_tim's HST experiment
- Thread starter _tim
- Start date
9to5lifter
New Member
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Man, I have never seen results like this, this fast.</div>
It's always nice to hear this! Congratulations and keep up the good work! Pay attention to your form with heavy weights in order to avoid injuries.
It's always nice to hear this! Congratulations and keep up the good work! Pay attention to your form with heavy weights in order to avoid injuries.
_tim
Well-Known Member
<div>
(9to5lifter @ Jul. 20 2007,13:43)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It's always nice to hear this! Congratulations and keep up the good work! Pay attention to your form with heavy weights in order to avoid injuries.</div>
Thanks so much, 9to5! I am being very careful with form all-around - more so at this point in my cycle. I know how easy it is to get an injury when exceeding maximums - especially considering that I jumped some of my weight numbers far beyond what I first set as my rep maximums.
In any case, thanks so much for the kind words!
(9to5lifter @ Jul. 20 2007,13:43)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It's always nice to hear this! Congratulations and keep up the good work! Pay attention to your form with heavy weights in order to avoid injuries.</div>
Thanks so much, 9to5! I am being very careful with form all-around - more so at this point in my cycle. I know how easy it is to get an injury when exceeding maximums - especially considering that I jumped some of my weight numbers far beyond what I first set as my rep maximums.
In any case, thanks so much for the kind words!
_tim
Well-Known Member
Week 8 - Perhaps Time to Start SD.
Well all, today may have been a case of the Mondays, or it could have been a clear signal that this cycle has come to a close. I think I'll give Wednesday a shot, but if it's anything like today was, I'm going to start SD Thursday.
SLDL: WU: 135 x 8; 215 x 7; 255 x 5
270 x 3 x 4
Incline Bench: WU: 135 x 8; 185 x 5
205 x 3 x 1; 205 x 2 x 1 - DEAD.
Chins: WU: BW x 8; BW+35 x 4.5 - WTF?
BW+60 x 2 x 1 - UGLY
Well all, today may have been a case of the Mondays, or it could have been a clear signal that this cycle has come to a close. I think I'll give Wednesday a shot, but if it's anything like today was, I'm going to start SD Thursday.
SLDL: WU: 135 x 8; 215 x 7; 255 x 5
270 x 3 x 4
Incline Bench: WU: 135 x 8; 185 x 5
205 x 3 x 1; 205 x 2 x 1 - DEAD.
Chins: WU: BW x 8; BW+35 x 4.5 - WTF?
BW+60 x 2 x 1 - UGLY
UFGatorDude30
New Member
If you are don't be discouraged. That's what I felt like at the end of my last cycle, then BAM I got my maxes and was immediately relieved. Do you plan on getting 1RM's or are you just going to use your 3RM to calculate?
_tim
Well-Known Member
<div>
(UFGatorDude30 @ Jul. 23 2007,12:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Do you plan on getting 1RM's or are you just going to use your 3RM to calculate?</div>
You mean for my next cycle? If so, I'll use the ending weights from this cycle for each volume category - 10, 5, 3 - to determine a basis for my next cycle. I'm going to finish laying it out and put it up here for you guys to review. I got so much help before I started this cycle - I think given what I'm going to try and do next time around, some fresh eyes will really help.
I can already hear Fausto calling "labcoat".
(UFGatorDude30 @ Jul. 23 2007,12:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Do you plan on getting 1RM's or are you just going to use your 3RM to calculate?</div>
You mean for my next cycle? If so, I'll use the ending weights from this cycle for each volume category - 10, 5, 3 - to determine a basis for my next cycle. I'm going to finish laying it out and put it up here for you guys to review. I got so much help before I started this cycle - I think given what I'm going to try and do next time around, some fresh eyes will really help.
I can already hear Fausto calling "labcoat".
UFGatorDude30
New Member
Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I didn't have corresponding RM's from last cycle to compare to the ones I would need for the mesocycle's I am doing now. So that's why I got 1RM's so I could just calculate what my 15RM, 10RM, and so on would be... my bad.
_tim
Well-Known Member
Week 8 - Not yet done.
