Starting First Hst Cycle

[Jdtres1]

I've been training consistently for about 18 months after many years of on and off training. I'm 42 years old. Currently I'm 5'7, 192 lbs. at 12.5% body fat as measured by calipers. From October 2013 to October 2014 I went from 219 lbs. at over 20% BF to 186 at 12%. I mostly trained with a "Hardgainer" protocol of 2-3 sets on major lifts for 5-6 reps with some 20-rep Squat work while training on a full-body routine for 2-3 days a week. My goal has always been weight progression. I've been satisfied with the strength I've gained but have not gotten the growth I expected since I started bulking. Have gone from 186-192 since October. Gained some chest size from about 41" to 42" but little else except about half inch at waist. Tried to start a higher volume split routine for 4 days a week but I've had on and off rotator cuff issues that I think the heavy weights and now added volume have not helped. Stumbled on to HST ideas about a week ago and will try it out starting Monday with 15's. I much prefer training every other day and full-body so I think it should fit me well.
Here's my current stats and max weights:
5'7, 192 lbs, 12.5% BF, chest 42", waist 37.5", arms 14.5", legs 24", wrist 6.5"
Squat 1x20, 235 lbs.
Squat 2x6, 265
Chin 2x4, BW+22.5
Dip 2x6, BW+47.5 (never had shoulder/rotator trouble with dips until I hit +47.5 three weeks ago, rotator feeling better since reducing the weight to +25 the last couple weeks)
Machine Row 2x6, 290
Machine bench 2x6, 185 (regular bench bothers shoulders at heavy weight, best was 2x6x175)
EZ Curl 2x5, 90
SLDL 1x10, 225

HST Program (A & B type schedule)

Workout A (will add 10 lbs. a week on big lifts, 5 on smaller lifts)
Squat 2x15, 205
SLDL 1x10, 185
Assisted Dip 2x15, BW-40
Assisted Chin 2x15, BW-70
Machine Crunch 2x15, 90
DB Overhead Press 1x15, 50 (if shoulders can handle it)
Above lifts are mandatory. I have to finish in 45 minutes due to schedule but will add the following if time allows:
Calf Raise 1x15, 165
DB Shrug 2x15, 90
DB Curl 1x15, 40
Triceps Pressdown 1x15, 20

Workout B:
Leg Press 2x15, 275
Leg Curl 1x15, 35? (Haven't used this in yrs. but don't want to try SLDL three times a week)
Machine Bench 2x15, 125
Machine Row 2x15, 210
Machine Crunch 2x15, 90
Machine Overhead Lockout, 1x15, 60
Minor lifts (optional):
Seated Calf Raise 1x15, 35? (Never tried it before)
Machine Shrug 2x15, 100
EZ Curl 1x15, 40
Triceps Extension 1x15, 20? (Haven't used in years)

Possibly the longest first time thread ever? I understand I may be the only one to read this but at least I can journal my first HST cycle ever and see how it goes. I'm excited about it especially since I've never been motivated to use high reps before and wonder if my strength will still increase or suffer when I get to the 5 rep part of the cycle. I get a chance to go back to full body workout which I really like better than splits. I like that all over strong feeling from good all around workouts. Makes me feel less guilty on the rare occasion I have to skip a workout. Much shorter post coming after my first workout Monday 12/29/14.

 

[Old and Grey]

Not a bad first workout. Your strength should increase during the 5's. The higher rep metabolic work will not create a detriment to your strength and your joints will thank you in future years.

 

[Jdtres1]

The first two workouts went well. 15's were tough but doable. I was pretty close on my guesstimates of how much weight to use. Had to swap some lifts due to equipment availability but I did do all the lifts including the isolation exercises. Lifting time was 45-50 minutes. I am really liking it so far. Rotator cuff is feeling better and did not bother me on Dips or Machine Bench Press. As far as diet goes I've been averaging around 3,000 net calories a day (I subtract calories burned from workouts) and gaining about half a pound a week. Too worried about fat gain to raise calories much further .

 

[mickc1965]

As far as diet goes I've been averaging around 3,000 net calories a day (I subtract calories burned from workouts) and gaining about half a pound a week. Too worried about fat gain to raise calories much further .

How are you calculating calories burned through weightlifting?

 

[Jdtres1]

How are you calculating calories burned through weightlifting?

I use the "myfitnesspal" app to log all meals and calories burned. For weight lifting I just enter 15 minutes under "cardio" regardless of how much I lift. Equals about 65 calories, I always enter the same total just to be consistent. It's just a way to make sure I don't eat too little to either gain when bulking or lose muscle when cutting.
I do 20 minutes cardio on elliptical on weight lifting days and 45 minutes of cardio on non-lifting days (15 on stationary bike, 30 on elliptical). I like cardio to keep my body fat down and for conditioning. I hated feeling winded when climbing a flight of stairs or doing light labor before I started going to the gym regularly so I won't change my cardio program. If I'm short of time on lifting days then I will skip it but that's rare.
In summary, calories burned work out to about 400 burned on lifting days and 500 on non-lifting days. This makes it easy for me to figure out how much to eat. I'm a structured routine type of guy. This is basically how I lost 30 lbs. in a year without any noticeable muscle loss. Now if I can figure out gaining "noticeable" muscle then I will have this thing down pat, hence, why I'm trying HST out.

