My Next Training Cycle

[vagrant]

This is based on things I love and things I hate.

I love the way I gained the first time I tried HST so it's time to return to that kind of volume.
I hate the big reductions in weight when changing from 15s to 10s then from 10s to 5s. I know that getting the weight low enough is part of how the principles though so that one can increase weight every workout working up to their RM.

So maybe this is a better way - maybe not...we'll see.

I'm going to plan 8 weeks of workouts based on the 5x5 calculator spreadsheet.  I'll use that weight progression. However, instead of ramped sets, I'll warmup then do five straight sets for each lift.

>Full body workout EOD.

>5x5 straight set weight progression
...like this M-200, W-210, F-220, S-210, T-220, Th-230... this is to allow me to steadily progress without the big drops in weight every 2 weeks. They'll just go up slower.

>Early while the weight is very light do higher rep sets like 2x15 or 3x10 to get all my reps in sooner (done like HST). When the weight gets heavier, I'll just do five sets of five.

>Cardio will on every off day...increase food intake anytime I notice weight loss or lack of lean gains.

I'll be dropping a few lifts this time around.
Lifts to be used are: Squat, SLDL, Bench, DB Row, OHP, Pullup, Shrug, Cable Crunch, ?Calf Raise, ?Curl, ?Tate Press.

The lifts I will be giving up for this time around are DB Bench Press, Leg extension, and Good morning. I love them, but keeping EVERYTHING would be simply too much.

? means I understand that these aren't really necessary, but I'm afraid not to do them because I don't want to get skinnier arms and skinnier calves.

I won't be starting this for a few weeks.  I'm going to finish my current cycle then SD first.  3 weeks to go on this cycle.

 

[Peak_Power]

Hey vag, looks like a good plan, a HST/madcow hybrid, and great that you have the flexibility to train EOD instead of just MWF.

Instead of doing SLDLs and shrugs, why not do DLs with a shrug at the top? Better outright mass builder, SLDLS are great for hams but are really an isolation exercise, which I don't know fits with the scheme of "efficiency" which you are trying to go for by eliminating unecessary lifts.

Just my $0.02

 

[vagrant]

Good ideas but...

I chose the SLDL over the conventional deadlift this time around because my hamstrings specifically need more work than my lower back.  Part of my frequent SI injury problem, in addition to having it injured in childhood, is muscle imbalance between quads that are stronger than hams and a low back that is much stronger than glutes/hams.  I do superset my DL and shrugs together with my calf raises though - kind of like one set with the three lifts combined.  This is a good timesaver.  I'll miss it since I won't be doing regular deadlifts this time around.

I love the CDL, but sometimes have to take off so my glutes/hams can catch up.

As far as efficiency - I'd rather just do them all, including the lifts I'm dropping for now.  However, because of the STR time I'm required to take when lifting heavy enough to be doing the 5's - 5x5 with all of them would take me about 4 hours.

EOD is the only way I can train and get a day off from lifting. I work every 4th day for 24 hours. 3 days at home with nothing to do. First day home = lifting, Second day home = cardio or rest, Third day home = lifting...then back to work and start over.

 

[quadancer]

The arm thing will be up to you and your experience. I couldn't imagine a workout without tri's and bi's - they shrunk on me before, so I keep them in.
I don't know if you saw my other post about routine, but I do a linear progression from the 15's thru the 5's. I do use small enough increments now to keep from progressing to failure too rapidly, but it's worked well for me.
I'm going to be watching this thread as you go though; this looks good too. Sounds solid to me...except for one thing. I wonder if we're doing any good when we go up to a weight, then back down to ramp up past it. The day you back down, would that not be simply an ineffective, or deload workout? I don't see the advantage here.

 

[vagrant]

<div>
(quadancer @ Oct. 23 2006,08:54)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The day you back down, would that not be simply an ineffective, or deload workout? I don't see the advantage here.</div>
I honestly don't have an answer to that one yet.  Worse case...I lose 8 weeks of progress.  I'm doing this for the rest of my life so it's not that big of a loss in the grand scheme of it all.  I can't know how my body will respond until I try it.  Kind of like I poo pooed at HST for a long time...&quot;those damn sissy workouts&quot;...then looking for something to just stay in the gym with while working past an injury I got hooked.  30 pounds in one training cycle will do that to ya. Granted, it was a fluke and there was more involved than just HST, but doing it the really high volume way I did my first time had to contribute some. Hormone therapy and food couldn't be soley responsible because I didn't really get fat on it.

The idea is based loosely on Starr's 5x5 principals (the madcow variation).  Using the Progression spreadsheet program that a few College Football teams use for &quot;squat, dead, bench, row&quot; workouts.  

It's really for strength, but the folks I've checked with who actually do it - are doing it for size.  The only difference is they aren't starting out with an HST twist - the 15's or 10's...they just do 5x5 the whole time.  Well, some of my squats are going to be with 100lbs...I can't really see the wisdom of doing 100 for 5 reps, so those will be my 15 rep days (those first two weeks are really light).

Today though I had another idea.  Maybe a good one, maybe not.  Tomorrow when I'm not feeling so bad I'll know for sure.

I woke this morning with the old MS symptoms really getting me down, totally unmotivated, legs bothering me, woke up already fatigued.  Finally made it to the gym.  Had to force myself out there at gunpoint - ever saw someone threatening themselves with a gun outside of &quot;blazing saddles&quot;?  OK, so I'm exaggerating a little but you get the idea.

I did only Squat, Bench, SLDL, Row then couldn't take any more.

The only thing that doesn't feel worked is traps and abs.

Perhaps something better so as not to have to spend 4 hours in the gym...unless I decide to do 2 workouts/day would be to
Squat, Bench, Dead, Row, Shrug, OHP, Crunch, Pullups... following the weight progression I've already described.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll feel better and re-consider.  Sometimes when my CNS is acting nuts, I just want to be lazy.