Westside Barbell: The Conjugate Method Podcast

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Remote coaching for athletes works only when the feedback loop does. Tom Barry and Mac McFarland break down how Westside Barbell uses video, weekly check-ins, and clear communication to coach athletes from a distance.

Tom explains why in-person coaching will always have an edge and what it takes to make remote coaching close the gap. He films one front angle and one side angle per lift without breaking the flow of the session. He reviews footage with the sound off at half speed and fixes only one or two things at a time. He also explains why app data alone can mislead you, and how lifters who train alone can review their own tape and become their own coach.

Remote coaching for athletes who compete nearly every weekend also takes autoregulation. Tom and Mac talk about knowing your athlete, pulling back volume when the athlete won't, and working with sport coaches and parents. They also cover why strength and conditioning is usually the piece that has to flex.

The second half covers how Westside tests new equipment the way Louie Simmons did: let athletes experiment, ask what they felt, and keep what carries over. That includes the Rogue Air Rhino for concentric-only and rotational grappling work, sandbag get-ups, and how to decide when an exercise should be dropped. It's the same conjugate method principles of max effort, dynamic effort, and repeated effort, adapted to CrossFit, lacrosse, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling.

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00:00 Introduction: Remote Coaching and Recent Athlete Success
01:12 Conjugate Method Across Multiple Sports
02:31 Upcoming Competitions: Ali Kennedy and Adamir
03:21 The Air Rhino: A Game-Changing Training Tool
06:14 Remote Training: The Importance of Video and Communication
10:52 Video Analysis Techniques: Slow Motion and Feedback
15:51 The Weekly Feedback Loop and Auto-Regulation
22:15 Working with Sport Coaches and Managing Athlete Fatigue
27:52 Experimenting with New Equipment: The Louie Simmons Approach
36:04 Exercise Selection: When to Keep or Eliminate Movements
39:28 The Texas Star Sandbag and Sport-Specific Applications
42:33 Air Rhino Deep Dive: Rotational Work and Future Experiments
45:23 Closing Thoughts: Key Takeaways for Remote Coaching

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Here’s how the conjugate method for high school athletes works in a real school weight room, with 120+ kids a day and 30 to 60 minutes per class. Coach Dylan Heath, head strength coach at Wichita Collegiate in Kansas, joins Mac McFarland to break down his system.

Dylan explains how he runs max effort and dynamic effort days with athletes whose training ages range from all-state seniors to freshmen who’ve never lifted. He covers the regressions he builds in, how he uses velocity trackers and 90% cluster sets to teach kids to grind through a max effort lift, and why dynamic effort work has to hit 0.8 m/s.

He also shows how to apply the conjugate method for high school athletes with limited equipment. He rotates a straight bar, a safety squat bar and a trap bar, adds or removes the box, uses boards on bench, and runs accessories in three-week waves. His combo dynamic effort day uses 18 racks set up before class, and athletes finish squat, bench and deadlift in under 10 minutes.

The conversation also covers training multisport athletes through season transitions, lifting on game day, the athlete feedback loop, working with private sector trainers, and what Dylan learned completing all three levels of the Westside Barbell certification pathway.

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Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
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00:00 Introduction: Dylan Heath on Training High School Athletes
01:30 Challenges of High School Strength Coaching: Time and Logistics
03:12 Managing Training for Different Experience Levels
05:31 Building Culture Through a Feeder System
08:13 Auto-Regulation and the Athlete Feedback Loop
09:42 Completing the Conjugate Pathway: What Changed
13:13 Building Relationships and Earning Athlete Trust
14:40 Adapting Conjugate for High School: Max Effort with Speed Parameters
17:30 Using Velocity Trackers to Teach Effort and Technique
20:41 Exercise Variation with Limited Equipment
22:55 Training Density and Accessory Work in Short Sessions
29:19 Managing Multi-Sport Athletes and In-Season Training
32:00 Navigating Private Sector Training and Communication
35:51 Biggest Mistakes: Pushing Athletes Too Fast
38:14 Combo Dynamic Effort Day: Setup and Execution
43:15 Teaching Dynamic Effort: Education and Visual Learning
46:44 Advice for Coaches Implementing Conjugate Tomorrow
48:43 Final Advice: Be a Sponge and Stay Open-Minded

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Conjugate accessory work is where most of your strength gains are built. Burley Hawk breaks down how Westside Barbell selects, loads, and progresses accessories.

