The sport of powerlifting focuses on one goal: to become as strong as possible. It sounds easy enough, but reaching peak performance can be complex and require creative solutions. This is where the Conjugate Method outpaces all other approaches to strength training – we can address all aspects of athletic performance simultaneously. 

Exercise selection and programming are two of the most important factors in successful powerlifting training. Having a wide variety of exercises to choose from allows for a solution no matter the training scenario. Within the Conjugate framework, we can utilize a variety of basic and special exercises to attain specific training stimuli and bring about specific training adaptations. 

Unlike other approaches to powerlifting, we do not exclude exercises due to a lack of specificity. We understand that the greatest level of training specificity is when the exercise selection and programming directly match the athlete's current needs. There is much more to specificity than the use of competition-relevant equipment. 

The typical approach to programming a Conjugate Method training day provides us with a few different opportunities to attain specific training adaptations by utilizing exercises that address an athlete's training needs. Each workout will feature the use of main and accessory exercises, providing multiple opportunities to address specific issues and increase the overall specificity of the training based on the sport and the athlete's needs. 

Below, we will review many of the common exercises used at Westside Barbell and discuss their uses and benefits. 

The Cornerstones of Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a sport that measures absolute strength, utilizing the squat, bench press, and deadlift. In competition, athletes have three attempts per lift, with the goal being to lift the heaviest amount of weight possible while adhering to the rules of competition. The ultimate goal is to acquire the most significant total possible, the sum of the best squat, bench press, and deadlift. 

The squat is an exercise that places significant emphasis on the lower body while also calling upon the entire body to do work at some point during the lift. To achieve a competitive squat, an athlete must have strong legs, a strong back, and a strong trunk. At Westside, we perform as much back and trunk work as we do leg work to improve the squat. 

The bench press is an exercise used to test arm and upper torso strength. Of the three competition lifts, it requires the most precision when executing the movement. While an athlete can get away with using brute strength to lock out a squat or deadlift, a poorly grooved bench press can quickly lead to a missed lift or injury. At Westside, we emphasize bench press technique and utilize many special main and accessory exercises to ensure our athletes are strong enough to press heavy weights safely. 

The deadlift truly tests brute strength. Considering there is no eccentric phase and no benefit of stretch reflex, athletes are essentially "gripping and ripping" the barbell. Much like the squat, this requires athletes to properly develop the anterior and posterior chains, considering the total body demand of the deadlift. 

These movements are where all powerlifters should start. While it may be more entertaining to immediately add specialty main exercises into the mix, we always recommend that those new to the sport spend proper time developing sound technique with the competition-relevant lifts. This work will only help make the eventual special exercises and advanced approaches more effective. 

Special exercises are the eventual ticket to efficient gains in strength and movement capability. However, the basic movements are the foundation of the sport and must be mastered to reach the highest level of strength sports performance. 

Variations of the Big Three

Once an athlete understands the basics and can properly execute the competition-relevant lifts, we can increase the amount of exercise variation. At Westside, we use exercise variation to avoid accommodation and specifically address strength or technical issues an athlete may be dealing with. 

For instance, we can use a special exercise to address a specific weak muscle group or variation to challenge a specific phase of a competition-relevant lift to improve strength and technique. This allows athletes to raise the specificity of their training, using special exercises to address issues with strength or movement competency in real-time specifically. 

When utilizing specialty exercises, it is best to begin with simple variations before moving on to the more complex movements. For instance, if we were introducing the giant cambered bar, we would simply program a giant cambered bar squat. We would not immediately go with a giant cambered bar box squat versus band tension. 

Success with exercise variation depends on how intelligently the work is implemented and executed. Much like we want athletes to build a solid foundation regarding competition-relevant lifts, we want athletes to build optimal movement skills with the most basic variations before moving on to advanced special exercises. This not only helps athletes improve their movement competency with specialty bars, but it also allows them to maximally benefit from each level of exercise variation. 

Here are Westside Barbell's most common exercise variations for the squat, bench press, and deadlift. 

Squat

Safety Squat Bar Squat (box and accommodating resistance optional)

Giant Cambered Bar Squat (box and accommodating resistance optional)

Bow Bar Squat (box and accommodating resistance optional)

Front Squat (box and accommodating resistance optional)

Zercher Squat (accommodating resistance optional)

Bench Press

Close Grip Bench Press (accommodating resistance optional)

Incline Bench Press (accommodating resistance optional)

Pin Press (accommodating resistance optional)

Floor Press (accommodating resistance optional)

Axle Bar Press (accommodating resistance optional)

Swiss Bar Press (accommodating resistance optional)

Deadlift 

2-4” Deficit Deadlift (accommodating resistance optional)

2-4” Mat Deadlift (accommodating resistance optional)

Rack Pull (accommodating resistance optional)

Safety Squat Bar Good Morning (accommodating resistance optional)

Giant Cambered Bar Good Morning (accommodating resistance optional)

As mentioned previously, those new to these exercise variations should perform the basic movements first before moving on to variations utilizing a box or accommodating resistance. 

