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The TEAMJOSHHEZZA Method: How I Build Strength That Actually Works
- JHEPCxTJH
- Mar 28
- 16 min read
Updated: Nov 9
The TEAMJOSHHEZZA Method: How I Build Strength That Actually Works
Strength That Works: Why My Coaching Isn’t Just Another Template
Strength coaching has become louder, not smarter. Templates circulate faster than ever, but real progress still depends on one thing: application.
The TEAMJOSHHEZZA Method is built around that principle. It’s Conjugate at its core, adapted for the lifter in front of me. It’s a system that changes shape depending on the athlete’s needs, goals, recovery, and sport.
After more than a decade coaching lifters from first-time competitors to world-class athletes, I’ve learned that strength that lasts isn’t found in the program itself. It’s built in the conversation between the athlete and the plan.
And it’s easy to get lost in that noise.
But here’s the thing: Real strength training isn’t about trends. It’s about application. And what separates great coaches from good ones isn’t just knowledge - it’s knowing how to apply it to real people. In real circumstances. With real lives, bodies, histories, and demands.
This is my approach to doing just that.
I’ve spent over a decade and close to 15 years, coaching strength athletes - from complete novices to world champions, across tested and untested federations, and everything in between. My job isn’t to make you fit a program. It’s to build a program that fits you.
You can read more about my background, qualifications, and coaching experience here: 👉 Why Work With Me
Conjugate DNA, Without the Dogma - TEAMJOSHHEZZA Style
Yes, you’ll find Louie Simmons’ fingerprints all over my methodology. Max effort. Dynamic effort. Specialty bars. Band tension. Weak point training. GPP.
But this isn’t Westside cosplay. I’m not interested in dogma. I’m interested in what works. Conjugate is the foundation, but the house is custom-built every time.
Because the truth is this:
What worked for an elite geared powerlifter in 2004 doesn’t always work for a raw, drug-free lifter in 2025. What worked for your favourite influencer might not work for a 42-year-old with a rebuilt knee and two kids.
So I coach the individual. I adapt the method. I apply the principles. And I use everything I’ve learned - in the gym, in academia, and under the bar - to build strength that lasts.
This is The TEAMJOSHHEZZA Method. And it’s just getting started.
Training the Individual, Not the Ideal
There is no such thing as the perfect program.
There is no optimal split that works for every lifter. No universal intensity curve. No magical list of “must-do” exercises that builds everyone into a champion.
Because no two athletes are the same - and I don’t treat them like they are.
The Variables That Actually Matter
Some programs only account for bar weight. Mine account for real life.
Levers – Long femurs? Short arms? It all affects how you squat, press, and pull.
Injury history – Your movement patterns didn’t come out of nowhere. Neither did your pain.
PED use or natural – The training and recovery structure should reflect your physiology, not someone else’s biology.
Neurodivergence – Some athletes thrive on routine. Others need variation to stay engaged. I’ve worked with both.
Chronic Conditions & Pain - I know better than most how to deal with these kinds of issues as someone who suffers with EDS.
Training age – A lifter with 2 years under the bar and one with 12 aren’t “just scaling volume.” They’re speaking different languages.
Lifestyle – Job stress, kids, erratic sleep, shift work… these things aren’t excuses. They’re programming data points.
Mobility and movement – Before we load a lift, we have to own it. And before we chase performance, we need access to the positions that performance demands.
The Goal Is Not Perfection
Too many coaches try to jam lifters into a mould. They chase “perfect” programming. The perfect plan, the perfect peak, the perfect week.
But in the real world? You get interrupted. You get injured. You get tired. You plateau. And your body - and mind - change over time.
The job isn’t to force lifters into a “perfect” program. It’s to build the plan around them - and evolve it when it needs evolving.
“I’ve coached everything from tested IPF World Championship winning athletes to PED-using strongmen, from new mums to BJJ black belts.” Every lifter is different. Every plan should be too.
Strength Coaching Is a Conversation
Coaching is not just about giving out sets and reps. It’s about communication. Trust. Honest feedback. Mutual accountability. And knowing when to change something, not just what to change.
I don’t just coach the lift. I coach the lifter.
Coaching in 2025: Data, Diversity, and Real Application
Data Without Interpretation Is Just Noise
Technology and tracking tools are useful, but they don’t replace coaching. Bar speed, recovery scores, and volume metrics tell part of the story, but they can’t read expression, posture, or context. They can’t see the fatigue behind a clean number or the hesitation before a top set.
