4 days in a row

R

rudy_jacek

New Member
I'm new on the forum and just starting the HST path, and just like the topic says, I have only 4 days in a row to do my workout - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Is there any way I could tweak the HST to this situation ?

What would happen if I train all 4 days in a row and then recover 3 days in a row ? Is it even possible to have any gains with that kind of option ? (and I'm not talking about the split workout, but about the HST 4 days in a row-option)

What would you suggest me to do ? How can I make the best use of these 4 days that I have ?


thank you for your help
 
Could you look at working out every 36 hours for the 4 days?  That would let you get the following workouts:

Thurs AM
Fri PM
Sun AM

or 3x week.

That would get you on par albeit with less inbetween time with the standard 3x week HST.  

There may be some other A/B splits that would let you workout everyday, but I'll let someone else post about that as I really don't have much knowledge on HST and split workouts.

I'm currently doing every 48hours, but am hoping to try every 36 next cycle (based on the studies that indicate a lot of the muscle growth signals peak out by 36 hours).  

Hope that helps.
 
Day 1 Upper Body
Day 2 Lower Body
Day 3 Upper Body
Day 4 Lower Body
Day 5 Rest
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 Rest

Or split into a push-pull routine, although you have less opportunity to superset.

There is some debate as to whether 2 or 3 workouts per week is the mosy efficient. Assume it is 2 and go for it.
 
Diamyo - to tell the truth I was thinking about something like that, but after reading the hst book, I'm starting to worry about something else, I think it's not the 4-days-in-a-row thing that's bad, the real problem is the 3 days in a row rest, isn't it too long ? it's 72 hours. I undersand the need of SD after HST but breaks as long as 3 days during the cycle, won't that affect the muscle grow environment created during the 4-days-in-a-row routine ?

Old and Grey, Diamyo - what do you think ?
 
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(rudy_jacek @ Sep. 29 2006,18:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Diamyo - to tell the truth I was thinking about something like that, but after reading the hst book, I'm starting to worry about something else, I think it's not the 4-days-in-a-row thing that's bad, the real problem is the 3 days in a row rest, isn't it too long ? it's 72 hours. I undersand the need of SD after HST but breaks as long as 3 days during the cycle, won't that affect the muscle grow environment created during the 4-days-in-a-row routine ?

Old and Grey, Diamyo - what do you think ?</div>
I'd say four days on, three off may be sub-optimal, but not bad. Stick with the principles that you can. Start off with SD, then full body workouts frequently (as frequently as you can), and progressive load. With calories, I bet you will grow an amount that will make you happy!
 
What O&amp;G said.


You could do upper lower upper lower

With low reps / low reps/ high reps / high reps.

Not HST but still effective!
 
I would do an A/B split and put deadlifts on the last lifting day. If you have to take 3 days off, then hit the deadlift hard that fourth day.
 
<div>
(rudy_jacek @ Sep. 29 2006,18:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Diamyo - to tell the truth I was thinking about something like that, but after reading the hst book, I'm starting to worry about something else, I think it's not the 4-days-in-a-row thing that's bad, the real problem is the 3 days in a row rest, isn't it too long ? it's 72 hours. I undersand the need of SD after HST but breaks as long as 3 days during the cycle, won't that affect the muscle grow environment created during the 4-days-in-a-row routine ?

Old and Grey, Diamyo - what do you think ?</div>

I'm pretty confident 72 hours is not going to throw you into SD (I think you need a week for that to kick in)...but one thing I was thinking you might want to do was move your last workout until Sunday PM.

That would spread it so that you were minimizing the time between your last workout and the following one on Thursday AM, thus at least minimizing the 72 hour window since you'll have workouts right up against both sides of the window.

Since you figure you have at least 36-48 hours before the muscle signaling dies down from your last workout, your one day of being off (Wed) should just keep you at neutral, so I think you'll be fine.  

Hope that helps.
 
thanks for all your answers, I think they will be very helpful

I have one last question

I know that I have 36-48 hours to take the best use of all the muscle grow signals

If I got that right, the 36-48 h is an optimal (36) - maximal (48) time frame to do the next workout, but what is the minimal time to do it ?
I mean, would that be a mistake to do another workout after 24 hours ? (and I'm not asking about workout in general, but about the fullbody workout) or is it too fast, too little time ?
considering my situation, I could do 4 days in a row fullbody workout and then just rest the next 3

what do you think ?
 
If you don't fatigue too badly, there should be nothing wrong with 24 hours. Fatigue(and injury) would be what you want to avoid.

I'm not into supplements. However, some people may be able to suggest something that may help you out with the aggressive 4 days in a row.
 
Actually doing full body workouts 6 days per week, twice per day, is, in my opinion, the optimum way to perform HST. Of course you have to adjust volume accordingly or you will burn out.

Doing 4 full body workouts and then resting 3 days is not optimum but is not bad either. Just remember that your total weekly volume should not vary, no matter how many workouts per week you do...whether it be 3, 4 or 12.

BTW, there is no theoretical minimum time between exercise sessions that I am aware of. In fact, some studies have indicated that a continuous, constant tension on the muscle may be best for hypertrophy, although it is not practical. The theoretical maximum time is 48 hours. However, as with everything, it depends on the individual, their genes, age, T levels, etc., etc. Listen to your body and learn to interpret the signals it sends you through educating yourself.
 
thanks guys, you were very helpful

now I just have to get to work
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(rudy_jacek @ Sep. 30 2006,14:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">thanks guys, you were very helpful

now I just have to get to work  
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I like both suggestions actually, either 4 straight days, or 2 way splits. I don't think the 3 days &quot;rest&quot; is going to set you back that much. Let us know what you decide, and then let us know about your progress. You will be a good test case for us
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Three days rest beats the devil out of not working out because it doesn't fit the schedule.

If the time off interferes with HST, there is always HIT - it works quite well with 2-3 days completely off each week. In fact - the off time is mandatory or you'll overtrain.

Got to adapt those workouts to your situation. Better to be working out differently than you'd prefer than not working out at all.

Personally, I'd rather be powerlifting. Can't for now due to frequent SI joint injuries. So I'm settling for HST and getting really, really big, rather quickly - instead.

Not a bad trade off really.
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vagrant to be honest with you my so called HST is a kind of hybrid of HST (frequent training) and heavy load (kind of powerlifting training)
I did it 3-4 time a week, every other day, without 2 days off in a weekends

and I have to admit, after 8 weeks of benching 10 sets of 5-3 reps, every other day, I've added about 30 kg to my bench press record, and about 5 kg of mass
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thanks again guys
 
thu 9am
fri 9pm
sat 9am
sun 9pm
dont worry about the 3 days of you will be taking an advantage of protein synthises for 4 days, more than most people do
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OK...I'll top this up.

My opinion?

4 days on 3 days off, all HST style, go with Liege's opinion and hit the deadlifts hard on the last day, squat the other days or at least on two of them and maybe do one day only of SLDL or good morning.

Having 3 days off IMO will give you the opportunity of plenty rest so you can really just miss failure (HST way of course - not that absolute failure we know of
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)

Choose a simple program and you will really enjoy the growth!

Happy lifting
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(rudy_jacek @ Oct. 06 2006,08:13)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">and I have to admit, after 8 weeks of benching 10 sets of 5-3 reps, every other day, I've added about 30 kg to my bench press record, and about 5 kg of mass
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Nice work, congrats on the 30k, very impressive. How much are you benching now?
 
over a 100 kg, I haven't check lately, but I'm doing 10 sets of 3 reps with a 100 kg so I think it will be close to 110 kg
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