Mac McFarland sits down with Burley to go deeper on his recent blog on accessories. Burley explains how conjugate accessory work splits into primary and secondary exercises, why the primary accessory should usually be a compound lift, and why that slot is where competition specificity lives. That includes free squats, front squats, and comp-stance deadlifts inside the conjugate method.

You'll hear how to pick starting weights for a new accessory, when to rotate exercises weekly versus running a 3-week wave, how to adjust when reps drop off mid-session, and why accessory progress should show up on paper over 12 weeks. Burley covers the weaknesses he sees most often: hamstrings, trunk, and shoulders and upper back. He also explains how to do standing abs correctly and the rolling dumbbell tricep extension mistake that inflates working weights.

The episode closes with GPP and sled work, how to scale it back when it cuts into recovery, and how to use conjugate accessory work to break a stalled bench press without creating new imbalances.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
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00:00 Introduction: Understanding Accessory Work in Conjugate Training
00:35 The Biggest Accessory Mistake: Skipping the Basics
01:21 Primary Accessories: What They Are and How to Select Them
03:09 Free Squats and Front Squats: They Belong in Conjugate
04:29 Programming Primary Accessories: Rep Schemes and Intensity
05:55 Cycling Accessories: Weekly vs Three-Week Waves
10:55 Managing Max Effort Intensity to Preserve Accessory Work
13:03 Finding Your Starting Weights for New Accessories
15:08 Technical Standards: How Strict Should Accessory Form Be
16:41 Top Primary Accessory Choices for Squat, Bench, and Deadlift
18:11 Secondary Accessories: Targeting Specific Muscle Groups
20:08 The Three Most Common Weaknesses in Lifters
20:57 Training the Trunk: Why Most People Have Weak Abs
23:58 Standing Abs Technique: How to Execute Them Correctly
26:10 Rep Ranges for Ab Training: Heavy vs Light Days
26:51 Shoulder Training: The Overlooked Key to Bench Progress
28:11 How Many Accessories Should You Do
29:42 Organizing Accessories for Team Training Settings
32:28 The Rolling Dumbbell Mistake Everyone Makes
36:31 AMRAP Sets: Advanced Technique for Maximum Progress
37:48 Adjusting Mid-Workout: When to Add Weight or Back Off
44:11 GPP Work: Programming Sleds and Conditioning
46:22 When GPP Becomes Too Much: Reading Recovery Signals
52:01 Finding Your Upper Limits to Calibrate Effective Training
53:01 Key Takeaways: Making Accessories Work in Your Program

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Louie Simmons stories from two people who spent years beside him at Westside Barbell. Tom Barry and Burley Hawk talk about what Louie was like in the gym, at breakfast, and on the road.

Host Mac McFarland sits down with Tom, who came over from Ireland as an intern and stayed to work alongside Louie for years, and Burley, who trained on the morning powerlifting crew. They cover how Louie ran the gym as the most experienced training partner in the room, how lifters earned his respect, and why he held every member to the standard of being a great training partner, not just a great lifter.

They also get into how Louie spotted weak points others missed, from forward-pulling bands that fixed Burley's squat posture to a pinch in the obliques that changed an athlete's ab work. You'll hear how Louie Simmons read and cross-referenced strength training books, why he tested every idea on the gym floor before writing about it, and how that work became the Conjugate Method coaches use today.

The episode closes with the side of Louie Simmons most people never saw: his generosity, his sense of humor, his equipment prototypes, and Nitro, the dog behind the Westside logo.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

The Conjugate Method for athletes looks different than the powerlifting version. Tom Barry explains how Westside runs a 3-day system for field and combat sport athletes.

Tom walks through the weekly split used in the Westside athletes gym: combined Dynamic Effort upper and lower on day one, then Max Effort upper and Max Effort lower later in the week. He explains why athletes get a day back compared to the traditional 4-day system, how max effort, dynamic effort, and repeated effort work get adjusted around competitions.

Most of the conversation is about what makes the system work day to day: athlete feedback. Tom and Mac talk about what separates a coachable athlete, when feedback is useful, how to handle an athlete who wants to change their program, how strength coaches should work with sport coaches, and what to look for in a coach who can justify their programming.

They also get into weight room culture, preparing high school athletes for a college strength program, acting like a professional before you are one, and why Tom says Conjugate and concurrent training are the same thing today.

If you coach athletes or want to apply the conjugate method for athletes in your own training, this episode covers both the framework and the coaching behind it.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Volleyball strength training from Coach Brian Bott, head strength coach for LOVB Madison and a 13-year Big Ten football strength coach at Wisconsin. Here is how he uses the Conjugate Method to build jumping power and keep pro athletes on the court.

