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- Thread starter Totentanz
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Hey Totentanz, I'm just wondering, how many reps do you end up hitting in your dropsets? I've been doing the dropset protocol but for biceps (doing spider curls), and 20% drops, but I can only sometimes get 4 or 5 reps in the dropsets. Not all the time, sometimes I hit 6 reps in the first drop, and 10 in the second which is strange. I reduced the drops further to about 25% and it's gotten reps a little higher. Just that the study doesn't specify how much time under tension or reps you should hit with the drops (or whether it really matters..)
Are you starting with a roughly 12 RM load? I find that I usually get 11-15 reps the first initial set, then it usually drops by 2-3 reps for each dropset, but it varies depending on the day. But... I'm probably getting at least 10 seconds of rest before starting again, because I have to swap the pin on the stack and record how many reps I got so I don't forget. I tend to get 25-30 total reps across though.
Either way, the total reps shouldn't matter a whole lot as long as you are pushing for all the reps you can get on each set. How are your arms feeling afterward?
Probably goes without saying but being probably nourished and hydrated going in will surely make a difference.
Either way, the total reps shouldn't matter a whole lot as long as you are pushing for all the reps you can get on each set. How are your arms feeling afterward?
Probably goes without saying but being probably nourished and hydrated going in will surely make a difference.
Honestly, I think that early on pretty much anything works. You just have to be eating enough to get the growth. But doing HST was surely better than pulling a random routine out of a muscle magazine like I was doing before I found HST. I do think that vanilla HST is a good setup for people who are on the slightly more experienced end of the beginner stage. Also, worth mentioning that I did modify things to drop the 15s and extend the 5s at some point (after probably my first year of HST?) and I think that I was able to make better strength gains that way.
Ah ok right, yeah I've been progressing, so I started out with about 15RM and worked my way to about 10RM over the weeks. I'm doing it with minimal rest in between drops, however in order to do that I've been dropsetting from EZ curl bar to DBs then a second pair of DBs, so it's possible the DBs have a different/lower strength requirement due to two individual arms working.. and thus affecting rep capability...although it's not too bad. Sometimes it's 10, 5, 11, then next session 10, 6, 10, bizarre! Yeah arms are usually pretty fried afterwards.
I might even try starting with DBs, then DB again, then EZ curl, or even DB->EZ->BB. I stopped using BB for the first set as it was too painful for the wrists, but if I used BB for the last set it would be at a lower weight and easier on wrists, and I may then get the reps up by using BB last.. Like an accommodating strength set, or frontloading in a way hehe. Cheers mate
Hehe yeah have heard that quite a bit, and have done a fair few chinups in my time. Can't do movements like that at the moment due to a pelvic condition I have and would be too much stress to do chinups due to the tightening/stretching of the abdominal wall/pelvic muscles that happens through the movement. To me I don't think chins or even compound movements are the complete picture like many profess, there's a very valid place for isolation movements and their ability to direct tension to where it's needed, along with improving mind muscle connection which the longer I train am realising is quite important. Someone can have a crazy heavy bench but majority of tension can be dispersed to shoulders and tris, explains partly why some can bench for a long time and progress in weights and not have much chest development. Of course lots of other factors too, but fascinating stuff
Browner
Well-Known Member
What about incline chin ups? That might take away the stretching of the abdominal wall
Ah ok hmm, that's a possibility, I'm worried it'll still force the abs etc to contract to maintain the position, but yeah if I elevate my legs and just let the lower half rest completely it may potentially solve that actually.. Cheers for the suggestion
Still alive, and currently cutting back down after the winter. I just had a long bout of pneumonia that kept me out of the gym for a month and is still sort of lingering in the lungs a bit, but I'm back to lifting again. I've decided to take a break from the heavy weights for a bit and have been wanting to do myo-reps as a way to maintain muscle while still losing bodyfat. Luckily, Borge posted a link to his book which I didn't realize was actually out, so I've bought that and am devouring it between calls at work.
I'm hovering around 12-13% bodyfat depending on how accurate my caliper measurements were, and really want to stick with this cut until I'm below 10% this time. After that, I want to try gaining more slowly and see what happens. I want to stick with myo-reps for at least six months or so, so I can judge really how effective it will be for me. I really think it takes at least several months with a training plan to know whether it is working for you or not. So that six month period should cover the rest of my cut and a few months of trying to gain. So we'll see how that goes. I'm definitely looking forward to some lighter loads for a while though.
I'm hovering around 12-13% bodyfat depending on how accurate my caliper measurements were, and really want to stick with this cut until I'm below 10% this time. After that, I want to try gaining more slowly and see what happens. I want to stick with myo-reps for at least six months or so, so I can judge really how effective it will be for me. I really think it takes at least several months with a training plan to know whether it is working for you or not. So that six month period should cover the rest of my cut and a few months of trying to gain. So we'll see how that goes. I'm definitely looking forward to some lighter loads for a while though.
Sci
Well-Known Member
Good to see you back, and to see you cutting. I am personally refusing to bulk at all until i am under 10% bodyfat, which, since i am untrained, will put me at a scrawny bodyweight, but it will be fun to bulk up with the combination of low bodyfat and the old satellite cells triggering “muscle memory” hypertrophy. My p-ratio should be wicked starting over at a low bodyweight, and applying HST principles.
Lower back has been tweaky ever since I got over eager deadlifting in the 600+ range several years ago. It gives me grief a lot if I don't sleep just right and I don't think I've ever managed to go over 500 on deads since then. I actually dropped full deads entirely for a long while and only started adding rack pulls back in like a year or two back. Not sure on hard dates since I lost most of my logs from the 2010s.
Anyway, finally bought a lifting belt about a month ago and it's like magic. Once I get to 315, I start wearing the belt and can then do heavier deads without any issue. I was worried belting up would somehow keep my lower back from getting worked enough. And of course there is normal muscle soreness whenever I increase the load, but overall, my lower back feels better than it has in a long time. Deadlifts really are a great exercise for rehab.
Anyway, finally bought a lifting belt about a month ago and it's like magic. Once I get to 315, I start wearing the belt and can then do heavier deads without any issue. I was worried belting up would somehow keep my lower back from getting worked enough. And of course there is normal muscle soreness whenever I increase the load, but overall, my lower back feels better than it has in a long time. Deadlifts really are a great exercise for rehab.
Do you implement Stuart McGill’s big 3?
Wow. Havent properly squatted in a long time. 315 felt fine as a warmup but gotta toughen up my traps to hold the bar. Should have been able to get 6 reps with 405 but stopped after 3. I'll probably stick to more of the 300 lb range and 9 rep sets instead until the shelf is rebuilt.
Currently on week 4 with myo-reps. I haven't been controlling calories, just kinda letting hunger guide me without doing anything obviously stupid until I adjust to this. But damn... I must have been really carb depleted or I'm just storing a lot more because I've gained about 15 lbs. Skin folds aren't significantly changed though, so that's good. Definitely feeling pretty good overall though. I'll have to cut back from lifting 4 days a week once I start trimming calories back though I think.
Oh and the pumps with myo-reps are insane. I wish my arms were this size all the time. I dont think I've ever gone over the 17 inch range before??
Oh and the pumps with myo-reps are insane. I wish my arms were this size all the time. I dont think I've ever gone over the 17 inch range before??
