Well, I'm excited to finally be able to post. I've read just about anything and everything over the past couple months since I signed up with an account. I feel like I know half you guys on here just from reading everything.
I found this website from a link on the Madcow 5x5 website. I originally planned on starting a 5x5, but I found a link here and I have never looked back. I was previously trying to cut down but after finally shedding some weight I realized I wasn't going to have enough muscle to satisfy the look I was going for so I decided I would try a bulk.
I picked up Mark Rippetoe's Practical Programming and Basic Barbell Training as well as Alan Aragon's Girth Control after reading his sticky over on BB.com Those three books really opened me up to some new ideas, and of course HST was by far the most eye opening of them all for me. Dual factor programming and progressive loading are king!
I started my first HST cycle towards the end of Dec. 07. It began pretty easily with the 15s after about 9 days of SD. It most certainly was an ego check and I had to keep reminding myself the weight didn't matter but rather the results were what I was after.
I included
3x per week all cookie cutter HST style
Squats ATG
Flat Bench
Dead Lifts
Pendlay Rows
Overhead Press
Weighted Dips
Calf Raises
Weighted Incline Situps
I read the simplify and win article and it all really started coming together.
The first week went by like a joke and I had a few reservations about the workout but I had faith so I stuck with it.
Over the Holidays I finished up my 15rms with ease, and I probably could have pushed all reps on my 15 rep max day to 20 or beyond. I was eating like mad and the weight really started climbing the 1st week of 10's. Holiday time makes eating easy! I was probably putting back 3500 -4000 cals a day.
I started out on Nov. 24th at 175lbs and fairly lean, maybe 10-12%BF or (8-9mm as measured by Accumeasure calipers)
After deciding to start eating more I quickly put on 5lbs probably due to glycogen and water retention. As it turns out I was 181.2lbs the day I started my HST routine. I managed about 4 weeks of HST before I had to stop due to a septoplasty surgery that was coming up. I planned to SD during the down time and start it all over again. I rechecked all my RM's and everything went up dramatically
Body weight went form 181-190lbs in about 4 weeks. Sadly though after surgery and not being able to work out for about 2.5weeks I lost 6lbs.
I started another HST routine 4 weeks ago and I'm currently finished with my 15s and 10s and heading into the 5's. My body weight jumped from 184-193 this time around and I'm excited and determined to hit 200lbs before this cycle is over!
I've put on some fat which is what I expected but my strength and size has gone up quite a bit.
Measurements before and after non flexed
Arms 14.0/14.6 +.6"Measured while arm hanging at side
Thigh 21.8/23.8 +2" ( I've got really long legs!)
Calf 15.0/15.4 +.4"
Forearm 10.5/11.5 +1" Measured at center of forearm
Chest 41.5/43 + 1.5"
Waste 35.25/37 + 1.75" I put fat on my waste quickly even though my jeans size has stayed the same throughout other than getting tighter in the thigh area.
Before and after photos: Nov. 24- Feb 17 +18lbs
Dec. 1, 2007 181lbs
Feb 14,2008 193lbs
I just started taking Havoc by RPN and hopefully it will live up to it's hype. I'd like to go into the 5's with full intensity and finish up my havoc/5's cycle and head directly into a serious cut diet to shed some fat and drop back down to a much leaner 190 if I can in fact hit 200lbs in the next month.
I found this website from a link on the Madcow 5x5 website. I originally planned on starting a 5x5, but I found a link here and I have never looked back. I was previously trying to cut down but after finally shedding some weight I realized I wasn't going to have enough muscle to satisfy the look I was going for so I decided I would try a bulk.
I picked up Mark Rippetoe's Practical Programming and Basic Barbell Training as well as Alan Aragon's Girth Control after reading his sticky over on BB.com Those three books really opened me up to some new ideas, and of course HST was by far the most eye opening of them all for me. Dual factor programming and progressive loading are king!
I started my first HST cycle towards the end of Dec. 07. It began pretty easily with the 15s after about 9 days of SD. It most certainly was an ego check and I had to keep reminding myself the weight didn't matter but rather the results were what I was after.
I included
3x per week all cookie cutter HST style
Squats ATG
Flat Bench
Dead Lifts
Pendlay Rows
Overhead Press
Weighted Dips
Calf Raises
Weighted Incline Situps
I read the simplify and win article and it all really started coming together.
The first week went by like a joke and I had a few reservations about the workout but I had faith so I stuck with it.
Over the Holidays I finished up my 15rms with ease, and I probably could have pushed all reps on my 15 rep max day to 20 or beyond. I was eating like mad and the weight really started climbing the 1st week of 10's. Holiday time makes eating easy! I was probably putting back 3500 -4000 cals a day.
I started out on Nov. 24th at 175lbs and fairly lean, maybe 10-12%BF or (8-9mm as measured by Accumeasure calipers)
After deciding to start eating more I quickly put on 5lbs probably due to glycogen and water retention. As it turns out I was 181.2lbs the day I started my HST routine. I managed about 4 weeks of HST before I had to stop due to a septoplasty surgery that was coming up. I planned to SD during the down time and start it all over again. I rechecked all my RM's and everything went up dramatically
Body weight went form 181-190lbs in about 4 weeks. Sadly though after surgery and not being able to work out for about 2.5weeks I lost 6lbs.
I started another HST routine 4 weeks ago and I'm currently finished with my 15s and 10s and heading into the 5's. My body weight jumped from 184-193 this time around and I'm excited and determined to hit 200lbs before this cycle is over!
I've put on some fat which is what I expected but my strength and size has gone up quite a bit.
Measurements before and after non flexed
Arms 14.0/14.6 +.6"Measured while arm hanging at side
Thigh 21.8/23.8 +2" ( I've got really long legs!)
Calf 15.0/15.4 +.4"
Forearm 10.5/11.5 +1" Measured at center of forearm
Chest 41.5/43 + 1.5"
Waste 35.25/37 + 1.75" I put fat on my waste quickly even though my jeans size has stayed the same throughout other than getting tighter in the thigh area.
Before and after photos: Nov. 24- Feb 17 +18lbs
Dec. 1, 2007 181lbs

Feb 14,2008 193lbs

I just started taking Havoc by RPN and hopefully it will live up to it's hype. I'd like to go into the 5's with full intensity and finish up my havoc/5's cycle and head directly into a serious cut diet to shed some fat and drop back down to a much leaner 190 if I can in fact hit 200lbs in the next month.