Introduction to Hypertrophy-Specific Training™ (HST) To be certain, there are a mind-boggling number of lifting programs available, all claiming to be universal in their ability to produce bigger and stronger lifters. Some programs rely on muscle fatigue, or working to muscular failure, to produce results. With these programs, a weight is lifted until it cannot … Read more
At times it can be confusing to pick a diet. There are many different diets being marketed at any given time. How is a person to know how they differ and which one is right for them? Categorizing the diets into groups that share basic characteristics is a good way to start understanding popular diets. … Read more
Rep Cadence (tempo) and HST Q: Hi, I am going to be starting my first cycle of HST and am wondering if there is a rep cadence [tempo] that works best with HST? A: Actually there is. Basically, during the 15’s the reps should start out slow and then speed up as you feel the … Read more
Peak performance is often referred to as the “zone” or the “grove”, or even finding one’s “rhythm”. It can happen at any time and nearly always results in breaking personal records. People often get in their own way trying to make it happen, thinking that if they just try hard enough it will happen. Frustration … Read more
Hypertrophy-Specific Training vs. HIT? Mr. Haycock, If you have even read this far, I would like to thank you in advance for your time. I came across your program on your thinkmuscle site. Unlike most programs yours has some solid, current research behind it. I was hoping you could answer just a few questions; although … Read more
Anybody who has ever competed in a bodybuilding contest knows what it is like to spend hours on a treadmill. Not only that, but try spending those hours while nearly starving yourself half to death. It isn’t “fun”, but to many it is very rewarding. So much so that they do it year after year, … Read more
Having worked with many different female clients, I can attest to the difficulty of getting their lower body as lean as their upper body. Over the years I have tried many different strategies to get them to lose lower body fat like men. One thing I have learned is that patience and commitment make all … Read more
While utilizing Hypertrophy-Specific Training (HST) techniques, our goal is to present the muscle with a growth promoting stimulus at the moment the muscle is physically susceptible to microtrauma. When is this exactly? Well, it is, or was, whenever you first began weight training. It may also have been after you took a long vacation or … Read more
I’ve been getting a lot of reader feedback since I wrote about Hypertrophy Specific Training in the Newsletter. I’ve done my best to answer as much as I could individually. Then I figured it would save time just to begin answering some of the more common questions here. Q. Dear Bryan, I can’t thank you enough … Read more
Whether you are sold on heavy weight and low reps, or less weight and more reps, if your training frequency is not planned with the same scrutiny as other aspects of your routine, you may be wasting time unnecessarily. With a little insight into the factors affecting the optimal timing of your workouts, you may … Read more