I've read a few articles.. but I'm not really understanding what the purpose is of HST training yet.  Maybe you guys can help.

My goals as of the last year or so was to be extremely strong for my size.  I feel I have done this.  But it's time to move onto the next step.  I want to bulk up and get bigger.  I'm pretty cut as it is right now.

So.. this brings me to my next question. Is HST training right for me?  The way I train seems to be very different from HST.  I work out 1 or 2 muscle groups a day.  3 mins per muscle group.  I do all kinds of different exercises, with large amounts of weight... and by the time i get done, that whole muscle group is ripped.

So when i read a bit about HST, I sorta thought to myself "What's the point of this..?"   But i'm trying to have an open mind.  Help me see what this workout is all about please, and if it would be right for me.

thanks in advance

HST - Hypertrophy specific training (I think that's what it stands for), usually has workouts that are in the higher rep ranges (8 - 12 reps) with shorter rest times (0 - 60 seconds).  Basically, the main goal of this type of training is making the muscles bigger.  Strength is usually not the main concern here. 
 
The problem is is that there's no magical set/rep/rest time system that's ideal for maximum muscular growth.  You can build muscle training in the 8 - 12 rep range.  You can build muscle training with sets of 5 reps, and you can build muscle when working on your 1RM's.  So it seems that the best way to build muscle is to train using all types of rep ranges.  That's what I learned, and that's what I've been doing.  It's been working very nicely for me.
 
Of course you must increase your strength to increase your muscle size.  Whether you're training 20 reps, 10 reps, 5 reps, or 1 rep, etc... per set, you should always try to add weight to the bar to increase your RM's for the given rep range.  That, plus eating a lot of food will build the muscle. 
 
 

The point is to stimulate muscle groups more frequently, though perhaps less completely. From the HST website:

In order for the loading to result in significant hypertrophy, the stimulus must be applied with sufficient frequency to create a new "environment", as opposed to seemingly random and acute assaults on the mechanical integrity of the tissue. The downside of taking a week of rest every time you load a muscle is that many of the acute responses to training like increased protein synthesis, prostaglandins, IGF-1 levels, and mRNA levels all return to normal in about 36 hours. So, you spend 2 days growing and half a week in a semi-anticatabolic state returning to normal (some people call this recovery), when research shows us that recovery can take place unabated even if a the muscle is loaded again in 48 hours. So true anabolism from loading only lasts 2 days at best once the load is removed. The rest of the time you are simply balancing nitrogen retention without adding to it.

In other words, most of the actual hypertrophy is going to occur within the first 36-48 hours after a workout. The rest of the week is mostly spent not moving backwards. If you hit the muscles again after 48 hours, you can provide stimulus for more growth without significantly hampering recovery.

Also, the volume per exercise per workout session is only one or two sets, because more than that might just be a waste of time. The reduced number of sets allows you to get in a full body workout in just one session, and results in about the same total number of sets per week per muscle group.

The web site goes into more detail (it incorporates other ideas, like progressive load).

Not everyone agrees with HST principles - many feel strongly that muscles need a full week of recovery, so the idea of hitting them every other day is somewhat controversial. I just got started on HST myself, so I can't speak from first hand experience, but it seems like the principles are well supported by research.

ORIGINAL: jheft

The point is to stimulate muscle groups more frequently, though perhaps less completely. From the HST website:

In order for the loading to result in significant hypertrophy, the stimulus must be applied with sufficient frequency to create a new "environment", as opposed to seemingly random and acute assaults on the mechanical integrity of the tissue. The downside of taking a week of rest every time you load a muscle is that many of the acute responses to training like increased protein synthesis, prostaglandins, IGF-1 levels, and mRNA levels all return to normal in about 36 hours. So, you spend 2 days growing and half a week in a semi-anticatabolic state returning to normal (some people call this recovery), when research shows us that recovery can take place unabated even if a the muscle is loaded again in 48 hours. So true anabolism from loading only lasts 2 days at best once the load is removed. The rest of the time you are simply balancing nitrogen retention without adding to it.