I use data constantly - velocity readings, tonnage totals, strain patterns, heart-rate recovery - but never in isolation. Numbers guide decisions, they don’t dictate them. Human interpretation still decides when to push, when to hold, and when to pivot. The best results happen when lived experience and measurable feedback meet in the middle.
Coaching is still a human discipline. The skill isn’t collecting information, it’s understanding what matters and what can be ignored.
Neurodivergent and Inclusive Coaching
Modern strength coaching has to recognise that not all lifters think, process, or respond the same way. I work with many athletes who are neurodivergent - lifters with ADHD, autism, OCD, or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - and they often thrive in environments where structure, variation, and direct feedback coexist.
Conjugate lends itself naturally to that style. The weekly rotation of lifts prevents monotony, while the clear system of Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and Repetition work provides dependable rhythm. This balance of structure and novelty helps neurodivergent athletes stay engaged, manage fatigue, and track progress without fixation or burnout.
Coaching inclusively doesn’t mean creating separate systems; it means understanding how different minds approach the same principles. The goal is to meet lifters where they are - to build frameworks that support attention, recovery, and confidence, without stripping away autonomy or individuality.
Conjugate for Today’s Athlete
Conjugate has evolved far beyond its 2000s powerlifting image. The same principles that built elite totals now shape strongman competitors, fighters, and hybrid strength athletes. The structure adapts, but the logic remains: strain, speed, and skill developed in balance.
For fighters, Conjugate offers intensity management around sparring volume and CNS load. For strongmen, it integrates seamlessly with event work, rotating heavy and speed-focused sessions to match competition demands. For hybrid athletes, it blends barbell strength with conditioning and explosive work without losing structure.
Consider two examples:
A BPU deadlift-only competitor preparing for a world championship peak. His Max Effort waves focus on posterior-chain dominance and CNS resilience, with Dynamic Effort cycles tied to bar speed thresholds and controlled fatigue management.
A U105 strongman athlete balancing event prep with recovery. His weekly plan uses Dynamic Effort and Repetition Effort logic for yoke, log, and bag work, with conditioning blocks to maintain endurance without blunting top-end strength.
Both train under the same Conjugate principles - the execution simply reflects the demands of their sport and physiology.
The modern system no longer belongs to one discipline. It’s a universal strength framework that adapts to whoever steps under the bar.
Why Conjugate, and Why Not Dogma
There’s a reason I use the Conjugate Method as the foundation of my coaching. But there’s also a reason I don’t treat it like a religion.
Conjugate gives us a framework - not a prison. It’s a system built on principles, not rigid rules. And the key to making it work for real people in the real world? Contextual adaptation.
Max Effort. Dynamic Effort. Repetition Work.
Yes - all of these are in the mix. But if you’re just copying Westside from 2002… you’ve missed the point.
Max Effort means pushing your top-end output - with purpose.
Dynamic Effort means developing speed-strength - not just going through the motions.
Repetition Method means building muscle and movement - not fluffing volume.
But how that looks in practice? That’s where the coaching comes in.
The Four-Day Template Isn’t the Law
I don’t run the classic four-day Conjugate split for everyone. Sometimes it’s three days a week. Sometimes we train four days, but shift the emphasis based on recovery, work-life balance, or sport demands.
I’ve coached:
Fighters running two lifting sessions around sparring
Powerlifters on a rotating three-day split to manage fatigue
Strongman competitors with an extra GPP or event day
Gen pop lifters who need flexible templates they actually stick to
The structure adapts - the principles don’t.
Tools, Not Templates
Specialty bars, band tension, reverse hypers, sleds, chains - they’re tools. Useful? Absolutely. Mandatory? Never.
Just like GPP and aerobic work, just like movement prep and accessories - everything has a purpose. But that purpose has to fit your goals, not just the system.
Conjugate = Principles First
Dogma is easy. It’s easier to copy a program than to build one. But Conjugate done right is informed, dynamic, and athlete-led.
I can tell you exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing - At any given time, for any athlete, in any situation.
That’s not guesswork. That’s coaching.
If you’ve tried Conjugate and it felt like chaos… If you’ve heard it’s “too complicated”… If you’ve only seen one version of it on YouTube... Let me show you what it looks like when done right.
