Was wonderin'? Beginner here

U

ucmd

New Member
Not sure yet if this is a stupid question or not - but are strength-enhancing supplements effective for the HST user as the increments are already pre-set. I asked a similar question before regarding NO2 - bud sadly
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no response. Recovery supplements like HMB though are obviously effective as may be the case with NO2!!! - right??? Sounds like an amazing product to me - but does anyone know of or have any experience with - is it worth the price??? Users should do a search on it. I found a good review somewhere in bodybuilding.com - hehe - a good starter - but seems like ancient training advice now!!! - does have some good information here and there though (lawsuit concerns
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)

Also - sorry to add this here
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but was wondering if I should add deadlifts or SLDL's into my routine. I may have to add a more specific post in the training section. I am 18 and have never really trained before. I dare to tell my older friends about the HST method
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- I may just have to be selfish and keep it all to myself :D jks jks

P.S. This is a fantastic site and the people are incredibly (and these days - surprisingly) kind. I appreciate all the advice to myself and others - I will spread the word. THANK YOU
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(hehe - I like these things)
 
Dear ucmd,

Answering your questions in specific:

1. NO2 - Supposed to cause severe "hemodilation" resulting in a "perpetual pump". It sounds rather far-fetched (scam alert...) and if you were really bored and had the money, go ahead and try it. The only real worry is that your member might also have a perpetual pump. That won't be too nice, would it?

2. HMB - Expensive stuff for very little gains, if any. It's boasted to be anti-catabolic, thus helps build muscle. But hey, good protein shakes like Primer and Driver are anti-catabolic, and then some. Read somewhere that HMB's muscle-building effects was tested on chickens... But seriously, say goodbye to HMB. I've tried it myself and it didn't do squat. I increased my protein intake and voila, more gains...

3. Deadlifts/SLDLs - You are adding these exercises to target your back/hamstrings? If done in good form and with controlled progression of poundage increase (ala HST...) your chances of injury should be very low, if at all. Still, I'd recommend exercises that do not impose a direct compressive stress on your spine. For back I'd recommend chin-ups, supported rows and pull-downs.

As for not telling your friends about HST... won't it be more fun if all of you did HST as a group? You can spur each other on and basically be your own HST support group. In time to come, you'd need a spotter or two, especially for your negative phase and this is where a group of friends who know and are sympathetic towards your cause will come in very handy :)

Godspeed, and happy HSTing.
 
cumd,

Welcome!

Everything Mr. Dianabol wrote it right on target. I would just add -- you should check out the FAQ section of the Forum (frequently asked questions). Specifically there is an excelent thread on supplements. If a supplement is not mentioned in that thread it probably does not work.

Lift well,

Bob
 
Thanks guys - but less specifically though, I was referring to strength-enhancing supplements in general. If there are none effective enough on the market today, then let's just say there was - would the pre-set increments...???
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Dianabol @ Jan. 24 2003,5:29)]2. HMB - Expensive stuff for very little gains, if any. It's boasted to be anti-catabolic, thus helps build muscle. But hey, good protein shakes like Primer and Driver are anti-catabolic, and then some. Read somewhere that HMB's muscle-building effects was tested on chickens... But seriously, say goodbye to HMB. I've tried it myself and it didn't do squat. I increased my protein intake and voila, more gains...
Click to expand...
hmb has been research more than most supplements out there for muscle gain, and in trials involving resistance trained humans (not chickens) it has been very good. But it is expensive.
Bryan also thinks it is quite good for various times of the training cycle.

Heres the latest meta-analysis on dietary supplements for muscle and strength gains.
 
sorry to be the party pooper, but i feel it important to point some things out to you.
You are only 18 and are untrained. Therefore i wouldnt go taking ANY supplements other than protein, vitamins/minerals and essential fatty acids. There is simply no need for you!!!
Get your diet in line. get your training in line. Strength will come. Size will come also (it takes a few weeks for your body to start growing at the beginning and there is NOTHING you can do about it).
The only time you might be justified in thinking about such supplements is a few years down the line!

Regardless, you are correct to ask questions on this board. Here you will get honest and more importantly, accurate answers.
 
