Lyle McDonald's explanation of HST theory

Hi guys,

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10249
Click to expand...

I read the whole (long) thread and it was troubling to me. In it, Lyle (which I think is one of the guys who "knows") dismisses some important "facts" of HST, saying that some of it just doesn't work.

I feel kind of at a loss. Even Blade gets in the thread and says he's doing some other routines (5x5, which I'm investigating).
What do you think about the discussion and the real usefullness of HST?

I haven't had such great results with HST and this kind of info really confuses me and makes want to try some other stuff, but I've been a HST faithfull anyway.

JD
 
Evidently Blade is focusing on strength right now as seen in his answer in this thread at bodyrecomposition.com:

Blade
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Trondheim, Norway
Posts: 308
Quote:
Originally Posted by anoopbal
Blade.
How are your gains on Doggcrap compared to HST? Both strength and growth wise?
And is Dogcrapp still advocating 2 gms of protein per lb of bodyweight and not to eat carbs after 6.00 pm. I am not sure how much he has changed his reccomendations bcos he removed all the stickies from his site and rarely gives any training advise online.
And since you know his stuff why is he not reccomending a regular powerlifitng routine if strength is the main determinant. I have read how he talks about powerlifters cutting down and destroying bodybuiders on stage. Is it more of the saftey issue with low rep or anything else?
Thanks
Anoop
Strength gains are better, due to all the RP stuff. I got up to my highest bodyweight ever on a DC routine, but I actually think a higher volume makes more sense. I really like the Dual Factor Theory, which both HST and DC have much in common with, but the cons of HST is spending too much time at lighter loads and DC using insufficient volume. I'll start a 5x5 routine next week. Still, I'll throw a Shaf/Brock here and say: just keep lifting heavier loads, eat, and you will grow! That's basically what all of these effective programs have in common.
The reason DC doesn't recommend lower rep/high load work is to prevent injuries with a lot of his guys using AAS, and his routine consisting of mostly machine work.
I think he is still recommending the high protein and carb-cutoff, which - when you look at it, is really just a variation of Lyle's TKD or low-carb bulk. He will focus carbs after the morning cardio session and the weights workout later in the day. Lower carb later in the day will deplete liver glycogen to some degree (although hard to tell since there will be a lot of glucose converted from the high protein intake), and increase FFA mobilization during the night, which is then burned off in the morning cardio session.
Blade
___
 
All the principles seem find within the thread. Only thing that is questioned, which i am also questioning, is SD'ing.
 
An excellent exposition of thinking in principles. (Sorry I'm an Objectivist philosophy major
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)
 
In the thread they discuss whether SD is neccessary, and seem to lean towards a week of deloading (light weights, low intensity) as the way to go.

I start in the heaviest ranges on my HST cycles and am considering a low weight 15's week instead of SD'ing. Probably would help with maintaning too in between cutting and bulking cycles. Eaten at maintenance of course.
 
So you're saying in a given cycle you will do 2 weeks of 5's, 2 weeks of negs, and then instead of SDing, do a week of 15's - might be something to that
 
Yes something very similar to that. Cluster/negs to reach 5 reps during the post 5's, and metabolic work is a light set of 15 after all my sets. I'd use the same weights during the 'SD' period, like 135 x 15 for squats, and so on when my 5rm is 315 ... so it's nice and light.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]
All the principles seem find within the thread. Only thing that is questioned, which i am also questioning, is SD'ing.
Click to expand...

They question also the weeks in "pussy weights" (the 15's).

I've always done 2 weeks of SD. For my next cycle I'll SD only 1 week and skip the 15's.

We'll see.

JD
 
Lyle's contention (I believe) is that your current level of adaptation is what sets the threshold for level of stimulation required.

Therefore, the more conditioned you are the more stimulus (read: greater load required over time - 6wks, 6months, 6 yrs etc) is required to continue growth.

Coupled to this, in order for submaximal gains to be effective (anything lower than 80% of 1RM I think is what was discussed) will require detraining. However when you detrain, you'll lose the gains already gotten.

So you'll work your way back up to the point you were at.

Coupled again: even if you don't lose all your gains when you detrain, you won't achieve a significant loss of "adaptations", hence won't be able to gain from submax weights again.


Basically Lyle said: continual size gains require continual strength gains. Is HST the best way to do this?
 
My brother and I do measurements at the beginning and at the end of of 2 week SDs and we do not lose any size. and when we get back on the 15s, they make us sore like hell. this obviously leads me to believe that the SD principle is completely sound.
 
For someone like myself though who starts in the 5's, i think a light detraining week of 15 easy reps would be sufficient enough. It would also probably help maintain muscle, aid in keeping full and helping the joints.
 
Hi!
Please, Lance, can you explain if you have gained better whit your heavier HST cycle instead of the conventional 15-10-5's?

Thank you

Giovanni
 
I just like getting right into the most productive weights of a cycle. Also shortens my HST cycles to around 4 weeks or so, depending on how far i can go with the weight progression, which keeps my head clear. It's nice working with one rep range as well, no zig zags, clear goal allways insight. Increasing my ending weight.

Yes i'd say i've gotten my best results, while eating was intact, with the heavier range, as well as higher frequency. When bulking i find that LS's do a great deal as well. I've just found that heavier weights just do things the best ... but it does get a little sore body/joint wise sometimes.
 
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