HST - Cant get no satisfaction!

S

spongehead

New Member
Having read the information regarding HST and planned my workout I was initially very excited and motivated. I respected the scientific research and thought put into creating what I thought would be the ultimate program. I have stuck to HST for several weeks and am now building up to my 5 rep max which will be on Friday.

However throughout the routine I have felt frustrated by:
A. limiting myself to only lifting 70 and 85% of my max
B. finishing a workout in 30 minutes

Does anybody share my frustration - or do the results at the end of the cycle make it all worth while?
(perhaps I am asking for a biased response as this forum primarily promotes HST but I would be interested in your thoughts)

Are there any deviations from the most preached about HST routines that invovle more effort? The most important compound exercises alternated M/W/F 100% max and 80%? Would this wipe me out? Are there any other variations - or recommendations on the light/heavy routines?
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">However throughout the routine I have felt frustrated by:
A. limiting myself to only lifting 70 and 85% of my max</div>

If you stuck to HST for several weeks using the basic vanilla program, then you would have lifted at a given RM (rep maximum) by now. If your workouts are too short, then you may not have enough volume. Do not lift to failure, but a couple sets (or enough) to get a good workout.
 
Why are you limited to only 70% and 85% of your max? As Colby pointed out, you should be progressing the load, so eventually you will reach your maxes. In fact, you should be reaching at least three maxes at some point in your cycle, your 15 rep max, 10 rep max and 5 rep max.

What does your routine look like? How many sets are you doing in each rep range?
 
Spongehead

You going to have to show us your routine if you want to get rid of your frustrations....sounds to me like you doing something wrong both Colby and Tot have already mentioned this!
wink.gif
 
<div>
(Totentanz @ Apr. 23 2007,21:13)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Why are you limited to only 70% and 85% of your max?  As Colby pointed out, you should be progressing the load, so eventually you will reach your maxes.  In fact, you should be reaching at least three maxes at some point in your cycle, your 15 rep max, 10 rep max and 5 rep max.

What does your routine look like?  How many sets are you doing in each rep range?</div>
I think he means 70-85 of his 1RM max not 15RM and 10RM.
But i guess we have to wait for his answer.
smile.gif
 
I think he means 70-85% of 1 rep max. A 5 rep max is about 85% on average - although this does vary by person and by lift.

The program is about results, not about some preconceived idea as to what % of 1 rep max is best.

When you get to the post 5s part, you will go above 85% of you original 1 rep max. With negatives, you could do 2 full reps, and 3 negative only reps - this would be about 96% of your new 1 rep max.

In terms of the workout length, if you're feeling overly fresh, you could either:
- Increase the number of excercises (my preference)
- Do an extra set on each excercise
 
I guess I am doing something fundamentaly wrong...

My workout is...

A
Deadlift
Inc Bench
Chin
Military
Preacher
(3x40-60 crunches - not HST style)

B
Squat
Military
Row
Dips
Flyes
Calf Raises

I alternate workouts A &amp; B, training M W F and work up to my maxes every two weeks for 15, 10 and 5 reps. I do 1 set for 15s, 2 for 10s and 3 for 5s.

For example

M - B 75% of 15 rep max
W- A 75%
F - B 90%

M - A 90%
W - B 15 rep max
F - A 15 rep max

Is my workout following the principles?
Was I supposed to take the percentages from my 1 rep max?

Quadancer previously suggested supersetting and I did this for chins &amp; preachers, also dips &amp; flyes. I could only manage this for the 75% because my calculated rep maxes were not based on supersetting. This gave a nice muscle ache immediately after exercising so I felt worked. (although please note that I do not necassarily need this burn to feel satisfied!)

I come from the thinking that less is more but perhaps I am not doing enough!

And 'wisslewj' - I had a big crap not long ago and I have just weighed myself. I have put on 5lbs since I last weighed myself about 3 months ago - therefore difficult to know if this is a result of HST.

I am going to have a more thorough read of this site so as to be better informed, but in the meantime I am very interested to learn from you what I'm doing wrong...
 
Everything seems right.

The only thing I can assumeis wrong is that you not getting to 100% of that RM at the end of 2 weeks, if that is the case, sart with 75% and work up to 100%
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">M - B 75% of 15 rep max
W- A 75%
F - B 90%

M - A 90%
W - B 15 rep max
F - A 15 rep max

Is my workout following the principles?</div>

You are starting to get the right idea, but say for example you RM = 200 lbs. You should start at 60-70% of a given RM. Let's stick with 60%...

M = .6*200 = 120
F = X
W = 200

Have a linear progression, so X = 160.
 
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