Conjugate Periodization, with Matt Wenning | NSCA.com

Coach and powerlifter Matt Wenning, MS, discusses the benefits of conjugate periodization in this talk from the NSCA's 2013 Coaches Conference.
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[@kookie4nookie]

Wonder if Matt was wearing his slippers during this talk.

[@g.ieronymidis]

Most definitely

[@romanecek5]

Obviously Yes 😂😎

[@bobsmiley6255]

It wouldn’t be Matt if he didn’t wear his flip flops.

[@terstersters]

I hope so

[@catedoge3206]

lol

[@brucemackenzie4952]

Matt is the real deal. Great knowledge , too the point no BS.

[@Yloh6]

١١ش

[@jonesperformancefitness]

Matt is very well spoken and articulate with his words. Inspiring talk, definitely going to come back to this as the years go by. Thanks NSCA for hosting a great talk!

[@scarface4u2]

Great stuff. Thx NSCA for putting this content out

[@vvs_brandon]

This is going to help me on my assignment; thank you!

[@garethcameron4751]

If I could like this video more than once I would!!!

[@aleksi.niemela]

That training method is the way to go! just awesome how well it wroks.

[@dontreadmyname4396]

worked for you?

[@xPRINCE10]

@@dontreadmyname4396 it did for me and my clients

[@dontreadmyname4396]

@@xPRINCE10 natty clients i guess

[@xPRINCE10]

@@dontreadmyname4396 yup, and trust me it works AMAZING! Dk how an enhanced prsn's body will react 2 it though

[@dontreadmyname4396]

@@xPRINCE10 well, like Matt i bet

[@AlejandroSanchez-pl6jw]

During my field experience (internship) I shadowed a strength coach. So I visited a few colleges within my area , which are 14, 11 of them use the conjugate system. Other local owned gyms use the conjugate. Pretty neat system

[@claudius_drusus_]

Very rarely do they actually use the conjugate. It's just in name.

[@drinkinouttacups2665]

@@claudius_drusus_ why would they call it conjugate them

[@deehenry6192]

Best NSCA video I’ve seen so far.

[@TimC19]

This is GOLD

[@NSCAstrong]

Be sure to subscribe!

[@timrobinsoncoaching6888]

Great video really educational. Thanks

[@CoachGannonStrength]

great video very informative and great argument for conjugate periodization

[@ajaxSAF]

Wow, this was great! Thank you

[@NimW]

Great talk, thanks.

[@derbistheeternal2947]

Yo! You've been doing cardistry since the genesis! In 4 days I will reach my 4 year anniversary of when I first started this strange hobby. Anyways, hope you're doing well.

[@NimW]

@@derbistheeternal2947 nice remember the exact day you started. Must mean you really love doing it. I don't do it anymore, life caught up :)

[@1bigimpact]

where can i find programs like this

[@mikeshimer9912]

Ball State! Muncie Indiana

[@chocolatejellybean2820]

Hes a good communicator on a complex topic that was created via a lot of experience. I'd love to know how it can be used for general population training.. I'd guess it's not meant for that as folk dont have the time commitment.

[@DoctorMotorcycle]

Conjugate can be done pretty quick. Dynamic effort day 50% of 1rm for 8 sets of 3 reps 1 minute rest between sets, max effort day 8 sets of 2 reps 2-3 minutes rest. Do that for 2 weeks and on the 3rd week go for a pr, then start over. You could make the DE day 20-30 minutes and the ME day 30-45 minutes.....

[@muscleandmath2910]

@@DoctorMotorcycle 8 sets of 2 reps is not max effort. Unless you mean ramping up as part of the warmup. max effort is a handful of 1 rep sets done at 90% or above. If unwilling to go for a true 1 rep max, you could just do 3*1 at 90%. Also, it would be wise to follow the system as explained and change the max effort exercise every week.

[@muscleandmath2910]

Can definitely be done. Max effort days, come in, do a general warmup for 10 mins. Another 20 mins or so to complete the max lift. You'd have to do lower volume and/or rest a lot less between sets than optimal to get the repetition work done. Low rest periods will probably help with increasing fitness too. Maybe do some conditioning work right after. DE days: try resting 30 seconds on your DE lift. That'll be a great conditioning workout and you can finish in like 10 mins. You'll be tired after that so you wouldn't need as much volume compared to the ME day. Both days can be done in around an hour, but it's probably not enough to see amazing results

[@DoctorMotorcycle]

@@muscleandmath2910 Max effort day means exactly that, max effort. Is telling someone to do a "Max Effort day of 8 sets of 2 reps" not clear enough? It doesn't have to be super specific, if you've never done conjugate before and it's remotely close to that style of programming, you'll make incredible gains. Even if the "max effort" was only 80% 1 week, 85 the next, and 90 the 3rd, you'd still gain strength.

[@muscleandmath2910]

@@DoctorMotorcycle yes but it's not the max effort method is it. Going at 80 percent. The method is tried and tested, so I just think it's good to follow it and not deviate. Or not call it max effort

[@timstover414]

honestly this is not a good video to watch right before a workout... I now need to rethink everything and basically start over how I approach strength training. I guess I have been wasting a ton of time for years now.

