My HST plan

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
I don't know if I am going to get scolded for this but... I am starting my first HST cycle on tuesday and this is the set scheme I am using.

2x15 weeks 1-2
3x10 weeks 2-4
4x5 weeks 5-6

Is this way too high volume for a beginning HST guy?
Don't forget I have been lifting already for about 5 years.

Nas Man
 
<div>
(Nasadowski @ Oct. 22 2006,19:43)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Is this way too high volume for a beginning HST guy?</div>
Hard to say. How many different exercises per body part? How many days per week?
 
It's similar to what I did my first time. I grew more during that first HST cycle than with anything I've done before or on my current HST with less sets. The only thing I did differently in mine was 5x5 at the end.
 
Old and Grey,
Sorry about not actually posting what exercises I was doing. That was obviously needed
biggrin.gif


Here it is:
Squat
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Inclined Bench Press (dumbbells)
Chins (Wide Grip, Narrow Grip)
Rows (Wide Grip, Narrow Grip)
Shrugs
Shoulder Press Dumb Bells
Lateral Raise
Rear Delts
Dumbbell Curls
Tricep Pushdowns
Calf Raise
Abdominal Crunches

PS
I already started my first week of 15s and I have to say I enjoyed the full body workout. I do have a few questions that have been in my mind. I know we are not supposed to work to failure. Obviously that would overtrain us quite quickly. What about are second (10s) and third block (5s). I can't see myself being able to get 10 reps in for 3 sets of ten without starting to struggle on the second and third sets. Same thing with 5s. When I get there I am sure my 2,3, and fourth set will not be easy to complete. If this is the case and I start to fail before my desired rep range what are we supposed to do?

Thanks in advance
Nas Man
 
Nas, that's 56 sets in one day during the 5's, assuming you are doing both wide and narrow chins and rows. 42 sets for the 10's. Sounds like an awful lot to me. I keep my total sets about that for the whole week! I think doing more than 15 sets per gym visit is too taxing. The cycle I started today consists of 13 exercises of 1 set each, done giant set style by bodypart, 3 times per week. Each workout takes about 45 minutes and is plenty for me. If you don't leave the gym feeling like you could do another 1/2 round of what you just did, then you are probably doing too much which will lead quickly to RBE and stagnation. Here's my total workout:

Incline DB Bench Press
Dips
Flat Bench Flyes

Seated DB Military Press
Shrugs
French Press

Wide Grip Pull Ups
Close Grip Chin Ups
Seated Rows
BB Curls

Squat
Deadlift
Leg Extension

The above is seperated by giant sets with no rest between exercises within a giant set. I do 15 reps on M, 5 on W and 10 on F. I start at 80% of max rep and end the 5's at over 100% of my previous 5 rep max. So I am working close to or on my rep maxes a lot more often than the typical HST program. SD is necessary after 4 weeks as it is very strenuous.

I don't advocate that cycle for beginners or even intermediate lifters. It is merely meant to show that even an advanced lifter doesn't have to live in the gym to get where most people want to be. If you want to be a pro, you obviously have to workout more and take a lot of juice so that your body can recover from the volume.

Back to your workout. I think it would be best if you added in dips, and deleted lateral raises and rear delts and do just one set of chins and one set of rows. Do one set for the 15's, 1-2 sets for the 10's and 2-3 sets for the 5's, depending on your fatigue level. You can limit the curls and pushdowns to 1 set each as your arms will get plenty of indirect work.

Just my $.02.
 
Here it is:
Squat
Stiff-Leg DeadliftShrugs
Inclined Bench Press (dumbbells)
Chins ( Narrow Grip)
Rows (, wide Grip)


Shoulder Press Dumb Bells

Rear Delts
Dumbbell Curls
Tricep Pushdowns
Calf Raise
Abdominal Crunches
i would do this
cool.gif
biggrin.gif
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> assuming you are doing both wide and narrow chins and rows</div>

For the wide and narrow grip exercises I set it up like this. Monday would be wide, Wed would be narrow, Fri wide, Mon narrow etc..

I will add dips in and also I will be removing lat raises and rear delt raises.

The only other question I have is I see alot of people doing the 2x15, 3x10 and 4x5. If this burns people out so quickly why are so many saying it works well? I know if other people are doing it does not mean its the right way or best for me. I am not trying to say you are wrong oldandgrey. I appreciate your advice, I just like to look at all angles.

