First HST Cycle

H

HardKnox

New Member
Hey fellas and ladies,

I'm a first time poster, but I've been lurking here for a while, and there seem to be lots of helpful members. So, I'd like to post my first HST routine. I just finished finding my various maxes and am at the beginning of my SD phase.

I have recently become serious about my workout schedule again, and I've been hitting the gym regularly for a little over 2 months now. It really is exciting to see the fast improvement in your body when you start working out. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been reading everything I can find on HST. HST is a perfect fit for me because my primary goal is MASS. I could really care less about strength, although I'm obviously not opposed to that side effect =)

Let me get to the specifics:

Age: 24
Height: 6'
Weight: 180 lbs
Body Fat %: Not a clue. Have some fat around my lower stomach and back that I'd like to get rid of.
Goal: Mass and overall physique
Diet: Mostly consists of protein shakes, high protein Special K w/ skim milk, and Lean Cuisines. I try to get at least 200g of protein.
Supplements: Currently I'm only taking ON 100% whey protein. After my SD cycle, I will also start taking Animal Pak multi-vitamins, Lipo-6 Liqui Caps, and the BSN Mass Stack.

Here is the workout I've come up with. I have also toyed with the increments on some exercises to prevent zig-zag for longer than the first 3 days of each new cycle. I work out 3 days a week and precede every session with 20 minutes of cardio. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. By the way, if there is a way to post HTML, I can make this much more readable. It can be seen here http://home.comcast.net/~blakeaa/hst_cycle_1.htm.

DB (Dumbbells) & H (Hammer Machine) = Weight on each side
M (Machine) = Total weight
DB incriments of 2.5 only available @ <= 55lbs.

15 RM
Exercise Inc 1 2 3 4 5 6 Exercise
Weighted Crunch (M) 5.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 75.0 80.0 Weighted Crunch (M)
Inc Bench (DB) 2.5 37.5 40.0 42.5 45.0 47.5 50.0 Inc Bench (DB)
Lat Pulldowns (M) 10.0 140.0 150.0 160.0 170.0 180.0 190.0 Lat Pulldowns (M)
Dec Bench (DB) 2.5 37.5 40.0 42.5 45.0 47.5 50.0 Dec Bench (DB)
Rows (H) 5.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 Rows (H)
Mil Press (DB) 2.5 22.5 25.0 27.5 30.0 32.5 35.0 Mil Press (DB)
Lat Raise (DB) 2.5 7.5 10.0 10.0 12.5 12.5 15.0 Lat Raise (DB)
Shrugs (M) 10.0 140.0 150.0 160.0 170.0 180.0 190.0 Shrugs (M)
Stiff-Legged Deadlift (DB) 2.5 22.5 25.0 27.5 30.0 32.5 35.0 Stiff-Legged Deadlift (DB)
Curls (DB) 2.5 15.0 17.5 20.0 22.5 25.0 27.5 Curls (DB)
Tricep Ext (DB) 2.5 42.5 45.0 47.5 50.0 52.5 55.0 Tricep Ext (DB)
Squats (M) 10.0 100.0 110.0 120.0 130.0 140.0 150.0 Squats (M)
Leg Curls (M) 5.0 80.0 85.0 90.0 95.0 100.0 105.0 Leg Curls (M)
Toe Raises (M) 10.0 160.0 170.0 180.0 190.0 200.0 210.0 Toe Raises (M)
10 RM
Exercise Inc 1 2 3 4 5 6 Exercise
Weighted Crunch (M) 5.0 75.0 80.0 85.0 90.0 95.0 100.0 Weighted Crunch (M)
Inc Bench (DB) 2.5 45.0 47.5 50.0 52.5 55.0 60.0 Inc Bench (DB)
Lat Pulldowns (M) 10.0 170.0 180.0 190.0 200.0 200.0 210.0 Lat Pulldowns (M)
Dec Bench (DB) 2.5 45.0 47.5 50.0 52.5 55.0 60.0 Dec Bench (DB)
Rows (H) 5.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 Rows (H)
Mil Press (DB) 2.5 30.0 32.5 35.0 37.5 37.5 40.0 Mil Press (DB)
Lat Raise (DB) 2.5 10.0 12.5 15.0 17.5 20.0 22.5 Lat Raise (DB)
Shrugs (M) 10.0 170.0 180.0 190.0 200.0 210.0 220.0 Shrugs (M)
Stiff-Legged Deadlift (DB) 2.5 32.5 35.0 37.5 40.0 42.5 45.0 Stiff-Legged Deadlift (DB)
Curls (DB) 2.5 22.5 25.0 27.5 30.0 32.5 35.0 Curls (DB)
Tricep Ext (DB) 2.5 50.0 52.5 55.0 60.0 60.0 65.0 Tricep Ext (DB)
Squats (M) 10.0 140.0 150.0 160.0 170.0 180.0 190.0 Squats (M)
Leg Curls (M) 5.0 95.0 100.0 105.0 110.0 110.0 115.0 Leg Curls (M)
Toe Raises (M) 10.0 190.0 200.0 210.0 220.0 230.0 240.0 Toe Raises (M)
5 RM
Exercise Inc 1 2 3 4 5 6 Exercise
Weighted Crunch (M) 5.0 90.0 95.0 100.0 105.0 110.0 115.0 Weighted Crunch (M)
Inc Bench (DB) 2.5 52.5 55.0 60.0 65.0 65.0 70.0 Inc Bench (DB)
Lat Pulldowns (M) 10.0 190.0 200.0 210.0 220.0 230.0 240.0 Lat Pulldowns (M)
Dec Bench (DB) 2.5 52.5 55.0 60.0 65.0 65.0 70.0 Dec Bench (DB)
Rows (H) 5.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 75.0 80.0 85.0 Rows (H)
Mil Press (DB) 2.5 35.0 37.5 40.0 42.5 42.5 45.0 Mil Press (DB)
Lat Raise (DB) 2.5 17.5 20.0 22.5 25.0 27.5 30.0 Lat Raise (DB)
Shrugs (M) 10.0 200.0 210.0 220.0 230.0 240.0 250.0 Shrugs (M)
Stiff-Legged Deadlift (DB) 2.5 42.5 45.0 47.5 50.0 52.5 55.0 Stiff-Legged Deadlift (DB)
Curls (DB) 2.5 30.0 32.5 35.0 37.5 40.0 42.5 Curls (DB)
Tricep Ext (DB) 2.5 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 70.0 75.0 Tricep Ext (DB)
Squats (M) 10.0 190.0 200.0 210.0 220.0 230.0 240.0 Squats (M)
Leg Curls (M) 5.0 105.0 110.0 115.0 120.0 120.0 125.0 Leg Curls (M)
Toe Raises (M) 10.0 205.0 215.0 225.0 235.0 245.0 255.0 Toe Raises (M)

