Going to give HST another go. Here is my routine. Comments are welcomed.

[cwc73]

Ok, as some of you might know, I just recently finished MC's 5X5 dual factor program. It was fun, and really helped out with strength, but size didn't really change as much as I wanted, and it was getting hard on my joints near the end. Since I am in ROTC (HOPEFULLY I WILL BE ALLOWED TO STAY IN), pt will be too demanding for me to accomodate the hardcore 5X5 routine. I'll definately run it again in the future though because it is the shit for strength!

Onto my HST routine. I have done two before ending both in week 6 instead of going into 8 weeks--which I will do this go around.

Sets will be: One during the 15s, Two during the 10s, and 3 during the 5s. I'll figure out exactly what I will do in week 7 and 8 later.

My routine:

ATF Squats
Romanian Deadlifts (Straight legs with a bent knee)
Flat Bench
Weighted Wide Grip Chins
Bent over Rows (BAck parallel to the ground)
Power Shrugs
EZ Bar Curls
Standing Calf Raise Machine
Needsize Abs (Not done with HST formatting)

My thoughts:

1. It seems like there might be too much back work to me. However, my lower back started getting week during the end of the 5X5 routine especially when squatting deeply. So, I really want to strengthen it. I do however have a pretty good size back. My avatar shows my back about 3 months ago. It has grown considerably. So, if I did drop one of the back workouts, it would probably be the bent over rows because I really like the chins, and the powershrugs are wanted because I want to build some killer upper traps. Also, the powershrugs really seem to hit my lower and middle traps well.
2. There might be too much bicep work and not enough tricep work: directly and indirectly. I thought about putting in close grip bench or possibly V bar pushdowns.

Sorry for making this longer than it should be, but it gives everyone enough information to put their imput in. Thanks guys!
CWC

 

[cwpick]

Are these the exercises your doing through the entire cycle or just the 15's? I am in week four of my first cyle and did 2 sets in the 15's. I am also doing an AM PM split three days a week.

 

[psychedout]

You need to add a shoulder exercise in there as well. Standing overhead barbell press would suffice. I would also add in something direct for triceps, even if it is isolation type.

I used lying tricep extensions for my first HST run, but had to sub pushdowns because my elbows were starting to hurt too much. The strain a pulley exercise puts on the CNS is quite minimal, so I wouldn't worry about adding in an isolation exercise for triceps. I was also doing weighted dips, db shoulder press, and incline bench, all of which I am sure were responsible for 80-85% of the growth, the pushdowns are just good measure IMO.

Looks like you know what you are doing though. I didn't do HST for abs on my last run, but I wish I would have. I am dieting down now and want them to poke out more. I can certainly see why someone would skip the abs though.

 

[cwc73]

I have issues where I need my waist to stay below 32.5 inches due to the AF PFT.

I am thinking about a 6 day split: Day1, Day2, Day1.... because I won't be able to handle an AM/PM split. How does that sound guys? Also, you can definately see the 5x5 and heavy lifting comeing out in this HST cycle

 

[cwpick]

I agree psych throw in standing military. Maybe alternate close grip bench with bicep work every other workout. I was doing deads, rows and squats all on the same day, but switched it to doing deads once a week now that I am in the last week of 10's going into the 5's. Just too much for my lower back didn't want to get burned out. Yeah i did the 5x5 before i started HST and incorporated alot of those lifts in my cycle. If you havent yet go the the customize HST thread in the HST forum, pretty good stuff on switching things up

 

[cwc73]

thanks. I remember the first time through people were telling me to not put shoulder work in because of too much stress. I think I will sub in closegrip and std ovh presses once a week or so when I have time, but I'll figure that one out later. If I have deconditioned for about a week to 1.5 weeks and then spend the odd days to find my rep maxes, will I be deconditioned well enough in 7 full days?

 

[cwpick]

I guess it depends on what you did prior to that. They really talk up the deconditioning, but I think a week and a half should be ok especially if you are going to do the 15's

 

[rbtrout]

As others have stated, make sure you throw in standing military press at least once a week. As far as deconditioning, 1-1.5 weeks should be fine. Good luck and let us know how things go.

 

[cwc73]

Yea, I'll get all the measurements before after, weight, and hopefully bodyfat too.