1st HST cycle, could use some help

Z

Zepphire

New Member
I've been doing a lot of reading about HST and came up with the following program: (note that my RM and the weights I intend on using during the cycle are also mentioned)



15s:
Squat 59.5 44.5 47.5 50.5 53.5 56.5 59.5
Dumbbell bench press 20.5 15.5 16.5 17.5 18.5 19.5 20.5
Barbell row 33.5 24.5 26.5 28.5 30.5 32.5 33.5
Military press 30.5 22.5 23.5 24.5 26.5 28.5 30.5
Good morning
Shrugs

10s:
Squat 71.5 53.5 56.5 59.5 62.5 65.5 68.5
Dumbbell bench press 23.5 20.5 21.5 21.5 22.5 22.5 23.5
Barbell row 39.5 33.5 35.5 35.5 37.5 37.5 39.5
Seated barbell tricep extension 19.5 14.5 15.5 16.5 17.5 18.5 19.5
Barbell curl 25.5 18.5 20.5 22.5 23.5 24.5 25.5
Rocky press 35.5 26.5 28.5 30.5 32.5 34.5 35.5
L-Lateral Raise 12.5 8.5 9.5 10.5 10.5 11.5 12.5
Deadlift 95.5 (only gonna do these 2 or 3 times during 10s because deads + squats on the same day is draining.)

5s:
Deadlift 123.5 93.5 99.5 105.5 111.5 117.5 123.5
Front squat 69.5 52.5 56.5 60.5 63.5 66.5 69.5
Dumbbell bench press 27.5 23.5 24.5 24.5 25.5 26.5 27.5
Flyes 16.5 12.5 12.5 13.5 14.5 15.5 16.5
Barbell row 47.5 39.5 41.5 42.5 43.5 45.5 47.5
Seated barbell tricep extension 22.5 19.5 19.5 19.5 20.5 21.5 22.5
Barbell curl 31.5 26.5 27.5 28.5 29.5 30.5 31.5
Rocky press 43.5 35.5 37.5 37.5 39.5 41.5 43.5
L-Lateral Raise 16.5 12.5 12.5 13.5 14.5 15.5 16.5
Leg curl 40 30 32 34 36 38 40

So 5 exercises during 15s, 7 during 10s and 10 during 5s

I train at home, so no access to pull-up bar, only squat rack, bench and 150kg of iron.

I got the general idea from andalite from bb.com, he suggested to stick to mostly compounds during the 15s and gradually add in the isolation in the following rep blocks.
I'm thinking of adding some good mornings at 15s to keep my lower back strength up to par until I get to deadlifts in subsequent rep ranges. (or are these otiose because squats will be sufficient?)
I will also be doing some shrugs during 15s to keep my trap development until I get to deadlifts.
I don't do straight legged deads because they feel awkward.

I read in the faqs that Brian Haycock advises the following regarding amount of sets: :I suggest you do 2 sets per exercise during the 15s. Then do 2 sets during the first week of 10s, and 1 set during the second week of 10s. Then do 2 sets during the first week of 5s, and finish doing one set during the last week of 5s.

I don't quite understand how I'm supposed to do multiple sets of my RM during 15s. Can someone shed some light on this matter?

Any comments or is this a good first cycle?

Thanks, and sorry for the long read
tounge.gif
 
Forgot to mention that the weights are in kg, and I started at 75% of my RM for that particular rep block and just added increments as I saw fit. ( also made sure there was no zig-zagging.)

Sorry, didn't see the edit button until after I made this post
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I got 20 lb lean muscle gain first 4 months on HST.

I worked out 6 days a week.  MWF - Upper Body
TTS - Below waist.  If I was too wiped out from previous WO I did cardio for 1 hour.

I tested for 1RM and 3 RM, and spent a week doing it.

2 sets x15s - I started with weight I could handle 80% of 1RM for 15s - I did 15s for 2 weeks and went up on weight as I was comfortable.  The 15s were killer and boy was I whipped when I was done with workouts.    