Modern Conjugate Concepts (2023–2025 Evolution)
Conjugate has never been static. It’s a living system that adapts with the lifter and the sport. Over the last few years, my approach has continued to evolve - combining what still works from the original Westside framework with modern insights from athlete data, coaching practice, and force diagnostics.
Three-Week Max Effort Waves and Layered Exposures Rather than hitting a single heavy variation and moving on, I often run structured three-week Max Effort waves. These can be layered exposures to the same lift (for example, 3RM → 2RM → 1RM) or grouped movements that share a common skill or weakness target. This maintains the core principle of variation while introducing a controlled progression in strain, skill refinement, and fatigue tolerance.
Modern Dynamic Effort Rotation Dynamic Effort work still follows the classic wave, but with a broader toolbox. Straight weight, bands, and chains rotate across three-week cycles, followed by blocks using bar speed targets to drive output. The focus is no longer just about accommodating resistance - it’s about measurable velocity. When bar speed drops, load or complexity changes. This keeps speed work honest and adaptive, not ritualistic.
Event-Based DE and RE Integration for Strongman Strongman training requires more than barbell explosiveness. Dynamic and Repetition Effort work now extend into event-specific tasks - yoke carries, sandbag runs, sled sprints, keg tosses, and medley conditioning. Each can be programmed with the same logic as DE or RE barbell work, shifting emphasis between speed, strength endurance, and positional control. It’s Conjugate adapted to the competitive environment rather than confined to the rack.
Practical Application of the Force–Velocity Curve Every training phase targets specific regions of the curve - from heavy, slow strain to high-velocity power. Diagnostic lifts and bar-speed data highlight where an athlete is dominant or deficient. Programming then rotates through those qualities, ensuring development across the entire spectrum of strength rather than just the maximal end. It’s not about chasing heavier lifts alone but expanding the total performance profile.
Integrated Conditioning and GPP Blocks The role of General Physical Preparedness has deepened. GPP isn’t just recovery work anymore; it’s a foundation for sustained performance. Conditioning blocks are programmed with purpose, whether it’s oxidative base work, lactic intervals, or explosive circuits tied to event outputs. As detailed in my Conjugate Conditioning for Strongman and Built to Throw frameworks, these blocks build the work capacity and efficiency needed to express strength under fatigue.
This is the evolution of Conjugate - not diluted, but refined. The principles remain the same: variation, overload, precision, and recovery. The tools have simply grown sharper.
Building Athletes Who Last
Anyone can get strong for 12 weeks. That’s easy. Run enough volume, eat enough food, get enough sleep - you’ll move the needle.
But I’m not just interested in who gets strong fast. I care about who’s still training 12 years from now. Still progressing. Still learning. Still under the bar.
Because getting strong and staying strong are not the same skill set.
Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Development
Flashy programming will always sell. Smashing rep PRs. Constant maxing out. Intensity, intensity, intensity.
But if it’s not sustainable - what’s the point?
You don’t need a coach who burns you out. You need a coach who builds you to last.
And that means thinking beyond this week’s top set.
The Non-Negotiables of Longevity
1. Managing Joint Stress Rotating bars. Adjusting grip. Controlling loading. It’s not “being soft” - it’s setting you up for a longer career. You only get one set of elbows, knees, hips. Treat them with respect.
2. Varying Movement Patterns Squat. Box squat. Front squat. SSB. Belt squat. All squats - different stressors, different benefits. Keeping the stimulus high while rotating the strain? That’s programming.
3. Knowing When to Pivot Low back flared up? Shoulders cooked? Knees barking? You don’t “push through” - you pivot. Conjugate lets us shift the movement, maintain intensity, and keep progress alive.
The Real Skill: Staying in the Game
The best lifters I know aren’t the ones who trained the hardest. They’re the ones who trained the longest.
And they got there by:
Taking deloads when needed
Knowing the difference between pain and effort
Planning for decades, not just cycles
Understanding that health, longevity, and performance are all connected
If you’re serious about strongman, powerlifting, or strength training in general - you need a long-term plan.
Force–Velocity and Long-Term Progression
You can copy a program. You can follow sets, reps, and percentages to the letter.
But if you don’t understand the why - the force being trained, the speed being developed, the adaptation being chased - You’re just exercising. Not building performance.
I Don’t Just Program Reps. I Program Force Production.
Strength isn’t one thing. It’s a spectrum - built on how much force you can produce, and how quickly you can produce it.
