3 years since first HST Cycle

[J-son]

Tried HST when it was "new and fresh" a couple of years ago. Did get good results but sometimes the planned workouts bored me so for a while I have been training Vince Gironda style, which I can recommend by the way.

Anyway, I will do a HST cycle again, basicly to do something new (more phsycological then fysological I guess).

I will do a couple of changes compared to the "original" HST sample routine based on:

1. 8 weeks is to long for me. I always had problems mainting my cycles, feeling burned out before the cycle was finished.
2. To be honest, 2 weeks of 15 is a bit long & boring, especially since it dont really makes you grow, more preparing your body for it
3. Too many excercies = too many sets = too long time in the gym. Cut down exercises till bare minimum but still traing "almost" all muscles
4. Long rest periods = low tempo = no interest. Training VG style really helped me pick up the wo-tempo. I can easily do 25 sets in 25 minutes now (but no, they are not until "total failure".

So, my idea will be like this:

Frequency 3 times per week, total 6 weeks cycle.
1 week of 15, 2 weeks of 10 and 3 weeks with 5 (last week of 5 maximum/negativ training).

2 sets of every exercise when doing 15, 3 sets when doing 10 and 4 sets (+maybe drop sets to get around 25 total reps) when doing 5.

Exercise selection something like this:

Row/Chin (changing to chin when I get around 5, not strong enough before)
Incline DB press
DB Shrugs
Scott press
Incline DB curl
French press
Wrist curl
Legpress (or Smith-machine squat, havent decided yet)
Legcurl
Donkey Calves

In total 10 excercises.

If anybody care to coment/giving feedback/advise im all yours!  

//J

 

[faz]

if you cant do chins do pulldowns,also do rows ..both in the same workout one for thickness one for width,drop wrist curls,do fullsquat that way you can drop leg-curls no need.
if you get bored easily try doing an A/B workout ..

 

[J-son]

Thanx for your input.

I planned to do VG chins for both width & thickness (u-hand grip, shoulder width, pull upp and lean back til your body is more or less parallell to the floor, touch just under the chest.) A bit like a pulling & rowing execerise at the same time.

When I do u-arm work, they look bigger. When I dont they look smaller. Never noticed a lot of "spill over" from other exercises.

Squats....well, Im not shure about them any more. They are good for overall size (Iv done 5 reps at 325 Ibs) but for the moment I want size with perfect shape. Isolating the front thights in a Smithmachine will probably be a better solution for me. To my experience, hamstrings dont really get much work from Squat. Never been sore in my hams from squating (and I squatted a lot for years).

Thanks for your input, maybe I add a back movement.

Jonas

 

[Fausto]

Jonas

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">hamstrings dont really get much work from Squat</div>

Can't agree with this statement specially if you do ATG squats.

Fine to do workout as proposed, I personally don't really like Smith Squats but then again that is a matter of preference! You should include Deadlifts and for variety's sake do A/B workouts.

Vince style training is not a problem! Except he did not like squats!

 

[colby2152]

What's a Scott Press?

 

[J-son]

Fausto, could you enlightend me what ATG Squats is?

Thanks.

J-son

 

[J-son]

A press invented by Larry Scott, also known as Arnold press cause Arnold like them also.

Basicly is a lateral/pressing movement. Start with DB in front of you, palms against body. Swing DB out, outside your delts, palms forward, and perform a press. Return.

I hope my english was good enough to explain it to you.

//J

 

[Lol]

ATG means 'Ass To Grass'! Squatting this way really does involve the hams a lot more than a parallel squat would. Much better for the knees too. In fact, better all round! When you can deep squat for 3 sets of 5 at 2.5 x bodyweight or more your legs will have all the shape they need.  

I would add deads to your list and drop a few of the other things. Eg. Doing deads will mean you can stop doing wrist curls. I 'wasted' a lot of time doing those when I should have been deading for all its benefits. If you do a shrug at the end of each deadlift you have those covered too. If you like, alternate them with squats or leg-presses. I find deadlifting once a week on Wednesdays is enough during 5s.

I would switch to a bar for inclines so you can use more weight and make the weight incrementing easier (ie. you can usually add 5 lbs to a bar more readily than you can add 2.5lbs to each dumbell).

I would also throw in weighted dips if you can do them.

 

[J-son]

<div>
(Lol @ Aug. 31 2006,07:41)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">ATG means 'Ass To Grass'!

I would add deads to your list and drop a few of the other things. Eg. Doing deads will mean you can stop doing wrist curls. I 'wasted' a lot of time doing those when I should have been deading for all its benefits. If you do a shrug at the end of each deadlift you have those covered too. If you like, alternate them with squats or leg-presses. I find deadlifting once a week on Wednesdays is enough during 5s.

I would switch to a bar for inclines so you can use more weight and make the weight incrementing easier (ie. you can usually add 5 lbs to a bar more readily than you can add 2.5lbs to each dumbell).

I would also throw in weighted dips if you can do them.</div>
Thanks for you to explain it to me!

I DL alot before, always without straps. Worked up til 400 lb for 3 reps, but my forearms never really looked impressive until I started to work them direct. Still, training very basic again would be fun!

//J