Sci's HST Log

Ill agree that a true bulk should help gains more than the leangains approach. If you still feel youve got plenty of more muscle to gain then thats probably the best approach.
 
i am realizing how horribly inconsistent with programming and goals, when i "self-coach". i need to put myself under a good HST expert as a coach.

My long term goal is to gain muscle and Deadlift 500 pounds. So I am going to follow Totentanz as my coach, even if he has me bulk up like a balloon... Lol.

Once I square away a plan with Tot, I'll start a new log... focused on the long term Deadlift goal.
 
March 14, 2013

Leg Press: 400 x 10+4+4+4
Dips: 196 x 12+6+6+4
Cable Rows: 150 x 10+4+4+4
Arnold Press: 47.5s x 10+7+5+3
Pulldowns: 170 x 10+4+4+4 (pulldown machine was constantly busy, so I had to do it last, normally I do it near first.)
Seated Calves: 120 x 12+8+8+8+8



front.jpgback.jpg
 
Your anterior torso appears much more developed than your posterior torso; is that a lighting factor or am I right in seeing it that way ... ? The cut worked, good job there.
 
Your anterior torso appears much more developed than your posterior torso; is that a lighting factor or am I right in seeing it that way ... ? The cut worked, good job there.

Yeah, what you are seeing is my lack of lats. Hoping to turn that around with Pulldowns, chin-ups and rows.
 
Alright, so I got a detailed bulking/deadlift program tailor-suited to my specific goals of 1) overall mass 2) deadlift increase 3) specialize on back/lats.

The dietary side is going to be a fairly extreme bulk, at least by my standards, so I am thinking it would be very wise to start this properly from a lean state. My upper body is already quite lean, but I am still carrying a lot of fat in my hips and thighs, and the scale still reads around 14% bodyfat, which I know that these scales are horribly inaccurate, but judging by my lower body fat that is probably very close.

On the other hand, I am very anxious to start the new program, so I am going to start organizing my training to the new program immediately, but while I finish cutting... this way I can try it out and iron out any kinks that may come up. I am going to attempt to finish my cut as fast as possible, and just go hardcore Rapid Fat Loss Lyle Mcdonald style...its gonna suck for a few weeks, but at this point, I just want to get it over with, get ripped and then put on some muscle. I will of course have to do small refeeds around workouts, and one large refeed each week after the deadlift day, but even then, with Lyle's RFL program, I should get shredded pretty fast.

I realize that I could just start bulking now, but given the already fat state of my legs, I wouldn't be able to bulk for nearly as long, plus, I want to finish what I started and prove to myself that I am not a quitter, before I start this next cycle.

Goal weight to finish cut: 180 lb.s

Current weight: 192 lb.s
 
Only 12 pounds to go, light at the end of the tunnel! Just saw your recent pics, Sci. Looking good, man!! The cut is clearly working, you look much more lean... looks like you're losing the bad stuff and keeping the good stuff!!

Well done!
 
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You might consider alternating the deadlifts with deficit deads done standing on a block of something similar, using a percentage of the load you'd use for your regular deadlift.

Don't do any cardio during the RFL, it sucks if you are lifting as in this program and try to do cardio along with the diet.

I would only do a refeed prior to the deadlifting session.
 
You might consider alternating the deadlifts with deficit deads done standing on a block of something similar, using a percentage of the load you'd use for your regular deadlift.

Don't do any cardio during the RFL, it sucks if you are lifting as in this program and try to do cardio along with the diet.

I would only do a refeed prior to the deadlifting session.

I thought about that, definitely going to do something like that to work on my hip strength, floor sticking point.

Definitely no cardio.

Only one refeed? Ok , maybe I am a quitter... Just kidding. I can do this. I hope.
 
Well you can do more refeeds but it's going to make your cut take longer. When I do RFL, I prefer to just go real hard at it for 10 days at a time, then right when I'm about to go insane and I'm dreaming about food all night, I take a couple days off from it. Really, it just depends on what you can handle mentally because if you can't do more than a week then you shouldn't try to.
 
