Powerlifting as a Fitness Tool

Over the last year, I've been training and coaching a few clients to compete in powerlifting competitions. I had the good fortune to coach one client to State and National Championships. I was training as a powerlifter but didn't have any desire to pursue it further than the coaching of others. I entered a few small meets and, along with The Club at Morristown Powerlifting Team, competed in my first full meet last month. The success at that competition prompted me to enter another meet in May, and possibly competing at the national level in August. I owe the success my team and I have had so far to Westside Barbell's conjugate method.

The Westside conjugate system is the best of two advanced training systems: the Soviet system, where several special exercises are used to advance the training of superior lifters and athletes, and the Bulgarian system, where near-max lifts are performed every workout. The Westside system is a combination of the two.


My previous training involved focusing on the big three lifts (squat, bench press and deadlift) simply because they are the three lifts performed in meets. With Westside, more focus is put on accessory exercises and speed work. This combination hits every aspect of each lift, strengthens lagging muscles, and puts an emphasis on core strength which is a key piece of any successful powerlifter. According to Louie Simmons, founder of Westside Barbell and creator of the conjugate system, he has trained world class sprinters using this system. Not once did he have his athletes perform a straight sprint. Instead, he focused on strengthening the hamstrings, core, and utilizing bands with resisted sprints.

What I found is the Westside system is not a program designed specifically for the sport of powerlifting. The speed work, combined with max effort days, is a perfect system for training any athlete in any sport. In all my years of training, the progress in strength and speed through this program has been unmatched. Coupled with a conditioning program on the off days, the conjugate system can be utilized to suit the needs of anyone whose goal is to improve overall general fitness.

What makes the Westside conjugate system unique is the variety, not just between speed training and max effort days, but the variation of exercises performed every two weeks. Because of this variation, this is one of the only programs that doesn't have to be substituted when you hit a training plateau. By adding bands and chains for accommodating resistence, a must when using this program, each session is unique and concentrates on hitting different "sticking points," such as the bottom of a squat or deadlift. By adding bands or chains, the load increases as the bar is lifted. This forces the lifter to exert more at the top, and stabilize more at the bottom of the lift.

Besides my powerlifting team who is currently on the Westside Barbell program, I train other clients with this method, from a Division I lacrosse player to a middle aged attorney. Both have greatly increased their speed and strength. There isn't one perfect program out there. In fact, there's a saying that the best program is the one you're not currently doing. But Westside is a great program that, when properly followed, goes way beyond your typical powerlifting program.


Matt Kovacs
Fitness Director
The Club at Morristown

Diet Like a Plant

Everyday we go through life eating fruits and vegetables, but who knew that living like a plant can help us with fat loss? What exactly does living like a plant mean? And how can this help with fat loss? In a word: Chlorophyll.

Our body's hemoglobin consists of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. These four elements are organized around a single element of iron. Chlorophyll has the same elements, but is organized around the element magnesium. Chlorophyll has the power to regenerate our bodies at the molecular and cellular level. It is known to help cleanse the body, fight off infections, heal wounds, and promote the health of the circulatory, digestive, and immune systems. Chlorophyll consumption increases the number of red blood cells and increases oxygen used by the body.

In terms of losing weight, chlorophyll helps your body get back to peak efficiency. When we're young, our body's metabolism is high at all times. It kills toxins and burns up fat because our energy levels are higher when we're younger. As we get older, our energy decreases because our metabolism slows down, therefore our toxins increase in our bodies. That's when weight gain begins to occur. Chlorophyll helps detoxify the body so the body can rejuvenate and speed up the metabolism again, peaking energy levels like when we were kids.

You can find chlorophyll in any health food or supplement shop. If you are looking for it in foods, wheat grass and barley grass are the two organic foods that contain it in high doses.

Jesse Jeffers

Welcome to The Club at Morristown Strength & Conditioning Blog

I’d like this first post to be an introduction to the Training Department at The Club at Morristown. The mantra of the staff has been “We train you smarter, not harder.” With an emphasis on form and technique, our number one priority is improving the lives of our clients, as well as keeping them safe and healthy. By training the movement, not the muscle, we can focus on re-teaching clients how to move properly. Mobility, flexibility and activation drills are a key component to the sessions. Improving one’s range of motion, specifically in typical problem areas such as hips and shoulders, will immediately increase the client’s health and well-being. From there, a safe progression is determined based on each particular client’s abilities and goals. Following an in-depth assessment where the client sits down with a trainer to discuss those goals, as well as the trainer explaining our training methods and philosophy, a program is designed for the client. During the second assessment phase where the program is introduced to the client, movement patterns are noted and problem areas are pointed out. Sometimes these are quick fixes. Other times, drills or exercises are incorporated into the client’s routine to assist in correcting the movements. The goal of every one of our trainers is to improve the lives of their clients.

Our staff comes from a diverse background, and clients are carefully matched up with trainers best suited to help them. Our trainers have worked with Division I athletes, national level powerlifters, ex professional athletes and people from every walk of life. Each trainer takes pride in his or her own training regimen as well. The entire staff believes it’s important to “walk the walk.” Three of our trainers have competed in State level powerlifting competitions, one has competed in several marathons, another has played semi-professional football, and another competes in several high level soccer leagues. I believe the competitive nature and athletic prowess of all our trainers carries over to how we train our clients. Education and experience are a must, but having specialized athletic skills is what gives The Club’s staff an edge over other gyms. Knowing what it takes to achieve fitness goals and overcoming personal obstacles is something that can’t be taught.

Going forward, the purpose of this blog will be to provide information and insight ranging from exercise, nutrition and overall general health. Each week a different trainer will contribute advice or experiences that will hopefully help you on whatever path you choose to improve your life.

Matt Kovacs
Fitness Director