Accessory Movements for Powerlifting

The Westside Barbell Conjugate Method calls for athletes to perform accessory exercises immediately following the main exercise of the training day. The primary intention of accessory exercise programming is to continuously improve the strength and mass of all muscles and muscle groups involved in competition-relevant lifts. We train like powerlifters during our main exercises and off-season bodybuilders during our accessory work. 

Another added benefit of accessory work is the ability to improve an athlete's physical composition. While it is true that mass moves mass, we want athletes to build as much quality muscle mass as possible. Accessory exercises are a ticket to increasing muscle mass and overall physical fitness. 

Accessory exercise training also allows athletes to improve other aspects of fitness. Athletes can significantly improve work capacity via accessory exercises when training volume is appropriately prescribed. We can also manipulate rest times to increase training density, improving cardiovascular output and overall fitness. 

While our main exercises are the focus, proper accessory exercise programming and execution play a significant role in developing a powerlifter. Our training volume is 80% accessory work, so it is critical that athletes properly program and execute their accessory exercise training. 

Here are the most commonly used accessory exercises used at Westside Barbell.

Chest:

Close Grip Bench Press 

Incline Bench Press 

Dumbbell Bench Press

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Dumbbell Chest Fly

Pec Deck

Push Ups

Triceps:

Rolling Dumbbell Triceps Extension

JM Press

Williams Extension

Skullcrusher

Cable Pressdown

Weighted Dips

Biceps:

Hammer Curl

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Preacher Bar Curl

Cable Curl

Shoulders:

Overhead Dumbbell Press (seated or standing)

Dumbbell Z Press

Dumbbell Lateral Raise (seated or standing)

Dumbbell Front Raise (seated or standing)

Back:

Good Mornings (all variations)

Barbell Row (all variations)

Pendlay Row

Chest-Supported Row (all variations)

Seal Row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lat Pulldown

V Bar Pulldown

Seated Low Cable Row 

Back Attack

GHD or 45 Degree Back Raises

Glutes/Hamstrings:

Belt Squat (box optional)

Romanian Deadlift

Dimel Deadlift

Hamstring Curl (lying, standing, or banded)

Glute-Ham Raise

Inverse Curl

Nordic Curl

Hip Adduction and Abduction:

Sumo Squat 

Adductor/Abductor Machine

Wide Stance Belt Squat

Cossack Squat (goblet or barbell)

Hip Extension Machine

Copenhagen Plank

Quadriceps / Hip Flexors:

Front Squat (box and accommodating resistance optional)

Leg Press (quad bias)

Hack Squat 

Leg Extension (machine or banded)

Goblet Squat

Lunges

Bulgarian Split Squat

Single-Leg KB Hip Flexor Lift

Kettlebell Swings

Calves:

Standing Calf Raise

Seated Calf Raise

Donkey Calf Raise

Leg Press Calf Raise

Abdominals:

Standing Abs

Sit-Ups (with or without weight)

GHD Sit-Ups (with or without weight)

Hanging Leg Raise

Russian Twist

Planks

Conditioning:

Sled Pull (forward, backward, or lateral direction)

Farmer’s Carry

Wheelbarrow Walk

Yoke Walk

Weighted Carries (sandbag, kettlebell, or stone)

Bamboo Bar Walk (Zercher or Overhead)

Treadsled 

The list of exercises above does not represent every exercise variation performed at Westside Barbell. However, it is comprehensive and covers many of the most commonly used exercises to address specific muscles and muscle groups.  

Understanding Multi and Single-Joint Exercises 

Knowing the difference between multi-joint and single-joint exercises can help athletes new to exercise programming make better choices with their exercise selection and sequencing. Multi-joint exercises include movements such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift, along with many variations of each. These movements involve multiple muscle groups and the flexion and extension of multiple joints. 

All of our main exercise selections will be multi-joint exercises. Additionally, our first accessory exercise of the day, often referred to as the primary accessory exercise, will typically be a multi-joint exercise as well. These movements will provide significant stimulus to multiple muscle groups simultaneously and require considerable energy to complete. 

Considering the demands placed upon an athlete when performing a multi-joint exercise, we strategically want to schedule these exercises to be executed when energy levels are most high during the training session. 

Single-joint movements isolate muscles and deliver a more focused training stimulus. For instance, an athlete with weak hamstrings may perform Romanian deadlifts and then move on to a single-joint movement, such as the standing hamstring curl, to isolate the hamstring and increase the specificity of the accessory work. 

As a powerlifter, our primary focus is performance in multi-joint movements. However, the effectiveness of single-joint movements should not be discounted to help elevate strength and performance to the next level. 