Brian explains what he tests before prescribing anything to an athlete who wants to jump higher: hip and ankle mobility, single-leg stance, hamstring flexibility, and jump efficiency. He covers the difference between vertical jumpers and hip-extension jumpers, how he uses bar speed to find the top weight an athlete can move at their top speed, and why most athletes simply aren't strong enough yet.

He walks through a full offseason week for a pro volleyball player: two max effort days, two dynamic effort days, safety squat bar box squats with bands and chains, floor presses to protect the shoulder, and dynamic effort days that double as conditioning. He also covers how in-season volleyball strength training changes, how much jumping belongs in the weight room, and how to read fatigue without a force plate.

The back half covers the part of volleyball strength training that keeps athletes healthy: ACL injury prevention for female athletes, why the box squat and posterior chain work matter, how youth volleyball players should progress before touching a barbell, and how private-sector coaches and high school coaches can work together instead of against each other.

#volleyballtraining #conjugatemethod #strengthandconditioning

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Ally Kennedy is the fastest player in women's lacrosse and the 2026 World Championship MVP. She breaks down the training behind 19.3 mph and what most lacrosse players get wrong about lifting.

Ally Kennedy sits down with Mac McFarland at Westside Barbell after a summer that included a world championship in Japan, a WLL championship in Philadelphia, and a five-day Team USA sixes training camp tryout. She talks about what changed once she started training conjugate: a Monday dynamic effort day, Wednesday upper body max effort, Friday lower body max effort, plus a dedicated speed day and one long run at game pace.

She covers the part most athletes skip. Her baseline used to collapse without warning mid-set. Now she can go two and a half months on the road, barely touch a barbell, and come back without a real drop. That durability is what shows up in the fourth quarter when everyone else is dying.

Ally Kennedy is 5'3" in a position where everyone is 5'6" and up, so strength training for lacrosse became the thing that let her hold ground against bigger athletes instead of getting bullied through. She addresses the bulk myth directly, why she thinks lifting leaned her out, and why she tells high school girls to get under a bar before they ever get to a college weight room. Also covered: burnout in youth lacrosse, why she wants young players to put the stick down for two months a year, the difference between field, box, and sixes, and what making the 2028 Olympic roster of eleven would mean.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Mac McFarland sits down with Tom Barry, whom Louie Simmons entrusted to carry Westside Barbell forward, to discuss the line between real adaptation and borrowed vocabulary. Tom covers why definitions matter, what max effort and dynamic effort actually mean, and the questions he asks a coach who says they run their own version of conjugate.

They discuss outcomes as the standard, why exercise rotation needs a reason, and how a diluted definition of the conjugate system compounds through coaching generations until someone decides it doesn't work. Tom also makes the case for high school strength coaches as the unsung heroes of the field, and lays out where to start if you want to learn the conjugate method: the free blogs, the podcasts, Louie's own references, and then actual reps with the athletes in front of you.

If you coach a sport outside powerlifting and want to adapt the conjugate method honestly, this is the roadmap. Show me what you've done.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Dante Leon, the world's #1 pound-for-pound grappler, breaks down what it actually takes to be a professional jiu-jitsu athlete. He sits down with Mac McFarland on the Westside Barbell Podcast to talk ADCC preparation, training under strength coach Tom at Westside, and what separates a real professional grappler from someone who just claims the title.

Dante Leon explains why "professional grappler" gets thrown around loosely, what a genuine full-time training schedule looks like, and how he climbed from the top five in the pound-for-pound rankings to number one. He gets into how his lifting and conditioning changes heading into ADCC camp, why he adjusts training volume with his Westside coaches when mat time spikes, and how the conjugate method fits into a jiu-jitsu athlete's programming.

The conversation also covers Dante Leon's second job: running Adamas Jiu-Jitsu and coaching the next wave of competitors. He talks about building gym culture in a small, high-accountability room, what makes a good jiu-jitsu coach versus a bad one, why wrestling transfers so well to jiu-jitsu, and his advice for any competitor or gym owner trying to reach the level he's at.

If you train jiu-jitsu, coach grapplers, or follow Westside Barbell's strength and conditioning work with combat athletes, this one is worth the full watch.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
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Tags: dante leon, professional grappler, ADCC, ADCC training, pound-for-pound grappler, jiu-jitsu training, BJJ training, Westside Barbell, conjugate method, grappling, no-gi jiu-jitsu, Adamas Jiu-Jitsu, strength training for jiu-jitsu, jiu-jitsu podcast, Mac McFarland

Westside Barbell's functional fitness lead coach Zach Filer joins Mac McFarland to talk Conjugate Method for functional fitness and CrossFit.

