My first HST program - Critiques and suggestions welcome!

Browner

Browner

Well-Known Member
Hi guys,

I am 27, 5FT 10 and have been weight training on and off for 5 years, but seriously for the last year. During the last year I have incresed in size from 73kg to 87kg, but I am looking to put on another 6kg over the next few months. I began reading about HST and it sounded very interesting and I am going to give it a try, as I have recently reached a plateu in both size and strength. My Program is below, and will be doing this Mon, Tue, Wed of each week. Any suggestions are more than welcome as I am new to HST, and would love to be reasurred that 3 days training is enough to build mass; (this is the first stage, 2 weeks of 15 reps) Thanks for looking!

Monday




Wednesday




Friday


 
Last edited:
I think you've picked the right program to get passed your plateau. A ten-day break followed by 6-8 weeks of HST will definitely do that. I think you'll be convinced by the fourth week at the end of the ten's. Your exercise selection looks good, though I notice you have more back and less legs than usual. In my case bent over rows would kill me in the same workout as squats and deadlifts, so I'd probably drop them in favor of another quad or hamstring exercise. Have fun and keep us posted!
 
Thanks Rick,

Really appreciate your feedback. Nice to know im on the right track. I thought I knew alot about weight training, but knew nothing about HST. The principles seem realing good. I had a nice 2 week break over xmas so cant wait to get back into the gym on a regular basis. Had my first session Monday, and after doing the last few months a t 6 - 8 reps it was a massive shock to the system to do 15 reps, and was a good intense hour in the gym!

Is there any Hamstring exercise you'd recomend to replace the bent over rows, I used to do romainen (sorry about the spelling) deadlifts for hamstrings, but I think 2 forms of deadlift in workout may be a bit much.

Cheers
Chris
 
from other training journals Ive seen...most peeps bring in full deadlift only when they get to 10's and 5's.
My HST program (week 7 starting tomrorow) I did romanian Deadlifts for hamstrings nearly every session alternating squats and split squats to cover the legs.

I also did flat bench and incline bench alternating each session along with Dumbell Shoulder press and Push Press for shoulders.

Back I did alternating wide grip chins and close grip chins, and a row exercise every session...either cable row, BOR or yates row.

Im not sure if I did my HST right either...but have highly ejoyed it and size and strength has gone up since starting. Good luck :)

Last nights session was....(copied from another forum i keep journal on)


Wide Grip Chins +12Kg x 5, +14Kg x 5, +16Kg x 5, 5

Flat Bench Press 100Kg x 5, 105Kg x 5, 110Kg x 4+1, 5

Yates Rows 110Kg x 8 115Kg x 7, 120Kg x 6

RDL's 110Kg x 5, 5, 5

Push Press (clean start) 70Kg x 5, 75Kg x 5, 80Kg x 5, 85Kg x 5

Dips +40Kg x 12, 6, 5

Split Squats 65Kg x 5, 70Kg x 5, 75Kg x 5, 80Kg x 5

Calf Raise 195Kg x 12, 12

Concentration Curls 30Kg x 5, 5, 5
 
Thanks Tox,

Thats very helpfull! Got my 3rd session of HST tonight, and may swap the deadlifts for romanian deadlifts, as 15 reps of deadlift does become slightly difficult to maintain perfect form, and I know from experiance as soon as the form goes on the deadlift, its time to stop, just does more harm than good. I

m also going to do as you suggested and alternate bench press and incline bench press each session. Thanks again, i'll keep you posted on how tonights workout goes. Have to say really enjoying HST though, something completly new than the split training I used to do.

Thanks again!
 
Browner said:
Thanks Tox,

Thats very helpfull! Got my 3rd session of HST tonight, and may swap the deadlifts for romanian deadlifts, as 15 reps of deadlift does become slightly difficult to maintain perfect form, and I know from experiance as soon as the form goes on the deadlift, its time to stop, just does more harm than good.
Click to expand...
I love my deadlifts, but 15 in a row make it hard to breathe...! Just for the 15s you might do well to substitute RDLs.
 
