Westside Barbell: The Conjugate Method Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Conjugate Method for Athletes: Why Feedback Matters Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

The Conjugate Method for athletes looks different than the powerlifting version. Tom Barry explains how Westside runs a 3-day system for field and combat sport athletes.
Tom walks through the weekly split used in the Westside athletes gym: combined Dynamic Effort upper and lower on day one, then Max Effort upper and Max Effort lower later in the week. He explains why athletes get a day back compared to the traditional 4-day system, how max effort, dynamic effort, and repeated effort work get adjusted around competitions.
Most of the conversation is about what makes the system work day to day: athlete feedback. Tom and Mac talk about what separates a coachable athlete, when feedback is useful, how to handle an athlete who wants to change their program, how strength coaches should work with sport coaches, and what to look for in a coach who can justify their programming.
They also get into weight room culture, preparing high school athletes for a college strength program, acting like a professional before you are one, and why Tom says Conjugate and concurrent training are the same thing today.
If you coach athletes or want to apply the conjugate method for athletes in your own training, this episode covers both the framework and the coaching behind it.

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Volleyball Strength Training With Pro Coach Brian Bott Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Do What Others Won't Collection: https://www.westside-barbell.com/collections/do-what-others-wont-limited-winter-release

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Volleyball strength training from Coach Brian Bott, head strength coach for LOVB Madison and a 13-year Big Ten football strength coach at Wisconsin. Here is how he uses the Conjugate Method to build jumping power and keep pro athletes on the court.

Brian explains what he tests before prescribing anything to an athlete who wants to jump higher: hip and ankle mobility, single-leg stance, hamstring flexibility, and jump efficiency. He covers the difference between vertical jumpers and hip-extension jumpers, how he uses bar speed to find the top weight an athlete can move at their top speed, and why most athletes simply aren't strong enough yet.

He walks through a full offseason week for a pro volleyball player: two max effort days, two dynamic effort days, safety squat bar box squats with bands and chains, floor presses to protect the shoulder, and dynamic effort days that double as conditioning. He also covers how in-season volleyball strength training changes, how much jumping belongs in the weight room, and how to read fatigue without a force plate.

The back half covers the part of volleyball strength training that keeps athletes healthy: ACL injury prevention for female athletes, why the box squat and posterior chain work matter, how youth volleyball players should progress before touching a barbell, and how private-sector coaches and high school coaches can work together instead of against each other.

#volleyballtraining #conjugatemethod #strengthandconditioning

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Ally Kennedy: How the Fastest Player in Lacrosse Trains Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Become a Certified Conjugate Coach: https://www.westside-barbell.com/pages/conjugate-coach-certification

Ally Kennedy is the fastest player in women's lacrosse and the 2026 World Championship MVP. She breaks down the training behind 19.3 mph and what most lacrosse players get wrong about lifting.

Ally Kennedy sits down with Mac McFarland at Westside Barbell after a summer that included a world championship in Japan, a WLL championship in Philadelphia, and a five-day Team USA sixes training camp tryout. She talks about what changed once she started training conjugate: a Monday dynamic effort day, Wednesday upper body max effort, Friday lower body max effort, plus a dedicated speed day and one long run at game pace.

She covers the part most athletes skip. Her baseline used to collapse without warning mid-set. Now she can go two and a half months on the road, barely touch a barbell, and come back without a real drop. That durability is what shows up in the fourth quarter when everyone else is dying.

Ally Kennedy is 5'3" in a position where everyone is 5'6" and up, so strength training for lacrosse became the thing that let her hold ground against bigger athletes instead of getting bullied through. She addresses the bulk myth directly, why she thinks lifting leaned her out, and why she tells high school girls to get under a bar before they ever get to a college weight room. Also covered: burnout in youth lacrosse, why she wants young players to put the stick down for two months a year, the difference between field, box, and sixes, and what making the 2028 Olympic roster of eleven would mean.

