The Flywheel Effect.

[CW47]

October 13, 2021: Bench Press - 30 Degree Incline
165 pounds x 1 rep
135 pounds x 3 reps

The 165 tied my PR on this, and went up smoothly. I'm fairly confident I had another rep in me. Did not want to go to failure today, so I didn't push it. Took it a bit easy on the back off work, just doing 1 set instead of 3. Just felt like I needed to leave something in the tank, so I did.

[Anthony21]

Nice two sessions and that deadlift sounded like one hell of a lift.

[CW47]

Nice two sessions and that deadlift sounded like one hell of a lift.

Thanks man. Deadlifting is always fun.


October 14, 2021: Squat - Wide Stance
205 pounds x 1 rep

Did more reps than normal on the ramp up because I'm pretty uncomfortable doing squats with a wide stance. Found that I wasn't going deep enough initially. Also had to play around with foot placement. Found that even 135 pounds was not easy for me with a wide stance. 155 was about the same. Then I got into a groove and the reps started getting easier. The single at 205 was around an 8 RPE. Planned to do back off work at 185. The first rep at that weight was a grind, so I called it off right there. Just inconsistent right now. Plus I'm overall just weaker with the wider stance, lol. But I'm very happy with how it went, and expect it to improve steadily the next couple of times I do it.

[Anthony21]

I always heated wide stance squats. I never felt I was even hitting depth.

[CW47]

I always heated wide stance squats. I never felt I was even hitting depth.

Yeah, I hate them too. That's part of the reason I'm doing them, lmao! I need to build up my hip strength and have just been putting it off forever because they feel so hard for me. The worse thing is that I feel like I'm hitting depth, but then I watch the video and it looks like I'm 4 or 5 inches too high...ugh. I kind of went through a similar phase when I first started doing Sumo deads too, so I'm sure I'll work through it, and maybe even actually like them eventually. I hope...

[CW47]

October 16, 2021: Larsen Press
120 pounds - 6 sets x 6 reps

This was it for today. It was easier than 115 was last time around, but I'm not surprised by that. The same thing happened last time I did 6x6's consistently - they often got seem to get easier from week to week despite the weight increasing. I'm sure it's largely a matter of acclimating to the volume.

Since I had mentioned a while back that my bench is getting tighter and more consistent, figured I better post up some video. This is from last week - 3 count paused bench at 165 pounds (which was a PR).

[Anthony21]

Yeah, I hate them too. That's part of the reason I'm doing them, lmao! I need to build up my hip strength and have just been putting it off forever because they feel so hard for me. The worse thing is that I feel like I'm hitting depth, but then I watch the video and it looks like I'm 4 or 5 inches too high...ugh. I kind of went through a similar phase when I first started doing Sumo deads too, so I'm sure I'll work through it, and maybe even actually like them eventually. I hope...

You're an official Westside squatter now lmao. They're always wide stance squatting and squatting high lol.

[CW47]

You're an official Westside squatter now lmao. They're always wide stance squatting and squatting high lol.

Look ma - I made it! lmao


October 17, 2021: Trap Bar Deadlift
335 pounds x 3 reps
245 pounds x 15 reps

Never really felt comfortable with this lift until today, when something finally clicked. Decided to cap it out at 335 and see how many reps I could get. Could've had more but my grip gave out. The knurling is definitely not as good as on my normal bar. I strapped up for the back off work where I just dropped a plate off each side and did an AMRAP. To be honest, there was still several reps in the tank (maybe another 5 - maybe more than that), but I started getting nauseous since I'm just not used to doing higher rep work, especially on deads. This was a good change up for me. I should be able to push the weight up a fair amount next time around.

[Filmbuff81]

Bench looks much improved nice job.

15 reps on deads makes me want to barf lol

[CW47]

Bench looks much improved nice job.
15 reps on deads makes me want to barf lol

Ha! Yeah, amazing how different 15+ reps is on deads than on something like a pressing movement.


October 18, 2021: Overhead Press
120 pounds x 1 rep [PR]
90 pounds - 3 sets x 3 reps
First time hitting a PR on this in a couple of years. Just a 5 pound PR, but that's really nothing to scoff at on an OHP. Very happy to have hit the 120.