Thanks again
Nas Man
 
Multiple sets are good if you are doing a limited number of different exercises (4-6). However, when you are doing multiple exercises per body part, it is easy to slip into too many total sets. However, it is a very individual thing and I would suggest you experiment. I just wish I had listened to my body and not that a**hole Weider several decades ago.
sad.gif
All I ever got from him was damaged tissue, aching joints and stagnation. I guess I forgot the unspoken part about the steroids.
ghostface.gif
 
Nas: My feeling is that you should find out how little you need to do in order to grow. There is no point in doing more than you need unless you just want to burn extra calories. If you start with a reasonably high volume you may never find out if less would have been equally as effective.

I'm all for doing what gets the job done in the least time. Last cycle I tried 30 total reps per exercise. It was OK during 15s and 10s but overkill for 5s. I didn't make better progress than the previous cycle where I did 1x15, 1.5x10, 3x5. This cycle I am going to do 20 total reps per exercise. First w/o of 15s has left me sore as hell after only 9 days SD.

I think you have to find what works best for you. But have a think about why you want to start off with your current plan.

One other thing: It's a good idea to try to keep the amount of work-done incrementing throughout the cycle too. Especially in the latter part of the cycle I don't see it being a good idea if it tapers off. Dropping to 20 reps during the 5s may be your only option due to the heavy loads but you could also throw in a set of 10 reps to bring you up to 30 reps overall and keep the work increasing (or at least not dropping off).
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Multiple sets are good if you are doing a limited number of different exercises (4-6). However, when you are doing multiple exercises per body part, it is easy to slip into too many total sets. However, it is a very individual thing and I would suggest you experiment.</div>

Ahh, thanks for pointing out the elusive obvious for me. You hit this right on the head. I was obviously doing too many exercises for that many sets. As far as the individual factor, I have to say that I get to the point of CNS fatigue fairly quickly. Lower volume it is for me.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">One other thing: It's a good idea to try to keep the amount of work-done incrementing throughout the cycle too. Especially in the latter part of the cycle I don't see it being a good idea if it tapers off. Dropping to 20 reps during the 5s may be your only option due to the heavy loads but you could also throw in a set of 10 reps to bring you up to 30 reps overall and keep the work increasing (or at least not dropping off).</div>

I understand waht you are saying LOL as far as the work-done not tapering off. How come the conventional program is 1x15 2x10 and 3x5? That would be 15 reps for the first block, 20 reps total for the second, and then back down to 15 reps for the third block. From my understanding (correct me if I am wrong) less reps for the third block is because of the heavier weight. Right? Wouldn't keeping the volume higher at a heavier weight just lead to CNS fatigue and becoming overtrained?

Underneath is what I typed out at the beginning of this reply explaining what it is I decided to do. Now I am a little confused as to which direction to head. As of now below is what I will be doing for my sets and reps. At least untill I read your replys and find out its a bad idea.


Seeing as today was only my second day of 15s I decided to drop my sets to only one for this phase. For my second block, I will be doing two sets of ten and three sets of five for my third block. I appreciate the advice everyone. Hopefully this will be enough for me to grow. I know I have tried working to failure for the last few years and I didn't get too great of gains. Since I beat that horse to death, I might as well try it this way. I guess I had it so ingrained in my head that 1,2 and 3 sets wouldn't be enough I had to try higher volume. I am glad I posted this up other wise I would have gotten to the tens and fives and most likely would have been in the gym for way to long.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I understand what you are saying LOL as far as the work-done not tapering off. How come the conventional program is 1x15 2x10 and 3x5?</div>Just to make it really easy to follow really. A few extra reps during 10s is not such a big deal. You could just do a set of 10 and then a set of 5 to get 15 reps total.
 
also as the guys mentioned in another thread why do more sets than you need to grow..try 20 total first if you dont grow try more,if you do grow stick with it untll you platue
cool.gif
biggrin.gif
 
Nasman

Soi far you got sterling advice, good idea to stick to 15 or so reps right from the start.

Gaudge your progress from there!
 
Ok! I will be following the conventional program that was lined out. I just hope it isn't too little work for me and I don't grow at all.
sad.gif
 
<div>
(Nasadowski @ Oct. 26 2006,21:05)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Ok! I will be following the conventional program that was lined out. I just hope it isn't too little work for me and I don't grow at all.  
sad.gif
</div>
even if you dont grow (which i doubt) you wont lose.
but it is better than doing more than you need to,you can do more next cycle if you dont grow good luck
cool.gif
biggrin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top