HST for new lifters

Calkid

New Member
Having (sort of) been a personal trainer, as well as a weights enthusiast for a few years now, I have a lot of credibility with my friends. I have a lot of people I know who ask me to "train" them.

Now if they were giving me 50+ dollars per hour, I'd do a postural assessment and try to correct muscle imbalances through flexibility work, etc. However, mostly it's "hey help me get going." Which I have no problem with.

So what I'll do is I'll tell the person to come with me while I train. The program I put them on is very simple and machine-based.

Leg press
Weighted hypers
Calf Raise
Machine chest press
Lat pulldown
Machine overhead press
Machine or cable rows
Some kind of curl

There's no finding RM's. It would be almost pointless; the exercises are all unfamiliar; they'll be in a completely neurally untrained state, rendering the RM's inaccurate.

The weight progression goes very similarly to the program I outline in my "HST by feel" thread. I have them start arbitrarily at an extremely light weight (far below 15RM), increment very gradually, and use a slow-ish cadence. This is great because it helps new lifters work on form and also develop the mind-body connection that will be necessary if they want freeweights later.

I basically have them repeat each weight once before incrementing it. No zig-zagging since we're already repeating everything. Depending on the start point and strength gains, you can have a 10+ week cycle without going to negatives.

Additionally, being so deconditioned allows much more weight repeating while still making progress.

For everyone I've put on this, they've fairly rapidly changed body composition while adding strength. One guy over two 10+ week cycles dropped 20 pounds while adding size. Not too shabby.

Some eventually ask me about freeweight motions, which I'm happy to show. One guy now has an almost half-freeweight routine, just because he wanted to progress the difficulty of his movements. It worked because the program is more flexible than traditional HST.
 
Calkid,

I think you're on point just about everything you're doing with your "clients." Thought about getting a position proper at the RSF? You'd be a GOD. :D

I think, at some point, it'll be a good idea to give them a more structured workout. You know, circle down some reference points, then draw up something that more closely resembles HST's multi-phase structure. Maybe after 6 months or so.

You're really doing a great job massaging HST ideas into their general training education.

cheers,
Jules
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (vicious @ Feb. 03 2005,2:16)]I think you're on point just about everything you're doing with your "clients." Thought about getting a position proper at the RSF? You'd be a GOD. :D
I think, at some point, it'll be a good idea to give them a more structured workout. You know, circle down some reference points, then draw up something that more closely resembles HST's multi-phase structure. Maybe after 6 months or so.
You're really doing a great job massaging HST ideas into their general training education.
cheers,
Jules
hah! Appreciate the input. Actually, the covert goal of this is to give them a routine that's effective yet both flexible and formulaic so they don't have to bother me later ;) I get bugged a lot with "hey man, you're all into weights, you gotta show me sometime!" I'm like, "sure, totally
dozingoff.gif
"

Actually I have thought about personal training at the rsf. The only problem with me personal training is my nomadic lifestyle. since I don't do summer school there's no client continuity, etc. Gyms don't like that much. Would be an excuse to stay in the gym way too much though :)
 
I sure wish I had a buddy like you when I started lifting. I would be huge by now instead of having an on/off HIT training history. I couldn't keep my gains because I just couldn't sustain the effort needed. I would injure myself with bad form and bad eating habits. Who could follow those Flex routines for any length of time without giving up exhausted and demoralised?

Keep up the good work spreading the HST gospel.
 
Back
Top