REducing sets=smaller muscles?

A

Arhnold

New Member
I've posted a lot of questions lately, and got some great replys, so I hope y'all don't mind that I post another:

Some places in this forum I've heard guys saying, that if you used to do ex 30 sets of chest excercises pr. week, you should do the same when starting out HST - just divided into more workouts...
I used to do a simple 3-split routine, with chest,tri/shoulders,legs/back,bi - and because my chest has allways been lagging very much, I did a hell of a lot of sets for chest (actually for a period hitting about 30/32). I had allmost no gains, so I decided to give HST a chance.

But should I continue doing this huge amount of sets like mentioned above, or is my 3 time weekly workout with incline barbell press, db benchpress (and then of course shoulder press which also targets the chest some) with only 2 sets pr. excercise correct??
 
I dont see why you should try and keep up with the 30 sets per week. If you do a proper Strategic Deconditioning there is no reason why you should have to revert back to bad habits. If your going to train HST train HST. I would'nt try to blend it with your old routine simply because thats what you used to do. Youll have great results training chest 3 times a week using 2 sets a workout.

Joe G
 
Arhnold I feel your pain. I use to do up to 25 sets back in college chest would not grow.

Thats b/c you are seriously overtraining...and I was too. I know its hard to believe that more is not better but trust me!

If I were you I would prob SD for 2 weeks maybe even 3 and then start hst by the book.
 
I have a slightly diff. feel to Joe.Muscle on this.

I feel the reason you weren't growing was prob. either

a) Repeated bout effect

b) You were, just very slowly b/c of such low frequency.

Anyway...

Hit your sets (as discussed in your last topic). Don't try and cover 30 sets a week. It isn't necessary and will prob. hamper your ability to train frequently. If you want further reassurance then jsut read your post again - your gains were nearly non-existent.

I believe the point Bryan was trying to make is that HST does not have extremely low volume, it has the same volume spread out over a longer time span.

Load needs to be applied chronically and progressively to continue hypertrophy. When you think about applying a load (training), try to get into the habit of thinking of it terms of weeks, and months...


Go with the program, eat properly, see what happens.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Jester @ Oct. 15 2005,10:02)]I have a slightly diff. feel to Joe.Muscle on this.
I feel the reason you weren't growing was prob. either
a) Repeated bout effect
b) You were, just very slowly b/c of such low frequency.
Anyway...
Hit your sets (as discussed in your last topic). Don't try and cover 30 sets a week. It isn't necessary and will prob. hamper your ability to train frequently. If you want further reassurance then jsut read your post again - your gains were nearly non-existent.
I believe the point Bryan was trying to make is that HST does not have extremely low volume, it has the same volume spread out over a longer time span.
Load needs to be applied chronically and progressively to continue hypertrophy. When you think about applying a load (training), try to get into the habit of thinking of it terms of weeks, and months...
Go with the program, eat properly, see what happens.
Click to expand...
thumbs-up.gif
 
Arhnold

I am with the guys they are right! There is no nedd for you to hit so much for the chest.

To get around that go with a max of 3 sets per w/o, that'll give you 9 per week, if you use 2 exercises that gives you 18, mor ethan enough.

Then eat well (I mean above maintenance - to grow), rest, and keep a proper progression..........be patient and you'll be reawrded for your efforts!
thumbs-up.gif
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Fausto @ Oct. 16 2005,2:14)]Arhnold
I am with the guys they are right! There is no nedd for you to hit so much for the chest.
To get around that go with a max of 3 sets per w/o, that'll give you 9 per week, if you use 2 exercises that gives you 18, mor ethan enough.
Then eat well (I mean above maintenance - to grow), rest, and keep a proper progression..........be patient and you'll be reawrded for your efforts!
thumbs-up.gif
Click to expand...
Right now I'm doing 2 excercises and 2 sets - should I increase sets to 3 for chest???
 
There's really no need.

Go with 2 exercises, 2 sets per exercise. That's plenty.

Personally, it's more than I do in a workout for chest.
 
Just completed HST cycle, gained ~1/4-1/2 inch on the arms, 3kgs.

Cycle was 2 wks of 5s, 3 wks of post 5s.

M-W-F-Sa/Sun

M/F
Dips
Chins
Squats
DB press
DB shrugs

W/S
Incline Bench
BB Rows
Deads
Military/BTN press
DB shrugs

12 day SD from end of last cutting cycle

2 sets during 5s, metabolic set of 15s ~ 60% 5RM, larger increments

Post 5s:
Loaded stretch for bis, tris twice weekly
12-15 reps clustered, one increment per week
Same metabolic
Used 2-3 neg reps on the bench in the last week

No cardio - other than everyday walking around, from station to house ~ 10mins etc.

About 500cals above maintenance

Large % of cals eaten around and after workout.

Sleep deprived - so not sure I got the most I could have.

BB rows are JS and along with shrugs are explosive - esp. in upper range of concentric
 
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