For the purposes of this discussion, the term "Strongman" shall be used regardless of the gender of competitors.
The Conjugate Method for Strongman - Rides Again
Two concepts that are often misunderstood, even at advanced levels, are the basics of the Conjugate Method and how to effectively program for the Strongman athlete in a way that addresses the multifaceted demands of modern-day Strongman competition. These topics are intricate and multifaceted, which accounts for much of the confusion surrounding them. The Conjugate Method’s roots in powerlifting and its evolution into a system capable of addressing Strongman’s varied demands warrant a closer look. Drawing on insights previously discussed on various articles on TEAMJOSHHEZZA.com/blog, this article seeks to provide a comprehensive, updated perspective on this approach.
This article serves as a follow-up to the original piece, The Conjugate Method for Strongman, published six years ago. It reflects on how the methodology and its application to Strongman training have evolved over time, incorporating new insights, expanded concepts, and lessons learned from working with a diverse range of athletes. By building on the foundation laid in the original article, this updated discussion aims to offer a deeper, more refined understanding of the Conjugate Method’s potential for Strongman athletes and coaches.
The Conjugate Method, as developed and popularised by Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell, is more than just a set of exercises or programming templates. It represents a philosophy of concurrent training that enables athletes to build strength, power, and endurance simultaneously. For Strongman athletes, whose events demand a diverse array of physical qualities—from static strength and dynamic power to skill-specific adaptability—the Conjugate Method provides a framework that can accommodate these requirements seamlessly. This ability to train multiple adaptations concurrently while incorporating specific event work is perhaps the most valuable tool available to athletes and coaches seeking optimal results in Strongman.
Historically, I have explored the Conjugate Method’s application to general strength training and powerlifting, highlighting its emphasis on the Maximal Effort (ME), Dynamic Effort (DE), and Repetition Methods, as well as the use of rotating exercises to prevent stagnation. These principles hold true for Strongman but require modifications to account for the sport’s unique characteristics. Over the years, I’ve emphasized how Strongman training necessitates prioritising overhead pressing, deadlift variations, and event-specific skills over traditional powerlifting benchmarks like the squat and bench press. This distinction becomes even more critical when considering Strongman’s unpredictable event structures and evolving demands.
A recurring theme in my writing has been the importance of adaptability—both in training and in competition preparation. Strongman athletes must be prepared to handle a wide range of challenges, from the precision of Atlas Stone loading to the endurance demands of a medley. By integrating these elements into the Conjugate framework, athletes can maintain readiness year-round while still addressing specific weaknesses. The system’s inherent flexibility, combined with intelligent programming, allows for a seamless balance between general physical preparedness (GPP) and event-specific mastery.
This article aims to delve deeper into these ideas, expanding on concepts I’ve previously explored and synthesising insights gained from years of coaching and personal experience. By examining the principles of the Conjugate Method in the context of Strongman, we can uncover new strategies for maximising performance, avoiding common pitfalls, and ultimately achieving success on the competition floor. Let’s explore this dynamic approach in greater depth, using both theoretical foundations and practical applications to illuminate its potential.
Over the years, I’ve refined the application of the Conjugate Method to Strongman, emphasising how the system’s principles can be adapted to meet the unique challenges of the sport. For example, while powerlifters may prioritise the squat, bench press, and deadlift, Strongman athletes must focus more heavily on overhead pressing, deadlift variations, and event-specific movements. These adaptations are critical to ensuring that the Conjugate Method is optimised for Strongman rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all solution.
For a comprehensive breakdown of the Conjugate Method’s principles, history, and practical applications, including detailed templates and exercise rotations, refer to The Conjugate Method for Dummies – A Somewhat Comprehensive Guide. This resource dives deeper into the methodology and provides additional context for its implementation across various strength disciplines.
Why the Conjugate Method Works for Strongman
The nature of Strongman competition requires athletes to excel across a wide spectrum of physical attributes. Unlike powerlifting, where the focus is limited to three static lifts, Strongman demands a multifaceted skill set:
Maximal Strength: Foundational for most events, such as a max deadlift or log press, where the ability to produce high levels of force is paramount.
Repetition Strength: Vital for events that involve performing as many reps as possible within a time limit, such as log press for reps or car deadlift.
Speed and Agility: Essential for moving events, including Farmers Walk, Yoke carries, and medleys that require rapid transitions between implements.
Endurance: Crucial for longer-duration events, such as a heavy sandbag carry over distance or multi-event medleys.