[CW47]

October 19, 2021: Bench Press
190 pounds x 1 rep [PR]
155 pounds x 3 reps

First bench PR in quite a while. I wasn't even feeling fresh going into it. I somehow did the wrong lift today, lmao! Was supposed to have done squats. This was an awesome result for me. I expect I may have had another 5 pounds in me if I had been fresher. I may still make it to 200 before the end of the year.

[Filmbuff81]

PR train continues. Great work!

[CW47]

PR train continues. Great work!

Yeah, seems to be mostly a matter of consistency. I'm on a good run right now.

October 20, 2021: High Bar Paused Squat (paused a few inches above parallel on the ascent)
225 pounds x 1 rep / 245 x Fail

This took me by surprise. I would not have taken a 20 pound squat without being virtually certain I could hit it, but...
The rep at 225 was somewhat sloppy. I lost tightness in my back and shifted forward at the bottom. Was able to recover and get it up without too much difficulty.
On the rep at 245 I was more methodical. Maintained tightness at the bottom, got up to my paused position a few inches above parallel, and then it just wasn't moving.
I have mixed feelings about it. It seemed like a weight I should have been able to do without straining too much, and that obviously wasn't the case today. I was also kind of frustrated by the fact that I misjudged how much I could do pretty majorly. On the other hand, I was really happy with how tight my form was on the failed rep. I generally end up failing squats because I get out of position, and that didn't happen this time.
No back off work today.

[CW47]

October 23, 20021: Sumo Deadlift
395 pounds x Fail (3 attempts)
385 pounds x 1 rep

Was feeling pretty good during the ramp up and was confident I could beat my current PR of 385, so I took a 30 pound jump from 365 to 395. I was so sure I had it that I tried it 3 times, lmao! Only 1 of them got off the floor. Dropped down to 385 because I wanted to hit that more cleanly than the last time I did it. Managed to do that, even after the 3 failed PR attempts.



Also finally had time to upload my recent PR's on Overhead Press (120x1) and Bench (190x1)

[CW47]

October 26, 2021: 12 inch Box Squat - Close Stance
225 pounds x 1 rep
185 pounds x 3 reps

These felt surprisingly good. The close stance really forced me to focus on back angle and tightness. Went pretty well for the first time doing these. The top set was probably an 8-8.5 RPE, so I should definitely be able to improve on this the next couple of times through. Back off work was around a 9.5 RPE on the final rep. That was fine though - it's actually what I was aiming for since the top set was easier than my typical top single.

[CW47]

October 28, 2021: Bench Press - 3 count pause
175 pounds x 1 rep
140 pounds x 3 reps

Tied my PR today. It went up easier than last time, but not easy enough that I wanted to try for a PR. Wasn't feeling super strong today to start with, so this was a good result for me. Tells me that my bench is at least making incremental progress right now.

[Filmbuff81]

Solid work.

Sometimes a failed attempt can teach you more than grinding it out.

Guessing the 225 probably took more out of you than you expected due to the recovery you needed to do.

Happens to all of us.

[CW47]

Guessing the 225 probably took more out of you than you expected due to the recovery you needed to do.

Yeah, probably did. Failure's bound to happen when you're trying to push your limits.


October 29, 2021: Deadlift with Chains
335 pounds + 2 chains x 1 rep

This was one of those days where I just wasn't feeling it. Lower back was feeling tight and fatigued from the first warmup set and didn't really get any better as I went along. I've had a habit of pushing things even on days like this. Happy that I stopped when I did though - I think it was the right decision. There was really nothing to gain from pushing for a true max today. I may need to pull conventional deads out of my rotation sometime soon, because I seem to be struggling to recover from them lately.

[CW47]

October 30, 2021: Larsen Press
130 pounds - 6 sets x 6 reps

Nothing much of note today. Mostly just went through the motions as quickly as possible. I will keep this in the rotation as long as I'm able to keep progressing on the weight. Should be able to keep going for a couple more rotations at least.