 

[mickc1965]

Ok I also use MyFitnessPal but no longer add in weightlifting as it cannot reflect the intensity of each workout but I do add cardio but that is it, I just monitor weight gain over say a four week period when bulking and adjust calories to suit a weekly gain of between 0.5 to 1 lb.

I hope HST works well for you.

 

[Jdtres1]

Third HST workout went well. Honestly, I'm kinda feeling fat. Did my monthly fat caliper measurements and it actually showed a drop in BF to 12.1%. Not really believing it. Waist still measures 37.5 but pants are feeling tighter and when I bend over I feel compression at stomach similar to when I weighed over 200. I'm thinking after this 6 week HST run I may go into cut mode. Before discovering HST I had planned to bulk to 195 to end the year and start cutting for summer. Got down to 186 and 12% BF last summer. Wanted to get down to 180 or even 175 and 10% or lower BF by summer this year. I extended the bulk season to try HST. I may be overdoing net calories at 3,000 plus. I'll post my progression of 15's when I complete next week.

 

[adpowah]

Is your waist really 37.5? I think mine is 34 and I have a higher body fat percentage than you.

 

[mickc1965]

Is your waist really 37.5? I think mine is 34 and I have a higher body fat percentage than you.

@adpowah

It really depends on where you measure your waist (the correct location is just above upper part of hip bone), for instance my waist is circa 35/36 inches (measured correctly) but clothing wise my waist size fluctuates between 32 (sometimes less but never 30) and 34 inches (depending of cut / style and body weight i.e. summer / winter)

 

[Jdtres1]

I use a myotape body measure tape. I think it's pretty decent. My size 38 pants were getting real loose at 186 lbs and I was starting to be able to put 36's back on (after 5 years or so). I don't think I'll see 34's ever again because I want to be able to bulk when I want. If I can stay in 36's and put on muscle I can live with that. I take my waist measurement at top of hip at my smallest circumference. I always measure my belly at the navel as well, currently 39.75. That one I need to keep at 40 or less. Correction on Chest, actually 41.25 (was 40.5 at 186 lbs.) Best development has been pecs as far as measurements and look. Other parts not measuring better yet.
Fourth HST workout went great today. Joints feel really good, especially shoulders and rotator cuffs.

 

[Jdtres1]

Had to make a switch to end my bulking cycle. My measurements grew to 38 waist, and 40 at navel with no changes elsewhere. I don't think I was mentally prepared to add a bulk cycle on top of the previous cycle which was supposed to end at the New Year. My BF still measured at 12.5%. Maybe I'm doing something wrong with my fat measurements but my belt was telling me I'd be moving to the next notch real soon and I can't allow that. Plus, I need some new suits and would prefer to be a 36 or less when I buy them.
I will continue with the HST program and slowly cut 100 calories a week until I get back down to about 2200 depending on how fast the weight comes off. I'm most comfortable losing about 1/2 to 1 pound a week. I'd like to get to 10% or less BF and under 180 lbs. if possible. Topped off at 194.5 on 1/12/15.
So I guess we'll call this a cutting cycle now. I'm keeping the HST program so I can at least see where my rep maxes are for each number of reps since I really have always trained at 6-8 reps for most exercises. Curious about where kmy strength level could really get to on 15's and 10's. Probably will do the 5's for 4 weeks to see if strength improved before deciding whether to go to 15's or back to 10's.

 

[Jester]

Is your waist really 37.5? I think mine is 34 and I have a higher body fat percentage than you.

Bone and musclular structure will play the dominant role in determining what size your waist is at a given bf%.

At sub-10%, Arnold still had 32" waist at 5"10 (sorry guys, he was never 6 ft 2 without his cuban heels )

 

[leonardopm]

As advised on the ebook you should avoid 15's when cutting. The load isn't enough to induce the body to keep muscle tissue. As far as I know 10's are ok on a cut.

 

[Jdtres1]

Thanks for the reminder. 15's got pretty close to failure at the end of 2 weeks so I think I have a good sense of my maxes there. Honestly not a big fan of such high reps. I wonder if anyone has tried either a smaller range like 12-8-6 or 12-8-4 instead of 15-10-5. Is the science so specific that the ranges have to be 15-10-5? Probably should check other threads for that answer right?

 

[leonardopm]

Thanks for the reminder. 15's got pretty close to failure at the end of 2 weeks so I think I have a good sense of my maxes there. Honestly not a big fan of such high reps. I wonder if anyone has tried either a smaller range like 12-8-6 or 12-8-4 instead of 15-10-5. Is the science so specific that the ranges have to be 15-10-5? Probably should check other threads for that answer right?

Right.

I believe you may benefit someway changing ranges but don't get too serious on it. There's very little difference. I suggested 12-8-6 to my wife only because she's dieting (so a lower limit to keep loads higher and spare muscle) and I don't want to submit her to 5RM loads. I see these variations more as a fine tune than anything else.