Specific Skills: Mastery of implements like Atlas Stones, Fingal’s Fingers, and Conan’s Wheel, which demand precision and technical proficiency.
Explosiveness: Key for dynamic events, including keg toss or heavy tire flips, where maximal power output is necessary.
The Conjugate Method’s concurrent approach ensures that all these qualities are trained systematically and without neglect. By cycling exercises and employing the ME, DE, and repetition methods intelligently, athletes can make consistent progress across all these attributes while minimising the risk of overtraining or stagnation.
In previous discussions, I’ve highlighted how Strongman’s constantly evolving event pool adds a layer of complexity to training that traditional powerlifting methodologies often fail to address. For example, a powerlifter’s reliance on static barbell lifts does not prepare them for the dynamic nature of Strongman, where implements vary significantly in size, shape, and weight distribution. This is why the Conjugate Method’s emphasis on variation is so critical: it ensures that athletes are not only building general strength but also developing transferable skills that can adapt to any event.
Event Training Within a Conjugate Framework
One of the most common pitfalls in Strongman programming is treating event training as a standalone day. While this might seem logical given the need to practice specific implements, it often leads to overtraining and insufficient recovery. Instead, event training should be seamlessly integrated into the existing framework, allowing for a balanced approach that prioritises both recovery and progression.
Dynamic Effort Days
Dynamic Upper (DU): Loading events, such as sandbag carries, stone loads, or keg loads, are best performed after your main DE lifts. These events should be executed explosively and with submaximal weights to develop speed, coordination, and endurance. For instance, following a DE bench press session with sandbag loads to a platform can simulate competition scenarios while reinforcing explosive power.
Dynamic Lower (DL): Moving events, including Farmers Walk, Yoke, and Conan’s Wheel, should follow your DE lower body work. These events not only build speed and efficient movement patterns but also enhance proprioception under load. For example, performing speed squats with a Safety Squat Bar (SSB) followed by Yoke runs ensures that both dynamic strength and event-specific conditioning are addressed.
Maximal Effort Days
Maximal Effort Upper (ME UB): Event-specific lifts, such as Log or Axle presses, should take center stage as primary ME exercises. These movements mimic the maximal effort required in competition while providing an opportunity to refine technique under heavy loads.
Maximal Effort Lower (ME LB): Exercises like Frame Deadlifts, Car Deadlifts, or Silver Dollar Deadlifts are ideal for ME lower body days. These lifts closely replicate competitive demands and allow athletes to test their maximal strength in event-specific positions.
General Conditioning
Light event work can be included as part of GPP sessions, provided it enhances recovery rather than detracting from it. For instance, performing sled drags, tire flips, or light stone loads at low intensity can improve work capacity and aid in active recovery. A key principle here is to ensure that conditioning work complements the athlete’s overall program rather than creating unnecessary fatigue.
In my original article, I touched on the importance of integrating event work intelligently to avoid burnout. This updated approach builds on that foundation by emphasizing the need for periodisation within event training. For example, during the off-season, events can be trained in a more general capacity, focusing on technique and volume. As competition approaches, the intensity and specificity of event training should increase, mirroring the demands of the upcoming contest.
By expanding these principles and incorporating insights from years of coaching, we can create a Conjugate-based Strongman program that not only addresses the sport’s unique demands but also ensures long-term athletic development. This section represents an evolution of ideas discussed in the original article, demonstrating how the integration of event work within the Conjugate framework has been refined to maximise effectiveness and sustainability.
Assistance and Accessory Work
Strongman demands a wide range of assistance and accessory exercises to address weak points, build muscle, and enhance joint health. Over the years, I have refined my approach to these critical components, ensuring that they align with the updated principles discussed throughout this article. Below is a comprehensive guide to assistance and accessory work, reflecting the insights gained since the original piece was published.
Guidelines for Assistance Work
Correspond to the Day’s Main Movement: Assistance exercises should always complement the primary lift of the day. For example, if your Max Effort Upper (ME UB) lift is a Log Press, follow it with an incline log press or log pin press in the 5-8 rep range to build strength in the same movement pattern.
Mimic Event-Specific Demands: Assistance work should be tailored to replicate the specific challenges of Strongman events. For instance, deficit deadlifts or banded deadlifts are excellent for improving starting strength and lockout power in a Car Deadlift.
Use Higher Reps for Hypertrophy: Unlike main lifts, assistance exercises benefit from moderate rep ranges (5-12) to enhance muscle growth and support joint health. For example, Dumbbell Overhead Presses are effective for improving stability and hypertrophy in the shoulders.
