Strength Training Articles

Conjugate Method Articles

Articles Tagged with Conjugate Method
The Basic Template Breakdown

The Basic Template Breakdown

The Westside Barbell basic training template represents the base level of Conjugate Method training. While there may be many ways to design a Conjugate training plan, the basic template is the starting point where all individuals should begin when learning our training methods. By gaining a solid understanding of the basic template and its associated programming strategies, coaches and athletes will become capable of writing proper Conjugate Method programming. 

Tue Mar 12, 2024
Starting Conjugate: Developing the Mid and Upper Back

Starting Conjugate: Developing the Mid and Upper Back

The development of a strong posterior chain is a necessity for all athletes. Whether an athlete is focused on strength or conventional sports, a strong posterior chain will increase force output, improve stability, and enhance durability. A critical aspect of posterior chain development is strengthening the muscle groups responsible for supporting the spine.

Tue Mar 05, 2024
Applying the Conjugate Method

Applying the Conjugate Method

Westside Barbell has successfully trained strength and conventional sports athletes using the Conjugate Method for many years. The use of the Conjugate Method has led to success in raw and geared powerlifting, strongman, CrossFit, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, track and field, mixed martial arts, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and judo. Today, the methods continue to be used to train athletes at Westside Barbell successfully.

Tue Feb 27, 2024
Base Building: Utilizing Repeated Effort

Base Building: Utilizing Repeated Effort

When working with individuals new to barbell training, it is most important to improve absolute strength while using repeated effort training to build a foundation of training volume and enhancing movement skills. Combining max and repeated effort training can improve absolute strength, intra and intermuscular coordination, bone and tissue density, work capacity, and physical composition. 

Tue Feb 20, 2024
Exercise Selection: Off-Season vs. Competition

Exercise Selection: Off-Season vs. Competition

Exercise selection is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Conjugate Method programming. Many wrongfully believe we choose random variations using random bars while attaching as many bands and chains as possible. This belief is always the sign of someone who has no clue about the Westside Barbell training style or philosophy. 

Wed Feb 14, 2024
Powerlifting Preparation: Off-Season vs. Competition

Powerlifting Preparation: Off-Season vs. Competition

When training powerlifters, we utilize off-season and competition training cycles. These training cycles have many similarities but will differ to some extent. For example, off-season training will use various exercises to address as many identified weaknesses as possible. However, a competition-focused training cycle will become more specific, with many main exercises being competition-relevant. 

Thu Feb 08, 2024
Starting Conjugate: Fatigue Management

Starting Conjugate: Fatigue Management

The level of success an athlete achieves with their strength training program is dictated by a few key things: exercise selection, intensity regulation, volume regulation, training frequency, and fatigue management. Fortunately, a well-written training plan should be able to dial in the first four aspects of training. Still, it can be difficult to predict how fatigued an athlete will become when progressing through a training program. 

Fri Feb 02, 2024
Intent and Execution

Intent and Execution

Similar to conventional sports, where a lack of mental and physical discipline leads to failure, barbell training requires an athlete to maintain the ability to remain mentally focused and physically disciplined whenever training occurs. Given the demands the Conjugate Method places on an athlete, athletes must approach all training days with the right intent and technical execution. 

Sun Jan 21, 2024
Raw Bench Press Training: Chest and Shoulders

Raw Bench Press Training: Chest and Shoulders

The raw bench press can be demanding lift in both strength and technique. Having all associated muscle groups adequately trained ensures the athlete can complete the lift successfully and has the durability necessary to withstand the demands of both training and competition. 

Mon Jan 15, 2024
Base Building: Utilizing Max Effort

Base Building: Utilizing Max Effort

Max effort training delivers results that other approaches to training cannot match. The primary benefit of max effort training is absolute strength development, which improves 1rm capabilities. Additionally, athletes will experience improvements in intra and intermuscular coordination and increased bone and soft tissue density. An athlete will become stronger, and movement control and overall durability will improve.  

