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Probably the best thing about HST is that I UNDERSTAND it. I know why I am supposed to do whatever I am advised to do. I understand why the program is laid out the way it is. Best of all, HST is a sound theory about training. Just think for a moment about physics. They say that a theory is...

Ok , I get the idea. Still, as jvroig mentioned, I don't know if a 16+ weeks cycle would be more effective than 2 standard 8-week cycles. However, there is another issue that puzzles me; "Is there a difference in repeating your max and repeating a lighter but still significant (meaning...

I agree with semajes. Let's not forget the law of diminishing results with a given weight. I believe the 1st or 2nd week of your 5RM, for example, will be much more effective compared to the 6th week of 5RM. In other words, as our level of conditioning goes up (and the weight stays the same)...

Sometimes I use pulses as a means to add in some metabolic work, starting with my 5's and continuing during the post-5's. I generally aim for 15-20 pulses, but I will go on until I get a good burn (not too hard with pulses ). I may use pulses with all kinds of exercises, but especially with...

Basically what Totentanz said, this scheme is not ideal for hypertrophy. One effective workout per week (the 5's), plus a greatly reduced cycle duration (you hit 5's the very first week, so there is not much room for load progression) does not sound a very good deal. This way you would be...

Even a poll at BB.com some months ago indicated that most people believe their muscles are "fully recuperated" two days after their workout. This is what I thought too, before hearing of HST.

First of all, soreness isn't always a reliable indicator of a good workout. Just follow the principles and do not worry too much about this. That said, using larger increments usually helps towards creating soreness in the target areas.

Just download the pdf version of the FAQ and look for AM/PM splits.

Fausto, basically we agree. When I say "full ROM" I mean the greatest possible natural range, not going beyond what is safe. I advised using a shorter ROM only towards the end of the cycle so we don't end up doing partials all of the time (though I understand that by "shorter...

Sounds pretty logical to me, I believe it could work well for some people. However, if somenone's maxes are very close to each other, this method would lead to a very short cycle, so I would not recommend this to everyone. Repeating weights (1 or 2 times) is not so bad, either, especially when...

In the FAQ it is mentioned that heavy load tends to preserve muscle mass better during a cut. If your joints feel healthy, skip the 15's and concentrate on heavier loads during the cutting phase. In my experience, high frequency works well for cutting and reduces the amount of cardio necessary...

Captain Crunch, keep us posted on how it goes.

Drop sets, pulses, partials and other techniques can certainly help, but I don't believe they can be the "magic pill" we seek. They can be of some help only if the other aspects of your training are in order first. Besides, sometimes we erroneously attribute our gains to something that...

I am by no means an expert, but I would vote for a full ROM. Partials may be useful, especially during the post-5's, but for all the other rep schemes I would utilise a full ROM, since this allows better streching of the muscle. Just think of the traditional bench press, if you don't go all the...

Thanks guys, maybe I'll try 15,12,10,8,6,4 combined with clustering, but only after I have done a few basic cycles. I'm still new to HST...

I use BB curls for biceps and lying extensions for triceps. I'm not sure they are needed, though. After chinups and rows, the biceps seem that they have worked enough already. I believe I use isolation exercises mostly out of habit, for fear that they might shrink otherwise. As Fausto said, the...

First off, congratulations on your gains. It's really encouraging and motivating when, after years of lifting, you experience a renewal of gains. That said, I wouldn't get too enthusiastic with the drop sets and the intensification techniques. I'm no expert, but I believe that the 10's are a...

It seems to me that it would not be practical to find your maxes for 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 and 4 rep schemes. Do you use an estimation or do you just progressively increase the load and stop 1-2 reps short of failure? I am asking because I was thinking about doing a cycle using larger increments than...

I tend to agree that most isolation work is probably "a bad habit" due to our lifting background (high volume and split routines). However, I too have a hard time throwing out isolation exercises, even though sometimes I feel I don't need them. Maybe I'll try a cycle without isolation...

Colby, on your question about shrugs, I always use DBs for them (one in each hand). I don't know if this is the best way or not, but it has worked for me. I suggest that you try it for one cycle and see how it goes. About sets and exercises for each bodypart, I generally use 2 sets per...