Anyone Still Doing This?

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pietran30

New Member
Hey everyone, it's been a very long time since I've done HST. Back in 2008, at 19 years of age I made some great progress when I first tried HST. However, I am larger and stronger than I've ever been. My current stats are 5'10 at 200 lbs and approx 11-12% bf. About a year and a half ago I herniated a disc in my back, and couldn't squat or deadlift. I was still lifting though, and worked around it for about a year. I am 100% healthy again and was using madcow 5x5 to bring my squat strength up.

My current 5 RM look like this for the big 3:
Bench Press 325
Squat 355
Deadlift 455

Considering I couldn't squat or deadlift for all that time, I'm in a good place.

Anyway, the whole point of his thread is this: after all these years, are people still using HST? Or have you guys found something better? Is progressive load the answer to our hypertrophy needs, and if so, are there better ways to apply these principles?

And lastly, I'd imagine that my last few workouts of 5 RM week are going to completely suck due to the heavy weights I will be lifting. Those workouts are going to take forever with warm ups and everything. Not to mention that after squatting 350+ lbs and Benching 300 + lbs for 5 reps, I'm going to be pretty beat.

What are some of your thoughts?
 
I guess I should clarify. My hip has been bothering me from the constant 3x a week heavy squatting. Now that my strength is getting back up, I'd like to work more on hypertrophy again. If I go the HST route, how do I manage the heavy ass week of 5's where I'd be lifting 300 + lbs in these large compound lifts?

I was kind of thinking doing a 6 day on 1 day off split of:

Workout A
Squats
Leg curls
Calf raises
Hyper extensions
Bicep curls
Tricep presses

Workout B
Incline Bench
Barbell Rows
Overhead Press
Chin-ups
Shrugs


This would split up the workouts to avoid marathon workouts
 
I'm not as strong as you but yes I definitely feel the 5s near the end can build up a lot of fatigue and take a lot of time. I think most of us aren't running Vanilla HST but I am pretty sure most of us are still using a lot of its principles.

Regarding warmups, everyone works a bit differently but I find if I bike or row for 5-10mins I can move into my heavies much faster than if I just go in cold. So after warming up I can usually go into squats and do something like 135x5, 225x5, 275x3, working set. Granted my squat is kind of in the garbage right now and I'm mainly doing low 200s atm but thats another story. For deadlifts I have moved primarily to doing singles and I seem to prefer that. So 135, 225, 315, 365, 405, working set seems to go fast enough. Regardless it usually takes me 2 hours to get through the big 3 in the last week of 5s.

Another idea you could use is simply have a higher form standard for your RMs. For instance, you may find a lifting belt adds 20lbs, music adds 10lbs, psyching up gets 10lbs, etc. Maybe do no belt, no music, no psyche up and add a pause and all of a sudden your working weights are significantly lower but you still get a good muscle training stimulus.

Anyways keep your back safe and welcome back to being healthy.
 
pietran30 said:
I guess I should clarify. My hip has been bothering me from the constant 3x a week heavy squatting. Now that my strength is getting back up, I'd like to work more on hypertrophy again. If I go the HST route, how do I manage the heavy ass week of 5's where I'd be lifting 300 + lbs in these large compound lifts?

I was kind of thinking doing a 6 day on 1 day off split of:

Workout A
Squats
Leg curls
Calf raises
Hyper extensions
Bicep curls
Tricep presses

Workout B
Incline Bench
Barbell Rows
Overhead Press
Chin-ups
Shrugs


This would split up the workouts to avoid marathon workouts
Click to expand...

@pietran30,

Welcome back to HST, I have noticed that you have not included deadlifts into your proposed routine is there any particular reason? If this to try and reduce the stress on your CNS then I would just alternate squats and deadlifts per session and if you were intending on doing these two exercises as HST then just adjust the loading increments to start @ 80% then 90% then 100% rather than the 75, 80, 85% etc. I personally do not squat or deadlift using HST!!

In respect of exercise selection personally would drop Biceps and Triceps from Workout A as triceps are covered with Incline Bench and Overhead Press in Workout B and biceps with Barbell Rows and Chin ups and performing these isolation exercises will no doubt have a significant impact on the compound exercises the following day. You could always add in 3 sets of front squats or hack squats or leg press directly after the main squatting session to fill up the time lost from dropping direct arm exercises.
 
I personally would change a couple of exercises but if these work for you, go for it.

To avoid fatigue during a long stretch of 5's I use undulating sets. For example, In your case I would suggest 15's on M,T, 10's on W,TH and 5's on F, S with Sunday off. It is less stress on your CNS. I also would incorporate Myo Reps on the 15's and 10's to shorten but intensify the workout.
 
Couple great suggestions guys, thanks! I will be going on a European vacation this June 22 - July 9th, and doubt I will find anywhere to workout. I am going to find my maxes the week before, and upon my return I will use HST. I will let you guys know what I decide to do. Thanks for the help!
 
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