Tue Jan 09, 2024
Basic Conjugate Training Advice IV

Basic Conjugate Training Advice IV

If there is one key aspect of the Conjugate Method that makes it superior to all other training methods, it is efficiency. Athletes only have so much time away from practice or competition, so any time spent training must be spent as efficiently as possible. Using the Conjugate Method, we can easily tailor training to ensure the training is specific to each athlete. 

Mon Dec 18, 2023
Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 4

Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 4

A coach's training methods must account for the dynamic nature of sports practice, sports competitions, and daily life. As a coach, if you want your athletes to be as successful as possible, you must be able to design a training plan that meets the athletes where they are currently, not where some pre-written plan expects them to be.  

Thu Dec 14, 2023
How to Get Stronger: A Guide to Building Raw Strength

How to Get Stronger: A Guide to Building Raw Strength

Improving physical strength and body composition is a surefire way to become a better athlete. Aside from the sports performance-enhancing effects, strength training also provides stimulus to enhance the short- and long-term quality of life. A properly trained athlete will have increased strength and speed, enhanced bone and tissue density, improved mobility, and the ability to endure and recover from intense training and competition. 

Fri Dec 08, 2023
Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 3

Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 3

At Westside, we have learned over the years how to make simple adjustments to training that significantly impact training outcomes. Whether we need to adjust training volume, intensity, frequency, or exercise selection, the Conjugate Method provides the platform to allow a coach or athlete the ability to put together a day-to-day and weekly training plan that best fits the athlete based on the current life and training circumstances. 

Sun Dec 03, 2023
Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 2

Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 2

It is now the second week of our four-week squat PR plan. Last week, we performed a 2" mat deadlift, working up to a top-set single. We selected this exercise for two reasons. First, we typically want to perform a deadlift variation once every four weeks. However, with a max effort squat attempt scheduled, we want to ensure we arrive at that day with as little accrued fatigue as possible. 

Mon Nov 27, 2023
Improving Hip Strength with the Belt Squat

Improving Hip Strength with the Belt Squat

The belt squat is the Swiss Army knife of lower body training machines. The belt squat can be used to improve practically all lower body muscle groups, all without placing compressive force onto the spine. For this reason alone, all athletes should try to train at a facility with a belt squat. Whether we are talking hip strength or hip health, the belt squat is a tool to help an athlete develop strong and healthy hips that are properly prepared for sport.

Tue Nov 21, 2023
Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 1

Four Weeks to a Squat PR: Week 1

Successful Conjugate Method training depends on proper recovery management. Our methods require athletes to perform exercises at specific levels of volume and intensity with specific training intent. Maintaining an optimal balance of training volume, intensity, and recovery time is crucial to ensure this is possible. 

Wed Nov 15, 2023
Starting Conjugate: Enhancing Work Capacity

Starting Conjugate: Enhancing Work Capacity

One crucial aspect of athleticism we focus on is the development of work capacity. Work capacity refers to the training volume and intensity an athlete can tolerate while maintaining a steady recovery schedule and making positive training adaptations. Ultimately, an athlete's work capacity plays a significant role in dictating the level of strength, speed, and fitness an athlete can achieve. 

Thu Nov 09, 2023
Basic Three-Day Conjugate Training Schedule

Basic Three-Day Conjugate Training Schedule

The conversion to a three-day training schedule can benefit athletes with a demanding practice and competition schedule and limited recovery time. Additionally, this training schedule can be used by individuals focused on powerlifting who may be dealing with a busy work schedule that limits training time. 

Mon Oct 30, 2023
Starting Conjugate: Adjusting Accessory Training Volume

Starting Conjugate: Adjusting Accessory Training Volume

Accessory exercise training makes up a considerable amount of our overall weekly training volume. At Westside, we follow a training rule called the 80/20 rule. This rule states that 80% of our training volume will be made up of accessory exercises intended to further improve strength, increase muscle mass, and target weak muscle groups. On each training day, we will select as few as two or as many as five to six accessory exercises to accomplish these training goals.

Mon Oct 23, 2023