Thanks everybody
 
Hradknox

Welcome!

I have taken the time to fix up your workout a bit, hope you don't mind.

I personally think you want to do too much, therefore I have cut it down to essentials.

Some stuff I disagree with but have nevertheless left it in your workout is lat pulldowns instead of chin-ups (many people opt for this route), If you can chin then you should as it is one of the compounds that will help load some "meat" onto your lats and back
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Either than that, shrugs are uncessary, (but keep them if you want them), Decline bench, rather include it when you get to the 5's (and alternate with incline) as well as your curls and tricep work, the lat. raises too and alternated.

Basic sets would be:

15's - 1 set / 10's - 2 sets/5's - 3 sets

You did not indicate negatives? Any reason are you cutting the program short at 6 weeks or are you going to take the 5's to 4 weeks instead?

Anyway here's the w/o in a word format (as attachment).
 
Fausto,

Thank you so much for the input!

To answer some of your questions, and make ask a few of my own:

I agree that I have too many exercises for a full body workout. It just seems like my biceps/tri's just don't get enough of a workout from the compound exercises. I also read that mil press doesn't work out your rear delts enough. The same seems to go for traps. Should this be the case??? Leg curls can definately go. I didn't realize until this week how much stiff-legged deadlifts really work out your legs. I thought it'd hit my back the most.

I do lat pulldowns simply because I can't do a significant amount of chins. I plan on moving to them eventually though.

I'd like to do neg's, but I workout solo. Can't get anyone else to commit. So I'm stuck doing 5's for an extra 2 weeks.

Thanks again, so much, for the suggestions! I'll definately work them into my schedule!
 
I do have another question. When taking the 5's to 4 weeks, what do I do starting week 7? I've already hit my 5RM, so do I repeat weeks 5 and 6 exactly, or should I increase the weight and do as much as I can?

