The Conjugate Method enables coaches and athletes to introduce a range of training stimuli and demands, thereby promoting both general and specific adaptations. Using the maximal, dynamic, and repeated effort methods, we can simultaneously improve absolute strength, explosive power, work capacity, and physical composition. This approach leads to rapid gains and avoids issues caused by detraining. 

Another aspect of Conjugate training that enables us to elicit specific adaptations based on the athlete we are working with is the use of exercise variations. At Westside, we use a consistent rotation of special exercises selected based on the athlete we are working with. Depending on the athlete's needs, we can incorporate specific exercises into our maximal, dynamic, or repeated effort work. 

However, having success with special exercises demands that the coach or athlete has an understanding of how to program and execute the selected variations properly. Too often, those new to our training methods believe that using the Conjugate Method is a license to devise as many special exercises as possible. This results in randomly selected variations being programmed inappropriately, leading to ineffective training or potential injury.  

The trick to success with special exercises is understanding how to program and rotate them properly. Below, we will cover the basics of incorporating special exercises into maximal, dynamic, and repeated effort training.

Maximal Effort Variations 

The maximal effort method aims to enhance absolute strength by training at high intensities using multi-joint exercises. When introducing exercise variation in a maximal effort setting, the most critical aspect is ensuring the athlete is competent in exercise execution. Considering the training intensity associated with maximal effort work, we must ensure athletes have the coordination and competency to execute the training safely.

Here is what would be considered an optimal maximal effort lower exercise rotation for someone new to Conjugate:

Week 1 – Barbell Squat

Week 2 – Deadlift

Week 3 – Box Squat

Week 4 – Pin 3 Rack Pull

Week 5 – Front Squat

Week 6 – Giant Cambered Bar Good Morning

Week 7 – Bow Bar Box Squat

Week 8 – 2" Mat Deadlift

As you can see, the exercise variations included in this rotation are considered basic. These are movements that will build foundational strength, allowing the athlete to progress to advanced variations in a safe manner eventually. Ideally, athletes would run through this basic 8-week rotation 2-3 times before moving on to advanced variations. 

Once athletes have become highly competent with the exercises listed above, we would introduce advanced-level movements into the training. Here is how that would look:

Week 1 – SSB Squat

Week 2 – Deadlift

Week 3 – Low Box Squat (2" lower than usual box height)

Week 4 – Deadlift vs. Minibands

Week 5 – Zercher Squat

Week 6 – SSB Good Morning

Week 7 – Bow Bar Box Squat vs. Chain

Week 8 – 2" Deficit Deadlift

As you can see, there is a bit more use of specialty bars and accommodating resistance. The goal here is to provide new stimulus via more complex variations, but doing so in a manner that allows the athlete to apply the movement skills developed during their initial training. We want to escalate the difficulty and demand just enough to bring about new adaptations, but not so much that the athlete feels like a beginner all over again. 

Dynamic Effort Variations

The dynamic effort method focuses on training with submaximal weights at maximal velocity, with the intention of improving an athlete's rate of force development. Rate of force development refers to the amount of time it takes for an athlete to reach peak force output. If maximal effort training builds the engine, dynamic effort training builds the transmission. 

While exercise competency is, of course, critical during maximal effort training, it is even more important during dynamic effort training. This is due to the velocity parameters that the athlete must adhere to. If an athlete performs an unfamiliar exercise under dynamic effort conditions, the risk of injury dramatically increases. 

Additionally, dynamic effort training includes the use of accommodating resistance. The use of bands and chains can change the way the barbell feels during the movement. For instance, if an athlete lacks experience with the giant cambered bar, adding bands or chains to the bar and performing giant cambered bar box squats can be a recipe for disaster.

We recommend starting with a standard barbell when performing dynamic effort work, and advancing as strength and competency improve. Here is an example of logical exercise variation progression when executing dynamic effort lower training. 

Wave 1

Week 1: Box Squat – 12 x 2 @70% (45% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 2: Box Squat – 10 x 2 @75% (50% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 3: Box Squat – 8 x 2 @80% (55% bar weight, 25% AR)

Wave 2

Week 1: Bow Bar Box Squat – 12 x 2 @70% (45% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 2: Bow Bar Box Squat – 10 x 2 @75% (50% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 3: Bow Bar Box Squat – 8 x 2 @80% (55% bar weight, 25% AR)

Wave 3

Week 1: SSB Box Squat – 12 x 2 @65% (40% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 2: SSB Box Squat – 10 x 2 @70% (45% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 3: SSB Box Squat – 8 x 2 @75% (50% bar weight, 25% AR)

Wave 4

Week 1: Giant Cambered Bar Box Squat – 12 x 2 @65% (40% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 2: Giant Cambered Bar Box Squat – 10 x 2 @70% (45% bar weight, 25% AR)

Week 3: Giant Cambered Bar Box Squat – 8 x 2 @75% (50% bar weight, 25% AR)

As you can see, the first wave is executed using a standard barbell, which most athletes will be familiar with. We then move on to the bow bar, which introduces a slight variation to the mix while still maintaining a similar design to the standard barbell. 

We then move on to the SSB and giant cambered bar in waves 3 and 4. Considering these barbells challenge the athlete in ways the standard or bow barbell does not, we reduce the training percentage by 5%. If the athlete reduces the training percentages by 5% and still finds the SSB or giant cambered bars difficult to use in a dynamic effort setting, we would reduce the training weight by an additional 5%. 

