Beginners Forum

Status
Not open for further replies.
Bryan Haycock

Bryan Haycock

Administrator
Staff member
Hello all,

Over the last several months, I have gotten a lot of mail from people just starting a lifting program for the very first time. When asked how they liked the forum they would respond, "A lot of it is just over my head."

If people don't understand something, it isn't of any value to them. So here is a forum where there are no stupid questions. There is no question too basic, too simple, or too common.

Please feel free to ask about anything you don't understand, no matter how basic it may seem. Don't be shy, just ask and you'll get a simple answer, in easy to understand language. Before you know it, you'll be answering questions as often as you ask them!

Enjoy,


-bryan
 
I am a beginner to HST and have some questions. I did one complete cycle then did 8 days of SD now I am into my second week of 15"s and am having real trouble getting through my workouts. My strength is zapped, for lack of a better work I feel shagged even before I pick up a weight. I eat well and supplement with whey, and glutamine. At the end of my last cycle I was blasting through the workouts but that is not the case now. maybe someone else has had a similar experience
 
Bluenoser, that is the reasoning behind sd, becoming weaker so that your not increasing weights indefinately. Don't worry, the feeling doesn't last too long.
Mark :)
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Bryan Haycock @ Mar. 03 2003,3:09)]Hello all,
Over the last several months, I have gotten a lot of mail from people just starting a lifting program for the very first time. When asked how they liked the forum they would respond, "A lot of it is just over my head."
If people don't understand something, it isn't of any value to them. So here is a forum where there are no stupid questions. There is no question too basic, too simple, or too common.
Please feel free to ask about anything you don't understand, no matter how basic it may seem. Don't be shy, just ask and you'll get a simple answer, in easy to understand language. Before you know it, you'll be answering questions as often as you ask them!
Enjoy,
-bryan
Click to expand...
I have traditionally done 2-5 excercises per body part (once a week) and 3-4 sets of each. e.g Legs: Squats (4), SLDL(3), Leg Curls(4), Lunges(3), Leg extensions(3). I have started HST and completed my 10RM week, but am concerned that my workout is so long (17 excercises if i only do 2 arm excercises)

Squat x 2
SLDL x 2
Leg Curl x 1
Lunges x 1
Sitting Calves x 2
Standing Calves x 2
Bench Press x 2
Dips x 1
Flys x 1
Shoulder Press x 2
Shrugs x 1
Pull Ups x 2
Seated rows x 1
Dumbell Bi's x 2
Preacher Curls x 1
Tri's pushdown x 2
Tri's overhead/dipmachine x 1

Any advice?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Mark Thomson @ Mar. 07 2003,8:56)]Bluenoser, that is the reasoning behind sd, becoming weaker so that your not increasing weights indefinately. Don't worry, the feeling doesn't last too long.
Mark :)
Click to expand...
Ohhh..."the reasoning behind sd, becoming weaker so that you're not increasing weights indefinately"...??? I don't think I like the sounds of that! Shouldn't a continuous increase in strength follow along with increased hypertrophy, even though hypertrophy is the primary focus here?
 
it is more accurate to say that an increase in "damage to muscular tissue" will stimulate hypertrophy.

Now, normally, because of the adaptive mechanisms of the body, an increase in damage requires an increase in load/strength.

But - by the time the SD period has ended, the deconditioning has left your muscles more sensitive to damage than before the start of the SD, so you don't need as high a load/strength to effect the same damage, and thus hypertrophic response.
 
I dont understand how chins work in the HST frame-work. I cant manage much more than 11reps with my own body-weight. So how do I manage a constant build up of resistance?
 
you work backwards from your bodyweight with an assisted chinup machine, or forwards with a dipping belt.

Alternatively you can simulate a "lower than bodyweight chinup" by using a pulldown machine, but i don't think it's as faithful as an assisted chin/dipping statin

So say your 11 rep max is bodyweight for chins; you'd then assume that your 15 rep max is bodyweight plus a few pounds (on a dipping belt) - let's say 7.5 pounds. You'd then calculate 6 increments back from [bodyweight plus 7.5 pounds].

