Check out my workout/ 20 rep squat with HST?

S

spongehead

New Member
Getting very excited about starting HST next week. I have been training for a few years now with not as much progress as I’d like. Been experimenting with a few routines, enjoy 5x5.  Will concentrate on eating loads for this HST…

I will be alternating workouts each session, training M, W, F. This is how it currently looks for the 10 rep weeks, doing 2 sets for each exercise except Workout A where Preacher and Military will be 1 set (so as not to overdo it!)

A
Deadlift
Chin
Inc Bench
Military
Preacher

B
Squat
Military
Rack Row
Flyes
Dips (focus on triceps)
Calf Raises

I know it’s much the same as other workouts – how does it look? Should I scrap preacher curls altogether or replace them with pull downs (I’ve not before religiously done isolation exercises)?

In the past I have had lots of aches and pains with joints – especially my lower back and legs. Since lifting weights I have had much less problems. I am therefore concerned with the 5 rep weeks with squats and deadlifts that such low reps may aggravate past problems. Perhaps I could do the squats Monday, (leg curl and leg press Wednesday?) deadlifts Friday or do 20 reps, 15, 8/10 instead of 15, 10, 5? Plus I know there’s lots of contradictory information out there but some people rave about the 20 rep squats and suggest that 8-20 reps is best. I know the priority with HST is incremental weight progression so is the rep range important?

I will start with 80% 10-rep max (deadlift for example) Monday, Friday 90% then Wednesday 100%. Are best gains with progression of increments of 3 like mine or 6 (exactly the same workout M, W, F)? Or am I being anal, as it really does not matter?

I would appreciate your feedback…
 
20 rep squats aren't really that beneficial. People say that they increase testosterone, but they don't. Studies have proven that. The only thing that increases testosterone levels significantly is testosterone supplementation.
What you could do is do 20 reps but perform them max-stim style. That way you get the same amount of total work done, but you will experience less fatigue, which will mean you will recover faster.
With the joint pains... you may find that after the 15s, you will have fewer joint problems. Are you taking fish oil yet? You should try that out too, it seems to help joints for a lot of guys.

I'd say just progress into the 5s like usual, and if you do start to feel joint pains after a couple weeks, then take an SD and start over.
 
For any curls, especially preacher curls, don't extend all the way; use a shorter ROM if your joints are at risk or you may be sorry. A better preacher is to stand with your back and butt against a wall and curl, or do them on an inclined or seated bench.
Oils, and switching from any exersize that hurts a joint or change the position/ROM/angles of attack. Spider curls on the preacher are another choice, but I never liked them much. I'd rather do concentrations or chins.
 
Cheers 4 your advice

Tote - makes sense. I'll give the 5s a go and stop if joints are hurting joints.

Quadancer - the joint pain I had was from 'Severs Disease' (inflamed heel) and from having one leg shorter than the other (no I don't walk in circles) so when just walking it effected my whole body mechanically so resulted in joint pains in my heel, knee, lower back and clavicle. My wonky body has been remedied with some foot insoles. My elbows joints have never hurt.

My question with regard to preacher or pull downs was more for advice as to which is most effective. I've only got lil 14 inch arms...

I want growth but do not wanna over do it and eat into CNS. Is it best to stick with compounds?

Are chins workout A then rack rows with preacher or pull downs workout B too much?

(I know it is perhaps a minor detail, but from your experience what are your recommendations?)
 
From recent studies I've read, you may have a need for abdominal/glute strength if the pelvis is tilted (many people have this). Here are some links:
http://www.bowen-therapy.info/remedies/pelvischeck.shtml
http://www.backfixbodywork.com/BackFixBook_ChapterExcerpts.htm
http://backandneck.about.com/od/conditions/ss/tiltedpelvis.htm

As a layman, not a doctor, I'd say that the inserts they put under your heel will have lifted the low side of the pelvis up into balance, but does not equalize the muscle lengths, strengths, and flexibility. You'll need some exersizes to get up to par. You'll see that the pelvis can be tilted in any direction, usually from muscle imbalances.
Or you may allready be aware of all this; I just didn't see any ab, glute or specialty exersizes in your routine.
 
Remember, most imbalances arise from a "tight" muscle inhibiting a weaker one from working normally. Passive stretching can often be the key - rather than "over" toning of an already adequate muscle...
wink.gif
 
Welcome spongehead

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I will start with 80% 10-rep max (deadlift for example) Monday, Friday 90% then Wednesday 100%. Are best gains with progression of increments of 3 like mine or 6 (exactly the same workout M, W, F)? Or am I being anal, as it really does not matter?</div>

Bad idea it is better to start off with 75 to 80 % but spread it over two weeks, doing it over 1 week may have an inpact on your CNS.

The workout is fine although I rather prefer to alternate chins/rows and bench/dips, the biceps and triceps get a workout from each anyway and if you really want you can always superset chins with one set of preachers and dips with a set of pushdowns or french curls.
 
