So I've been thinking about what I plan to do after my current training program is over. In considering what I want to do next, other than just setting my new maxes and starting over, I decided to set some rough goals.
What do I want? Bigger lats, check. Bigger deadlift, check. My arms are still only 15.25 inches, despite the weights I'm pulling, so maybe a bit of focus on them? My bench sucks, might be due to triceps? Maybe, maybe... So, say by year end, I'd like to hit 16 inch arms, 250 lb bench and at least a 500 lb deadlift, though ultimately I want 600.
My current thought is that maybe trying to bring everything all up at once isn't a good idea anymore. So low and behold, the modification to HST that I am currently toying with.
My workout days are Friday, Sunday and Tuesday, instead of the standard Mon/Wed/Fri. In my setup, the cycle will last 12 weeks minimum, with 4 week blocks focusing on specific areas. Sets/reps will be 10 sets of 3 for everything starting out, and going to clustering when necessary.
Sunday workouts will always be the same throughout the cycle. This day will start at around 65% of my 1 RM or so, for each of those lifts and will progress each week throughout the entire cycle.
Deadlifts
Dips
Chins
Push Press
Friday and Tuesday will vary depending on what I am focusing on. Each four week block will focus on a different thing. Progression would start at 10 RM and progress to 5 RM evenly over the four weeks.
So the first block might be an attempt to bring up the lats and strengthen the back overall. Since I am already doing chins on Weds, I might do something like Pendlay Rows, Pulldowns, Pullovers and then some arm work, BB curls or something since the biceps are getting worked with the other stuff anyway.
The second four week block could be chest/triceps focus. So Friday and Tuesday switches to Bench, Close Grip Bench and then something else for triceps like pushdowns or tricep extensions or whatever. Maybe some light stuff like flies or whatever afterward.
I'm not set on what lifts I would use for the focusing days, but whatever. I think the point is somewhat clear.
The third four week block might be exclusively deadlift focus, with just bare maintenance work for the rest of the body on Sundays. Friday and Tuesday might be working on lighter deadlifts for form/technique, along with rack pulls, maybe good mornings or SLDLs for ham strength, possibly some lighter back or front squats or something. I don't really know yet.
Then for the third four week block, I'm thinking of focusing exclusively on deadlifting, doing only deadlifts and other lifts to assist in the deadlift. So I start doing lighter deadlifts on Friday and Tuesday, along with rack pulls, good mornings, maybe throw rows back in at this point. Work like this until I eventually start hitting max singles on Sunday
I'm still playing with this idea, but I've started laying it out in a spreadsheet so it's easier for my mind to process and simpler for me to modify everything for.
Some of the drawbacks? The stuff on Sunday might not be enough for maintenance of the rest of the body while I focus on those few areas. I think deadlifts, dips, chins and push press pretty much hits everything, and I highly doubt my legs will shrink from only being hit by deadlifts once a week, but it could be possible.
I'm thinking this kind of thing would work well with a 12-16 week cycle of test. Heh. Too bad that whole legality thing is in the way.
There is a chance that I might end my current cycle sooner than I thought. Weights are all over the place due to coming back from the sickness/layoff, so at this point, it might be a better idea to just take a couple weeks to max out on everything, record the new maxes and plot out my next cycle. If so, I'll likely hammer out a more concrete version of this plan and implement it. It's only 12 weeks or so. Might as well test it out and see how it does.
Thoughts, criticisms?
