A 4-day program by Joe DeFranco that adapts the Westside Barbell conjugate method for athletes and skinny lifters. Two upper body days - one heavy (max effort) and one high-rep (repetition method) - plus a jump/mobility day and a heavy lower body day. The max effort exercise rotates every 2 weeks across a 6-week cycle: Bench Press -> Incline Bench Press -> Bench Press Close Grip for upper, and Box Squat -> Deadlift -> Squat for lower. Built around heavy 3-5 rep maxes rather than true 1RMs, making it safer and more practical for non-powerlifters.
Origin & Philosophy
Westside for Skinny Bastards (WS4SB) was created by Joe DeFranco, a strength coach in New Jersey who trained professional athletes and everyday gym-goers. He published the original version around 2005, a Part 2 in 2007, and the definitive Part 3 in 2009.
DeFranco took Louie Simmons' Westside Conjugate Method - designed for equipped powerlifters - and reworked it for the "skinny bastard" crowd: athletes and trainees who lack muscle mass and can't handle the loads or volume of traditional Westside training. The key changes: 3-5 rep maxes instead of 1RMs, jump training instead of speed squats for the dynamic effort day, and only one heavy lower body session per week to leave room for sport practice and recovery.
The philosophy is straightforward: get strong on a handful of heavy compound lifts, build explosive power through jumps, and pack on muscle with high-rep assistance work. The max effort exercise rotates every 2 weeks to prevent staleness and avoid neural burnout - a core Westside principle. You still train max effort every week, but the specific lift changes so no single movement accumulates excessive fatigue.
Who It's For
- Experience level: Late beginner to intermediate (6+ months of consistent barbell training). You should be comfortable with Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift, and Bent Over Row form.
- Primary goal: Building both strength and muscle mass, with an athletic development component from jump training.
- Best suited for: Bulking or maintenance. Athletes in their off-season. Lifters who want more variety than a strict linear progression program but more structure than "just do whatever."
- Not ideal for: Complete beginners (run GZCLP or Basic Beginner first) or advanced powerlifters who need sport-specific peaking.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Balanced push/pull volume across both upper body days - horizontal and vertical pulling on every session prevents the shoulder imbalances common in bench-heavy programs
- Unilateral leg work on both lower body days (Bulgarian Split Squat, Reverse Lunge) addresses side-to-side imbalances that bilateral squatting alone misses
- Jump training on the dynamic effort day builds explosive power and athleticism without the heavy axial loading and soreness of a second squat day
- Max effort exercises use 3-5 rep maxes instead of true 1RMs - safer for people without a coach, and the extra time under tension helps build more muscle
- Built-in exercise rotation every 2 weeks prevents neural burnout and keeps the program fresh - you hit 3 different ME variations over a 6-week cycle
Cons
- Only 1 working set on max effort exercises means less heavy volume than programs like 5/3/1 or PHUL - the trade-off is higher intensity per set
- Progression on the main lifts is autoregulated - you manually decide when to add weight instead of following a fixed rule. This matches DeFranco's original prescription but requires more self-awareness than percentage-based programs.
- The dynamic effort day may feel too light for lifters who want to squat heavy twice a week
- No direct calf work is programmed - add your own if calf development is a priority
Program Structure
- Split: Upper/Lower hybrid with two distinct upper body days (max effort and repetition) and two distinct lower body days (dynamic effort and max effort)
- Periodization: Conjugate style with a 6-week cycle. The max effort exercise rotates every 2 weeks while assistance exercises stay the same throughout.
- Schedule: Fixed weekly - Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri with Wed and weekends off
- Typical week: Max-Effort Upper -> Dynamic-Effort Lower -> Rest -> Repetition Upper -> Max-Effort Lower -> Rest -> Rest
- Rotation: Weeks 1-2 use Bench Press and Box Squat as ME exercises. Weeks 3-4 swap to Incline Bench Press and Deadlift. Weeks 5-6 swap to Bench Press Close Grip and Squat. After week 6, the cycle repeats.
Exercise Selection & Rationale
Max-Effort Upper Body opens with the rotating ME exercise - the heaviest pressing movement of the week. Bench Press (weeks 1-2) is the baseline horizontal press. Incline Bench Press (weeks 3-4) shifts emphasis to the upper chest and front delts from a different angle. Bench Press Close Grip (weeks 5-6) overloads the triceps, which are the primary lockout muscles for all pressing movements. This rotation hits the same movement pattern from three distinct angles over the 6-week cycle.
Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell follows as the supplemental exercise for 2 high-rep sets, flushing blood into the pressing muscles. Bent Over Row and Face Pull are supersetted for horizontal pulling and rear delt work - the push/pull balance DeFranco emphasizes. Shrug targets the upper traps directly, and Bicep Curl, Barbell finishes with elbow flexor work.