OK. So Monday, it turns out, was just a bad day. I had a great workout this morning, complete with some very weird stuff. The heaviest squats to date felt really good; I didn't struggle once. On my second set of incline bench, again with the heaviest weight to date, I might as well have been lifting 135. My spotter told me he didn't help once - and I did an extra rep at the end of my last set out of spite. Mental restriction, anyone?
I reduced volume to 3 sets today, using my squat sets as a guide. I think a 4th set would have been ugly - to the point that it wouldn't have been beneficial.
Squats: WU: 135 x 8; 225 x 7; 255 x 5
275 x 3 x 3
Incline Bench: WU: 135 x 8; 175 x 5
205 x 3 x 2; 205 x 4 x 1 Unreal.
Chins: WU: BW x 8; BW+35 x 5
62.5 x 3 x 1; 62.5 x 2 7/8 x 1; 62.5 x 2 5/8 x 1 At least I progressed the weight and got 1 good set!
Wide, Neutral Grip Pull: BW+37.5 x 3 x 1; BW+37.5 x 2 15/16 x 1 - Intentionally only 2 sets.
Dips: BW+100 x 3 x 2 - Same thing - intentionally only 2 sets.
Formally, Friday will be my last workout of the cycle - week 9 would just be too much. I can feel it's time to take a small break, and it comes at a good time with all that's going on at work.
Regardless, I couldn't be happier with the workout today. I'm not yet at my goal weight for squats, but that'll come next cycle without question (300). I surpassed the 200 mark for Incline Bench (rather easily at that), something at the start of the cycle wasn't even considered (I thought 190 would be it for my 104% weight). My chins are much higher weight-wise than I had originally forecasted (45) but still shy of my ultimate goal (100). Dipping 100 felt damn good, and getting both sets with completed reps makes the whole thing even sweeter. Finally, my WNGP's. I couldn't do 3 consecutive reps with body weight at the start of the cycle. I never thought I'd be using more than a 35 on the chain this cycle - I think honestly my top end there was 22.5.
To say that I'm happy with this cycle's results is a vast understatement. I'm bigger, stronger, leaner.
Thank you Brian! This HST thing is amazing!
OK. So Monday, it turns out, was just a bad day. I had a great workout this morning, complete with some very weird stuff. The heaviest squats to date felt really good; I didn't struggle once. On my second set of incline bench, again with the heaviest weight to date, I might as well have been lifting 135. My spotter told me he didn't help once - and I did an extra rep at the end of my last set out of spite. Mental restriction, anyone?
I reduced volume to 3 sets today, using my squat sets as a guide. I think a 4th set would have been ugly - to the point that it wouldn't have been beneficial.
Squats: WU: 135 x 8; 225 x 7; 255 x 5
275 x 3 x 3
Incline Bench: WU: 135 x 8; 175 x 5
205 x 3 x 2; 205 x 4 x 1 Unreal.
Chins: WU: BW x 8; BW+35 x 5
62.5 x 3 x 1; 62.5 x 2 7/8 x 1; 62.5 x 2 5/8 x 1 At least I progressed the weight and got 1 good set!
Wide, Neutral Grip Pull: BW+37.5 x 3 x 1; BW+37.5 x 2 15/16 x 1 - Intentionally only 2 sets.
Dips: BW+100 x 3 x 2 - Same thing - intentionally only 2 sets.
Formally, Friday will be my last workout of the cycle - week 9 would just be too much. I can feel it's time to take a small break, and it comes at a good time with all that's going on at work.
Regardless, I couldn't be happier with the workout today. I'm not yet at my goal weight for squats, but that'll come next cycle without question (300). I surpassed the 200 mark for Incline Bench (rather easily at that), something at the start of the cycle wasn't even considered (I thought 190 would be it for my 104% weight). My chins are much higher weight-wise than I had originally forecasted (45) but still shy of my ultimate goal (100). Dipping 100 felt damn good, and getting both sets with completed reps makes the whole thing even sweeter. Finally, my WNGP's. I couldn't do 3 consecutive reps with body weight at the start of the cycle. I never thought I'd be using more than a 35 on the chain this cycle - I think honestly my top end there was 22.5.
To say that I'm happy with this cycle's results is a vast understatement. I'm bigger, stronger, leaner.
Thank you Brian! This HST thing is amazing!
UFGatorDude30
New Member
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Dips: BW+100 x 3 x 2 - Same thing - intentionally only 2 sets.</div>
Welcome to the 100-club, I knew you could make it. And getting in extra reps at that!
