--- id: westside_conjugate name: Westside Conjugate Method aliases: [Conjugate Method, Westside Barbell, Louie Simmons Conjugate] category: program system: powerlifting goal: Simultaneously develop maximal strength and rate of force development through concurrent max-effort and dynamic-effort training goals: [strength, power] level: advanced duration_weeks: 4 frequency_per_week: 4 periodization: conjugate origin: classic progression_model: > Max Effort (ME): rotate the primary exercise weekly; attempt a new 1–3RM each ME day. Dynamic Effort (DE): run a 3-week pendulum wave on bar weight percentage, cycling from 50% to 55% to 60% of 1RM barbell weight (plus ~25% accommodating resistance), then reset. Upper body TM increases when box squat or bench press 1RM sets improve; lower body TM increases when competition squat or deadlift 1RM improves. exercises: - ref: box_squat role: primary frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Dynamic Effort lower day. Use a box set to parallel or just below. Sit back onto the box — do not plop down — and achieve a momentary pause with full hip relaxation while the upper back and feet stay tight. Drive off the box explosively by pushing the floor away and driving the knees out. Bar speed is the primary performance variable, not load. Use a low bar position with a wide stance to maximize hip involvement and reduce knee travel. Perform 12 sets of 2 reps with 45–60 seconds rest — the brief rest is intentional. Accommodate ~25% of total resistance with bands or chains to compensate for the ascending strength curve. - ref: conventional_deadlift role: primary frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Max Effort lower day rotation. Set up as for competition: hip-width stance, bar over mid-foot, engage lats before the pull. Work up in singles or triples to a true 1–3RM — this is a genuine max effort. Rotate this movement with sumo deadlift, good morning variations, and deficit or pin pulls so the CNS does not adapt to the exact stimulus. Return to any variation no sooner than 3 weeks later. - ref: sumo_deadlift role: primary frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Max Effort lower day rotation. Stance significantly wider than hip-width with toes turned out 45–60 degrees, grip inside the legs. Keep the torso more upright than conventional; drive the knees out hard throughout. Use as a rotating ME lower exercise; treat as a true max effort (1–3RM). - ref: good_morning role: supplemental frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Max Effort lower day rotation or accessory. Bar on low bar position. Hinge at the hips with a slight knee bend, maintaining a neutral or slightly extended lumbar spine. Lower until the torso is roughly parallel, then drive the hips forward to stand. Builds posterior chain strength through the range of motion that corresponds to the deadlift sticking point. Use as a rotating ME lower exercise (1–3RM) or as a supplemental movement (3–5 sets of 5–8). - ref: bench_press_with_bands role: primary frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Dynamic Effort upper day. Bands anchored to the floor contribute ~25% of total load at lockout. Close-to-medium grip (index finger on or inside ring marks) to increase triceps demand and reduce pec stress. Scapulae retracted and depressed; maintain throughout. Touch the lower chest and press explosively. Maximal bar speed is the goal. Perform 9 sets of 3 reps with 45–60 seconds rest. 3-week pendulum wave: Week 1: 50% bar + bands; Week 2: 55% bar + bands; Week 3: 60% bar + bands; then reset. Rotate grip width across the 9 sets (3 close / 3 medium / 3 wide). - ref: board_press role: primary frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Max Effort upper day rotation. A training partner holds a wooden board on the chest; bar is lowered to the board and pressed from a dead stop. Reduces range of motion and overloads the sticking point and lockout. 2-board press is the most common ME upper variation. Work to a true 1–3RM; rotate board thickness weekly. - ref: floor_press role: primary frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Max Effort upper day rotation. Lie on the floor; upper arms contact the floor at the bottom, eliminating leg drive and the stretch reflex. Isolates the triceps and anterior deltoid. Medium-to-wide grip. Pause briefly with elbows on the floor before pressing. Work to a 1–3RM as a rotating ME upper exercise. - ref: close_grip_barbell_bench_press role: supplemental frequency_per_week: 1 technical_notes: > Accessory for ME or DE upper day. Grip roughly shoulder-width or just inside. Elbows tucked tighter than competition grip. Builds triceps strength critical for bench lockout. Perform 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps after the primary