Several Questions

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UNCTarH

New Member
I'm currently 17 and I just finished my 2nd cycle of HST training and currently am in SD, I think it went well, but now I have a several questions that I want to get cleared up.

My first cycle I was doing 1x15, 2x10, 3x5, for the first 6 weeks then 3x5's the final two weeks instead of neg.

Am I doing anything wrong? How many sets should I exactly do? On the 2nd cycle I added an additional set to each, making 2x15,3x10,4x5. Is this too many sets? Remember I'm 17 so this might be a little too hard on my CNS. But HST requires 1-2 sets if I read correct, isn't this too small amount of sets.

I did these 10 exercises:
BP, Squats, IBP, Military Press, SLD, Skullcrushers, Barbell Curls, DumbBell Row, Calf raises, DB Lunges

Too many or too few exercises? Should I add or take out any exercise and still be able to hit my whole body.

During the off days Tuesday and Thursday could I do cardio (30-40 min jogs or basketball) and ab workouts.

Also Say my max bench was 225 for 15's would it be correct if I did
175 185 195 205 215 225? 10 increments on compound lifts and 5 on the smaller exercises?

Finally during SD would it hurt if I did some cardio or ab workouts or basketball scrimmage

My goal is mainly to lose fat and maintain my muscle.

Sorry about my long post. All the help would be glady appreciated.
 
its funny, I have already read both of those articles, but I still learned new things this time around...must be the endorphins
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I don't see any reason to do 3 sets of 10s or 4 sets of 5s. That sounds like an awful lot -- particularly for someone relatively new to all this. Unless you have been training for years and years, and are highly resistant to training stimuli, I'd say its overkill. I'm a big fan of doing what is necessary, rather than everything you can tolerate. You can increase volume later if it's necessary, but if you start out doing everything you can handle, what are you going to do once you adapt to all that volume? Increase beyond your capacity? Not going to work.

Your exercise selection seems fine, although I don't know that you need to do lunges, squats and SLDL all in the same workout.

Doing cardio on off days is fine.

Your increments are fine.

Personally, I don't do anything during SD. I tend to lose muscle easily, so I never do cardio if I'm not also weight training. If you choose to, be sure to supplement with protein before and after, just as you would with weights, to minimize protein loss.
 
You should plan to be in and out of the gym in about 45 minutes if you are not using steroids, which you should not be at 17. That usually allows for about 15 sets when you consider rest time, set up, waiting, etc. To do more can actually be counterproductive and lead only to creating fatigue and catabolism. I like to finish each workout thinking I could have done another 50% more.

So when you 30 sets per full-body workout, you need to split the workout up by spreading it over two days or doing an AM/PM split. Even a 20 set workout should, in my opinion, be split into 2 sessions for best results.

My current workout is 4 sets in the morning, 4 sets in the afternoon, 5 days per week; hitting each bodypart twice per day or 10 times in a week.

I know that split or multiple workouts are not feasible for most working people or people in school. In that case, I think the best alternative is to do a full-body workout every other day which consists of 15 sets. Less is usually better than more for natural lifters.

Go Tar Heels!
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I'll guess I'll take out the lunges, should I add anymore exercises or take out any? Do those exercises cover up every part of the body ?

I'll probably do what is the requirement and do 2sets of 15's t sets of 10's then 1 set and same for 5's.

What about basketball? Same thing as cardio, but during SD? Yes or No?

I have my diet in check and I consume protein 1.5x my bodyweight, so hopefully no muscle is lost.
 
Personally, I would change the regular bench press to dips, eliminate the lunges and add in chin ups or pull ups.
 
I agree with Old and Grey about dips and pull ups, but if you can't do them its not the end of the world. Either way you are hitting all the major parts that you need to, so don't worry.

I wouldn't cut down to only 1 set of the 5s. In my experience it wasn't enough. If you can tolerate 2 sets I'd do them.

As for what you do during sd ... experience will be your best teacher. I lost muscle during a few sd periods, so now I'm VERY careful. Other people can get away with a caloric deficit without losing as much muscle. Sadly, I learned (the hard way) that I cannot.
 
Is there anyway to do Dips @home ? Do you guys any websites that show how to do Dips?  I can't access the gym as I workout @ home.
Also how would I do pullups? Since I can't change the increments?
and O&G when you say you do 4 sets in the mourning and 4 in the afternoon, what do you mean by just 4 sets? Is that 1 set per exercise?
So I plan to workout M/W/F and Tuesday and Thursday add some cardio and abs.
But how many sets should I do during 15's 10's 5's the last 2 weeks

I'm afraid of not doing enough sets which won't be effective
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (UNCTarH @ April 10 2005,2:42)]Do you guys any websites that show how to do Dips?  
Click to expand...
Dips

You can make a dip stand yourself with little expense.
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