Gymbeam’s conjugate experiment

[gymbeam]

So just like everyone else I’ve been told that conjugate needs bands and chains, doesn’t work for raw, you have to be lifting weights at ‘XYZ’ before you can run it, you either have to be on gear or in gear for it to work. Let’s face it there’s a millions reasons I shouldn’t even bother with this style of programming.

So does it work for a weak, fairly novice (in terms of strength), drug free, raw only lifter!?

Let’s find out...

The reason I’m doing this is because I had a few weeks off due to a rotator cuff tear. So currently can’t bench properly and cant low bar squat at all. And (maybe I’m not driven enough) but I’m bored of the same programming and same lifts week in week out. Even if this only last 6 months, I want to learn as much about it as possible. So this journal will show my working out if you like...

I’ve been running it for a few weeks so will post previous sessions and follow from there.

[gymbeam]

So stats at the start of this...

M/86kg/189.5lbs/29yo

1RM
Squat - 170kg - failed 180kg a few times
Bench - 120kg/
Deadlift - 180kg - conventional
Sumo - 170kg

Been training a few years doing various splits had a bout 6 years off and started back a couple years ago with bro stuff and started strength training in January.
Due to the injury I decided to start a slight cut just to have a goal while I could train properly. The reason for conjugate was so I could max out on variations and get some work in without just randomly turning up without any goals when training.

[gymbeam]

So I’m interested to see if the idea of maxing out or ‘learning to strain’ will effect my progress in recovery or ability to train after max effort exercise.


Max effort lower
SSB parallel box work up to heavy single 140kg
70-75% of max 3x5 box squat 105kg
GHD 3x12
Reverse hyper 3x10 30kg

First time trying reverse hypers again since I did them months ago and starting to get hand of them.

[gymbeam]

So today found out that I could floor press with more intensity but lower volume without being in unmanageable shoulder pain. But couldn’t do anymore so decided to focus on chest supported rows.

Max effort upper
Floor press 100kgx2
Work up to heavy set of rows 5rm - 50kg
Rows - 2x15-20 lighter weight. 20kg?
T bar w band pulls parts 4 sets
Curls 2sets of 10 - really hurt my shoulder so left them.

Not a bad day considering injuries...

[gymbeam]

percentages based on the variation 1RM if I have one.

Dynamic effort lower
SSB wide sumo box 8x2 50%
No deadlift due to shoulder pain
Good mornings 4x8 60kg
Reverse hyper 30kg 3x10
Ab work. Ab roller attempts!

[gymbeam]

Decided not to bench twice this week due to shoulder so mainly did like a back workout.

Repetition upper
Bent over row 3x12 60kg - kept it light.
Chest sup row 40kg w Band pull apart
Rear rear
Shrugs superset w/ Curls

Upper days are a struggle at the minute.

[gymbeam]

Week 2

Max effort lower
SSB free squat 150x3reps
70-75% of max 3x5 box squat 110kg
GHD 3x12
Abs
Reverse hyper 3x10 30kg

[gymbeam]

Max effort upper
Floor press 102.5 x1
Work up to heavy set of rows 5RM 60kg
2x15 rows 40kg
T bar 30kg superset with band pulls parts 4sets

[gymbeam]

Dynamic
SSB box 8x2 55% 77kg
Box jumps 36inch 12x2
Reverse hyper - 40kg 3x10
Abs

[gymbeam]

Week 3

So today I pushed hard on main lift. Working up to 1RM with safety squat bar. And then didn’t have much left in the tank to work on accessory stuff.

Max effort lower
SSB free squat 160kgx1
Reverse hyper 3x10 40kg

[gymbeam]

Max effort upper

Was feeling good today so thought I’d try a bench press and worked up to a heavy single. Not straining but difficult enough. Maybe rpe 7 or 8 maybe - not great rpe to be honest hence why I don’t do it.

Bench 100kgx1
High rep back work, pull downs and rows etc.
Banded tricep extensions - hurt too much so didn’t do many reps over a couple sets.

[gymbeam]

Similar to last week, decided to rest a bit as was having some soreness with the shoulder but feel 100x better. Just came in and did some back work.

Chest support row - work up to heavy 5. 65kg
Chest support bottom bars superset with pull aparts.
Lat pull downs.

[gymbeam]

Week 4

Decided to try front squat for first time ever to change it up from the safety squat. So Louie Simmons says change every week for advanced lifters and others maybe Dave Tate? Mike hedlesky? Wenning? Can’t remember exactly say 3 weeks at the same lift with the more novice/early intermediate lifter still works ok.

Max effort lower
Front squat - 100kg x3 - real grinder. Only wanted to do a single but my spotter thought I had a triple so shows the intensity I have compared to what is possible.
RDL - 97.5kg 3x8
GHD 3x20 - getting stronger on these.
Reverse hyper 40kg 3x10

[gymbeam]

Max effort upper

Close grip 105kgx1
75% - 3x6 80kg
Tempo 5 secs up, 5 secs down. 60kg 3x5
Chest support row top hndl 67kg 5rm
3xfailure Tricep bands
100 reps total of pull aparts

[gymbeam]

So dynamic effort wise I’m focusing on getting the bar moving fast and over the next few weeks get up to the percentages that the are usually prescribed 75-85% and 40-50 for bench. I’m kinda slow but also not sure if I should focus too much on speed bench as I’ve heard you need to be strong before adding in speed but need to read up some more on this.