Zach spent 17 years running a CrossFit affiliate, taught kettlebell sport with Jeff Martone at CrossFit Kettlebell, and joined Conjugate Tactical with Jason Gusic before Tom brought him on to lead functional fitness for Westside. He explains how he runs the Conjugate Method for functional fitness and CrossFit athletes like Tudor Magda, Emily Wolf, and five-time Tactical Games champion Jacob Heppner, using the same four-day split Westside built for powerlifting: Max Effort lower, Max Effort upper, Dynamic Effort lower, Dynamic Effort upper, plus an event day for sport-specific work.

The 80/20 rule keeps max effort and dynamic effort work to about 20 percent of a session. The other 80 percent is GPP and accessory work: reverse hypers, accommodating resistance with bands and chains, and other movements that build the durability and work capacity CrossFit demands, without wrecking an athlete's conditioning. Zach also tells the story of coaching Tudor Magda through a bad ankle injury four weeks out from the 2025 CrossFit Games, where Magda couldn't train legs for most of that month but still PR'd his squat and press on the competition floor.

Zach also introduces Competitor Pipeline, a new 12-week program on CoachRx built from this same conjugate method for functional fitness and CrossFit template, for coaches and athletes who want to run it themselves.

LEARN THE CONJUGATE METHOD
Conjugate Coach Pathway: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification
Digital Internship (Level 1): https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/digital-internship
Conjugate Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Join The Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/

In this episode of the Westside Barbell Podcast, host Mac McFarland sits down with Burley Hawk to break down his recent article on introducing the dynamic effort method for beginners.

Burley explains what the dynamic effort method is, why it's essential for improving rate of force development, and how to properly implement it with athletes who are new to the conjugate system. The conversation covers everything from the foundational principles of dynamic effort training to the nuances of accommodating resistance, box squat technique, velocity standards, and how to progress athletes through the crawl, walk, and run phases.

Whether you're a coach working with a team or an athlete trying to understand how to train faster without sacrificing technique, this episode provides a clear roadmap for getting started with dynamic effort training the right way.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction: Dynamic Effort Method for Beginners
00:30 Understanding the Dynamic Effort Method
01:05 Why This Article Was Written for Beginners
01:29 Prerequisites: Strength and Technical Requirements
02:20 Beginners vs Advanced: Experience Level Matters
03:30 Common Mistakes in Dynamic Effort Training
04:48 Teaching Proper Box Squat Technique
06:22 Balancing Maximal Intent with Technical Proficiency
07:23 Selecting the Right Weight and Monitoring Progress
09:47 Accommodating Resistance: Chains vs Bands
11:38 Understanding Overspeed Eccentrics
13:21 Managing Fatigue from Band Training
14:03 Conjugate Club Overview
15:15 Using Dynamic Effort as a Training Indicator
16:20 Individualization and Classification Systems
18:24 Evaluating Technical Proficiency and Training Density
20:15 Scaling for Field Athletes and Managing External Fatigue
22:28 Adjusting Accommodating Resistance Percentages
24:16 Measuring Band Tension and Chain Weight
24:59 The Efficacy of Dynamic Effort Training
26:34 Final Advice: Intent, Execution, and Conditioning
27:41 Closing Remarks

LEARN THE CONJUGATE METHOD
Conjugate Coach Pathway: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification
Digital Internship (Level 1): https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/digital-internship
Conjugate Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Learn The Method That Built Records: https://bit.ly/4xF9RP0

In this episode of the Westside Barbell Podcast, Tom Barry steps into the guest seat as he officially passes the podcast over to the new host Mac McFarland.

Tom looks back at how the podcast started with Louie Simmons, why it became an important way to share Louie’s knowledge with people around the world, and some of the lessons and memories that stand out from his years behind the microphone. He also discusses what's next for the podcast as Mac takes over as host.

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/

Joe "Big House" Kenn coached strength in the NFL for nearly a decade. He sits down with Tom Barry for four decades of lessons.

From a guard at Wake Forest to leading strength programs at Boise State, Utah, Arizona State, and Louisville, Joe Kenn has built one of the most decorated coaching careers in the NSCA. He created the Tier System, served as head strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019, and is the only coach to have won both the NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year and the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. He now runs Big House Power and works with elite strongman athletes including Brian Shaw and Tom Evans.

