Energizer Bunny

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imported_domineaux

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In the fives and I've been going and going and going.

I got up this morning... and seriously I've put off the SD so long my conscience is starting to bother me.

Going to the gym won't hurt a thing I know. I'm still adding some weight, but not with each workout as a month ago. My workouts are tough. I do 1 minute intervals between sets and max of 3 minutes between exercises.

In the past before SD my joints would begin to complain a bit, but that is not the case now. My body is continuing to respond after over 2 months in the 5s.

In a quandry...what to do?
 
I reckon that even though you are at the point where you are still making very slow progress it's still worth SDing and starting over. I honestly believe that you can make faster overall progress this way.

If you are cutting then that's a different kettle of fish. I would just keep going with the 5s until you've reached your target bodyweight. If you get some strength gains along the way then that's great.
 
Once you finished with the preliminary 6 weeks of HST (15s, 10s, 5s), did you just repeat the 5RM workout for the 7th week onwards and increase the weight accordingly, or did you increase the weight EVERY workout for 2 months?
 
domineaux,

i go along with what LOL has to say. if cutting keep things heavy but keep in mind even a diet needs a break after 8 weeks or so to re-set the metab. and thats a good SD time. if your still bulking and the wgts are still going up (although slower) without the usual joint pain then thats great. like LOL mentioned i would still consider an SD at some point even thought the usual "signals" are not there. my last cycle (of bulking) went really well from the strength stand point (little too much fat though) and towards the end i pushed a little longer (extra 2 weeks) and hit some big PRs. looking back i wish hadnt pushed quite as much. tweaked my right hamstring a little and aggravated my left delt some. nothing major mind you but now im working "around"  those injuries that hindsight tells me i could have avoided by sticking to my sched. and not kept pushing until i had to take a break.

hindsights always 20-20 and none of this may apply to you but if things are going great but have been going for a while a short 2 week break could help. then back to the 15s will probably set you up for even greater gains within 5-6 weeks (not that far out really) without the risk of any overuse problems that might crop up from continuing until you "need" a break.

im also 40 so age factors into my fragile state of mind right now anyway, take that into account.

good luck
 
Since you are feeling good...why not do another week at your 3RM using MS and then give it a break.  At least that will allow you to increase your poundages that have been stalled for awile before SD.
 
I wouldn't stop and SD if still gaining strength. If anything, I'd back off the volume for a week or so to keep from possibly burning out.
 
<div>
(liegelord @ Sep. 10 2007,23:38)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I wouldn't stop and SD if still gaining strength. If anything, I'd back off the volume for a week or so to keep from possibly burning out.</div>
I'm definitely still gaining strength, just not like I was first month into the 5s.

I've backed off the volume as well.  I dropped back on my sets to 2 x instead of 3 x.  I can easily manage 3x sets on some exercises, but the big muscle compounds take their toll.

3x has always been my goal in the 5s, since I was trying to keep my volume pretty close after 2x the 10s.

Regardless, this has been a good 5s.  My whole core is hardend up, my belly is a bit distended...but hard as a rock.

I think I should stay with it another week, or so to see how it goes.  Usually, my joints start to balk at training when I need to SD... but no joint discomfort this go.

I did have some goals for this cycle, which I've achieved and exceeded across the board.  I've achieved my goals in all exercises.  My gosh I'm way up on my seated military press, same for bench.

When I think about it... man has this been a great cycle.

Anyone, that thinks this is not an excellent training program is out of his cotton pickin mind.

Thanks for all the great responses.  I always feel good to post on these boards, everyone takes their best shot at giving good advice.
 
<div>
(markobenin @ Sep. 10 2007,16:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Once you finished with the preliminary 6 weeks of HST (15s, 10s, 5s), did you just repeat the 5RM workout for the 7th week onwards and increase the weight accordingly, or did you increase the weight EVERY workout for 2 months?</div>
Yes...

I do the complete cycle with 2 x sets in 15s and 10s. I do 5s x 3 sets. I wasn't bumping the weights much in the 15s and 10s.

When I got into the 5s I was bumping the weights like you wouldn't believe each week. Sometimes it was from one workout to the next, sometimes it was two workouts... but by the end of the week it was always more.

I only started slowing down in the past 2 weeks, but I'm still moving up on the weights slowly... I did drop off to 2x sets.

If I can exceed the 5s reps in an exercise 1st or 2nd set I do it. I don't slack off, if I can do more. I never drop the amount of weight... NEVER. By exceeding the 5 reps my body is basically telling me it can handle more weight. I do not go up on the weight in the same workout. I go up on the weight next workout.

