Concurrent Periodization vs. The Conjugate Method: A Comparative Analysis for Strength and Conditioning
In the world of strength and conditioning, training methodologies are constantly evolving, with coaches striving to design programs that optimize performance, reduce injury risk, and cater to athletes' individual needs. Among the numerous training models, two systems stand out for their ability to enhance overall athletic performance: concurrent periodization and the conjugate method. Each of these approaches offers a unique way of structuring training, but they differ significantly in how they target strength development, athletic adaptation, and the balancing of various physical qualities.
The purpose of this blog is to thoroughly examine the differences between concurrent periodization and the conjugate method, comparing their core principles, implementation strategies, and how they affect an athlete's performance over time. Understanding these methodologies is essential for coaches, athletes, and strength training professionals who are looking to refine their programming approach.
Overview of Concurrent Periodization
Concurrent periodization refers to a training model where an athlete develops multiple physical qualities (e.g., strength, power, endurance) simultaneously, but with a structured progression and varying emphasis on different elements at different times. It is often referred to as concurrent training, as it seeks to build a well-rounded athlete by blending multiple fitness components within a single training cycle.
Unlike traditional periodization, which generally focuses on a single quality (like strength) at a time, concurrent periodization attempts to enhance multiple physical attributes in parallel without overloading one or diminishing the benefits of another. This is typically achieved through strategic variation in volume, intensity, and exercise selection, ensuring that each physical quality is trained within optimal windows of adaptation.
Key characteristics of concurrent periodization include:
Multiple qualities targeted: Strength, power, endurance, hypertrophy, and speed are all trained at the same time, but their emphasis can shift depending on the phase of training or specific goals.
Structured progression: Even though different qualities are developed simultaneously, the volume and intensity of the training for each quality vary throughout the training cycle to allow for recovery and optimal adaptation.
Flexibility: Coaches can adjust the balance of strength and endurance training based on the needs of the athlete and the demands of the sport.
In practice, a concurrent periodization plan may involve alternating between hypertrophy (muscle-building), strength, and endurance phases or training them in separate blocks within the same week, depending on the sport and the athlete's goals.
Example of Concurrent Periodization:
An athlete may train for 4–6 weeks with a focus on strength (low reps, high intensity) while incorporating endurance or aerobic sessions (moderate reps, moderate intensity). Then, the program might shift to more of a power focus with higher velocity training (explosive movements), while still maintaining strength and endurance through strategically lowered volume or adjusted frequency.
Overview of the Conjugate Method
The conjugate method, popularized by Westside Barbell and its legendary founder Louis Simmons, is a training system that focuses on continuously developing multiple attributes of strength (maximal strength, explosive strength, and strength endurance) by utilizing different training modalities on different days of the week. Rather than focusing on linear progression or the simultaneous development of endurance and strength, the conjugate method emphasizes training the same quality (e.g., maximal strength) in different ways throughout the week, with specific focus on the maximal effort (ME), dynamic effort (DE), and repetition effort (RE) methods.
The conjugate method operates under the philosophy that different strength qualities require different types of training stimuli, and that a wide variety of exercises should be used to prevent adaptation and continuously overload the body.
Key characteristics of the conjugate method include:
Maximal Effort Day: This day is dedicated to lifting the heaviest weight possible for low repetitions (e.g., 1–3 reps) in a given lift, typically focusing on squat, deadlift, or bench press variations. The goal is to push the maximal strength of the athlete.
Dynamic Effort Day: The purpose of dynamic effort training is to develop explosive power. Athletes perform lifts at sub-maximal loads (e.g., 40-70% of their 1RM) for higher reps with an emphasis on speed and acceleration.
Repetition Effort Day: This day focuses on hypertrophy and muscular endurance. Athletes perform high-repetition sets (e.g., 6–15 reps) to stimulate muscle growth and enhance endurance capabilities.
Specialized Variations: The conjugate method incorporates dynamic exercise variation to target weaknesses, prevent training plateaus, and promote continual adaptation. For example, variations of the squat (box squats, front squats, safety bar squats) are used to challenge different angles and movements.
Special Strength Exercises: The conjugate system utilizes accessory movements such as sled dragging, kettlebell swings, and band resistance to target specific muscles and movement patterns that support the primary lifts.
