Using isolated exercises to enhance metabolic work

HST_Rihad

HST_Rihad

Active Member
I've already done the stock HST cycle twice with little changes:
Leg press
Leg curl
Inclined bench
Seated rows
Rear delts (supported)
Shrugs
Biceps curls
Triceps extensions
Calves

Doing 2 sets no matter what rep range is on. I do the planned number of reps in the first set, and don't care if I fall short of 1-2 reps in the second. The problem is, heavy bis & tris are pretty demanding when on 5's and require some considerable length of time to complete. What if I do those 2 exercises in two sets with a 30-60 second rest, to enhance metabolic work? Needless to say weight would be a little lower than 5RM's It would be like 8-9RM done 5 times in 2 sets. On the assumption that I already did heavy-tension bis & tris work on bench & rows.
 
Here are my thoughts:

-Biceps always seem to suffer the most from form-cheating at anything above ~7-8RM. I also find that chins/rows at 3-5RM range are sufficient for loading for them. However, for whatever mechanical reason, doing 15s for those compounds doesn't hit my bi's at all. Forearms, back ... they get hit. Biceps just don't get the metabolic work. I absolutely advocate doing metabolic work for the smaller muscles. Having said that, 8-9RM isn't really 'metabolic'. I'd aim for 12-15RM to achieve that. Your joints will also appreciate that rep range.

-My triceps get hit pretty well doing the bench press, probably even more so than my chest. Maybe I have slightly strange leverage positions and length proportions. Regardless, I would probably do a close grip bench press for tri's over triceps extensions. And again, 12-15RM is where it's at. 8-9RM isn't going to promote much glycogen storage, and isn't going to get the same cascade chain activations that 12-15RMs will.


Related tangent - I strongly advocate doing negatives at the end of your cycle. Weighted//heavy chins and bench w/a spotter always hits the bi's and tri's for me. Probably around 120% of 1RM.
 
Thanks, but no, I didn't mean going back to 15RM. That weight is supposed to be a little heavier than my 10RM (tension-wise), but not all the way down to 5RM. I mean, I want to ensure those 5+5 reps I'm supposed to lift (assuming 2 sets per exercise) but with a weight somewhere between 6-9RM. I could make it 5+5+5 to compensate for the decreased weight, and cluster them myo-reps style with a short rest. The goal is to finish more quickly, put on some metabolic work, and not overreach at the same time. In short, given the circumstances, for the work to be at least as effective as before.
 
I would do myo-reps if you're going to use ~ 8RM.

I'm still not sure why you're referring to it as 'metabolic work' though.
 
That's how I (mis)understood the HST FAQ (last chapter 34):
Due to the inverse relationship between load and reps/volume (i.e. the heavier it is, the fewer
times you can lift it) you have to reduce the volume as the weight gets progressively heavier.
As you reduce the volume, the metabolic demands on the muscle tissue drop as well. This
reduces the activity of a signaling protein called ERK 1/2 which is known to facilitate hypertrophy.
Click to expand...
A better wording from my part would be: maintain metabolic demands.
So a logical next step would be to either add a drop set on bis & tris on top of the heavy curls/extensions, or do the thing I asked for (15 myo-reps with a load lighter than 5RM), as those muscles already saw some heavy work on bench/rows.
 
Drop-sets are v.good IMO. I'd do them (or at least use them more often) if I had the equipment available (home gym atm).
 
If you are doing curls with 5 RM loads, adding ~8 RM myoreps as "metabolic work" is likely just going to beat your joints up more. Myoreps are great for that purpose, but you'd be better served using 12-15 RM loads and doing 20-30 total myoreps for metabolic purposes.

This works for back and chest as well. For lats, use wide grip pulldowns for the metabolic work, use a 12-15 RM load, do 20-30 reps - your lats will be swollen and very easy to feel afterwards. This is actually something I do with everyone I work out with the first time in order to help them develop the mind-muscle connection with their lats - in my opinion one of the most difficult muscles to develop that connection.
 
Totentanz said:
If you are doing curls with 5 RM loads, adding ~8 RM myoreps as "metabolic work" is likely just going to beat your joints up more. Myoreps are great for that purpose, but you'd be better served using 12-15 RM loads and doing 20-30 total myoreps for metabolic purposes.
Click to expand...
I want to _replace_ 5RM bis/tris with one of ~8RM (15 myoreps) or 12-15RM (20-30 myoreps). I'm more inclined towards the 8RM one, b/c it's closer to the stock HST loads (5RM). You know, doing small changes and seeing how it goes. A balance between high-tension and metabolic stuff. But if you think I'd be better off dropping the intensity way down to 12-15RM in favor of more pronounced metabolic work, I couldn't agree more.
 
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