2 sets x 10s  -  I started with weight I finished in 15s - I did 10s for 2 weeks and went up on weight as I was comfortable

3 sets x 5s  - I did three sets, because I wanted to keep volume close to previous cycles.  I started with weight I finished in 10s.  -  I did 4 weeks of 5s and I was upping the weight almost every workout.

Then I SD

----------------------------------

I doubt you can perform as you suggest.  All weights at my gym are in 5lb increments or higher.

So...when I couldn't handle a 5 lb increase I just stayed with what I could do.  Often I would exceed the rep max, guess I was thinking it would better prepare me for that 5 lb increase I needed next workout. LOL

----------------------------------

Now I do full body workout 3 times a week, cardio on off days as I feel like it.  I'm not trying to be a contestant.  I am in great shape, strong and still getting gains.

Still with HST and the 15s are still tough. LOL

Suggestion--lay off the isloation exercises first cycle and possibly second cycle. You'll get great gains without the isolation exercises. You'll really need to get your whole body stronger and compounds is the best way to do it.

Good luck
rock.gif
 
<div>
(Avi1985 @ Jul. 28 2007,18:17)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Why not doing 5 exercise on 15's, 5 exercise on 10's, and 5 exercise on 5's?</div>
As I said, got the idea from Andalite at bb.com to add in the isolation after 15s.

<div>
(Domineaux @ Jul. 28 2007,19:19)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I got 20 lb lean muscle gain first 4 months on HST.

I worked out 6 days a week. MWF - Upper Body
TTS - Below waist. If I was too wiped out from previous WO I did cardio for 1 hour.

I tested for 1RM and 3 RM, and spent a week doing it.

2 sets x15s - I started with weight I could handle 80% of 1RM for 15s - I did 15s for 2 weeks and went up on weight as I was comfortable. The 15s were killer and boy was I whipped when I was done with workouts.

2 sets x 10s - I started with weight I finished in 15s - I did 10s for 2 weeks and went up on weight as I was comfortable

3 sets x 5s - I did three sets, because I wanted to keep volume close to previous cycles. I started with weight I finished in 10s. - I did 4 weeks of 5s and I was upping the weight almost every workout.

Then I SD

----------------------------------

I doubt you can perform as you suggest. All weights at my gym are in 5lb increments or higher.

So...when I couldn't handle a 5 lb increase I just stayed with what I could do. Often I would exceed the rep max, guess I was thinking it would better prepare me for that 5 lb increase I needed next workout. LOL

----------------------------------

Now I do full body workout 3 times a week, cardio on off days as I feel like it. I'm not trying to be a contestant. I am in great shape, strong and still getting gains.

Still with HST and the 15s are still tough. LOL

Suggestion--lay off the isloation exercises first cycle and possibly second cycle. You'll get great gains without the isolation exercises. You'll really need to get your whole body stronger and compounds is the best way to do it.

Good luck
rock.gif
</div>

I work out at home and I have 0.5 kg weights and my barbell weighs 9.5 kg, so I can do the increments I posted.
 
<div>
(domineaux @ Jul. 28 2007,19:19)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I got 20 lb lean muscle gain first 4 months on HST.

I worked out 6 days a week.  MWF - Upper Body
TTS - Below waist.  If I was too wiped out from previous WO I did cardio for 1 hour.

I tested for 1RM and 3 RM, and spent a week doing it.

2 sets x15s - I started with weight I could handle 80% of 1RM for 15s - I did 15s for 2 weeks and went up on weight as I was comfortable.  The 15s were killer and boy was I whipped when I was done with workouts.    

2 sets x 10s  -  I started with weight I finished in 15s - I did 10s for 2 weeks and went up on weight as I was comfortable

3 sets x 5s  - I did three sets, because I wanted to keep volume close to previous cycles.  I started with weight I finished in 10s.  -  I did 4 weeks of 5s and I was upping the weight almost every workout.

Then I SD

----------------------------------

I doubt you can perform as you suggest.  All weights at my gym are in 5lb increments or higher.

