Because the Conjugate Program allows you to do everything under the Sun (in theory) then a perception is often created that you NEED to do everything under the Sun.
Or that you HAVE to.
But you don’t need to, and you don’t have to.
While variety is a strategic and necessary part of Conjugate Programming it can still be pretty basic.
Everyone thinks of bands, chains, and specialty bars as the staples of Conjugate Programming but that’s not really true.
While I do think that all of those things are good ideas – they are not totally necessary.
In a Basic Barbell Program (like the Texas Method) we have variation in the intensity levels of the heavy lifts each week – but the exercises stay the same.
Week 1: Squat 88% x 3
Week 2: Squat 92% x 2
Week 3: Squat 96% x 1
On the Max Effort day of a Conjugate Program the intensity level stays the same (at or near 100% on most days) but the exercises change.
Week 1: Squat 100% x 1
Week 2: Front Squat 100% x 1
Week 3: Paused Box Squat 100% x 1
You have variety either way.
It just depends on what you decide to vary.
This begs the question of how much variety do you actually need?
Do you need 3-4 different specialty bars? bands? chains? weight releasers?
No.
If you train in a basic home gym set up then you have lots of different levers to pull to increase the variety of your lifts without fancy equipment.
Here’s a sample 12 week Max Effort Cycle for the Bench Press using just a barbell and a rack:
Week 1: Bench Press (pinkies on the rings)
Week 2: Close Grip Bench Press (index finger where smooth meets rough)
Week 3: Medium Grip Floor Press (thumbs distance from smooth)
Week 4: 3 Count Paused Bench Press (pinkies on rings)
Week 5: Medium Grip Bench Press (thumbs distance from smooth)
Week 6: Medium Grip Rack Bench Press (pause on pins about 2 inches off the chest)
Week 7: Larsen Bench Press (pinkies on rings)
Week 8: 3 Count Pause Close Grip Bench Press
Week 9: Close Grip Floor Press (index finger on smooth)
Week 10: 3 Count Paused Medium Grip Bench Press
Week 11: Close Grip Larsen Bench Press
Week 12: Close Grip Rack Bench Press
No bands, no chains, no specialty bars. And didn’t even employ an incline bench, overhead variations, etc.
What about Lower Body?
Even easier as you can more or less alternate between Squat and Deadlift Variations each week
Week 1: Low Bar Back Squat
Week 2: Conventional Deadlift
Week 3: Front Squat
Week 4: Rack Pull (bottom of plates 6″ off the ground)
Week 5: Paused Pin Squat
Week 6: Deficit Deadlift
Week 7: Rack Pull (bottom of plates 4″ off the ground)
Week 8: High Bar Squat
Week 9: Snatch Grip Deadlift
Week 10: Sumo Deadlift
Week 11: Paused Box Squat
Week 12: Rack Pull (bottom of plates 2″ off the ground)
The big misconception with Conjugate is that it’s overly complicated because there is more diversity in exercise selection.
As a coach who uses both Conjugate programming and Basic Barbell programming I can tell you that advanced basic barbell programming is just as complicated if not more.
How do you repeat the same exercises over and over again every week for years at a time, still make progress, and not burn out?
It’s complicated.
Whether you train with a Basic Barbell style or a Conjugate Style, let me help you improve your training.
Hop into my online coaching group The Baker Barbell Club Online.
We have options for Basic Barbell and Conjugate style programming.