So day1, you'd do bodyweight minus 5 pounds (which you'd do by putting 5 pounds of counterweight on the assisting machine, or alternatively pulling the equivalent amount on a pulldown machine) . Day 2 you'd do the same minus 2.5 pounds - day 3 you'd do bodyweight, and by day 4 you'd add 5 pounds to belt (or if u wanna be accurate - however much is needed to bring the total weight of both plates and belt to 5 pounds.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ([xeno]Julios @ June 29 2003,4:54)]you work backwards from your bodyweight with an assisted chinup machine, or forwards with a dipping belt.
Alternatively you can simulate a "lower than bodyweight chinup" by using a pulldown machine, but i don't think it's as faithful as an assisted chin/dipping statin
So say your 11 rep max is bodyweight for chins; you'd then assume that your 15 rep max is bodyweight plus a few pounds (on a dipping belt) - let's say 7.5 pounds. You'd then calculate 6 increments back from [bodyweight plus 7.5 pounds].
So day1, you'd do bodyweight minus 5 pounds (which you'd do by putting 5 pounds of counterweight on the assisting machine, or alternatively pulling the equivalent amount on a pulldown machine) . Day 2 you'd do the same minus 2.5 pounds - day 3 you'd do bodyweight, and by day 4 you'd add 5 pounds to belt (or if u wanna be accurate - however much is needed to bring the total weight of both plates and belt to 5 pounds.
Click to expand...
I dont have an assisted chinup machine. So what do I do? I could do pulldowns but I've heard that they're not as good as chins( and ur statement also implied the same) also, with a machine its not the same as normal. For example on a machine bench press I can lift more than I would on a normal bench press. Similarly lifting 70kgs on a pulldown would not be the same as chinning my own bodyweight(which is 70kgs), due to the manner in which the machine is built it might be more easy(due to the pully mechanism) or more difficult (due to friction). So should I just do pulldowns and forget about chins due to the hazyness of increments caused by mixing the two?
 
OK I tried searching the forums but still couldnt find a clear answer on refeeds. I understand that it involves carbs, and eating a lot of them. My question is when, how much, is it during SD? whats the point of them, ive heard it "restarts" your metabolism, but again I cannot find a clear answer. Thanks guys,
Keith
 
Refeeds are related to diet, not really to workout.

You would consider doing a refeed (effectively a carb binge) if you've been dieting for a while and have been getting thin. If you're over 25% bodyfat, you don't need to refeed. If you're 10-15% bodyfat and the fat loss is slowing, it may help to refeed once in a while (once a week?) If you're very thin and have been dieting hard for a long time (8% and trying to go lower), you may need to refeed even more frequently to keep the metabolism up.

There are definitely threads in the forums with lots of details on when and how to refeed. Make sure you're searching all forums, and are looking for this month and OLDER, not newer.

Good luck.
 
Yes.
No; just the diet. You can add cardio.

Start new threads instead of building on an old general one. Better yet, find the old thread with the same questions you just asked; the answers are probably already there. ;)
 
Oops I should have asked my qn here I think- I originally posted in the training section

What type of warmup should I do for my workouts? e.g. should I do 1 really light set of each exercise before the working set?

Thanks
 
I'm very happy with doing that. I've been working out for the better part of 10 years, and I did warmups on bike/treadmill for 6 months or so. The rest of the time I've started with a few light sets where form was the essential part and then gone heavier. Never really been injured.

Just be cautious and make sure you warm up enough! At the end of your 5s you will put a lot of strain on your body, and I like to gradually work up from about 30% of my 5RM up to my working weight in 3 to 5 sets (the first one or two being 10 reps with very strict form, then 5 reps on the rest)

But...you need to see what works best for your body!
 
Hello and happy holidays. This isn't actually the beginners forum. It is found in the training section. :D

Let's move our discussion over there.
thumbs-up.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top