new job. should i change HST

[imported_dans4173]

Was wondering what everyone thought the right thing to do would be in this situation.


Until a few months ago I was sitting at a desk all day for 8 hours and doing using all of the HST principles. Now, I am in the field and it is a much much more active job day in and day out. Lots of heavy lifting plus alot more aerobic. On top of that, sometimes I work 70 hours per week, so I only get seven hours of sleep at most.

My question is, how should I change my HST routine so I can keep building while not breaking my body down and becoming overtrained and run down?

ps Im on my 6th Hst cycle

 

[Totentanz]

If you are on a 70 hour work week, do you even have time to work out? When I have long weeks like that, I don't have time to do more than maybe one session if I am lucky, but I have a wife and like ninety kids, so... might be different for you.

Ideally, if you could still work out consistently, the only thing that would really change is that you would eat more due to expending more calories at work. However, you also mention that you can only get seven hours of sleep. Keeping that in mind, I'd recommend doing a once a week routine to maintain your muscle mass and possibly increase strength. On good weeks, you can try doing a second day, or third if you want.

For a once a week, I would focus on heavy compounds. You probably don't need much for metabolic work, but you can do some higher rep sets afterward if you want. A 3x3 scheme or something like that would work good.
During busy periods when I couldn't do more than once a week, I would start off my workout with deadlifts, pyramiding up to a heavy single. I was able to increase my 1 RM fairly consistently with this approach. Everything else after deadlifts was just whatever I felt like doing that day. Usually dips, some rows if my lower back wasn't totally burned out by the deads, some overhead pressing, etc.
The point is to maintain what you have. Also, if you are like me, if you don't get some lifting done at least once a week, you go insane, so it has psychological benefits as well. And if you can achieve some strength increases, then that will be a big benefit when you can work out consistently once again.

 

[imported_dans4173]

thanks Totentanz. that was right on the money!

and yea one or two workouts is all i have time for.

thanks again

 

[Totentanz]

Well, just go for the once a week and don't stress if you can't do more. There isn't any point is pushing yourself for more than that when you have so much on your plate. Just get in there once a week and have a good time with the weights. Then, once your life slows down, you can get serious again.

Good luck.