Built to Throw: Conjugate Programming for Throwers, Tossers, Strongman Athletes and Lifters Who Actually Need Power

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Built to Throw: Conjugate Programming for Throwers, Tossers, Strongman Athletes and Lifters Who Actually Need Power

Launch Code: How to Build Maximum Throwing Power with the Conjugate Method

Why Throwers Need Conjugate

Throwers aren’t bodybuilders. You don’t need another hypertrophy split, a random Olympic lift copy-paste, or some sad squat cycle that forgets you exist outside the rack.

Your sport is explosive, multi-plane, and chaotic - and it punishes bad programming harder than most.

Strongman sandbag toss, Highland hammer, weight for height, stone put, discus, javelin - they all demand the same thing in different forms: brutal speed applied to weird, heavy shit in unpredictable environments. That’s not going to be built on sets of 3x10 and a few technical drills.

Important that we all acknowledge in the first instance that this isn't a guide to how to toss the caber or throw the discuss.

Most throwers today are trapped between two bad options:

• ❌ Olympic lifting-based templates: too complex, too rigid, too dependent on clean bar paths and time-consuming technical mastery.

  
  

• ❌ Basic “lift heavy then throw” plans: inconsistent, poorly periodised, and completely disconnected from movement-specific force demands.

  
  

Here’s the truth no one tells you: you can build speed, power, and technical rhythm year-round - without sacrificing strength, CNS integrity, or comp readiness.

And the system that gives you those tools? Conjugate.

The Conjugate Method was built for:

• Lifters who need maximal strength AND peak explosiveness

• Athletes who need to be strong under fatigue, not just fresh on a platform

• Sports that demand weekly movement variation, not fixed comp lifts

• Competitors who can’t afford to peak twice a year - and need to throw on 6 weeks' notice

Strongman events don’t wait for your perfect program. Highland Games comps don’t care if you’re mid-cycle. And track athletes aren’t throwing well on sore hips and burnt-out backs.

So here’s what we’re doing:

• Breaking down every throw-type event from sandbags to sheaf

• Showing you how to plug into the DE / ME logic of Conjugate

• Teaching you to rotate, recover, and peak for real-world conditions

• Giving you a working system - not just a list of cues

You’ve got all the raw ingredients. Let’s build the system that finally puts them to use.

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The Thrower’s Dilemma

Throwers live in a strange space.

You need to be strong as hell, but not slow. You need to be fast, but not fragile. You need to be technically precise, but under chaos. And you need to be ready to compete at a moment’s notice - not once or twice a year after a perfect 12-week peak.

Whether you’re launching a sandbag over a yoke, chasing distance with a kettlebell toss, or muscling a stone through a muddy field - your success depends on more than just barbell numbers.

What Throwers Actually Need

• Maximal Strength: You need to move heavy things explosively. You’re not just throwing technique - you’re throwing mass.

• Explosive Acceleration: Not top speed - initial drive. From static to ballistic in one brutal second.

• Technical Rhythm Under Fatigue: You’ll rarely throw fresh. Real-world comps involve rushed attempts, cold muscles, and recycled efforts.

• Durability and Readiness: Seasonal comps, travel, injuries - you need a system that lets you stay 85-90% ready, year-round, not chasing 100% and collapsing after.

This is why most “strength” programs for throwers fall apart. They’re built around either peaking a powerlifter or prepping an Oly lifter. You don’t live in either world.

Why Conjugate Is Built for You

You need a system that builds total performance - not just lifts. That’s where Conjugate thrives:

• Max Effort Work Builds your absolute strength - the foundation of power. Variations protect your joints and train from disadvantageous positions - think incline, pin press, front squat, SSB. Weekly rotation prevents stagnation and burnout.

• Dynamic Effort Work Teaches you to apply force fast. That’s your ticket to longer throws. It also teaches rhythm, timing, bar control, and intent - just like your sport. Bands and chains give you that nasty top-end punch needed for real-world implements.

• Repetition Effort Work Keeps your joints alive and healthy. Fixes imbalances. Builds the muscle you actually use - lats, triceps, obliques, hamstrings, rotator cuffs. Think of this as armour - without it, you’re breaking down.

• General Physical Preparedness (GPP) Builds your engine. Recovery between throws. Resilience on long comp days. Carries, sleds, medleys - they replicate the chaos and volume of real competition. You can’t throw well when you’re gassed. This fixes that.

  
  

But What About Olympic Lifts?

The sacred cow of every thrower program - and yes, they have value. But here’s the issue:

• Most of you suck at them.

• Most coaches suck at teaching them.

• And most templates use them poorly.

  
  

Cleans and snatches are tools - not commandments. If you move well and you’re coached well, they’re excellent additions. But if you’re trying to snatch on junky shoulders or power clean on a stiff hip, you’re spending more time chasing technique than building output.

Instead, the Conjugate solution is to treat Oly lifts like any other movement: rotated in and out, used with purpose, and adapted to the athlete. Power cleans. Hang snatches. Push jerks for speed. Clean pulls with bands. You get the explosive benefit without the dogma.

The Werner Günthör Blueprint

Need proof that this system works? Let’s talk Werner Günthör - one of the most dominant shot putters in history. His program wasn’t an Olympic lifting template. It wasn’t a Sheiko spreadsheet. It was a Conjugate-style rotation before the term existed:

• Rotating variations of cleans and snatches

• Heavy squats + explosive jumps

• Medicine ball throws and plyometrics

• High variation, low stagnation

• Focused accessory work for hips, hamstrings, and rotation

• In-season: low volume, high intensity; off-season: general work and restoration

He trained explosively, frequently, and intelligently - using a template that looks suspiciously like what we now call Conjugate.

Throwers don’t need another dogmatic template.

You need a system that adapts, recovers, and drives output - from stone to sandbag, from sheaf to shot put.

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The Foundation: What a Thrower Really Needs

Throwing isn’t about who benches the most. It’s about who applies force fast, accurately, and repeatedly - often under fatigue, pressure, and chaos.