Dynamic-Effort Lower Body replaces the traditional Westside speed squats with Jump Squat, Bodyweight - DeFranco found that skinny bastards can't recover from squatting heavy twice a week, and jumps develop power without the excessive soreness. Bulgarian Split Squat adds unilateral leg work with an elevated range of motion. Romanian Deadlift trains the posterior chain through a hip hinge pattern. Cable Crunch provides weighted ab work. Volume is intentionally low on this day - soreness here would interfere with the max-effort lower body day later in the week.
Repetition Upper Body uses Bench Press, Dumbbell for 3 high-rep sets - the repetition method builds muscle through volume and metabolic stress at moderate loads. Lat Pulldown and Reverse Fly are supersetted for vertical pulling and rear delt work, complementing the horizontal pulling on Day 1. Lateral Raise hits the medial delts directly. Shrug, Barbell and Hammer Curl are supersetted for traps and arms.
Max-Effort Lower Body features the rotating ME exercise. Box Squat (weeks 1-2) is a signature Westside movement that teaches you to sit back, break at the hips, and generate force from a dead stop. Deadlift (weeks 3-4) trains the full posterior chain with the heaviest loads. Squat (weeks 5-6) is the most direct carryover to athletic performance and general strength. Reverse Lunge provides unilateral work, Back Extension strengthens the posterior chain, and V Up finishes with bodyweight abs.
Set & Rep Scheme
- Max effort exercises (Bench Press, Box Squat, and their rotations): 1 top set of 3-5 reps after ramping warm-up sets. True maximal effort - pick a weight you can barely complete. The auto-generated warm-up sets handle the ramp-up from light to heavy.
- Supplemental (Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell): 2 sets of 15-20 reps at the same weight. Pick a weight you can get 15-20 reps on the first set. Rest 3 minutes between sets.
- Repetition exercise (Bench Press, Dumbbell): 3 sets of 15-20 reps. Leave 1-2 reps in the tank on the first two sets, go all-out on the third.
- Pulling supersets (Bent Over Row + Face Pull, Lat Pulldown + Reverse Fly): 3 sets of 8-12 reps each, performed as supersets.
- Assistance (shrugs, curls, lunges, back extensions): 3-4 sets of 6-15 reps depending on the exercise.
- Jump training: 5 sets of 3 reps. Focus on maximum height and explosiveness, not fatigue.
- Ab work: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.
Progressive Overload
DeFranco's original program is built around two principles: beat your previous performance on the main lifts, and rotate exercises every 2-3 weeks before your nervous system burns out. As DeFranco puts it: "Whether you shoot for a 3-rep max or a 5-rep max, the goal is to break your previous record every week."
Max effort exercises (Bench Press, Box Squat, and their rotations): Shown as a 3-5 rep range. You work up through warm-ups and hit a top set in that range. The app records your actual reps and weight, then shows them as next session's starting point. Your job is to beat it - more reps at the same weight, or more weight (even if it means fewer reps).
How the display evolves: start at 1x3-5 / 135lb. Hit 3 reps - no change, target stays 1x3-5 / 135lb. Hit 4 reps - target becomes 1x4-5 / 135lb (the floor rises). Hit 5 reps - target becomes 1x5 / 135lb (the range collapses to a single rep, signaling you've topped out at this weight). At that point you have two options: (a) next session blow past 5 reps - the program auto-adds 5lb and resets to 1x3-5 / 140lb, or (b) manually bump the weight to 145lb; whatever reps you hit becomes the new floor of a fresh 1x3-5 / 145lb range. This is autoregulated progression - you decide when to add weight based on how you feel, and the program tracks your PR.
When the program rotates to a new ME exercise, you start fresh on that lift. When it rotates back 4 weeks later, you pick up where you left off.
Supplemental (Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell) and Repetition day main exercise (Bench Press, Dumbbell): Uses double progression. Work within the 15-20 rep range, and when you hit 20 reps on all sets, add 5lb and reset to 15. This is a simplification of DeFranco's "beat your reps, then add weight" model that's easier to track across multiple sets.
Assistance exercises (rows, curls, shrugs, lunges, etc.): DeFranco doesn't prescribe formal progression for these - just rep ranges. This implementation uses double progression as a practical default: when you hit the top-end reps on all sets, add 5lb and reset to the bottom.
Jump training has no weight progression. Focus on jump quality - maximum height, clean landing, full extension.
When you stall: The built-in 2-week exercise rotation handles most stalls automatically. If you're stuck on Bench Press, you'll be doing Incline Bench Press and Bench Press Close Grip for the next 4 weeks - building strength from different angles often breaks the plateau. DeFranco's advice: "Every couple of weeks, test yourself in your indicator exercises. If they improve, the program is working. If not, change your exercise selection, training volume, or diet."
How Long to Run It / What Next
Run WS4SB indefinitely as long as you're making progress. DeFranco designed it as a long-term training system, not a short-cycle program. The 6-week cycle repeats, and each rotation you should be stronger than the last time you hit that exercise. Many athletes run it for 6-12 months or longer through their off-season.
Signs it's time to adjust: You've gone through multiple 6-week cycles and your numbers on all ME exercise rotations have plateaued. Sessions feel like a grind despite adequate sleep and nutrition.
