SCI's HST cycle

Funny you mention that steve...the same conversation happened at bodyrecomposition.com regarding deadlifts. Everyone said I was nuts and I won't be able to do it as I get stronger. I think it can be done, IF m-time is long enough AND as long as you don't go over a certain intensity (1 rm%).

Also I have been reading ALOT about periodized strength training. I still want to be a powerlifter but I haven't found a training system I like yet for it and I am basically developing my own based on research done on trained athletes and periodized strength training is by far the most superior. There is sufficient evidence that trained individuals have superior gains in mass and strength using periodized programs as opposed to traditional linear progression models and I suspect that is why Bryan Haycock uses undulating progression in HST and Daniel Moore uses it in Max-stim, the 5x5 advanced program uses it, and on and on.
I have to face facts that as things get heavier I won't be able to maintain the volume as I thought I would. The KEY to periodized strength training is to have a high volume/low intensity phase and a high-intensity/low volume phase (kind of like Korte's program, or dual-factor 5x5 routines and many others, especially olympic lifting programs).
What has piqued my interest the most is the daily undulating progression models (dup). Basically like intermediate 5x5 or westside where each 'cycle' lasts a week or two. For example medium on monday, light on wednesday, heavy on friday.

Based on a bunch of research and my own personal needs, I have setup a new model where the training cycle lasts two weeks. The workouts are monday, wednesday and friday alternating A & B routines. The first workouts for A & B on the first monday and wednesday are the high-volume/low intensity phase. 30 reps done at 70% of 1rm. The next workouts on Friday and Monday are medium in volume and intensity, 15 reps at 85% of 1 rm. The last Wedneday and Friday of the two-week cycle are the max-effort days. High-intensity/low volume using 100% of 1rm for three attempts, going for personal records. I think at my stage (intermediate) it is still possible for me to make small progress in my PRs every two weeks. Weekly PRs are no longer an option for me as I found out last strength cycle.
As I become more advanced, I will need to do longer periodized cycles.
I am interested in reading "Designing Resistance Training Programs" by Fleck and Kraemer. It is an exhaustive scientific work on strength training that covers every aspect of it. Big book (300+ pages) and it costs over $50, so if anyone has read it and can give their opinion I would appreciate it.
"Practical programming' by Rippetoe and Kilgore was not scientific enough for me, and I was a little disappointed in it.
 
Yes, I'm a fan of dual factor theory as well, and seem to have better strength gains than with linear. You are doing steroids, so I assume your ability to recover is going to be outstanding. 30 reps at 74% might not be too much for a guy on steroids. I have no idea. I can't imagine a drug allowing me to do 30 reps at 74% of my max though, unless it was an adrenaline shot to the heart. You're moving into a biochemical zone where I can't relate yet.

I don't know why you're giving up on such a great power movement like squats when you're on juice. Seems like that's the perfect time to do them. I mean, you want to be a powerlifter, right ?
 
push/pull meets. Strictly deads and bench. I am just not built for back squats. I would probably end up injured if I continue to do them with heavy loads. Take my word for it, I suck at this movement biomechanically.
And...the testosterone hasn't taken effect yet, (long ester) so up to this point my training has been 'natural'. I am still waiting for the effects to show up. Enanthate takes awhile to trickle into the bloodstream, and once it does it takes awhile for the elevated t-levels to actually manifest physical effects. By now my t-levels should be elevated, and it only a matter of time before the hormone starts doing its thing.
 
Next time, you may want to consider doing test prop for the first two weeks alongside the enanthate, so it kicks in faster. If I were going to use test, that is what I would be inclined to do. ED or EOD injections the first two weeks would suck though...
Assuming there is a next time.

For a powerlifting program, I think that HST or Max-stim as a template is still a good idea. That is how I am plotting out my next cycle. I plan to start out at 80% of my maxes and work up very quickly to my maxes, then drop volume while increasing intensity, etc etc.
 
actually the injections are painless and easy...the problem is the propionate oil is painful in the muscle from what I have heard. Enanthate hasn't bothered me much at all so far.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">For a powerlifting program, I think that HST or Max-stim as a template is still a good idea. That is how I am plotting out my next cycle. I plan to start out at 80% of my maxes and work up very quickly to my maxes, then drop volume while increasing intensity, etc etc.</div>

Yeah, it needs to be tweaked as you are doing or similar though to be more strength-specific. I found a library nearby that has Designing Resistance Training Programs...I will check it out later tonight. I found some very intriguing studies lately that showed undulating progression periodized programs to be far superior to conventional prgression....(obviously Bryan knew this when he deigned HST with the zig-zag, etc.)
 
Not criticizing, just trying to understand some concepts...

So basically, the way that vanilla HST is designed with the zigzags of load in between rep cycles is superior to a linear progression of let's just say... a 1% increase of all weights from 65% - 94% of your 1RM?

I haven't been keeping too much track on your log as I'd like as I've been busy with work but I thought originally you were doing that type of progession with 30 rep cluster sets on all of your lifts. I'm doing the same except increasing 3% since I split mine (only 12 workouts of each split), and decreasing my rep total as load increases.