Too many athletes chase absolute strength and forget what actually moves implements through the air.

You need:

• Rate of force development (how fast you can go from zero to full output)

• Explosive hip extension (the engine room of every throw)

• Grip, shoulder, and trunk power (your control and carryover muscles)

• Technical rhythm under load (you throw like you train)

• Recovery between high-output efforts (you don’t throw once - you throw rounds)

Conjugate isn’t just about rotating movements. It’s a framework for building every quality you need, year-round, without overreaching or burning out.

Let’s break it down.

The Thrower’s Diagnostic

How to Identify What’s Actually Holding Back Your Distance, Height or Power

Throwers rarely plateau because of “bad strength” or “bad technique.” They plateau because they misdiagnose the real limiter. They train the symptom instead of the cause.

This diagnostic is simple, brutally honest, and grounded in the realities of throwing under varied loads, weather, fatigue and implements. If you read nothing else in this article, read this. It is the section that stops wasted years.

Below are the five most common performance patterns, what they mean, and what the Conjugate solution looks like.

1. Your Best Throws Happen Early… then fall off a cliff

This is the thrower who starts the session with a monster opening throw and immediately declines across attempts. This is not a strength issue. It is a recovery capacity issue.

The Cause: Low GPP, weak recovery strength, poor repeatability under fatigue, or lack of trunk endurance.

Conjugate Solution:

• Add RE rotation work

• Increase loaded carries and sled dragging

• Add SSB box squats to build repeatable hip drive

• Reduce junk volume and clean up DE waves You are not trying to get stronger. You are trying to last.

  
  

2. Your Releases Feel Inconsistent

Some reps feel snappy, others die in your hands. The rhythm breaks, the timing shifts, and no two throws look the same.

The Cause: Poor trunk timing, weak rotational stiffness, or incomplete proximal-to-distal sequencing.

Conjugate Solution:

• Rotate in more DE rotational waves

• Add landmine throws, rotational jumps, med ball heaves

• Increase anti-rotation accessories, especially under load You need a torso that transfers force, not leaks it.

  
  

3. You Move Fast… but Nothing Goes Far

This is the classic “fast but powerless” athlete. Your movement looks athletic, but the implement travels like someone turned the power off at the socket.

The Cause: Low maximal force. There is no engine behind the speed.

Conjugate Solution:

• Shift ME emphasis immediately

• Add heavier hinge work, especially pulls from varied heights

• Increase front-loaded squats and Zerchers for full-body strain Speed without strength is just choreography. You need force behind it.

  
  

4. You’re Strong… but Slow Leaving the Ground

Great in the gym, poor in the field. You can squat, pull and press, but nothing you launch leaves your hand with authority.

The Cause: Weak rate of force development or poor technical rhythm under speed.

Conjugate Solution:

• Add weeks of pure speed DE work

• Reduce accommodating resistance to allow genuine acceleration

• Increase jumps, throws and lighter explosive variations

• Insert contrast sets to re-learn rapid force expression You need to learn to use your strength, not add more of it.

  
  

5. Heavy Implements Feel Great… but Light Implements Feel Terrible

This is one of the most overlooked indicators in throwing. If light tools feel unstable or unpredictable, the problem is not strength.

The Cause: Poor velocity curve, sequencing flaws, or asymmetrical technique that only appears at high speed.

Conjugate Solution:

• 2–3 weeks of pure velocity DE work with no bands or chains

• Increase med ball work across multiple movement planes

• Add speed waves with strict technical demands

• Use variability training: stance changes, tempo shifts, small load jumps When light implements feel sharp, everything feels sharp.

This diagnostic gives you clarity that most athletes never get. You’re no longer guessing. You’re no longer blaming the wrong quality. You’re no longer repeating cycles that do nothing.

If you understand which limiter is holding you back, the Conjugate framework becomes a surgical tool instead of a general plan.

 You train the thing that actually makes your throws go farther, higher, and faster.

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Max Effort for Throwers

Max Effort work is non-negotiable. Not because you need a bigger squat, but because throwing starts with force. And the best way to train force? Heavy, focused, full-body strain.

But unlike powerlifting, you don’t need to max a straight bar back squat or a comp bench every week. You need to max movements that build your throw, not your ego.

Here’s what works:

• Zercher Good Mornings → Huge hip and trunk engagement. Teaches explosive hinge through midline tension.

• Cleans & Log Cleans → Builds triple extension, clean mechanics, and awkward implement strength.

• Cambered Bar Front Squats → Forces upright posture, challenges core, and simulates stone/sandbag positioning.

• Snatch-Grip Deadlifts → Wide grip, longer ROM, crushes upper back and hamstrings.

• Heavy Step-Ups → Builds unilateral leg drive and balance under load - critical for rotational throws.

• Partial Movements and Explosive Partials (pins, blocks, etc.) → Overload the sticking point of your most common throws.

Weekly Template

• One ME Lower (builds hips, posterior chain, and leg drive)

• One ME Upper (builds pressing, pulling, and bracing strength)

• Rotate movements every week or two

• Choose variations that support your next event - not your training max

Dynamic Effort for Throwers

This is where you leave most athletes behind. Dynamic Effort (DE) is your secret weapon - it’s speed, intent, rhythm, and violence. If ME builds your engine, DE teaches you to launch it.

But you don’t just do 9x3 bench with minibands and call it a day. You program DE like a thrower.

Event-Driven Variations

• Sandbag/Keg Toss

  • Banded SSB Box Squats (simulate loading & extension)

  • Jumps with implements (real tools, not machines)

  • Trap bar accelerative pulls

• Weight for Height

  • Concentric-only pulls from pins

  • Banded axle cleans (faster transitions and wrist whip)

  • Explosive push presses (bar speed > lockout grind)

• Sheaf Toss & Caber

  • Trap bar jumps (vertical force production)

  • Reverse medball slams (hip whip and anti-extension)

  • Explosive curls (you laugh - but they carry)

Each session targets speed with load, not just moving something light fast. And yes, that means monitoring bar speed and adjusting as needed.