Benefits of Exercise Variation

At Westside, we use exercise variations, also known as special exercises, to avoid accommodation and deliver specific training stimuli to the athlete. These movements can be altered to focus on specific weak muscle groups or to challenge an athlete to a particular point in a movement. We can achieve this using specialty bars, accommodating resistance, and joint angle-specific exercises.

Successful exercise variation usage boils down to the coach or athlete's ability to be conservative and use variations as they are called for. Too often, coaches and athletes use Conjugate as an excuse to employ an incredible amount of exercise variation, leading to confusion and training that lacks focus. 

As powerlifters, we want to become as strong and proficient in competition lifts as possible. Special exercises should enhance competition lift performance without totally replacing the use of competition-relevant lifts. Our max effort training will most often include two special exercises and two competition-relevant exercises each month. 

It is also wise to start with simple variations before moving on to more complex movements. This not only allows athletes to build competency with the basic variations, but it will also allow the athlete to attain the most adaptation of the least variation. If you've never performed a giant cambered bar good morning, it would make no sense to begin with an Anderson-style banded giant cambered bar. 

As with all aspects of training, start with general variation, and get more specific as the training data and feedback dictates. 

Mastering Exercise Execution

No matter how well-planned a training program may be, its success ultimately depends on the athlete's ability to execute it to a standard. This is one reason why we advocate for a graded approach when adding exercise variation. We want to ensure all athletes build basic exercise movement skills before moving on to advanced movements requiring greater levels of strength and coordination. 

Not only does this strategy help keep athletes safe, but it also allows them to get the most benefit out of their training. We want to use Conjugate to intelligently introduce special exercises to efficiently improve strength and athletic performance. We do not want to use Conjugate to go insane with specialty bars, accommodate resistance, and exercise variation. 

It is also important to note the benefits of using training tools such as belts, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves—these pieces of equipment help to keep athletes safe and reduce overall wear and tear on the joints. Additionally, using a belt is an excellent way for athletes to learn how to brace to protect the spine and produce optimal force. 

Basic Exercise Programming

Now that we have discussed the what and why behind our exercise selection and programming strategies, it is time to demonstrate how that looks within a Conjugate Method training plan. Below, I will provide three examples that demonstrate proper exercise selection, organization, and advancement of special exercises. 

Workout A

Main Exercise

Barbell Squat - work up to a top set single.

Primary Accessory Exercise

Sumo Deadlift – 4 x 5-8

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Hack Squat – 4 x 10-12

Inverse Curl – 4 x 10-12

Reverse Hyper – 4 x 12-15

Standing Abs – 4 x 15-20

Workout B 

Main Exercise

Giant Cambered Bar Squat – work up to a top set single.

Primary Accessory Exercise

2" Deficit Sumo Deadlift – 4 x 3-5

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Walking Lunges – 4 x 10-12

Glute Ham Raise – 4 x AMRAP

Reverse Hyper – 4 x 12-15

GHD Sit-Up – 4 x AMRAP

Workout C

Main Exercise

Giant Cambered Bar Box Squat vs. Chains – work up to a top set single.

Primary Accessory Exercise

4" Deficit Sumo Deadlift vs. Bands – 4 x 3-5

Secondary Accessory Exercises

Front Squat – 4 x 5-8

Nordic Curl – 4 x AMRAP

Reverse Hyper – 4 x 12-15

Hanging Leg Raise – 4 x AMRAP

As you can see, workout A starts with a basic selection of movements, gradually increasing in difficulty and specificity as we progress to workouts B and C. It is important to note that the rate of advancement in exercise selection will always depend on the level of athlete being trained. 

Some athletes may need to stay at an “A” level for months, while others may rapidly progress to a “C” level. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the essential exercises every powerlifter should master?

A: To achieve the highest level of competition-relevant movement competency, athletes should focus on mastering the standard squat, bench press, and deadlift. 

Q: How can exercise variations aid in breaking training plateaus?

A: Exercise variation allows an athlete to introduce or manipulate training stimuli, resulting in a lowered chance of accommodation occurring and the ability to attain specific training adaptations. 

Q: Which accessory exercises are most beneficial for powerlifters?

A: All accessory exercises can help improve sports performance. The effectiveness of any specific exercise will depend on the athlete's needs and ability to execute the selected exercise variation. 

Q: How can I continue practicing competition-relevant barbells while utilizing specialty barbells?

A: When using a specialty bar during a main exercise, we can always program a primary accessory exercise using competition-relevant equipment to be performed immediately after. 

Q: How often should I rotate accessory exercises?

A: This will depend on the athlete. For beginners, we recommend performing the same accessory exercise selections for a three-week wave before adjusting. Intermediate and advanced lifters can get away with weekly changes to accessory exercise programming. 

Sources:

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