Riggins 1st HST cycle

wow, i feel kind of stupid right now. while reading through training logs i ran into one of quadancers' post telling someone that your always either cutting or bulking and that you can't do both unless you're a total newb. Here was i was thinking that I could do both.

Eureka, now i see why people are always posting that they're cutting or bulking. Well, i'm definitely interested in cutting right now. as my bodyfat is around 25%. I just ordered that accumeasure caliper as suggested to get a good accurate reading.

So while cutting on HST is it just a matter of adjusting diet and cardio or do you adjust your routine as well?
 
MONDAY 05/19/08

woke up, took some lipo6 and went to gym

deadlifts 250x5
bench press 170x5 (felt light again, my previous 5 rep PR was 172.5 and i felt heavy as hell, not sure if it's the HST or all the supps i'm taking. While on SS i wasn't taking anything
chinups @5x5 reps
shurgs 205x5
press 105x5
dips @ 4x5
leg curl 2x155x5
barbell curl 70x5
tricep pulldown 80x5

decided to step up the cardio to loose some more bf. so after i got home and had my glutamine/creatine drink, i went running to do some running/jogging intervels for 8 minutes.

Sunday i took my road bike out for 30 minutes around town

Saturday i did 4 minutes, 30 seconds of sprinting/running intervals.

Previously i only did cardio 2-3 times a week on non-training days and it was 30 minutes of jogging/exercise bike or the road bike. This is my first time doing the interval training.

Mostly likely i will lose some amount of muscle, but my main priority is cutting down my body fat, my goal is to get under 18%. I'm currently around 23% according to my accumeasure caliper.

Time to check on my lemon-pepper chicken...
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WEDNESDAY 5/21/08

So Monday if finished my 5's. So, today i started my last 2 weeks of the "extra" 5's instead of negatives. Although after today's workout i was thinking that doing the same exact thing for 6 workouts kind of defies the principles of HST, so I'll have to think of something else to do. I might try to add weight next time or some more sets. Any suggestions?

So here was todays workout

Squats 250x5
bench press 170x5
chinups @5x5 reps
shrugs 205x5
press 105x5
dips @ 4x5
leg curl 2x165x5
barbell curl 70x5
tricep pulldown 80x5
abs 2x105 on weight machine

had some oatmeal and a whips yougurt before the workout, then glutamine and creatine after the workout. About to run out of glutamine, still undecided between egg protein and amino acids. Will have to make up my mind soon and order the stuff.
 
Could I maybe offer a bit of sanity on the supplement thing?

I absolutely obsessed about the topic for far too long before realizing something... No matter what you take, it'll either work or it won't. If it doesn't, move on. If it does, use it for a couple cycles and see how you feel as time goes on.

Here's another thing... Your body will react to supplements in its own way. Sure, manufacturers make claims - but those claims aren't necessarily based on every body type, every metabolism, every training methodology, etc. Take just 10 more minutes - yes - 10 friggity more minutes, and make a decision. Look over your choices just one more time, and pull the trigger. Whatever you choose, it'll do something. What that something is will be determined in due time.

Keep on keepin' on, Riggins. Order whatever you want to try first and get your *** in the gym. At the end of the day, it's the work that you do in the gym that determines the outcome - not the supplement. That is, unless you start roiding - and in that case, you and I will have a much different conversation.
 
Thanks for the wake up slap, I just ordered some egg protein (good lord, even most egg proteins are made with milk, found 1 without it and i ordered it)
 
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(HstRiggins @ May 21 2008,2:35)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Although after today's workout i was thinking that doing the same exact thing for 6 workouts kind of defies the  principles of HST, so I'll have to think of something else to do.  I might try to add weight next time or some more sets.  Any suggestions?</div>
Yes, you need to keep increasing the weight for as long as you can.  Your calculated 5RM are likely less than your actual 5RM after going through your first HST cycle.  You may have 2+ weeks of new RM's if you are new to this, especially if you increase the weights slowly (% wise).  Also, remember that their is a certain amount of volume necessary to illicit a growth response which varies depending on multiple factors.  As a rule, if you keep the  total reps lower you will make more strength gains and have longer until you burn-out, but may be sacrificing growth by not allowing yourself enough volume &quot;now&quot; to grow.  IMO you should be doing at least 3 sets of 5, if not more, unless you are stricly shooting for new PR's as your goal.
 
I will work my way up to 3 sets then. I followed the 2 sets on 1st week/ 1 on second deal on this cycle. My main goal is cutting, i'd like to get down to below 18% bf and i'm at 22-25 % right now. So i've got the diet and cario figured out i believe, now i just have to work on the training part.

I was thinking about skipping SD as some people have said that's the thing to do while cutting. Then again one of the primary principles of HST is SD, so once again this is another thing I'm not sure of.


For my next cycle i'll go 1 set 15, 2/10 and 3/5.
 
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(HstRiggins @ May 22 2008,2:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I was thinking about skipping SD as some people have said that's the thing to do while cutting. Then again one of the primary principles of HST is SD, so once again this is another thing I'm not sure of.</div>
HST uses SD to somewhat reduce the conditioning of your muscles -- not really very much, but enough -- so that they will once again respond to submaximal weights. This is for growth.

Working out with fairly heavy weights during a cut is so that you don't lose your hard-earned muscle mass. As a rule, you don't want to be cutting during your SD. Rather you should try to eat at maintenance, during your SD period.
 
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(HstRiggins @ May 22 2008,12:25)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Thanks for the wake up slap, I just ordered some egg protein (good lord, even most egg proteins are made with milk, found 1 without it and i ordered it)</div>
Atta boy.
 