3-Week DE Waves (Pendulum Style)

Just like with lifting:

• Week 1 → Straight Weight (pure speed)

• Week 2 → Bands (accommodating resistance through ROM)

• Week 3 → Chains or Contrast (add real-time feedback, dynamic overload)

You wave the method, not just the load.

Bonus: Olympic Lifts as DE Variants

1x per week, rotate in explosive Olympic lift derivatives:

• Hang cleans

• Power snatches

• Clean pulls with bands

• Push jerks with bar speed monitoring

Not full Olympic cycles - just dose explosive mechanics where they fit.

Your throwing won’t improve just by maxing more. It improves when you train like a thrower. Speed. Power. Intent. Conjugate delivers all three.

How Throwers Actually Produce Force

Before we get lost in sets, waves and variations, it is worth being clear about what you are actually trying to build. Throwing is not just “be strong and move fast.” It is very specific combinations of force, timing and position that change from event to event.

Impulse, contact time and why vertical and rotational throws feel so different

Vertical events like sandbag or keg for height are essentially “short contact” sports. You have a very small window to generate force into the ground and into the implement. The impulse is high, the contact time is short, and your success comes from how much force you can produce in that brief instant.

Rotational events like hammer, weight for distance or discus stretch that window out. You have more time in contact with the ground, more time to build tension through the chain, and more chances to ruin the pattern if your timing is off. The impulse is spread across the turn, not crammed into one violent drive.

That is why your Dynamic Effort work cannot look identical for every thrower. Vertical events benefit from very crisp, short-contact DE work: jumps, speed squats, cleans, throws where the focus is “hit hard and leave the floor.” Rotational events benefit from slightly longer patterns: landmine work, rotational jumps, med ball heaves, where you learn to keep building force without losing position.

Max Effort supports this by giving you more total force to play with. DE decides how you express it in those specific time windows.

Rotational whip is not the same RFD as vertical projection

When you drive a sandbag straight up, you are essentially chasing vertical rate of force development. The pattern is simple. Hips extend, knees extend, ankles extend, arms finish. The implement goes where you send it.

Rotational whip is messier. You are trying to coil and uncoil the body while keeping the feet organised and the trunk braced. The rate of force development is spread across a pattern that includes internal and external rotation, hip lead, hip chase and arm release.

This matters, because the same DE plan will not hit both qualities equally. If you only ever train “straight up” speed, your rotational throws will lag behind. If you only chase rotational chaos, your vertical projection will never be as sharp as it could be. The Conjugate

approach lets you wave between those emphases, so you can develop both without trying to do everything at once.

Proximal-to-distal sequencing vs symmetrical extension

Powerlifters live in symmetrical extension. Both feet planted. Both legs driving together. Both arms pressing in the same direction. The bar path is fixed. The body is essentially learning to extend everything at the same time and keep it there.

Throwers live in proximal-to-distal sequencing. The movement starts at the ground and hips, travels through the trunk, and finishes at the hand. The legs and arms are rarely doing the same thing in the same way at the same time. One side may be blocking while the other side is whipping. The sequence matters far more than the peak number on any single joint.

Your lifting needs to reflect that. You still need heavy symmetrical work to build the raw force. Squats and pulls are not going anywhere. But you also need split stances, staggered positions, rotational work and trunk patterns that teach your body to move force from centre to extremity without leakage.

Conjugate gives you room for both: heavy symmetrical ME work for force, and more athletic DE and accessory work that respects the sequencing you actually use on the field.

Why front-loaded ME work changes your throws

Most throwers instinctively chase back squats and pulls. They feel heavy, they look strong, and they absolutely have their place. Front-loaded work is the piece that often gets neglected.

Front squats, SSB squats with the bar pitched forward, Zerchers, front-loaded carries and stone or sandbag positions all drag your centre of mass forward and force your torso to earn its keep. You cannot hide a weak midline in a heavy front squat. You either keep the chest where it needs to be or you fold.

That torso stiffness is exactly what you need when you hit the “transfer” point in a throw. The moment where legs have done their job and the implement is about to leave the hand. If your trunk flexes, rotates early or collapses, you lose force into your own body instead of into the implement.

Front-loaded ME work teaches you to keep position under brutal strain. Done right, it improves technical consistency when you are tired, when the ground is soft, when the wind is wrong and when the implement feels awkward. It does not just build numbers on paper. It locks in the structure that your throws sit on.

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The Strongman Tossing Events

Why Throwing Movements Shouldn’t Replace Dynamic Effort Lifts - And How to Program Them Properly

Throwing events in Strongman are fast, technical, chaotic, and unforgiving - but they’re not a substitute for proper DE work. Too many athletes mistakenly replace Dynamic Effort squats or pulls with "just throwing stuff." That’s a one-way ticket to missed PRs and fried CNS.

Throwing trains power, yes - but it’s event-specific skill expression, not full-spectrum force production. Your DE Lower session should remain the foundation for force development. Throws? Add them after DE or in GPP slots, as skill primers or contrast pairings.

Now let’s break down each major tossing event in modern Strongman, and how to program for them using Conjugate.