[CW47]

November 1, 2021: Squat - Wide Stance
225 pounds x 1 rep
175 pounds x 3 reps

Much better doing this the second time through. I honestly felt really good, and much more natural than last time. I was able to hit depth without any issues. The wide stance really accentuates the strength imbalance between my legs. I've favored my left leg for years, and used to shift that way noticeably on squats. It's gotten much better over time, but this made it noticeable again as I really had to fight to keep myself centered/balanced. It will be a great exercise for me to do to keep bringing up my weaker right side. The wider stance also definitely fits me well. I always feel like I'm fighting against my body with a narrower stance, even though I'm stronger. I may be able to improve my squat quite a bit if I can build up strength with the wider stance. That's pretty much what I did on deads with all of the Sumo work, and I have every reason to believe I can see similar results with the squat. Time will tell...

[Filmbuff81]

Solid work.

I’ve noticed conventional becomes really tough to recover from at a certain point too, so rotating it out may be beneficial.

I may do a cycle or 2 of sumo/hybrid sumo

[CW47]

Solid work.

I’ve noticed conventional becomes really tough to recover from at a certain point too, so rotating it out may be beneficial.

I may do a cycle or 2 of sumo/hybrid sumo

Yeah, it's strange for me. Around 2 years ago I couldn't recover even when deadlifting only once ever 2 weeks, and that was with significantly less weight than I'm lifting now. It lasted for months until I finally just changed over to Sumo almost exclusively for a year and a half. This is the first time the fatigue has really creeped back in. Today I'm feeling fully recovered though, so we'll see how the next deadlift session goes.


November 2, 2021: Bench Press - 30 Degree Incline
155 pounds x 1 rep
155 pounds x 2 reps

My PR on this is 165. I didn't get a chance to workout until 9:30pm, so decided I didn't want to go for a 1RM. Set my sights on 155 for as many reps as I could. I ran into a snag on the first rep though - somehow I hit the safety arm really hard on the right side. Weird, because I hadn't even touched it up to that point, and I didn't feel like I did anything noticeably different. I'm wondering if I hit the edge/lip where it meets up with the rack, because that sits about 2 inches higher than the actual safety arm. Anyway, managed to do the rep anyway. I reset and then did a double at the same weight. No doubt I could have done this for a triple. Feels like I'm making good progress.

[CW47]

Been struggling to get workouts in lately. My partner is working longer hours, which means I'm often not freed up at all until after 9pm, and I have things other than lifting to do as well. Skipped today because I was wiped out.

I'm thinking of starting up a thread to share some basic guidelines for running Conjugate programming. As far as I can tell, it's not something that's ever really been covered on the site, and it deserves some visibility. I may post some of it in here before creating a thread for it. Would love to get feedback/suggestions from anyone who reads my log if/when I post it. I tend to write too much, so I'm trying to keep it concise. It's hard man... I keep typing and then deleting 90% of it - rinse and repeat, lol.

[Filmbuff81]

Even if it’s long let it out.

It’s long form writing so people can scan it if they want.

[CW47]

Even if it’s long let it out.

It’s long form writing so people can scan it if they want.

Yeah, I'll try not to skimp on information. I do think it's important to keep it as concise as possible though, or most people won't even read it. It's a sad reality of online interactions.


November 4, 2021: Trap Bar Deadlift
355 pounds x 3 reps

20 pounds more than last time, with the same number of reps. It wasn't really close to failure either - around an 8 RPE. I'll probably try another 20 pound jump next time and see how many reps I can get. I was planning to upload video, but ended up getting online to post this much later than I had anticipated, so another post with no video...

[CW47]

Here's the first section of my 'would be' conjugate training thread. Meant to be a basic introduction.

_________________


Conjugate Training has been very good to me. I hope to share some of what I've learned, and give it some love with this thread. I've found that Conjugate can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be. Contrary to popular belief, this type of programming can be used by people at ANY stage of training, without ANY special equipment. This thread will show you how.

What is Conjugate Training?
It’s a type of programming that aims to help you progress on multiple types or aspects of training simultaneously (an example of an alternate approach would be Block Periodization, which tends to focus on a specific aspect of training for each block). Conjugate Training is built upon 3 basic components - Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and the Repetition method. Don’t worry, these are incredibly simple to understand and perform, and each of them will be explained.

