Maybe I'm missing something that's fundamental to this program that may account for the very poor results for my first cycle. I'd very much appreciate it if some experienced folks can give me some feedback.
The negatives:
1) Lost a whopping 3 inches on my chest
2) Lost 1/2 inch on upper arms
3) Lost 2 inches on thighs
4) Lost ½ inch on calves
5) Waist remained the same
6) Unable to do my 5RM on flat bench, incline
bench, squats, seated row, and incline leg press at
the end of the 5s.
7) Had to drop forearm work because of sore wrist
tendons. Before dropping these, I was behind my
preset weights.
8) Lost cardio conditioning because I backed off
running in an attempt to turn around strength/mass
loss that was occurring.
9) Gained fat around waist during ensuing SD
The positives:
1) Gained slight strength in weighted chins
2) Gained slight strength in weighted dips
3) Slight mass gain in upper traps
Lost 6 lbs during the cycle...that obviously came mostly from muscle.
The negatives far outweighed the positives. My wife even commented on my loss (unsolicited by me, I might add) and told me to go back to what I was doing before. I'm going to try another cycle before doing so...I've invested too much time in setting this up and trying to "learn the ways" to abandon it now.
Maybe I'm missing something that's fundamental to this program that may account for the poor results but I don't know what that might be. I've focused much more on the specifics of this program than I have for any other and came away worse. When I came across inconsistencies and differences of opinions in the forum, I used the HST methods written by Bryan as the ruling body and proceeded based on that.
I have never (and will never) count calories but I eat very clean and ensure that I get 200 gms of protein, EFAs and plenty of low glycemic carbs each day. Following is a typical non-workout day regimen, current weight 180 lbs, 6ft, medium frame, 47 yrs young:
0700 - 2 cups of wheat bran or oatmeal cereal w/skim milk
protein shake
1tbs flax oil
creatine
multivitamin & vitamin c
1000 - protein shake
apple
2 fish oil tabs
1300 - 8-10 oz fish or chicken or turkey
serving of veggies (various)
serving of beans or yams, etc
2 fish oil tabs
1600 - ditto 1300
1930 - MetRx Mrp w/berries & nuts or apple
2200 - protein shake w/glutamine
vitamin C
Typical workout day:
0700 - 2 cups of wheat bran or oatmeal cereal w/skim milk
protein shake
1tbs flax oil
creatine
multivitamin & vitamin C
0900 - protein shake
workout
1100 - post workout shake (40gm protein,40gm maltodextrin,
40gm dextrose). I usually take this over an hour.
1300 - 8-10oz fish or chicken or turkey
serving of veggies (various)
serving of beans or yams, etc
2 fish oil tabs
1600 - ditto 1300
1930 - Metrx Mrp w/berries & nuts or apple
2 fish oil tabs
2200 - protein shake w/glutamine
vitamin C
I spoil myself with 1-2 large cups of coffee/day with skim milk and white sugar! Give me 50 lashes. I ensure that I get atleast a gallon of fluids each day...about half from straight water and the other half coming from the above.
I see quite a few posts about keeping the workout time to an hour or less. I have not been able to...could be a contributor??? I simply don't see how you can do a good, full-body workout in HST fashion so quickly. My routine is long but not a lot different from what Bryan has documented as an example. I do 2 work sets (mostly) with some warm-ups and dropsets in the 5s and negatives. Even if there was nobody in the gym I'd be pressed to come in under an hour with condensed intervals. How can you unload the weights from one station, scurry to the next, load up it's weights, catch your breath, possibly do warm up sets, do the work sets with appropriate rest times, possibly do drop sets, possibly do 3-0-1 cadences...
Today was the first day of 15s on cycle 2. It was an unusually good day in terms of not having to wait long for an exercise station...I had only a couple of short waits. I finished in an hour and 15 mins. I alternate routines A and B and favor repeating a weight over zig-zagging but do some of the latter also:
A B
Squat Leg Press
SLDL Leg Curl
Leg Extension Leg Extension
Incline Bench Flat Bench
Chins Lat Pull
Dips DB Press
Seat Row Seat Row
Incline Calf Press Incline Calf Press
Skull Crusher Skull Crusher
Preacher BB Curl DB Curl
BB Shrug DB Shrug
Seated Calf Seated Calf
Reverse Wrist Curl Reverse Wrist Curl
Wrist Curl Wrist Curl
At the beginning of the 1st cycle, I kept the cardio sessions about the same as I've always done...about 30 mins after weightlifting, but this is 1 fewer days than my previous 4-day split workout. 2 days I did HIIT jog/sprints (with total 10mins of warmup and cool down time) and the other I'd do steady-state running but at multiple intensity levels. At some point late in the 10s I realized the cycle wasn't going well so I dramatically reduced the cardio to very low intensity, light jogging for 10 mins followed by brisk walking for another 10, in hopes of turning things around.