Again, just trying to understand some stuff as I thought our setup was rather similar.
 
I have learned that zig-zag is not such a bad thing, as the changes in stimulus (volume and intensity) seem to be very effective at creating an adaptation response. Linear progression works too, but undulating progression (upwards with some zig-zag) is just as effective and may even be superior...

The more I learn, the more I realize that &quot;vanilla HST&quot; really is well-thought out by Bryan. All of the 'tweaks' and changes we introduce may more often than not be detrimental. Of course SOME tweaks and changes can be great or even superior. But the bottom line is...the more I research the more I realize that Bryan really presented something very effective when he introduced HST.
 
Two things.

1) Vanilla HST is similar to Coan's powerlifting program, starting out light and building toward a max. Could easily be tweaked for PL.

2) How'd you get the sauce, HRT or self prescribed?
 
I am tall and narrow. Long spine and femurs combined with narrow hips. Squatting deep is very difficult for me because my long femurs and spine make a poor mechanical fulcrum. I have long arms also so with deadlifts my narrow hips and tall body are not a problem as I don't have to bend as much at the hip.

An ideal squatter will be somewhat stocky with relatively wide hips. My friend is built like this and can squat a ton even though he doesn't exercise!
 
<div>
(Tyler @ May 10 2007,00:20)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Two things.

1) Vanilla HST is similar to Coan's powerlifting program, starting out light and building toward a max.  Could easily be tweaked for PL.

2) How'd you get the sauce, HRT or self prescribed?</div>
1) I noticed the same thing...very true.

2) I prefer to be private about my precription.
 
Definitely feeling it now. Had to get in the gym and do some pump-up isolation stuff for fun.

DB flyes-40s 1x15
DB Rows-60s 1x15
Cable pushdowns-60 1x15
DB Curls-25s 1x15
DB Laterals-30s 1x15
Sissy Squats- 1x15
 
5/11/07
Workout #12, last workout of week 4: 76% of 1 rm all done max-stim style.11:45 am- warm-up
12:00 pm- Deadlifts: 275 lb.s x 30 reps. This was mentally very tough. I had to really warm-up and I admit I was intimidated to do this since I wasn't sure I was recovered from Monday's session: I wasn't. At rep 20 I felt toasted, I then pictured my strength heros coaching me, Jon Pall Sigmarsson, Mariusz Pudzianowski. Standing over me and yelling, &quot;finish the set! damnit!&quot;
I finally finished the set, after 30 minutes.
12:45 pm- Bench Press: 165 lb.s x 30 reps.
1:00 pm- Chin-ups: BW x 30 reps.
1:15 pm - I am done, I can't lift anymore, exhausted.

This workout concludes week 4 in my HST/max-stim cycle.
I am going to have to go by feel from now on when it comes to volume and frequency. I want to slowly keep progresssing the load every workout 1% as I planned from the beginning, but I cannot continue to do 30 reps three times per week and recover.
 
Do some math to check the &quot;tonnage&quot; of 4 weeks doing only 20 reps with the percentages you will be using for the next four weeks. I've been doing 30 reps as well for the last two weeks and am deciding if I want to drop it 5 or even 10 reps every 2 weeks... I'm at 71% right now and it's been getting very hard so I feel you at 76%.
 
<div>
(scientific muscle @ May 10 2007,00:23)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I am tall and narrow. Long spine and femurs combined with narrow hips. Squatting deep is very difficult for me because my long femurs and spine make a poor mechanical fulcrum. I have long arms also so with deadlifts my narrow hips and tall body are not a problem as I don't have to bend as much at the hip.

An ideal squatter will be somewhat stocky with relatively wide hips. My friend is built like this and can squat a ton even though he doesn't exercise!</div>
There's a guy at the gym I know who's built like you, he's about 6'2 with long legs, back and arms. He's really worked on form and does pretty good and he does olympic squats. He'll probably never be a stevejones, but most don't need to be. I don't think someone needs to be considered an ideal squatter to benefit from squats. The deadlift and squat are indispensable to any strength program.

I love deadlifts, it's the king, however, most of us cannot do them very often when the loads get heavy. That's another reason to keep squats. What else can you do for legs that's even close to being as effective as squats?
 
Doing sissy squats one day and deads the next...you're gonna have to be a lot smarter than that Sci! Unless you want to be skinny again.
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I agree w/ Leige; I'm not particularly built well for squats either (very long legged), and my legs don't tend to grow much, and I'm having trouble getting into some decent weight with my hips and physical work I've been doing lately. But I have an attitude , and I feel that doing squats regardless will be better for size and strength than NOT doing squats. Also, they are, as Leige mentioned, so similar to deads on the legs that by alternating them, surely BOTH exersizes will improve, IMO.

As Steve said, isn't THIS the time to push a weaker exersize, when you can get some real results with it? I'd think that would be very encouraging. Not riding you out bro; just trying to help. I'm sure that now you're feeling better, you'll want to be doing all sorts of excess, or unnecessary things, but you have to stay smart and focused on what works.
I know I'D sure like to feel &quot;18&quot; again...
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