12 wwek program ideas - help appreciated

B

BabyCAP

New Member
Hello everyone - I consider myself an intermediate HST'er.  I have completed 3 HST cycles and just finished up a productive 9 week cycle.

I am getting ready to start a 12 week supplement, no drinking, clean eating, and of course lifiting routine.

I am interested in hearing people's thoughts on how to structure my HST workouts over 12 weeks.  Two (2) six week cycles?  One long cycle?  An Eight week cycle followed by 4 weeks of something else??

I am asking b/c I noticed that around week 8/9 of the last cycle I began to lose some focus and had to start to split up my workouts to fully complete them.  Maybe that was because the end was in sight or maybe it was from the 3xweek heavy routine catching up to me??  I'm not sure if going for 12 weeks straight will be too long and counteproductive unless i change it up somehow??  Thanks in advance for your time and help.
 
personally i wouldnt change that much, 12 weeks isnt much longer then the standard 8 and each "section" has its benefits. i think most do the majority of their growing in the end of 10s thru 5s & negs but only because 15s and 10s have been given their due.

2 weeks 15s, 2 weeks 10s, 2 weeks of 5s and then go as long as you feel you can with the 5/neg combo. if your mentally prepared, excited and w/o are going well then 10-12 weeks shouldnt be a problem. if at some point prior to 12 your mind or body starts screaming "uncle" then so be it...you should not argue.

i see no reason to lengthen 15s or 10s. they are important but 2 weeks (ea) is adequate and you want to spend the max amount of time in max growth (strength) phase (5s and negs)

lastly, you may be right about 12 weeks being too long for YOU but it sounds like its worth at least 1 more try.  thru much trial and error ive found 8-9 weeks is usually it for me due to mental/physical fatigue but others are just hitting their stride at 8-10. so now a days a plan an 8 week cycle and let it continue as long as i feel up to it.

as far as the supps go unless your talking steroids they will make very little diff. so make sure you plan your cycle around diet, lifting, goals, and how you feel.

hopefully others will have some thought as well

good luck
 
You could transition into a 5x5 strength routine in the post 5s. Assuming you do Squats, Deadlift, Military Press, Bench, Dips, Pullups, Rows ... you would continue to increment weights, just once per week, instead of once per workout. You would do half the exercises, and alternate them in an A/B schedule ... kind of like what you described about losing focus, only this is on purpose!

I'm planning on Rippetoe's 3x5 routine myself. It is almost an exact A/B split of my current HST workout.
 
Here's something Omegaman did...

After 2 weeks of negs, he did his 15RM Monday, 10 RM Tuesday, 5 RM Friday. He did the same the next week, but increased his weights by 5 - 10 pounds. He was able to keep increasing strength for a few weeks.
 
Many options here mate.

Both Blue jackert and Etothepii's options are good choices, even omega's try out will add variety.

SST works pretty well IMO, give it a bash, straight after your negs!
 
Thanks for all the suggestions!!!

Great Board and members!

Thanks again
smile.gif
 
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