is HST the answer?

[Tweakle]

While my lifts are nothing compared to a lot of the bros here I'm getting pretty strong in the big lifts... but there's a problem. The problem is I don't look anything like I'd like to. I look more like a rugby player or powerlifter wannabe than a bodybuilder.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/gallery/55130/bf3a23c3b045498e4957c1db098605f5.jpg

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/gallery/55130/2537bafa3331bad899f49a08e536b7ab.jpg

(hope that works...) the pics arent great but they're pretty much where I am now which isnt good enough by a long shot.

To be honest I don't give a rats ass about the amount of weight I lift - it's cool but it's secondary to looking good for me so I'm wondering if HST would be the answer to my problems.

I know genetics and bodyfat play a huge role in how the body looks but the biggest problem I have is that I need more muscle especially on the arms/shoulders and the heavy low rep stuff I'm doing now isn't giving me that. The more I read about HST the more it seems to be the ideal solution so I'm planning on doing it once I've finished my current 5x5 strength cycle.

Now I know HST wont make me look like needsize but im hoping it'll make me look more like a bodybuilder and less like a little chubby guy who lifts weights so basically what I'm looking for are some personal experiences of it from anyone here who's used it - how much quality size did you gain on it and how much did it affect your limit strength?

 

[coolcolj]

You might want to combine heavy lifting and stuff at 60-70% with long slow eccentrics (and concentrcis too), like I did recently. The rate of muscle growth amazed me

 

[casualbb]

People do gain good mass on HST. They usually at least maintain limit strength; many add to it.

Also, just for the record, you don't just look like "a little chubby guy who lifts weights."

 

[Tweakle]

To me I do bro... maybe I have a self image problem but some of the guys posting pics here look so damn good!

Good idea CCJ - I've been lifting a little fast lately and slowing down on the negative would certainly help

casualbb - would you consider HST the most effective way of building up the 'show' muscles? I sound like a beachworkout loser but I really need to do something about my arms/delts & chest... the hardgainer theory that you shouldn't do direct arm work has really hurt them.

 

[casualbb]

That sort of depends. HST is great for building muscle, period. But with an individual, the rates of growth for different bodyparts is kinda unpredictable. The best I could say is do HST, make sure you have enough volume for the parts you want to prioritize, and eat more than enough to gain. You'll put on some fat but growth should be good.

For instance, I considered shoulders as lagging, and this cycle I doubled my volume on DB overheads and gained some decent shoulder size.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Hey brother! I dont know anything about HST but direct arm work makes a huge difference IMO. Just got to say, at 18.5 your arms are no fucking joke. And you look fucking impressive from where Im standing. I often see myself as a skinny or fat/smooth individual, with a flat back. Self image sucks. Keep doing what your doing man!

 

[Deleted member 33117]

You're delts and chest are better than you think. I can actually see your rear delts in the second pic. Lose 5 or 6 lbs of bodyfat and they'll appear much larger. HST would be a good routine for your goals having just finished a 5 X 5. For your arms, since you want to make them a priority, train them with supersets, rather than staight sets, while doing straight sets on everything else. Select lifts that work the most fibers, or seem to give you the deepest burn or best pump in your tris and bis. Use isolation movements, since your chest and back work 3 times a week will give you the compound movements you need. For barbell bicep work, remember that a narrow grip has been show in studies to stimulate the most neural activity in both heads. Use movements that keep the tris under constant tension that have been shown to cause the most neural activity, such as decline extentions and pressdowns with an angled bar. Make certain to include movements in your supersets that put the muscle into a deep stretch such as incline curls at a shallow andle on the incline bench, and behind the head tricep extentions. That will allow you to prioritise your arms on this routine.