🔹 Sandbag Toss (Over Bar)

Key Physical Qualities:

• Vertical hip drive

• Triple extension

• Timing & release coordination

Carryover Exercises:

• Dynamic effort cleans (barbell or sandbag)

• Jump squats with light implements

• Med ball vertical tosses and slams

• Box squats with bands

Programming Tips:

• Primary DE Lower: Speed squats or deadlifts

• GPP Slot: Tosses for reps, heights, or speed

• Progress with load or bar height over cycles

🔹 Keg Toss

Key Physical Qualities:

• Rotational hip snap

• Overhead extension

• Fast twitch activation + object control

Carryover Exercises:

• Dynamic effort push jerks

• Behind-the-neck presses (bar or axle)

• Barbell or dumbbell throws (in controlled setups)

• Rotational med ball throws

Programming Tips:

• Place throws after DE Upper (push press day)

• Use contrast sets (e.g. explosive press → keg toss)

• Vary implements for feel and carryover

🔹 Weight Throw (Strongman Style)

Key Physical Qualities:

• Single-arm explosive release

• Unilateral force production

• Core to limb transfer and rotation

Carryover Exercises:

• Rotational kettlebell swings

• Single-arm banded snatches

• Axle clean pulls with eccentric control

• Banded landmine throws

Programming Tips:

• Keep skill work light and fast

• Pair with DE Lower speed pulls

• Use as a GPP finisher for trunk explosiveness

🔹 Kettlebell Toss

Key Physical Qualities:

• Explosive hinge + snap

• Grip control and rhythm

• Full-body timing

Carryover Exercises:

• Max effort kettlebell swings (heavier than usual)

• Med ball slams (overhead and rotational)

• Band-resisted kettlebell tosses

• Good mornings with dynamic intent

Programming Tips:

• Integrate into DE Lower assistance or GPP

• Use high-rep sets for power endurance

• Keep throws controlled and consistent in height

🔹 Hammer Throw (Strongman Variant)

Key Physical Qualities:

• Rotational total-body timing

• Core control under torque

• Dynamic balance and trunk reflexes

Carryover Exercises:

• Banded Russian twists

• Landmine rotations and throws

• Med ball rotational slams (against wall or floor)

• Jumping rotational lunges or jumps

Programming Tips:

• Use for low-volume, high-speed GPP

• Can be paired with rotational ab work

• Great primer before DE Lower if coordination is needed

❗ Important: Where Tosses Fit in the Week

Tossing Event	Best Placement in Week	Pairs Well With
Sandbag Toss	After DE Lower or GPP Slot	Box squats, med ball throws
Keg Toss	After DE Upper or Light Overhead	Push press, behind-neck press
Weight Throw	GPP or as Warm-Up before DE Lower	Rotational med ball, single-arm pulls
Kettlebell Toss	GPP or Conditioning Circuit	Swings, band-resisted tosses
Hammer Throw (Alt)	GPP or DE Lower Primer	Rotational core + jump medleys

Remember: You train the throws to express power. You train Dynamic Effort to build power.

Don’t confuse the two - and don’t let throw day become skip-day for real force production.

Let your DE work drive the system. Let your tosses sharpen it.

 Highland Games Events (Expanded)

Conjugate Programming for Cabers, Sheafs, and Everything Else That Gets Launched Through the Sky

The Highland Games aren’t just Scottish cosplay with logs and hay bales. They’re some of the most technically demanding strength events on the planet - and absolutely ruthless on the athlete who shows up underprepared.

Each event challenges a unique combination of force output, timing, rhythm, and repeatability under fatigue. That’s where Conjugate shines. Not just because it’s flexible - but because it trains all facets of performance simultaneously: maximal strength, rate of force development, skill, and resilience.

Below: a full breakdown of each major event in the Highland Games, and how to program for them using Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, Repetition Effort, and GPP.

🔹 Caber Toss

Key Qualities:

• Whole-body bracing under load

• Wrist and elbow control

• Violent pull-through and body follow

DE/ME Applications:

• SSB front-loaded carries (event mimicry)

• Zercher holds from pins (wrist and torso tension)

• Paused cleans (pulling and posture)

Programming Tips:

• ME Lower: Rotate squats and hinge patterns that overload front-loaded postures

• DE Lower: Power cleans, speed pulls with pause-holds

• GPP: Caber-style loaded carries in yoke or SSB format (slow walk-outs, fast pickups)

🔹 Sheaf Toss

Key Qualities:

• Explosive vertical pull

• Grip and shoulder whip endurance

• Rhythm from ground to release

DE/ME Applications:

• High pulls (bar or implement)

• Snatch pulls and upright rows

• Explosive front raises (banded or dumbbell)

• Jump medleys

Programming Tips:

• DE Upper: Snatch-grip speed pulls, explosive overheads

• GPP: High-rep med ball tosses and kettlebell swings

• Grip: Fat rope and towel work to mimic pitchfork load

🔹 Weight for Height

Key Qualities:

• One-arm vertical explosiveness

• Shoulder and lat drive

• Full-body coordination

DE/ME Applications:

• One-arm push presses (barbell or dumbbell)

• Kettlebell snatches for height

• Split jerks from pins or blocks

Programming Tips:

• DE Upper: Push press waves, alternating arms

• ME Upper: Floor press, incline press, and board variations

• GPP: Standing vertical med ball throws or plate flips

🔹 Weight for Distance

Key Qualities:

• Hinge-to-rotation energy transfer

• Dynamic balance

• Lateral explosiveness

DE/ME Applications:

• Rotational deadlifts (banded or barbell)

• Weighted rotational jumps

• Med ball rotational heaves

Programming Tips:

• DE Lower Week A: Linear speed squats or pulls

• DE Lower Week B: Rotational jumps and swings

• ME Lower: SSB good mornings and single-leg work

🔹 Hammer Throw (Scot’s)

Key Qualities:

• Anchored feet → massive torque

• Full-body whip

• Release timing under rotational tension

DE/ME Applications:

• Anchored landmine rotations

• Banded woodchoppers

• Russian twists with isometric holds

Programming Tips:

• RE/GPP: High-volume trunk work (rotation + anti-rotation)

• DE Lower: Pulls with pause and banded tension

• Add in contrast throws with banded resistance or chains

🔹 Shot Put (Stone Put)

Key Qualities:

• Horizontal/angled explosive release

• Maximal rate of force development

• Core-to-arm whip and punch

DE/ME Applications:

• DE bench with bands/chains

• Overhead med ball tosses

• Rotational throws into wall or pad

Programming Tips:

• Cycle DE Bench + med ball work

• ME Bench: Floor press, close grip incline, Swiss bar

• RE: Shoulder and triceps volume to support power

🔹 Tug-of-War

Key Qualities:

• Max isometric pulling power

• Total body stiffness and foot drive

• Sustained grip and posture

DE/ME Applications:

• Isometric rack pulls or RDLs

• Rows from deadstop with tempo

• Sled drags and rope pulls

Programming Tips:

• DE Pulls → sleds → finish with static holds

• GPP: Rope climbs, towel hangs, heavy dumbbell holds

• Strongman-style yoke + drag medleys on weekends

Programming Notes for Highland Games Throwers:

• Max Effort (ME): Focus on movements that build position-specific strength - front-loaded squats, Zercher variations, heavy pulls with clean/snatch grip

• Dynamic Effort (DE): Use a 3-week pendulum wave with speed work tailored to vertical, rotational, or lateral demands of the events

• Repetition Effort (RE): Protect the joints, reinforce weak links - high rep posterior chain, shoulders, and core

• GPP: Include movement-based skill practice (throws, carries, drills), but don’t let it replace your main lifts. You build general capacity here.