So...when I couldn't handle a 5 lb increase I just stayed with what I could do.  Often I would exceed the rep max, guess I was thinking it would better prepare me for that 5 lb increase I needed next workout. LOL

----------------------------------

Now I do full body workout 3 times a week, cardio on off days as I feel like it.  I'm not trying to be a contestant.  I am in great shape, strong and still getting gains.

Suggestion--lay off the isloation exercises first cycle and possibly second cycle. You'll get great gains without the isolation exercises. You'll really need to get your whole body stronger and compounds is the best way to do it
Still with HST and the 15s are still tough. LOL

.

Good luck
rock.gif
</div>
good post,best to keep the first few cycles as simple as possible.
 
<div>
(lcars @ Jul. 29 2007,06:15)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
good post,best to keep the first few cycles as simple as possible.</div>
But the homepage and different other sites suggested choosing between 8-12 exercises, both compound and isolation. Note that I can't do chins or dips...
and I don't feel my arms getting hit hard from rows and dumbell bench press so why not add a set or two of curls and extensions?
 
if you want to add exercises,do so.if you can handle the volume,but its far better to grasp hst principles and keep things simple for your first couple of cycles.

i use iso's all the time,but if you are newish to training they are often overkill.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I don't feel my arms getting hit hard</div>

You have to get over the fact that you want to feel like everything has been hit hard. When I dropped arm isos from my routine my arms still grew even though I didn't feel like I was hitting them hard. Fatigue is often what makes you think you have hit a muscle hard when in fact it is strain that is a more important factor, as far as hypertrophy is concerned. If you are doing heavy bench, dips, rows and chins you will be putting a good deal of strain on your arm muscle groups.

I see you don't have a chinning bar at home. If at all possible do try to get one fitted somehow (or improvise). Same goes for dips. You will be glad you did.
 
<div>
(Lol @ Jul. 29 2007,09:33)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> <div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I don't feel my arms getting hit hard</div>


I see you don't have a chinning bar at home. If at all possible do try to get one fitted somehow (or improvise). Same goes for dips. You will be glad you did.</div>
Sadly, there's no room in my little garage to fit a pull-up bar or dipping posts.

Anyway, I'll make sure to do my compounds first, and if I still feel like doing iso's afterwards, I'll do so.

Just one more question, the faq advised to do 2 reps during 15s, 2 during first week of 10s and 1 during second week of 10s, 2 during first week of 5s and 1 during second week of 5s.
How is it possible to do 2 sets of your max during 15s? Won't you hit failure somewhere during the 2nd set?
 
Most BB think if they don't get a good pump or burn they're not working the muscle correctly.  Pump and Burn do not make your muscles grow.  The mechanical loading of the muscle is the stimulus.

You're expected to feel burn in the muscle during your 15s cycle, but you shouldn't feel much in the way of burn after that.
 
<div>
(Zepphire @ Jul. 29 2007,15:31)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Sadly, there's no room in my little garage to fit a pull-up bar or dipping posts.</div>
I remember rigging up a couple of rope loops from a garage ceiling and then slipping a bar through them. It was a bit of a Tarzan effort but it did the trick.
biggrin.gif



<div>
(Zepphire @ Jul. 29 2007,15:31)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Just one more question, the faq advised to do 2 reps during 15s, 2 during first week of 10s and 1 during second week of 10s, 2 during first week of 5s and 1 during second week of 5s.
How is it possible to do 2 sets of your max during 15s?</div>
It probably isn't. As you know, HST is not about rep and sets per se, it's about progressing load over the course of the cycle while doing enough volume to elicit a hypertrophic effect but not so much volume that fatigue accumulation gets in the way of progress. So, just go for the first set of 15 and then for the second set just do what you can while avoiding failure. If you want to make up the reps to get the full 15 again, just do another set after a short rest period. So for your 15RM w/o you might do 15, 10, 5.
 
I go to a gym now, but when I didn't  I had a chin bar arrangement that worked great.

