Built to Throw: Conjugate Programming for Throwers, Tossers, Strongman Athletes and Lifters Who Actually Need Power
- JHEPCxTJH
- May 14
- 20 min read
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.
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.
🧱 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.
💥 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.
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 - Grit, Work Rate, and Power
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:
Post-DE Integration:
After DE lower or upper, insert 15-20 minutes of light tosses or technical throw drills.
Think: low fatigue, high precision.
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.
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 (e.g. Static Monsters, Weight for Height Finals)
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.
🧠 The Bigger Picture: It’s Conjugate. Build Everything.
You can’t out-specialise your foundation.
Rotational whip without strength is just chaos. Strength without bar speed is wasted effort. Throwing technique without recovery is just a countdown to injury.
Conjugate builds all of it. Force. Velocity. Precision. Durability. Whether you’re launching a caber, slamming a kettlebell, or throwing a sheaf over your head - the tools are the same.
What matters is how you wave them, time them, and individualise them.
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)
📈 Programming for Max Height Events (e.g., Sandbag/Keg Toss, WfH)
Training Goal: Vertical projection, wrist timing, and bar awareness
Structure Suggestions:
1x per week: Focused height day (build to 80-90% of best, 3-5 singles at effort)
1x per week: Speed/skill toss day (lighter implement or lower bar, faster reps)
3-week waves: alternate peak height focus vs technique touch-up
Throwing Tip: Use contrast sets: 1-2 heavy tosses → 2-3 fast, snappy tosses This potentiates motor patterning without over-fatiguing.
💨 Programming for Distance Events (e.g., Hammer, Weight for Distance, Discus, Javelin)
Training Goal: Timing, rotation, whip
Structure Suggestions:
Early week: Heavy implement throws (90-110% comp weight) for tension and timing
Mid-week: Sub-max throws for technical refinement
Late week: Fast, light throws with strict distance markers
Throwing Tip: Use “cluster throws”: 3 x 1 with 30 seconds rest → rest 2 mins → repeat Mimics comp pacing, improves rhythm under fatigue.
🔄 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
🧠 Takeaway:
Don’t leave the throws to guesswork. If you’re strong but sloppy, you lose. If you’re fast but inconsistent, you lose. You win by programming the throw as seriously as you program your DE waves.
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 to Go Deeper?
This ebook ties into a whole system of training I’ve built for serious lifters, competitors, and strength athletes who refuse to settle for watered-down programming.
Recommended expansions:
🔗 Olympic Weightlifting for Strongman: A Comprehensive Guide Learn how to add pulls, cleans, and snatches without killing recovery.
📘 Conjugate Strongman: Barebones 3.0 A full 12+ week Conjugate program with implement and event training.
📈 From Training to the Podium: Peaking for Strongman Competitions Master peak-week structure, event prioritisation, and DE/ME adjustments.
🥋 Relentless: Conjugate Strength & Power for MMA Designed for combat sports, but packed with insights on hybrid performance, rotation, and fatigue management.
🧠 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.
Whether you need:
Throwing-specific DE/ME structuring
A seasonal block to peak for back-to-back comps
Or help managing lifting around technique days
I’ve got you covered.
📩 Apply for coaching now via Instagram (@jh___eliteperformance) or head to teamjoshhezza.com and let's fucking go.
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