Thanks for all your advice, must admit, this is one of the best places to get honest constructive advice! Well thought id let you all know how my 3rd session went, was feeling really good after the first 2 sessions being a real struggle.

Squats - 110kg x 15, 110kg x 15
Deadlifts - (I know I shouldnt really do deadlifts on the same day as squats but was feeling good) 115kg x 15
Flat Bench - 80 kg x 15, 85kg x 15
Dips (unweighted, waiting on my belt to arrive) 2 sets of 15
Wide Grip Chin Ups ( unweighted) 2 x 15
Leg Curl 2 x 15 (sorry forgot to write down the weight)
Military Press - 40kg x 15, 45kg x 15
Bent over lat raises - 12kg x 15, 12kg x 15
B/B Bicep Curls - 30kg x 15, 35kg x 15
Calf Raises (did these on smith machine with b/b accross my knees) 100kg x 15
 
If I could throw an opinion in - 15 Romanian Deads carry far more form risk than 15 conventionals or 15 sumos. Be careful with your choice here, Browner - unless you stay insanely light, Romanian deads could completely ruin your progress by way of injury. That's my first big concern. Second concern with the swap is the benefit you get - even though it's really difficult - from high-rep deadlifts. If you feel a form breakdown, stop, catch your breath and reset. Not sure you've seen it mentioned on the forum yet - but that's called clustering, and there is nothing wrong with it at all.

Good luck!
 
_tim said:
If I could throw an opinion in - 15 Romanian Deads carry far more form risk than 15 conventionals or 15 sumos. Be careful with your choice here, Browner - unless you stay insanely light, Romanian deads could completely ruin your progress by way of injury. That's my first big concern. Second concern with the swap is the benefit you get - even though it's really difficult - from high-rep deadlifts. If you feel a form breakdown, stop, catch your breath and reset. Not sure you've seen it mentioned on the forum yet - but that's called clustering, and there is nothing wrong with it at all.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your advice Tim. Last night I did 2 sets of squats and 1 set of deadlifts, and felt good. With any deadlift I always stop as soon as my form starts to waiver even slightly. maded the mistake of overdoing it a few years back, and wont be making that mistake again!
 
Hi Guys, another update on how my first HST program is going. Started the 2nd week of 15 reps last night. Struggling a little bit with a cold, so the session was a bit of a struggle. Hopefully a good days rest today will leave me fresh for tomorrow. anyway, heres how the session went;

Squats - 115kg x 15, 115kg x 15
Deadlifts 115kg x 15
Wide grip BW chin ups 2 x 15
Incline Bench -90kg x 15, 85kg x 15
Military Press - 50kg x 15, 50kg x 15
Dumbell B/Bell curls - 30kg x 15, 30kg x15
Tricep Cable Extensions - 28kg x 15, 28kg x 15
Calf Raises - 135kg x 15, 135kg x15

Again any of your comments or suggestions are most welcome!
 
Last edited:
Cheers Rick,

I was trying to power throught the cold, hopefully it doesnt get any worse, as I am really enjoying the training. Nice days rest today, plenty of fluids & Vitamin C and should be ready to go tomorrow!
 
Well my cold turned into the flu, meaning I missed pretty much a whole weeks training, and of course the nutrition side of things is never where it should be when you are sick. The week I missed would have been the 2nd week of 15 reps. Now i am wondering wether or not I should do another week of 15 reps, or go straight to 10 reps. What do you reckon folks?

This is why I hate being ill!
 
Hey Browner,

Good job so far.

Colds and other interruptions are a part of life. They suck but it shouldn't be too much of a problem for you to drop back into your cycle. I'd repeat the second week of 15s to help gauge how you are feeling. Take the first workout nice and steadily, as you really don't want to push your CNS too hard yet—nasty flu viruses take a lot longer to recover from than we often realise. By the time you get to your 15RM workout you should be feeling a lot better and more like pushing yourself again.

