Puffier look with HST than MS?

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cons

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At the Maxstim-site a user named Diamyo (I hope it's OK to refer it here) wrote:

"I have also made an observation - Max-Stim seems to be producing a denser, more defined look than when I was using HST...in looking back at HST, I added about 9 pounds during my first and only cycle. I then lost about 3 lbs during the 1.5 weeks downtime...

...Anyway, I think because of the standard rep method in HST (esp. the 15 phase, where I 'grew' like crazy) the muscles were adding a lot of water and glycogen as endurance buffers and that gave a comparitively bigger short term size increase, but via a slightly puffier look.

Max-stim, by avoiding the fatigue issue, seems to also just be adding pure muscle and making existing muscle denser, and probably not much in terms of energy eserves...hence, why it seems my muscles are adding a lot more 'hardness' to them."

When trying HST a while ago, this was my experience too (the puffier look that is), but I've only read about it in Diamyo's post citet above. What are your opinions/experience about this, and where can I read more about it (I've searched, but not found much)?
 
Although I have not yet tried Max-Stim, the ratio of muscle and fat you are putting onto your body (density) depends on your diet.
 
I'm not really sure about the "denser muscle" thing either. Seems like that would be a question of water, and so wouldn't really matter. Even if you had "denser muscle" because you were retaining less water, a dinner of a salty pizza would take care of that.
 
There might be something in it, less sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, but I doubt MS produces significantly more muscular hypertrophy than HST if you do them both properly, remember MS is just a fatigure management tool, you don't really lift heavier weights in the end than with HST.

Sounds like pseudo-science to me, espcecially without soild science to back it up.
 
that seems to be a lot of conclusions derived from a small amount of info.
1 (only) cycle and 9lbs gained on a diet that doesnt appear very tight (who wants to lose 33% of gains in 10days). my guess is that improved diet is the culprit for the apparent differences.

personally, i find it difficult to "notice" a 9lb gain visually let alone the quality, density etc etc. although at a lower bf% it would be much more noticable.
 
doing one cycle for 8wks is not really giving any routine a chance, anyone who flits from one routine to another without giving it a chance,i would take what they say with a pinch of salt.
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">There might be something in it, less sarcoplasmic hypertrophy</div>

Anyone who knows me and has discussions with me knows I am not a big promoter of the whole sarcoplasmic vs myofibril hypertrophy idea, in fact I don't think it's physiologically possible. But I do belive that the pumped looked is mostly water, lactate and glycogen accumulation. In Max Stim the metabolic accumulation may be lessened so that pumped look may not appear as predominantly as seen in lactate accumulating type workouts.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">remember MS is just a fatigure management tool, you don't really lift heavier weights in the end than with HST.</div>

Well it's more than JUST a fatigue management tool and if done properly you will be lifting heavier than your 5RM for far more reps.
 
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(Dan Moore @ Apr. 24 2007,09:19)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Well it's more than JUST a fatigue management tool and if done properly you will be lifting heavier than your 5RM for far more reps.</div>
Yeah I noticed this. going beyond 5 RM weights and doing 20 reps. Although it took a few minutes to do that &quot;set&quot;
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Well it's more than JUST a fatigue management tool and if done properly you will be lifting heavier than your 5RM for far more reps. </div>
When things get pretty heavy (during the post-5's), I use clustering and Max-Stim to get the target number of reps in. I really like the idea of keeping the volume constant throughout the cycle, and doing 20 reps with your 3RM feels great.

Regards,
Dimitris
 
The best way to get a HUGE pump is to use a light-medium weight and do continuous reps without taking tension off the muscle (like curls done only in the mid-range of motion) The occlusion effect strangles the muscle and it swells up with blood and waste-products. It doesn't really do anything special, but it works great to get pumped up and could be used right before a contest!
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