In this episode, Joe and Tom dig into how strong is strong enough at the highest levels, how NIL and the transfer portal have rewired strength coaching, how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons rather than copying him, practice-based evidence vs evidence-based practice, why he stopped programming power cleans for three years at Arizona State, peak velocity over average velocity, and why the strength coach often has to be the sacrificial lamb in a team sport setting.

TOPICS COVERED
00:00 What the public misunderstands about strength at the top level
05:35 Joe's background: Wake Forest to the Carolina Panthers
10:41 How NIL and the transfer portal changed strength coaching
28:58 No absolutes, and how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons
32:00 Dynamic effort, compensatory acceleration, and peak velocity
36:00 When three quarters of the NFL trained one set to failure
41:00 Lineage, principles, and "absorb, modify, apply"
49:00 The apprenticeship problem: 32,000 grads, 14,000 jobs
1:13:00 Why Joe stopped programming power cleans for three years
1:30:00 Why the strength coach has to be the sacrificial lamb
1:36:00 What Louie Simmons actually contributed to Joe's tier system

LEARN THE CONJUGATE METHOD
Conjugate Coach Pathway: https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/conjugatecourse
Digital Internship (Level 1): https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/digital-internship
Conjugate Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/

CONNECT WITH JOE KENN
Instagram: @bighousepower
Website: https://bighousepower.com/

FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL:
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: @westsidebarbellofficial
Facebook: @westsidebarbellofficial
Twitter: @westsidebarbell

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces
CLMS
Conjugate Tactical
The Conjugate Club

In this episode of the Westside Barbell podcast, hosts Tom Barry and Burley Hawk discuss the importance of transitioning from hard work to smart training methods for athletes. They explore the differences between athletes with seasonal structures and those without, emphasizing the need for tailored training approaches. The conversation also delves into understanding athlete personalities, particularly the dynamics between introverted and extroverted athletes, and how these traits can influence training effectiveness. Finally, they address the critical balance between culture and method in training, arguing that a strong methodology is essential to harness the intensity and chaos of athletic training effectively.

Takeaways:

- Culture without a method is a trap.
- Athletes without a season must train year-round.
- Understanding athlete personalities is crucial for training.
- Introverts prefer methodical setups, extroverts thrive on chaos.
- Training should be tailored to the athlete's needs.
- Maximal effort training should be controlled to prevent overtraining.
- Communication with athletes is key to effective training.
- The conjugate method provides a structured approach to training.
- Culture must be supported by a solid training method.
- Athletes need a balance of intensity and recovery.

Connect with Westside Barbell:
Website: westside-barbell.com
Instagram: @WestsideBarbellOfficial

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

Chapters

00:00 From Hard Work to Smart Training
01:18 Seasoned vs. Non-Seasoned Athletes
10:31 Understanding Athlete Personalities
15:45 Culture vs. Method in Training

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

In today’s episode of the podcast, Tom and Burley answer your questions on various aspects of strength training. Topics discussed include dynamic effort training, max effort training frequency, the importance of strength in grappling, and the common misconceptions surrounding the conjugate method.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Intro
• 00:00:29 Dynamic Effort For Raw Lifters
• 00:02:04 What Does A Training Week Look Like
• 00:03:04 Posture & Plyo Day
• 00:04:42 Do You Need To Max Out Every Week
• 00:06:38 Strength's Role In Grappling
• 00:09:32 Conjugate Is Outdated?
• 00:14:33 Exercise Rotation
• 00:19:04 Conjugate For Beginners?
• 00:23:46 Do You Need To PR?
• 00:27:58 Exercise Variation
• 00:32:35 Combined Dynamic Effort Day
• 00:37:28 Accessory Work
• 00:39:29 Rest Periods
• 00:43:39 Box Squats & Speed Pulls
• 00:44:54 How to Choose Exercises
• 00:50:10 Critisms Of Westside
• 00:55:32 How To Start Conjugate
• 00:57:50 Injury Rate

In today’s episode of the podcast, Tom and Burley answer your questions on various aspects of strength training. Topics discussed include dynamic effort training, max effort training frequency, the importance of strength in grappling, and the common misconceptions surrounding the conjugate method.

