The Conjugate System is a training system capable of addressing and improving all aspects of strength and conditioning. No matter the athlete, the sport, or the situation, the Conjugate Method can be manipulated to deliver optimal stimulus and rapid results. As we often say, the Conjugate Method is limited only by the intelligence and ability of the coach wielding it.
While the focus of maximal effort training is improving peak force output, dynamic effort training seeks to reduce the time to reach it. Whether we are working with strength or conventional athletes, dynamic effort training is a critical part of the training equation. We want strong and explosive athletes, capable of rapidly generating tremendous amounts of force to move a barbell, an opponent, or themselves.
As the name implies, maximal effort training is performed at high intensity. This means that athletes will work up to a top-set single (or a set of 3 with good mornings), aiming to lift the heaviest weight they can on that specific training day. As long as we meet or exceed 90% of training intensity, we can efficiently improve absolute strength.
At Westside, we utilize accessory exercises to improve the strength and physical composition of our athletes. These movements focus on building specific muscles and muscle groups involved in sport-related tasks and can be selected to address weaknesses identified throughout the training process.
The combined dynamic effort training day is a modification to the standard Westside Barbell Conjugate Method training schedule used when working with conventional sports athletes. Combining dynamic effort training into a single training day allows athletes to focus on practice, skill development, or recovery on the other four days of the week.
The Conjugate for Athletes series aims to provide knowledge and insight into our approach to training athletes, with the goal of helping coaches and athletes achieve success when using our methods. The Conjugate Method, when applied correctly, is the most effective and efficient approach to strength and conditioning.
What makes Conjugate so effective is the simultaneous use of three strength training methodologies: the maximal, dynamic, and repeated effort methods. While specialized training tools will, of course, enhance programming options, they are not what decides the outcomes of a Conjugate Method training program.
Maximal effort training is focused on training maxes. A training max is a lift that represents the athlete’s current level of absolute strength, affected by accumulated fatigue throughout the training cycle. These maxes do not reveal an athlete’s true absolute strength, considering we do not specifically peak to reduce fatigue and achieve a competition max.
While the Conjugate Method was popularized in powerlifting, the truth is that our methods work just as well for athletes in any sport. Why? Because we have the freedom to design comprehensive training programs that meet athletes where they are and elevate their performance to the next level, no matter the circumstances.
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.
The training of athletes needs to address multiple strengths and athletic traits, fit the athlete’s practice and competition schedule, and be adaptable to any situation. Knowing this, it is easy to understand why we consider the Conjugate Method to be the most optimal means of developing strength and conditioning plans for athletes.
A common mistake many new to the Conjugate Method make is to place all of their focus on maximal and dynamic effort training and then go through the motions with their repeated effort work. While we, of course, want to place an emphasis on maximal and dynamic effort training, the repeated effort method provides a foundation of training volume that is critical to the ongoing development of strength and athleticism.
The Conjugate Method also provides many options in terms of training strategy and approach. While many training methods rely on rules, Conjugate is based on parameters, leaving room for coaches or athletes to adjust training to best suit their needs, depending on current circumstances. Part of what makes our training approach great is the ability to devise creative solutions and optimize training on the fly.
Our training style utilizes three methods: maximal, dynamic, and repeated effort. These methods introduce different types of training stimulus to improve absolute and explosive strength, along with muscular hypertrophy and work capacity. It is the use of these three training methods that makes Conjugate a Swiss army knife when it comes to strength and conditioning.
The standard Conjugate Method template calls for four training days per week, consisting of two maximal effort days and two dynamic effort days. Heavy effort training is a training approach that can be used in place of maximal effort training. This is because these two approaches focus on developing absolute strength.
As a strength and conditioning coach, all that matters is the results you deliver to your athletes. Considering no two athletes are the same, it is reasonable to assume that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training. If we want to become capable of solving any strength and conditioning problem an athlete may face, we must keep an open mind and use all of the tools at our disposal.
The deadlift is an exercise we use as both a main and accessory exercise to help athletes improve their posterior chain strength. Aside from the standard conventional deadlift, we can utilize many other deadlift exercise variations to change the training effect and deliver specific training outcomes based on an athlete's training needs or weaknesses.
The development of lower body absolute strength and explosive power is critical in the sport of football. Athletes must be able to rapidly accelerate, decelerate, and change direction as well as have the strength to finish tackles and overpower opponents. When seeking to develop these strengths and traits, no other method can match the efficiency and effectiveness of the Conjugate Method.