Thanks!
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It just seems like my biceps/tri's just don't get enough of a workout from the compound exercises.</div>

This will change once you start doing chins (underhand close grip), this way it hits the biceps quite well, if you're able strap on extra weight! You can start this on 5's, negatives are easy to do - just stand off a bench and use your legs to do the concentric part!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I also read that mil press doesn't work out your rear delts enough. The same seems to go for traps. Should this be the case??? </div>

I.M.O., that is B.S., mil press is a compound exercise that hits the whole shoulder area, you may want to alternate rear lat raises and lat raises with mil presses.

Use the rear+lat raises as a superset on alternated days with mil press, from the 5's onwards.
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Traps get hit with a variety of exercises, the rows (bentover and cable varieties hit it fairly ok, if you want to include a full deadlift sometime then you can fininsh it with a shrug thereby &quot;killing two birds with one stone&quot;, else keep the shrugs.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">When taking the 5's to 4 weeks, what do I do starting week 7? I've already hit my 5RM, so do I repeat weeks 5 and 6 exactly, or should I increase the weight and do as much as I can?
</div>

Two options here:

1 - Keep weights the same and keep going fro another two weeks.

2 - Increase and keep going. Use cluster reps to accomplish the 5 target if not able to all at once.

Some exercises, specially d/b varieties that are done one hand at a time can easily accomodate negatives where one hand will help the other up.
 
fausto's right about the military press. However, I wouldn't use lateral raises, I'd stick to compounds that allow the heaviest load. If you're concerned about your rear delts and traps, then do power cleans. 225+ pound cleans will do alot more for your traps and rear delts than lateral raises. Even if just starting out you can only use 135, that's probably double the load most people get with DB's.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">This will change once you start doing chins (underhand close grip), this way it hits the biceps quite well, if you're able strap on extra weight!</div>
When I start doing chins, will they replace both rows and lat pulldowns, or will I continue to do rows, or maybe drop both and alternate underhand close grip with overhand wide grip?

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Use the rear+lat raises as a superset on alternated days with mil press, from the 5's onwards.</div>
What would you think about doing rear lat raises + upright row as a superset?  That should hit rear delts, side delts, and traps pretty heavy.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Use the rear+lat raises as a superset on alternated days with mil press, from the 5's onwards.</div>
Haven't thought of this, but this is a great idea.  Most of my exercises are the dumbell variety anyway.  This would even work on most of the machines I use.  Would it be a good idea to do negatives for a week and then use the final week to find new maxes for the next cycle?

Also, concerning some quotes from the original HST article:

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">15¹s can be skipped when you are about to start over after the first 8 week cycle.</div>
AND

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Following each 6-8 week cycle, a one-week period of Strategic Deconditioning should be taken</div>
First, I thought the SD period should be between 9 and 12 days.  Also, if you skip the 15's after coming off SD after a full cycle, is your next cycle going to be 2 weeks shorter?  It'd be difficult to stretch 10's over 4 weeks while still increasing weight every workout.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">When I start doing chins, will they replace both rows and lat pulldowns, or will I continue to do rows, or maybe drop both and alternate underhand close grip with overhand wide grip?</div>

Lat pulldowns yes, but rows you can still do even if you alternate them with chins, overhand wide grip cannot provide the same load as underhand close grip and from the hypertrophy point of view, the higher the load the better the hypertrophy
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Haven't thought of this, but this is a great idea. Most of my exercises are the dumbell variety anyway. This would even work on most of the machines I use. Would it be a good idea to do negatives for a week and then use the final week to find new maxes for the next cycle?</div>

This is what I personally did for a while and it worked, on one day I did the d/b superset, on the other the mil press. However you could consider Liege's option as it is a very good one!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">First, I thought the SD period should be between 9 and 12 days. </div>

And it is, you stop on Friday and start on the following Monday, that is 9 days, the more conditioned guys do even 14 days!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Also, if you skip the 15's after coming off SD after a full cycle, is your next cycle going to be 2 weeks shorter? It'd be difficult to stretch 10's over 4 weeks while still increasing weight every workout. </div>

YOu should only skip the 15's if you don't feel any joint pains or injuries, IMO 15 should always be there, they're an excellent base for the latter heavier weights.

Also, when you skip 15's mostly you would try and lengthen the 5's and not the 10's, because that is where you get the most growth!

Hope this helps!
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