I worked my legs in the high rep ranges like 20 reps. I didn't have any strength gains doing this. I wouldn't judge everyone else based on my results, but listen to Rich (Tot) as he knows what he is talking about.
cool.gif
 
DM, good point on the stretches. Somehow I'd missed the reason for them while I was focusing on the weak muscle factor. (since I hardly ever did abs or glutes)

Colby, I had a thread in here somewhere, or at least a convo going when I tried the 20 rep squat scheme for my growth-resistant legs. It didn't work for me, but the heavy 5x5 has worked a little. I'm still a believer, though, because in my experience, I find that ANY exersize only works for a period of time, and has to be changed in some way when it stagnates. Therefore, the 20 rep stuff could work for me later on.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I find that ANY exersize only works for a period of time, and has to be changed in some way when it stagnates. Therefore, the 20 rep stuff could work for me later on.
</div>

Quad, that may just be for you. I could lift squats, deads, mp, bench press/dips, and chins for the rest of my life and grow. It seems to me that changing your routine to &quot;mix it up&quot; because you are not growing is a bodybuilding myth.
 
I hope you can. But I doubt it. You're young, but you won't always be.

By 'period of time', I mean like 6-8 cycles or so, not a couple weeks.
 
I'm currently in my SD of my first HST cycle and putting more work into setting up my second cycle of HST. I have a question about the starting % if you have an A/B routine.

You're only going to do each routine 3 times during the 15's, 3 x in the 10's and 3 x in the 5's. Is it smarter to do say 80% for w/0 #1 of A, then 90% and 100% on the last w/o of A and do the same thing for B? This would mean you'd be lifting at your rm's twice in each rep range.

or should you start at 75% for A, then 80% for B, then the next A w/o do 85% and so on...but this would mean you'd only be doing 100% on the last day of each rep range.

Any advice?
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Mar. 15 2007,10:40)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I hope you can. But I doubt it. You're young, but you won't always be.

By 'period of time', I mean like 6-8 cycles or so, not a couple weeks.</div>
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">By 'period of time', I mean like 6-8 cycles or so, not a couple weeks. </div>

Okay, I am with you there. Then again, every cycle of mine has had dips and chins. Early cycles, I was using a lot of machines and doing some isolations, and now I have gone to free weight doing bench press, deadlifts, clean &amp; press, and squats. The only time I use a machine is for rows or calf raises.
 
Janitor...75% for A, then 80% for B, then the next A w/o do 85% as you said, makes more sense. If I remember right, you're using an AB routine because you do a lot of different exersizes, no? Anyway, since your alternates basically work the same muscles, strength carryover is present for the most part, but sometimes (and this has bothered me) the jump is large enough to make a workout grueling when it should be just standard - caused IMO by a certain lack of carryover on a five day stretch. I believe it just pertains to certain exersizes, for instance, squats. Deads won't help the squats as much as squats will. So when hitting the squat with that double increase, you may find yourself wondering why you're sitting there counting the spiders on the baseboard instead of standing up. OTOH, you can't do deads and squats in the same workout.
For the 15's 2 sets is plenty. To do 3 (45 reps) could be too much for arms, and/or whole body, especially when the weights start piling on.
 
Quad:

I plan on doing 1 set of 15, 2 sets of 10 and 3 sets of 5...the way I worded it before was a little odd...I meant I will only be doing the A routine 3 times per meosycle (if thats the term) and the same with the B routine.

I like to do a different exercise per muscle group in my A/B routine, keeps my mind fresh.

Would you recommend increasing the increments regardless of which routine ie. 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100% ?

To me this makes sense, but one routine won't be reaching my RM's which concerns me development wise...would I be better off doing a 80%, 90%, 100% so each exercise will hit the RM? If I can handle the increase like you said.

I guess if I can't handle the jump in increments I'll find out pretty soon. For the past couple of years I never had a program that &quot;forced&quot; me to increase the weights. I was pretty much doing the same weights when I went. I would do a full body circuit 3x a week with high reps. The mistake I made on my first cycle was starting my increments out too high...I was wiped out by the time I finished the ten's and only made it two weeks with the 5's, that and I had never lifted the weight I did in the 5's...so I had a lot of Pb's. I guess I should have done an introduction a couple of months ago...like slapz did when he joined, would have provided some good background.
 
just as an alternative I do something like this and made an 8 workout meso cycle instead of the normal 6.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A 70 80 90 100
B 70 80 90 100

I hope that explains it. This my first cycle using this method so I don't really have a lot to say about how good or bad it is...just something to think about.
 
jThere is an entire thread on this in here somewhere, if someone can remember what it was called. Franko's idea was one that was discussed, and the idea of full advancement of the increments regardless of alternate exersizes, like yours. One thing you could try is to lessen the increments if it's too hard to follow through with the ones you'd set. What I don't like about that (or the AB programs) is that you won't end up with as much strength at the end, IMO. But since you're working things in a more varietable way, you end up with perhaps better conditioning, possibly less fat and better asthetics, but to me, muscle growth IS the asthetic, and strength gains are definitely related.
I've probably opened up an argument...
rock.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top