My HST Journey

[mphowells]

Despite there already being a recent HST journal I thought I'd put mine down in print as I'll be running a couple of weeks later than ASDFZXCV's.

Ben on the HST forum for a bit and have come up with:

A:
Squat
Inc bench press
Shoulder press
Shrug
Palms in pulldown
Calf raise
DB bi curl
Cable tricep extention

B:
Deadlift
Dip
Shoulder press
DB LAT raise
Row
Calf raise
DB bi curl
Cable tricep extention

Training days:
Mon - A
Wed - B
Fri - A
Mon - B
Wed - A
Fri - B
(you get the idea)

Have pondered over sets quite a bit trying to find a happy medium of balancing reps throughout yet considering 5s will be much heavier than 15s so can't expect to match rep rate.

15s - 1 set
10s - 2 sets
5s - 3 sets (Can't see 4 being achievable)

Have just finished DF 5x5 so the 15s will be a welcome change of pace (and probably a killer too!)

Will post up my maxes shortly and a draft of my full cycle (pending set change).

 

[asdfzxcv]

Good luck,I look forward to following this and comparing our experiences on this program.

 

[36drew]

Looks like its well laid out to me.

 

[mphowells]

Have now found my rep maxes using a combination of the 2 main methods. I firstly used a calculator and then fine tuned this by testing those figures by trying the maxes. Granted it takes time but well worth it I feel.

In case any are interested I used this calculator which was pretty close most of the time:
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=18

Deconditioning to follow over the next week, although I do not thinkI will be staying away from the gym completely.

 

[mphowells]

(Just to keep this from dying during my deconditioning)

Have found all of my maxes except for the ones were the machine weights go up in numbers not weight, so I will have to go through to tedious stepp of trying my maxes for 15s, 10s 5s, rather than using a calculator.

The following shows the exercise, followed by 15,10,5 rep maxes respectively (in KG's):

Squat - 46,56,66
Inc bench - 28,35,41
Dip - 9,11,13
Shoulder Press - 25,30,36
Shrug - 77,94,111
DB Lat raises - 8,10,12
Row - 38,46,55
DB Bi curl - 15,18,22
DB Tricep extension - 9,11,13
Deadlift - 60,74,88
weighted sit ups - 38,47,55
Palms in pulldown - TBC
Calf raises - TBC

 

[mphowells]

15s workout 1 - 27 March 2006
Weight - 85KG/187lbs

Really strange doing this, especially after staying off weights for nearly 2 weeks, I've really been feeling like shit.

SQUAT
1(set)x15(reps) - 35kg
I usually go just below parlel regarding depth on Squats but went ass to the floor and I was amazed how tough I found this weight

INC DB BENCH
1x15 - 20KG
This was very easy going, felt I could have happily realled off another 10

SHOULDER PRESS
1x15 - 12.5Kg
Still getting used to the standing shoulder press so really went slow to make sure I nailed form. It wasn't easy but I always felt I was going to do it

SHRUG
1x15 - 57.5Kg
Always enjoyed shrugs so was looking forward to this one. The weight felt surprisingly heavy

PALMS IN PULL DOWN
1x15 - (whatever number 8 is on the machine!)
By now was starting to feel slightly out of breath but was still pretty easy going

CALF RAISES
1x15 - 50Kg
The machine went up in num,bers so I moved to doing toe presses with the leg press. Never done them before but could definitly feel it

DB BI CURLS
1x15 - 8Kg!
Was starting to pissed off by now. because I have 6 sessions of this exercise (it's in 'A' and 'B') it means I have had to lower it by 6 stages making the 1 couple of stages riduculously light. I felt like a dick.

DB TRICEP EXTENSION
1x15 - 4Kg!
As above

Abs
1x15 - 24Kg
As I have stayed away from weights I have done no weighted ab curls so this was not as easy as 2 weeks ago!

OVERALL
Left feeling rather deflated actually. I thought it was going to be good from the Squats but this really does seema little pointless when your 15 rep max is something light. most people would experience this with arms I guess.

I very much enjoy leaving a gym feeling fucked so I'm just looking forward to sessions 5 & 6 of the 15s

 

[mphowells]

15's workout 2 - 29 March 2006
Weight 85.5KG/188.4lbs

Was hoping for a lot more from this session compared to the 1st one.

DEADLIFT
1x15 - 40KG
Really enjoy this exercise so was keen to hit it hard. Went really well.

DIP
1x15 - 5KG
Wasn't sure if I should do this before the shoulder press or not but decided to and although i look like a dick with the weight in a back-pack it still worked well

SHOULDER PRESS
1x11 & 1x4 - 15KG
The dips definitly hurt me before doing this as I was expecting an easy go with a 15kg weight. i managed to go all through a 5x5 with no failure but this really got me.

DB LAT RAISE
1x15 - 4kg
always had a painfull shoulder whenever i try this hence the really low start of weight. i'm hoping starting this low will help. It was well easy

ROW
1x15 - 27.5Kg
harder than I was expecting

CALF PRESS - 55kg
DB BI CUL - 9Kg
DB TICEP EXTENTION - 5Kg
ABS - 26Kg

All these 4 above were very easy but again it is where the lighter weights are used so I think it makes a bigger difference when you have to lower them so much.

Really pissed off about the shoulder press but I'm thinking of sticking with the Dips before the press cos it might make me a try harder next time.

 

[mojaz87]

Stick with it man. Sounds like you're doing fine so far.