Unlike concurrent periodization, which organizes training into distinct phases, the conjugate method utilizes constant variation within each week to avoid plateaus and keep the body constantly adapting to new stimuli.
Example of the Conjugate Method:
A typical Westside Barbell-style week might look as follows:
Monday (Maximal Effort Upper Body): Heavy bench press or variation (1–3 reps), followed by accessory exercises for triceps, shoulders, and back.
Wednesday (Dynamic Effort Lower Body): Speed squats or deadlifts with bands or chains (8–12 sets of 2–3 reps), followed by assistance exercises (e.g., lunges, hip thrusts).
Friday (Maximal Effort Lower Body): Heavy squats or deadlifts with low reps (1–3), followed by accessory exercises.
Sunday (Dynamic Effort Upper Body): Speed bench press (8–12 sets of 3 reps), followed by assistance exercises.
Key Differences Between Concurrent Periodization and the Conjugate Method
While both concurrent periodization and the conjugate method aim to improve an athlete's overall athleticism, they differ in their foundational principles, the way they structure training, and how they balance strength and other physical qualities.
1. Philosophy and Focus
Concurrent Periodization: The focus is on simultaneous development of multiple qualities (e.g., strength, power, endurance, hypertrophy). The system aims to balance different physical capacities and gradually develop each quality over time, with one receiving more emphasis at different phases of training.
Conjugate Method: The conjugate system primarily revolves around maximizing strength through constant variation, with a focus on strength-specific qualities such as maximal strength, explosive power, and muscular endurance. It does not emphasize simultaneous development of unrelated qualities (e.g., endurance) within the same training cycle.
2. Training Structure
Concurrent Periodization: The structure of concurrent training is more flexible and less predictable than the conjugate method. Training volume and intensity change periodically, but a variety of qualities are emphasized in a given training cycle.
Conjugate Method: Training is broken down into specific days dedicated to either maximal effort, dynamic effort, or repetition effort. This structure repeats weekly, ensuring that athletes are consistently working on improving strength, speed, and hypertrophy without detracting from one quality in favor of another.
3. Adaptation Approach
Concurrent Periodization: Athletes experience planned progression of multiple physical qualities, meaning that while strength might take precedence at one point, endurance may be emphasized during another phase of training. The idea is that different adaptations can occur in harmony without overwhelming the athlete's system.
Conjugate Method: Adaptation in the conjugate method occurs through constant variation in exercises, sets, reps, and load. This variation prevents stagnation by constantly providing new stimuli for the muscles and nervous system.
4. Exercise Selection
Concurrent Periodization: Exercise selection is focused on targeting specific qualities at specific times, but the core exercises (e.g., squats, deadlifts, presses) are relatively standard throughout the training cycle.
Conjugate Method: The conjugate method places a significant emphasis on exercise variation. The same exercises (e.g., squats, bench press, deadlift) are used, but they are often performed with different variations to target weaknesses and prevent overtraining. These variations are critical for avoiding training plateaus.
5. Recovery and Adaptation
Concurrent Periodization: Recovery between cycles is built into the system through structured deload weeks or reduced intensity during off-peak phases.
Conjugate Method: While recovery is essential, the conjugate method continuously overloads the system with new types of stimuli each week, allowing for ongoing adaptations without requiring drastic deloads.
Which Method is Right for Your Athlete?
The decision between concurrent periodization and the conjugate method largely depends on the goals of the athlete and the demands of their sport.
Concurrent Periodization is ideal for athletes who need a balanced approach to strength, power, and endurance. It works well for athletes who require both anaerobic and aerobic capacities, such as football players, soccer players, or rugby players, who benefit from a mixture of strength, endurance, and explosiveness.
The Conjugate Method excels for athletes who need a more specialized approach to maximal strength, such as powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters, and strongman competitors. The constant variation and focus on strength qualities make it an ideal choice for those looking to build raw strength and power.
Conclusion
Both concurrent periodization and the conjugate method offer highly effective training models, but they cater to different athlete needs and training goals. While concurrent periodization excels at balancing various physical qualities in a cohesive program, the conjugate method focuses primarily on maximizing strength through variation and specificity. Coaches and athletes should carefully consider the demands of their sport and individual goals when choosing between these two powerful training strategies.