Classic Field Events

Programming for Throwers Who Compete Beyond Strongman and Highland Games

Not every thrower sticks to sandbags and kegs. Some of you move between strength sports and field events - or coach athletes who do. That means your programming has to cover a broader range of movement profiles, limb lengths, loading demands, and seasonal rhythms.

The good news? The Conjugate Method was built for crossover power.

Here’s how to use it to dominate the traditional Track & Field throws - shot put, hammer, discus, and javelin - without falling into the trap of over-specialised, single-plane training.

🔹 Shot Put

Event Demands:

• Horizontal force projection

• Maximal triple extension

• Arm whip under tension

Conjugate Carryover:

• Max Effort Lower: Box squats (wide and narrow), reverse lunges from pins

• Max Effort Upper: Heavy bench press variations, incline Swiss bar work

• Dynamic Effort: Speed bench with bands or chains, paired with med ball wall throws

• Repetition Effort: Triceps and upper back volume (dips, extensions, rows)

Throw-Specific Notes: Training both linear and rotational shot putters? Cycle between bench-focused weeks and trunk-heavy rotational work. Use paused med ball throws to teach explosiveness without cheating range or timing.

🔹 Hammer Throw (Track & Field)

Event Demands:

• Whip-like torque from the ground up

• Precise footwork under centrifugal force

• Maximal release speed

Conjugate Carryover:

• Max Effort Lower: Cambered bar squats with pause, safety bar good mornings

• Dynamic Effort Lower: Band-resisted box squats, weighted jump squats

• Supplemental Work: Russian twists, anti-rotational ab holds, med ball rotational shots

Throw-Specific Notes: This is one of the most CNS-demanding throws. Keep ME lower on rotation-heavy weeks and use contrast throws to build release timing. Recovery work isn’t optional here - it’s mandatory if you want longevity.

🔹 Discus

Event Demands:

• Controlled rotational velocity

• Stability in split stance

• Shoulder and trunk timing

Conjugate Carryover:

• Max Effort Upper: Overhead presses with a cambered bar or log, incline pressing from pins

• Dynamic Effort Lower: Single-leg box jumps, jump lunges, kettlebell swings

• Specialty Work: Split-stance landmine press, banded cable punches, rotational med ball scoops

Throw-Specific Notes: This is where athleticism and strength must blend. Don't overcook max effort - let speed and rhythm do the heavy lifting. Landmine presses simulate real throwing angles without wrecking your shoulder.

🔹 Javelin

Event Demands:

• Arm whip and follow-through

• Explosive sprint-to-throw transition

• Shoulder durability and overhead control

Conjugate Carryover:

• Max Effort Upper: Floor press, banded push-up overloads, Bradford press

• Dynamic Effort Upper: Push press, split jerks, speed dumbbell snatches

• Repetition Effort: High rep rear delt, lat, and triceps work (band pull-aparts, skull crushers, face pulls)

Throw-Specific Notes: Javelin punishes the unprepared shoulder. Avoid heavy eccentric loading and overuse of pressing work. Emphasise concentric force and active recovery. Plyos, sprint drills, and med ball heaves all play a role - but they complement, not replace, the main DE/ME structure.

Programming Tips for Hybrid Throwers

• Alternate DE Emphases: Rotate between vertical, horizontal, and rotational focus every wave

• Split Volume Intelligently: Too much overhead pressing? Back off ME upper and lean on DE push/pull instead

• Taper for In-Season: Use dynamic effort to stay sharp - don’t grind in-season unless the lift has direct transfer

• Skill Work Is Not a Substitute: Keep throws in, but never let them replace your main lifts or real speed work

You’re not just a lifter. You’re a ballistic engine - and Conjugate lets you build power without losing precision.

Programming Strategies

How to Run Conjugate Waves for Throwers In-Season and Off-Season

Throwing isn’t just a movement - it’s a demand. Speed, rhythm, power, and precision all have to show up on command, and if you’re stuck in a dead-end block that doesn’t match your comp schedule or technical needs, you’ll stagnate.

This is where Conjugate thrives.

A smartly rotated template lets you hit every strength quality year-round while plugging in technical throws and event variations without frying your CNS or butchering bar speed. Here’s how to structure it for throwers and strongman tossers alike.

DE Upper - Speed and Skill

Main Movement Options:

• Speed bench (bands/chains)

• Push press and power jerk

• Log press variations

• Barbell throws (Smith machine, pins, reverse throws)

• Med ball power work (overhead, scoop, chest)

Structure:

• Run as your main lift on DE Upper day.

• Follow with event-specific throwing work - lighter tosses, high-rep med ball drills, bar path refinement.

• Keep speed above all else. If bar velocity drops, lower the load or reduce resistance.

• 3-week waves:

  • Week 1: Straight weight

  • Week 2: Bands

  • Week 3: Chains or contrast

DE Lower - Launch Training

Main Movement Options:

• Clean pulls and snatch pulls

• Box squats with SSB or cambered bar

• Jump squats (barbell, trap bar, safety bar)

• Rotational jumps and weighted bounds

• Power cleans and power snatches

Structure:

• Start with a classic DE lower variation.

• Insert throwing drills as your third or fourth movement - sandbag toss, rotational med ball, kettlebell swings with a release.

