Importance of Switching Exercises (Question)

[KingJustin]

This has been unclear to me for awhile, and may be costing me a significant loss of strength on bench and power cleans.

Is it necessary to switch exercises every so often so that your CNS doesn't become accustomed to the lift and for some reason or another stop your gains?

I ask this because I am currently doing a Kyle's (FI's) Russian Bench Routine. After I finish I will have a month and a half break before the summer, where I will start Westside again. During this month and a half break I really can't do 2 board/3 boards or lockouts, and I will probably do DB Incline and decline (both once a week, but on different days) if I don't do bench. I know, however, that my bench will drop by a notable amount if I do this, but I worry that if I don't drop bench for a month or so that I will be stagnant over the summer. A similar problem exists with power cleans..

Thoughts?

[Chrispy]

while you can't do the same routine for an extensive period of time, you don't have to totally drop an excercise. like say you have been doing bb bench in the rep range of 3-5 or something. you can switch to db's for a little variety or switch up your rep range. or go to incline/decline like you said, which shouldn't really drop your flat bench. atleast this is my understanding. you just need to switch up stuff, not necessarilly totally switch your excercises.

[body]

while you can't do the same routine for an extensive period of time, you don't have to totally drop an excercise. like say you have been doing bb bench in the rep range of 3-5 or something. you can switch to db's for a little variety or switch up your rep range. or go to incline/decline like you said, which shouldn't really drop your flat bench. atleast this is my understanding. you just need to switch up stuff, not necessarilly totally switch your excercises.

all you have to do is aim to put more weight on the bar every X trianing days. you do not need to change other variable unless you goals change.

well unless you take this to the extreme and you may have to lower volume over a ten year peroid as your just getting older.

I basically did the same exercise regime for 2 years and kept gianing. The only time i tinker stuff is that I can see that it will benefit my routine. which if i knew about technique X I would have done that from the start.

[Paul Stagg]

The CNS issue is more pronounced at higher intensity (defined as % or 1RM).

So, you won't make progress maxing out on the bench press every week (that's why you rotate ME lifts using the WSB template). But, you can progress for quite some time using tricep extensions as an assistance lift.