1ifeblood's first HST cycle

1

1ifeblood

New Member
Technically this is my first HST cycle since I didn't finish the one I started years ago due to life complications. But I'm back in it and ready to get to it! I have a better understanding of how the principles are supposed to work so I think I'm really going to benefit from HST. I would really like any input you guys can give me as I'm going through it. Constructive criticism WELCOME!

So here's my routine (3 days a week with a days rest in between):

Squats
Flat Bench
BO Rows
M. Press
Leg Curls
Standing Calves

Only going to do 1x15 since I'm fully deconditioned and don't want to wear myself out. If I'm feeling good at the end of the w/o I'll go to 2x15 next session to see how it feels. The reason I'm keeping my routine at a minimum is so I can get more sets in. Tempo will be slow to start so I feel the burn and as weight increases toward the end of this mesocycle I'll zero in on a more standard tempo.

Physical stats
Age: 32
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 175.2 lbs
Body Fat: 18.2%

Measurements
Neck: 15.5
Chest: 38.75
Shoulders: 47
Waist: 35
Hips: 39.5
Biceps: 14
Forearms: 12.75
Thighs: 22.5
Calves: 14.75

GOAL: Gain 6lbs of muscle by the end of first cycle.
 
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Wednesday - Workout 1 (15's)

BO Rows: 65
Flat Bench: 75
Squats: 55
M. Press (db): 15
Leg Curls: 30
Standing Calves: 40

I set up my workout in this order because when I was finding my maxes I realized that doing squats first made my legs real shakey when doing BO Rows. I'm thinking I need to switch it up again somehow though because after doing leg curls my hams burn already when going to my calves which I feel all the way up to my glutes.

Thinking I'll try this on Friday:

BO Rows
Flat Bench
Squats
Leg Curls
M. Press (db)
Standing Calves

I kept eccentrics slow and controlled with a pause at the bottom. Moving quickly through concentrics and squeezing out the muscle before going to the next rep. This created a great burn in my muscles at the end of each exercise but kept my energy up just enough to continue through my workout. I was winded at the end of the 30 min workout. I'm going to stick with 1x15s for a couple more w/o's until I feel I have the energy to complete another circuit.

What are some of your opinions on doing one circuit and then going through it again if I feel I have the energy? Or should I do 2 sets of one exercise before moving to the next?

Overall my first w/o felt great! I'm interested in seeing how things progress as the weights increase.
 
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Instead of Leg Curls and Standing Calves, why don't you just do deadlifts? That's a mass gainer exercise right there bud.
 
TheSeeker07 said:
Instead of Leg Curls and Standing Calves, why don't you just do deadlifts? That's a mass gainer exercise right there bud.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the suggestion!
I had considered that but don't think I'd be able to do squats and deads in the same workout. And I'm wanting to keep it simple for my first cycle without having to alternate exercises. I will most likely go with deads in my next cycle though once my CNS has adapted to weight training again.
 
Got about 6.5 hours of sleep last night but woke up feeling good. Not groggy. Already feeling a bit of soreness in my lats which is nice because when I've worked out in the past it always seemed my back was the hardest to get any response from. Probably from trying to do too much weight and not having correct form. Over all energy is good! Excited to feel more weight through the 15's.

Setting my calorie intake at 3000 with 180-200 grams being protein. I've been monitoring my intake over the last week and finding that I don't eat near enough. Even when I think I have. Might need to look into mass gainer supplements to help with that but for now just gonna really try to eat alot and eat good.

Breakfast (8:30)
2 eggs, 3 center cut bacon strips, 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread, natural peanut butter and jam
Cup of coffee with cream/sugar
Calories: 783
Protein: 34g
Fats: 44g
Carbs: 58g

Lunch (12:00)
2 slices 100% whole wheat bread, shaved chicken breast, 1 slice cheese
V8 (low sodium)
Milk 2%
Calories: 510
Protein: 33g
Fats: 17g
Carbs: 56g

Snack (4:30)
Starkist Tuna Creations (hickory smoked)
Calories: 200
Protein: 35g
Fats: 7.5g
Carbs: 1g

Snack (7:00)
Promax Energy Bar (Rocky Road)
Kraft Natural String Cheese
Calories: 380
Protein: 28g
Fats: 15g
Carbs: 36g

Dinner (9:00)
5 oz Top Sirloin
Baked potato w/ chopped onions, shredded cheese
4 oz cottage cheese
Calories: 811
Protein: 58g
Fats: 29.5
Carbs: 69g

DAILY TOTAL
Calories: 2684
Protein: 188
Fats: 113g
Carbs: 220g

Need more calories! I got at least 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight so I'm happy with that. I don't want to go much higher in fats though most of it is good fats. If I keep my eating habits about the same and incorporate a couple protein shakes, I should hit my mark pretty easily.