Some days we’re building starting strength - overcoming inertia. Other days, it’s reversal strength - changing direction fast. And some days, it’s about acceleration - applying force rapidly through the whole range.
Each of these qualities sits on the Force–Velocity Curve. If you don’t train them all? You leave results - and resilience - on the table.
The Goal Is to Shift the Curve - Not Just Hit Numbers
It’s easy to chase heavier loads and call it progress. But unless those loads are moving faster, or being applied in different contexts, you're not expanding capacity. You're just chasing fatigue.
Real programming builds lifters who are:
Stronger at different speeds
Stronger from different positions
Stronger across different time frames (explosive → grindy)
This Is What Progression Actually Looks Like
Off-season = build GPP, hypertrophy, restore joints, develop movement capacity.
Prep phase = shift toward velocity, bar control, top-end coordination.
Peak = specificity, timing, precision - not max fatigue.
That’s long-term planning.
That’s strength with purpose.
Fatigue ≠ Progress
If you’re not:
Rotating movements
Managing fatigue
Applying volume with intent
…then you’re just getting tired, not better.
This is where Conjugate principles shine. You don’t burn out chasing arbitrary volume. You rotate effort across zones of the curve. You build, consolidate, and express strength - when it matters.
When to Push, When to Pull Back
“Work harder” isn’t coaching. It’s wallpaper.
Most lifters already want it. They already try hard. They already train with intent.
So no - effort isn’t the missing piece. Knowing when to apply that effort is.
“Hard Work” Is a Given. Smart Work Is the Difference.
Coaches love to post about grit, grind, and intensity. But intensity without strategy? That’s just ego in disguise.
True coaching is knowing when to hit the gas - and when to pump the brakes.
Sometimes the best training session of the week is the one you cut short. The one where you walk away with more in the tank. The one where you protect the long game instead of chasing the short win.
I’ll Push a Lifter - But Only When They’re Ready
Context is everything. If you’re sleeping 4 hours, living on caffeine, and fighting through a joint flare-up - You don’t need more volume. You need a smarter plan.
If you're healthy, recovered, focused, and moving well? Then we push. We take big swings - but only when they’re worth taking.
This Isn’t Auto-Pilot Programming
Some days call for a PR. Some days call for a technical rep at 85%. Some days call for ditching the deadlift and dragging a sled.
And some days? You just need to get the blood moving and go home.
That’s not weakness. That’s athletic maturity.
I Program for Real People - Not Robots
Your training log doesn’t live in a vacuum. Life, work, stress, pain, emotions - they all feed into your performance. So why would your program ignore them?
This is where experience matters. Knowing how to read between the reps. Knowing when to pivot without panic. Knowing how to keep the plan moving forward - even when today takes a left turn.
Progress Isn’t Linear. But That Doesn’t Mean It’s Random.
What separates great lifters from inconsistent ones?
Autoregulation
Clear priorities
The ability to make smart decisions under pressure
This is what I build with every athlete. Because anyone can train hard. But not everyone knows when to hold the line - and when to push it.
The Blend of Art, Data, and Coaching Instinct
Coaching isn’t a science. Coaching isn’t an art. Coaching is both - or it’s neither.
You can’t build world-class athletes from spreadsheets alone. But you also can’t build them from vibes and guesswork.
The job is to understand the data - and know when to look past it.
Coaching Is Not Binary
“Science vs instinct” is a false choice. The best decisions live in the grey.
I track what we can measure:
Bar speed
Volume
Max effort variations
Progressions over time
Recovery metrics
But I listen to what we can’t measure:
How a lifter talks before their top set
That 2% change in body language
What the bar feels like, not just what it weighs
The spreadsheet might say go. But the lifter in front of you might say not today.
That’s the instinct. That’s the art.
Numbers Don’t Win Meets - Athletes Do
You could have the most beautifully optimised volume progression in the world - but if the athlete’s nervous system is fried or they’ve just had the week from hell?
It doesn’t matter. The right call is the one that balances outcomes with wellbeing. And that call isn’t made by Excel - it’s made by the coach who knows the athlete.
The Longer I Coach You, The Smarter the Plan Gets
Every week gives me more information:
How you move
How you recover
How you respond to load, fatigue, and stress
The relationship compounds. Patterns emerge. And over time, I know exactly when to push, when to pivot, and when to pause.
That’s why real coaching always beats templated programming.
Because instinct isn’t random - it’s informed by experience, by trust, by time in the trenches.
