My HST routine

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

I made my own HST routine and i am looking for some people who did it before or know about it and can comment about my routine. I have been on a plateau for 3 weeks now after 9 weeks of total training and i want to change my current routine to this one. My ultimate goal is size, muscle size to be specific. Im 17 year olds, 5ft 7 ectomporph, 148 pounds, 12%bf. I do get anywhere from 250g-350g of protein per day and 250g-300g carbs and 100g-125g of fats which totals in 500-700 excess calories. My plateau is partially because i have been off diet the past 2 weeks because i was tired of eating the same grilled chicken breast, grilled steak, and grilled fish everyday and had trouble falling asleep and getting up, but i learned to cook new things and try to go to bed earlier so hopefully i can get back on diet by tomorrow. I was also sick a whole week which also threw me off. I did gain 12 pounds the past 9 weeks though. It was suppose to be 18 pounds by my plan, but oh well im just going to have to diet harder and harder these next few weeks. My ultimate goal is 175 pounds 18% body fat in the next 14 weeks. Then slim down to 160 pounds 8% bf slowly.

So here is my HST workout routine that i plan to do in the original 8 week cycle fashion (2 weeks 1x15reps, 2 weeks 2x10reps, 2 weeks 3x5reps, and 2 weeks negitives, and of course 1 week of deconditioning)


Workout A
Squats
Bench Press
Rows
Military Press
Dumbbell Shrugs
Barbell Curls
Triceps extensions
Standing Calve raises

Workout B
Deadlifts
Dips
Pull-ups
Incline Rear Dumbbell Delt Raises (reverse flies)
Barbell Shrugs
Dumbbell curls
Skull Crushers
Sitting Calve raises

Workout C
Squats
Bench Press
Military Press
Rows
Reverse barbell shrugs
Ez-bar reverse curls
Kickbacks
Leg press Calve raises


Does this HST routine look good?

One thing i don't understand is the rep tempo during the first week. Im thinking of doin 4 seconds down and 4 seconds up to compensate the low weight?

 

[Lifting N Tx]

Looks decent.

The iso movements like skull crushers might be tough in 5s and negatives. Some drop isos or switch exercises when they get to 5s, such as replacing skull crushers with CG bench, etc.

I've seen a lot of people do A/B but not many A/B/C. Seems like the progression with so many different exercises done only once a week might get kind of hard to track, but I suppose you could do it.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

i will be honest with you....even though my main goal is to just build muscle im scared that i will be using pussy weights and not getting any freakin stronger.....here below is my current program, which is a very intense, heavy weights program. Making the transition to this program and totally dropping the weights down is discouraging because i think that if i am going up in weight my muscles will grow and will be closer to real muscles then doing hst. The only reason i want to do hst right now because my chest hasn't grown a millimeter the past 9 weeks of consistent trianing and dieting even though i went from 136 to 149. Part of the problem is i only gained 20 pounds on my bench the past 9 weeks, i was hoping more like 45 pounds gain of 5 lbs per week, but my stupid ectomorph body did not allow that. Infact my bench stayed relatively the same the past 3-4 weeks. So to hst or not? what are your thoughts? thank you.

It really confuses me that my muscles can grow with such smaller weights as in the hst program.

Monday
Bench Press - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Dips – 4 sets – max out - superset with Triceps extensions – 2 sets – 12rm, 10rm
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm
Decline weighted Sit-ups– 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm

Tuesday – 45min
Rows - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Pull-ups (full) – 4 sets – max out - superset with Barbell curls – 2 sets – 12rm, 10rm


Wednesday - 45min
Squats - 4 sets - 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Seated calve raises - 3 sets – 12rm, 10rm, 8rm
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm
Decline weighted Sit-ups– 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm

Thursday – 45min
Deadlifts - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Military Press - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Shrugs – 3 sets – 12rm, 10rm, 8rm

Friday
2 sets barbell wrist curls - 15, 12, 10, 8
2 sets reverse barbell wrist curls - 15, 12, 10, 8
4 sets wrist rope pulls
1 set hand grippers
4 sets next extensions - 15, 12, 10, 8
4 sets reverse next extensions - 15, 12, 10, 8

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

Should i do the beginner's 5x5 instead?

