Choosing Avoiding Zigzags vs. Same Weight Twice

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imported_dxwallace

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In working my spreadsheet I am trying to avoid any Zigzagging. I could accomplish this by doing the same weight twice in the 10's micro cycle for example

to avoid the following zigzag
20-25-30-35-40-45   (15's)
35-40-45-50-55-60   (10's)

I would create a 10's micro cycle like this......
50-50-55-55-60-60

However, this being my first cycle I cannot say which is the best approach over the other. From all the posts and Bryan's comments, I feel I understand the concept very well of HST and thus can conclude that both are acceptable.  And it seems as if either can have it's own merits. To avoid Zigzagging just to avoid it may be a "Construct of my mind", as they say in philosophy. And it is obvious that HST requires the dismissal of old concepts and constructs.

However I would like to know if one might be recommended over the other on a given exercise, if one had to choose?
 
Either way would be fine... except - I would not start lower than 70% of the RM for that range, preferably 75-80%, whichever will work better. So I would start at 40 - 45 lbs for 10s in your example, which incidentally is close to your 15 RM and reduces zig zag quite a bit anyway. So something like 40 45 50 50 55 60 or if you want no zig zag, then you could go with 50 50 55 55 60 60 and that would probably be fine too.
 
I have no problem with some zig-zag. In fact, when I removed it I definitely suffered from more fatigue during 5s. If you do like Totz suggested, any zig-zag is minimised anyway. A slight deload along with a drop in reps per set at the start of a new mesocycle (ie. following a RM workout) can allow your CNS a bit of extra recuperation while still keeping you in an anabolic state. RBE will not have time to catch up if it takes a week or less to reach higher loads following any zig-zag.
 
Thanks fellows. By the by , the numbers I gave in my example are not from a particular exercise, just numbers to illustrate the. None of my lightest weights in a micro-cycle go below 67% of the max. And with me being punctilious, I will make sure they are at least 70% of the max.

In the end I wll probably end up doing a little of both, based upon gut feel.

I am excited about this program. I have tried everything to bulk up and failed. One thing I'll say for HIT training, it did allow me to drop some bodyfat. But this program makes such conceptual sense, I'm pumped. Thank god for the web!!!

....true knowleged sometimes needs to know next to nothing, except an instinct to move towards that which is real knowlege.
 
The zig zag effect offers a sort of built-in periodization to HST. It tends to give your CNS a welcome break.
 
TBH i think 70% is to low 80% IMO is better so if you were using say 100k it would go like this,
80,80,90,90,100,100,
 
Just make sure you eat enough. HST is great but it won't make you gain muscle unless you are eating a surplus of calories and plenty of those calories from protein.
 
Okay, I think I've got my spreadsheet "tight" like I like it. As I said before, the experts might advise me not to think to hard or detailed. But one thing I've learned with many things that people claim to work, the only way to really know is to prove it yourself, but when you do it, stick to the rules of the programs, as opposed to bending or breaking some of the rules and claiming the programs didn't work.

Nontheless I am now cool with Zigzags, I am trying to use foresight to determine which exercise might benefit from the Fatigue and CNS rest if I Zigzag them when I get to my 5's.

The only outstanding issue is the Bicep curls. The thing is that the max rep for my 15's is 30lb dumbells and the max for my 10's is 35 lb. dumbells. Thus my setup (since I don't to start at 5 or 10) lb dumbells is like this

20-20-25-25-30-30 (15's)
25-25-30-30-35-35 (10's)

the 15's puts my first workout at 67% of the max mut there is no way around it, that seems to be the only rule that I will have to bend, my body may not mind.

What I am saying is that I am stepping back 4 workouts when I get to the 10's  (25-25-30-30)


Do you guys think that should be ok? any bicep exercise I do is usually gonna have a 15rm of 30 or 35, so I'll be in this boat for any bicep exercise
 
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