What are some suggestions for GOOD protein powders when trying to bulk?
 
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Woke up today after getting a little more than 7 hours of sleep. Excited to do my next workout tonight! Energy is pretty high and all the soreness from my last workout is gone. My breakfast was lighter than I'd wanted it to be because I really need to go to the store.

Breakfast (8:15)
2 eggs, 3 center cut bacon strips, 1 hash brown patty, V8 (low sodium)
Calories: 470
Protein: 25g
Fats: 27g
Carbs: 32g

Lunch (12:15)
TGI Friday's Skillet Meals (Loaded potato and chicken)
Milk 2%
Calories: 482
Protein: 37g
Fats: 26g
Carbs: 42g

Snack (5:00)
Tuna Creations (Hickory Smoked)
Horizon Organic chocolate milk
Calories: 380
Protein: 43g
Fats: 12.5g
Carbs: 28g

Pre-Workout Meal (8:00)
Muscle Milk (Vanilla Cream)
Calories: 160
Protein: 20g
Fats: 4.5g
Carbs: 9g

Friday - Workout 2 (15's)

BO Rows: 75
Flat Bench: 85
Squats: 75
Leg Curls: 35
M. Press (db): 20
Standing Calves: 50

My workout felt great! Another 30 mins but I felt it everywhere! I wasn't able to do as many pauses and found myself having to get rid of pauses toward the end of a set to finish with the reps. Especially squats! I love the burn I get because I know I can do a lot more weight but my muscles are still getting a good workout. Feeling like I could've done 2x15 today but unfortunately time restriction didn't allow for it. Maybe next w/o I'll try it. Have a lot more time on Mondays. The new order of exercises worked well too since my hams were rested enough to let me do a good calf workout though my legs burned from the bottom of my calves to the top of my glutes by the time I finished. Good Stuff!

Post-Workout Meal (9:00)
Supreme Protein Bar
Calories: 390
Protein: 30g
Fats: 15g
Carbs: 36g

Dinner (11:00)
3 chicken legs, Suddenly Pasta Salad (Caesar)
Milk 2%
Calories: 820
Protein: 60g
Fats: 33g
Carbs: 46g

DAILY TOTAL
Calories: 2702
Protein: 215g
Fats: 118g
Carbs: 193

Still need to eat more! Wish I could afford a mass gainer at this point, would make things ALOT easier! Some of those meals were hard to eat because I didn't feel hungry. Just gotta keep at it I suppose.
 
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I'm with my kids for the weekend so won't be monitoring my food intake quite as closely. Saturday started out good with a 3 egg sandwich, cheese, 6 slices deli chicken, 2 slices whole wheat bread and a glass of milk. They feed us at work on saturdays which ended up being pizza so I had 2 slices (1 supreme, 1 chicken/bacon/ranch), a chicken quesadilla flatbread melt, and alot of junk food with my kids. Heading to the river or the pool today so there may be some alcohol consumption through the day and other not-so-healthy foods. Will resume accurate measurements of food intake on Monday when I start workout 3 with 2x15's.
 
Sunday night ended up being a long one. Drank WAY too much and got WAY too little sleep (3 hours) before having to work Monday morning. Skipped breakfast because my stomach was tore up but ate pretty good for the rest of the day. I continued with my workout but since I had to work late (and was a little tired), I stayed with 1x15 but still hit it hard. Actually felt really good. I felt strong and could really zone in on what my muscles were doing. I have some good soreness over all, especially in my lats and lower back. I'm really liking BO Rows! Dinner consisted of a taco/pasta dish that my girlfriend whipped up. Didn't really have the means to calculate calories and such but with the way I ate through the day and where my calories have been landing I probably got around 2500 calories. Today is my day off so we're actually going on the river today since we didn't get to on Sunday. We'll be out there all day consuming alcohol and eating plenty of junk food.

Monday - Workout 3 (15's)

BO Rows - 85
Bench - 95
Squats - 95
Leg Curls - 40
M. Press - 25
Calves - 60
 
Feeling really good today and ready for my next workout! Got 8.5 - 9 hours of sleep last night (not exactly sure when I fell asleep). Eating good and frequently (every three hours). I can tell my stomach has stretched with all the eating I've been doing. I can eat more without getting too uncomfortable. And I don't have to be into work until later on Wednesdays which means I'm usually sleeping in, so you'll notice I don't start eating til later.

