrer and I think it is a big reason as to why my Triceps are as big as they are.

So my 3 would be ~
HEAVY Highboards closegrip
DB Tricep Presses
Heavy Cable Pushdowns for added size and strength

by "DB Tricep presses" do you mean db extensions keeping the db's parallel or actual db close grip bench presses?

tonymctones · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:37:00 AM »

sorry for the ignorance but by pushdowns you mean where your triceps flare out to the sides?

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:37:26 AM »

Quote from: QuakerOats on January 24, 2009, 09:16:07 AM

by "DB Tricep presses" do you mean db extensions keeping the db's parallel or actual db close grip bench presses?

Just like a DB Chest press but keep the DB's parrallel to your body. I dont do exrensions that often they hurt my elbows. I will do them just not really heavy.

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:46:07 AM »

Quote from: tonymctones on January 24, 2009, 09:37:00 AM

sorry for the ignorance but by pushdowns you mean where your triceps flare out to the sides?

I do mine very similar to this ~

QuakerOats · « **Reply #7 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:54:03 AM »

hey Mike i know a lot of big benchers don't believe in shoulder pressing nowadays and think it doesn't add much to the bench these days with the shirted benches, what do you think? do you believe in them or do you believe more in the different lateral and front raise movements?

tonymctones · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:54:49 AM »

Quote from: bigbadwolfe on January 24, 2009, 09:37:26 AM

Just like a DB Chest press but keep the DB's parrallel to your body. I dont do exrensions that often they hurt my elbows. I will do them just not really heavy.

Quote from: bigbadwolfe on January 24, 2009, 09:46:07 AM

I do mine very similar to this ~

oops i meant elbows not triceps

awesome ive been looking for new tricep exercises as my elbows hurt from time to time too sweet thanks mike

you have shoulder problems? my right one is pretty jacked, do you know of any warm up movements or rehab/prehab movements?

mac33 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2009, 11:43:27 AM »

Could you please tell me what would be your number one exercise for shoulders. In the past they were one of my stronger parts but now the triceps seems to do most of the work when pressing.

p.s.: Keep up the good work with dieting.

burn2live · « **Reply #10 on:** January 24, 2009, 05:07:36 PM »

Hey Mike, this is a great idea for a thread!

As regards raw benching what do you recommend?

Also, as an aside, can you recommend anything for improving overhead pressing?

ripitupbaby · « **Reply #11 on:** January 24, 2009, 05:22:34 PM »

Hi Wolfy!
Congrats again on the weight loss!! Best wishes to you and your wife...has she been living the fit lifestyle with you too?

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #12 on:** January 25, 2009, 04:52:56 PM »

Quote from: QuakerOats on January 24, 2009, 09:54:03 AM

hey Mike i know a lot of big benchers don't believe in shoulder pressing nowadays and think it doesn't add much to the bench these days with the shirted benches, what do you think? do you believe in them or do you believe more in the different lateral and front raise movements?

Hey Oats,

I just now incorporated Shoulder Pressing moves back into my workouts. When I was doing all shirted work I never did much overhead pressing moves just rears and sides. I also never did any Front Delt work either. And I still do not do much front work I feel that my fronts get worked pretty good with all the heavy pressing moves I do.

But as for presses as I already stated I just putthem back into my training when I decided to go Raw. I have done DB Shoulder Presses, Barbell to the front and behind. But my main focus for my bench in the shoulder region is the Rear Delts and the Traps. These 2 muscles build the upper foundation of what you will be benchign of of and they greatly assist in moveing HEAVY weights.

A break down I would do would be ~
1 pressing
1 Side
2 Rears
1-2 Traps
Doing 3 working sets in the pressing and sides and 3-4 on the rears and traps.

I train shoulders 1 time per week, I use to do 2 times but it got to be to much.

Wolfy!!!

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #13 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:09:48 PM »

Quote from: tonymctones on January 24, 2009, 09:54:49 AM

you have shoulder problems? my right one is pretty jacked, do you know of any warm up movements or rehab/prehab movements?