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Conjugate Method: Earning the Right to Interpret It Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

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.

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Dante Leon on Becoming the #1 Pound-for-Pound Grappler Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

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.

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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

Conjugate Method for Functional Fitness and Crossfit Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

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/

Introducing the Dynamic Effort Method for Beginners with Burley Haw Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

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

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Passing the Torch: The Next Chapter of the Westside Barbell Podcast Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

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.
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Joe Kenn: There Are No Absolutes in Strength Training (Full Episode) May 12, 2026

Show notes

Joe "Big House" Kenn coached strength in the NFL for nearly a decade. He sits down with Tom Barry for four decades of lessons.
From a guard at Wake Forest to leading strength programs at Boise State, Utah, Arizona State, and Louisville, Joe Kenn has built one of the most decorated coaching careers in the NSCA. He created the Tier System, served as head strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019, and is the only coach to have won both the NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year and the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. He now runs Big House Power and works with elite strongman athletes including Brian Shaw and Tom Evans.
In this episode, Joe and Tom dig into how strong is strong enough at the highest levels, how NIL and the transfer portal have rewired strength coaching, how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons rather than copying him, practice-based evidence vs evidence-based practice, why he stopped programming power cleans for three years at Arizona State, peak velocity over average velocity, and why the strength coach often has to be the sacrificial lamb in a team sport setting.
TOPICS COVERED
00:00 What the public misunderstands about strength at the top level
05:35 Joe's background: Wake Forest to the Carolina Panthers
10:41 How NIL and the transfer portal changed strength coaching
28:58 No absolutes, and how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons
32:00 Dynamic effort, compensatory acceleration, and peak velocity
36:00 When three quarters of the NFL trained one set to failure
41:00 Lineage, principles, and "absorb, modify, apply"
49:00 The apprenticeship problem: 32,000 grads, 14,000 jobs
1:13:00 Why Joe stopped programming power cleans for three years
1:30:00 Why the strength coach has to be the sacrificial lamb
1:36:00 What Louie Simmons actually contributed to Joe's tier system
LEARN THE CONJUGATE METHOD
Conjugate Coach Pathway: https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/conjugatecourse
Digital Internship (Level 1): https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/digital-internship
Conjugate Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/
CONNECT WITH JOE KENN
Instagram: @bighousepower
Website: https://bighousepower.com/
FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL:
Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
Instagram: @westsidebarbellofficial
Facebook: @westsidebarbellofficial
Twitter: @westsidebarbell
Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces
CLMS
Conjugate Tactical
The Conjugate Club

When Culture Becomes a Trap | Westside Barbell Podcast Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Westside Barbell podcast, hosts Tom Barry and Burley Hawk discuss the importance of transitioning from hard work to smart training methods for athletes. They explore the differences between athletes with seasonal structures and those without, emphasizing the need for tailored training approaches. The conversation also delves into understanding athlete personalities, particularly the dynamics between introverted and extroverted athletes, and how these traits can influence training effectiveness. Finally, they address the critical balance between culture and method in training, arguing that a strong methodology is essential to harness the intensity and chaos of athletic training effectively.

Takeaways:

- Culture without a method is a trap.
- Athletes without a season must train year-round.
- Understanding athlete personalities is crucial for training.
- Introverts prefer methodical setups, extroverts thrive on chaos.
- Training should be tailored to the athlete's needs.
- Maximal effort training should be controlled to prevent overtraining.
- Communication with athletes is key to effective training.
- The conjugate method provides a structured approach to training.
- Culture must be supported by a solid training method.
- Athletes need a balance of intensity and recovery.

Connect with Westside Barbell:
Website: westside-barbell.com
Instagram: @WestsideBarbellOfficial

Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces

Chapters

00:00 From Hard Work to Smart Training
01:18 Seasoned vs. Non-Seasoned Athletes
10:31 Understanding Athlete Personalities
15:45 Culture vs. Method in Training

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