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I allow max time between sets of 1 minute and max time between exercises of 3 minutes. Looking out over the gym during my workouts I'm doing four or five exercises in the time some people are doing two or less.

This is not a killer workout, seriously it's not. It's tough in the 15s.

Remember one very vital thing. Eating right is as important as your workouts. You gotta eat right.
 
Domineaux

I agree with Liege...maybe I just like to be contradictory at times...but if you're not sore...you're gaining strength...and you weights are still going up...keep going.

Do however be very mindfull of the fragile line between gains and losses (injury is a big one for instance)... but as Liege says if you back off the volume and play it safe...keep going until your joints tell yah its time for a break...I'm sure they will... eventually.
wink.gif
 
I thought I'd share what happened at the gym today.

Here I am thinking about SD, since I've been in the 5s for over 6 weeks.  

I thought why not give this a go and stay with it.  The postings in this thread inspired me to go for it.

I decided it couldn't hurt, but I determined to be more scientific to test this &quot;go for it&quot;.  I decided to bump the weights and see what happens.

To my astonishment...

I succesfully completed 2 sets all exercise. I  added 5 lbs in Bench and Mil Press, added 20 lbs in bent over BB rows, added 10 pounds in BB curl and reverse curl.  Some exercises I didn't bump the weight, because they were very heavy to me last workout.  I was successful to hit full reps + additional reps in all of them.

This sure don't sound like a time for SD.  This sounds like I'm just getting cranked up.  LOL

Thanks to all of you
 
<div>
(domineaux @ Sep. 11 2007,17:22)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I succesfully completed 2 sets all exercise. I added 5 lbs in Bench and Mil Press, added 20 lbs in bent over BB rows, added 10 pounds in BB curl and reverse curl. Some exercises I didn't bump the weight, because they were very heavy to me last workout. I was successful to hit full reps + additional reps in all of them.</div>
Yup. HST is a strength program.

Who knew...?
 
<div>
(markobenin @ Sep. 11 2007,21:37)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Are you still seeing hypertrophy gains or just strength gains domineaux?</div>
Both
 
This is only my opinion....but if gaining size is your main goal then I think you should SD on a regular schedule.  If you can SD and make size gains with the lighter weights then why risk injury pushing up your 5RM for so long?  It just doesn't make sense to me to keep pushing your 5RM up for more than two weeks after the normal 6 weeks of HST 15's, 10's &amp; 5's if your main goal is size.

However if your main goal is strength then pushing your 5RM up as long as possible makes sense.
 
<div>
(Bulldog @ Sep. 12 2007,16:02)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">This is only my opinion....but if gaining size is your main goal then I think you should SD on a regular schedule.  If you can SD and make size gains with the lighter weights then why risk injury pushing up your 5RM for so long?  It just doesn't make sense to me to keep pushing your 5RM up for more than two weeks after the normal 6 weeks of HST 15's, 10's &amp; 5's if your main goal is size.

However if your main goal is strength then pushing your 5RM up as long as possible makes sense.</div>
In the past 2+ years on HST I have not had one injury or serious discomfort training HST.  Serious.

I did hurt my back hauling a bunch of stuff around for my wife, and was out 4 months.  A back injury can take you out of all training altogehter until you recover.

I think it's reasonable to say without being argumentative.  Bodybuilding to me is about pushing the limits.  Thats where we get the kinda microtrauma we need to give all that food we eat proper usage by our body.

Arnold pushed the limits all the time, Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman, etc.,etc.  I'm not comparing myself to any of them, but I go with their philosophy.

My workouts are tough,   I  max recovery between rep sets of less than 1 minute, and max time between exercises of 3 mintutes.  I usually am at no more than 30 seconds between resp sets and 1 minute between exercises.   I sweat like a hog after 10 mintues into the workout.

I'm out of the gym in max time 1-1/4 hours and thats when I do 2 sets x 15 reps.   When I get further along in the cycle I pick a couple more exercises and push it out the entire hour to1-1/4 hour.

You want a hardbody that's a way to do it.  By taking my workouts fast and furious my metabolism is enhanced like you can't believe.

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I don't know if it's possible to distinguish a difference between size gains and strength gains in a few workouts. I equate strength gains with size gains. There is direct correlation between size and strength.

I'm very satisfied with my results on HST, and I am staying with the 5s longer than what you describe as normal. I'm thinking normal has gotta have some broad tolerances. LOL

Result speak well for themselves, and I'm getting size and strength gains.
 
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