• Use variation strategically: vertical on Week 1, rotational on Week 2, hybrid on Week 3.

• Emphasise rapid hip extension and aggressive footwork throughout.

ME Upper - Max Output for Upper Chain

Max Effort Variations:

• Board press (2-3 board)

• Floor press

• Z press (straight bar or log)

• Strict log press

• Push jerk from pins

• Close-grip incline

Notes:

• Rotate weekly.

• Prioritise joint-friendly setups for in-season phases.

• Log or axle? Rotate them as technical peaking demands rise.

ME Lower - Building the Thrower’s Base

Max Effort Variations:

• Front squats (SSB or cambered bar for shoulder relief)

• Box pulls from various heights

• Deficit deadlifts and snatch-grip pulls

• Banded or chained deadlifts

• Trap bar pulls with pause at the knee

Notes:

• Select movements that reinforce your event plane - more hinge? Focus on pulls. More vertical drive? Hit squats.

• Remember: bar speed matters here too. Don’t grind to a halt every week.

Repetition Effort (RE) - The Support System

Accessories That Build Athletes:

• High-rep kettlebell swings and snatches

• Band triceps + overhead extensions

• Cable chops and anti-rotation work

• Med ball slams

• High-volume shoulder GPP

Notes: RE is your armour-building work. For throwers, this means staying uninjured, stable, and fast across reps. Target weak points aggressively. Rotate these every 2-3 weeks unless chasing a specific fix.

GPP

What to Use:

• Sled drags and backward pulls

• Weighted carries (Zercher, front rack, sandbag)

• Rotational conditioning circuits

• Jump finishers and throws for time

Thrower-Specific Emphasis: Rotational strength and triple extension aren’t just “power” buzzwords - they’re the base of every toss. Use loaded GPP to reinforce them in fatigue conditions - especially during base or off-season phases.

Event Days and Technical Integration

Two Key Approaches:

1. Post-DE Integration:

   
   

   • After DE lower or upper, insert 15-20 minutes of light tosses or technical throw drills.

   • Think: low fatigue, high precision.

2. Standalone Throwing Sessions:

   • Reserved for in-season or full-time throwers.

   • Pure technique, not conditioning. Treat like sport practice, not training.

   
   

Note: Your throwing shouldn't replace your DE work. It’s an add-on - never the main lift. If your throws start getting slower or sloppier, it’s not because DE isn’t working - it’s because you’re not managing volume or recovery.

This is the structure for building not just strength, but power with purpose. The kind that leaves the ground, clears the bar, or slams the sheaf so far out of frame the judge has to squint.

Becoming the Conjugate Colossus 2.0

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Rhythm Acquisition, Rhythm Stabilisation, and Rhythm Retention

The Technical Ladder Every Thrower Must Climb

Nothing in throwing matters if the rhythm isn’t there. You can be strong, fast, conditioned and explosive, but if your sequencing doesn’t line up at the moment of release, you will never express what you’ve built.

This is where most throwers stagnate. They confuse “technical practice” with “technical progression.” They hammer the same cues, the same sessions, the same implement, without understanding that rhythm is not one skill. It is three different skills that develop in sequence.

Throwers live on a technical ladder:

Rhythm Acquisition (Beginners)

This is the stage where the athlete is simply learning the pattern. Foot placement, timing, hip chase, trunk sequence, arm path. They do not need maximal speed or heavy implements. They need predictable patterns and repeatable reps.

At this level, Conjugate looks different:

• Lighter Dynamic Effort work with clean intent

• Simple jumps, simple throws, simple variations

• Repetition of the same throw variations across the wave

• Clear coaching cues, reduced complexity, reduced variation

You are building the movement vocabulary. Not chaos, not overload, not novelty. Consistency.

Rhythm Stabilisation (Intermediates)

This is the stage where the athlete can hit a good throw, but cannot hit it reliably. They can produce a good rep on film when the conditions are perfect, but they struggle under fatigue, nerves, small technical errors or slightly heavier implements.

This is where most strongman and Highland Games athletes sit.

Conjugate at this stage becomes more athletic:

• More Dynamic Effort rotational patterns

• Throwing clusters to reproduce technique under tight rest

• Moderate variation in tools and setups

• DE waves that alternate between vertical and rotational emphasis

The goal is simple: teach the athlete to hold the pattern while producing force. You make the throw work under strain instead of only in perfect warm-up conditions.

Rhythm Retention (Advanced Throwers)

This is the elite tier. The athlete knows the pattern, can stabilise it under load, and now needs to keep it intact across attempts, fatigue, weather shifts, wind variables, uneven ground, awkward implements, adrenaline spikes and competitive pressure.

This separates good throwers from serious competitors.

Conjugate for these athletes incorporates:

• Different Dynamic Effort emphases across the wave

• Heavy-to-light and light-to-heavy contrast throws

• Variability training (implement size, load, stance, tempo)

• Reduced coaching cues and more athlete-led adjustments

• Exposure to chaos without sacrificing bar speed or technical integrity

You are now training the highest form of technical resilience. The ability to hit the pattern when it matters, not just when it is convenient.

Strength without rhythm gives you nothing. Speed without rhythm gives you nothing. Conditioning without rhythm gives you nothing.

The entire Conjugate system works because it lets you match the correct training stress to the correct technical stage. Beginners don’t need chaos. Intermediates don’t need maximal novelty. Advanced athletes don’t need constant coaching cues. They need the right kind of exposure, at the right time, in the right wave.

Once you understand rhythm as a ladder rather than a single step, your thrower programming becomes intelligent instead of reactive.

Periodisation for Dummies

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Periodisation for Throwing

Throwers don’t live in tidy 12-week blocks. Strongman comps are unpredictable. Highland Games run in circuits. Field athletes often bounce between sports. And yet - you still need to peak, perform, and recover without falling apart or losing power.

This is where Conjugate becomes your edge. Not just a programming system - but a year-round structure that keeps you strong, fast, and competition-ready even when your calendar is chaos.

