In this episode, Anthony Hagele breaks down one of the three cornerstone methods of the Conjugate system: the Max Effort Method for the lower body. You’ll learn what it is, what it’s not, and how to program it the right way.

Anthony dives into the physiology behind true maximal strength development, from motor unit recruitment and rate coding to force production and movement coordination, then walks you through exactly how he programs max-effort work for everyday athletes, hybrid competitors, and pros alike.

Whether you’re chasing a bigger squat, a faster 5K, or just want to bulletproof your body, this episode gives you the framework to get stronger for life.

In this episode we cover:

• • What the Max Effort Method really is — and why it’s misunderstood
  • How to implement it safely for long-term results
• • The science behind strength and “strain”
  • Why rotation and variation are your best recovery tools
  • The biggest mistakes lifters make with max-effort training
  • How to plug this method into your own program

  
  

  Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro: What the Max Effort Method is and why it matters

  02:00 – Why every athlete needs maximal strength

  05:00 – The intent behind “strain” and what makes it different from volume training

  07:00 – The science: motor unit recruitment, rate coding, and coordination

  10:00 – Practical benefits: performance, longevity, injury prevention

  11:00 – Programming structure: when and how often to use Max Effort

  14:00 – Inside a full Max Effort session (warm-up to accessories)

  21:00 – How to choose variations (squat, deadlift, good morning, etc.)

  27:00 – How long to stick with each variation and when to rotate

  29:00 – Understanding “technical max” vs. “absolute max”

  32:00 – Common mistakes: ego lifting, lack of rotation, poor recovery

  36:00 – Final takeaways and how to implement this method safely

In this episode, Anthony breaks down how to actually train your energy systems, including the aerobic, glycolytic, and phosphagen system, using real physiological principles, not guesswork. You’ll learn how to program conditioning that builds performance, not just burns calories.

We cover:

• How to structure your conditioning across accumulation, intensification, and realization phases
• The exact methods for each system (cardiac output, tempo intervals, glycolytic intervals, alactic power work, and more)
• How to manage CNS load and stress so you’re not crushing recovery
• How to integrate all three systems into a conjugate-style structure that drives year-round progress

If you’ve ever felt lost on how to program conditioning, this is your blueprint.

Show Notes:

• 00:00: Intro & recap of the conditioning series
• 01:00: The aerobic system: cardiac output, tempo, and strongman endurance
• 09:20: The glycolytic system: power, capacity, and hybrid circuits
• 14:00: The phosphagen system: power, capacity, and contrast training
• 17:55: Vertical integration & residual training effects
• 20:00: Stress management and CNS load
• 21:45: Practical guidelines & wrap-up

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  Mentions & Resources

  Previous Episodes:

  • Episode 15: Conditioning Part 1
  • Episode 16: Conditioning Part 2

  
  

  • Learn more about training with me: hagelestrength.com/programs
  • Join the Performance Edge Network for exclusive articles: hagelestrength.com/subscribe

  
  

  
  

In this week’s episode of the Everyday Strength Podcast, Anthony Hagele breaks down the physiology behind conditioning and how your body actually creates, regenerates, and utilizes energy during training.

We go beyond the surface-level “cardio” talk and dig into the three internal engines that power every performance:

• The Aerobic (Oxidative) System: your foundation for endurance, recovery, and overall cardiovascular health.

• The Glycolytic (Anaerobic) System: that middle gear that drives high-intensity work and lactate tolerance.

• The Phosphagen (Alactic) System: your top-end power source, responsible for short bursts, heavy lifts, and maximal efforts.

You’ll learn how each system actually produces ATP, what adaptations occur inside the muscle and heart, and why understanding these systems is the key to smarter conditioning and better performance.

This is part two of the Conditioning Series. In part one, we redefined what conditioning really means. In part three, we’ll cover how to train each of these systems intelligently using proven programming methods.

Timestamps

00:00: Intro — Conditioning Series overview

00:40: What conditioning really means

01:37: The three energy systems explained

01:58: Aerobic (Oxidative) System — the foundation

03:57: Step-by-step: how the aerobic system creates ATP

05:02: Adaptations: heart, mitochondria, and capillaries

06:54: Enzyme and substrate efficiency improvements

08:09: Why aerobic conditioning builds your performance base

09:02: Glycolytic (Anaerobic) System — the middle gear

10:25: Glycolysis explained and what causes “the burn”

11:14: The truth about lactate and energy production

12:27: Adaptations: enzymes, buffering, and cardiac response

13:58: Phosphagen (Alactic) System — short-term power

15:34: Creatine, ATP regeneration, and recovery

16:46: Neural efficiency and rate coding adaptations

17:11: How all three systems interact — the “relay race” analogy

18:59: Vertical integration and training residuals

20:00: Why understanding this matters for your training

21:01: What’s coming in Part 3 — training the systems

22:09: Final thoughts — function over fatigue

22:47: Outro — subscribe and stay tuned for next week

Links

🔗 Train with Hagele Strength: hagelestrength.com/programs

📬 Join the Performance Edge Newsletter: hagelestrength.com/all-articles

🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts: hagelestrength.com/podcast

Disclaimers & Disclosures