Strength, energy and volume

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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">In my opinion the idea of 15-10-5 is much more impt than compounds/iso etc. An example would my last week of 5's
I do bench 3x5
pec dec 3x5
pull downs 3x5
rows 3x5
barb curls 2x5
hammer curls 1x5
tri push 2x5
sh press 2x5
shrug 2x5
squats 2x5
leg ext 2x5
leg curl 2x5
calf raises 2x5

This routine has led me to the best gains in my life. The progression each workout and switching every 2 weeks are the main reasons for improved physique.</div>

I have been wondering about this lately because of a fair few similar posts to this one. Perhaps pack is making good progress with the w/o he is using (13 exercises) because the loads are relatively light at the moment? (Hey pack, absolutely no offence meant by this!
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I am finding that as I get stronger it is getting more and more difficult to complete the volume I was doing, say, six months ago without feeling absolutely cream crackered. Right now I have 10 exercises in my routine but this is now getting a bit much and I tend to leave out the arm isos most times during 5s, bringing me down to 8 exercises.

I think my strength increases have meant that I now perform a great deal more work than I used to and my body is just not able to keep pace with the energy required. So, what I'm saying is that my strength seems to have gone ahead of my body's ability to increase the amount of energy required to keep the volume the same.

Because of this, I feel that compounds are absolutely the best way to go as they are the most efficient use of my energy reserves - I can work more muscle groups with fewer exercises in the shortest time. Next cycle for 5s my squats will be pushing past 315lbs and my deads will be getting close to 400lbs so I may have to drop my number of exercises down still further. I expect that my gains will come slower from now on so that if I can find a volume level that works well right now I should be able to keep it at that level as the loads increase.

I am just starting to read Dan's stuff on his site and finding lots of interesting info (which at times conflicts with a few things I have learn't here - like 2 x weekly may be just as good as 3 x weekly). It may be that I try a cycle where I do my main full body workouts on Monday and Friday and then I use Wednesdays to do some isos (and therefore use less energy) so I am conserving energy for my big lifts on Mondays and Fridays. I am loathed to drop Wednesday's w/o altogether.

What do you guys think of all this? Any of you tried a similar approach? As an informed bunch of folks I really value your thoughts. TIA.
 
LOL

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Because of this, I feel that compounds are absolutely the best way to go as they are the most efficient use of my energy reserves</div>

I completely agree, I played with this for a while but only when I got serious with the compounds did my body start responding the way I expected, iso's can really be a waste of time, maybe excepting curls and tricep work as an extra from the 5's they are a real waste of gains!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I can work more muscle groups with fewer exercises in the shortest time.</div>

Newbies take note, the above statement is the real essence of HST, adding that it is the most efficient way too!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">What do you guys think of all this? Any of you tried a similar approach? As an informed bunch of folks I really value your thoughts.</div>

LOL, I have and it works, simply saying the intensity and the load must be there, just a tad harder, this is what I missed when I did it.

Obviously still avoiding failure, but just a tad harder than the 3x/week approach, you will see what I mean.
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lol at the moment i am doing 2x a week weights ,still following HST principles ...mainly because i want to improve my fitness so more cardio a week.also because of some of the stuff i read on dans site..also i am 48 so twice a week if it is the same as 3x a week sounds good to me..have been doing it for 5weeks now and its
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Speaking of stuff on Dan's site, have you guys read the Max Stimulation stuff? It looks really interesting. I'm going to give it a shot once I finish this HST cycle.
 
Yeah Tot

I have tried it and it works on some, but I struggle with some of it, just feel that it would work better on a machine.

I am going to use it for laggers as i feel there it will definitely help, you will notice I have posted some of my initial feelings on it.

Mind you it has to work, just wish I had the machines, but I w/o @ home so can only fit to some of the exercises.

It'd be great to have another opinion of course.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Speaking of stuff on Dan's site, have you guys read the Max Stimulation stuff? It looks really interesting. I'm going to give it a shot once I finish this HST cycle</div>

Im doing it now, its cool. Yeh some exercises are easier than others, its a really cool way of working out. yeh im reading the stuff on Dans site too, only beginning to understand it though
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.....ill have read it all in a couple weeks.
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I've just finished reading the Max Stim pdf. Wow! That's a workout in itself! Dan is a very cool guy  
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It's all very interesting. I can see problems trying to get the M-time right doing heavy squats. It takes me 5 seconds at least to unrack the bar, stagger backwards and get my feet positioned correctly before I start. I wouldn't fancy doing that 20 times!

I was surprised to see that working out full-body four times a week was recommended first in the list of possible frequencies. Bearing in mind that I had just been reading on Dan's site that 2 x a week was just as good as 3 x a week I thought that a little odd even though I realise he's not saying that you should do 4 x weekly.  
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Unless I have my calcs wrong, as far as loads go, once you are in the third phase using 6 RM based loads you will be working up to using around your 4 RM loads for the final w/o. That's pretty darn heavy! 20 reps with that is going to be a killer. I can't wait to try it!
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I'd love to know Bryan's thoughts on Dan's thoughts!  
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I've just finished reading the Max Stim pdf. Wow! That's a workout in itself! Dan is a very cool guy</div>

yeh definitely
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It's all very interesting. I can see problems trying to get the M-time right doing heavy squats. It takes me 5 seconds at least to unrack the bar, stagger backwards and get my feet positioned correctly before I start. I wouldn't fancy doing that 20 times!</div>

Yeh, smith machines are ideal for this, do you have one in your gym?
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I was surprised to see that working out full-body four times a week was recommended first in the list of possible frequencies. Bearing in mind that I had just been reading on Dan's site that 2 x a week was just as good as 3 x a week I thought that a little odd even though I realise he's not saying that you should do 4 x weekly.</div>

I asked Dan about this he said; http://hypertrophy-research.com/phpBB1/viewtopic.php?t=29

Im sure Dan will enlighten us on the topic soon
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(Totentanz @ May 09 2006,08:43)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Speaking of stuff on Dan's site, have you guys read the Max Stimulation stuff?  It looks really interesting.  I'm going to give it a shot once I finish this HST cycle.</div>
I'm giving it a shot right now.

You can review my routine if you like...
Check out the Max-Stim &quot;Results&quot; forum...

So far, it works well for me, but then I mainly use Hammer machines in my workouts...
I simply love these machines!
 
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