Welcome to the 100-club, I knew you could make it. And getting in extra reps at that!
_tim
Well-Known Member
<div>
(UFGatorDude30 @ Jul. 25 2007,09:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Welcome to the 100-club, I knew you could make it. And getting in extra reps at that!
</div>
Thanks Gator! You've been so supportive (and informative) from the very beginning. I really, really appreciate it.
(UFGatorDude30 @ Jul. 25 2007,09:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Welcome to the 100-club, I knew you could make it. And getting in extra reps at that!
Thanks Gator! You've been so supportive (and informative) from the very beginning. I really, really appreciate it.
I
imported_fearfactory
Guest
good lifting tim!
_tim
Well-Known Member
Week 8, End of Cycle 1
Well guys, this experiment is over with tremendous results. This has been an amazing eye opener for me.
The workout was a bit strange today, but rather fitting for the end of the cycle. My expectation was to have a very jagged workout, and I was right.
Squats: WU: 135 x 8; 225 x 7; 265 x 4
280 x 3 x 2; 280 x 1 x 1 - On my last set, I shifted my weight strangely and started to fall backwards. It took every stabilizer in me to get things under control - so I ended the set, counting my blessings that my knees and lower back weren't completely destroyed.
Incline Bench: WU: 135 x 8; 185 x 5
210 x 3 x 3 - First set was clustered 2 - 1. Last two sets felt heavy but doable.
Chins: WU: BW x 8; BW+45 x 5
(65 x 2.5 x 1, 65 x .5 x 1 cluster), 65 x 2 3/8 x 1; 65 x 2 x 1 - OK. My first set I attempted to cluster but didn't get the full second rep. The second set, on the last rep, I got just below parallel. On the third set, I got 2 good full but slow reps.
COOKED. I was gonna do a tiny bit of ISO work, but actually decided against it.
This was a great cycle, and I've learned a bunch. Thanks to everybody who posted here and helped me through the cycle!
I'm going to start a new log sometime soon to start detailing my next experiment: an HST/SST hybrid.....
Well guys, this experiment is over with tremendous results. This has been an amazing eye opener for me.
The workout was a bit strange today, but rather fitting for the end of the cycle. My expectation was to have a very jagged workout, and I was right.
Squats: WU: 135 x 8; 225 x 7; 265 x 4
280 x 3 x 2; 280 x 1 x 1 - On my last set, I shifted my weight strangely and started to fall backwards. It took every stabilizer in me to get things under control - so I ended the set, counting my blessings that my knees and lower back weren't completely destroyed.
Incline Bench: WU: 135 x 8; 185 x 5
210 x 3 x 3 - First set was clustered 2 - 1. Last two sets felt heavy but doable.
Chins: WU: BW x 8; BW+45 x 5
(65 x 2.5 x 1, 65 x .5 x 1 cluster), 65 x 2 3/8 x 1; 65 x 2 x 1 - OK. My first set I attempted to cluster but didn't get the full second rep. The second set, on the last rep, I got just below parallel. On the third set, I got 2 good full but slow reps.
COOKED. I was gonna do a tiny bit of ISO work, but actually decided against it.
This was a great cycle, and I've learned a bunch. Thanks to everybody who posted here and helped me through the cycle!
I'm going to start a new log sometime soon to start detailing my next experiment: an HST/SST hybrid.....
UFGatorDude30
New Member
Routine customization is one of my favorite things about working out. I will greatly be looking forward to seeing what you have in store next go-around. Enjoy your SD, if you so take one. Whether it is actually effective in "deconditioning" your muscles or not, it certainly was nice to sleep in a little extra for a week and just have a break from my OCD fitness ways. Congrats on all the new PR's, and I hope they help carry you forward into the next cycle.
_tim
Well-Known Member
Thanks so much, Gator! I only plan on taking two days off; on Friday, I plan on getting back to the gym to set up some RM's for some of the exercises that I either haven't done in a while, or have never done before. On Wednesday, I'm gonna get a deep tissue massage (my normal massage is that day, so my therapist is just going to expand our time).
I'm actually looking forward to getting some opinions on what I've laid out......
I'm actually looking forward to getting some opinions on what I've laid out......