DE lower
High bar squat 70kg 10x2
Sumo DL 85 10x1
GHDxamrap tried to hit 20 reps on every set
Reverse hypers 40kg 3x12

[gymbeam]

DE upper I turned into more of a repetition day as I’ve been reading this may be more useful for my bench numbers at the level I’m at.

Worked up to a heavy single
Bench 3x5@80% of 1RM 3x6
DB bench 3x10 - 25kg 27.5kg 30kg
Tricep work, pushdowns etc high reps
Bicep curls 3x10

[gymbeam]

Max effort
Worked up to a sumo 1RM. Failed 170 2 times but felt I still had it in me so managed to get it and work up to 180 and pull that on my second attempt. Conjugate methods does mostly state to work up until either technique breakdown or a missed rep but I knew I had it in me.

Sumo 180kg new 1RM PR

Literally had nothing left to do extra work, maybe a pattern forming here...

[gymbeam]

Bodyweight fluctuating between 82.5-83kg/181.8-183lbs

ME upper
Floor press work up to max single 1x107.5kg
3x6 80% 85kg
DB incline 25,27.5,30kg
Chest supported row slow controlled reps 3x15 40kg

[gymbeam]

So wanted to get under the barbell for squats so thought I’d try dynamic work with High bar squat which I will try and run a pendulum wave and estimated a rough 50% because my speed is slow under the bar so will work this up overtime.
Following mike Hedleskys approach I decided to do higher volume than the Westside guys and do them timed. Starting this week with finishing all sets in 17m30s. And decrease this time each week. I think the idea is to also build some GPP work into it as well as the countless other reasons why rest times are fairly short.
Managed 16 sets in the time for both squat and deadlift. Deadlifts I found much easier than squat whether that’s because the percentage is off or my max is off or because it’s just singles I’m not sure... yet.

DE LOWER
HB squat 80kg x 15-20x2 in 17.30 16sets
Sumo 90kg 15-20x1 in 17.30 16sets
Reverse hyper 30kg x 30,20,30(reps)
Ab machine 20,10,10,10
Ab roller 5,5,5,5

[gymbeam]

Same as above really, triples for time keep rest periods short but enough to be explosive. Found that by the time I got to the 8 and 9th sets I started to be able to get the bar speed moving.

DE upper
Bench 40% 50kg 15x3 in 17.30 - 16sets
DB incline 3 sets top set 30kgx12 - hard 12.
Chest support top handles-65 sloppy 5 reps
Pull aparts
Tricep banded extensions

[gymbeam]

Week 6.
Felt the fatigue from the DE days and seriously didn’t feel like training even after 3 days since light squats. Managed a hard single in squat, hoping the SSB transfers to my low bar because it’s not as close to my previous max as I’d have liked. But still learning to trust this process. Kinda interested to try more overload stuff like maybe high box or pin squats in the future weeks just to get used to the weight on my back... but will see, trying hard to not throw every tool in the box at it and start spinning my wheels. Again didn’t have much in me to do extra hamstring work etc.

ME lower
SSB free squat 160kgx1
75% 120kg 3x5
Reverse hypers - 30kgx 30,20,30,30reps
Abs 10,6,5,5,5

[gymbeam]

Thought I’d go for a bench heavy single today to see where I’m at since my injury etc. Hit 110kg and missed 115kg. Was annoyed at first but considering the time off it’s not too bad and gives me a better idea of current training max.

Then as a one off I tried a slight shot and hit the 115kg then 120kg. May get one in the future but again don’t want to add too much fluff into the program especially as I’m still figuring it out.

Then went onto wide grip bench (Louie Simmons, bill seno style) 6x6. Working up to a 6rm over the next few weeks then will reset to 8x8, then 10x10 and hopefully by the time I go back to 6x6 my lifts have improved. Not great ok the shoulders but just doing as much prehab/rehab as possible.

ME upper
Bench 110kg
Bench slingshot 120kg
Work up to 6rep max wide grip 90kg
Seal row 60kg 3x8
DB rollbacks
Lat row s/s with pull parts
Face pulls

[gymbeam]

DE lower
HB squat 55% 90kg x 15x2 in 17mins
Sumo 100kg 55% 20x1 in 17mins
Good morning 3x15 60kg
Reverse hyper 30kg x amrap 20,30, 20

[gymbeam]

Had a decent amount of work planned today but started getting pain in my shoulder and **** just got ridiculously hard as much as I tried to push through it... Which I probably shouldn’t have but was eager to get the work in. Wanted to start work on 6x6 wide grip bench but only managed 2 sets.

Just finished off with banded stuff for very high reps.

DE upper
Bench light sets working on form 8-10x3-5
Bench wide grip 2x 92.5
Close grip bench work up to hard 10 3x60kg
Banded triceps, pull aparts etc.

[gymbeam]

Today wanted to come in and test my high bar strength so worked up to around 140 then decided to switch to Low bar. Got a new PR!

ME effort low
Low bar free squat 180kg
80% 145kg - 3x3
Trap bar 3x12 90kg
GHD 3x20+ amrap
Reverse hypers - short on time so just did as many reps as possible plus partials and a quick 10 second rest in the middle.

[gymbeam]

Bodyweight is now down to 81.4kg/179.5lbs