00:00 Intro
00:29 Dynamic Effort For Raw Lifters
02:04 What Does A Training Week Look Like
03:04 Posture & Plyo Day
04:42 Do You Need To Max Out Every Week
06:38 Strength's Role In Grappling
09:32 Conjugate Is Outdated?
14:33 Exercise Rotation
19:04 Conjugate For Beginners?
23:46 Do You Need To PR?
27:58 Exercise Variation
32:35 Combined Dynamic Effort Day
37:28 Accessory Work
39:29 Rest Periods
43:39 Box Squats & Speed Pulls
44:54 How to Choose Exercises
50:10 Critisms Of Westside
55:32 How To Start Conjugate
57:50 Injury Rate

Connect with Westside Barbell:
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: @WestsideBarbellOfficial

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

Download The Conjugate Method: Introduction to Bench Press Training (E‑Book) here

Tom & Burley delve into the intricacies of bench pressing, focusing on the methods employed at Westside Barbell. It covers the max effort, dynamic effort, and repeated effort training methods, emphasizing the importance of technique, safety, and the role of various training parameters. The hosts also address common questions regarding bench pressing, including the significance of leg drive, the rotation of accessory exercises, and the differences between raw and geared bench training.

Takeaways:

• The intent of max effort days is to increase strength.
• Max effort training focuses on absolute strength development.
• Dynamic effort training enhances rate of force development.
• Safety in max effort training is crucial to prevent injuries.
• Leg drive is often overstated in its importance for bench pressing.
• Accessory exercises should be rotated every three weeks for optimal results.
• Velocity standards are essential in dynamic effort training.
• Repeated effort methods focus on building work capacity and hypertrophy.
• The volume and intensity differ significantly between max and dynamic effort days.
• Understanding the differences between raw and geared bench training is important.

Connect with Westside Barbell:
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: @WestsideBarbellOfficial

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

In this episode of the Westside Barbell podcast, the Tom & Burley delve into the complexities of the Dynamic Effort Method, discussing its purpose, execution, and the importance of rate of force development. They explore the three-week wave format, emphasizing the need for proper technique and execution to ensure safety and effectiveness. The conversation also covers the role of accommodating resistance, the significance of rest periods, and the evaluation of performance. The hosts provide insights into selecting main exercises, troubleshooting common issues, and the impact of training volume on conditioning and performance.

Takeaways

• The Dynamic Effort Method focuses on improving rate of force development.
• Training at submaximal weights with maximum velocity is key.
• The three-week wave format helps control fatigue and intensity.
• Proper execution and technique are crucial for safety.
• Accommodating resistance can enhance training effectiveness.

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

In the debut episode of the Westside Barbell Combat Sports Strength & Conditioning Podcast, hosts Tom Barry and Burley Hawk introduce listeners to the world of strength training tailored for combat athletes, including competitive Jiu-Jitsu athletes, Wrestlers, and MMA fighters. They discuss the influential legacy of Westside Barbell founder Louie Simmons, who revolutionized modern strength training through the Conjugate Method.

Topics include the critical role of absolute strength, how to effectively periodize training for combat athletes, and practical applications of the Max Effort Method. The hosts also clear up common misconceptions surrounding strength training for combat sports, highlighting why year-round, high-intensity training is essential for sustained peak performance.

Takeaways

• Combat sports require specialized strength training to achieve peak performance.
• Louie Simmons revolutionized modern strength training through the Conjugate Method.
• Developing absolute strength helps grapplers control positions and reduces injuries.
• Max Effort training rapidly improves both strength and rate of force development.
• Effective periodization and real-time adjustments optimize training outcomes.
• Westside Barbell’s culture emphasizes consistency, intensity, and athlete-driven feedback.

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

In this power-packed episode, we dive deep into the Max Effort Method—not just the “what,” but the “how” and “why” behind one of the most effective tools in strength programming. Whether you're a coach programming for athletes, a gym owner refining your training cycles, or a lifter pushing for consistent PRs, this conversation breaks down the nuance.

We cover:

• What an optimal warm-up should look like for a true Max Effort day
• How to properly work up to a 90–100%+ lift without burning out
• Whether failure is required for an effort to be considered “max”
• Clarifying what defines Max Effort: Is it just going heavy, or is there a deeper intent?
• Best practices around retesting PRs—why a 6-week cycle might outperform the old-school 4
• Adjusting Max Effort work when traveling or coming off long shifts
• How to scale resistance types (bands, chains, straight weight) depending on athlete level—from beginners to pros

Expect practical insight, real-world programming takeaways, and the kind of clarity most lifters and coaches miss. Tune in and train smarter.

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Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

• CLMS
• Conjugate Tactical
• The Conjugate Club