Help with HST

[Introspective]

I had a quick read through http://www.hypertrophy-specific.info/hst_index.html
And also read through Jim Ouini's journal (Thanks Jim)

And then i laid out this basic routine can anyone tell me if it's ok what i should change and so on, i have never done high rep ranges before so i have no idea how much i should be doing and so on.
Any help apreciated thanks.

Squat bar x 15, 15rm or less ? x 15

Dumbell Bench press bar x 15, 15rm x 15

J.S or Pendlay rows. bar x 15 15rm x 15

Powerclean bar x 15, 15rm x 15

Chin Ups bodyweight x 15, i now have a dipping belt so can add weight to these if needed.

Sit Ups bodyweight x 15, then add some weight x 15

Military Press bar x 15, 15rm x 15

Cardio twice a week on off days. 30 - 40 mins

 

[Introspective]

Anyone ?

 

[Jim Ouini]

Probably best to wait for AI He didn't recommend running circuit style but probably no harm done.

If you're unsure of your weights you should test your maxes. Check G5.0's cut and heal journal. Also don't forget your week of SD.

Powercleans I don't think should be done for high reps, from what I understand.

Also on chins if you can do 15 easily with BW and can add weight each workout have at it. Sadly, I'm on the lat pulldown machine until I hit 5 rep range

Lastly, I chose 2 exercises per bodypart, I think that's what was recommended.

 

[Introspective]

Thanks Jim, I'm doing this to get my fitness up more than anything so i think the circuit style will be a good thing. Whats week of SD ?

 

[Jim Ouini]

Strategic Deconditioning. You're not supposed to do anything for a week so your body will respond better to the sub-max weights. It's on the HST site somewhere.

I'm doing circuit style just for the 15's - no way could I do squats x 15 then lunges x 15 lol.

When I switch to 10's and 5's I'll go back to regular.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

SD = Strategic Deconditioning. The HST site tells you all about it. You use one week to test for your 15, 10 and 5 RMs, then take 9 days off, minimum. Start up the Monday of that new week.

You can run it circuit style, but there's not much of a reason too. Honestly, the 15's needn't be loaded with tons of exercises anyway. Stick to compounds for the 15's, and maybe some isolation stuff for any bodyparts that give you pain (i.e., elbow pain? Try some arm isolation, although presses and pulls should give you a lactate flush in your elbows anyway). Once you get to the 10's and especially 5's, add in more stuff if you want to specialize.

HST really follows the same rules as any good program - make progress over time. You should still be focusing on compounds, although the high frequency is helpful with the arms, probably 'cause it keeps them in a constant "pumped" state, more than anything. But hey, I'm just rambling.

Check the HST forum once it's back up, go to the HST FAQ board and read all that stuff there. Will likely answer it better than I can, although you seem to have it down just fine.

Although - rows and cleans? Redundant. Pick one, probably rows. Cleans don't do well with higher reps.

 

[Introspective]

Thanks to both, I have already had 3 weeks out of training i don't feel like having another 9 days off But i guess i will have to if i wanna do it right.
I think i will pick rows and save powercleans until my next single factor journal. And do some reading up on HST site, i hate reading

You must spread some Karma around before giving it to Anthrax Invasion again.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Wait, are you planning to cut? If you're cutting, you can probably skimp on the SD, to be honest. I'm not totally sold on SD anyway, but when people say they wanna try HST, I point them to it.

Alternative? Deload or something. Just do something to keep a bit active. Or don't.

 

[Introspective]

Yea i'm trying to cut and get fitness level up. I might just start the first week real light just to keep the blood flowing. I'm gunna hopefully put a good routine together shortly.

 

[Introspective]

How does this routine look ?

Mon Wed Fri

Legs

Squat 1 x 15

Deadlift 1 x 15
.............................
Chest

Incline Dumbell Bench Press 2 x 15

Dips 1 x 15
.............................
Back

Chins 2 x 15 (W,N)

Rows 2 x 15
.............................
Traps

Shrugs 1 x 15
.............................
Shoulders

Military Press 1 x 15

Push Ups 1 x 15

Lateral Raise 1 x 15
.............................
Bis

Dumbell Curls 2 x 15
.............................
Tris

Lying Tri Extensions 2 x 15
.............................
Calves

Standing Barbell Calf Raise 2 x 15
.............................
Abs

Sit Ups 2 x 15

I found my calves grew from doing front squats, would it be ok to use front squats instead of Standing Barbell Calf Raise's ?

