Am I Addicted to HST? Help re: SST?

[HJock]

1. I have been training using HST regularly for about 5-6 years. I come back to HST every time I feel like a new routine isn't working. I do an A/B body split, and workout 6 days a week, therefore hitting each muscle group 3 times a week. I'm pretty advanced and this gives me an opportunity to do a bit more volume for each bodypart.

2. I'm always looking to put on mass (gain muscular weight, as Mark Rippetoe calls it in Practical Programming).

3. Every time I try some new workout (which usually comes from reading too much about how in order to build size you have to increase the volume, and that I need to do something drastically different to make my body grow), I lose size. I think the super high volume/HIT type training burns too many calories for me…fast metabolism here. So I immediately go back to HST. HST seems to "set" my body in a comfortably full (pumped) state, and I love the way it feels. My body feels "right" doing HST, full, big, hard, pumped…

4. However, I've only been able to put on 5-6 pounds in the years I've been doing HST. My body is definitely different from doing HST (denser muscle, and more shape), but I'm looking to put on 10 lbs. or more of muscle weight.

5. I recently started Starr's 5x5 strength program and although I think I can increase my strength on this program, I felt soft and not "full" the way I do on HST. Also, being in the gym only 3 times a week instead of 6 times a week, was affecting me psychologically.

6. So, now I've started HST again and I already feel better. I'm thinking of incorporating Starr's 5x5 instead of the 5's or after the 5's (or a mix of that and MaxStim).

So my questions to you guys are:

1. Does anyone have any experience building size on Starr's 5x5 or any other SST program? i.e., Should I give it more time? I get very impatient when starting a new program, and was only on this for 3 weeks. (Starr and "Practical Programming" seem to clearly make a distinction between training for hypertrophy is accomplished differently from training for strength, making me question, "Can you get big just doing strength specific training?&quot

2. Does anyone incorporate SST type programs into their HST? And if so, how are the results?

3. Maybe a question for Bryan: Can HST work on an A/B split (like outlined above) done 4 times a week instead of 6 times a week? Here you would be hitting each bodypart only twice a week instead of 3 times a week, like the basic HST program or the one outlined above.)

I know this is a long post. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!

 

[scientific muscle]

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">1. Does anyone have any experience building size on Starr's 5x5 or any other SST program?  i.e., Should I give it more time?  I get very impatient when starting a new program, and was only on this for 3 weeks.  (Starr and &quot;Practical Programming&quot; seem to clearly make a distinction between training for hypertrophy is accomplished differently from training for strength, making me question, &quot;Can you get big just doing strength specific training?&quot
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I am currently following starr's 5x5...great for strength.  Good for size.
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">2. Does anyone incorporate SST type programs into their HST?  And if so, how are the results?
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You should be using more weight with each cycle and thus getting stronger using HST, no need for SST unless strength itself is the main goal.
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">3. Maybe a question for Bryan:  Can HST work on an A/B split (like outlined above) done 4 times a week instead of 6 times a week?  Here you would be hitting each bodypart only twice a week instead of 3 times a week, like the basic HST program or the one outlined above.)</div>
Yes, will work fine.

If you want mass, keep following your HST program, the gains may be slow, but if you are advanced then thats the best you can hope for.  (at least without steroids)

The main difference between a typical 5x5 and typical HST...obviously 5x5s are more focused on poundage and strength gains on the basic compounds.  While HST is more focused on overall hypertrophy of all your muscles, and this can be done with compounds, isolations, machines, etc....the end result of size is what matters.
With 5x5, getting a big squat and big bench is what matters and the size gains are just a really nice side effect!

 

[9to5lifter]

I am just going to repeat Tot's wise words; if you are not gaining weight, you are not eating enough. It's as simple as that and it won't change no matter what your program is. So, since you like it, I suggest that you stick with HST and concentrate on your diet instead. No program will magically help you put on weight, unless of course you are specifically looking to lower your training's caloric expenditure.

Now, if you are bored or are looking for strength gains first and foremost, that's a different story, but I don't think this is your case.

Keep in mind that training 6 times a week requires a lot of energy, so if you want to continue like this, &quot;you have to eat like it's your job&quot; (Tot again).

 

[faz]

mam-stim is also another option after the 5s.

 

[Fausto]

9 to 5's right, the only disadvantage is that you gain some fat as a bonus, I'm living proof my gains have be good mainly through eating better or more!