#3 - Lessons from Westside Barbell: Concurrent and Conjugate Training for the Advancing Athlete
03/17/22 • 64 min
As they advance through the early stages of intermediate training, many lifters opt to use a block-style training program. In block training, training is organized into discrete phases or blocks, during which the lifter focuses on a single adaptation at a time. Typically blocks start with a volume or accumulation phase aimed at stimulating hypertrophy and building work capacity with lighter weigths and higher rep ranges, followed by a transmutation block of increasing intensity, and finally a peaking or realization block in which volume drops substantially and the lifter tapers toward heavy singles in the competition lifts. It's a tried and true method, but there are a number of problems.
The athletes at Westside Barbell, led by Louis Simmons, have developed alternative training methods which can also work quite well, while avoiding the problems of block periodization. Andy and Dan break down the basic concepts of Westside's conjugate system, the concurrent model of training, and the pros and cons of these models for different types of lifters and athletes.
Andy Baker
Blog: www.AndyBaker.com
IG: @bakerbarbell
Owner of Kingwood Strength & Conditioning
Co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training
Co-author of The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
Dan Flanick
IG: @coachdanflanick
As they advance through the early stages of intermediate training, many lifters opt to use a block-style training program. In block training, training is organized into discrete phases or blocks, during which the lifter focuses on a single adaptation at a time. Typically blocks start with a volume or accumulation phase aimed at stimulating hypertrophy and building work capacity with lighter weigths and higher rep ranges, followed by a transmutation block of increasing intensity, and finally a peaking or realization block in which volume drops substantially and the lifter tapers toward heavy singles in the competition lifts. It's a tried and true method, but there are a number of problems.
The athletes at Westside Barbell, led by Louis Simmons, have developed alternative training methods which can also work quite well, while avoiding the problems of block periodization. Andy and Dan break down the basic concepts of Westside's conjugate system, the concurrent model of training, and the pros and cons of these models for different types of lifters and athletes.
Andy Baker
Blog: www.AndyBaker.com
IG: @bakerbarbell
Owner of Kingwood Strength & Conditioning
Co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training
Co-author of The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
Dan Flanick
IG: @coachdanflanick
Previous Episode
#2 - Variety Is the Spice of Training
Andy and Dan continue their discussion of the most common reasons athletes get stuck in their training, including nutritional extremes (the chronically underfed and overfed trainee), constant program hopping, and never switching up your training approach. Andy argues that incorporating variety in your programming over time, especially in volume and intensity, is the key to unlocking gains after years of training.
Andy Baker
Blog: www.AndyBaker.com
IG: @bakerbarbell
Owner of Kingwood Strength & Conditioning
Co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training
Co-author of The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
Dan Flanick
IG: @coachdanflanick
Next Episode
#4 - Conjugate Programming: Max Effort Day
Andy and Dan dive deep into "max effort" day, a signature element of conjugate programming. In the conjugate system, max effort day represents the intensity, or heavy, stimulus common to all periodized programs. Uniquely though, max effort day requires the lifter to work up to a one-rep max (although it could be a double or triple) on a given upper or lower body exercise each week. The weight is not prescribed, but selected by the lifter based on his ability on that day.
This ensures a very high level of force output during the workout, but also leaves room for auto-regulation, as the lifter only works up to the 1RM that he or she has on that day. Since the lifter is hitting 1RM's each week on different exercises, max effort day builds skill and confidence under heavy loads, so that the lifter always feels prepared for heavy weight.
Andy and Dan discuss how max effort day can be used as a specific form of training stress for powerlifters as well as sport athletes, and the many ways in which exercise selection can be used to manage fatigue from week to week.
Andy Baker
Blog: www.AndyBaker.com
IG: @bakerbarbell
Owner of Kingwood Strength & Conditioning
Co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training
Co-author of The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
Dan Flanick
IG: @coachdanflanick
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