Am I understanding HST?

Neil

New Member
I am new here and have been soaking up everything over the last few days. I have been more a cardio lean gym person over the last 3 years with 45 mins cardio 5 days a week and weights to keep tone. I am 6 feet 150, and would like to build bulk/muscles now since I am all tone and lost the execess fat.

Here is what I am understanding about HST, please add or advise to my current understanding of HST. Regarding the training schedule:

2 weeks @ 15 reps, then rest for 7-9 days. Now each excercise should I increase the weight while maintaining the 15 reps?

I also understand its 3 days a week (mon-wed.fri) with tues-thur as off. Can I do cardio for 45 mins on tues-thur?

After resting, 2 weeks @ 10 reps, then 7-9 days of rest.

Then 2 weeks @ 5 reps, then rest. What next? After the 15/10/5 cycles are complete what next? Start again?

One last question (at least for now) I like to work my forearm, could I work my forearm on tues-thur which are my rest days?

For the past 4 weeks I have been working Shoulder/Arms/Chest/Traps once per week with good form and heavy weights. I am about to switch to HST, but would like to get correct approach before switching.

Thanks again,
Neil
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Neil @ June 11 2003,9:21)]Here is what I am understanding about HST, please add or advise to my current understanding of HST. Regarding the training schedule:
I'm afraid you're not getting it.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]2 weeks @ 15 reps, then rest for 7-9 days. Now each excercise should I increase the weight while maintaining the 15 reps?

No, no rest afterwards. You take 9-12 days off anfd then start a load progression untill at workout six you hit your 15 RM, which is the maximum weight you can lift for 15 reps. You do the same for other rep ranges and at the endyou take another 9-12 days off.


[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I also understand its 3 days a week (mon-wed.fri) with tues-thur as off. Can I do cardio for 45 mins on tues-thur?

Sure.


[b said:
Quote[/b] ]One last question (at least for now) I like to work my forearm, could I work my forearm on tues-thur which are my rest days?

I see no problem with that.
 
Thanks, I am seeing the light here now, how would I know what is my RM @15? So to know that I will work up to that weight? Or I just keep adding weight untill I cant do 15 reps anymore and what if it takes 4 or 5 sessions to accomplish and not 6?

Thanks again,
Neil
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Neil @ June 11 2003,10:29)]Thanks, I am seeing the light here now, how would I know what is my RM @15? So to know that I will work up to that weight? Or I just keep adding weight untill I cant do 15 reps anymore and what if it takes 4 or 5 sessions to accomplish and not 6?
Thanks again,
Neil
No, you take a whole week and find, in three separate days, the amount of weight you can lift for each rep range and for each exercise individually and preferably in the order you're planning to perform them.

Have you read the HST articles?
 
George:

I read the article and I seems to get the more technical and scientific facts more than actaully how to perform the test.

So there is actually a one week (an initial setup if you may) that I have to perform the 15, 10 and 5 and see my maximum for each and then go on a two week (6 sessions) workout to accomplish the max weight for each 15/10/5?

Thanks for your help,
Neil
 
Neil, try this:

Test your rep maxes (RMs): you will take 1 week to do this, once you have decided on all the lifts you will use in your HST workout.

On Monday, for each lift find the weight that you can do 15 reps for, but not quite hit failure. If you don't have a good idea already (from past training logs, etc.) it might take you a few tries, but that's OK. Start at a reasonable weight & go; if you need to, add more weight & do it again, until you can only do 15-17 reps. Repeat this for each lift & you will have your 15RM weights. Eat a nice protein + carb meal after you're done. Rest for 2 days, until...

On Wednesday, do the same thing as above, but find the weight that you can do about 10 times. Eat a nice protein + carb meal after you're done & then rest until...

Friday, where you will once again do the same thing but for the 5 rep max. Eat a nice protein + carb meal after you're done.

You will now take 12-14 days off for Strategic Deconditioning (SD). I would suggest this amount of time since you've been lifting heavy recently.

After your SD, you will start your routine (cycle). At that point, you will begin the "load progression" described below. You will take 6 workouts to work up to that 15 rep max (RM) weight in each lift. You'll then continue your progression up to your 10 rep max (RM) and ultimately up to your 5 RM weights.

For example:
I'll only use 1 exercise, squats, but you will have several others for your full-body workout you'll be doing. Let's say you have determined your RMs for squat are:

15RM: 200 lbs
10RM: 250
5RM: 300

For something like this, you will use an increment of 15lbs. Your 6-week HST cycle will look something like:

In your 1st 6 workouts (the 2 weeks of 15s) you'll squat these weights:
125-140-155-170-185-200 (in workout #1 you'll squat 125lbs, in #2 you'll use 140, and so on.)

Your 10s workouts will look something like:
175-190-205-220-235-250

And your 5s might go like:
225-240-255-270-285-300

Again, this is only showing squats. The same idea hold for all the other lifts you will do in each workout of each 2-week
block for the 15s, 10s and 5s.

At this point, you've been lifting for 6 weeks, 3x/week with the weekends off. At this point, many will continue for another 2 weeks at their 5RM weight in each lift & do dropsets, or do a couple weeks of negatives. You can choose to do these or not, but regardless, when you decide to end your cycle you will take another 12-14 days of SD.

You have probably already read the FAQ on the concept of zig-zagging weights & things like that - right?
thumbs-up.gif


I hope this makes sense, but if it doesn't, keep asking ?s!
 
Phew:

Thanks!!!
worship.gif


Thanks to you both I get the drift now. I can say I know my 10RM from my current log. Will find my 15 and 5. 12-14 days off huh? That is new for me to initally accept :confused:

Once I establish my RM @ 15/10/5 I will use the calulator here on the web, based on my increment to backup what you illustrated with the squats.

I have been performing some decent weights with excellent form, however I was taken up with cardio and consequently no muscle mass was gained. I have now reduced my cardio down to twice a week, and am trying to fully understand and apporach the HST method with a solid undertsanding.

Thanks again guys,
Neil
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Neil @ June 11 2003,10:48)]George:
I was wondering for a while who the hell was George till I noticed that the name of the author of the quote in my signature is George....It's not my name. :)

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]So there is actually a one week (an initial setup if you may) that I have to perform the 15, 10 and 5 and see my maximum for each and then go on a two week (6 sessions) workout to accomplish the max weight for each 15/10/5?
Thanks for your help,
Neil

yes, but after that week you take the decondicioning period, the 9-12 days off.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Neil @ June 11 2003,3:53)]Phew:
Thanks!!!
worship.gif

Thanks to you both I get the drift now. I can say I know my 10RM from my current log. Will find my 15 and 5. 12-14 days off huh? That is new for me to initally accept :confused:
Once I establish my RM @ 15/10/5 I will use the calulator here on the web, based on my increment to backup what you illustrated with the squats.
I have been performing some decent weights with excellent form, however I was taken up with cardio and consequently no muscle mass was gained. I have now reduced my cardio down to twice a week, and am trying to fully understand and apporach the HST method with a solid undertsanding.
Thanks again guys,
Neil
Good luck Neil. Sorry if I oversimplified, etc., but wanted to make sure you understood clearly.
 
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