Breakfast (11:00)
3 whole wheat biscuits w/ sausage gravy
glass of 2% milk
Calories: 885
Protein: 28.5g
Fats: 46g
Carbs: 92.5g

Snack(2:00)
Naked Protein Smoothie
Calories: 420
Protein: 35g
Fats: 7g
Carbs: 54g

Lunch (5:00)
Tuna Creations (Sweet and Spicy) with 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread
Calories: 355
Protein: 35.5g
Fats: 3.5g
Carbs: 46g

Pre-Workout Meal (8:15)
Muscle Milk (Cookies & Cream)
Calories: 230
Protein: 25g
Fats: 9g
Carbs: 12g

Wednesday - Workout 4 (15s)

BO Rows - 85
Bench - 105
Squats - 115
Leg Curls - 45
M. Press - 30
Calves - 70

Dinner (10:00)
Fruschetta PizzAmore - 10 topping Supreme (3 slices)
Glass of 2% Milk
Calories: 970
Protein: 45g
Fats: 40g
Carbs: 107g

Mid-night Snack (4:00am)
Glass of 2% Milk
Calories: 120
Protein: 8g
Fats: 5g
Carbs: 12g

DAILY TOTAL
Calories: 2980
Protein: 177g
Fats: 110.5
Carbs: 323.5
 
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Friday - Workout 5 (15's)

BO Rows - 95 (2x15)
Bench - 115 (2x15)
Squats - 135 (1x15)
Leg Curls - 50 (1x15)
M. Press - 35 (2x15)
Calves - 80 (2x15)

I was feeling good so tried to go with 2x15 on my exercises. Was pretty wore out after the first set of Squats and Leg Curls so only did 1 set but was able to finish strong with the last 2 exercises. Overall was pretty happy with the results and how I felt afterwards.
 
The end of the month got pretty for me at work so haven't had a chance to update my log. But the workouts are going great! Finished out my 15s pretty strong. Definitely felt better than when I found my RMs.

Monday - Workout 6 (15's)

BO Rows - 105 (2x15)
Bench - 125 (2x15)
Squats - 155 (1x15)
Leg Curls - 55 (1x15)
M. Press - 40 (2x15)
Calves - 90 (2x15)

I took my measurements the day after and was pretty happy with the results.

Neck - 16 (+0.5)
Chest - 40.25 (+1.5)
Shoulders - 47.75 (+0.75)
Waist - 35.5 (+0.5)
Hips - 39.75 (+0.25)
Biceps - 14.5 (+0.5)
Forearms - 12.75 (0)
Calves - 15 (+0.25)

I'm sure some of the size is due to body fat since I've been eating so much and the increase in hips and waist attest to that, but at least I know I'm getting enough calories to grow.
 
Wednesday - Workout 7 (10's)

BO Rows - 85 (2x10)
Bench - 95 (2x10)
Squats - 85 (2x10)
Leg Curls - 45 (2x10)
M. Press - 25 (2x10)
Calves - 60 (2x10)

I found that getting 2 sets in per exercise was easier to do. I alternated them in sets of 2 (Rows & Bench, Squats & Leg Curls, M. Press & Calves). I rested a minute after I completed both sets then moved on to the next. Overall it felt very good! I'm anxious to get to the heavier weights.
 
Friday - Workout 8 (10's)

BO Rows - 90 (2x10)
Bench - 105 (2x10)
Squats - 105 (2x10)
Leg Curls - 50 (2x10)
M. Press - 30 (2x10)
Calves - 70 (2x10)
 
Wednesday - Workout 9 (10's)

BO Rows - 95 (2x10)
Bench - 115 (2x10)
Squats - 125 (2x10)
Leg Curls - 55 (2x10)
M. Press - 35 (2x10)
Calves - 80 (2x10)

Couldn't workout on Monday due to the gym being closed for Labor Day. Ripped it out good on Wednesday though! Finishing my workouts in about 35 mins and feeling good all around.
​
 
Friday - Workout 10 (10's)

BO Rows - 100 (2x10)
Bench - 125 (2x10)
Squats - 145 (2x10)
Leg Curls - 60 (2x10)
M. Press - 40 (2x10)
Calves - 90 (2x10)

I really felt strong today especially doing squats. I just felt like I was moving the weight a little easier than I was even through my last workout.
 
