modifying HST a BIT

[imported_domineaux]

I've started making a small change in my HST workouts.

When I start an exercise I've taken to doing one warmup set at about 10-20% less of the weight I believe I'm competent to workout with. I do as many reps as I can stopping before failure. This gives me a better idea of just how many reps I can expect to attain at the rep range I'm training.

Example:

Incline DB presses and I'm in my 5s.

I select a weight just lower than my last workout of the exercise in the 5s. I do as many reps without failure at this weight as I can. If I feel the last rep means altering my position or involving other muscle groups I immediately stop.

When I start my 5 set I'm well tuned in to know what weight I can manage 5 reps. I then do a set at this weight.

I found that by immediately incrementing the weight higher on the first set determined from my last workout I was often not competent enough with the increased weight. I guess I don't have a textbook body response. LOL

Sometimes I may actually repeat the same weight for several workouts by doing this, but I've not experienced any injuries since doing it this way and my progress seems very good.

The reason I started doing this is because I was having so much difficulty maintaining a steady workout schedule required by HST. This way I've been able to keep the progressively highter loads required in HST, but allowing for the times I am not physically competent to carry on per strict HST training.

I don't follow this on every exercise of course, because I do have a pretty good feel for my competence level for loading most of time.

This has worked well also when I transition from the 15s to the 10s to the 5s.

This may sound funny, but I know it's not unique. Many times when I go to a higher weight level I am competent to do more reps than the training cycle I'm currently working. Example, I may be in the 10s...when I do the warmup set at 10% less weight than I planned I'm strong enough to get off 16 reps. I know then that I need to go higher on my actual workout set than I had originally planned.

Interestingly, I don't have to do a lot of planning and tracking of my training progress, because I'm really flowing so much better with my current strength at each exercise.

Don't get me wrong as you read this. I do diligently strive to maintain the number of reps per HST cycle and continually increase the loading.

I'd be very interested to hear from others about training this way and/or how it could possible affect progress.

 

[baby a]

Dude, if you found your RM's before you started, then you should already know what weights you should be using before you go to the gym.....

 

[imported_domineaux]

Quote[/b] (baby a @ Oct. 29 2005,4:57)]Dude, if you found your RM's before you started, then you should already know what weights you should be using before you go to the gym.....

Dude, you need to re-read the posting.

you definitely missed something.

When you can't follow the strict regiment of working out consistently you'll find your RMs will be shot to heck.

 

[jvroig]

If you really have a problem with working out on schedule and you find your RM's are not accurate as a result, then go ahead with what you are doing. The RM's are not really important. They are simply a way to implement progressive loading.

 

[robefc]

I think I understand exactly what you're saying but if this response proves I haven't then please feel free to correct me

The only thing I'd say as a negative about your reasoning is that most people will be able to do maybe 14-16 reps in the first couple of sessions of their tens but most people will stick with 10 reps throughout the tens and the increasing load will do the trick - the fact that they could do more reps doesn't really make a significant difference.

Now personally I think the 15-10-5 rep scheme is very useful as a framework when starting HST but once you've become more experienced with HST it is really irrelelvant. The main thing is to ensure the weight goes up and that you don't train to failure. For your example of doing 16 reps (not to failure) - I would then increase the weight next session just continue to just before failure (maybe 13/14 reps) and just continue like that, stopping just before failure as opposed to trying to get a pre-determined number of reps.

That's kind of what you're doing but you're then testing how strong you feel each session to determine which weight to use so that you stay within a rep range. Why not just continue to increase the weight from the last session but ensure you don't go to failure? You may then do 8 or 9 reps when you thought you should do 10 but that doesn't matter.

Increasing the load overtime and not sticking to a pre-determined number of reps I would say is more important than adjusting the weight so it fits how many reps you want to do. It seems to me you've prioritised staying withing a rep range over increasing load.

To build on my first line disclaimer ( ! ) this obviously assumes that when you say you're not competent to lift a weight you mean for a certain number of reps as opposed to not being able to lift it at all with good form.

Not sure I've managed to express what I mean very well so if you need any clarification let me know!

Cheers

Rob

 

[imported_domineaux]

Thanks for the responses.

I do not rep to "failure"

I'm doing the warmups close to what I think is my actual lifting weight/load ability. Through this process I try to determine the effective the weight/load at close to what I can manage at the rep range cycle I'm in.

Maybe I shouldn't call them warmups, this may be a little confusing.

When I had the time to maintain a disciplined HST cycle of weeks 15s to 5s often my RM for the cycle were too easy or difficult to achieve. I was basically making adjustments on the fly. I did however always continue with the weight/load even when my ability to reach the reps for the cycle were not attainable.

By this I mean if I started an exercise at 40# and it was too heavy for me to do 10 reps...I completed the exercise without failure although I had only gotten off 6 reps. The second set I repeated the same weight regardless of the reps.

The problem with this method when I'm not maintaining a continuous training schedule is...it's too easy to injure myself.
Basically my RMs are just not viable when I can't maintain a continuous training.

 

[Joe.Muscle]

Obviously the more accurate account of detail with the weights the likelyhood of a better outcome in hypertrophy!

But if you cant dot that just do the best you can. You can get great results by doing basic full body routine and roughly lifting in the prescribed rep ranges...like others said dont train to failure...and your not!!! So you are good to go!

I can tell you lifting is something to enjoy and though it prob is better to record everything...its also ok just to live life stress free and not record everything and just lift to enjoy it.

only worry about the major details if you are not growing...but my guess is that you are!

Cheers,

Joe

 

[imported_domineaux]

Nice response Joe

I totally agree. I enjoy weight training, and so does my body. It is great to be getting stronger, looking better and feeling great.

What a great this Sport is for all ages.

 

[Fausto]

domineaux

I don't think you are going outside HST itself, simply adjusting as you go along, and doing so prior to starting the next rep scheme. Am I understanding correctly?

This is more of a go-by-feel thing, I have come across this before and if it does the trick you ain't loosing anything at all mate!

Simply making sure that the next rep scheme goes according to plan or is adjusted correctly before it starts.

Cool way to do it actually