In a few weeks going to give HST another shot...

[Debaser]

I know I posted about doing my experimental 5x5 but the ideas were so close to HST that I may as well go ahead and do it. I'm going to continue the DC diet, as that alone has improved my life so much (lots of energy, clearer skin from all the oil, and oh yeah lots of muscle mass).

However I'm thinking of abandoning the 15 reps and negative phases. First of all I don't like doing 15 reps on anything, except maybe squats (for 20). And negatives aren't too practical. I do have fractional plates, so what I may do is draw out the 10 and 5 rep phases for another week each. I have yet to figure this out.

Here is my exercise selection, fairly basic mostly compound:

Dips x 2 sets
Incline press x 1
Overhead press x 2
Pullups x 1
Barbell rows x 1
Squats x 2
Stiff-legged deadlifts x 1
Calf raises x 2

I'm also going to do DC stretching. This facilitates recovery, and may induce hyperplasia.

 

[Zander1983]

Very, very solid routine. I might include one more exercise though - rack deads, because your lower back doesn't get hit directly, plus it'll hit the traps more than your routine does too. Other than that, I'd pick an almost identical routine if I were to do HST!

Are you going to test your 10 and 5 rep maxes before you start, or just pick an arbitrary starting point and go from there?

Really looking forward to seeing how it works out for you.

 

[casualbb]

I like your routine...reminds me of mine

How are you thinking of using the fractional's to elongate the 10's and 5's?

BTW, I do recommend you do the 15 reps...I really grow well from them, and they help to prevent any joint injuries.

-casualbb

 

[Debaser]

Yeah I was going to use them to elongate the 5s and 10s. BAH I HATE 15S!

 

[casualbb]

haha I feel you. 15RM day is the closest I get to vomiting from training.

What do you mean, though...? Like start the weights lower so you can increment more days?

-casualbb

 

[Debaser]

Very, very solid routine. I might include one more exercise though - rack deads, because your lower back doesn't get hit directly, plus it'll hit the traps more than your routine does too. Other than that, I'd pick an almost identical routine if I were to do HST!

Are you going to test your 10 and 5 rep maxes before you start, or just pick an arbitrary starting point and go from there?

Really looking forward to seeing how it works out for you.

I'm doing 15rm day today, 10rm max wed, then 5 on friday. This might briefly overtrain me but who cares, I'm then taking the weekend plus next week off for 9 day strategic deconditioning.

Yeah I decided to do the program as outlined and do the 15rms . Instead of doing the negatives I'm going to do 2 more weeks of 5s. Last, my lower back is actually hit with SLDLs, traps are too but not as much as rack deads. I could burn out from 2 different deadlifts along with the squats in a workout though, so I'm just going to do a set of shrugs after the sldl.

 

[casualbb]

Good choice...most of the HST-ers have issues doing both squats and some form of deadlift on the same day. I can but definitely don't be afraid to maybe alternate them if you start feeling burnt out.

-casualbb

 

[Zander1983]

Front squats, followed by rack and then straight-leg deadlifts is a mighty tough way to start a workout. Yesterday I was completely dead after just three exercises. I'm not used to this type of training! I can see why HST-ers have those issues, casual. That said, I'm not sure if yesterday was just an off day (I didn't eat enough), if I'm just adjusting to the new routine, or if the routine needs changing. Anyway, I'll stick at it and see what happens.

 

[casualbb]

You might have to follow debaser's example and drop rack deads, especially if you're feeling dead after your first and lightest day.

-casualbb

 

[nanotitan]

guys, what do you think about this routine. Goals are size and strength (powerlifter) so I tried to incorporated max effort and dynamic effort work into routine.

2 weeks of 10 reps (maybe 8) followed by 2 weeks of 5 reps as per HST protocol.

Monday, Wednesday & Friday:

Stiff leg dead's 2 x 10
Standing hypers* 2 x 10
Incline situps 2 x 10

Mondays I start with a goodmorning, squat or deadlift variation.
Fridays, speed work on the squat/deadlift.

*Its like a stiff leg but keep my waist at 45° concentrating on working the erectors only. Definitely not a power movement.

Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday:

Skullcrushers 2 x 10
Barbell row 2 x 10
Low Incline dbell press 2x 10
probably front barbell raises 2 x 10

Tuesday start off with speed benches. Thursday max effort declines, floor press or other (might not do either the skull crushers or the dbell presses on this day).

Hypertrophy sets will be pretty submaximal although I will be steadily increasing the weights from session to session. After four weeks I plan to reduce volume for a week or so to help my CNS recover. I will be doing 1-2 sets of 15-20 reps with very light weight for three exercises per session but these will be different from the ones I did for the last 4 weeks.