Peak for Single Events

If you’re targeting one big competition - especially an event with a high skill ceiling like Weight for Height, Keg Toss, or Sandbag Max Height - you’ll need to time your intensity waves with surgical precision.

• Use Max Effort work to push top-end force.

• Adjust Dynamic Effort intensity in the final 3-4 weeks - taper band tension, increase rest, maintain bar speed.

• Practice event throws post-DE with competition-style implements, not substitutes.

• Add low-volume technical drills 2-3x per week in place of accessory work - don’t stack fatigue.

Keep your DE core - but turn down the noise and let the event dictate your precision work.

Stay “In-Shape” for Rotating Events (Highland Games Circuit, Weekly Strongman Shows)

This is where Conjugate shines the most. You can’t peak 10 times a year - but you can stay high-functioning, highly specific, and incredibly adaptable.

• Keep the DE/ME structure in place - never drop it completely.

• Rotate emphasis:

  • 3-week focus on vertical power (Weight for Height, Sandbag)

  • 3-week focus on rotational force (Hammer Throw, Weight for Distance)

  • 3-week focus on technical refinement and bar speed (lighter waves)

• Match your event practice to your DE emphasis:

  • Vertical weeks = overhead med balls, push presses, weighted jumps

  • Rotational weeks = landmine throws, lateral jumps, banded chops

You stay strong without blowing your peak. You stay sharp without burning out.

Rotate DE Waves to Match Throwing Demands

Most lifters treat DE like a speed bench day and move on. Throwers? You need to treat it like gold - because it's where power is built and refined. Rotate your waves:

Linear Force Weeks

• Traditional DE squats, benches, pulls

• Banded/chain-loaded barbell movements

• Focus on vertical power and bar speed

Rotational Force Weeks

• Med ball throws for distance and height

• Rotational jumps and split-stance slams

• Landmine presses and banded throws

• Emphasis on hip snap, trunk whip, and timed release

Run each wave for 3 weeks. Alternate between linear and rotational blocks as competition needs shift.

Adjust Based On:

• Throwing Volume High practice weeks? Cut RE/GPP. Reduce band tension. Stay crisp. Low practice weeks? Add barbell throws and med ball volume.

• Technical Sessions If you’re working with a coach or hitting the field 3-4x weekly, scale back ME volume or shift to variations that support rather than stress.

• Recovery & CNS Readiness Track bar speed, jumps, and your psyche. If DE work feels sluggish, drop intensity, not volume. If ME work gets grindy, rotate to a safer variation or pause work entirely for a week.

Programming the Throws Themselves

You don’t just lift for the throw. You throw to win. So let’s cover what your actual throwing sessions should look like.

Throwing Sessions Are Skill Practice — Not Conditioning

Your tossing and throwing events aren’t just “GPP with weird tools.” They’re sport-specific expression of force, and they deserve their own logic - not just “do some throws after DE squats.”

Throwing Practice Frequency

Athlete Type	Frequency	Notes
Strongman	1-2x per week	Focused around event prep; tosses often done after DE Lower or as GPP
Highland Games	2-4x per week	Technique needs priority; split sessions by implement
Field Throwers	3-5x per week	Full-time athletes need daily or near-daily throws + lifting structure to support, not compete

Structure of a Throwing Session

Warm-Up (10-15 mins):

• Movement prep (jumps, banded work, med ball slams)

• Dynamic mobility for shoulders, hips, trunk

• Low-speed tosses or throws to groove pattern

Main Throw Work (20-40 mins):

• 4-6 sets of 1-3 reps for maximal technical intent

• Progressively build speed or intensity

• Focused rest between sets (90-180 seconds)

Skill Refinement or Variation Work (10-20 mins):

• Variations: lighter implements, higher bars, positional starts

• Partner throws, feedback, filming

• Cue-based technical drills (e.g. “catch and snap” for sandbag, “pull and punch” for WfH)

Seasonal Tapering for Throwing

2-3 Weeks Out:

• Reduce throwing volume by 30-50%

• Maintain intensity (80-90% of best effort)

• Shift toward competition-weight implements

• Film more, lift less

  
  

Week of Comp:

• 1-2 short throwing sessions max

• Light rhythm throws, full rest between reps

• Cut GPP and DE intensity — preserve freshness

Adjust Throwing Based On:

• Fatigue: Tired from DE Lower? Do technique-only tosses or delay session 24 hrs

• Strength Phase: On a deload? Great time to push skill intensity

• Event Proximity: Closer to comp = fewer throws, higher specificity

• Implement Type: Awkward tools (keg, sheaf) need more frequent exposure

What You’ve Just Built

You now have the blueprint for programming real throwing power - not just guesswork, not just copying an Olympic lifting cycle and hoping it translates.

Let’s recap what this system delivers:

• Max Effort work to drive force production across lifts and events

• Dynamic Effort variations tailored to vertical, rotational, and chaotic throws

• Event-by-event breakdowns for Strongman, Highland Games, and Field

• Periodisation tools that actually make sense for a thrower’s unpredictable season

• Recovery, GPP, and repetition work to keep you durable and explosive all year

  
  

No fuckery. No wasted time. No hoping that random percentages work. This is Conjugate for throwers - and it’s built to win.

Want Coaching That Actually Fits Your Throwing Season?

If you’re a thrower, strongman, or hybrid lifter and want expert eyes on your programming, I work with athletes across the UK and internationally - including Highland Games competitors, Static Monsters entrants, and Strongman Classic qualifiers.

* Online Coaching (Josh)

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The Technical Handbook for Throwers

A Complete Glossary of Every Throwing Event, How to Be Good at It, What Usually Goes Wrong, and How Strength Qualities Shape Technique

SAND BAG TOSS (Over Bar)

Technical Model

Goal: Maximise vertical impulse with short ground-contact time.

Phases:

1. Load – hinge, bag between legs, arms long.

2. Drive – aggressive hip and knee extension into a tall finish.

3. Whip – upper body follows the hips, not the other way around.

4. Release – high, vertical, timed with peak extension.

How To Be Good

• Stay tall through the finish.

