jvroig
Active Member
Hey Joe and Rakki,
Well, glad to hear you two got it now. HST can be really confusing sometimes, because it goes against a lot of "popular bodybuilding lore" that we now know through research is actually wrong, and also because it is far more complicated than most other programs since it is heavily grounded in research.
Well, happy lifting to both of you!
-JV
Well, glad to hear you two got it now. HST can be really confusing sometimes, because it goes against a lot of "popular bodybuilding lore" that we now know through research is actually wrong, and also because it is far more complicated than most other programs since it is heavily grounded in research.
Well, happy lifting to both of you!
-JV
pikindaguy
New Member
So how much weight do you guys reduce on each succeeding set? For instance if you're squatting 200..wait I'm on HST, say 300 pounds on your first 5 rep set, how much will you do on your 2nd and third sets?
the professor
New Member
Bryan mentioned I prefer keeping the total number of reps as constant as I can while decreasing the number of reps per set. I just increase the number of sets to keep total reps constant' . I was doing 3 sets of 10 reps = 30 reps. So now possibly 6 sets per exercise of 5 reps = 30 reps? or would it be ok to mathematically figure out the number of sets needed to ensure an increase in stress (load x reps x sets)? For bench I ended 10's with 3 sets of 260 = 7800 lbs. For 5's i'm starting with 285, but 285 x 5 reps x 3 sets would only be 4275? does this matter? any thoughts appreciated. thanks
As the cycle increases the work done should increase, but it might not matter so much if the load is increasing, there is fatigue in each set and the total volume is high. I do 1set in the 15's, 1.5 in the 10's and 3 in the 5's so that load is the only varying factor.
http://www.hypertrophy-research.com/articles/work.doc
http://www.hypertrophy-research.com/articles/work.doc
Lol Colby 'It is a workout after all...'
You always say that
Doing as many sets as you can is great if you've got the time, but it might ensure that the work done (total reps x load) and TUT is greater early on in the cycle so that by the time you get to the 5's the intensity is actually decreasing and you might get diminished returns. Just a theory, I dont do as many as I can so I don't know.
How many sets do you generally get during the 5's, 10's and 15's?
Do you find you grow more during the lighter cycles?
Are you Scottish Colby? I am
You always say that
How many sets do you generally get during the 5's, 10's and 15's?
Do you find you grow more during the lighter cycles?
Are you Scottish Colby? I am
I forgot where I got this info, but a site recommended doing 1 set of 15s, 2 of 10s and 3 of 5s, which I've been doing.
However, I must admit, only 1 set of the 15s was a piece of cake and I would breeze through my workout in less than half an hour. Even 2 of the 10s (for the first week at least) seemed over easy.
What would someone say about doing 2 sets of the 15s, 3 of the 10s and 3 of the 5s (not including a warm up set so perhaps 3 and a half sets of the 5s).?
If that got too hard in the 2nd week, I would drop a set so I would go to 2 sets for the 10s (in the second week) and 2 sets of the 5s (for the second week).
However, I must admit, only 1 set of the 15s was a piece of cake and I would breeze through my workout in less than half an hour. Even 2 of the 10s (for the first week at least) seemed over easy.
What would someone say about doing 2 sets of the 15s, 3 of the 10s and 3 of the 5s (not including a warm up set so perhaps 3 and a half sets of the 5s).?
If that got too hard in the 2nd week, I would drop a set so I would go to 2 sets for the 10s (in the second week) and 2 sets of the 5s (for the second week).
The reason they recommended 1,2 3 is because then the total number of reps is kept constant so that as the cycle progresses the weight increases and the time under tension is kept constant. This makes the cycle progressive, althought the 15s seem easy by comparison, doing two sets of them would mean doing 6 sets of 5s (which is quite hard). Also at the start of the 15s you havnt been training in a while so even a light work load should be sufficient for hypertrophy (as the theory goes). However there is the argument that as the load increases a growth stimulus can be achieved with a lesser TUL. Just do as many sets as you feel comfortable doing without compromising your ability to train frequently.
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(Totentanz @ Mar. 25 2006,21:42)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I doubt you'll see diminishing returns. You pretty much have to cut back volume when you get really heavy if you want to keep adding weight to the bar.</div>
thats right like you said it. i like this point of view and for my current cycle im ussing 20reps, thats a good number for me to go with.
BUT, when someone wants to make a higher volume thats ok too.
