Accessory Lifts?

C

cmdurham

New Member
I'm getting ready for my second cycle of HST and reconsidering my choices. Mainly I'm thinking of scaling down the number of exercises a bit. So, for example, I'm leaving out shrugs, thinking that deadlifts will cover the traps for the most part right now. I'm taking out calf raises for similar reasons. Making the routine more minimal and focused.

However, and I'm willing to admit this is probably just overthinking in my part, it seems strange to let these bodyparts fall off completely (I was quite okay with it doing powerlifting/strength type routines such as 5/3/1, but my brain keeps telling me hypertrophy training should be more comprehensive). Is there any benefit, in terms of HST methodology, of throwing exercises in as accessories to the core program? So, my routine might have 7-10 lifts but on Monday maybe throw in a couple sets of calf raises, Wednesday some shrugs, Friday some laterals.

Just an idea at this point. Wondering if it has any merit. Thanks.
 
If hypertrophy is your goal then I wouldn’t skip traps or side delts. Big traps help make you look thicker besides just making bumps on each side of your neck. Remember traps are a bigger muscle than most people think:

http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2009/07/my-trapezius-really-hurtshow-do-i-find-relief.html

Also your middle deltoid doesn’t get hit very well by most compound exercises so adding an iso for them is not a bad idea if you want to look bigger since they make your shoulders look wider.

In both cases, traps and middle delts, they help make you look bigger whether you are wearing a shirt or not.

As for calves, there size is going to be more genetics than anything else. So if doing them is going to cause you to miss a more important lift then by all means put them off until later IMO.
 
Interesting. I did a lot of thinking about traps today and variations of shrugs. I've always had trouble with my traps so I started thinking about what was wrong with them for me. Something just doesn't click with them. And then I thought, well I wonder if you can do them on an incline bench. And so I bent over and tried the movement and a lightbulb came on. I think I'm going to throw in prone incline shrugs. I did some reading up on them and I think they'll address the problems I feel with straight bb shrugs. I also decided to keep db lateral raises in there in place of pullups for this cycle since I'm still nursing a hurt elbow that pullups do a real number on - I dropped them out on week 3 last time and I've decided that caution should prevail for this cycle - much as I want to add them in.
 
I’ll have to read up on those incline shrugs. I don’t have any problems doing them normally but it’s always interesting to give something new a try. If you get a chance post what you think of them. I tried overhead shrugs but they just didn’t work well for me, I’m just to uncoordinated.
 
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Overhead shrugs - there's something else I hadn't thought of I'll have to give those a try sometime too. I'll post about the inclines after I've had a few sessions with them. Starting on Monday and looking forward to them.
 
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