The Westside Barbell Blog

A resource for serious lifters and athletes seeking proven strength training methods. The Westside Barbell blog breaks down programming, exercise selection, recovery, and performance strategies built on decades of elite coaching experience of founder Louie Simmons and his dedicated team.

We’ve undertaken a project to organize our 1,400+ articles — start with the curated guides below
Mac McFarland
Author

Mac McFarland

Mac McFarland is the Lead Wrestling Strength Coach at Westside Barbell. He works with high-level high school and middle school wrestlers, including state champions, top-ranked competitors, and athletes who have represented the United States at the world level. Mac also coaches athletes from a range of other sports who train at Westside HQ.

Beyond the gym floor, Mac is a key part of our education work. He helps develop and manage the Conjugate Coach Certification Pathway alongside our seminars, in-person courses, and online educational content. When coaches, athletes, or visitors come to Westside Barbell to tour the facility, Mac is typically the one showing them through and walking them through what they are seeing.

Mac served eight years in the United States Marine Corps Infantry before transitioning into strength and conditioning. He holds a Master of Science from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and was recognized as an Academic All-American during his athletic career. He joined the Westside Barbell team in 2022.

Articles by Mac McFarland

3 articles · page 1 of 1
Mac McFarland ·· 6 minute read

Max Effort for High School Wrestling

To build a truly successful strength program using the Maximal Effort (ME) Method, you need to lay down a solid foundation of education before your athletes ever touch...