A little help getting started for a newbie

[td88]

Hi everyone,

I'm not really new to bodybuilding but I am new to HST. After reading up on some articles and trying to educate myself a little bit, I'd like to ask for some help here. Just want to make sure I'm getting everything down

correctly.

I found out my 15,10,5 rep maxes the other week for my 10 select exercises. Currently, I am going through the second week of rest (known here as Strategic Deconditioning) and am about to start back up again soon.

I know that HST is like doing 3 full-body workouts a week for the most part, but I am pretty confused on where exactly to start once my strategic deconditioning stage is over.

Would I start out real light or real heavy? I know I can't pyramid or anything since I am only doing one set per exercise. If anyone can clear this up for me I'd really appreciate it! Also, is it 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off? Is that how the system works?

Sorry for the noob questions, just trying to learn!

Here are the exercises I've chosen by the way if it helps any:

1. Squats
2. BB Bench
3. Deadlifts
4. Pull-Ups
5. DB Curls
6. BB Military Press
7. Seated Calf Raises
8. DB Shrugs
9. Weighted Crunches
10. BB Rows

 

[imported_electric]

Take a look at the FAQs in the site, they certainly are more proficient then me in explaining HST. But in any case you should create 2 week mesocycles, the first doing 15 reps, the second with 10 and the third mesocycle with 5s. After the 5s you might chose different possibilities like doing the 5s again, trying some linear progressing, doing negatives or triples (3 rep sets).
The 6th and last workout of each mesocycle should be done with your calculated/measured RM for the mesocycle and the weights of the workouts before that should be decreased until the first workout that should be done with no less then 70% your RM.
Maybe an example is in order:
Suppose your Squat 15RM is 200lbs. Your first mesocycle's weights could be: 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200. Then you start your 10 reps mesocycle by doing the same thing with your 10RM.

 

[Lol]

Welcome td88!

Like electric said, take a look through the FAQs. They are brilliantly helpful.

The simple way to think of an HST cycle is as a continuing load progression over the duration of the cycle. The only way you can do that is to start off light and work towards your heaviest loads, incrementing each session.

After many cycles, I tend to do this now: start each mesocycle with 75% of my RM (or whatever weight is easy to load that is close to this) and increment 5% each session. That gives me six sessions up to and including the RM workout. Move on to next mesocycle etc.

Don't be afraid of zig-zag between mesocycles. It can be your friend and the enemy of fatigue accumulation.

If you can do dips I'd add them in to your routine. I'd also change the order of a few things like so:

1. Squats
2. BB Bench
3. BB Rows
4. Dips
5. Pull-Ups/Chins
6. BB Military Press
7. Deadlifts
8. Seated Calf Raises†
9. DB Curls
10. DB Shrugs*
11. Weighted Crunches

†Standing calf raises or donkeys tend to work the whole of the calf more whereas the seated kind primarily attack the soleus. The soleus still gets involved doing standing calf raises.

*Unless you are lifting more with your shrugs than you are deadlifting I'd probably drop these in favour of a direct tri exercise, like skulls. However, if you really like them and have the energy, then keep them in. Traps are very tough muscles and can take a good hammering.

If this all gets a bit much you could always alternate Bench/Dips and Rows/Chins, swapping each session.

All the best.

 

[td88]

Thanks for the quick responses guys - I really do appreciate it.

I'll be sure to take a look at the FAQs as well.

 

[BrownsMan]

I am just three week into HST, but I am an experienced lifter, and I will share with you a couple of things I learned so far.
1) I worried about how "light" the damn weights were too much. I used the first few workouts of 15's to coast because the weights WERE so light. Instead, I should have remembered that it is not so much how much weight you lift as how you lift it. In this case, it should have been slow and super strict, so as to recruit max lactic acid burn. I knew that, but I was hardheaded and didn't do it. I printed the PDF version of the FAQ's, got me a beer, and sat on the deck and studied it. Next time in the gym, I concentrated, remembered what I had learned. I was rewarded with sweat, soreness and GROWTH. I just finished my first week of 10's, and I am thrilled. My physique is back where it was before SD. I figure any gains from here are just new muscularity.

2) The advice on diet really does accelerate gains...Jeff