Tuesday - Workout 11 (10's)

BO Rows - 105 (2x10)
Bench - 135 (2x10)
Squats - 165 (2x10)
Leg Curls - 65 (2x10)
M. Press - 45 (2x10)
Calves - 120 (2x10)

Let me just declare that not only does HST make your muscles grow, but apparently it can directly contribute to one getting a promotion at the workplace! HaHa! Things are gonna be a bit more hectic but I'm not gonna let it get in the way of my routine. Eating and Exercising! I felt like I wasn't working my calves hard enough so I just upped the weight a bit and found I could still get my reps in. Glad I made the adjustment!​
 
Hey thanks, Tim! It's been a crazy couple weeks to say the least. I'll end up stating later than usual so it'll be more difficult to get to the gym on my regular schedule. Unfortunately mine isn't a 24-hour gym. Either way I'll still go when I can and continue with my routine. On Saturday I finished my 10's in my dad's garage because the gym closes before I'm off on Sats and I wasn't able to go on friday due to work. The workout was awesome actually. Monday found me nice and sore from DOMS which I hadn't experienced exept during my RM-finding. I measured myself Monday morning as well as weighed myself. Overall very happy with the results.

Saturday - Workout 12 (10's)

BO Rows - 115 (2x10)
Bench - 150 [RM was 145] (1x10 / 1x8+2)
Squats - 185 (2x10)
Leg Curls - 70 (2x10)
M. Press - 50 (1x9+1 / 1x6)
Calves - 50db (2x10) [used a dumbell and did one legged]

Overall I felt good about the workout. I needed assistance on the 2nd set of M. Press. It was different though because I usually sit in an upright bench with back support and my dad didn't have that in the garage so it was unsupported. It makes a HUGE difference! My next cycle will definitely be based on unsupported seated DB M. Presses. The extra combo work I get in my core will be nice. So when I weighed and measured myself on Monday, these were the results:

Weight: 180lbs (wasn't expecting that but happy with it)

Neck - 16 (+0) [+0.5]
Chest - 41.5 (+1.25) [+2.75]
Shoulders - 48.5 (+0.75) [+1.5]
Waist - 36.75 (+1.25) [+1.75]
Hips - 40.5 (+0.75) [+1.0]
Biceps - 14.5 (+0) [+0.5]
Forearms - 12.75 (+0) [+0]
Thighs - 24 (+0.25) [+1.5]
Calves - 15.25 (+0.25) [+0.5]

Great results across my chest and shoulders it's easy for me to notice the growth. Questionable about my arms because they seem noticeably bigger. Even my girlfriend has mentioned that they look bigger and she gropes them all the time. Which I would say is a good indicator of results. ;-) I may have mis-measured or something. My midsection has gotten noticeably thicker. I'd like to think I've got some lean growth happening in my abs and back but the fat is getting noticeably thicker too. Good thing the weather is cooling off because I'd hate to show my midsection at this point. I do like the results though so I'll keep eating as I have been which has pretty much been eat everything. I'm still conscious about the food I eat but I eat a lot more of it. For my next cycle I'll be implementing some supplements (ie. creatine, protien, mass gainer), so I should be able to eat cleaner and still get my calories. So far I haven't used any supplements regularly. Protien drinks / powder occasionally. I've mostly just been making sure I get what I need by eating, which makes it hard not to get too much of other stuff (fats). But for this cycle I just wanted to grow and that's what is happening so I'm happy with it. Today I start with the 5's - haven't been able to get to the gym all week so I'm anxious. It'll be interesting to see my results after the next 2 weeks.
 
Still working out but it's been a lot tougher to get to the gym and put in a full workout. My first two W/Os in the 5s went well enough (wasn't too concerned there). Problem is I was only able to workout on Wednesday of that week and Monday on the next. Went in for my 3rd workout this last Monday and decided to throw in drop sets. That felt amazing! I've never done them before but I could tell my muscles loved it. I've been getting 2-3 warmup sets and 3 working sets consistently until my last workout on Wednesday. Didn't have much time so I did BO Rows and Bench as usual (felt pretty strong with these). Then I just hit Squats and M. Press for 2 sets (no warm up and no drop sets). I'm realizing now that I've miscalculated my 5RM for M. Press because I felt like I hit it on this last workout. Should I just continue with the current weight I'm at for the last 2 W/Os or continue to increase the weight normally and just do however many reps I can for the set? Everything else feels pretty much right on because I feel I can increase weight and still get my reps.
 
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