Disclaimer: much like the last HST wank thread, do not consider experimental routines unless you have a lot of HST time under your belt. In fact, just consider this a mental exercise for the time being.
So, while I'm mildly injured I've been thinking up various novel approaches to lifting in my free time, based on past experience and an affinity towards labcoats.
Another idea that I tossed around with ilFacell eons ago (okay, so like in 2002-2003) was the idea of abbreviated HST cycles. I'm not sure we ever figured out a format we liked, but I thought of an interesting way to spin things. I could put this in the general section since it's just theoretical wanking, but since it's more specific to HST, I figured I'd throw it here.
As the topic description indicates, the cycle would be '3 weeks on, 1 week off.' The idea would be to start at approximately 60% 1 RM, and wind up at or near 85% 1 RM on the final session of the three weeks. These numbers aren't written in stone, but they seem reasonable. This would represent 9 total training days, and 8 increments between the first and last session.
These are approximates that will probably be somewhere in the range of ~15 RM to 5 RM for most people.
Just an example...
Say one's 5 RM in squats were ~275, putting their 1 RM around 325.
The cycle would start at approximately 60% of this, or 195 pounds.
Week 1, session 1 - 195 lbs
Week 3, session 3 - 275 lbs
The desparity between these two would be 80 lbs, so 10 lb increments per day would work beautifully here.
Because there are no clearly defined rep ranges, this would be a case where clustering of some form or another would most certainly come in handy. Simply set a 'rep target' for each exercise (and this can vary between exercises, of course, and even over time to make sure things stay managable), and use whatever combination of sets/reps gets you there.
The poor man's clustering is basically to 'discontinue a set once you notice the speed of movement slowing down a bit.' This should be well shy of failure. Repeat that method for multiple sets until you get your desired # of reps in.
This format could obviously work with any combination of exercises, and the usual rules would apply here.
At the end of this period, simply take 7 days off and add some increment (I can imagine anything between ~2.5 - 10 lbs or so depending on training age, exercise, etc) to the beginning and end load targets. Remember: this is all about progressive tension overload. So we need to increase the magnitude of what we're lifting from cycle to cycle.
Part of the original inspiration for this concept was the idea that more rapid progression in load would, on paper, be more conducive towards hypertrophy than longer, drawn out cycles. Of course, there's no real basis of evidence for this, but it's an interesting idea anyways.
You could extend this at the end to push ~5RM's for as long as you'd like, of course. That would make it no longer 3 weeks on, one week off, but it's certainly a viable option. Otherwise, just start over and make a mandatory increase in load for all of the lifts. Either way, the weights should be climbining steadily up over time, with these increases proportionate to your training age and pre-existing strength. I.e. more advanced people/strong will be bumping these up less quickly than noobs.
Because of the shortened duration of the cycle, i.e. 3 weeks, it could be argued that the single week off would be analagous to two full weeks off with a longer, 6 week cycle.
Anyways, thoughts welcome and encouraged, as per usual. I didn't fill in exercise choices but this isn't about those sorts of specifics.
So, while I'm mildly injured I've been thinking up various novel approaches to lifting in my free time, based on past experience and an affinity towards labcoats.
Another idea that I tossed around with ilFacell eons ago (okay, so like in 2002-2003) was the idea of abbreviated HST cycles. I'm not sure we ever figured out a format we liked, but I thought of an interesting way to spin things. I could put this in the general section since it's just theoretical wanking, but since it's more specific to HST, I figured I'd throw it here.
As the topic description indicates, the cycle would be '3 weeks on, 1 week off.' The idea would be to start at approximately 60% 1 RM, and wind up at or near 85% 1 RM on the final session of the three weeks. These numbers aren't written in stone, but they seem reasonable. This would represent 9 total training days, and 8 increments between the first and last session.
These are approximates that will probably be somewhere in the range of ~15 RM to 5 RM for most people.
Just an example...
Say one's 5 RM in squats were ~275, putting their 1 RM around 325.
The cycle would start at approximately 60% of this, or 195 pounds.
Week 1, session 1 - 195 lbs
Week 3, session 3 - 275 lbs
The desparity between these two would be 80 lbs, so 10 lb increments per day would work beautifully here.
Because there are no clearly defined rep ranges, this would be a case where clustering of some form or another would most certainly come in handy. Simply set a 'rep target' for each exercise (and this can vary between exercises, of course, and even over time to make sure things stay managable), and use whatever combination of sets/reps gets you there.
The poor man's clustering is basically to 'discontinue a set once you notice the speed of movement slowing down a bit.' This should be well shy of failure. Repeat that method for multiple sets until you get your desired # of reps in.
This format could obviously work with any combination of exercises, and the usual rules would apply here.
At the end of this period, simply take 7 days off and add some increment (I can imagine anything between ~2.5 - 10 lbs or so depending on training age, exercise, etc) to the beginning and end load targets. Remember: this is all about progressive tension overload. So we need to increase the magnitude of what we're lifting from cycle to cycle.
Part of the original inspiration for this concept was the idea that more rapid progression in load would, on paper, be more conducive towards hypertrophy than longer, drawn out cycles. Of course, there's no real basis of evidence for this, but it's an interesting idea anyways.
You could extend this at the end to push ~5RM's for as long as you'd like, of course. That would make it no longer 3 weeks on, one week off, but it's certainly a viable option. Otherwise, just start over and make a mandatory increase in load for all of the lifts. Either way, the weights should be climbining steadily up over time, with these increases proportionate to your training age and pre-existing strength. I.e. more advanced people/strong will be bumping these up less quickly than noobs.
Because of the shortened duration of the cycle, i.e. 3 weeks, it could be argued that the single week off would be analagous to two full weeks off with a longer, 6 week cycle.
Anyways, thoughts welcome and encouraged, as per usual. I didn't fill in exercise choices but this isn't about those sorts of specifics.
