Last 5's??

[Marvin the Martian]

Hi,

I'm new to HST. I've been doing HIT and I'm interested in trying this regimen.

I've read the posts, the FAQs and the web pages and I've got some questions:

1. After the cycles of 15s, 10s and 5s, I've seen that you can do another cycle of 5s. This last cycle before SD can be done in different ways:

a) continue progressing from the 5RM weight in increments. So if my 5RM were 100 in the bench press, in my second cycle of 5s I would continue progressing in increments of 5% from 100. Is this right? Can I add dropsets here? If so how?
b) or use negatives using a 2RM with dropsets.

2. SD - I've read that this should be between 9 and 14 days. If I'm working out MWF, when I SD, should I wait a week, then start the next cycle again? (Two days from the weekend following the 5s plus the following week and weekend is 9 days.) Is this right? I've read that you should wait two weeks which is 16 days - the two weeks plus the two days of the weekend following the last 5s.

3. When I start my second cycle and I'm doing 15s again, do I add 5 - 10% to my previous 15RM and use this as my new 15RM? (And do this for the new 10s and 5s too?)

 

[Guest]

"1. After the cycles of 15s, 10s and 5s, I've seen that you can do another cycle of 5s. This last cycle before SD can be done in different ways:
a) continue progressing from the 5RM weight in increments. So if my 5RM were 100 in the bench press, in my second cycle of 5s I would continue progressing in increments of 5% from 100. Is this right? Can I add dropsets here? If so how?
b) or use negatives using a 2RM with dropsets."

a) In order to add weight to your 5RM, you'll HAVE TO use drop sets- 100x5 is your 5RM, so, 105 would be 2-4 reps max, then you'd drop down to 95 or 100 immediately to finish off that set of 5 reps as if it were one whole set.
b) Later in the same cycle, you'd be far beyond your 5RM since you've been adding weight each workout. So at the end of the cycle if you started with 105, you'd be at roughly 130- far beyond your 5RM, and maybe beyond your 1RM. This is where negatives come in- the spotter helps you lift, you resist on the way down, for a 2RM. Then you'd drop the weight down to whatever you need to get 3 on your own.

"2. SD - I've read that this should be between 9 and 14 days. If I'm working out MWF, when I SD, should I wait a week, then start the next cycle again? (Two days from the weekend following the 5s plus the following week and weekend is 9 days.) Is this right? I've read that you should wait two weeks which is 16 days - the two weeks plus the two days of the weekend following the last 5s."

On the main page it says to SD for one week. But all of these are just guidelines. Basically, if you do a 6 week cycle and don't do weeks 7 and 8 of really heavy lifting and negatives, one week should do, start again 9 days later on Monday. If you do weeks 7 and 8, you need a longer time to recuperate and to SD. SD is basically just to let your body forget you ever lifted, so you start like new and hopefully get big gains again. And you don't have to go Mon, Wed, Fri, you can go Tues, Thurs, Sat, or whatever you like as long as you stay on the schedule to maintain frequency.

"3. When I start my second cycle and I'm doing 15s again, do I add 5 - 10% to my previous 15RM and use this as my new 15RM? (And do this for the new 10s and 5s too?)"

Yes, adding weight every workout is the at the core of the program. It serves to "fool" your body in a way. On that first cycle, you started far below your 15RM on the first workout and then built up to your 15RM in 6 workouts. Do the same on each new cycle. So if your first 15RM was 100, now it's 105 or 110, but you start that first workout back at 80 or 85. Just be sure that you are actually lifting your 15RM on that 6th workout, you may have to adjust up or down depending on how fast or slow you get stronger.

I hope I got all that right, you other folks feel free to correct anything I messed up.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Thanks John. You've answered my questions... I thought I was on the right track, but I just wanted to be sure!
It can be challenging navigating the forums for information. There's lots here in the forums, but some of it's pretty well tucked away. I'm sure there's lots of repetition here - same old questions and answers etc.
I'd like to suggest that this kind of info is put on the web pages.
Thanks again!