At this point in time neither one of my shoulders hurt. There have been days where I have had some shoulder stiffness and pain. I always use Ice and Ibuprofen on those days. If I notice that my shoulders are starting to hurt I will bakc off from training them heavy and I will do what I like to call Prehab movements. Prehab is just a few different exercises that I have found to help loosen my shoulders and help strengthen the tendon/ligaments in them.

My Prehab moves are really no more then just alot of the basic Rotator moves the Dr has you doing in Rehab after a shoulder surgery. But I incorporate Cables, Barbells and DB's into them. And I also go heavier then they would in a Rehab situation.

I'll do lying Barbells where i start with a 45 pound over top me while lying on the floor. I will then flare my elbows out to my sides and then only moving the shoulders I'll rotate the bar in a arching movment from above my head down to my belly and then back above my head. I'll do sets of 10 with these and add 10 pounds a side for 3-4 sets.

Then I'll move over to the Cable Crossover where I'll do a standing rotator move to front where I have my elbow flared out to the side and my arm bent at a 45 degree angle. I then rotate my arm forward lifting the weight as I rotate forward til it is still bent at a 45 but now pointing forward instead of up. I'll 3 sets of 10 each arm then turn around and do the movement in reverse where the weight is being felt in the upward motion instead of the downward motion.

Then I'll do the traditional lying on the side with a DB and rotate my arms up and down 3 sets of 10 reps and then I'll do light DB flyes 3 sets of 25-30 reps. JL Holdsworth showed alot of these to me bakc when I first went to Westside and I only use them if my shoulders hurt.

Wolfy!!!

QuakerOats · « **Reply #14 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:11:47 PM »

Quote from: bigbadwolfe on January 25, 2009, 04:52:56 PM

Hey Oats,

I just now incorporated Shoulder Pressing moves back into my workouts. When I was doing all shirted work I never did much overhead pressing moves just rears and sides. I also never did any Front Delt work either. And I still do not do much front work I feel that my fronts get worked pretty good with all the heavy pressing moves I do.

But as for presses as I already stated I just putthem back into my training when I decided to go Raw. I have done DB Shoulder Presses, Barbell to the front and behind. But my main focus for my bench in the shoulder region is the Rear Delts and the Traps. These 2 muscles build the upper foundation of what you will be benchign of of and they greatly assist in moveing HEAVY weights.

A break down I would do would be ~
1 pressing
1 Side
2 Rears
1-2 Traps
Doing 3 working sets in the pressing and sides and 3-4 on the rears and traps.

I train shoulders 1 time per week, I use to do 2 times but it got to be to much.

Wolfy!!!

cool, thanks Mike, yeah i noticed on Jeremy Hoornstra's video that he does some heavy db shoulder presses and barbell shoulder presses but he's mainly a raw bencher like you're doing now, i think i remember reading about Jim Williams doing A LOT of shoulder work too.

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #15 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:12:53 PM »

Quote from: mac33 on January 24, 2009, 11:43:27 AM

Could you please tell me what would be your number one exercise for shoulders. In the past they were one of my stronger parts but now the triceps seems to do most of the work when pressing.

p.s.: Keep up the good work with dieting.

Hey Mac,

My number one exercise for shoulders will always be a overhead pressing. I myself personally dont think any other move hits the whole sholder like them. BUT alot of people do not like to do them and some just cant do them.

So alot totally depends on what you are looking for also. But in all around Mass build I think overhead presses will do the best bang for the buck.

benz · « **Reply #16 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:18:51 PM »

Quote from: bigbadwolfe on January 25, 2009, 05:12:53 PM

Hey Mac,

My number one exercise for shoulders will always be a overhead pressing. I myself personally dont think any other move hits the whole sholder like them. BUT alot of people do not like to do them and some just cant do them.

So alot totally depends on what you are looking for also. But in all around Mass build I think overhead presses will do the best bang for the buck.

hey mike got some questions

1.- What does it feel to be part of the all mighty westside barbell team?
2.- Can you tell me how does it look a westside barbell program for chest?