I'm looking forward to seeing how you get on with your heaviest 15s. There's something rather special about a heavy set of squats for 15 reps. It takes you somewhere that nothing else can (well, except for deads)! :)

We seem to be quite similar in our top lifts (although mine are way off my best at the present time). What's your bw at the moment? Around 190-195?

Keep up the good work.
 
Colds I can handle but, this was flu, left me in bed for 4 days of last week! Just as I was getting into this HST stuff.

Im gonna do what you suggested and do the 2nd week of 15 reps, and Im gonna try and not to push it to hard, as virul and flu infections take longer than you think to fully clear up. Back at work today but still got quite a bit of sinus pain, so gonna go back to the gym tomorrow

Your right we do seem similar, shame we cant train together. My weight at the moment is 191 Ilb, but think I may have dropped a few pounds last week with this dam flu.

I suppose one more early night, plenty of fluids and good food, and I'll be ready to go tomorrow!
 
Hello all,

After missing a week of training last week with the Flu, I managed to get back into the gym last night. Before being struck down with the flu I had just started my 2nd week of 15 reps, so when I started back last night I decided to drop to 12 reps as I didnt want to push it to hard after being ill. So I will now do this week at 12 reps and drop to 10 reps next week.

Here are the numbers from last nights session;

Squats - 1 WU set. 120kg x 12, 120kg x 12
Deadlifts - 120kg x 12
Shrugs (barbell) - 100kg x 12, 100kg x 12
Incline Bench - 90kg x 12, 90kg x 12
Chin ups - 12 x BW, 12 x BW
Bent over lateral Raises -12 x 12kg, 12 x 12kg
Military Press - 50kg x 12, 50kg x 12
B/B Bicep Curls - 35kg x 12, 35kg x 12
Tricep Extensions 31kg x12, 31kg x 12
Calf Raises - 135kg x 12, 135kg x12

Still felt the effects of this dam flu during the session, so another days rest and fluids today, with some goo dnutrition and this dam bug should dissapear!
 
Browner said:
Here are the numbers from last nights session;

Squats - 1 WU set. 120kg x 12, 120kg x 12
Deadlifts - 120kg x 12
Shrugs (barbell) - 100kg x 12, 100kg x 12
Incline Bench - 90kg x 12, 90kg x 12
Chin ups - 12 x BW, 12 x BW
Bent over lateral Raises -12 x 12kg, 12 x 12kg
Military Press - 50kg x 12, 50kg x 12
B/B Bicep Curls - 35kg x 12, 35kg x 12
Tricep Extensions 31kg x12, 31kg x 12
Calf Raises - 135kg x 12, 135kg x12

Still felt the effects of this dam flu during the session, so another days rest and fluids today, with some goo dnutrition and this dam bug should dissapear!
Click to expand...

Nice work - welcome back to the land of the living!
 
Thanks Dixie,

First session back is always a struggle, hopefully i'll be able to crank up the weights a bit more tomorrow and train a bit harder!
 
hello all,

another entry to the log after my gym session last night. Was feeling very up for it last night, as I got told I didnt get the promotion at work I went for, so i took my frustration out on busting out the weights. As always here are the numbers:

Squats - 130kg x 12, 130kg x 12
Deadlifts - 135kg x 12
Flat bench - 100 kg x 12, 110kg x 12
Wide grip chin ups (slow an controlled) 12 x BW, 12 x BW
Bent over rows - 60 kg x 12, 65 kg x 12
Military Press - 50kg x 12, 55kg x 12
Bent over lateral raises - 14kg x 12, 14kg x 12
Seated Dumbel Curls - 18 kg x 12, 18 kg x 12
Tricep extensions with rope on cable machine - 31kg x 12, 33kg x 12
Calf Raises - 130kg x 12, 130kg x 12

It was a really good session, no messing, in and out inside an hour!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top