Need some Help/Advice!!

M

MichaelKies

New Member
Guys I need some help/advice for my next cycle.

First some back round on me and my current HST routines: I am 40 years old, NOT a newbie to lifting, 6'1 197 lbs. When I started HST, early last year, I weighed 179 lbs. I am definitely thicker over all, but I believe alot of my weight gain has been in my legs (gotta love those squats!!). I also ate over maintence so Ive got a little extra girth around the mid-section which Im hoping to trim down a bit. I will be running my 6th HST cycle and over all I have LOVED HST.
Here is my problem: I definitely feel that my arms and outter shoulders are lagging behind, and Im not sure how to go about bringing them up to speed? Ive read some posts by Fausto and others that have said that running some ISO's is ok, Im just not sure WHEN to add the ISO's and how OFTEN? Ive been running some ISO's in my programs but Im not sure if Im possibly over training the arms and shoulders?

Here is my current routine:

M/W/F
2x15, 3x10, 4x5

1. Squats
2. Flat Bench (up to 235lbs during the 5's)
3. SLDL
4. Weighted Dips (up to 95 lbs during the 5's)
5. Weighted Chin Ups (up to 35 lbs during the 5's)
6. Standing BB Military Press
7. Bent Over Rows
8. Shrugs
9. Skull Crushers
10. Standing BB curls
11. Side Lateral and front Raises

Yes, the workouts get a little long winded during the 2nd week of the 10's and the 5's, but Ive been able to handle the volume (so far) and dont mind the extra time in the gym.

What would you guys recommend? Should I cut down the volume? Should I completely cut out the ISO's? Should I only add the ISO's in maybe once per week? Twice per week?

Any other tweaking that you guys might be able to recommend in GENERAL I would appreciate. I really put alot of credence into the input you all give!!

Thanks again!
~Michael
 
Hi Micheal,

Your routine looks fairly similar to mine, as i have the same workout schedule and work my whole 3 times a week..

However looking at your routine, you work your lower back in 3 exercises! man your lower back must ache!! I use RDL which are similar to SLDL which work the hamstrings and lower back...but for quads i use leg press so i don't work the lower back, and for upper back i use bench supported one arm rows whereas you use bent over rows which AGAIN works your lower back aswel...in my opinion not only are you overtraining your lower back (in 5's thats 12 sets per session 3 times a week) but also comprimising the load used for these exercises. For example after your squats, if you were to do SLDL your lower back might start to fatigue before your hamstrings.

Regarding your side delts and arms...maybe you could be overtraining your shoulders, as your dips and bench would be working your front delts so perhaps you could leave front raises out, and even military press?? but i would defo stick with lat raises as this exercise targets the lateral deltoid which is what i think you mean by "outer shoulder". Or if you wanted to keep in military press to help build your shoulders, you could take out bench or dips....to prioritize....

I think your arm exercises are fine, no need to change anything there..but a point which you should think about, because you said yourself you have added fat aswel as muscle is that the layer of fat you have added may obscure the muscle gains in your arms and shoulders??? maybe think about that before changing your routine..

Hope this helps
 
Thank you SO much for the reply, any input is always welcomed!

You know, its funny you say that about the lower back...this last cycle, I actually dropped the bent over rows during the 5's in favor of a supported upright row on a machine, because I DID feel some strain in the lower back! Definitely something I need to be aware of.

As for the arms, I really dont think that the fat layer is the issue. I actually felt like my arms responded better when I was doing "old school" once per week arm training where I would work the muscle to failure and then not train it again for 6 or 7 days. I truly believe in the HST theories, Im just not sure what might be going on with the bi's and tri's? Im lifting a significant amout of weight in the dips and pull ups but Im just not seeing the growth that I was accustomed to.

Regarding your routine, are you doing all your excercises all at once similar to how I have them listed, or have you (or are you) splitting them up??
 
All at once, 3 times a week, heres my routine.....

LEGS:
RDL
leg press
Calf raises

CHEST:
Dips
Incline bench

BACK:
Pull ups
One arm rows

ARMS:
EZ bar curls
EZ bar skull crushers

SHOULDERS/ABS:
Lat raises (was doing behind the neck press but felt awkward)
Cable crunches with stability ball

You should measure yourself every month or so..just so you know if you are progressing in certain body parts or not??

I use a tape measure but its not always reliable as i have got bigger and apparently got smaller the next time i measured!?? i would rather use a scanning method like ulttrasound or something but i don't have one of those knocking about...
tounge.gif
 
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