The Conjugate Method is a strength and conditioning training system that utilizes three primary strength training methodologies: maximal, dynamic, and repeated effort. Using these three primary training methods, athletes can make rapid progress and take their sports performance to the next level. Whether an athlete needs to become stronger, faster, or better conditioned, we can build a training program to meet the demands of the sport. 

Unlike block periodization and similar training methods, our methods improve all aspects of strength and conditioning simultaneously and help eliminate the issue of detraining. Detraining is the loss of strength or skill over time due to a lack of focus on that specific strength or skill, and it is a common issue associated with phase-based training. 

Using the Conjugate Method, a coach can identify a sport's special strengths and conditioning requirements and develop a comprehensive training plan to reach specific goals. Because we do not use training phases, our methods are more effective and efficient than other training methods. 

However, the Conjugate Method can be confusing for the uninitiated. Common mistakes made by those new to our methods can quickly reduce the effectiveness of training. Fortunately, these mistakes are easily corrected.

Below, we will discuss the three most common mistakes beginners make when using the Conjugate Method. 

Mistake #1: Mismanaged Dynamic Effort Training

The most common mistake made by athletes new to the Conjugate Method is mismanaging dynamic effort training. Dynamic effort training involves lifting submaximal weights at maximal velocity, improving the rate of force development and overall explosive power. Additionally, it involves accommodating resistance. 

The first aspect of dynamic effort training that causes many to fail is incorrect training weights. Often, the idea of using submaximal weights to improve explosive power is challenging for beginners to comprehend. Instead of following training percentage recommendations, beginner-level athletes often escalate the training weights. 

What happens is that barbell velocity fails to meet the recommended average bar speed (.8m/s), and athletes begin to drift closer to the realm of heavy efforts. This will cause issues with recovery and begin reducing sport and exercise performance over time. Unfortunately, this often leads to coaches or athletes blaming max effort training, failing to realize their lack of adherence to dynamic effort training rules is the true culprit. 

The next issue beginners encounter when first performing dynamic effort training is managing accommodating resistance. At Westside, our dynamic effort training will always include bands or chains. For most, we recommend that accommodating resistance accounts for 25% of all dynamic effort training percentages. 

It is important to ensure that the bands or chains are properly connected to the barbell to ensure the correct amount of tension is applied at lockout. We want to ensure that our bands do not lose significant amounts of tension throughout the range of motion and that our chains aren't mostly on the ground or freely floating above the ground. 

We always recommend using a luggage or fish and game scale when checking band tension. With chains, we can eyeball the setup to ensure the correct amount of chain link remains in contact with the ground. 

Mistake #2: Mismanaged Main Exercise Variations

One critique you may have heard regarding the Conjugate Method is a lack of exercise specificity. Powerlifters often make this argument, believing you must squat, bench, and deadlift to the competition standard every training session to improve your skill. While this is untrue, it is also inaccurate that we train random variations with no strategy involved. 

During the offseason, powerlifters can utilize a wider selection of exercise variations. This time can be used to focus on specific weaknesses, challenge specific joint angles, or try a few new exercises to see what can work for the next competition training cycle. However, we will dial in the main exercise selection once a competition has been selected to ensure athletes remain familiar with competition-specific movements. 

To ensure exercise selection allows for competition-relevant skill development, we will perform two competition-specific main exercises per month, with the other two main exercises being focused on attacking weaknesses. Often, we will follow an A and B series of exercises, alternating in an ABAB pattern from month to month. 

Here is what that would look like for max effort lower:

"A" Exercises

Week 1 – Competition Deadlift

Week 2 – Cambered Bar Good Morning

Week 3 – Competition Squat

Week 4 – SSB Anderson Squat

"B" Exercises

Week 1 – 2" Deficit Deadlift

Week 2 – Concentric-Focused SSB Good Morning (Chain Suspended)

Week 3 – Competition Deadlift

Week 4 – Competition Squat

As you can see, we utilize special exercises twice each month, with the other main exercises being competition-focused. This allows athletes to still address specific identified weaknesses while also ensuring competency with the competition-relevant movements. 

Mistake #3: Mismanaged Training Frequency

The final mistake commonly made by those new to our methods is a lack of adherence to the training schedule. When athletes convert to the Conjugate Method, they often believe four training days will not be enough to make significant progress. Unfortunately, these individuals equate increased training frequency with increased training progress. 

When this mistake is made, athletes quickly experience fatigue, which leads to decreased energy and performance. This leads to athletes thinking something is wrong with the methods instead of realizing the issue is their inability to follow recommended recovery times between training sessions. 

Our basic four-day training template allows for adequate rest time between max effort workouts and lower and upper body workouts. This schedule ensures that athletes show up to each training session with acceptable energy levels and prevents interruptions caused by fatigue or overuse injury. 

There are times when it can be acceptable to add a fifth training day. However, this workout would be under 30 minutes in duration and consist of conditioning training only. All of our max effort, dynamic effort, and speed training would be executed during the four main workouts. 

No matter the athlete's strength or conditioning level, it is always recommended to stick to the suggested four-day training schedule. If any immediate adjustments are made to training frequency, the adjustment would be a conversion to a three-day combined dynamic effort schedule. 

Methods Behind the Madness

To the untrained eye, a Conjugate Method training plan can be confusing. Some folks will think max effort training is an insane approach, while others won't comprehend how an athlete can be properly trained and conditioned when training only four days a week. This usually results in a lack of faith in or criticism of the methods.

However, as Louie Simmons proved over the last forty years, the Conjugate Method is the most optimal way to train any athlete for any sport. 

High-level sports performance requires an athlete to possess multiple strengths and skills to be successful. Knowing this, it makes sense that the most optimal training method would simultaneously train multiple strengths and abilities. If we want to build an athlete's strengths and skills in the most efficient manner, the Conjugate Method is the logical choice. 

Looking at the current strength and conditioning landscape, you will notice that many coaches utilize methods and strategies that look eerily similar to the Westside Barbell Conjugate Method. Whether these coaches want to call it conjugate or concurrent, these methods and strategies all lead back to Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell. 

Using specialty bars? Louie popularized that. Adding bands and chains into your training? Louie discovered that. Using multiple strength training methods and special exercises to obtain specific training adaptations? Louie was doing that in the 1980s. 

While the modern strength coach spends their time pretending to discover new things and arguing online, their hubris prevents them from realizing Louie came to these conclusions decades ago. Hopefully, one day, the strength and conditioning world will wake up and fully realize the level of strength and conditioning knowledge Louie Simmons possessed. 

Sources:

Simmons, L. (2007). Westside Barbell Book of Methods. Westside Barbell.