Routine question and SD?

[Desp]

Here's a sample of my routine, I made a few changes but overall this is what I was doing. 15s were all one set, 10s I did two sets and 5s were 3 sets. I was able to complete each workout at right around 1 hr or less. I completed this in the 6 weeks. On the very last workout instead of doing my squats at 315 I tested max squat, and then the program was complete. Last week I tested max deadlift monday, bench wednesday, and weighted chins friday, while on each day doing lighter weights of all the other exercises. For the SD week would that be doing absolutely nothing, as in should I do nothing this week, and start fresh next week?

Before starting HST I was doing starting strength for about 8 months, was working pretty good, just got burned out... Anyway, I want to run HST for a few more cycles.

 

[Old and Grey]

Not a bad program MrGoodBar. However, I am not sure I understand what the numbers under chins mean or why you stopped shrugs.

As to your question, your SD should be at least 9 days of doing no lifting whatsoever.

 

[Desp]

The chins I changed up some, but basically it was BW with additional reps added each week, until the 5RM weeks, then I did 5 reps across 3 sets with adding weight each week. I dropped the shrugs because my grip was failing early and it was making the workout take longer than I wanted, I was going over an hour on the 10RM and 5RM weeks until I dropped it.

9 days, sounds good.

Should I run the exact same program or switch it up some? I'm trying to hit a 500lb dead and 300lb bench, I'm at 420 and 255, I got my 400lb squat so I'm happy with that. I was thinking of maybe re-ordering some of the exercises to change priority.

 

[Old and Grey]

I see no reason to change your basic program as long as you progress although you may want to alternate regular deadlifts with squats. You have the muscles prioritized nicely although I would move the rows to before the curls. As a general rule of thumb, I like to go from the largest muscle to the smallest.

How is your diet? Will it support your goals?

 

[Totentanz]

For shrugs, look into straps if grip is an issue.

For chins, rather than go by simply the added weight, I use total weight for my figures. This works great if your gym has an assistance machine. Example, for my 5 RM, I can use an additional 65 lbs on chins and I weigh 240 so the total load is 305. That means that I start the 5s with only 245 lbs, in other words my bodyweight plus an additional 5 lb plate. Then progress upward. You can get a much wider progression using this method since you will be using an assistance machine through part of the cycle and generally, more progression means more hypertrophy.

Note that this works for dips as well if you have an assistance machine.

 

[Desp]

Old and Grey - That was one of the changes I made after the first couple workouts, was doing the rows first. So would you suggest alternating deadlift and squat every other workout, or every week, or what do most people do?

Totentanz - I thought about straps, though I am kind of a minimalist guy I don't usually like to use anything, but I guess if it'd allow me to continue using straps it'd make sense. I can't use an assisted machine because I work out at home with a power rack and a barbell. I do have a wide selection of bands though so I might be able to incorporate those some how.

 

[Desp]

How is your diet? Will it support your goals?

The way I figure it I'm probably going to need to be about 215 / 220lb, at slightly over 6' tall that should be about right. I'm hoovering just under 200 right now, up about 7lbs in my first HST cycle.

Typical diet is 12 whole eggs, 1lb grass fed grass finished beef, 1/2 stick butter, sweet potato, 2 large plates of salad and other veggies cooked with meat or stuff like that, wild caught salmon on rice crackers or wild caught sardines on rice crackers. Sometimes rice or rice noodles. For some reason everytime I try and start to count calories I get halfway through a day and fail, it's also hard because my wife cooks dinner so I'm not really sure how to break it up.
I'll have a few tablespoons of butter and coconut oil in my coffee in the morning, and then wait until around 3:30 or so to eat lunch consisting of the salmon and crackers, a few hours later I'll have 6 eggs, wife gets home and cooks meat and potatoes and veggies, then a few hours later I'll have another 6 eggs.

 

[Totentanz]

with regard to straps there is no reason to impede your progress just because your grip is failing. compare the size of your traps to the size of the muscles in your hands and consider that the trap so much larger and can obviously handle a much greater load so it stands to reason that you will limit overall development if you did not use straps at some point.

 

[Old and Grey]

Good, I like to alternate every other workout. As for straps, I have never felt the need to use them personally but I believe they can be a good assistance tool.