The HST cycle

[Alek]

Hi all,
I am about to do my first HST cycle and I want to do it right. So I'd ask the people who've done HST here something simple. If you could ask me just 2-3 questions about my HST set-up, to ensure that I had a very productive HST bulking cycle i'd be very happy with... what would you ask me? I want to make the best out of HST.



Just some simple details on the workout

Frequency: 3x week, 1x daily | Setup: 15s, 10s, 5s, negs

Format: 1. Leg Press (1 X 15) 2. Leg Curl [one leg] (2 X 15) 3. Incline DumbBell Bench (2 X15), 4. DumbBell bench (1 X 15), 5. PullDown (2 X 15), 6. Rows (2 X 15), 7. Shrugs (1 X 15), 8. Shoulder Press (1 X 15), 9. Lateral Raises (1 X 15), 10. Dumbbell Bicep Curls (3 X 15), 11. Tricep Pushdowns (3 x 15), 12. Calf Press

Quote[/b] ]-----15s----
LP : 80 kg (wk1) | 130kg (wk2) [10kg increments]
LC : 21 kg (wk1) | 30kg (wk2) [2kg increments]
IDB: 4 kg (wk1) | 14kg (wk2) [2kg increments]
DB : 4 kg (wk1) | 14kg (wk2) [2kg increments]
PD : 26 kg (wk1) | 45kg (wk2) [4kg increments]
Rw : 32 kg (wk1) | 45kg (wk2) [4kg increments]
Sh : 50 kg (wk1) | 70kg (wk2) [4kg increments]
SP : 10 kg (wk1) | 30kg (wk2) [4kg increments]
LR : 2 kg (wk1) | 4kg (wk2) [0kg increments]
DC : 5 kg (wk1) | 10kg (wk2) [1kg increments]
TP : 15 kg (wk1) | 25kg (wk2) [2kg increments]
CP : 80 kg (wk1) | 180kg (wk2) [20kg increments]
-----10s----
LP : 130 kg (wk3) | 155kg (wk4) [5kg increments]
LC : 31 kg (wk3) | 37kg (wk4) [1kg increments]
IDB: 12 kg (wk3) | 22kg (wk4) [2kg increments]
DB : 13 kg (wk3) | 18kg (wk4) [1kg increments]
PD : 45 kg (wk3) | 55kg (wk4) [2kg increments]
Rw : 45 kg (wk3) | 51kg (wk4) [1kg increments]
Sh : 74 kg (wk3) | 84kg (wk4) [2kg increments]
SP : 28 kg (wk3) | 38kg (wk4) [2kg increments]
LR : 3 kg (wk3) | 5kg (wk4) [0kg increments]
DC : 7 kg (wk3) | 12kg (wk4) [1kg increments]
TP : 20 kg (wk3) | 30kg (wk4) [2kg increments]
CP : 170 kg (wk3) | 220kg (wk4) [10kg increments]
-----5s----
LP : 155 kg (wk5) | 180kg (wk6) [5kg increments]
LC : 36 kg (wk5) | 42kg (wk6) [1kg increments]
IDB: 20 kg (wk5) | 25kg (wk6) [1kg increments]
DB : 19 kg (wk5) | 25kg (wk6) [1kg increments]
PD : 55 kg (wk5) | 65kg (wk6) [2kg increments]
Rw : 52 kg (wk5) | 62kg (wk6) [2kg increments]
Sh : 87 kg (wk5) | 97kg (wk6) [2kg increments]
SP : 34 kg (wk5) | 44kg (wk6) [2kg increments]
LR : 6 kg (wk5) | 8kg (wk6) [0kg increments]
DC : 9 kg (wk5) | 14kg (wk6) [1kg increments]
TP : 25 kg (wk5) | 35kg (wk6) [2kg increments]
CP : 220kg (wk5) | 270kg (wk6) [10kg increments]

My diet plan (in progress):
http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/cgi-bin....;t=1056
P.S. My arms are a lagging bodypart (triceps + biceps) and legs (especially calves) an overdeveloped part.

 

[Old and Grey]

1. Why don't you do dips instead of flat DB bench since you are already doing an incline DB bench?

2. Why do both shoulder press and lateral raise when just one is enough for the shoulders? Have you considered alternating them?

3. Why do 3 sets of dumbell curls when pulldowns and rows will also be working the small bicep muscle?

4. Same question for the triceps and why do pressdowns when they are not very effective? Close grip bench presses, skull crushers, french presses and other exercises that can give you a better triceps stretch are more effective.

 

[Alek]

1) Weighted dips are not doable in my gym (no way to attach weight).

2). I beleive it was in the default HST setup like that. I actually hate the laterals, I'll gladly throw them out of my program

3) I was under the impression that the standard HST advice for lagging parts was to add volume. And my arms are my lagging parts. So what's a small-armed dude to do then? I have the legs of a 220 pound bodybuilder and the arms of a newbie 160 pounder

Atleast it almost seems that way.

What do you suggest instead of volume?

4) Pressdowns for convenience really. Its too late to do rep max measurements for another excercise. I'll probably stick with the inferrior pressdowns for now. But definetely go for another excercise in the future.

Thank you for the help Old & Grey, and all future help.

Trully appreciated

Anyone else has questions they wish someone asked them for their first cycle? Things you wish you knew and didn't have to learn thru trial & error?

 

[Old and Grey]

Alek

Do you have or can you borrow an old lifting belt? Just add about 2 feet of chain and a simple clinch pin and you can add all the weight you want to for dips and pull ups.

Adding volume is correct up to the point where it is counter-productive. because they get so much of a workout with compound movements, I rarely do more than 1 set each for tris and bis. I have found that when I did more, I either made no additional gains and would have been better off doing more heavy compound movements or I actually would go backward. If you can handle that volume and still grow, go for it.

Good luck>