About to start the routine, but is this right?

M

Maire

New Member
So I have discovered this workout method and I am willing it get stuck into it! I have only been working out a few years and have progressed some what but I feel I need a change in my current workout.

But I was thinking, my max bench press of about 6 reps is 132 pounds. So when I start the workout for week 1 day 1 15 reps, this means I will be benching something like 70 pounds or less, Is that right? Also If I can get 15 out easily but it builds up to the last workout and I can just get 15 out is this the correct wasy to do it, even though the first few workouts may seem to easy?

But am I right in thinking that this is the point of the program, building up and constantly changing the weight per 2 weeks to ensure the muscle is constantly guessing and not used to the same weight?

I look forward to starting the program, but I still need to figure out what weights I should use and how low to go.

Thanks, hopefully someone can get back. :)
 
Muscles don't 'think'. You can't confuse them, make them guess, psyche them out, trick them or anything resembling that. What you 'feel' is not necessarily a direct correlation to what your muscles are actually experiencing.

The reason is that the weights are progressively increased is because of SD. When you remove growth stimulus for a time, your muscles' ability to grow to a lower stimulus (less weight) is essentially re-sensitised. You'll find that some growth is possible using your 15-rep range, and then again during your 10-rep range and finally during your 5-rep range up to 5RM (or 3RM or 6RM, whichever you've gone for). It's about getting maximum growth from each range of stimulus. You can't start at the 5's because that would 'encompass' the stimulus from 10s and 15s; you'd be missing out.

Obviously the first workout of 15's is going to be 'easier' than doing 5's. Hard/easy is just a feeling that your brain is telling you. It isn't a direct connection to muscle growth.
 
Ow okay that makes a lot of sense! So say my 15 RM is around 50 pounds, would my very workout be around 38 pounds? It seems very light (even though i'm not the strongest but a beginner, got to start somewhere) but if that is the point of the program then that is what I will start on and progress on. Als any tips on dieting?

Thanks
 
You don't have to go balls out to get growth. In fact, going too heavy and too hard, too often will burn you out and compromise your gains. That's the whole point of HST - optimizing growth over the longer period. Sure you can lift your max every session and you'll grow for a few weeks but eventually you plateau. With HST, it is rare that you will plateau, it is rare that you will burn out. Most people find their RMs increasing every cycle, consistently, as long as they keep their diet in check. As Alex said, what you feel is irrelevant. What is important is what actually causes muscle growth and what is proven scientifically to be optimal.

As for diet... there is a lot of information here. You can find Bryan's "Eating for Size" article, that is a good place to start. Just remember - if you aren't going to eat enough to grow, then there is no point in lifting. Diet is the most important part of growing muscle.
 
Ah right okay thanks, sorry not been on in a while! Well I have started my routine and just about to go into 10's next week so will see how that goes. Im hoping that HST does work for me but I guess I wont know until my second cycle. As for diet I will check that forum out, i've been seeing people starting about a high carb diet which is something i'm looking at as I see myself as a hardgainer, any tips about that?
 
Find out how much food you need to eat to put on mass, and stick with that. Over time (actual time, ala many months, years etc) your caloric intake will need to increase in order to continue to put on mass, but you're a long long way off needing to worry about that yet :)
 
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