upping weights/hitting failure on 2nd set

J

jmm

New Member
I'm alternating a/b workouts over 2 weeks of doing 15 reps. I gather I'm meant to up the weights each time - for 'progressive overload'. This makes sense - I'm upping weights 5kg each time (i.e. every 4 days, for exercises I alternate) but have been reaching failure on the 2nd set of chins/shoulder press. Do I keep upping the weights? So far, I've just stopped partway through the second set, then did the remaining reps after a short rest...

2nd question: the shoulder press is (aside from crunches) the only exercise I've been doing each workout. However, the weights only go up in 5kg increments - upping weight by 5kg every 2 days would quickly leave me knackered, as I'm only on 20kg now
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Do I just up the weights every other workout, or would I be better doing an alt. exercise every other workout...

TIA
 
Up the weights at a comfortable pace, as long as the load is progressing and your eating enough you will grow
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thanks - will stick to the 5kg every 4 days plan so long as I can do the 1st set of 15, then
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Whats % of your rep max are you starting with.

You might wanna consider 70%.

Example.

If you can military press 100 lbs. Then the beginning of your mesocycle would be 70lbs. You would break the other four workouts down accordingly.




Another way to answer your question, the main dudes that know HST, suggested on more than one occasion, that if they complete the first set and it nearly takes them to failure, they move on to the next exercise, they arent so much concerned with completeing all the sets/reps, the main focus is that you use more weight the next time (progressive load). If you reach your limits, you have two options, SD and start over adding a couple pounds to your rep max or find another shoulder exercise.

good luck
 
Thanks. Only started the shoulder press with 60% of my 15rep max (oddly, other exercises started with more like 75% are still OK...) I've now reached my 15rep max while just hitting failure (1st set), so think I'll just do the same weight next session (do what I can on the 2nd set...), then I'm down to 10reps
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Thanks. My first HST programme, so haven't started tens yet - was planning on 2 or 3 sets? Was previously doing 3 sets of tens...
 
well hell dude, no wonder the other sets are killing you....your a machine.
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Most would recommend as follows:

*1X15 for 15's

*for tens it gets tricky, you can do 2X(8,7) meaning two sets, first is 8 reps, second set is 7 reps, or 2 (10,5)
some even do 2X10, I will tell you why I dont like that one

*3X5 for the 5's


The idea is to keep the reps consistant for all mesocycles, why I dislike 2X10, well, nothing wrong with it, its just not inline with the rest of the cycle and no one could give me a good reason why I should do more total reps in the center, so then why do them, right?
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Just remember, the main importance is that you increase the weight you lift each cycle and do what you can, the reps and sets arent as important. With that said, you break it down to the recommended sets/reps I listed, you will be able to do your routine without wondering why its killing you.


good luck
 
yeah
1x15 2x10 and 3x5 is a pretty standard formula most use for their 1st cycle. it gives you a good feel for how hst works (and produces results) without killing you right out of the gate (2x15 or 3x10). keep in mind, everyone adds, subtracts, tweaks etc. their cycle after the 1st time to better suit their needs, pref. etc.

about the problem with chins/shoulder press. you cant treat chins (or dips) exactly like other exer. when it comes to % of rep max. unless you have an assist machine you can only go as low as bw. if your 200lbs and can do 15 chins that is good but probably hard, harder then the first couple of w/o in the 15s are supposed to be. and then on top of that the wgt you add on 10s and 5s will usually be quite small when compared to your bw. shoulder press trouble might be b/c of when your doing the presses. are you doing bench or db press or dips them? the fatigue you get from those exer. will definitely eat into any shoulder w/o. if thats the case, usually you can just move the two body parts a little further apart in your w/o and give the dalts some time to recover.

good luck
 
Thanks - I was using an assisted chins machines for the 15. The first set's been OK - it's the 2nd that kills me
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Anyway, for the last couple of workouts on the 15s I'll drop down to one set - and 2 rather than 3 sets of tens seems way more appealing
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