How many sets is too little for the 10s and 5s?

[oco]

Ectomorphic 41yo with concerns about overtraining. I'm about to start my first HST cycle. I'm cool with 1 set of each of my 8 exercises for the 15s. For the 10s and 5s, I've read you recommend 2 sets of 10s, and 3 sets of 5s. Is this for all 8 exercises, or is it better to pick say 4 main ones to do this with, continuing with 1 set of the others?​

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[jvroig]

Stick to 2 sets for everything. Get a feel for them. If it becomes too much for you, cut back a little as you imagined (2 sets for 4 main exercises, 1 set for the rest).

As long as you get enough rest, do not train to failure, do observe a proper diet, and train 3x a week, you'll do fine and avoid overtraining. As you get more experience under your belt, you'll get a better feel about training, a keener sense on how to listen to your body. The important thing right now is get on with it so you can gain that experience.

Don't overthink it, set your diet and training regimen, make sure to get enough rest (especially sleep).

 

[oco]

Failure, when?

Stick to 2 sets for everything. Get a feel for them. If it becomes too much for you, cut back a little as you imagined (2 sets for 4 main exercises, 1 set for the rest).

As long as you get enough rest, do not train to failure, do observe a proper diet, and train 3x a week, you'll do fine and avoid overtraining. As you get more experience under your belt, you'll get a better feel about training, a keener sense on how to listen to your body. The important thing right now is get on with it so you can gain that experience.

Don't overthink it, set your diet and training regimen, make sure to get enough rest (especially sleep).

Thanks for the advise. Is it true that you go to failure only on the final workout of each 2 week block?

 

[jvroig]

Yes, that's because at the end of each 2 week block, you are using 100% of your 15/10/5 RM (rep max) weights. If you managed to pick/set them accurately enough, then by that time you would have to do 2 sets of your max (in other words, you are theoretically about to go over your supposed RM), so it is understood you will be reaching failure.

Whether you actually train to failure is up to you. You can train to failure (you'd need a partner for most exercises for this), or you can simply stop the set short of failure and call it good, or you can break the set temporarily, have a minute or two to rest, then resume the set. It's pretty much all the same, minutiae you don't have to worry about in the long run. To avoid injury (not just overtraining), I advise to just stop the set short of failure (for example, if your are in your actual 10 RM, and by the 7th rep of the second set you feel you can only barely do it so reps 8, 9 and 10 are out of the question, finish the set right there and then, stop right after you finish that 7th rep). Rest then proceed to the next exercise. Your joints will be better off, and you will have lowered your risk of other injuries, especially if you do not have a training partner.