 

[cmarcell]

how much do you increase the weight from workout to workout? for example, if your max barbell curl is 80 lbs, you would do 60, 70, 80 right? what is the rule of thumb for increasing weight.

also, how much do you increase the weight on your second cycle. if your 15 rep max for squat was 200 in the first go around, what would you aim for in the second go around. thanks.

 

[Lifting N Tx]

cmarcell, people do different things, but probably 5-10 lbs. for increases on exercises that you are using light weights in is common, 10 or more if your RM is maybe 150-200 or above. If you don't want to test RMs at the end of a cycle, add 5-10 lbs or more for the next cycle, depending on how strong you think you've gotten.

As for HST vs. 5x5, both seem good for adding size and strength. As for HST results, try the results thread on the HST forum. Lots of guys who've gotten both bigger and a lot stronger. You can try both; a lot of people seem to do a cycle or two of one, then of the other. I've seen some recommend an HST cycle, then a transition from HST 5s to a 5x5. I might try that sometime.

BTW, YoungIntricateMuscle (how about YIM for short), the ectomorph/endomorph/mesomorph classifications are just that: classifications. There is no scientific basis for saying that you are an ectomorph except that you currently are thin, which can be changed. Try to be consistent with the diet. It sounds like you know what to do there, really 1gm or a bit more of protein per pound of body weight is good, but be consistent in also having that caloric surplus.

Try either a Vanilla HST setup or 5x5 intermediate and stick with it for a cycle or more. Then you can evaluate how to customize, once you see how you respond.

 

[cmarcell]

can i ask what a Vanilla HST setup is exactly? thanks.

 

[al420]

I only wish I would have found a 5x5 or soming simaler at 17 yrs old -

 

[BiggT]

My question is here.....You gained 13lbs in the last few months and are continuing to make progress on your lifts, why try to fix what obviously isn't broken? A routine is just a way to organize training to foster progress, if you're making progress there is no need to worry about anything.
Fancier and sexier routines aren't better, getting better is better.

 

[BiggT]

Just reading through the rest of the replies......I have to agree that you shouldn't think of yourself as an 'ectomorph'...you're thin because you don't eat enough calories to be any other way, not because you're cursed.

Like a lot of normal, heathy 17 year old guys, your metabolism probably is sky high. Your diet sounds very clean, I won't bash clean eating with an obesity epidemic in this country, lol....but I will say at 148lbs with goals of muscle and strength that you shouldn't be afraid of 'real', wholesome foods. As long as your protein and fiber and all that stuff is met....I see nothing wrong with meatloaf, mashed potatoes, whole eggs, milk, taking your girlfriend for ice cream, hitting the Chinese buffet with your buddies..........you have to eat an aweful lot of grilled chicken breasts to gain any bodyweight, you know what I mean?

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

I think i am going to drop my program in 4 weeks and the do 8 weeks of of hst and then 8 weeks of intemediate 5x5 and finish my bulking cycle and go into fat loss for 12 weeks and hopefully finish at 166 10% bf with a total of a 26 pound lean mass gain.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

My chest and back suck..........my shoulders and legs are going up in weight consistently but my bench is going up very very slowly and retartdly and so are my rows and pullups. I guess my program is not working for my chest and back. I am going to drop my program now and start my 8 week hst routine next week and then the 5x5 intermediate for 8 weeks.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

Im thinking also of keeping my routine since it is working for my legs and shoulders but instead adding more sets throughout the week for chest and back. Look below. Any good? or stick with hst?


rm= rep max

Monday
Bench Press - 2 sets- 8rm, 6rm
Dips – 4 sets – max out - superset with Triceps extensions – 2 sets – 12rm, 10rm
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm
Decline weighted Sit-ups– 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm

Tuesday – 45min
Rows - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Pull-ups (full) – 4 sets – max out - superset with Barbell curls – 2 sets – 12rm, 10rm

Wednesday - 45min
Squats - 4 sets - 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Seated calve raises - 3 sets – 12rm, 10rm, 8rm
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm
Decline weighted Sit-ups– 2 sets – 20rm, 20rm
Dips - 2 sets- max out
Pull-ups – 2 sets – max out

Thursday – 45min
Deadlifts - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Military Press - 4 sets- 8rm, 6rm, 4rm, 2rm
Shrugs – 3 sets – 12rm, 10rm, 8rm

Friday
Bench Press - 2 sets- 8rm, 6rm
Row – 2 sets – 8rm, 6rm
2 sets barbell wrist curls - 15, 12, 10, 8
2 sets reverse barbell wrist curls - 15, 12, 10, 8
4 sets wrist rope pulls
1 set hand grippers
4 sets next extensions - 15, 12, 10, 8
4 sets reverse next extensions - 15, 12, 10, 8

 

[BiggT]

Brother, you're overcomplicating this to the point where your posts are giving me a migraine, lol......

Don't think in terms of "running programs" for so many weeks.....you're completely missing the train with that way of thinking.

You said the bench is stalled......upper body lifts stall before squats and pulls typically, also have you historically trained the bench harder than any other lift?

You don't need to 'switch programs'......you need to understand progression and how to think in terms of lifts moving up over the long haul and planning to appropriately handle little plateaus and sticking points without complete overhaul.

How is your training going to look this week?

 

[Cynical Simian]

Like T said, you're looking at training the wrong way and, if I remember some of your old threads correctly, this isn't a new development. You'll probably dismiss this as me promoting this site's pet program, but run "the 5x5", and actually try to learn what's going on, what fatigue accumulation feels like, etc.

Also, I don't think you're approaching gaining bodyweight the right way either. Even with sky-high teenage hormone levels, you're not going to put all of a 700 calories/day surplus into new muscle mass, and if you do a 180 and start a drastic cut immediately after reaching some arbitrary goal, that muscle will be one of the first things to go. Just eat at a small surplus, say 300-500 calories/day (given your desire to micromanage diet and training, this shouldn't be a problem) for a period of a couple years instead.

 

[Lifting N Tx]

I like what both CS and BiggT said. Hadn't caught how fast you were planning on bulking, but typical rule of thumb seems to be 1lb/week. That will hopefully allow, with proper training, much or most of the gain to be muscle.

A few months back, when I was looking for better training, I found the HST site and then 5x5 and Madcow's site. Both work. What you have to remember about both, is that they aren't the one magic routine in all the universe. They both apply sound principles and progression, and the reference or "cookie cutter" routines for them are just the most basic examples that will work at least somewhat for most people.

There are a million variations of either routine. Guys who have done well with either often started with the basic routine and then learned how to adjust it to their needs at a point in time. That knowledge comes not from finding the "magic routine", but from learning the principles behind it, which tend to apply to successful training regardless of the routine.

I haven't read your old posts, but it looks like you're working at your rep max all the time. Over time both HST and 5x5 style training will have times with submax weights and then build to max weights. The advanced 5x5 is good for seeing one way to build volume, then cut volume while keeping intensity high to set new PRs.

I'd suggest thinking about the principles behind them work and applying some to the areas where gains are slow or stalling. You'll need to do that whatever structure you adopt for your training. If you change things too much and too frequently you'll just confuse yourself.

Possible choices -
a) Stick with your present routine, learn to vary volume and intensity in the areas where you have trouble, to see how to get past plateaus.
b) Run a standard 5x5, learn the principles behind it, and then learn to adjust to get past plateaus.
c) Run a basic HST, learn the principles...etc.

Pick one, stick with it a while, and make it your goal to learn how it works and how to adjust it to get past sticking points and problem lifts/body parts.

