How long can you use the same exercises as long as you rotate the rep range and still make progress. Because i thought if you used like 8x3, 5x5, and 3x8 for 4 weeks each you could use the same exercise for 12 weeks. Then use the same rep ranges for another exercise for another 12 weeks. Then it seems like each exercise would help you progress further and also leave you more exercises to switch to down the road if you get in a rut. Is my thinking correct or way off??
4-8 weeks. Although some say in as few as 6 workouts.
IMO it pretty much depends of what you want to accomplish…I’ve been doing the three powerlifts for years just changing the set/rep range with great strength gains…the only exercises I change frequently are the assistance ones.
Switch it up when you are making slow/no gains.
You may be an anomaly so don’t take what others think like it’s scripture (although, they could be right).
Modification in trainng parameters should occur every 2-6 weeks. 2-3 weeks is best for advanced athletes though (my athletes change training methods every 3 weeks).
You can modify the following parameters:
- Exercise selection
- WAY of performing the exercises (e.g. tempo contrast, iso-dynamic contrast, explosive, slow tempo, etc.)
- Intensity bracket (very low: below 60%; low: 60-70%; moderate: 70-80%; high: 80-90%; near-maximal/maximal: 90-100%)
- Type of contraction emphasized (overcoming isometrics, yielding isometrics, accentuated eccentrics, etc.)
- Training volume (no. of sets and/or reps)
- Training density (work/time)
- ETC.
So as you can see, changing the exercises around is not always needed or necessary. In most cases, my athletes stick to pretty much the same basic lifts during a whole 12 weeks cycle (with some modification in assistance lifts). I much prefer to play with the other training parameters to induce maximum progress.