Long term bodybuilder- HST newbie

[ian]

The clues in the title. Been bodybuilding for ages, but started HST last week. I was fuming during my SD period and im finding it hard lifting light weights. Gota few questions to keep me using the system.

1.In 'pumping iron' Arnie goes on about feeling the pump and getting the blood into the muscles. You cannot really achieve this using HST, does that mean he was talking crap??

2.Until a week ago I trained each bodypart on seperate days, did about five different exercises and four sets four each. As HST uses only one exercise and set, can you work the muscle in a similar way, hitting all the angles? I can see the point in one set on say chest, as its not that big. But i've got a dead big back, and after doing two sets for back surely I cant have used the same amount of muscle than my usual 20 sets.

3.Someone with a clue send me the best HST routine for an experienced bodybuilder startn a HST routine, in which mass is the main goal.

4.I have genetically poor shoulders, how do I adjust the routine.

5.How does everyone go up 2.5kg per workout? For an exercise like side raises(shoulders), just say I can do 15kg for 15 good reps. does that means I should start my cycle using 1kg dbs? + I go to a big gym, and the dumbells still dont go up in that small increments, should i just go up every other workout?

I appologise if some people are offended by the fact that some of these questions will have been answered in the 6000000000 other posts, but 1, ive lukd for ages and 2 you never know wether your talking to a pro or a nube on these forums.

Thanks

 

[stan]

hehe, I think anyone used to the old one-muscle-group exercise program per day who's at the 15s is like "wtf is this.."

I'm in the second week of my 5s, and all those worries will go away man. don't worry about it.

And guess what, you'll actually understand how great the 15s are for the tendons and ligaments, I had a small issue with my left shoulder before I started HST and it went away.. and you'll get your gym-pride back at the second week of 5s when you finally realise what weight you'll be doing 3 times a week, for the whole body, and it's only going to get heavier the next few weeks.

Stay focused, stay with the program, make sure diet is optimised, and remember that this is just the first run, you'll understand it alot better after a couple of runs.

I'm a newb at the HST and I realised straight away that you have to try the default-standardized HST program first, without fault before you try to change it.. The main reason is so you really get to know why it works like it works.. Even though the first cycle isn't as optimised in your favour as possible, what a default run does is make you understand what works and how. You will get bigger on the default run man, so keep at it dude. you'll love it.

What you should do is read every single thread on these forums you can, it's all going to help you.. alot. So start reading, and stop worrying.

S.

 

[lawrence21]

Quote[/b] (ian @ Feb. 24 2005,2:22)]The clues in the title. Been bodybuilding for ages, but started HST last week. I was fuming during my SD period and im finding it hard lifting light weights. Gota few questions to keep me using the system.
...
2.Until a week ago I trained each bodypart on seperate days, did about five different exercises and four sets four each. As HST uses only one exercise and set, can you work the muscle in a similar way, hitting all the angles? I can see the point in one set on say chest, as its not that big. But i've got a dead big back, and after doing two sets for back surely I cant have used the same amount of muscle than  my usual 20 sets.
3.Someone with a clue send me the best HST routine for an experienced bodybuilder startn a HST routine, in which mass is the main goal.
...

hi guys, i am in a similar situation as ian and would like to know if anyone has a reply to questions 2 & 3.

thks!

 

[stan]

Seriously, read the FAQ, it's all in there..

Concerning question 2, HST doesn't use only one exercise and only one set.. it uses fixed volume per exercise, and progressive weights, just do the HST cycle a couple of times while you read the whole FAQ through at least once every 3-5 days.. You'll always find information you missed the first time around.

Concerning the best routine for you, it's all in the FAQ. You can also check this thread I made when I started, and see what I did to configure my routine to what I wanted.

If you are an experienced bodybuilder, you'll probably have a high RBE factor, or Repeated Bout Effect factor, which you should be aware of, and which is why the first cycle of HST might not be optimum for you because the first cycle is really the learning cycle, after it you'll understand alot more about what works and why.

It's just your egos crying about the little weights you started with in the 15s, that's the biggest shock.. But as bodybuilders you should know that it isn't the weight which matters, if it did you'd be powerlifters, not bodybuilders.. wait until you get into the 5s and negatives, that's when it starts to get fun, and you start to realise why the 15s are necessary.

But don't take my word for it, read it yourselves, all in the FAQ.

S.

 

[Lance]

I'd also suggest checking out the 'Customizing HST' thread for 'advanced' implementations of the HST principles. You will find (or can discuss) putting together a routine for an advanced lifter, and it may be quite shocking how much more 'intense' HST can get!

 

[ian]

Thanks for the reponses guys, although the read to reponses ratio aint very good. Anyone got any science for me on my first question??? Most bodybuilder have seen pumpin iron and thats the most famous bit, is getting blood into the muscle a waste of time (therefore everyones hero Arnie was wrong!!&#33

+ any responses on the other questions rather than shouting at me for not reading the 6000000000 other threads is welcome.(i am reading them it just takes time)

 

[imported_dkm1987]

1.In 'pumping iron' Arnie goes on about feeling the pump and getting the blood into the muscles. You cannot really achieve this using HST, does that mean he was talking crap??

Well no he isn't full of crap, and yes you can acheive this in HST as a matter of fact it is a principle of HST, hence the Drops set or Burn set. Without going very deep into science there are two Hypertrophic stimulus. Both with differing influence on the cascading signals that tell muscle to grow in 1. Size or 2. Efficiency. High rep sets or Drop sets kick off the efficiency chain, Heavy Load kicks off the size chain. Both are important it is just the load signalling chain is more what we are after (greater SIZE). When you get a chance read the FAQ called The Basics of HST and a lot of technical stuff this will explain the actual science behind Ahnold's "Pump you Up" theory.

