WS4SB3/Conjugated Periodization-Question on ME Lifts

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
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See last sentence in post for shorthand question

Ive been doing Defranco’s West Side for Skinny Bastards 3 program for a couple months now. On this routine you’re supposed to max (3-5RM) on a main lift on each max effort day for 3 weeks, then after week 3 your CNS is supposed to be fried and instead of stalling or deloading, you switch to a new lift and max that for 3 weeks, and it keeps switching every 3 weeks.

For my ME Lower lift I started with deadlift, moved to low bar free squat, and now Im box squatting. I never did box squats before but realize now theyre very similar to low bar, but my week 1 box squat 5rm is 15lbs less than my week 3 LB squat max- 200 vs 215. The lifts are almost identical so I thought I wouldve picked up where I left off weightwise from LB squat, but since I didnt Im not sure if its is due to stalling from a fried CNS or the extra ~1inch of depth and slight unload/pause on the box.
For my next lift I kind of want to keep squatting, maybe high bar this this time, but I dont want to stall my progress doing movements that are too similar. Should I go back to DL or try high bar squats?

Im 5’8 165lbs, 25yo btw, and did run starting strength for a couple months last year, but I stalled at a 185lb squat and was having a hard time breaking my plateus, then I stopped lifting for a couple months. I also train mma and was unable to recover squatting 3x a week.

Edit: Mods feel free to move this if its in the wrong place

TL;DNR - Is high bar squat too similar to low bar and box to switch to for my next ME Lift?

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Box squats when done correctly don’t allow you to use quite as much weight. And yeah, you can do that. I do it and I like it.

When I worked out at a PL gym, all the PLers there did olympic style squats right after doing the competition squat stance work.

If you’re really afraid about it not being different enough, narrow the stance and put some plates underneath your heel or wear a shoe with a higher heel than usual.

I like to use it as an ME lift.

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Thanks for the response. I think I might just do 2 weeks of deadlift next to be safe, then I’ll do 3 weeks high bar, 3 weeks box squat, and 3 weeks low bar, and that will conclude 16 weeks on the program.