I installed a solid barbell bar high in one corner of the room.  I  placed 2 each 2 x 4s along the wall parallel with the floor at the height I wanted the chin bar.   I secured the 2 x 4 s across the vertical wall studs through the sheetrock.  I used Lag screws through the 2x4s (drilled through) into the vertical wall studs.  

I cut a v notch in each of the 2x4s at the place I wanted the bar to set.  I dropped the bar into those nothes and voila!  I had a chin bar that worked great.  I didn't need anything to keep the bar from pushing up, because my body weight held the bar solid in the notches.
 
<div>
(Lol @ Jul. 29 2007,12:15)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Zepphire @ Jul. 29 2007,15:31)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Just one more question, the faq advised to do 2 reps during 15s, 2 during first week of 10s and 1 during second week of 10s, 2 during first week of 5s and 1 during second week of 5s.
How is it possible to do 2 sets of your max during 15s?</div>
It probably isn't. As you know, HST is not about rep and sets per se, it's about progressing load over the course of the cycle while doing enough volume to elicit a hypertrophic effect but not so much volume that fatigue accumulation gets in the way of progress. So, just go for the first set of 15 and then for the second set just do what you can while avoiding failure. If you want to make up the reps to get the full 15 again, just do another set after a short rest period. So for your 15RM w/o you might do 15, 10, 5.</div>
Suppose I'm doing my last workout of 15s and I'm on my second set, and after 9 reps or so, I feel I can probably do one more if I muster all my strength. Do I go for a tenth rep? or do I stop shy of failure?

I'll see what I can do to get a pull-up bar.

Thanks for the help guys
 
You can stop the set at 9 reps, rest a minute, then do the last 6 reps. Remember, fatigue is NOT the growth stimulus. Breaking sets up into smaller sets (i.e. clustering) is acceptable. It allows you to get as much work done with less fatigue, which means better recovery in the long run.


Anyway, if you really have to do the isolations, I would add them in during the 10s. Keep your iso's to only 1 set for each, keeping your main focus on the compounds. When you get into the 5s, I would keep them at 1 set still, maybe 2 sets for one of them, but again, you want the compounds to be your main focus. Also, you want to save your isolations for the very end of the workout. Instead of seeing them as a main part of your workout, think of them as &quot;finishing off&quot; the problem muscle groups.
 
<div>
(Totentanz @ Jul. 29 2007,12:51)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">You can stop the set at 9 reps, rest a minute, then do the last 6 reps. Remember, fatigue is NOT the growth stimulus. Breaking sets up into smaller sets (i.e. clustering) is acceptable. It allows you to get as much work done with less fatigue, which means better recovery in the long run.


Anyway, if you really have to do the isolations, I would add them in during the 10s. Keep your iso's to only 1 set for each, keeping your main focus on the compounds. When you get into the 5s, I would keep them at 1 set still, maybe 2 sets for one of them, but again, you want the compounds to be your main focus. Also, you want to save your isolations for the very end of the workout. Instead of seeing them as a main part of your workout, think of them as &quot;finishing off&quot; the problem muscle groups.</div>
Thanks for your reply.
So any final comments regarding amount of sets? Tomorrow's my first day of 15s after a SD of 10 days.
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Nothing to add really. Just don't be surprised if your first workout seems a little harder than expected. By your second or third workout you should find that your tolerance for work is picking up again.

Eat like a horse!  
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Thanks for all the help guys
smile.gif


One final question though
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I've kept my caloric intake at around maintenance during my SD, and am looking to bulk up now, I'll be weighing myself every day or so. Howmuch weight should I aim for in a week? (without adding too much fat of course)
 
a week? little too soon for noticable weight gains.

id look at increasing callorie intake buy around 500cals if you want to stay lean but it depends on your metabolism and callorie expenditure in your daily life/work.i try to aim for 3000-3500max,but im 34 so i maybe slowing down a little.people can advise you on this but it is totally dependent on the individual.
 
Just aim for about 1-2 lbs of average weight gain a week. Remember that weight will vary, so just take the weekly average. Try to get the weekly average increasing by 1-2 lbs a week and then you should be set.
 
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