First time using HST, please advice/help.

F

Forbidden16

New Member
Hello!

I found out about HST at BB.com and I've been reading the FAQ book and various threads around here and I'm totally pumped to start the program, I already follow a very strict diet and have seen good results previously but I hope with this program I really get in return what I put in because I definitely fell in many of the "plateaus" points Bryan points out in the FAQ book.

I have previously tried a HIT routine and I didn't like it nor saw many results from it; after I used a regular lower/upper routine 4x/wk 3 sets like 6 exercises and got good results at the start but they eventually stalled big time. Changed to a 4 day split using the same exercise/rep scheme but I didn't see much gains after that.

Well, here is the routine I have outlined for my first 8 week cycle. I would appreciate if anyone critiques this.
Stats: 21
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 155lbs~
BF%: 11.5%~
Training: 1 year and 8 months.

Squats
Low Incline DB Press
Shoulder Press
Barbell Rows
Leg Curls
Flat Bench Press
Pulldowns
Calves

12s: x2 sets each.
8s: x2 sets each.
5s: x3 sets each.
Negatives: x3 sets each.

High rep sets: 1 set after the second or only exercise done at 5s and negatives per body part??

Am I correct here? Barbell Rows and Pulldowns should side work Biceps enough? :S I was thinking of adding isolated work for my second HST cycle. Please advice!
 
33 views and not a single reply :(.

I've been doing further reading and research and the only changes I added to the routine was turning the Pulldowns to Underhand Pulldowns and narrower grip to substitue chin-ups on the high rep weeks and turn to chin-ups on the lower rep weeks. I'm thinking the mentioned exercises and BB rows should be enough for bicep work; triceps Shoulder Press+Flat+Incline Bench(maybe Dips a better choice?) should do the work.

I'm hoping everything else is fine and make noticeable much better gains this time around.
 
So sorry that you didn't get any answers until now - that can be very frustrating.

The one thing you may want to consider programming-wise is swapping deadlifts for your leg curls. You'll get more bang for your buck that way. On the BB Rows - you probably won't get a ton of biocep work there, but you will with pulldowns/chins, so your arms should get plenty of work.

One question - why incline DB Press and Flat Bench? That may be way too much work on your triceps and pecs both at the high volume sets and the heavies.

I'll echo Bryan on the rep count question. Have you had a chance to read through the FAQ's here on the site yet? If not, they're well worth the time as they have a ton of great info.

Good Luck!
 
Bryan Haycock said:
Hi Forbidden16,

Why did you decide to start with 12 instead of 15 reps?
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Hi, I thought I read somewhere on the many variations throughout the web they recommended 12s as a start and higher work force for people who have been training for a bit already. Should I not do this then?

_tim said:
So sorry that you didn't get any answers until now - that can be very frustrating.

The one thing you may want to consider programming-wise is swapping deadlifts for your leg curls. You'll get more bang for your buck that way. On the BB Rows - you probably won't get a ton of biocep work there, but you will with pulldowns/chins, so your arms should get plenty of work.

I injured my back doing deadlifts a couple months ago and I've stayed away from Deads/Squats and been doing machine through all my cut to see if it cures. I went to the doc but all I was prescribed were glucocorticoids again... (Decadron to be precise) instead of getting an X-ray or something because I still have soreness in either my left or right side of the lower back when I'm seated for a moderate time or put strain on the back. That's the reason I'm not doing Deads, I've always lifted with mostly compounds only, and I'm very disappointed because of this. I hope it gets better. I'm incorporating probably a set of 20 reps of Hyperextensions during these two weeks each workout as well and see if it helps.

Any tips for this issue?

One question - why incline DB Press and Flat Bench? That may be way too much work on your triceps and pecs both at the high volume sets and the heavies.

I'll echo Bryan on the rep count question. Have you had a chance to read through the FAQ's here on the site yet? If not, they're well worth the time as they have a ton of great info.

Good Luck!
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I saw many routines that had at least two exercises for each body part. Since I don't have that many exercises I did decide to include both chest exercises since it is one of my most lagging body parts. I thought this combination of exercises targeted everything well enough.

Please give your input in regards to anything though, I really wanna get the best out of my next 10 months bulking with HST!

I've read many of the resources in here, the main website, forum threads, the FAQ book and random searches to see people's opinion on the program, I'm very interested in the program and hopefully I can see good results from it. Training is the variable I have to really tweak, my diet is very clean and I have enough control to either gain or lose weight at the pace I decide to at this point.
 
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I completely understand in regard to your back issues. Have you asked your doc about lifting in general? If you still have soreness when you sit for extended periods, something may really be wrong - and if all your doc did was prescribe some meds, perhaps it's time to get another opinion... I'd get that checked out sooner than later.

If you have a doctor's blessing to lift, then yes - hypers are a great way to strengthen your lower back.

