New guy with a question and a plan to critique

R

Richyg21

New Member
Hi there, Ive been training consistently for maybe a yearand after doing heavy (well heavy for me) 3 day splits to failure on a bulkingdiet I was very slowly getting gains (mainly on legs as I always used toneglect legs in previous years) However in recent weeks I noticed thatshoulders and back weights weren't budging, so I thought Id have a little breakand come back on a new workout plan.
So while YouTubing for ideas someone commented on a 5x5 video saying HST was a better in his opinion, so I googled it and on readingabout it in length over the past few days, I have fell in love with the wholeHST idea, makes so much sense, I cant believe I hadnt worked out this is theway to train until now!!
Anyway, as I said, Ive always worked to failure (on the10[SUP]th[/SUP] rep usually) and was just wanting to clarify the RM thing.
Should the RM basically be the rep before failure?
I have to say that im looking forward to working out in afraction of the usual time (usual 1.5-2hrs), I think it will be quite alien tostart with, Ive read a few logs and people are ranging between 20-40 mins ontheir workouts. Hopefully my plan will be around that time frame, so thatllgive me more time in the steam room and jacuzzi after! lol
I dont really want to do a full on split so Ive justalternated squats and deads each day...

Military Press
Squat/Stiff Leg Deadlifts
BB flat bench
Chins
Dips
DB shrugs
EZ Bar bicep curl
Abs session to finish

Any advice welcome, thanks in advance folks
 
Rows are far superior to shrugs imo. Shrugs only work the upper trapezius and levator. Thats it. Rows work a larger area of the trapezius, plus the rhomboids, the rotator cuff, the rear deltoids, and hit the lats as well. I recently switched from cable rows to a chest-supported machine row, and my traps have never been sorer in my life. If you are dead-set on shrugs, fine, but I truly believe every routine should have some kind of rowing motion in it for complete back stimulation. So do some sort of rows. You may find you dont even need curls, as rows and chins will hit your biceps hard.

Also stiff-leg deads mainly work your hamstrings, while squats mainly work your quadriceps and glutes, so I would do both and not alternate them, unless you are already very strong, and then you might want to alternate them, since they both hit the low-back pretty hard.
 
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Welcome to HST! I've been doing HST for about a year now, and I am the biggest and strongest I've ever been. Wish I would have learned about HST years ago.

You may find that your workouts of 15's go quite quickly, but as you progress to 10's and 5's your workouts will take longer. A "typical" HST progression has you doing 1 set of everything during the 15's, then 2 sets of everything during the 10's, and 3 sets of everything during the 5's. The additional sets obviously lengthen the workout, and as the weights go up, you'll need a little longer rest time between sets.

My first session of 15's may only last 35 minutes but my last session of 5's lasts a full 1.5 hours with some exercises (deads) requiring a full 5 minutes between sets.

I would agree with SCI, add in a DB row in place of those DB shrugs and/or bicep curls. I sometimes do bicep curls in the 15s and 10s just because I enjoy them; but as the weights get heavier with chins and DB rows, my biceps get plenty of work.

Good luck!!
 
Rich

I like your program just as you had designed it except for the SLDL. My back hurts just thinking about them.

And, yes, typically your RM is the rep before complete failure although if you actually hit failure on your last intended rep in that rep range it is ok too.

Since you are planning on doing dips, you might want to change your flat bench to an incline bench.

You should be able to complete that program within an hour, even on multiple 5's.

O&G :cool:
 
Thanks very much for the response guys! I do love shrugs and the hamstring DOMS induced by SLDL but this is the thing, going from a thorough body 3 day split to trying to a full body workout using workouts I like and enjoy doing...tough stuff! Plus looking back at my workouts in the past I can see I had been over training substantially compared to what HST says!!
So using your advice guys, rows are in, ill go for a BB bent over row I think. Incline DB bench now in instead of BB flat bench, decided to do DB for variation from bar work. SLDL are now out, alternating with sumo deads instead. Bicep curls also out as advised. Had a hard time deleting DB shrugs there, ill go do my 15RM at the gym on this plan and see how it goes, but i can see the shrugs coming back in, I just love them! lol
So heres the new routine, seems as compound as a compound thing that just got compounded...
Military Press
Bent over row
Squat/Sumo Deads
DB incline bench
Chins
Dips
Abs session to finish
For my first cycle I think it looks pretty good, however I bow to your knowledge and experience people, please feel free to suggest anything alternative.
Thanks again in advance folks!
 
Rich

I like it a lot. My own personal preference would be to use bent over DB rows with my leg supported on a bench. It allows me to use more weight and less load on my lower back. My spinal lumbar region is compromised so I tend to select exercises to protect it. When younger though, I did do BB rows. A nice alternative also is a seated lat row. However, go with whatever you are comfortable with and can maintain strict form when using the heavier weights.

Happy Lifting.

O&G :cool:
 
Thanks very much for your advice O&G, ill try out the standing bent over row, but I too suffer from a delicate back. I already do the bench rows you describe and I like them, so may revert back to them if my back doesn't like the standing ones.
 
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