Address Imbalances: Use assistance work to correct weaknesses or imbalances that might hinder performance. For example, unilateral movements like Bulgarian Split Squats can improve lower body symmetry and stability.
Cycle Exercises Regularly: Rotate assistance movements every 3-4 weeks to prevent adaptation and keep progress consistent.
Integrate Progressive Overload: Ensure gradual increases in weight, volume, or intensity over time to promote long-term development.
Guidelines for Accessories
Prioritise Muscles Used in Main Lifts and Events: Accessories should target the muscles most heavily involved in Strongman events. For example, triceps-focused exercises like Skull Crushers are invaluable for lockout strength in overhead pressing.
Promote Recovery and Joint Health: Include exercises that enhance mobility and resilience, such as band pull-aparts, face pulls, and light sled drags.
Train Neglected Areas: Certain muscle groups, like the biceps, are often overlooked but are critical for Strongman. Regular hammer curls or incline curls will protect against bicep tears during Atlas Stone or tire flip events.
Incorporate GPP Work: Short, high-rep workouts using sleds, kettlebells, or bodyweight exercises improve overall conditioning without overtaxing recovery.
Address Grip Strength: Exercises like Farmer’s Walks, plate pinches, and fat bar holds should be staples to enhance grip endurance for events like Farmers Carries and Axle Deadlifts.
Include Posterior Chain Builders: Movements such as Romanian Deadlifts, Glute-Ham Raises, and Reverse Hypers are essential for maintaining a strong posterior chain—a cornerstone of Strongman success.
Rotate Intensity: Alternate between heavier accessory work and lighter recovery-focused sessions to balance progress with longevity.
Expanded Common Pitfalls in Strongman Conjugate Programming
Overuse of Reverse Bands: Reverse bands have their place but should not dominate training. Excessive reliance can lead to overestimation of strength levels and diminished raw strength development. Use them sparingly for overload purposes.
Neglecting Weaknesses: Avoid only training movements you excel at. A well-rounded program must include exercises that challenge your weak points, such as front squats or deficit deadlifts.
Overloading Event Work: Many athletes make the mistake of treating events like Atlas Stones or Yoke carries as maximal lifts too frequently. Event work should enhance, not detract from, your overall program.
Straight Bar Overuse: Continuously using a straight bar for squats can lead to joint stress and hinder progress in other lifts. Incorporate specialty bars like the Safety Squat Bar or Cambered Bar for variety and reduced strain.
Ignoring Recovery Needs: Recovery is often the missing link in effective programming. Without adequate rest, progress stalls, and injury risks rise. Incorporate deload weeks and active recovery sessions regularly.
Underestimating Volume for Hypertrophy: Strongman requires significant muscle mass. Ensure accessory work targets hypertrophy with sufficient volume to build a durable physique.
Lack of Grip Training Integration: Grip often becomes the limiting factor in many events. Regularly include dedicated grip work within your program.
Poor Planning of Conditioning Work: Conditioning must complement strength training rather than impede it. Light sled drags or medleys performed at low intensity are excellent for recovery and GPP.
By revisiting and expanding on these principles, we can create a more robust, effective, and sustainable approach to Strongman training. These updates reflect nearly six years of continued refinement, drawing from both practical experience and advancements in strength training methodologies.
The Conjugate Method, when intelligently adapted, offers an unmatched framework for building Strongman competitors capable of excelling across all domains. This system seamlessly blends the precision of structured periodisation with the adaptability required to meet Strongman’s ever-changing demands. Over the past six years, my coaching philosophy has evolved significantly, incorporating a deeper understanding of event-specific needs, recovery strategies, and the role of concurrent training in achieving long-term athletic success.
At TEAMJOSHHEZZA.com, we have witnessed tremendous growth, not only in our athlete base but also in the scope and depth of our coaching practices. From beginners aiming to enter their first Strongman competition to seasoned athletes chasing world-level titles, the principles outlined in this article have been instrumental in delivering consistent results. By integrating the Conjugate Method with real-world experience and cutting-edge advancements, we have built a system that empowers athletes to reach new heights.
If you’re looking to elevate your training or coaching practice, now is the time to embrace this dynamic approach. Explore the extensive resources available on our blog and follow us on Instagram at @jh__eliteperformance to stay updated on the latest insights and training strategies. Let’s continue to push the boundaries of strength sports together, one lift and one event at a time.
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