Westside Barbell: The Conjugate Method Podcast

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/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidebarbellofficial/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidebarbell/ 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/

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