[@natinhodagoat]

LEGEND

[@John_on_the_mountain]

Reminds me of Beast from X-Men lol

[@oscarhollywood]

Strong neck

[@electricaltyler5998]

so its one upper and one lower body maximal effort day so do you do maximal effort squats and deadlifts together? as well as doing the dynamic work of squats and deadlifts together? GREAT VIDEO MATT

[@dankenzie]

No, I believe the traditional method is to rotate between a squat variation, deadlift variation and good morning variation every week.

[@Dr_Footbrake]

@@dankenzie that’s how it’s laid out in the book of methods but I’ve seen dozens of variations be used at Westside + other lifters Eg - squat variation every week of that cycle (no deadlifts) - ME deadlift, 2-3rm deadlift, DE deadlift (no squats) - box squat, free squat, deadlift - squat, good morning, deadlift, good morning - ME squats AND deads in the same session

[@Cryptocurrency1O1]

Nice one

[@natedertel4101]

Great talk but I don't know about bagging on Mel Siff of all people.

[@WenningStrength]

Nate Dertel did you meet and talk to him??? I did

[@goodtimeholzyg4310]

is that slide deck available?

[@NSCAstrong]

Sorry, all I have is what is in the video.

[@francogomez3212]

what book is he working from, I want to buy it so that I can watch this again

[@NSCAstrong]

Matt tends to include info from a vast number of books, videos, and lectures on periodization, as well as his own experience. I don't think he was working from one specific book in this lecture. If you want to do some background reading on periodization, the NSCA offers a number of videos and articles on the topic free to the public at www.nsca.com/search/?searchQuery=periodization (look for the ones without the "members only" icon if you are not a member).

[@francogomez3212]

@@NSCAstrong Thanks guys!

[@dontreadmyname4396]

so, this is for athletes but also for powerlifters?

[@riz8822]

Don't read my name Yes

[@danielday3374]

It's for every type of performance goal. So yes, it can be applied to any sport

[@fatihalpay4903]

I just wondering that what re you doing in the first workout of the year? Like athletes came from summer you know like holiday... and you have max effort day in the first day??

[@NSCAstrong]

NSCA and CSCCa together published guidelines on safe return to training following inactivity. You might find this helpful: journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Fulltext/2019/06000/CSCCa_and_NSCA_Joint_Consensus_Guidelines_for.1.aspx

[@klevdavful]

For all of you ego lifters pay close attention to what he said that 3211...... I've run into countless number of guys who say they tore their rotator cuff or they tore their bicep or they hurt their back doing some type of heavy lift I told them that they were ego lifting. Please please please do not do it again because you just missed it the first time it is better to drop the weight get your head out of your own behind wait 5 to 10 minutes and try a much lighter weight and go through your progressions that way you will still be able to train without injury.

[@living4adrenaline]

Fuck your lower back just get the weight up. Light wright is for pussies! I deadliff with hook grip, no chance of tearing a biceps with that stupid alternative grip

[@dontreadmyname4396]

amazing content btw, thanks NSCA (im a bit late lol)

[@ExodusStrengthandPerformance]

Trying to look for that book? can I please get the isbn number?

[@NSCAstrong]

Which book? Or what is the time stamp in the video where it is mentioned, so I can go listen for myself?

[@LingahbytheSea]

Frankie Pasillas ISBN-13: 978-0736056281, ISBN-10: 0736056289

[@Sangram0305]

analysis and testing

[@scarface4u2]

LingahbytheSea thx for sharing this

[@chasewhite774]

🏁

[@kennethsin2243]

may I ask, what is the prescribe number of sets of the Max effort days (either upper/lower)? I've seen some other articles writing (working towards your 3RM ~ 5 to 6 sets) And for Dynamic Effort (DE) days as well? I've seen some videos showing 8 sets of 2 or 8 sets of 3? I am wondering how did they manage to come up with this amount of work load? What is basically the thought process for determining these total number of reps?

[@jackwhite4091]

For ME days I seen 8 sets working up to 1rm. Like 5 triples set of 2 and maybe 2 sets at 95 to 1rep max. I use it and it works. On DE days. It's 10 sets 2 reps for squat and 9 sets and 3 reps for bench. Changing feet and grip on every set. So bench I will do 9 sets with 3 wide grip. 3 Normal and 3 close grip. Not sure how Louise came up with those numbers but it works.

[@jackwhite4091]

Oh yeah if you want a better understanding. Look up westside barbell articles or Loui Simmons.

[@Dr_Footbrake]

Anywhere from 6-10 sets is pretty g. And the total volume is based on Prilepin’s chart, while the reps per set for DE are based on TUT of a competition squat/bench/deadlift.