In regard to the rep ranges, the typical HST model is 15's, 10's, 5's, then usually negatives thereafter before SD. This model is rooted deep in science, and truly is what works for people. You may want to consider revising your cycle, as you'll see greater gains with that small adjustment.

I agree that two exercises per bodypart is appropriate for certain training methodologies - but if you structure your cycle correctly load-wise, you won't need that with HST unless you are already exceptionally strong and need more stimulus for growth.

Good luck, FB16. I hope you enjoy your cycle!
 
Thank you! I will be doing the prescribed initial plan then using 15s, 10s, 5s and negatives. Do you think I should replace one of the chest exercises with other movement such as Dips? (I hesitated on these because I hadn't done them for a while and calculating my RMs the formula way might have been inaccurate but I can make a pretty good estimate.) And no, I'm nothing "exceptionally strong", lol.

Regarding my back, I am going for a second visit because obviously there is something wrong with my back, it hasn't been the same since I felt a "snap" while lowering the weight while Deadlifting. I felt the "snap" again weeks after I was feeling much better and tried the Leg Press thinking it wouldn't probably put too much strain on the back. When both of these "snaps" were felt, I had to stop and try to control the pain which was bad and end the workout with trouble walking. After that I have been lifting without problems while avoiding Leg Press, Deadlifts and Squats and keeping very good posture on all other exercises. I have done rows, lunges, free shoulder movements, etc. without any problems, I have more trouble driving my car or watching a movie... lol. It is very frustrating because I love doing heavy compounds, especially Squats, which were the exercise I had my best numbers at relative to everything else.

I have a very basic medical plan and I see they hesitate before "spending" on me :(, and I'm really against them keeping injecting me Decadron again which isn't any beneficial to my BB goals and definitely isn't more than just a temporary fix which I certainly can do without. I was also prescribed Flexeril and Naproxen, these never fixed the problem of course, just alleviate the problem. I just sometimes use the Flexeril when I wanna go to bed early and Naproxen when I certainly would benefit from a NSAID, heh. I will demand they do some x-ray plaques this time, since the problem isn't temporary inflammation I could guess. I have been "SD" after finishing an 11 week cut while learning all I can about the program and I'm basically bed-ridden most of the week due to weather and vacations and my back hasn't been any different. I supplement Omega 3, Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM daily as well.
 
Squats
Low Incline DB Press
Shoulder Press
Barbell Rows
Leg Curls
Flat Bench Press
Pulldowns
Calves

not sure what( low incline press) if its just incline press ie bench slightly up.then i would drop them,the bench works your chest plus the shoulder press also works some of the chest.
for your back maybe you need to correct your posture,get better fexebility,yoga,pilatese,exercises are good for this,i like to do planks before i lift to get the stabalising muscles ready,i also do ab-rollouts and crunches rather than situps.
 
Hehe, yea I had actually gone and recalculated all the maxes yesterday to do the 15, 10, 5 scheme instead and had dropped the Incline DB Press. It looks now the same but without the Incline DB Press unless it is advised I add anything else:

Squats
Bench Press
Barbell Rows
Shoulder Press
Leg Curls
Reverse Pulldowns
Calves
Hyperextensions (probably 20 reps)

15s - x2 sets
10 - x2 sets 1st week, x1 set 2nd week
5s & negs: same as 10s

Any other tweak before I start this Monday? :)
 
Just a thought: It might be better not dropping down to a single set of 10 for the second week of 10s. Try a second set but cut it short if you feel you are getting close to failure (ie. stop 1 or 2 reps short of failure). For 5s, try starting with 3 sets and drop down to 2 if you find it gets to be too much.

Trying to maintain a rep total during 5s works quite well. Once you have completed the first set of 5, switch to smaller clusters of reps up to the desired total. Eg. for a 15 rep total, you might do one set of 5, a set of four and two triples. You could aim for a 15 rep total for the first week of 5s, and a 10 rep total for the second week of 5s and for post-5s.

You might get away with only doing one set during 5s, but I think to be certain you get a good PS response you probably need more reps.

During 5s and post-5s it's also a good idea to add a lighter, high-rep metabolic set for your main exercises at the end of the heavy sets (ie. once you have provided enough mechanical stress you add in some metabolic stress). This will help to keep you muscles feeling 'fuller' like they do during 15s and 10s. Drop the load by about 25% and knock out 10-15 reps. Again, preserve your CNS by staying shy of failure; you should get a good burn from the set, so once you have attained that, you can stop.
 
Thanks for your advice! I will integrate them to my workout. I have a doubt though, for the high rep sets. If I were to do 3 sets on the 5s and negs, that would turn them to 4 sets total or is the 3 sets including the high rep one? Also, I suppose I should rest some before doing the high rep set after the heavy one so I stay further away from failure?
 
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no you do it straight after your last set,like a drop set,dont worry about going to faliure on your 5s,your going to be doing an sd,so plenty of time to reover.
 
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