The Science Behind Low Body Max Effort Strength Training

The goal of max effort training is simple: lift heavy, recruit more muscle fibers, and teach the nervous system to generate higher force output. However, true athletic strength isn’t just about moving heavy weight—it’s about how efficiently that strength translates into explosive movements.

Over the next 4 weeks we are going to dig into one of our Max Effort training sessions. Here are some key concepts you will need to know to understand the Max Effort Lower Body Training session. All terms are as defined by the NSCA Textbook.

Rate of Force Development (RFD): “The rate at which force is developed in response to a stimulus, often determining an athlete’s ability to produce power in sport-related movements.”

Why It Matters:

• Athletes don’t have time to apply max force in competition—they must generate high levels of force rapidly.
• Training with explosive movements (like jumps and sprints) alongside heavy lifts accelerates...

What’s the Science

At the core of the HSE Conjugate System for Youth Athletes is a strategic approach to cycling training intensity—an essential practice to promote adaptation while preventing burnout and injury. This method is rooted in the principles of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which outlines how the body responds to stress through three stages:

• Alarm Phase: The body detects stress (such as high-intensity training) and initiates a response.
• Resistance Phase: With proper recovery, the body adapts, growing stronger and more resilient.
• Exhaustion Phase: If stress is chronic and recovery is inadequate, the body’s resources are depleted, leading to burnout and heightened injury risk.

For youth athletes, managing central nervous system (CNS) fatigue is crucial. Constant high-intensity training without variation can lead to excessive CNS fatigue, impairing performance and overall well-being. At HSE, we cycle intensity—on max effort days, athletes perform sets of 2 w...

The Science and Strategy Behind the HSE Conjugate System for Youth Athletes

In the competitive world of youth sports, training must be as dynamic and multifaceted as the athletic demands placed on young competitors. The HSE Conjugate System for Youth Athletes is an innovative approach designed to develop strength, explosiveness, and speed in a balanced, integrated way. In this educational deep dive, we explore the origins of this system, the physiological science behind each training modality, and how this method drives performance improvements across all sports. Whether you’re a parent, athlete, or strength coach, this post is designed to leave you smarter and better equipped to elevate athletic performance.

Setting the Stage: Background & Problem Statement

Traditional training programs often isolate individual qualities—focusing solely on strength, speed, or endurance. However, every sport demands a blend of these attributes. Recognizing that very rarely does an athlete rely on ju...

At HitSquad Elite, we don’t just build strong athletes—we build explosive, resilient, and dominant competitors ready for the highest levels of play. Our system is rooted in the conjugate training method, a proven strategy inspired by Westside Barbell but tailored specifically for youth athletes. By balancing max effort, dynamic effort, sprint training, and elite-level plyometrics, we ensure that every athlete in our system develops strength, speed, and power simultaneously—without overtraining.

What Makes the HSE Conjugate System Unique?

Traditional strength programs often focus on linear periodization, where one quality (strength, speed, power, endurance) is emphasized at a time. The problem? Athletes need all these qualities year-round, not just in pre-season or off-season blocks. Our conjugate method avoids these limitations by training multiple performance qualities at the same time.

The Science Behind It

The original Conjugate Method, developed by Louie Simmons at Westside...

The Science Behind Strength & Power: Dynamic Total Body Session 1

At HitSquad Elite, we train youth athletes with one goal in mind: build explosive, dominant, and injury-resistant competitors who are ready for the next level. Our system is built on proven strength & conditioning principles, but we don’t blindly follow what works for powerlifters or professional athletes. Instead, we adapt the Westside Barbell Conjugate Method for youth athletes, ensuring they develop strength, speed, and durability without unnecessary breakdown.

One of the biggest differences in our approach is how we modify dynamic effort training to develop explosive power—not just brute strength. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of our dynamic total-body strength sessions, breaking down two of our most effective supersets for upper-body explosive strength and total-body speed-strength.

This isn’t your typical “lift heavy and hope for the best” program. This is high-performance training built for long-...