FRIDAY 05/23/08

Deadlifts 2x260x5 (i'veseriously underestimated my 5rm)
bench press 2x 170x5
chinups 2 sets@5x5 reps
shrugs 2x205x5(gonna stop doing shrugs next cycle)
press 2x105x5
dips @ 4x5
leg curl 2x165x5
barbell curl 2x70x5
tricep pulldown 80x5
abs 2x105 x15 on weight machine

Great workout again, this time i finally brought my Mp3 player to drown out that techno crap that cardio-express is all about. Should have done this a long time ago. There's nothing that makes Deadlifts easier then some Pantera to pump you up. The hell with NO and pre-work out stuff, just crank out some Pantera
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MONDAY 5/26/08

Squats 2X 255x5
bench press 2X175x5
chinups2 @5x5 reps
press 2X105x5
dips 2@ 4x5
barbell curl 1X75X5  1X75X 4(couldn't get last rep up)
tricep pulldown 80x5
abs 2x105 on weight machine

good workout, as a side note, on fridays workout i did 2 sets of deadlifts instead of one, and i can't believe how sore my traps and forarms were all weekend.
 
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(HstRiggins @ May 26 2008,2:46)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">good workout, as a side note, on fridays workout i did 2 sets of deadlifts instead of one, and i can't believe how sore my traps and forarms were all weekend.</div>
Nice Work!
 
Wednesday 05/28/08

I went up to 3 sets today. It'll stay that way untill I SD. I also found out that while doing 3 sets i have to change my routine a bit before kill myself.

From now on i'll be alternating bench press and dips, and biceps and triceps.

Deadlifts - 2x275x5, 275x4 (lost my grip on last rep, need to bring chalk from now on)
bench press - 3x175x5
chinups 2 sets@5x5 reps 1 set @ 5 x4 reps
press 3x105x5
dips 3 sets @ 4 x5 reps
leg curl 3x165x5
barbell curl 1x75x5

good workout, felt great but by the time i got to biceps my arms were already pumped and exhausted. I did one set of curls and called it a day
 
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(HstRiggins @ May 28 2008,10:06)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Wednesday 05/28/08

I went up to 3 sets today.  It'll stay that way untill I SD.  I also found out that while doing 3 sets i have to change my routine a bit before  kill myself.  

From now on i'll be alternating bench press and dips, and biceps and triceps.  

Deadlifts - 2x275x5,  275x4 (lost my grip on last rep, need to bring chalk from now on)
bench press - 3x175x5
chinups 2 sets@5x5 reps 1 set @ 5 x4 reps
press 3x105x5
dips 3 sets @ 4 x5 reps
leg curl 3x165x5
barbell curl 1x75x5

good workout, felt great but by the time i got to biceps my arms were already pumped and exhausted.  I did one set of curls and called it a day</div>
Great day. I liked the line &quot;I have to change my routine before I kill myself&quot;

I think that in my case I am wanting to do more than I can handle as well. Gonna be a learning experience for both of us.
 
FRIDAY 05/30/08

So today was freaking exhausting. I probably won't be able to add any more weight to the squat, I'm pretty sure i'm maxed out. The last set was done with some form problems on last 2 reps and i had to dig deep and use the force to get it done. I've been on 5's for 4 weeks now and it think some SD might do a body good. I was gonna skip SD because i'm cutting but I might need it. I'm can't seem to get enough sleep. I always wake up exhausted even after 8-10 hours of sleep. Maybe the ZMA's are doing that, i don't know. Also last 2 weeks i've been having aweful dreams. Although, about an hour after i wake up i seem to be ok for the rest of the day. Might also be that it's getting warm out, and there's nothing i hate more then heat and sunlight. Then again maybe it's the subconscious fear of fatherhood that's tiring me out. I'm gonna be a papi in September. My first kid.

Oh, and what the hell is up with yesterdays ending of LOST?

Anywho

Squats 3x255x5
bench press - 3x175x5
press 3x105x5
leg curl 3x165x5
bent over barbell curl 3x95x5
Tricep pulldown 3x80x5
 
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(HstRiggins @ May 23 2008,1:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">There's nothing that makes Deadlifts easier then some Pantera to pump you up. The hell with NO and pre-work out stuff, just crank out some Pantera
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</div>
That's why they call the deadlift a &quot;vulgar display of power&quot;.
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edit:
Oh, and by the way, a great big congrats on becoming a dad!
 
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(Minime @ May 30 2008,3:51)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">That's why they call the deadlift a &quot;vulgar display of power&quot;.  
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</div>
In my gym they call it the &quot;what the hell are you doing&quot;. Shame...
 
lol, vulgar display of power is right minime.  

I go to cardio express and surprisingly I find 1 or 2 people doing deadlifts while i'm there, and i usually go while the place is very slow.  I work 2nd shift so i go to workout at around 11am or so.  

That's the best part about working this shift is the gym time.  Untill april i was working 1st shift and i hated going to the gym.  It was packed, hot, smelly.  There's only 2 power racks there, and they're the crappy ones that are at an angle.  Some days you couldn't even get to them.  

I do hate those racks though, when you squat you have walk back like 5 steps to clear those bars.
 
MONDAY 06/02/08

I was planning on doing one more week of 5's possibly 1rm on one of the 3 days. I've decided too start my SD today for 14-16 days. I'm tired all the time, have horrible sleep, and I can hardly get any motivation for my workouts anymore. This leads me to believe that it's time for SD. All in all i did 4 weeks of 5's, so i don't feel bad about it. I'll be back soon for my 2nd cycle.
 
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