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I like that people are doing HST because I have good reason to believe it's the best program for growth that exists. However I feel a lot of people are doing it without understanding it, just as a change of pace. That's quite all right, but HST will be much more effective for anyone if they understand the "why" behind the "how." I posted this in "HST - devil's advocate" thread but I think it deserves its own thread.
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Bodybuilding is a "sport" that predates modern medical science. Thus bodybuilding tradition isn't based on what works in a scientific sense, just what has worked for somebody one time who also happened to be famous (arnold, arthur jones, mentzer).
In the past 10-15 years advances in medical science have allowed us to find out how it really actually works. And they found the following:
**NOTE: ALL OF THESE CLAIMS ARE TRUE** By this I mean these results occur reliably, under controlled conditions. Google "scientific method" if you don't know what that means.
-muscle growth is caused by the muscle experiencing "unaccustomed" loads, or higher weights than they are used to
-when these weights are lifted, the muscle will grow, but it will also become resistant to further growth at that given weight
-This resistance to growth can be reversed through a period of inactivity
-muscle growth lasts for 36-48 hours
Those four facts are all you really need to invent HST.
1. Muscle grows for 36-48 hours.
-> workout 3-4x per week for continuous growth
2. Muscles grow in response to unaccustomed weights,
3. They then become resistant to growth from that weight
-> increase the weight a substantial amount every session
4. Time off reverses the resistance
-> once you're accustomed to the highest weight you can lift, take some time off so that lighter ones will work again. Practical experience dictates 9-14 days.
That's it; that's why HST is the way it is. Once a lifter understands these principles he will suddenly understand why every routine he ever did either was or wasn't effective.
For instance, just by virtue of experimenting needsize noticed that if he adds 5-10 pounds to each lift every week on a traditional weekly split, it suddenly became much more effective. Thus needsize's 5x5 routine was born, and many here can vouch as to its quality. All it really does differently is the weight progression, but that makes a world of difference! It also incorporates a sort of deconditioning, which doubtless adds to the program's effect.
But the point is, the better a routine conforms to these known rules of muscle growth the more effective it will be. If one don't like the way HST does things, a creative lifter should be able to design his own routine using the principles listed that will both BE EFFECTIVE and BE FULFILLING.
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Bodybuilding is a "sport" that predates modern medical science. Thus bodybuilding tradition isn't based on what works in a scientific sense, just what has worked for somebody one time who also happened to be famous (arnold, arthur jones, mentzer).
In the past 10-15 years advances in medical science have allowed us to find out how it really actually works. And they found the following:
**NOTE: ALL OF THESE CLAIMS ARE TRUE** By this I mean these results occur reliably, under controlled conditions. Google "scientific method" if you don't know what that means.
-muscle growth is caused by the muscle experiencing "unaccustomed" loads, or higher weights than they are used to
-when these weights are lifted, the muscle will grow, but it will also become resistant to further growth at that given weight
-This resistance to growth can be reversed through a period of inactivity
-muscle growth lasts for 36-48 hours
Those four facts are all you really need to invent HST.
1. Muscle grows for 36-48 hours.
-> workout 3-4x per week for continuous growth
2. Muscles grow in response to unaccustomed weights,
3. They then become resistant to growth from that weight
-> increase the weight a substantial amount every session
4. Time off reverses the resistance
-> once you're accustomed to the highest weight you can lift, take some time off so that lighter ones will work again. Practical experience dictates 9-14 days.
That's it; that's why HST is the way it is. Once a lifter understands these principles he will suddenly understand why every routine he ever did either was or wasn't effective.
For instance, just by virtue of experimenting needsize noticed that if he adds 5-10 pounds to each lift every week on a traditional weekly split, it suddenly became much more effective. Thus needsize's 5x5 routine was born, and many here can vouch as to its quality. All it really does differently is the weight progression, but that makes a world of difference! It also incorporates a sort of deconditioning, which doubtless adds to the program's effect.
But the point is, the better a routine conforms to these known rules of muscle growth the more effective it will be. If one don't like the way HST does things, a creative lifter should be able to design his own routine using the principles listed that will both BE EFFECTIVE and BE FULFILLING.
