HIT Training Routine

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 08:50

HST Training Routine

I saw a link in a thread here a month or so ago to a site with quite a nifty three day training schedule - hitting the entire body each day. The regime was for 6 weeks (I think) with reps decreasing from 15 to 10 to 5 and wieghts increasing respectivley.

I've done a search both here and on Google but can't find that particular site - can any of you fine chaps help?

TIA

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 10:35

Sounds like HST to me. Was it this?

http://forum.myprotein.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2398

If it is that one then it's been running about 16 months. I'd say take more note of the later training cycles as I've gained experience, the beginning is just me finding my feet with HST and I try doing too much.

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 11:47

Chong Warrior said:
Sounds like HST to me. Was it this?

http://forum.myprotein.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2398

If it is that one then it's been running about 16 months. I'd say take more note of the later training cycles as I've gained experience, the beginning is just me finding my feet with HST and I try doing too much.

That's the one...although it was a website that I read and not a forum.

Also would you recommend this for someone who of average fitness/strength?

At the moment I'm doing a three split-routine, but I've tried a 2 split and I love the workout I get from that - although I am pretty much exhausted by the end of it. This seems like something I'll enjoy doing, although it looks like I need to read up on the diff between HST and HIT.

(I take it you are Bison?)

Thanks

*edit* Just found the website: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 12:28

I was just going to post that link in the first place but don't remember seeing it on here, I've posted the link to my routine a few times. Yes my username is Bison on MP.

I'd recommend HST to anyone except a total beginner. It's an exceptionally good way to train, dare I say the best I've done in almost 18 years!? I'd say it's rivalled only by Bill Starr's 5x5 for results, they do share some basic principles.

If you decide to try it then I strongly advise you resist the urge to tinker with the original formula at least for your first cycle. Learn all your max lifts and go from there. Need any help just ask

alx · 15 May 2007 at 12:32

Looks very interesting, tempted to give it a try over the summer.

edit:
do you still recommend these exercises?
Squat - 1 WU, 1 set
Leg Curl - 2 sets
Bench Press (slight incline) - 2 sets
Decline Press - 1 set might change for weighted dips?
Chins - - 2 sets I can't do 15 reps!! may change to pulldowns until I can drop reps to 10 in 2 weeks time
BB Bent Over Rows - 2 sets
BB Shoulder Press - 1 set
Upright Row - 1 set
Rear Raises - 1 set
Shrugs - 1 set
BB Curls - 2 sets
Skull Crushers - 2 sets
Calf Raises - 2 sets
Weighted Crunches - 1 set

Sorry at this very moment I haven't got enough enough time to read the whole thread on MP, but I'll check it out properly later

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 12:52

sh4rk said:
Looks very interesting, tempted to give it a try over the summer.

edit:
do you still recommend these exercises?

Most of them yes but in a split instead of doing just 1-2 sets of everything every workout. i.e.

Instead of doing 2 sets of chins and rows every workout, I'd rather do 3 sets of chins workout A, then 3 sets of rows workout B and repeat. I now only do between 8-4 exercises per workout depending on rep scheme, so 8 for 15 reps and 4 for the heavy 5 reps.

I don't do leg curls, barbell curls or skull crushers anymore though.

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 12:55

Chong Warrior said:
If you decide to try it then I strongly advise you resist the urge to tinker with the original formula at least for your first cycle. Learn all your max lifts and go from there. Need any help just ask

As I can only go to the gym for two days this week I'll use that to find out my max's...when you say don't tinker - do you mean with what sh4rk has posted (from you MP thread) or this here: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_II.html?

The only real thing that concerns me at the moment is that the exercises with which I barely lift a lot (eg: incline curl 10KG 10 rep max, so maybe 8KG 15 rep) I will have difficulty in reducing the weight for the 15 reps weeks. I mean if my 15 rep max is 8kg then how do I go about starting my 15's?

alx · 15 May 2007 at 12:59

I've decided that I can read the thread on MP seeing as I'm not doing any revision

I'm basically trying to cut down the pointless exercises but keep the good ones in. What exercises did you do every session and which ones did you tend to alternate?

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 14:11

@if ®afiq said:
As I can only go to the gym for two days this week I'll use that to find out my max's...when you say don't tinker - do you mean with what sh4rk has posted (from you MP thread) or this here: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_II.html?

The only real thing that concerns me at the moment is that the exercises with which I barely lift a lot (eg: incline curl 10KG 10 rep max, so maybe 8KG 15 rep) I will have difficulty in reducing the weight for the 15 reps weeks. I mean if my 15 rep max is 8kg then how do I go about starting my 15's?

I mean don't tinker with the basics. It's very easy to change bits here and there and before you know it, if you aren't experienced enough, you'll make a right pigs ear of it

Just do the basics first time and see what did and what didn't work for you.

With things like curls where you can't lift much you have a few options. One is drop them for something you can lift more weight with, like Barbell Curls for example as it's much easier to just add 2kg every workout.
Another is you don't have to lift more weight to make an exercise harder and thus get your body to respond. This is just as effective as is also a great way of burning bodyfat

Day 1:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 2.5mins rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 2:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 2mins rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 3:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 1.5mins rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 4:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 1 min rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 5
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 30 sec rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 6: (final day)
Curls 10kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 1 min rest -> (set 2) x reps until failure!