Why do Conjugate Training?
Mental and physical freshness is a grossly overlooked aspect of weight training that's critical for long term adherence and progress. Conjugate Training keeps you mentally and emotionally fresh by regularly introducing new stimuli. This keeps you actively engaged in your training, as you’re constantly tackling new challenges. It keeps you physically fresh by changing your movement patterns regularly. Plainly stated, Conjugate is freaking fun! Equally important, it’s extremely effective.

Who should not do Conjugate Training?
Anyone who’s progressing and satisfied with their current training programming should continue doing what they’re doing. There is truly no reason to change just for the sake of change. You should also avoid Conjugate if you want to turn off your brain to train. To get the most out of it you’ll need to be attentive and able to adjust constantly.

How do I create a Conjugate Training plan?
In subsequent posts I will lay out the following (click on the link to be taken directly to a specific section - *Note: each of the bolded section shown below will have their own post, and links to them will be included in the real thread):
- Max Effort
- Dynamic Effort
- Repetition Method

We’ll also cover other aspects of programming:
- Combining the components
- Exercise Variations
- Navigating the Spreadsheet

*Note: There’s a spreadsheet attached that can be used as a companion to this thread. This is essentially a copy of my personal spreadsheet that I use for both programming my training and tracking my progress. As a result, it has not been designed to be easy to use. I'll provide a brief overview of what’s included and how to use it effectively, but feel free to ask questions if anything is confusing.

[CW47]

Max Effort - Push your boundaries by going for a rep max or true one rep max.
Lower days should alternate between a squat and a deadlift for most people (see the 2-Week Ramping and Weekly Alternating examples below).
Upper days will always be a pressing movement – primarily bench pressing variants, though overhead pressing can be incorporated as well.

Here are 3 basic ways Max Effort work can be setup over a 6 week span:

3-Week Ramping
Week 1 - Bench Press A (5 rep max)
Week 2 - Bench Press A (3 rep max)
Week 3 - Bench Press A (1 rep max)
Week 4 - Bench Press B (5 rep max)
Week 5 - Bench Press B (3 rep max)
Week 6 - Bench Press B (1 rep max)

2-Week Ramping
Week 1 - Squat A (3 rep max)
Week 2 - Squat A (1 rep max)
Week 3 - Deadlift A (3 rep max)
Week 4 - Deadlift A (1 rep max)
Week 5 - Squat B (3 rep max)
Week 6 - Squat B (1 rep max)

Weekly Alternating
Week 1 - Squat A (1 rep max)
Week 2 - Deadlift A (1 rep max)
Week 3 - Squat B (1 rep max)
Week 4 - Deadlift B (1 rep max)
Week 5 - Squat C (1 rep max)
Week 6 - Deadlift C (1 rep max)

I typically program 12 weeks at a time, but any increment of 3 weeks can work well (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc.).

Max Effort Exercise Selection
You should not perform the same variation twice in a row. This means that if you’re doing 3-week ramping you’ll do the same exercise for 3 weeks in a row, and then change to a different exercise. If doing weekly alternating, you will change to a different exercise each week.

[CW47]

Dynamic Effort – Take lighter weights and move them with speed and force.
On Lower days you will perform both a squat AND a deadlift each week.
The Upper days will, once again, always be a pressing movement.

Both Lower and Upper days will utilize a 3 Week Ramping approach. The number of sets and reps will remain constant, but the weight used will increase each week.

The weight will be based upon a percentage of your one rep max for the exercise being performed. If you don’t know your 1RM for a given exercise, make an educated guess and base the percentage upon that.

The percentage used throughout the 3 week cycle can range anywhere from 20%-80%. It can vary greatly from person to person since explosiveness is very individual. You’ll want to use a percentage that you can move with speed.

Here are the percentages I suggest using as a starting point:

Dynamic Bench
Week 1 = 9 sets of 3 @45%
Week 2 = 9 sets of 3 @50%
Week 3 = 9 sets of 3 @55%

Dynamic Squat
Week 1 = 8 sets x 2 reps @55%
Week 2 = 8 sets x 2 reps @60%
Week 3 = 8 sets x 2 reps @65%

Dynamic Deadlift
Week 1 = 6 sets x 2 reps @65%
Week 2 = 6 sets x 2 reps @70%
Week 3 = 6 sets x 2 reps @75%

You will notice as time goes on that the percentages you use may need to change for each exercise (low bar vs high bar squat, for example). Keep in mind that the percentages are not important. What’s important is that you move the weight quickly while maintaining good form. One of the primary benefits of Dynamic Effort work is the opportunity it presents to really dial in the movement patterns. Don’t sacrifice form for speed. Adjust appropriately if a weight is obviously too light or heavy.