Stevie said:

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]The only time you might be justified in thinking about such supplements is a few years down the line!
Click to expand...

Are you saying a few years of training, or merely by age? Would it be different for a 30-year-old beginner?
 
stevie and Dianabol nailed it !!! Save your money to buy lots of GOOD FOOD
eating six good meals a day adds up
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I think you'll be surprised at your strength gains on HST being "18 and have
never really trained before"

jsraaf,

He means a few years of training. IMO it's not different for a 30-year-old beginner.

Mikeh
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Dianabol @ Jan. 23 2003,11:29)]1. NO2 - Supposed to cause severe "hemodilation" resulting in a "perpetual pump". It sounds rather far-fetched (scam alert...) and if you were really bored and had the money, go ahead and try it.
Click to expand...
I tried NO2. I ordered the free book, read it cover to cover, got very hopefull after reading it, and bought a bottle. Used it for 1 full cycle, noticed nothing. But, as the book states, you need at least 1.5-2 cycles to see noticable improvement in some cases. So I bought a second bottle and did a second cycle. Then a third, just to make sure I gave it a fair shot and didn't throw $200 down the drain on 2 cycles, when it was actually more my body, as a slow adapter to the product.

There was not a fourth.

Conclusion: For me, I gave it far more than the product claims said were needed, and there were no noticable body composition changes, nor strength gains. I would personally not recommend it to anyone. People I have told about this have asked if something else similar has worked, and honestly the only thing I have been able to personally support and recommend for clear results (for myself anyways), is HST (using a solid program), and getting back to basics regarding nutrition and supplementation. Stop trying to find a body transformation in a wonder pill, it doesn't exist.

StoneSour.
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CUMD,

OK here is the secret ingredient that will give you mind boggling results of both size and strength --- It is time and patience. If you lift right and eat right in 4 years you will be very impressive (you will be 22) and in another 2 years you will be even bigger. The trick is to stay with it. Burn out is the #1 enemy of lifters. The good news is HST dramatically lessens the likelihood of burn out. Don't get me wrong -- gains start in the first few months -- but the dramatic results take some time---not alot of time --just some time.

Enjoy the process, enjoy the journey, focus on lifting and eating right and the results will --just happen.

It really is magic.

Bob
 
Dear ucmd,

This is your real question - "Since HST has pre-set increments, there is no point in using strength-increasing supplements?"

Yes, you have a point. By determining our rep maxes then planning the progression for each phase, we know beforehand the poundages to be used. For the sake of discussion let's say that it is safe to assume that the only moment where we might struggle is when we are at our rep maxes for each phase. The use of stength-increasing supplements when contending with rep maxes could be useful.

Traditionally, strength-increasing supplements are those that are stimulant in nature e.g. caffeine, ephedrine. These stimulants can help to increase concentration and even muscle fibre recruitment and in this way, they can give a boost to voluntary strength. But, HST does not require one to be constantly at failure, nor is it a training protocol requiring expression of strength per se. Thus, the use of strength-increasing supplements are by and large, unncessary for the purpose of HST.

Still, don't let it stop you taking a cup of coffee or your chosen thermogenic supplement prior to working out. Just bear in mind the reason you are taking the coffee or the thermogenic supplement - it is to allow you to concentrate better rather than allow you to "crank up the intensity".

Godspeed, and happy HSTing :)
 
Honestly, if he wants to try creatine or HMB, what's the issue? I would say do one cycle without any growth-enhancing supplements just to isolate HST as the cause of growth. One cycle to convince yourself that HST sans creatine will produce good gains. THEN go on creatine if you want to and see how it changes your gains.

-Calkid
 
I would advise against taking a strength-increasing supplement for a first-time lifter. As you learn proper form and begin to grow, you will have very quick progress in the strength department. Your muscles and strength will grow quickly, I promise.

Your tendons and ligaments will not. Going from couch potato to regular lifter can be a formula for a serious injury in just a few months, and artificially increasing strength even more is a formula for injury and setback.

Save the supplements like that for when you've been lifting a while, and then maybe wait until you hit a plateau (though if you do HST, you may grow for a long time before you plateau!)
 
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