Remember, with dynamic effort, the barbell velocity is more important than the weight on the barbell. If you find that a specific training percentage prevents you from meeting the .8m/s average we aim to maintain, reduce your training weights accordingly. 

Repeated Effort Variations

The repeated effort method focuses on accumulated training volume, resulting in improvements in work capacity and physical composition. In a standard Conjugate Method plan, this method comes into effect during our accessory exercise work. However, we can also opt to use the repeated effort method during our main exercise training.

Accessory exercise training is critical when utilizing the Conjugate Method. This training accounts for nearly 80% of our overall training volume, providing athletes with the ability to improve the strength or size of specific muscle groups. We can also use our accessory exercise training to hone in on weak muscle groups that are currently limiting our progress. 

The exercise variations selected during accessory work will include both multi- and single-joint movements. Our standard programming approach for upper or lower body training consists of a primary accessory exercise and multiple secondary accessory exercises. The primary accessory exercise will always be a multi-joint exercise, while secondary accessory exercises will include a mix of multi- and single-joint exercises. 

Here is an example of how we would go about programming upper-body accessory exercise work for a beginner or intermediate-level athlete:

Primary Accessory Exercise

Close Grip Bench Press – 4 x 5-8

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Barbell Row – 4 x 8-10

Rolling DB Tricep Extension – 4 x 10-12

Chest-Supported Row – 3 x 10-12

Hammer Curl – 4 x 10-12

As you can see, we keep the exercise selection rather basic. Each of these movements would be considered standard exercises, with little variation used. In our experience, it is crucial to maximize the benefits of basic accessory exercises before progressing to more advanced variations. 

Here is an example of how we would go about programming upper-body accessory exercise work for an advanced-level athlete dealing with weakness in the triceps affecting bench press ability:

Primary Accessory Exercise

Close Grip Bench Press vs. Minibands – 4 x 5-8

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Pendlay Row – 4 x 8-10

Rolling DB Tricep Extension – 4 x 10-12

Chest-Supported Row – 3 x 10-12

Hammer Curl – 4 x 10-12

Close Grip Louie Push-Ups – 4 x AMRAP

As you can see, the training does not undergo significant changes. However, we did add minibands to the close grip to place further demand on the triceps, and included some close-grip Louie push-ups for AMRAP sets at the end of the exercise. 

It doesn't take much to increase the focus on a specific muscle group. When focusing on a particular weakness, we want to avoid overhauling our accessory exercise training to the point where we exchange one weakness for another due to inadequate training. It makes no sense if our triceps are getting stronger, but our back is getting weaker because our back work has been replaced with extra triceps work.

It should also be noted that beginners and intermediates should focus on consistently executing standard bodybuilding-style accessory exercises instead of becoming overly focused on addressing weaknesses. Beginners and intermediates will likely have more than one weak muscle group, so it makes more sense to train broadly than to hyperfocus on a specific muscle group. 

With advanced athletes, we can focus more on weak muscle groups, considering they have accrued sufficient training time and volume to properly build up all involved muscle groups. 

Advanced athletes will typically have a specific link of the chain that is weak, while beginners and intermediates will have multiple weak links. This is why advanced lifters can focus a bit more on their current identified weakness without worrying about significant detraining occurring within another muscle group. 

The strategy here is simple; beginners and intermediates need a consistent dose of basic accessory exercises, while advanced athletes can afford to focus a bit more specifically on identified weak muscle groups. 

We can also use the repeated effort method during our main exercise training. This can be done on either a maximal or a dynamic effort day. How and when we choose to use repeated effort as main exercise work will depend on the athlete and the circumstances. 

When we use the repeated effort method in place of maximal effort training, we typically do so as a means of deloading and recovering from high-intensity training. This means the athlete has reported issues with fatigue, or we are noticing that dynamic effort velocity has slowed due to frequent exposure to max effort intensity. 

In this case, we will select a common barbell variation and execute it for multiple sets and reps at a specific training percentage. Here is how we would go about using repeated effort training in place of maximal effort training for upper and lower training days:

Lower

Barbell Squat – 5 x 5 @70-75%

Upper

Bench Press – 5 x 5 @70-75%

As you can see, the goal here is to accrue training volume at moderate levels of training intensity. This work will help build muscle mass and improve work capacity, while also developing strength to some degree. 

If we wanted to include further variation, we could opt to use different variations, specialty bars, or accommodating resistance. The approach we take would depend on the athlete and the situation. 

Be Patient

The key to success with exercise variations is to maximize the benefits of the basics before progressing to more advanced exercises. Doing so allows athletes to build strength, coordination, and competency in foundational barbell, dumbbell, and machine exercises before progressing to more complex exercises. This sets athletes up for consistent success in the weight room and helps to reduce injury risk due to incompetence or mismanaged training. 

While the use of exercise variation and creative approaches to programming are what make Conjugate such a superior training method, it all must be managed correctly. Don't fall into the trap of thinking Conjugate is all about special exercises, specialty barbells, and accommodating resistance. These tools are designed to enhance performance and should be utilized at the appropriate time, based on the athlete's experience level. 

When coaches and athletes remain patient and work through training following logical progressions, the training will undoubtedly result in meaningful training adaptations and improved sports performance. Get the most amount of gains out of the least amount of variation, and only introduce new variations and training strategies when the time is right. 

Just as you wouldn't use a backhoe for a job a hand shovel can do, don't use a giant cambered bar high box squat versus every band you have access to for a job the standard barbell squat can handle.