Newbie Progressive load question

[zini]

I am very intrigued by HST and planning on starting a HST 8 week cycle when I get back from vacation the beginning of July. I have read a ton of articles. It makes sense and I am quite psyched about doing it. I keep meticulous records so I think I will like this. I already have done my Rep maxes to figure out how to proceed but I am quite puzzled by one of the concepts.
Specifically how do you increment the progressive load while setting up a workout?
So let me get this straight. My 10RM is 250 lbs for bench press so for the two weeks my bench press weights would look approx like this.
Workout-Weight
1-187.5
2-200
3-212.5
4-225
5-237.5
6-250
Am I understanding this concept correctly? It seems silly for me to sets of 10 of bench press of 187, 200, 215, 225. They will not be challenging, I will not break a sweat. It seems like it is not really progressive load because there is no addition of weight above my 10RM. I am only aiming for what I can already do. That is the only piece that I find counter-intuitive. How is it progressive load and challenging the muscle when I am going way less than what is challenging for me? Maybe I just need a little clarification.
Thanks in advance for any input.
Any other advice on other incrementing techniques or experience will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Vaymigade]

From what i understand of HST, if you go through a period of strategic deconditioning, you're muscles will suffer microtrauma with weights that your nervous system considers submaximal. Since the idea is to induce microtrauma and not CNS adaptation, submaximal weights can be used effectively for hypertrophy. I guess the emphasis is on Strategic deconditioning.

 

[alexx]

Quote[/b] (Vaymigade @ June 05 2004,4:16)]From what i understand of HST, if you go through a period of strategic deconditioning, you're muscles will suffer microtrauma with weights that your nervous system considers submaximal. Since the idea is to induce microtrauma and not CNS adaptation, submaximal weights can be used effectively for hypertrophy. I guess the emphasis is on Strategic deconditioning.

Exactly.
Btw you don't have to use a 12.5 lbs increment if you don't want to, a 5 lbs increment on the bp should do the job allright.
Actually using smaller increment will avoid you from zig zagging,i.e lifting weights you already have during your 15s.

 

[Randy]

The theory is larger increments = better gains. The generally accepted increment rule is 5% of 5RM.

 

[alexx]

Quote[/b] (Randy @ June 06 2004,1:15)]The theory is larger increments = better gains.

True.
However the theory is also progressive loading.Using too big increments happens to be irrelevent if you are to zig zag too much.

Zini, there is a topic in the FAQs named "What increments to use" that a believe would be of an interest to you.

 

[Randy]

Irrelevant??? Nope. If using 5% (or so) increments causes alot of overlap (zig zag), the recommendation is to do fewer increments, not decrease the size of the increment. That means to use the same weight for a couple of workouts before increasing. Using smaller increments is conducive to gaining strength but not necessarily hypertrophy.

And yes, Blade explains increments quite eloquently in the faq.

 

[alexx]

Quote[/b] (Randy @ June 07 2004,2:20)]the recommendation is to do fewer increments, not decrease the size of the increment.

Hmmm, I guess that was a checkmate...

 

[imported_dkm1987]

The best thing is to plan your increment increases to have the widest gap possible from start of 15's to finish of 5's. Yes it is all explained in the threads and FAQ. Good luck