I dig the goals and plan, Sci.

Thanks. I am glad I finally took the step to lay out very specific long-term goals, and then ask for help here on the HST forum on reaching those goals. I am a very self-reliant person, and that has major drawbacks sometimes. I am the type that needs some sort of coach or authority to answer to, or I just run amok and I am constantly changing my plans... Totentanz has achieved success with the two main areas I am concerned with...Gaining a crapload of muscle naturally using HST, and driving up an elite level deadlift. So I am glad he agreed to help me in my quest. I feel a lot more confident about reaching my goals, now that I have some sort of coach to direct me. And someone I am accountable to.

That goes for all my friends here at the HST board. Mikeynov, as you have known me for as long as Totentanz (I joined HST forum in 2006), you are free to berate me if I suddenly decide to bail out of this program. Accountablity is huge, and short of finding a training partner, the HST forum works for me.
 
Well you can do more refeeds but it's going to make your cut take longer. When I do RFL, I prefer to just go real hard at it for 10 days at a time, then right when I'm about to go insane and I'm dreaming about food all night, I take a couple days off from it. Really, it just depends on what you can handle mentally because if you can't do more than a week then you shouldn't try to.

True. Its a mental battle for me. Dieting alters the chemistry in the brain significantly, and that can make even the strongest will crumble...or can it? That is the game.
 
This may sound crazy to some of you, but I am even asking God for help in reaching my goals.... However vain and senseless they may seem, lifting makes me feel alive, and it is a form of worship of my Creator for me in taking care of the body I have been given.

I am just tired of trying to do everything on my own... If there is a God, I want his help too.

I want this next cycle to be the gamechanger for me.
 
2x10

WTD. Dips: 210
Rack Pull: 285
WG Pulldowns: 130 (weak)
Arnold Press: 50s
Leg Press: 400
Seat Calves: 120
WG Pulldowns: 105 2x15 extra lat work.
 
Are you lifting in a manner that resembles vanilla-HST, planned increments etc ... ?

How far into surplus are you going ... ?
 
Are you lifting in a manner that resembles vanilla-HST, planned increments etc ... ?

How far into surplus are you going ... ?

Yes, sort of vanilla HST, but skipping 15s, and extending 5s for PRs. Also, doing back to back cycles, only SD when I burnout.
The Deadlift itself will be trained 1x/week separately from the HST program, as a max effort lift in the 1-5RM range.

I will be gaining 40 pounds, probably around 2 pounds/week. start at 180, finish at 220.
 
18kg's in one cycle ... ???

Brother, get ready to finance a new wardrobe ...

What does the routine itself look like?
 
18kg's in one cycle ... ???

Brother, get ready to finance a new wardrobe ...

What does the routine itself look like?

Sun:
Dips 2-3x10
Rack Pulls 2x10
Pulldown 2x10 (40 reps total for back between these two lifts)
Arnold Press 2-3x10
Leg Press 2x10
Calves 2-3x10

Wednesday:
Dips 2-3x10
Cable Rows 2x10
Pulldown 2x10 (40 reps total for back between these two lifts)
Arnold Press 2-3x10
Leg Press 2x10
Calves 2-3x10

Friday:
Deads 2-3x1-5
Dips 2x10
Pulldowns 2x10
Arnold Press 2x10
Calves 2-3x10

Once you get into the 5s, I want you to do 2-3 sets of 15 on pulldowns with your 15 RM at the end of your workout on Sundays and Wednesdays. You can do this during the 10s too if you wish but it's not necessary.

I would prefer six week cycles. Don't SD until you stall. Start out with two weeks of 10s, two weeks of 5s then two weeks pushing the load up each workout until you find new 5s. Use those new 5s to build your next cycle. Zigzag will be fine since you'll only have it on the third week. At the end of the six weeks, estimate new 10 RMs using your new 5 RMs and layout the cycle, then just go right back into 10s. If you haven't stalled after three cycles of six weeks, go ahead and take a 9 day SD, returning to lifting the 10th day. I would prefer you start out at 75-80% of your 10 RM.
 
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