 

[Carl Carlson]

Squatting and deadlifting on the same day may be easy at sub-max levels, but once you start getting towards your X-RM, I have a feeling it's going to take a toll on your back. Personally, I alternate squats and deadlifts (actually, this is my first time trying it... seems to be working well).

For chest, I'd drop the dips and just stick with the one exercise.

For back, I'd either do one of each, or just pick one and stick with it.

For shoulders, I'd drop the pushups since that'll hit the chest anyway (right?).

The rest looks fine. The dude (Bryan Haycock) recommends two sets per body part (either one exercise or split between two). I'd recommend trying that first before you go tweaking it.

I also highly recommend taking a week and testing for your 15, 10 and 5 rep max's... there's nothing more frustrating than getting halfway through a cycle only to realize you've under/over-estimated yourself. Also, keep in mind you're working your way up in weight over the course of the week, ending on your X-rm... so the first workout or two for each 2-week cycle might seem ridiculously light, depending on how you set up your increments.

 

[Introspective]

Thanks for the input Carl, thats a big help

 

[Introspective]

Routine Updated:

Legs

Squat 1 x 15 Alternate Deadlift 1 x 15

Chest

Dumbell Bench Press 2 x 15

Back

Chins 2 x 15 (W,N)

Rows 2 x 15

Traps

Shrugs 1 x 15

Shoulders

Military Press 1 x 15

Lateral Raise 1 x 15

Bis

Dumbell Curls 2 x 15

Tris

Tri Extensions 2 x 15

Calves

Front Squats 2 x 15 or Barbell Calve raises

Abs

Sit Ups 2 x 15

 

[Guinness5.0]

My .02:

You don't need the arm stuff, and I personally would avoid deads at this rep range. For 15's I'd do (and did ):

Squat
OHP
Rows
Dips
Chins
Abs

By the time you get to the last workout this will be death. You'd probably want to do two sets of each. I think it's much better to do multiple sets of 'good' exercises rather than throw in the curls/extensions and whatnot.

When you get to the tens, start thinking about a posterior chain movement and maybe some 'smaller' lifts. Just my thoughts.

 

[Introspective]

Thanks Guinness, i think i will probably go with something like you have stated. Makes alot of sense to drop the curls and stuff and focus on the big lifts.

 

[Introspective]

Do i start on my 15 rep maxes or do i start lighter like with single factor ?

 

[Carl Carlson]

Do i start on my 15 rep maxes or do i start lighter like with single factor ?

You work up to it. Let's say your 15RM for a particular lift is 135 lbs. Your workout would look like this:

Monday - 85 lbs
Wednesday - 95 lbs
Friday - 105lbs

Monday2 - 115 lbs
Wednesday2 - 125 lbs
Friday2 - 135 lbs (15RM)

You increase the weights each workout until you hit your 15 rep max at the end of the second week.

 

[Introspective]

Thanks Carl

 

[Introspective]

HST suggests that you use 2 week blocks for each rep range

Does this mean i just do each rep range for 2 weeks working up to my current maxes but not going past them, not setting PR's ?

 

[Introspective]

mutha fungalers ?

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

When you test for your 15, 10, and 5 RMs, you set those for your sixth workout of the two week block.

If your max squat for 10 is 200, then you have 200 x 10 on your final workout of the 10's phase (workout six), and the ones before it are all submaximal.

In short, you hit your CURRENT max at the end of each block.

In the next cycle, you up your maxes 5-10%

 

[Introspective]

thanks anthrax, nice k bomb hehe

 

[Introspective]

I know what guinness means now when he said this will be death.
Really hard workout, my conditioning to this rep range is crap.
Don't really wanna do a journal for this, i will leave my next journal for future 5x5
But just incase in the unlikely situation someone is interested i thought ide post up how my first day looked like.

I was a little conservative on my maxes, and it's a good job because i was wiped out after doing this.
15's

Squat 2 x 15 85kg

O.H.P 2 x 15 20kg

Rows 2 x 15 45 kg

Dips 2 x 15 bodyweight

Chins 2 x 15 (W,N) bodyweight

Sit Ups 1 x 15 bodyweight

R.C Sit Ups 1 x 15 bodyweight


Here are my 15 rep maxes

Squat 1 x 15 rm = 100
O.H.P 1 X 15 rm = 35
Rows 1 x 15 rm = 60
Dips 1 x 15rm = 10
Chins 1 x 15 rm = bodyweight
Sit Ups 1 x 15 rm = bodyweight
R.C Sit Ups 1 x 15rm = bodyweight