This Is Why Coaching Works
We’re not building robots. We’re building adaptable, high-performing, injury-resistant athletes. That takes more than sets and reps.
It takes feedback. It takes conversation. It takes a coach who wants to learn from you - not just tell you what to do.
How My Articles Shows This in Action
Conjugate principles in the wild - no theory without proof.
By now, you’ve heard the philosophy. Individualisation. Conjugate without dogma. Contextualised volume. Real-life programming decisions made in real-time.
But this stuff isn’t just theoretical. It shows up in the training I write - every week, for real athletes.
Let’s walk through how the articles and free programs I’ve published show the actual application of the principles we’ve been talking about.
The Conjugate Method for Strongman - Evolved, Not Worshipped
These two articles lay out the full framework of how I use Conjugate with strongman competitors:
Max Effort work designed not just to strain, but to identify weak points specific to events
Dynamic Effort sessions that actually carry over - speed pulls, banded squats, and push press EMOMs that mean something
Repetition Effort used strategically - not just for junk volume, but to plug structural gaps, build muscularity, and enhance recovery
Rotating specialty bars, movement planes, and energy systems
Event work integrated into the DE and RE structure, not bolted on top
If you want to see how I blend Westside principles with real-world strongman constraints - that’s where to start.
The Free Programs: More Than Just Spreadsheets
These aren’t cookie-cutter. They’re blueprints built on the philosophy I’ve outlined in this very series.
This program shows:
How to attack weaknesses without the fatigue of comp lifts
Hamstring, low back, and upper back dominance
Strategic volume + variation to drive carryover, not burnout
A classic Conjugate “if it’s broke, don’t repeat it” solution
This one shows:
Smart offseason structure for strongman athletes
Volume manipulation based on time of year
Blend of GPP, movement quality, and hypertrophy to prepare for the next phase
True Conjugate adaptability - even with minimal equipment or constraints
Here’s how peaking looks in the TEAMJOSHHEZZA world:
Targeted movement selection around event demands
Weekly shifts in DE emphasis to sharpen specificity
Higher CNS load managed, not misused
Built for a real comp, with real coaching logic
Perfect example of how I take the force–velocity curve seriously:
Speed-strength emphasis in movement selection
Rotation of push press variations and Oly lifts for long-term adaptation
High-rep posterior chain work structured around the athlete’s needs
Proof that Conjugate isn’t just for powerlifting - it’s a toolbox for strength sport
These Programs Are Just the Surface
What you’ll find in every one of those plans is this:
Individualisation: Even when written for groups, they assume variation is needed
Movement Rotation: Not just variety for variety’s sake - purposeful change
Progression That Builds: You’re not just doing more - you’re getting better
Coaching Instincts: Built-in autoregulation, modification pathways, and deload logic
These are the very principles I’ve written about in the rest of this series:
Form follows function
Volume with purpose
Pushing at the right time
Backing off before it breaks you
Blending data, art, and instinct
If you want to see how this all fits together, these programs are it.
It’s Not Just Strength. It’s Strategy.
Strength isn’t just about lifting heavier weights.
It’s about solving the right problems at the right time - and knowing how to shift gears when the situation calls for it.
That’s what real coaching looks like.
Programming Is Problem-Solving
Anyone can copy a program. But can they diagnose what’s actually going wrong? Can they change the plan when life hits hard? Can they build around an injury, an awkward lever, a PED cycle, a chaotic job, or a messy competition calendar?
That’s not just programming - that’s strategy.
Conjugate Is My Base. But The Athlete Is The Blueprint.
I use the Conjugate Method because it’s flexible, proven, and powerful. But I don’t force people into it.
Everything - from your movement selection to your weekly structure - has to match you.
It’s not about building lifters who fit the program. It’s about building programs that fit the lifter.
The Right Tools + The Right Lens = Real Progress
Programming isn’t about perfect spreadsheets. It’s about combining:
The right methods
The right eyes
The right feedback
At the right time
That’s when it works. That’s when people actually get better. That’s when you stop spinning your wheels and start building something real.
If You're Tired of Guessing - Let’s Build Something That Works
You’ve seen the philosophy. You’ve seen the programs. You’ve read the breakdowns.
Now it’s time to make it personal.
If you want a coach who knows how to adapt, program, and push you - Not just for one lift, not just for 12 weeks, But for long-term progress, resilience, and performance...
Let’s get to work. The real kind.
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