Only on the last day do up the weight and just go for it and lift as many reps as possible.

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 14:17

sh4rk said:
I've decided that I can read the thread on MP seeing as I'm not doing any revision
I'm basically trying to cut down the pointless exercises but keep the good ones in. What exercises did you do every session and which ones did you tend to alternate?

I've been forced to change my routine many times because of various injuries and strains. One example is I've been unable to do one of my favourite exercises - Bent Over Barbell Rows because they hurt my elbows and aggravate my tendonitis, so I tried T-Bar Rows and now I'm on Single Arm DB Rows.

Basically I tried to keep the big compound lifts and I've dropped all the isolation exercises but it depends on the reps aswell. For example I don't do deadlifts for the 15 and 10 rep scheme's and only introduce them for the final 4 weeks of 5 reps. I might do something like Upright Rows for the 15's and 10's but never for the heavy 5's.

I think there's only Squats, Incline DB Press and Dips that survive all the way through.

alx · 15 May 2007 at 14:30

Ok cheers I'll have a go a getting a routine together. Be the way, what are BB steps? Is that just stepping onto an elevated platform with a barbell?

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 14:47

Chong Warrior said:
Day 1:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 2.5mins rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 2:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 2mins rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 3:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 1.5mins rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 4:
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 1 min rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 5
Curls 8kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 30 sec rest -> (set 2) 15 reps
Day 6: (final day)
Curls 10kg (set 1) 15 reps -> 1 min rest -> (set 2) x reps until failure!

Only on the last day do up the weight and just go for it and lift as many reps as possible.

Thanks CW

I've noticed you have largish rest periods between the sets in the first couple of days - any reason why they are so long? At the moment I have about 90secs max rest

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 14:55

sh4rk said:
Ok cheers I'll have a go a getting a routine together. Be the way, what are BB steps? Is that just stepping onto an elevated platform with a barbell?

Yes.

@if ®afiq said:
Thanks CW

I've noticed you have largish rest periods between the sets in the first couple of days - any reason why they are so long? At the moment I have about 90secs max rest

No worries

Long rest periods, are you sure you read it right? I don't remember ever having more than about 90-120 secs on heavy compounds, usually around 60 secs on isolation exercises.

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 15:14

Chong Warrior said:
No worries

Long rest periods, are you sure you read it right? I don't remember ever having more than about 90-120 secs on heavy compounds, usually around 60 secs on isolation exercises.

I've got a bad feeling I'm being stoopid but you have written 2.5mins between set1 and set2 on the first day? :confused:

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 15:39

@if ®afiq said:
I've got a bad feeling I'm being stoopid but you have written 2.5mins between set1 and set2 on the first day?

I think we got our wires crossed lol

That's not what I do in my workouts, it's just an example of how you could get around the problem you mentioned about curling and not being able to increase the weights

You asked how could you start 15's with an 8kg 15 rep max? So I said start with 8kg but have a long rest on your first workout like 2.5 mins. and then decrease this by 30 secs each workout but keep the weight the same.

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 15:50

Chong Warrior said:
I think we got our wires crossed lol

That's not what I do in my workouts, it's just an example of how you could get around the problem you mentioned about curling and not being able to increase the weights You asked how could you start 15's with an 8kg 15 rep max? So I said start with 8kg but have a long rest on your first workout like 2.5 mins. and then decrease this by 30 secs each workout but keep the weight the same.

Ohhh....so it was stoopid me

Right I'm off to the gym in a mo and will try and figure out my 15's and maybe 10's - do you think it is wise to work these out in one session or should I figure each on out on a seperate day?

alx · 15 May 2007 at 16:04

Now that I think about it I doubt I'm going to have enough time and do a HST routine before I start my summer job in July so I'll prob leave it until September when I get back to uni. At least it will give me some time to have a think about it an organise it properly. While I'm here what do you think of my 2 day split routine I'm on currently:

Routine 1:
Squats
Bench press
Incline bench with DBs
Weighted Dips
SLDLs
Calf Raises
(I also tend to rotate doing decline bench/close grip BP/tricep extentions to finish off my triceps)

Routine 2:
Deadlifts
Chin Ups/Pull Ups (tend to do these at home as I have a chin up bar)
Shoudler press (either standing with bar or sitting with DBs)
Barbell rows and usually cable seated rows
EZ bar bicep curls
Hammer Curls
Lunges - haven't done these lately, find them a pain. Would you recommend BB step ups instead?

All the exercises are usually 3x8,3x6 or 4x6 depending how I feel with warm up sets. Anything which you think I should change?

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 17:13

@if ®afiq said:
Ohhh....so it was stoopid me

Right I'm off to the gym in a mo and will try and figure out my 15's and maybe 10's - do you think it is wise to work these out in one session or should I figure each on out on a seperate day?

You'll be more accurate working them out on different days.

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 17:16

sh4rk said:
Workout...

Looks good. Do you do these once a week each so 2 workouts per week?

Yeah step ups are a decent swap for lunges.

alx · 15 May 2007 at 17:31

I try to go every other day, but that doesn't always happen so there is roughly 3/4 days between each induvidual routine, or 1/2 days between each workout. Hope that makes sense.