Powerlifting
Conjugate — Westside 4-Day (Max/Dynamic Effort)
4-day Westside conjugate block for advanced lifters. Two max-effort days (rotating ≥90% singles on box squat / good morning / rack pull / floor / board press) and two dynamic-effort speed days (waved 50-60% bar-speed work), each with posterior-chain, triceps and GPP supplements. 12 weeks of concurrent strength + speed development. Off-season GPP.
- Category
- Powerlifting
- Length
- 12 weeks
- Frequency
- 4 days/week
- Est. session
- 50–70 min
Last updated: June 2026
About this program
The Westside Barbell conjugate method, structured as a 12-week off-season block for advanced raw lifters. Unlike linear or block periodization, conjugate trains max strength and speed-strength concurrently every week across four days: max-effort lower, max-effort upper, dynamic-effort lower, dynamic-effort upper.
Who it's for: advanced lifters (2+ years, comfortable above 90%) who have stalled on linear and block programs and need rotating variety to keep driving maximal strength. NOT for beginners or intermediates — the constant near-maximal singles and the self-managed lift rotation demand mature technique and accurate RPE/bar-speed judgement. NOT a meet-peaking block; this is general physical preparedness and off-season strength. Run a dedicated peaking block (e.g. Powerlifting Peaking — 12 Week Raw) in the weeks before a meet.
The mechanism, per the conjugate model: max-effort days rotate the main lift every 1-3 weeks so an advanced lifter can train above 90% all year without the accommodation that staling a single lift would cause. Dynamic-effort days develop rate of force development with submaximal loads (50-60% 1RM) moved at maximal speed, waved across three weeks (50 → 55 → 60%) then reset. Supplemental and accessory work — heavy triceps, posterior chain, upper back, reverse hypers, trunk — builds the muscles and addresses weak points the main lifts expose.
Equipment: commercial gym with a power rack, bench, boxes and a glute- ham / reverse-hyper if available (barbell substitutes are built in). The classic Westside template uses bands and chains for accommodating resistance on speed work and ME overload; this version is written barbell-only and degrades gracefully — bands/chains are noted in the coaching cues as an optional accommodation, never a requirement.
Across 12 weeks expect rotating ME PRs on the variations plus improved bar speed and lockout on the comp lifts. Feeds naturally into a peaking block when a meet date appears.
Powerlifting · 12 weeks · 4 days/week
Start to finish
- Frequency
- 4 days/week
- Per session
- 50–70 min
Who it's for
Four ways to tell at a glance whether this block belongs in your week.
- 01The goal
- 4-day Westside conjugate block for advanced lifters.
- 02The commitment
- A steady four-plus days a week
- 03The arc
- 12 weeks, 4 phases that build and reset
- 04The coaching
- Your coach drives the plan forward — it reads each session and moves you up the moment the work gets easier, so you keep progressing
How it progresses
12 weeks across 4 phases — your coach watches the effort in your logged sets and moves the weight up the moment a load starts getting easier, so you keep climbing instead of waiting on the calendar.
- Weeks 1–360Intensity
Phase 1 · Standard
Wave 1
First conjugate wave. Establish ME variation maxes and the dynamic-effort speed wave (50 → 55 → 60% 1RM). Build the supplement and GPP base.
- Weeks 4–660Intensity
Phase 2 · Standard
Wave 2
Second wave. Rotate to new ME variations; reset the DE speed wave (50 → 55 → 60%) at slightly higher absolute loads. Add supplement volume.
- Weeks 7–960Intensity
Phase 3 · Standard
Wave 3
Third wave. Fresh ME variations again; DE speed wave resets a third time. Heaviest ME singles of the block; trim supplement volume slightly.
- Weeks 10–1230Intensity
Phase 4 · Deload
Wave 4 + Deload
Final wave (weeks 10-11) then a week-12 deload. Last ME maxes and DE wave, then strip volume and load to shed accumulated fatigue.
Sessions in this program
The individual workouts this program schedules through the week — open any session for its full exercise list, sets, and coaching notes.
Why your coach builds it this way
The Westside Barbell conjugate method, structured as a 12-week off-season block for advanced raw lifters. Unlike linear or block periodization, conjugate trains max strength and speed-strength concurrently every week across four days: max-effort lower, max-effort upper, dynamic-effort lower, dynamic-effort upper.
Who it's for: advanced lifters (2+ years, comfortable above 90%) who have stalled on linear and block programs and need rotating variety to keep driving maximal strength. NOT for beginners or intermediates — the constant near-maximal singles and the self-managed lift rotation demand mature technique and accurate RPE/bar-speed judgement. NOT a meet-peaking block; this is general physical preparedness and off-season strength. Run a dedicated peaking block (e.g. Powerlifting Peaking — 12 Week Raw) in the weeks before a meet.
The mechanism, per the conjugate model: max-effort days rotate the main lift every 1-3 weeks so an advanced lifter can train above 90% all year without the accommodation that staling a single lift would cause. Dynamic-effort days develop rate of force development with submaximal loads (50-60% 1RM) moved at maximal speed, waved across three weeks (50 → 55 → 60%) then reset. Supplemental and accessory work — heavy triceps, posterior chain, upper back, reverse hypers, trunk — builds the muscles and addresses weak points the main lifts expose.
Equipment: commercial gym with a power rack, bench, boxes and a glute- ham / reverse-hyper if available (barbell substitutes are built in). The classic Westside template uses bands and chains for accommodating resistance on speed work and ME overload; this version is written barbell-only and degrades gracefully — bands/chains are noted in the coaching cues as an optional accommodation, never a requirement.
Across 12 weeks expect rotating ME PRs on the variations plus improved bar speed and lockout on the comp lifts. Feeds naturally into a peaking block when a meet date appears.
The principles behind it
Common questions
The facts most people check before they commit a block to it.
01How long is the Conjugate — Westside 4-Day (Max/Dynamic Effort) program?
Conjugate — Westside 4-Day (Max/Dynamic Effort) runs 12 weeks at 4 days a week, structured into 4 phases so the load builds and resets on schedule. In Squatly, the coach tunes it to you, so the plan keeps moving with your training.
02Who is Conjugate — Westside 4-Day (Max/Dynamic Effort) for?
4-day Westside conjugate block for advanced lifters. It sits in the Powerlifting category, and the coach reads your training to tell you whether it's the right fit before you commit a block to it.
03How does Conjugate — Westside 4-Day (Max/Dynamic Effort) progress over the weeks?
It opens with wave 1 and finishes with wave 4 + Deload. Each phase has a job — accumulate work, push intensity, or back off to absorb it — and the coach moves your load when your logged sets earn it, not on a fixed schedule.
04Does the coach adjust Conjugate — Westside 4-Day (Max/Dynamic Effort) to me?
Yes. The program is the starting structure; the coach reads your e1RM trend, your weekly volume, and your effort on each lift, then tells you when to push — when a load is getting easier, it's time to add weight. It shows you the trend lines behind every call, and you accept, edit, or reject it. With every workout, the plan gets more yours.
Keep moving forward.
The program sets the structure. Your coach drives it forward — reading your numbers and pushing the weight up as you get stronger, so the plan stays yours and you keep progressing.
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Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight