When I program workouts for AIM Athletic one of my biggest influences on our training philosophy is the Conjugate Method, a system popularized by Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell, home to some of the strongest powerlifters in the world. These athletes didn’t just get strong, they broke records week after week by training at high intensities year-round while managing fatigue intelligently. The secret is smart programming, not random workouts.
A key piece of the Conjugate Method, and my favorite concept of theirs, is the use of special exercises and constant variation within movement patterns. For example, even if an athlete’s goal is to increase their barbell back squat, they might only perform that exact lift once every few months. Instead, they train the squat pattern with dozens of variations like box squats, front squats, safety bar squats, and squats to pins. Each one challenges the system differently while continuing to build the same foundational pattern. It’s not about mastering a single exercise, it’s about mastering the pattern.
This is the mindset we bring into our programming at AIM Athletic. Whether you’re training in our small group sessions, personal training, doing active rehab, or in the middle of off-season hockey training, you’ve probably noticed we’re constantly switching things up. Maybe you’re holding the bar a little differently, maybe the bench is on an incline one week and flat the next, or we’ve swapped in dumbbells instead of a barbell. These variations help keep you progressing while minimizing the risk of overuse injuries or plateauing.
But variation isn’t just about keeping things interesting. It’s also rooted in how your body learns. A great way to understand this is with a simple test. Try signing your name in the air as if you were holding a pen. Now try signing it with your finger. Now your elbow. Try it with your foot if you’re feeling adventurous. Chances are you’re still able to mimic the shape of your signature, even with different body parts. That’s motor learning. Your brain is developing a consistent pattern, not just memorizing one single movement.
That said, there’s a limit. Too much variation too often can actually slow progress. Your body needs reps to build these motor patterns. That’s why at AIM we keep the foundational movement patterns like squat, press, hinge, pull, lunge and carry consistent across our programs, even if the tools or angles change. This allows you to learn, refine, and eventually master the movement without burning out or overtraining smaller muscles that might be overused with repeated identical lifts.
Programs that change everything week to week often miss this point. Sure, they may feel exciting in the moment, but without consistency in movement patterns, there’s no chance for your body to groove those neurological pathways that lead to long-term strength gains. At AIM we build training that progresses you forward by striking the right balance between variation and consistency.
Strength isn’t just about how much weight you can move today. It’s about building a resilient adaptable system that continues to get stronger over time. That’s what we do here. Every session has a purpose. Every movement has a plan. And everything we do is rooted in the science of getting better.
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