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

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/

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

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/

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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Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/
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Joe "Big House" Kenn coached strength in the NFL for nearly a decade. He sits down with Tom Barry for four decades of lessons.

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.

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00:00 From Hard Work to Smart Training

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

In today’s episode of the podcast, Tom and Burley answer your questions on various aspects of strength training. Topics discussed include dynamic effort training, max effort training frequency, the importance of strength in grappling, and the common misconceptions surrounding the conjugate method.

• 00:00:00 Intro
• 00:00:29 Dynamic Effort For Raw Lifters
• 00:02:04 What Does A Training Week Look Like
• 00:03:04 Posture & Plyo Day
• 00:04:42 Do You Need To Max Out Every Week
• 00:06:38 Strength's Role In Grappling
• 00:09:32 Conjugate Is Outdated?
• 00:14:33 Exercise Rotation
• 00:19:04 Conjugate For Beginners?
• 00:23:46 Do You Need To PR?
• 00:27:58 Exercise Variation
• 00:32:35 Combined Dynamic Effort Day
• 00:37:28 Accessory Work
• 00:39:29 Rest Periods
• 00:43:39 Box Squats & Speed Pulls
• 00:44:54 How to Choose Exercises
• 00:50:10 Critisms Of Westside
• 00:55:32 How To Start Conjugate
• 00:57:50 Injury Rate

In today’s episode of the podcast, Tom and Burley answer your questions on various aspects of strength training. Topics discussed include dynamic effort training, max effort training frequency, the importance of strength in grappling, and the common misconceptions surrounding the conjugate method. 

00:00 Intro

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Download The Conjugate Method: Introduction to Bench Press Training (E‑Book) here

Tom & Burley delve into the intricacies of bench pressing, focusing on the methods employed at Westside Barbell. It covers the max effort, dynamic effort, and repeated effort training methods, emphasizing the importance of technique, safety, and the role of various training parameters. The hosts also address common questions regarding bench pressing, including the significance of leg drive, the rotation of accessory exercises, and the differences between raw and geared bench training.

Takeaways:

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In this episode of the Westside Barbell podcast, Tom & Burley delve into the Repeated Effort Method, emphasizing its significance in strength training and hypertrophy. They discuss the importance of accessory work, execution, and intent in training, as well as the role of equipment. The conversation also covers the distinction between primary and secondary accessory movements, how to adjust training based on fatigue, and the benefits of repeated effort training. The hosts provide insights on building competency in training and transitioning to dynamic effort training, concluding with troubleshooting tips and resources for further learning.

Takeaways

- The repeated effort method focuses on lifting non-maximal loads to failure.

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