Dynamic effort training is essential to our upper body training at Westside Barbell. It allows us to improve upper body explosive strength, leading to greater levels of pressing power. While this training has proven incredibly effective for strength athletes, it is also valuable for conventional sports athletes. 

Outside of a few sports, such as soccer, the upper body plays an important role in most sports. While most athletes know that developing lower-body explosive power is critical, many fail to improve their upper-body explosive power as well. 

For instance, offensive linemen can enhance their hand speed and first strike power by properly executing dynamic effort upper training. Combat sports athletes can also improve their hand speed and striking power. Even athletes such as basketball players can benefit from increased upper-body explosive power when going up for a shot in traffic, fighting for a rebound, or passing the ball. 

Additionally, dynamic effort upper training provides adequate main exercise training volume. Our typical dynamic effort upper programming calls for nine sets of three reps, providing athletes with 27 total reps performed at moderate intensity. This work helps improve upper body explosive power while assisting athletes in refining their press technique. 

Below, we will discuss a typical Westside Barbell dynamic effort upper training day. 

Dynamic Effort Bench Press

The first exercise of our dynamic effort upper training day is typically the dynamic effort bench press. If we were working with a strongman competitor or weightlifter, we could opt for an overhead press variation. However, for the sake of this article, we will follow the protocol used to train powerlifters and conventional sports athletes. 

When executing the dynamic effort bench press, we will follow a three-week wave scheme similar to dynamic effort lower training. However, unlike dynamic effort lower training, where the main exercise volume is reduced over the course of the wave, we maintain the same amount of volume week to week when executing a dynamic effort upper wave. 

The primary reason we reduce the main exercise training volume during dynamic effort lower training is due to the fact this training includes two main exercises: the squat and deadlift. With dynamic effort upper, we perform the main press exercise and move on to accessory work. Therefore, there is no need to reduce volume week to week to ensure a consistent rate of recovery. 

Here is our basic dynamic effort upper bench press exercise rotation:

Week 1-3: Standard Barbell w/ Competition Grip vs. Minibands

Week 4-6: Standard Barbell w/ Close Grip vs. Chains

Week 7-9: Football Bar w/ Competition Grip vs. Minibands

Week 10-12: Axle Bar w/ Close Grip vs. Chains

Here are the set and repetition parameters for each week of a training wave:

Week 1: 9 x 3 @ 70% (45% bar weight / 25% AR)

Week 2: 9 x 3 @ 75% (50% bar weight / 25% AR)

Week 3: 9 x 3 @ 80% (55% bar weight / 25% AR)

It is important to note that dynamic effort upper training requires an athlete to be strict with their press execution. Poorly executed reps can quickly result in injury since the goal is to press submaximal weights at maximal velocity. While we want to push the pace during dynamic effort training, it is important to take enough rest between sets to ensure strict execution of the next set is possible.  

Additionally, the exercise rotation listed above utilizes specialty barbells. However, athletes who cannot access upper body specialty bars will alternate between competition and close grip wave to wave. 

At Westside, we will also alternate grip positioning during our dynamic effort upper bench pressing. This means we execute three sets of wide grip, three sets of competition grip, and three sets of close grip. When this is done, we will continue alternating grips for the rest of the training wave. 

Accessory Exercise Training

As soon as our main exercise wraps up, we move on to accessory exercises. These movements are crucial to the success of any athlete, considering accessory exercise training makes up a bulk of our total training volume. When using the Conjugate Method, much of an athlete's success will depend on their ability to execute their accessory movements properly.

Proper execution means not only in the technical sense but also in the effort and intensity sense. Just because a movement is performed does not mean that the training is effective. For our accessory work to be most effective, we must use the proper training weights while putting forth real effort. Just because the main exercise is wrapped up does not mean that training suddenly becomes easier. 

For many athletes, we recommend using the heaviest weight you can use while executing all prescribed sets and reps to standard for each exercise. This typically means athletes start with a heavier weight for the first few sets and end with a slightly lighter weight as intra-workout fatigue is accrued. We are not advising turning accessory work into max effort training; we want each set of accessory work to be tough but achievable. 

If athletes fail to train their accessory exercises at the proper level of intensity, progress will ultimately be slowed. While the main exercise volume and intensity will certainly help improve strength, the overall rate of improvement will be limited if accessory work turns into a relaxing social hour. 

Here is what accessory work will typically look like after we have finished with the main exercise:

Exercise 1: Dumbbell Bench Press - 4 x 8-10

Exercise 2: Barbell Row - 4 x 5-8

Exercise 3: Rolling Dumbbell Triceps Extension - 4 x 10-12

Exercise 4: Y Raise - 3 x 12-15

Exercise 5: Hammer Curl - 4 x 10-12

Exercise 6: Banded Triceps Pressdown - 3 x AMRAP w/ monster miniband

Take accessory training seriously and execute all exercises at optimal intensity with strict technique. 

The Need for Speed

Every athlete, whether a strength or conventional sports athlete, can benefit from improved explosive power. Dynamic effort training provides athletes with substantial training volume performed at specific velocity targets (.8m/s) to improve explosive strength. In addition to the explosive strength benefits, the training volume also results in improved strength endurance. 

Those unfamiliar or new to our methods often believe max effort training to be the toughest training days of the week. However, as I or any other athlete with extensive Conjugate experience can attest, dynamic effort training days are some of the toughest, particularly the third week of a training wave, when fatigue begins to set in, and the intensity is increased. 

However, proper execution of these training days will benefit all athletes. Athletes will become more explosive, with noticeable improvements in the rate of force development. Dynamic effort upper training has led to many 500-600 lb raw bench presses and many 800-1000 lb geared bench presses. 

Don't let an uninformed coach fool you; all athletes should utilize dynamic effort training. 

Sources:

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