few questions about HST

i may be really overthinking the details here and may just be better off doing whatever feels right... but i usually train very high intensity, and i don't usually break a sweat unless i AM training very high intensity, which leads me to feel like it's a waste if i don't. i'm about to start a new round of HST and i know to bulk you're supposed to take your time. is it alright to go very intense with HST or is it too conflicting of a goal?

second - for squats is it alright to do breathing squats for the last days of each cycle or should it all be one continuous set where the final rep is challenging but not failure?

1: yes it's fine to have a high intensity workout while doing HST.. if you're a hard gainer, you may want to re-evaluate your caloric intake to assure you're still gaining.

2: Yes, Either is fine...   although breathing squats that kinda conflicts with your high intensity training style,  but nevertheless, as long as you complete the reps at the planned out weight you're golden.

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing

 

thanks. not a hard gainer, though. squats i've always took my time on, but the rest of my workouts are always HIT. and i wanted to do breathing squats because i just love to pile on the weight. nothing like heavy squats to start a workout.

CSP


thanks. not a hard gainer, though. squats i've always took my time on, but the rest of my workouts are always HIT. and i wanted to do breathing squats because i just love to pile on the weight. nothing like heavy squats to start a workout.

20 rep squats arent heavy...

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

CSP


i may be really overthinking the details here and may just be better off doing whatever feels right... but i usually train very high intensity, and i don't usually break a sweat unless i AM training very high intensity, which leads me to feel like it's a waste if i don't. i'm about to start a new round of HST and i know to bulk you're supposed to take your time. is it alright to go very intense with HST or is it too conflicting of a goal?

second - for squats is it alright to do breathing squats for the last days of each cycle or should it all be one continuous set where the final rep is challenging but not failure?

CSP,
    Sounds like you've got more HST under your belt than I do (I'm finishing up my first 6 wk cycle).  What do you mean by training with very high intensity?  The weights need to progress from w/o to w/o, so those first days how are you planning on achieving high intensity.  More reps or sets?  What I tried to do was focus hard on form and incorporate some explode up slow down tempo which was taxing enough to make those early days' workouts seem intense.  I will say this about HST:  It's amazing how well the whole body can get worked over in such little time spent during the week.  The program really does work.  Now I'm left w/the decision whether to run another cycle of HST or switch to a push/pull full compound split.  Good workin out!  :)

Intensity is most commonly referred to in bodybuilding and powerlifting as the % of the 1RM being used, in other words intensity means weight.

It can mean a variety of other things, but it's most commonly referred to as the weight you're using.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Well if that's the case how in the world are you going to go high intensity the first workouts of HST?  By definition the weights have to progress. 

CSP i break a sweat just getting up to take the morning piss i mean everyone is different haha

Goals:
-Find more time to get to the gym..

my definition of intensity is just as hard, fast, and heavy as i possibly can while keeping good form in the 8-10 rep range. perhaps i'm just using the wrong terminology?

RS - not doing 20 rep squats, but sort of using the idea behind it. like for my 15 rep i'll use the weight i can do 8-10 times and just keep going until i reach it. or maybe i'm misinterpreting it and once again just using the wrong lingo...

jmbs - for the first workouts i'll just bust them out very fast. for the last of each cycle i'll end up using slightly more (depending on the lift) than my 15, 10, and 5 rep maxes and keep going til i hit each mark.

CSP


my definition of intensity is just as hard, fast, and heavy as i possibly can while keeping good form in the 8-10 rep range. perhaps i'm just using the wrong terminology?

RS - not doing 20 rep squats, but sort of using the idea behind it. like for my 15 rep i'll use the weight i can do 8-10 times and just keep going until i reach it. or maybe i'm misinterpreting it and once again just using the wrong lingo...

jmbs - for the first workouts i'll just bust them out very fast. for the last of each cycle i'll end up using slightly more (depending on the lift) than my 15, 10, and 5 rep maxes and keep going til i hit each mark.

You mean slightly more than you 15/10/5 maxes from a previous HST cycle, or during this cycle if you surpass current maxes you'll throw in some rest pauses?  That's what I've been doing when I've overestimated my pause-free maxes.

no slightly more than my current pause-free maxes. how have your gains been since you've done HST? i saw a big change when i did it and wish i had done 2 cycles instead of only one.

CSP,
   Yeah, I'm thinking that too.  I've probably gained about 5 pounds the last 6 weeks.  Not bad.  Some of it's fat, I'm sure.  I'm noticing growth though, so I'm likin' that!  I'm just kind of bored after 6 weeks of it.  I'm hungry to hit the compound lifts hard.  Perhaps I can do those and keep the HST principles somehow while I do that.  Lots to think about.  After this week I'll take a week off to decondition.  I'll do my soul searching then.  Good workin' out!  :)

CSP, I don't recall how old you are.  Height, weight?  What did you accomplish w/HST?

an HST routine should incorporate  mostly compound lifts. at least mine did. the more compounds the better. the only one i didn't have was cleans. other than that every single exercise i did was a compound.

i'm 21. just over 5'9". not sure on weight, i don't have a scale around here.... but a month ago i was consistently weighing in 170-173. i've since had to take some time off because i didn't have a gym to go to... back at school and the dorm gyms didn't open til today. when i did HST last year i just saw a big increase in size and probably put on 5 lbs of lean mass in 8 weeks. this time i think i'll do one cycle, take a month off to just listen to my body and do what feels right, then jump back into it for another go round.

Another person that is around my age that is 5'9". A bunch of us in the other thread posted our statistics and it was near the same in terms of height, weight and age.

HST is a good program. I'd recommend it to anyone. Compound movements should be the base though, as with any program. I believe firmly in an antagonistic approach though regardless of the program.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

what other thread? i'd be interested in seeing how my lifts compare.  

Gents,
    Yeah, my HST consists mostly of compound moves, but I do 14 different exercises per session.  I have a hunger to do fewer fuller body exercises.  You know, the Big Ones:  Squats, deads, pullups, benches, presses, BO rows.  MVP, I'm dyin' to try out the Heavy/Light Push/Pull 4 day/wk you gave me!  Feel those would get more T generated and would blast my core more.  But I am noticing good results from the HST and "If it ain't broke..." as they say.
 
edit:  MVP, maybe I could incorporate the HST weight progression and reps/set scheme into your program somehow.  Or maybe picking slightly different exercises for my HST would freshen it up.  I just like to change every so often or I get bored.

14 exercises!? i think my last one had 6 per day... maybe 7? 7 sounds like a lot though....     

7? 

when i was doing HST i was doing Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, OH Press and pull ups.

Yeah, those are in there (SLDLs, not deads), but then there's rows, dips, shrugs, side and bent over raises, curls, crushers, calves, and abs. 

BO lateral raises, skull crushers, barbell curls, calves and abs are about the only isolations I'd recommend.

I feel strongly every routine should include a horizontal/vertical push and pull, deadlift and squat. I prefer GHR's and stiff-leg deadlifts at times to balance the hip and knees too.

The antagonist of every exercise should be worked, always.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Neutralyze


7? 

when i was doing HST i was doing Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, OH Press and pull ups.

yeah, but i switched off on bench and incline, dips were in there, i think i may have had close grip bench at the end as a tricep exercise, rows, and lunges.