Four Weeks to an Overhead Press PR: Week 2
No matter what sport an athlete prepares for, having a strong upper body is critical to high-level sports performance. When following a Conjugate Method training plan, it is...
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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.
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Four Weeks to a Bench PR: Week Two
Week two of the four-week bench PR program is where we begin to work at a high intensity. Last week, we performed the close grip bench press for...
Four Weeks to a Bench PR: Week One
The Conjugate system includes weekly max-effort exercises performed with the intent to lift the heaviest weight we can on that specific day for that particular exercise. Often, this...
Absolute Strength for Grapplers
The different grappling sports all have a few things in common; you need to be skilled, strong, tough and possess a high level of endurance. You must do...
Incline Bench Press Variations
The incline bench press is one of the most effective upper body exercise variations you can perform to develop the chest, shoulders, and triceps. At Westside, it is...
Exercise Progression: The Barbell Squat
The law of accommodation states that if an athlete wants to continue progressing in their training, the stimulus must change regularly. Athletes can achieve this in a few...
Starting Conjugate: Basic Press Variations
Building a great bench or overhead press requires an athlete to follow an intelligent training plan that specifically targets the strengths and muscle groups responsible for pressing maximum...
Understanding The Standard Template
Success with a training program depends significantly on programming design, regardless of the exact methodology. Today, many believe that your success in the gym has less to do...
Bench Press Builders
The bench press is a lift that frustrates many powerlifters. You see it often, lifters squat or deadlift world-class amounts of weight yet struggle to develop their bench...
Understanding Specialty Barbells
Building anything requires the right tools. If you want to frame a wall, you'll need a hammer, nails, saw, sawhorses, and timber. These items represent the basic tools...
Starting Conjugate: Absolute Strength Development
No matter the sport you compete in, possessing high levels of brute strength is never wrong. Not only will this strength allow you to dominate physically, but it...
Understanding Max Effort
The maximal effort method is a weight training method used to increase absolute strength. This is achieved by training at intensity levels above 90%, working up to a...