Westside Conjugate vs Main Lift with More Frequency?

What are your thoughts comparing doing a main lift every workout compared to doing something like a Westside approach where you change the main lift every few weeks on the max effort days?

I set up my workouts based on your “how I added 100 pounds to my deadlift” article on T Nation where you focus on the bench squat overhead press and deadlift. If you do not rotate those exercises would you recommend a deload every 4 to 6 weeks or switching out those exercises to keep from stagnating like Westside? Thank you

I use both approaches. For me and the athletes I work with the best system, the one that led to the greatest strength gains in natural/tested athletes is doing 3 whole body workouts per week. 3-4 main lifts (squat variation, olympic lift variation or deadlift, bench variation, row/chin-up variation) with sometimes 1-2 assistance exercises.

DAY 1 is eccentric focus
DAY 2 is isometric focus
DAY 3 is concentric focus

(the origin of this system is explained in my book “Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods”)

Of course the methods vary from phase to phase. In the early off-season we will sometimes have a 4th day that is more of an hypertrophy/isolation day. And in-season we go down to two workouts.

To give you an idea three members of national teams are on this plan, 2 bobsleigh guys and 1 track cycling guy.

Bobsleigh guy 1 (220lbs): power snatch from the hang 265-275lbs, high bar squats 525lbs+, deadlifts 600lbs+

(here is 245lbs x 2)

Bobsleigh guy 2 (187lbs): 455lbs front squat, 350lbs power clean, 615 x 3 deadlift, 525 x 7 back squat, 345 bench press

Track cycling guy: took his squat from 405lbs to 495lbs, took his bench from 245 to 315, power snatch 255lbs.

That having been said I also like the conjugate system.

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Thank you for the response. If choosing to do the conjugate system would you recommend switching exercises every how many weeks? Also if size is a goal with strength would you recommend ramping to a 3 to 5 rep max instead of a 1 RM?

When I use the conjugate approach I stick to the same max effort exercises for 3 weeks.

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When I use the conjugate system week 1 of a cycle is 3RM, week 2 is 2RM and week 3 is 1RM. You could do 5RM, 3RM, 1RM but in the conjugate system you use the assistance work to build muscle, not the max effort lift.

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