 

[lawrence21]

since ian thanked you guys for responding already, i would like to thank ian for letting me hitch a ride on the thread he started.

yes, i was skeptical and losing interest because i was not feeling as pumped and "tight" from each workout since starting on HST but i will continue to follow it to the T so that i can make an accurate judgement on whether if it works for me.

fyi, this is my first cycle and today will be the last day of my 10's. i am using the default/standard programme with 15's, 10's, 5's, and 5's again... looking forward to the 5's

 

[liegelord]

A lot of people have also posted on how their muscles feel through the 10's and negs. My arms in particular get very pumped and hard as a rock by the end of the workouts. I also feel harder and fuller through the cycle. Some people only do one week of 15's, that may help you.

One thing I did in my second cycle was add a couple of exercises (i.e., I alternate squats and deads). I then eliminated any zig-zagging. There was a lot in my first cycle and taking that out gets you to the heavier weights faster.

 

[ian]

Quote[/b] (liegelord @ Feb. 25 2005,4:46)]A lot of people have also posted on how their muscles feel through the 10's and negs.  My arms in particular get very pumped and hard as a rock by the end of the workouts.  I also feel harder and fuller through the cycle.  Some people only do one week of 15's, that may help you.
One thing I did in my second cycle was add a couple of exercises (i.e., I alternate squats and deads).  I then eliminated any zig-zagging.  There was a lot in my first cycle and taking that out gets you to the heavier weights faster.

Not sure about this being pumped lark on HST, prob just coz im a nube i I moan 2 much, I havnt even finished the 15s yet.

but as far as ....

I cant see that happenin for me. It used to take me 16sets of four different excercises, contractn loads and workn hard to get my biceps to feel propa pumped. I just cant see me being able to get pumped from doin 1or two sets.

I rekon its another geneticy thing, I can work my back all day and feel fine, and do 3sets on bench(in my old routines, be4 HST) and feel my chest was worked.

 

[Totentanz]

I feel the pump most especially when I take the eccentric portion of the lift real slow...

 

[ian]

Does anyone actually know what I mean???
You know when you do that many sets (not using HST) and u feel a real burn, and then afterwards your arms (for example) are fully bloated, and you can hardly move them and you definetly cant flex them properly. Thats what I mean by pump, and i dont rekon u can get it using on set.
I dont mean just feeln that particular exercise

 

[imported_dkm1987]

1. There is absolutely nothing saying that one set is the way to go, so let's not overlook this. In the FAQ and many many times Bryan has said that the minimum effective volume is a sliding scale, IE relative to the individual's condition at the time of loading. So someone who is conditioned to umpteen sets is not going to see a benefit to reducing it down to one set. Actually it would be the inverse.

2. The pump is related to metabolic signalling not load signalling and although related they are two differing chain of events. One must work both these chains to get the most effective workout. A good practice is to work your heavy load set followed immmediately by drops sets or high rep out set inducing both strings of the hypertrophic chain.

3. When in the 15's the idea is increasing metabolic byproducts which in turn have shown 1. a mild hypertrophic response 2. Connective tissue repair. This is a different prospect that what has been proposed before by other routines.

Bottom line we need to not confuse the reasonings behind why the PUMP is utilized and why loading is utilized.

 

[ian]

LOL, i go the gym to get away from all this clever stuff.

I used to be quite intelligent (ive gota degree and everything) but these days a post like that just hurts my head.

But you win. Il syke myself up and then plunge into all the science posts.

 

[Dood]

I'll say it in a non technical way: Pump is only part of the story. Many reps and sets that give you the burn or pump are creating metabolic stimulus, which among other things can help keep your joints and tendons healthy and happy. Heavier weights, lower reps don't give you the pump, but they do cause more damage to the muscle fiber which leads to more hypertrophy. Put them both together and they equal real growth.
Do your 15's, (think of this as priming your muscles for future growth), as many sets as you want, and work your way to the 5's and see what happens. If you are used to lots of volume you'll have to do more than one set per exercise. Eat a lot too.

 

[Firminator]

I've been doing HST workouts for 2 yrs now. I don't know the science behind it but my experience is that it works. Like you, I used to hit a body part twice a week and got great pumps. But after a couple days they are gone until the next time.

With HST and my full body workouts, twice a day, 3 times per week - my muscles are tight and slightly pumped all the time. Seems like it doesn't take as many sets to pump them when you hit them 3 or more days per week.

Most of us came to HST because we weren't satisfied with what we were doing anymore. Like everyone else said, try it as designed the first time and you will start to feel what works for you and what may need to be changed a little the next time.

Yeah - the first few 15's workouts can be an ego buster in a crowded gym but over the years I see the same guys doing the same routines with max weights over and over and over. And for the most part - they always look the same - I don't. During my 15's, I wear long baggy t-shirts for my workouts - then when the weights start getting heavier and I start blowing up again - out come the t-shirts with the cut-off sleeves - and they get to see what I'm carrying. The same guys that were staring at me doing DB benches with the 50's now watch out of the corner of their eyes when I do my 5's with the 100's.

Just give it a shot.
Firm

 

[lawrence21]

Quote[/b] (ian @ Feb. 26 2005,10:13)]Does anyone actually know what I mean???
You know when you do that many sets (not using HST) and u feel a real burn, and then afterwards your arms (for example) are fully bloated, and you can hardly move them and you definetly cant flex them properly. Thats what I mean by pump, and i dont rekon u can get it using on set.
I dont mean just feeln that particular exercise

i know what you mean bro, the pump is so dang hard that your arm is stuck at an angle/position and your biceps feels like its gonna tear through the skin.

got through the last of the 10's and can really feel the damage. couldn't complete the 2nd set for most of my exercises without cheating.