Right now I'm doing b) because I figured a 5x5 would be the best starting point to learn how to adjust programming from.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

well thanks for the replies............yes.......because dieting and training are so hard to consistently follow, i don't like to waste time that's why i want to make sure im on the right track all the time. All these strategies with sets and a high reps, medium reps, and low reps gets confusing. I know the prinicipals behind doing different amounts of reps and sets, but im just not sure how long to try a variation or when to make a change. I guess its trial and error even though i could be lossing weeks which scares me.

It is just that my bench is really pissing me off. I just doesn't go up. I mean weeks and weeks practically the same weight, i feel stupid and too small to be coming to the gym so much with such little results. Damn it sucks to be an ectomorph. I know there are no magic routines but these have good principles behind them and i know that they are definitely better then my principles.

Im trying to bulk 2 pounds a week with hopefully 1 lb being muscle and 1 pound being fat. Its been working when i am dieting correctly. I just want to get as big and muscular as i can possibly get before senior year is over. I am not really sure anymore how far i am going to bulk because i don't know what i am going to look like with 20 more pounds on me. Hopefully weight goes to the right place. If it does i will keep on going and then leave some time before the school year is over which is on june 20th to strip all the fat slowly and keep the muscle. (i leave for the summer to europe so probably can't train)

My ultimate goal is 165 pounds 10% bf by june 20th 2007 which is a 20 pound lean muscle gain from now. Any ideas of how i should cycle my fat loss and bulking up to that point. Im 150 lb 13.5%bf now, was 136 10% bf 10 weeks ago.

I have about 30 weeks left to go and im thinking of going like this. On the other hand im just thinking of bulking and bulking untill i reach 18% bf and then slim down to 8% bf and then bulk up again if i have time. I just need to learn how to bulk correctly really and when to know to start stripping fat.

10 weeks mass
5 weeks fat loss
10 week mass
5 weeks fat loss

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

cynical symian, im going to be doing lots of cardio in the morning when doing fat loss and i don't see how my muscles will be burned up for energy especially if you take bcaa's and L-glutamine before running even though they probably won't help much to prevent it, but i would imagine fat be burned up. Especially if you limit carbs and increase fat then your body will go into ketonisis mode and burn fats for energy.

 

[BiggT]

If you're bench is plateaued, congratulations, you've passed the beginning stages of simple, linear progress on that lift. The reason it is stalled is because you're working with max weights (whether it be 5rm, 8rm, 12rm, whatever). My advice (and what I also do personally) is reset the weights so that they are submaximal and I am hitting my desired reps with a little in the tank, then add over several weeks, and try for a PR on say week 3 or 4 or 5 or whatever.

With bulking/cutting, you're making it harder than it needs to be and you're not giving yourself time enough to simple grow and get strong. So long as you don't eat like an absolute moron, you would be better served to keep bulking until the Spring, then try to shed some weight for June 20th if you'd like. Don't limit yourself with numbers, just up you lifts and eat and enjoy the physique changes and don't eat like a fool, keep it simple.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

yes thanks for the advice........i don't eat like a fool....all that i eat except sunday is yams, buckwheat, brown rice, eggs, cottage cheese, farmer's cheese, milk, whey protein, fish, steak, and chicken. Thats it. Maybe some fruits like grapefruit and bananas, but really that is my diet all the time. Maybe i am making everything too complicated and i should just relax and try to run the marathon and keep pushing and pushing myself to stick with my diet and to not worry that it might not be good enough or if my workout is not good enough. I really don't want to end up subpar what i imagine myself looking like and my goal strength by the end of the school year. It would be upsetting to see poor results. I mean its been 10 weeks already and i haven't noticed a change in my physique at all except weight gain which is not noticable. I guess diet isn't everything. If you diet and have the perfect workout program doing it for 3 months won't necessarily change your body that quickly. I mean maybe i shouldn't have dieted because i really didn't see it do anything amazing with my body. I guess i will let time tell and by the end of this school year i don't want to look like "oh you work out," i want to look like "wow are you a bodybuilder?" so that my dieting and training regimen have a point.

 

[Lifting N Tx]

Yes, don't overcomplicate it.