What next: Transition to 5/3/1 for percentage-based progression, The Rippler for structured periodization, or the full Westside Conjugate Method if you're ready for true 1RM training. For more volume, try PHAT.
Equipment Needed
The program needs a barbell, dumbbells, a cable machine, and a box for box squats (a bench or plyo box works).
Home gym substitutions:
- Lat Pulldown -> Chin Up or Pull Up
- Cable Crunch -> Hanging Leg Raise or weighted Sit Up
- Face Pull -> Reverse Fly with dumbbells
- Back Extension -> Good Morning
Rest Times
- Max effort exercises: 3 minutes. Full recovery is critical for your top set.
- Supplemental exercise: 3 minutes between sets
- Supersetted assistance (rows + face pulls, pulldowns + reverse flyes, shrugs + curls): 90 seconds between supersets
- Isolation and other assistance: 60 seconds
- Repetition day main exercise: 2 minutes
- Jump training: 90 seconds - full recovery to maintain explosiveness
- Ab work: 60 seconds
How to Pick Starting Weights
Max effort exercises (Bench Press, Box Squat, Incline Bench Press, Deadlift, Bench Press Close Grip, Squat): Start with a weight you can do for 5 solid reps - your approximate 5RM for each lift. The double progression from 3 to 5 reps means you'll naturally work at the right intensity. If you don't know your 5RM, use about 80% of your estimated 1RM.
Assistance exercises: Start light. Pick a weight where you can complete all prescribed sets with 2-3 reps in reserve. The double progression will bring you to challenging weights within 2-3 weeks.
Common mistake: Starting too heavy on Box Squat if you've never done box squats before. The sitting-back-and-exploding technique is different from a regular squat. Drop the weight 20-30% from your regular squat until you learn the pattern.
Common Modifications
- 3-day variant ("Washed-Up Meathead" template): Max-Effort Upper Monday, Max-Effort Lower Wednesday, Repetition Upper Friday. Drop the dynamic effort day. Good for lifters over 35 or anyone with limited recovery.
- Add conditioning: DeFranco recommends sled drags, prowler pushes, or hill sprints 2-3 times per week on off days. Keep conditioning separate from lifting sessions.
- Use 5/3/1 for ME lifts: DeFranco himself sometimes uses 5/3/1 percentages for the max effort exercises, replacing the "work up to a max" approach with structured percentage-based loading.
- Custom exercise rotations: The built-in rotation uses Bench Press -> Incline Bench Press -> Bench Press Close Grip for upper and Box Squat -> Deadlift -> Squat for lower. You can swap any of these for other variations like Overhead Press, Trap Bar Deadlift, or Front Squat by editing the program.
- Add rear delt work: If shoulder health is a concern, add an extra set of Face Pull or Reverse Fly at the end of each upper body day.
FAQ
Is Westside for Skinny Bastards good for beginners?
WS4SB works best for lifters with at least 6 months of consistent barbell training. You need solid form on bench press, squat, and row before running this program. Complete beginners should start with a simpler linear progression program like GZCLP or Basic Beginner first.
How many days a week is Westside for Skinny Bastards?
WS4SB III is a 4-day program: Max-Effort Upper Body (Monday), Dynamic-Effort Lower Body (Tuesday), Repetition Upper Body (Thursday), and Max-Effort Lower Body (Friday). DeFranco also published a 3-day "Washed-Up Meathead" variant for lifters who need more recovery.
What is the difference between WS4SB and the full Westside Conjugate Method?
WS4SB uses 3-5 rep maxes instead of true 1RMs, replaces speed squats with jump training, and has one heavy lower body day per week. The full Westside method uses 1-3 rep maxes, barbell speed work with bands and chains, and two heavy lower body days. WS4SB is designed for athletes and general lifters; full Westside is for advanced powerlifters.
How does exercise rotation work in WS4SB?
The max effort exercises rotate automatically every 2 weeks across a 6-week cycle. Upper body rotates through Bench Press, Incline Bench Press, and Close-Grip Bench Press. Lower body rotates through Box Squat, Deadlift, and Squat. Assistance exercises stay the same throughout. After 6 weeks the cycle repeats.
Can I run WS4SB on a cut?
You can, but recovery will be harder. Consider dropping to the 3-day variant and reducing assistance volume by 1 set per exercise. Keep the max effort work heavy to preserve muscle and strength during a calorie deficit.
What if I don't have a box for box squats?
The program already rotates Box Squat with Deadlift and Squat over the 6-week cycle, so you only need a box for 2 out of every 6 weeks. If you don't have one at all, substitute Front Squat or Trap Bar Deadlift for those 2 weeks by editing the program.
How long should WS4SB sessions take?
Most sessions take 60-75 minutes. Max-Effort Upper tends to be the longest due to the warm-up ramp and multiple assistance exercises. Dynamic-Effort Lower is the shortest since jump training is quick and assistance volume is intentionally low.
