Cluster style HST

J

jww13

New Member
When lifting, I don't focus so much on the number of sets, but rather the total number of reps. I'm now at the point of lifting my 5 rep max and was wondering what a sufficient number of reps would be per workout. (I'm doing the typical 3x/week HST)

Is 10 enough (30 total per week)? What about 15 (45 total per week)? What is a good way to determine if I'm doing too many or too few?
 
The total volume is dependent on your personal tolerance and ability to recover from workout to workout. How many sets do you do now, or better put, how many total reps do you do now?
 
In my 10 rep max range, I was doing 18-20 total reps. Then in my 8 rep max range, I was doing 16-18 total reps.

I'd like to keep the volume to at least 15 reps (to stay close to my lower weight ranges). I'm now in my 5 rep max range, so I don't know if it's worth doing 3 sets now because the 3rd set took a lot out of me on flat dumbbell press.

Should I just reduce it to 10? Will the heavier weight compensate (or hopefully overcompensate) the reduced volume?

Thanks.
 
Do your 15 reps in 4-5 cluster sets if you can't do it in 3. That's why it's clustering and not sets :)
 
I got burned out starting with 60% max for 30 total reps/workout (3XWeek) per bodypart. I applied the model keeping volume constant.

If and when I do this again I am going to create a simple linear function in which 60% RM is 30 total reps all the way up to 95% is 15 reps (or might be little more chunky). So from workout to workout if I add a load of 2% then I would be dropping total reps by 1. When I hit 75% I am getting 24 reps.

Then as the load gets over 85% I may get add some drop sets or burn sets, ie grabbing some light dumbells and kicking out 10 - 12 more reps.
 
I can confirm that more than 15 clustered reps with loads near your 3-4RM is really really a lot and to handle more is hard.
but you do not need to perform as much reps as when you've been in the 15s...as vicious said: if you did 2sets of 15s (means 30reps) you want to do at least 2 sets of 5s (=10reps) so if you started with two sets of 15 you'll be fine to cluster just 10reps
and from my experience I can say that you reach pretty enough strain this way

regards
 
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