HST

[digitalwolf]

Would I benefit from HST? I'm trying to pack lots of muscle on and i'm doing a 3 day split 2 upper, 1 lower with reps at 3 x 10.

I'm gaining muscle, it's just some of my mates have just started a new mens fitness program and reckon they are gaining a lot more than they did before.

Is HST a muscle gainer or mainly strength?

Workout 1 (Monday) - Upper body

ROW 1KM.
Incline DB (DB) bench press 3x10
Barbell Row 3x10
Wide-Grip Weighted Dips 3x10
CG-PI Weighted Chins 3x10
Military Press 3x10
Close Grip Bench Press 3x10
Preecher Curls 3 x10
Crunches 3x10

Workout 2 (Tuesday) - Lower body
4 Mins On Bike
Squat 3x10
Deadlift 3x10
Seated calf raise 3x10
CARDIO - 20 mins jog.

Workout 3 (Thursday) - Upper body
Incline DB press 3x10
Flat (DB) Bench press 3x10
Cable row 3x10
Seated Cable Row 3 x10
V-Bar Pushdowns 3x10
Barbell curl 3x10
Close Grip Bench Press 3x10
Crunches 3x10

 

[Morba]

Go read up on HST tbh.
I loved it, it was a killer.

 

[digitalwolf]

Just flicking through Aprils Mens Health and it's got "15% stronger in 6 weeks".

Here's where it gets interesting. It uses RM's - Rep maxes.

Basically it suggests this -

Barbell bench press :- 45% of RM 1 set 15 reps
60% of RM 1 set 7 reps
75% of RM 1 set 5 reps
85% of RM 1 set 3 reps.

Rest for 2-3 mins between each set.

It says if for example you can bench 100kg for 8 reps you'd do this sum to calculate your 1RM.

100kg x 36 divided by (37 minus ammount of reps you can do).

So the sum would be 3600 / 29 = 1 RM - 124kg.

Is this suggesting HST lol?

 

[oddjob62]

You've not said anything that's even close to HST so far.

 

[GBB]

HST (Hypertrophy Specific Training) concentrates on mass building rather than strength.

Basically, the theory is that constantly increasing weight stimulates your muscles to grow, even if those weights aren't the maximum you can lift.

So, you would take a 7-14 day break from the gym (called strategic deconditioning) then do a 6 week cycle slowly building up to your current maximum weights at the end of the cycle. So you won't gain a lot of strength, because you wouldn’t be lifting any heavier than you are now, but you should be growing consistently through the 6 weeks.

There's a bit more to it than that, like decreasing rep ranges and increasing volume through the cycle, but that's the basic idea behind it.

 

[Morba]

While it does concentrate on mass building, the last 2 weeks of 5 reps, they will build some great strength

 

[Morba]

Just flicking through Aprils Mens Health....

Please, go look at the HST website, it will give you loads of info.
failing that, search on here or on myprotein for CW's thread on HST (his username is Bison on MP).

 

[digitalwolf]

Can it be introduced onto a 3 x 10 work out?

 

[Morba]

Can it be introduced onto a 3 x 10 work out?

Go read about it!!!

 

[digitalwolf]

From what I understand Bison starts off with a 1 day routine that he does 3 times a week?

 

[oddjob62]

From what I understand Bison starts off with a 1 day routine that he does 3 times a week?

You're starting to get the picture

http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html (2nd link in google for HST) should give you a basic idea.

 

[digitalwolf]

I'd be up for something like that then, my 2 upper days are quite similar.

From what i've read so far, HST is quite hard in terms of physical strength but also quite complex in understanding?

 

[PAz]

Does Wardie still knock around here? Hes was quite a fan of HST workouts I think.

Think Chong has posted up some fairly brutal HST workouts before if you wanna do some searching.

 

[Bakedgoods]

Helloooo!!

HST works like this.

Week 1 & 2 - 2x15
Week 3 & 4 - 3x10
Week 5 & 6 - 5x5
Week 7 & 8 - 5x5

Weeks 1 - 5 will typically consist of 7/8 exercises (full body). You may wish to change some of these after the second week for a different movement but for the same muscle group.

You need to have an A and B workout.

Weeks 5 and 6 you will drop down to 4 exercises (full body). This should be the move movements, for example Squat or Deadlift, Bench, Bent over Row, Military Press. Basically a single compound movement for chest, back, legs and shoulders.

Week 7 and 8 you continue with 5x5 and go heavy every single session. You are going to need to eat like crazy for this!

Your workouts are structured like this.. (taking the first 2 weeks as an example....)

2x15

Monday - Light (Workout A)
Wednesday - Light (Workout B)
Friday - Moderate (Workout A)

Monday - Moderate (Workout B)
Wednesday - Heavy (Workout A)
Friday - Heavy (Workout B)

This means that before you start HST, you need to work out your 15 rep maxes, 10 rep maxes and 5 rep maxes.

Taking Bench Press for example... If you can bench 50KG for 15 reps. Your first 'light' workout you will use maybe 40KG. Then your moderate session will be 45KG, your heavy will be 50KG and also 52.5KG, or 55KG.

You should be setting a PB every heavy workout for most exercises.

I'm at work so in a little bit of a rush to write this. I'll try dig out my HST plan for you.

If you have any questions drop me an e-mail ( wardie at wildcut.co.uk )