Thanks,
Randy
The negatives:
1) Lost a whopping 3 inches on my chest
2) Lost 1/2 inch on upper arms
3) Lost 2 inches on thighs
4) Lost ½ inch on calves
5) Waist remained the same
6) Unable to do my 5RM on flat bench, incline
bench, squats, seated row, and incline leg press at
the end of the 5s.
7) Had to drop forearm work because of sore wrist
tendons. Before dropping these, I was behind my
preset weights.
8) Lost cardio conditioning because I backed off
running in an attempt to turn around strength/mass
loss that was occurring.
9) Gained fat around waist during ensuing SD
The positives:
1) Gained slight strength in weighted chins
2) Gained slight strength in weighted dips
3) Slight mass gain in upper traps
Lost 6 lbs during the cycle...that obviously came mostly from muscle.
The negatives far outweighed the positives. My wife even commented on my loss (unsolicited by me, I might add) and told me to go back to what I was doing before. I'm going to try another cycle before doing so...I've invested too much time in setting this up and trying to "learn the ways" to abandon it now.
Maybe I'm missing something that's fundamental to this program that may account for the poor results but I don't know what that might be. I've focused much more on the specifics of this program than I have for any other and came away worse. When I came across inconsistencies and differences of opinions in the forum, I used the HST methods written by Bryan as the ruling body and proceeded based on that.
I have never (and will never) count calories but I eat very clean and ensure that I get 200 gms of protein, EFAs and plenty of low glycemic carbs each day. Following is a typical non-workout day regimen, current weight 180 lbs, 6ft, medium frame, 47 yrs young:
0700 - 2 cups of wheat bran or oatmeal cereal w/skim milk
protein shake
1tbs flax oil
creatine
multivitamin & vitamin c
1000 - protein shake
apple
2 fish oil tabs
1300 - 8-10 oz fish or chicken or turkey
serving of veggies (various)
serving of beans or yams, etc
2 fish oil tabs
1600 - ditto 1300
1930 - MetRx Mrp w/berries & nuts or apple
2200 - protein shake w/glutamine
vitamin C
Typical workout day:
0700 - 2 cups of wheat bran or oatmeal cereal w/skim milk
protein shake
1tbs flax oil
creatine
multivitamin & vitamin C
0900 - protein shake
workout
1100 - post workout shake (40gm protein,40gm maltodextrin,
40gm dextrose). I usually take this over an hour.
1300 - 8-10oz fish or chicken or turkey
serving of veggies (various)
serving of beans or yams, etc
2 fish oil tabs
1600 - ditto 1300
1930 - Metrx Mrp w/berries & nuts or apple
2 fish oil tabs
2200 - protein shake w/glutamine
vitamin C
I spoil myself with 1-2 large cups of coffee/day with skim milk and white sugar! Give me 50 lashes. I ensure that I get atleast a gallon of fluids each day...about half from straight water and the other half coming from the above.
I see quite a few posts about keeping the workout time to an hour or less. I have not been able to...could be a contributor??? I simply don't see how you can do a good, full-body workout in HST fashion so quickly. My routine is long but not a lot different from what Bryan has documented as an example. I do 2 work sets (mostly) with some warm-ups and dropsets in the 5s and negatives. Even if there was nobody in the gym I'd be pressed to come in under an hour with condensed intervals. How can you unload the weights from one station, scurry to the next, load up it's weights, catch your breath, possibly do warm up sets, do the work sets with appropriate rest times, possibly do drop sets, possibly do 3-0-1 cadences...
Today was the first day of 15s on cycle 2. It was an unusually good day in terms of not having to wait long for an exercise station...I had only a couple of short waits. I finished in an hour and 15 mins. I alternate routines A and B and favor repeating a weight over zig-zagging but do some of the latter also:
A B
Squat Leg Press
SLDL Leg Curl
Leg Extension Leg Extension
Incline Bench Flat Bench
Chins Lat Pull
Dips DB Press
Seat Row Seat Row
Incline Calf Press Incline Calf Press
Skull Crusher Skull Crusher
Preacher BB Curl DB Curl
BB Shrug DB Shrug
Seated Calf Seated Calf
Reverse Wrist Curl Reverse Wrist Curl
Wrist Curl Wrist Curl
At the beginning of the 1st cycle, I kept the cardio sessions about the same as I've always done...about 30 mins after weightlifting, but this is 1 fewer days than my previous 4-day split workout. 2 days I did HIIT jog/sprints (with total 10mins of warmup and cool down time) and the other I'd do steady-state running but at multiple intensity levels. At some point late in the 10s I realized the cycle wasn't going well so I dramatically reduced the cardio to very low intensity, light jogging for 10 mins followed by brisk walking for another 10, in hopes of turning things around.
Thanks,
Randy