If you get bigger you'll get stronger, and if you get stronger you'll get bigger. The easiest way to make certain of progress is to keep adding to your PRs over time, and keep gaining weight. That's true whether using 5x5, HST, or a routine of your own creation. If you do both fairly steadily then over time you'll see dramatic changes in your physique. I said over time, not overnight.

BiggT has given you the most straightforward way to approach sticking points when lifts don't keep going up, similar to a linear 5x5. I've had luck with a few weeks of lots of heavy weights, then lowering volume, similar to the Madcow advanced 5x5.

Rereading things, I take it that you are currently doing bench 1x / week, 4 sets with 8,6,4,2 reps at max weights. I plateaued when I was working bench every 5-7 days. I would suggest working bench 2-3 times per week, probably 2-3 work sets per workout, but not going too close to failure for most sets. Probably pick one of the two workouts when you try to set a PR for a particular rep range.

 

[BiggT]

YIM, with the diet, if you want to grow muscle and get strong, all that matters is that you eat ENOUGH.....enough protein and enough calories. Micromanaging, and running around with tupperware containers filled with broccoli and brown rice, and worrying about whether you should drink a protein shake at 11 PM or 11:30 PM are not the keys to your success. Just eat enough, and like I said, so long as you don't eat like a total dildo the majority of the time, you aren't going to get fat.....part of adding size and strength means you'll have to carry a little more bodyfat than you'd probably like to, but 'cutting' every 10 weeks will stunt progress and keep you going in circles.

You're focusing your energy into something great, you do research , and I'd probably also imagine you're a smart guy and a good student. What you are lacking here is the practical experience through personal progress made.....bodybuilding is one thing where reading too much can be bad because there is just so much crap out there.

A practical way to look at it is like this.....while you're farting around and theorizing about different 'programs', and cooking up plain chicken breasts on the Foreman grill, and portioning out yams and cottage cheese, and wasting time on FItday.com, there is another kid your age/size who is just getting better at the lifts that count and shoveling in mom's meatloaf, and Wendy's Triples, and in 1 year you'll be right where you are now and he'll be twice as big and strong with the ability to get just as lean in 8 weeks or less.

Pick a program, run it, when things stall, come on and ask for advice, then make and adjustment.....several adjustments later your routine looks nothing like the cookie cutter, but you're still training progressively and getting better and doing 'your thing'.

With diet.....it isn't everything despite the crap reported by the bodybuilding community.....well, if your testosterone levels are that of 25 men and the shittiest training provides stimulus for growth and you have no performance criteria, then yes, diet is everything......in your case overanalyzing diet is the biggest mistake you can make.....just eat and eat enough, worry about protein first, then get in total calories.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

good advice bro..........i guess untill i get my bench up 100 pounds from my starting bench it really doesn't matter how i get there, and later i could start dieting and worrying about muscle hypertrophy, vascularity, and tone. Im still going to try to stick with my diet bcause i feel 10 times better when i am on my diet, but i will just simplify it and have more cheat meals when i need to.

lifting n tx, yes im planning to work bench more times a week. I guess it is because your chest is not such a big body part as legs are so hence it recovers faster and you don't need some much sets per workout session instead higher frequency.

By the way i use a gas grill. George foreman grills suck. Chicken comes out like rubber. My gas container empties every 4 weeks, which is awfull, but i use it everyday.

 

[BiggT]

good advice bro..........i guess untill i get my bench up 100 pounds from my starting bench it really doesn't matter how i get there, and later i could start dieting and worrying about muscle hypertrophy, vascularity, and tone. Im still going to try to stick with my diet bcause i feel 10 times better when i am on my diet, but i will just simplify it and have more cheat meals when i need to.

lifting n tx, yes im planning to work bench more times a week. I guess it is because your chest is not such a big body part as legs are so hence it recovers faster and you don't need some much sets per workout session instead higher frequency.

By the way i use a gas grill. George foreman grills suck. Chicken comes out like rubber. My gas container empties every 4 weeks, which is awfull, but i use it everyday.

