5 Rep Max for 2 weeks? Does this mean no Progression?

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Lifterhst

New Member
From the HST Website: • Repetitions will decrease every 2 weeks in the following order: 15 reps for2 weeks Þ 10 reps for 2 weeks Þ 5 reps for 2 weeks Þ then continue with your 5 rep max for 2 weeks or begin 2 weeks of negatives. What do they mean by then continue with your 5 rep max for two weeks? Does this mean that you redo the 5 rep max block you just did or you just do two weeks of using your 5 rep max weights for each of the 6 workouts in the block? Thanks, I don't want to do negatives because you cant do negatives on a lot of exercises and it requires a partner.
 
Hi lifter,

Personally, for me, on the last two weeks - where I do feel I make really good progress - I reduce the number of exercises (to reduce fatigue).
I will go from 6 or 7 exercises in the 15's, 10's, and 5's , and down to about 3 or 4 exercises for the last two week cycle; one-legged squats holding dumbbells (or keep my leg press 5 rep max and keep trying to increase the weight by 5kg -10kg each workout), negative weighted dips, and negative weighted chins (climbing up with legs, and lowering slowly)

Immediately after my last rep of the 3 sets of 5 negative reps, I will do pulses/partial reps, to feel the burn. About 15 pulses per exercise.
And then a lot of stretching, to get the blood flowing in that area.

That's just what I do. Others try clustering. Others just repeat their 5 rep max for the two weeks as you mentioned.

See what works for you

Brix
 
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The way I understand it is to simply lift at your 5 rep max for every lift, every workout, for those six workouts.

I didn't follow that exactly at the end of my first cycle. I just repeated the previous 5 rep week progression but with the load bumped up a bit across the board.

For the last two weeks of this cycle, starting Monday, I plan to simply stay at my 5RM for the next to weeks, while possibly trying for some linear progression to see if I can eek out any extra strength gains before an SD. Heck, if the progression continues, I might keep going past the next two weeks until I stall out. I'm still new enough that the strength gains still have the potential to add up fairly quickly, so I'm hoping to take advantage of that.
 
Lifterhst said:
From the HST Website: • Repetitions will decrease every 2 weeks in the following order: 15 reps for2 weeks Þ 10 reps for 2 weeks Þ 5 reps for 2 weeks Þ then continue with your 5 rep max for 2 weeks or begin 2 weeks of negatives. What do they mean by then continue with your 5 rep max for two weeks? Does this mean that you redo the 5 rep max block you just did or you just do two weeks of using your 5 rep max weights for each of the 6 workouts in the block? Thanks, I don't want to do negatives because you cant do negatives on a lot of exercises and it requires a partner.
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You continue to use your 5 RM weights for the last two weeks where Bryan recommends negatives. If you can increase the weight during this time then increase it. If you can't increase it, don't worry about it, your 5 RM weights will continue to induce hypertrophy for those two weeks.
 
I have a question regarding the last two weeks after my 2 week 5 rep progression which I just finished today. If I decide to go the negative route, how many reps? Five or less? Also, what exercises are considered not practical for negatives other than the obvious ones which could result in injury ie, bench press (if you dont have a spot)> I only ask, because I read on T-nation that squats were not practical. Let me know! And thanks otherwise Ill just go the the 5 rep max route before my SD. I had good results. Started this program after a hernia surgery. Got me back up close to my prior lifting weights.
 
I plan on continuing my progressive load and just clustering, but I'm no pro this is only my second cycle. Maybe this is a bad idea but I figured it would be similar to negatives. For my first cycle just stopped after the second week of 5s and re-tested my maxes for each lift then went on SD.
 
When you disregard the set and just go for your total reps. So if my goal is 5 I may do 3 reps then rest and then do 2 so that I hit 5 in total. Or maybe I do 2,1,1,1 but at that point I imagine you have to listen to your body because that's a lot of near max stress.
 
I believe that negatives are over rated and can be dangerous. The only ones I have ever done were chin up variations and dips and never felt a better benefit than continuing with my RM's or increasing the weight a little bit and clustering as AD suggested to a total rep count of say 10-12. I never went below a 3 RM however so as not to over stress my connective tissue for that 2 week period. I know power lifters do it but my body has not been trained for that and staying healthy is very important if you want to continue to lift.
 
I think the chins are great for negatives. I hate doing negative dips though. I always feel my arms are getting torn out of my sockets. I tried doing one at the end of my last cycle but I it just hurt. I prefer increasing the load and doing 3RM instead. 3 sets of 3, or clustering if it gets too much(which it usually does). Alex gave me a good tip regarding shoulders. Negatives in the smiths then squat the bar back up. I did that last time round and will be doing the same again the week after my 5´s. My shoulders ached for days afterwards. The good kind of achy, I might add.
 
I agree with Old N Grey. And although negatives are to really promote hypertrophy because of the damage done to the muscle it is very difficult to do with out a partner like you mentioned and could be dangerous as old and gray said. I personally don't do negatives for both reasons and I do one of three things. Negatives are not mandatory.

1) I continue with my 5 or 6 rep range for another two weeks depending on how my body and joints feels
2) I go back to doing 8 reps with lower weights for two weeks then b) go back to another 2 weeks of 5s or I SD
3) I SD
 
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