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Interview with Jim Wendler
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The following interview was conducted with Jim Wendler of Elite Fitness Systems on March 2nd 2005. Jim is a former college football player and currently a competitive powerlifter. By the way he is real strong and really big.
JAMIE HALE: WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY OF WORK LIKE AT ELITEFITNESS SYSTEMS?
JIM WENDLER: The first thing Dave does is beat us with reeds and makes us eat salmonella-laced chicken. Kidding, of course. Basically, no day is the same as there is always some kind of big project that we are doing or planning. Plus there is the day to day work of answering e-mails/phones and whatever else is necessary to get the job done...and done well.
JAMIE HALE: Tell the readers a little about your days as a competitive football player? What were your powerlifting numbers in those days? What was your weight?
JIM WENDLER: I played fullback at the University of Arizona . I began my career as a walk-on and later received a full scholarship my last two years. This is something that I am very proud of and will always cherish. Most people have little idea about how collegiate football works and how walk-on's are treated. I played at around 225lbs. My bench press was 385lbs and I squatted 615 for two reps. I never deadlifted but did clean 305x5. I will say this; I would have never played football at that level without strength training. This was the X factor in my career.
JAMIE HALE: Word is from some UK athletes is that you were the best thing that ever happened to their strength program? What type of changes did you implement in their program? Do you miss those days working at UK ?
JIM WENDLER: I don't know about that statement, but I will take whatever compliments I am given. I don't know if it was so much the strength training and programming as it was the level of expectation that I brought. For example, I think there might have been 1 or 2 players that benched 400lbs when I arrived. After a year and a half, I think we had over a dozen. I don't believe that it was a certain program as it was an attitude. I had them believing, and rightfully so, that a 400lbs bench press is AVERAGE for a D-IA football player. Also, I am very persistent and adamant about using proper form, especially with squatting. I would rather have someone parallel squat 405 than half-squat 650. I do not miss working at UK . While I enjoyed working with the athletes, I did not enjoy other aspects of being a strength and conditioning coach.
JAMIE HALE: How did you discover Westside?
JIM WENDLER: I read the interview with Lou Simmons on Testosterone.net when it first came back. At the time, I was at a real stand-still with my training and this was exactly what I needed to push me to a new level.
JAMIE HALE: Could you give us a recommendation of 5 books every strength and conditioning coach should have?
JIM WENDLER: Well, assuming that the coach already has a very good background –
Supertraining by Siff
Science and Practice of Strength Training by Zatsiorsky
Train to Win by Martin Rooney
All of the Russian manuals (see EliteFTS.com for more information on these books; these are GOLD!)
Science of Sports Training by Kurz
JAMIE HALE: What are your current PRS in the Powerlifts?
JIM WENDLER: Squat – 940; Bench – 650; Deadlift – 650; Total – 2225
JAMIE HALE: Would you recommend Westside protocol for beginners?
JIM WENDLER: Yes and no. I would say "yes" if you have a competent coach who knows exactly how to structure the training. There are a lot of variables that would have to be adjusted. But for the most part, most people would make great results using a very basic program and learn how to lift, learn how to strain and build some muscle mass. The thing that most people don't realize is that the science of strength training is incredible, but they apply the most complex means of training to the beginner. You have coaches trying to apply methods and training used for elite athletes, that have a very strong base, to beginners that have no experience. For example, Dave and I went to the IPA Nationals two years ago and asked every elite lifter that we knew what they did (in regards to training) when they first started lifting. Without exception, every lifter did a very basic bodybuilding program, pumped themselves up, overtrained (according to all these so-called experts) and basically did everything "wrong". What this tells me is that many of the programs that I see and recommendations that are made for beginners are ridiculous.
In my opinion, most people over think training and concentrate too much on the %'s and sets and reps. In reality, if they focused on training with STRONG people and atmosphere, this is where they would see the greatest increases in training. I would rather train with some incredibly strong people doing progressive overload training rather than some pencil-neck tweeds doing the latest and greatest training program.
JAMIE HALE: How many tattoos do you have? What is your favorite?
JIM WENDLER: I have both arms, from the shoulder to elbow, covered. I will have full sleeves in the next few years, though. My favorite? I would have to say my "Eyes of the South" tattoo which features the very glaring eyes of Charles Manson. I would say that most people would say that my tattoos are less than wholesome. I have some very interesting art and some very original pieces that myself and Stu (my tattoo artist) have come up with.
JAMIE HALE: Any projects or up and coming products you would like to mention before we have to go?
JIM WENDLER: We've got a number of DVD's that are planned out and a lot of original material that we plan to publish. Whatever we can do to make people stronger and reach their goals...that is what EFS is all about. We want people to have the best information without all of the fluff.
JAMIE HALE: Thanks for your time.
Check out www.elitefitnesssystems.com
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