• Keep arms loose until the hip snap.

• Think “jump first, throw second.”

• Maintain balance; don’t chase the bar.

Common Errors

• Bag travels forward, not up → early arm pull.

• No height despite effort → slow hip extension or weak RFD.

• Bag drifts sideways → asymmetrical stance or poor shoulder alignment.

What These Errors Mean

• Early-arm athletes rely on upper body because hips are slow.

• If height is inconsistent, trunk timing is the issue, not power.

Technical Adjustments Based on Strength Profile

• Strong but slow → shorten backswing, reduce hinge depth, prioritise speed.

• Fast but weak → longer backswing, deeper hinge, more time to build tension.

• Tall athletes → shorter hinge, quicker drive.

• Short athletes → more hinge, more whip.

Technical Periodisation

• Off-season: heavier bags, lower bars, repeated reps.

• Pre-season: focus on timing and bar awareness.

• In-season: minimal volume, maintain speed and precision.

Precision Cues

• “Jump tall.”

• “Hips then hands.”

• “Throw through the ceiling.”

KEG TOSS

Technical Model

More rotational than sandbag due to keg shape and grip.

Phases: load → partial hinge → hip snap → torso whip → aggressive release.

Common Errors

• Rounding the back → weak upper back or poor bag grip.

• Keg rotates out of control → inconsistent wrist finish.

• No height → insufficient triple extension.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strongman with big hips → keep stance narrower for more speed.

• Bodybuilders with strong delts → reduce arm involvement.

• Fast athletes → move to heavier kegs for stability.

Cues

• “Snap, then throw.”

• “Tall spine.”

• “Drive through your heels into the sky.”

KETTLEBELL TOSS

Technical Model

This is a hinge-driven snap with a smaller implement, requiring more precision.

Common Errors

• Over-rotating the bell → too much arm swing.

• Bell goes behind → late hip snap.

• Bell drops straight down → early release.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strength-dominant athletes → reduce hinge depth.

• Speed-dominant athletes → use a slightly heavier KB for rhythm.

Cues

• “Snap like a whip.”

• “Bell rides the hips.”

WEIGHT FOR HEIGHT

Technical Model

One-arm vertical throw requiring perfect timing and lat-driven extension.

Phases: stance → hinge → vertical drive → one-arm whip.

Common Errors

• Pulling too early → arm fatigue, sloppy line.

• Drifting sideways → trunk weakness.

• Low or inconsistent trajectory → poor timing.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong but slow → narrower stance, quicker hinge.

• Fast but weak → more preload, deeper hinge and coil.

Cues

• “Push the ground, then throw.”

• “Lead with the legs.”

HIGHLAND HAMMER

Technical Model

Rotational throw with anchored feet. Momentum builds through sequential torso and shoulder rotation.

Phases: wind-up → acceleration → whip → release.

Common Errors

• Early release → poor rotational timing.

• Hammer “falls behind” the athlete → weak trunk stiffness.

• Slow spin → insufficient foot anchoring or poor sequenced rotation.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong athletes → shorten wind-up.

• Fast athletes → add longer wind-ups to maximise whip.

• Hip-dominant lifters → work on shoulder timing.

Technical Periodisation

• Off-season: heavier hammers, long winds.

• Pre-season: technique refinement, moderate winds.

• In-season: light hammers, high-speed reps.

Cues

• “Chase the hammer.”

• “Hips lead, shoulders follow.”

WEIGHT FOR DISTANCE

Technical Model

Rotational throw requiring lateral drive, ground-pressure control, and clean release.

Common Errors

• Slipping or losing balance → poor foot pressure.

• Early arm involvement → loss of whip.

• No distance → squat-dominant movement, not rotational.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong squatters → increase rotational drills.

• Powerful pullers → increase trunk stability work.

• Speed athletes → shorten wind-ups to avoid chaos.

Cues

• “Turn the ground.”

• “Block with the front leg.”

• “Hips chase the weight.”

CABER

Technical Model

Pick, balance, sprint, pull-through, and turn.

Common Errors

• Failing the pick → poor front-loaded strength.

• Losing balance → weak trunk or poor hand position.

• No turn → pulling with arms instead of hips.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong athletes → quicker steps, less wind-up.

• Fast athletes → stronger pick and brace work.

Cues

• “Lift, balance, run, pop.”

• “Legs first, arms last.”

SHEAF

Technical Model

Explosive vertical pull from the ground to overhead with whip-like mechanics.

Common Errors

• Arm-only throwing → weak hip drive.

• Sheaf landing behind → late release.

• Wandering path → poor wrist control.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong athletes → reduce pull distance.

• Fast athletes → add more whip and speed pulls.

Cues

• “Pull tall.”

• “Whip the top.”

STONE PUT / SHOT PUT

Technical Model

Linear or rotational drive into a punch-like release.

Common Errors

• Standing up early → loss of leg drive.

• Leading with shoulders → no whip.

• Weak block → leak of power.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong but slow → compact technique, shorter drive.

• Fast, weak athletes → big leg load, longer drive.

Cues

• “Drive, then punch.”

• “Brace the front leg.”

DISCUS

Technical Model

Long rotational pattern with precise rhythm, trunk control, and balanced footwork.

Common Errors

• Over-rotation → loss of control.

• Flat release → poor forearm angle.

• Falling out of the sector → poor blocking.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong athletes → reduce wind-up, increase control.

• Fast athletes → longer winds and more whip.

Cues

• “Smooth to fast.”

• “Big radius.”

JAVELIN

Technical Model

Linear sprint into a whip-like overhead release.

Common Errors

• Early throw → weak block.

• Collapsed trunk → no transfer.

• Arm-dominant pattern → shoulder overload.

Strength-Based Adjustments

• Strong athletes → shorten approach strides.

• Fast athletes → longer approach and more whip.

Cues

• “Run tall.”

• “Block then throw.”

• “Keep the point leading.”