SO instead of cut back the volume because you cant handle your high number of sets (like 6X5 mentioned in this thread=30reps) when the load becomes heavier, then you can cluster your reps like 5/5/5/4/4/3/2/2. (so you reach also your 30 sets and you do continuosly increase the load)
the only thing here is dont go to failure and when the load gets heavier the clusters must become smaller.
im interested whats your point of view totentanz? have you ever have this higher volume tested or clustered?
(i have made this cluster thing for chinups and dips in my first hst cycle with 30-50 reps and strengthgains were really good with this clusterthing but it has bored me at the end. because at the end i have made many little clusters to reach my 50reps).
greets
(Totentanz @ Mar. 25 2006,21:42)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I doubt you'll see diminishing returns. You pretty much have to cut back volume when you get really heavy if you want to keep adding weight to the bar.</div>
thats right like you said it. i like this point of view and for my current cycle im ussing 20reps, thats a good number for me to go with.
BUT, when someone wants to make a higher volume thats ok too.
SO instead of cut back the volume because you cant handle your high number of sets (like 6X5 mentioned in this thread=30reps) when the load becomes heavier, then you can cluster your reps like 5/5/5/4/4/3/2/2. (so you reach also your 30 sets and you do continuosly increase the load)
the only thing here is dont go to failure and when the load gets heavier the clusters must become smaller.
im interested whats your point of view totentanz? have you ever have this higher volume tested or clustered?
(i have made this cluster thing for chinups and dips in my first hst cycle with 30-50 reps and strengthgains were really good with this clusterthing but it has bored me at the end. because at the end i have made many little clusters to reach my 50reps).
greets
I have clustered in the past and found good results from it. I don't like clustering though because it is a lot more time consuming for me. If I had all the time in the world, I would do it all the time. It gets really time consuming as you get into the heavier loads... I didn't go that high in volume though. I stuck to 20 reps throughout the cycle, doing two different lifts per major bodypart.
You're right. If you can't do 20 reps using your 5 RM during squats or deads without using clustering, then obviously you must lack stamina, because real men can do 20 reps straight using their 5 RM.
I don't think you understand the point behind clustering at all, or you wouldn't say something like "clustering is for those who have little stamina imo."
I don't think you understand the point behind clustering at all, or you wouldn't say something like "clustering is for those who have little stamina imo."
I am just beginning my 4th hst cycle. When I started, I read over everything I could find on reps and sets. I also got the ebook by Charles Ridgley. In this ebook, there is particular stress on volume, so I emailed Byran to ask about this very subject. He was kind enough to reply (his reply was similar to his post on this question).
With this frame of refererence, I decided to start with 1 set of 15's, 2 sets of 10's and 4 sets of 5's (the 10's and 5's have the same total number of sets). This has worked out very well. Usually by the end of the 5's though, I'm more than ready to SD, especially with the last cycle. I did deadlifts every workout last cycle, and along with everything else, the 5's (in particular) were very taxing.
With this frame of refererence, I decided to start with 1 set of 15's, 2 sets of 10's and 4 sets of 5's (the 10's and 5's have the same total number of sets). This has worked out very well. Usually by the end of the 5's though, I'm more than ready to SD, especially with the last cycle. I did deadlifts every workout last cycle, and along with everything else, the 5's (in particular) were very taxing.
I am just beginning my 4th hst cycle. When I started, I read over everything I could find on reps and sets. I also got the ebook by Charles Ridgley. In this ebook, there is particular stress on volume, so I emailed Byran to ask about this very subject. He was kind enough to reply (his reply was similar to his post on this question).
With this frame of refererence, I decided to start with 1 set of 15's, 2 sets of 10's and 4 sets of 5's (the 10's and 5's have the same total number of sets). This has worked out very well. Usually by the end of the 5's though, I'm more than ready to SD, especially with the last cycle. I did deadlifts every workout last cycle, and along with everything else, the 5's (in particular) were very taxing.
With this frame of refererence, I decided to start with 1 set of 15's, 2 sets of 10's and 4 sets of 5's (the 10's and 5's have the same total number of sets). This has worked out very well. Usually by the end of the 5's though, I'm more than ready to SD, especially with the last cycle. I did deadlifts every workout last cycle, and along with everything else, the 5's (in particular) were very taxing.
9to5lifter
New Member
Yeah, I've noticed too that performing a lot of sets during the 5's can lead rather quickly to some strength losses. Of course this may vary greatly from person to person, depending on age, nutrition, the hours of sleep you fet daily and many other things. I guess I''l just repeat the golden rule "Do as much as you can" (as long as this doesn't interfere with your next workout).