ME or DE exercise. sources: - title: "Westside Barbell Book of Methods" author: "Simmons, L." year: 2007 publisher: "Westside Barbell" credibility: practitioner --- # Westside Conjugate Method The Westside Conjugate Method is a concurrent periodization system developed by Louie Simmons that trains maximal strength and explosive speed-strength simultaneously rather than in sequential phases. It operates on a four-day weekly split: two **Max Effort (ME)** days develop absolute strength through heavy singles and triples; two **Dynamic Effort (DE)** days develop rate of force development through submaximal loads performed with maximum bar speed. The method is named "conjugate" because it conjugates (joins together) multiple physical qualities — strength, speed-strength, and repetition-method volume — within the same training week, rather than isolating each quality in separate mesocycles. ## Four-Day Structure | Day | Method | Focus | Primary exercise | |-----|--------|-------|-----------------| | Monday | Max Effort (ME) | Lower | Rotating heavy squat/deadlift variation | | Wednesday | Max Effort (ME) | Upper | Rotating heavy press variation | | Friday | Dynamic Effort (DE) | Lower | Box squat (fixed) + deadlift work | | Saturday | Dynamic Effort (DE) | Upper | Bench press with bands/chains (fixed) | The 72-hour separation between ME and DE days for the same movement pattern is mandatory. Training the same quality twice within 72 hours for the same pattern prevents full CNS recovery. ## Max Effort Method On ME days, work up to a **1–3 repetition maximum** on the primary exercise. This is not a heavy training set — it is a genuine maximal effort. The critical rule: **rotate the primary ME exercise every session**. Using the same movement on consecutive ME days allows the CNS to adapt and reduces the training effect. Any variation should not repeat until at least 3 weeks have passed. **Rotating ME Lower exercises** (examples): - Conventional deadlift (1–3RM) - Sumo deadlift (1–3RM) - Good morning (1–3RM) - Deadlift from deficit (1–3RM) - Box squat to parallel or below (1RM) **Rotating ME Upper exercises** (examples): - 2-board press (most common) - 3-board press - Floor press - Close grip bench press - Bench press with chains After the primary ME exercise, perform 3–5 accessory exercises targeting weak muscle groups (3–5 sets of 5–8 reps each). Common pairings: posterior chain work (back extensions, glute-ham raises) on ME lower days; triceps and upper back work (close grip presses, face pulls, rows) on ME upper days. ## Dynamic Effort Method On DE days, the primary exercise is **fixed** — not rotated. Box squat on DE lower; bench press on DE upper. The variable is load, which runs on a **3-week pendulum wave**. ### DE Lower — Box Squat Pendulum Wave | Wave Week | Bar weight | Accommodating resistance | Sets × Reps | Rest | |-----------|-----------|--------------------------|-------------|------| | Week 1 | 50% 1RM | ~25% via bands or chains | 12 × 2 | 45–60 s | | Week 2 | 55% 1RM | ~25% via bands or chains | 12 × 2 | 45–60 s | | Week 3 | 60% 1RM | ~25% via bands or chains | 10 × 2 | 45–60 s | After week 3, reset to week 1. After the box squat sets, perform 6–10 supplemental deadlift sets at submaximal load (conventional or sumo, chosen based on competition stance). ### DE Upper — Bench Press Pendulum Wave | Wave Week | Bar weight | Accommodating resistance | Sets × Reps | Rest | |-----------|-----------|--------------------------|-------------|------| | Week 1 | 50% 1RM | ~25% via bands | 9 × 3 | 45–60 s | | Week 2 | 55% 1RM | ~25% via bands | 9 × 3 | 45–60 s | | Week 3 | 60% 1RM | ~25% via bands | 9 × 3 | 45–60 s | Rotate grip width across the 9 bench sets (3 close / 3 medium / 3 wide) to distribute the load across the pec, front delt, and triceps. ## Why Accommodating Resistance A straight barbell provides a fixed load throughout the range of motion, but a lifter's strength curve rises toward lockout. Bands or chains add load progressively through the range of motion, matching the ascending strength curve. This creates more uniform muscle activation and a greater training stimulus at lockout than straight weight alone. Bands contribute approximately 25% of the total load at lockout. ## Who Is This Program For The Westside Conjugate Method is an **advanced** program. It requires: - High technical proficiency in the competition lifts and their variations - Access to specialty bars, bands, and chains - Experience reading daily readiness to regulate ME effort - Familiarity with the ME exercise rotation to manage variation systematically Intermediate lifters are better served by simpler linear or undulating programs. The complexity and equipment demands produce less additional benefit for lifters who would progress on simpler programming.