[@seanlevy24]

I want to say how much I enjoyed this talk before anything. But I have a genuine question and I know it comes off as hate but I assure you it’s not. We often refer to Russia as being on the front lines of strength training. But we do know that they have had more athletes stripped of their medals and records than any other country due to doping. The reason it’s so widespread there is because the drugs were/are supplied by the state. So my question is, are their training methods truly superior? Meaning are they just as reliable and massively more effective than other methods with and without drugs? I ask only because this is a scientific discussion and it can only be science if we have all of the facts. Thx

[@douglasschrift4453]

IMO they’re ALL using drugs. The Russians were far from the only ones. So it certainly wasn’t due to their gear use

[@sovietunion8100]

Comp athletes all use gear

[@janoycresva276]

What he really means is concurrent periodization, there’s no such thing as conjugate periodization. You can do conjugate training while using linear periodization or do specific training with concurrent periodization

[@Yeomannn]

Does conjugate really work for raw lifting for the average lifter? Matt claims it reduces injuries compared to linear training, is that true?

[@janoycresva276]

@@Yeomannn If you do pure specificity where you just do the same exercises all the time with no variation at all then yes, conjugate reduces injury. However, you do not need as much variation as you think you do, you need maybe a few base exercises & grip/stance variations. Linear periodization gives us a way to progress.

[@Yeomannn]

@@janoycresva276 A few years ago I worked up to a 425 bench and was training old school western periodization, "powerbuilding" style. Ended up with elbow pain that still bugs me. I once dismissed westside and conjugate as bullshit and worthless for a raw lifter such as myself. Now I'm re-thinking everything.

[@janoycresva276]

@@Yeomannn I’m not saying that some of their material isn’t good, but it’s highly overblown like almost everything in the fitness & lifting world. So if for one training cycle that lasts 6 weeks, do close grip benchpress but then for your second cycle, do something like medium grip benchpress. Rotation like that is perfectly reasonable & necessary but doing linear periodization in terms of sets, reps & percentage is the better way to go because it’s objective & clear.

[@mandov3411]

For the 6-8 ME lifts per month does he mean sets or reps?

[@landerhendrickx3522]

mandov34 if you can do two reps the first one wasn’t really max effort was it ;). As I understand it you work up to a max for 10min. Put the weight on the bar, prepare mentally and go 1 rep as hard and fast as possible. The weight should be 90% of your 1RM or more. For example week 1 bench @90% week 2 OHP @90% week 3 horizontal row @90% week 4 bench @92,5%

[@joebroaol]

@Becoming Godsize so how i am interpretting it.. you have your max lift ... the ones you mentioned are the lower body day so #1 low rack pull you pull like 100lbs, you then analyze where the fail was in the lift (say no lockout so weak hip extensors).. and since you did a dead variation you want some quad work... so for that max effort day you would accessorize with like say lunges 3x8 per side, maybe reverse hypers/ glute hams to hit the weaks points/ the weakest link of the pr? and then a NEW pr lift next week targeting those points till the point you come around in say a month and retest the rack pull?

[@josephbellott3371]

I like this. but I like weekly undulating better. my current mesocycle is 5 weeks 1 unloading. first and third week max strength 2nd and 4th power

[@jordankidman168]

Wide Receiver Diaries I also prefer weekly undulating except my setup is 4 weeks

[@TheZombieeeeeee]

@Becoming Godsize an elite tennis player doesnt need to squat 1000 pounds or bench 600 lol

[@Magicman786R10]

David Park thats a retarted comment. If a tennis player( or any athlete) increases their bench press and squat ( or any big lift) it will only ENHANCE their performance. Thats what the conjugate method is. Its designed to improve athletic performance via max effort, dynamic effort, repition effort, GPP, soft tissie work and plyometrics. Conjugate method is used by elite athletes around the world.

[@PhiyackYuh]

@@Magicman786R10 i’d be willing to bet the top 5 tennis players in mens in these era could never squat 1000 pounds or bench 600 pounds. Does it look like nadal, agassi, pete sampras or federer can squat and bench those numbers. Its the skills and technique and mind over them unnecessary 1000 pounds squat and 600 pounds bench.

[@Magicman786R10]

Shokran Kamala ur comment proves u have no understanding of what the conjugate method is.

[@living4adrenaline]

Kettlebells aren't going to make Lance a faster rider lmao. Riding his bike is the most efficient use of his time to get better at cycling, its called specifity.

[@living4adrenaline]

Speicficity*

[@MB-ob6ye]

The best athletes in any sport do not only train in specificity. If Lance Armstrong ONLY used kettlebells would he be the best cyclist possible? No. The same goes for if he ONLY rode his bike. Specificity in one of the tools needed and a good coach knows how to manipulate all of the tools to get the most out of his athlete.

[@living4adrenaline]

@@MB-ob6ye I never mentioned they do. Assistance work is important, bit exercise specifity is the primary factor that will improve skill at any sport!

[@claudius_drusus_]

@@living4adrenaline no, it's not. You don't know what you're talking about. More specificity is not always better.

[@Dr_Footbrake]

Idk man there’s a plethora of research showing that strength training improves endurance sport performance.