The bolded part will also hold you back also.....your body isn't a mish mash of "parts"......it is one machine that functions as such. Don't think of doing sets for bodyparts, think of training movements first, and then think of total workload.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

i have good news..............today i finally broke through my plateau!! Same weight for over 4 weeks and today I finally went up in weight by doing bench my third time this week instead of once per week. My max bench warmed up was 140. Today i did 150 pounds for one rep after 3 sets, which felt really good. I really don't know if this week I did any specific program but by doing mind to muscle training its kind of working. I don't think the HST is going to benefit me. The last thing i feel that i should be doing is dropping in weight and doing such high reps. I will go with the flow this new upcoming week.

Im thinking of doing my own program instead below.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Squats – 2 sets – 8, 6
Deadlifts – 2 sets 8, 6
Bench Press – 2 sets – 8, 6
Rows – 2 sets – 8, 6
Military Press – 2 sets – 8, 6
Pull-ups – 2 sets – max out
Barbell Curl – 2 sets – 8, 6
Dips – 2 sets – max out
Triceps extension – 2 sets – 8, 6
Weighted Decline Sit-ups - 2 sets - 20, 20
Leg raises - 2 sets - 20, 20

 

[al420]

So you will do the above EVERY Mon, Wed, Fri? Including a warm up a stretching how long will these take? Doing Deads 3x a week EVERY week would give my CNS a hard time, but thats me. I think you should do the above on Mon and Fri but drop the Bench, Dead, Military and do those Wed (do front squat Wed as well). For what it's worth doing the arm stuff will hold your big lifts back quite a bit...I would just save the arm stuff for Friday after your core stuff - and push the decline situps w/ enough weight that 2x a week is all you can do - these for some reason if pushed always give me DOMS or even prevent me from doing them more often, while squatting 3x a week does not.

Good luck whatever you do - hell, try it all. Training is a life long thing, routines are pointless, just add weight and track your progress.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

Yes, i went a little overboard. This below might be better.

I think it is good for my purposes of breaking my back and chest plateau further. It looks like a good 50 minute workout per day.

Monday
Squats – 3 sets – 8, 6, 4
Deadlifts – 3 sets 8, 6, 4
Military Press – –3 sets – 8, 6, 4
Bench Press – 2 sets – 8, 6
Rows – 2 sets – 8, 6

Tuesday
Pull-ups – 2 sets – max out
Barbell Curl – 2 sets – 8, 6
Dips – 2 sets – max out
Triceps extension – 2 sets – 8, 6
Weighted Decline Sit-ups - 2 sets - 20, 20
Leg raises - 2 sets - 20, 20

Thursday
Squats – 3 sets – 8, 6, 4
Deadlifts – 3 sets 8, 6, 4
Military Press –3 sets – 8, 6, 4
Bench Press – 2 sets – 8, 6
Rows – 2 sets – 8, 6

Friday
Pull-ups – 2 sets – max out
Barbell Curl – 2 sets – 8, 6
Dips – 2 sets – max out
Triceps extension – 2 sets – 8, 6
Weighted Decline Sit-ups - 2 sets - 20, 20
Leg raises - 2 sets - 20, 20

 

[Lifting N Tx]

Either workout looks reasonable, unless the 3x/week version is a longer workout than you want.

The triceps extensions might be unnecessay, as triceps are going to be already hit by the bench, military presses and dips. However, you aren't doing that many sets of anything. So, probably ok.

I think that working a muscle group 2-3 times per week works better for those not on gear. Then its a question of how much work per week (sets times reps times weight) I can handle. Whether to do whole body or a split to me is a matter of how many times a week I want to workout versus how long I'm willing for each workout to last.

As for the deadlifts, while frequent deadlifting can be tough, if you're not using really heavy weights and not doing many sets it might be fine.

So, I'd say make a decision and pick whichever one you think will work best for you. Do it for a few weeks. Then if you aren't gaining, feel like it's too much work, or whatever, you can adjust.