[CW47]

Repetition Method - Typically done in conjunction with both Max Effort and Dynamic Effort. It has you doing higher volume work at a medium intensity.

For the sake of simplicity, I change exercises every 3 weeks. You can change less often or more often – it makes little difference.

Max Effort and Dynamic Effort Lower:
4 sets of 8 reps – Glutes, hamstrings, or lower back
3 sets of 12 reps – Abdominal/Core work.

Max Effort and Dynamic Effort Upper:
4 sets of 8 reps – Upper back or lats
3 sets of 12 reps – Triceps

My recommendation is to start out with ONLY this because it’s important that you stay fresh for your primary Max and Dynamic exercises. You can add more over time if you are not progressing though. There are many ways to add in additional work if it’s needed. One example that I incorporated was to add in 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps of supplemental work on Max Effort days. As an example, if I was doing a squat for my max effort I could add in a deadlift variant for 3x3 afterward. My suggestion is that this should only be done on Max Effort days, and that it should be the exception rather than the rule - especially when you first start.

It’s also okay to add in GPP (general physical preparedness) work here. That can take many forms – sled work, band pull-aparts, box jumps, etc., etc. Again, just be sure that this does not detract from the other work you’re doing. More does not equal better.

[CW47]

Combining the components – Learn to easily fit Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and the Repetition Method into a daily/weekly/monthly/yearly plan.

Here’s an example of how the 3 main elements (Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and the Repetition Method) can be programmed together

Week 1:
Saturday - Max Lower
Max Effort – Low Bar Squat (3 rep max attempt)
4 sets x 8 reps – Gliding Leg Curl (Glute/Ham/Low Back)
3 sets x 12 reps – Decline Crunch (Abs/Core)

Sunday - Max Upper
Max Effort - Close Grip Bench Press (5 rep max attempt)
4 sets x 8 reps – Kroc Row (Upper Back/Lats)
3 sets x 12 reps – Incline Skull Crusher (Triceps)

Tuesday - Dynamic Lower
High Bar Squat - 8 sets x 2 reps @55% (Speed Work)
Conventional Deadlift - 6 sets x 2 reps @65% (Speed Work)
4 sets x 8 reps – Reverse Lunge (Glute/Ham/Low Back)
3 sets x 12 reps – Hanging Leg Raise (Abs/Core)

Wednesday - Dynamic Upper
Bench Press - 9 sets x 3 reps @45% (Speed Work)
4 sets x 8 reps – T-Bar Row (Upper Back/Lats)
3 sets x 12 reps – Triceps Rope Pushdown (Triceps)


Week 2:
Max Lower
Low Bar Squat (1 Rep Max Attempt)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 1.

Max Upper
Close Grip Bench Press (3 rep max attempt)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 1.

Dynamic Lower
High Bar Squat - 8 sets x 2 reps @60% (Speed Work)
Conventional Deadlift - 6 sets x 2 reps @70% (Speed Work)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 1.

Dynamic Upper
Bench Press - 9 sets x 3 reps @50% (Speed Work)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 1.

Week 3:
Max Lower
Sumo Deadlift (3 rep max attempt)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 2.

Max Upper
Close Grip Bench Press (1 rep max attempt)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 2.

Dynamic Lower
High Bar Squat - 8 sets x 2 reps @65% (Speed Work)
Conventional Deadlift - 6 sets x 2 reps @75% (Speed Work)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 2.

Dynamic Upper
Bench Press - 9 sets x 3 reps @55% (Speed Work)
Repetition work uses the same exercises but increases weight if all reps were completed in week 2.

On week 4 you’ll change to different exercises for you Max Effort Upper main lift, on all your Dynamic Effort main lifts, and on all Repetition work. Reference the Log Template and Overview in the spreadsheet attached to the first post if this is still not clear. Or just ask and I’ll be happy to lay it out in more detail.