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #17 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:22:57 PM »

Quote from: ripitupbaby on January 24, 2009, 05:22:34 PM

Hi Wolfy!
Congrats again on the weight loss!! Best wishes to you and your wife...has she been living the fit lifestyle with you too?

Thanks Rip!!! We are doing good, she is going to the gym and working with a personal trainer so now she is being held accountable by someone other then me

It kind of worked out nice I donated some equipment to the gym and got her all her personal training for free.

Here is a pic of me from yesterday sitting the mid 280's. I still got some work to do but I'm slowly getting my sexy on

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #18 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:31:10 PM »

Quote from: benz on January 25, 2009, 05:18:51 PM

hey mike got some questions

1.- What does it feel to be part of the all mighty westside barbell team?
2.- Can you tell me how does it look a westside barbell program for chest?

Hey Benz,

1 ~ Being part of the Westside team is a GREAT feeling. Yeah right now there has been some roster changes and some of the top guys have decided to move on to other things and places. But it is still Westside and the Atmosphere of just being in that buidling is amazing!!!

I use to be so afraid of the Westside guys at the meets. They were Big, Mean, Nasty, and Strong as Fuck on the platform. I remember going to Westside back in mid 90's and I only made it into the parking lot. I seen Tom Waddle and Mike Ruggeria come walking out and I freaked out and left never to return til 04.

Honest to God it is one of the best places in the World to train and the guys there really are second to none. No one there is any better then the next. You come in bust your ass and hit a PR. It dont matter if you are benching 600 or 1000 everyone busts there asses to hit that PR.

I love being there and wish I could be there more then 1 time a week.

2 ~ We dont have a Chest program persay. But we do have Bench programs and I just set mine up for my next contest. There are numerous ways to train but using the conjugate method where you are constantly rotating ME moves is the best way I've found thus far to do it.

benz · « **Reply #19 on:** January 25, 2009, 05:38:27 PM »

Mike
Thank you for the answers, the way you talk about WB is great, you are a lucky man and yeah, all of them look pretty rude and pissed most of the time.

Again, thank you for your time and tell them to fix their website. the shopping cart is pretty prehistoric and there are many easy to configure & free apps to setup a store in 10 minutes.

Id hope i can get my tshirt!

mac33 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 25, 2009, 10:54:21 PM »

Thanks for the answer Wolfe! Much appreciated.

ripitupbaby · « **Reply #21 on:** January 26, 2009, 04:04:38 AM »

Quote from: bigbadwolfe on January 25, 2009, 05:22:57 PM

Thanks Rip!!! We are doing good, she is going to the gym and working with a personal trainer so now she is being held accountable by someone other then me It kind of worked out nice I donated some equipment to the gym and got her all her personal training for free.

Here is a pic of me from yesterday sitting the mid 280's. I still got some work to do but I'm slowly getting my sexy on

Damn straight you are!

Mike, what kind of changes in your strength have you seen as you have lost weight?

benchthis · « **Reply #22 on:** January 26, 2009, 11:20:38 PM »

Mike... what pre-workout supplements do you take and find most effective?....If any?

bigbadwolfe · « **Reply #23 on:** January 27, 2009, 12:55:06 PM »

Quote from: benchthis on January 26, 2009, 11:20:38 PM

Mike... what pre-workout supplements do you take and find most effective?....If any?

I have never taken much before training other then a Thermogenic Fat Burner to get me a little wired. Other then that it is usually all Post Workout Stuff. I try and make sure I get a PWO Drink in me, and without sounding like I'm spamming but for the last 3 yrs I've used ALN Opticen as a PWO Drink.

There is tons of stuff out there to try for Pre Workouts but I never felt right training with a full belly of liqiud or protein shakes.

QuakerOats · « **Reply #24 on:** January 27, 2009, 03:37:09 PM »

hey Mike what do you think of Elite FTS and those guys over there, Tate, Wendler, etc? their video collection on youtibe are AWESOME for instructional info, have you ever trained there?