In other words, most of the actual hypertrophy is going to occur within the first 36-48 hours after a workout. The rest of the week is mostly spent not moving backwards. If you hit the muscles again after 48 hours, you can provide stimulus for more growth without significantly hampering recovery.

Also, the volume per exercise per workout session is only one or two sets, because more than that might just be a waste of time. The reduced number of sets allows you to get in a full body workout in just one session, and results in about the same total number of sets per week per muscle group.

The web site goes into more detail (it incorporates other ideas, like progressive load).

Not everyone agrees with HST principles - many feel strongly that muscles need a full week of recovery, so the idea of hitting them every other day is somewhat controversial. I just got started on HST myself, so I can't speak from first hand experience, but it seems like the principles are well supported by research.

hmmm...  sounds interesting. 

you'll definately have to let me know how this training goes for you.  i'd like to hear how the results go for you

as for the full body workout... i don't do those. never have.  waste of my time.  My goal is to get every muscle fiber stretched to it's full potential. and then 3 days later.. do the same thing.   I simply cannot do what I call a "buffet" of exercises.  Or rather, a little of this, a little of that.  It just seems like goofing off to me.  That's not to say that this HST program doesn't work, but i'm just a bit skeptical, and I don't know if it would help me with my current goals right now.

I never looked into the actual HST website, but I was just stating what my thoughts are about hypertrophy in general.  That makes tons of sense what you said JHeft.  You really don't need a full week of recovery for maximum growth, which is why that 4 or 5-day, one-muscle-per-day thing is not as effective as other methods.

Silverfox, you say you're main focus is strength right?  Why would you say full body workouts are a waste of time?  If you want to get stronger you would want to train your body as a whole, and have all the muscles working together like they're supposed to.  What else could possibly get you stronger then 3 or 4 heavy compound lifts every workout? Squats alone will build more strength then anything else, and they use just about every muscle in your body at once.

ORIGINAL: brihead301

Silverfox, you say you're main focus is strength right?  Why would you say full body workouts are a waste of time?  If you want to get stronger you would want to train your body as a whole, and have all the muscles working together like they're supposed to.  What else could possibly get you stronger then 3 or 4 heavy compound lifts every workout? Squats alone will build more strength then anything else, and they use just about every muscle in your body at once.

well, i'm sort of basing that on the fact that I know how I train... and I don't feel I can do a full body workout (based on the fact that I simply cannot do a few little powerful exercises and feel like it is substantial)   I much rather prefer working 2 muscles at a time, and by the 3rd or 4th day, i'm back on what I started.  

I do squats. started deadlifts.  But, I really like to attack every muscle fiber involved in the muscle group.  For instance, the pectoralis major, and minor.  Gotta do flat bench, incline, decline, flys, and i finish with pushups.  I like to give the slow twitch AND the fast twitch a good workout.

Keep in mind.. I am in no way bashing this training technique at all.  I'm just a bit curious is all, and also somewhat skeptical.  So anyone on this program that has some good tips, results, advice should let me know how it works for them. i would appreciate it.

 

This has nothing to do with HST, but try this routine sometime:
 
workout A:
Squat - 3 x 5
Bench - 3 x 5
Deadlift - 1 x 5
Abs.
 
Workout B:
Squat - 3 x 5
Overhead press - 3 x 5
Power Clean - 5 x 3
Abs.
 
3 Days a week, alternating between workouts A and B.  Do about 3 or 4 ramping warm-up sets, then use the same weight for the working sets which I listed above.  Increase the weight every single workout until it is no longer possible to increase the weight anymore without keeping good form.
 
Try that workout for a few months, and tell me you don't think it's adequate.  That is probably the best strength building routines you can do. 
 
Then there's westside training, but that's a whole different ballgame.

ORIGINAL: brihead301

This has nothing to do with HST, but try this routine sometime:

workout A:
Squat - 3 x 5
Bench - 3 x 5
Deadlift - 1 x 5
Abs.

Workout B:
Squat - 3 x 5
Overhead press - 3 x 5
Power Clean - 5 x 3
Abs.

3 Days a week, alternating between workouts A and B.  Do about 3 or 4 ramping warm-up sets, then use the same weight for the working sets which I listed above.  Increase the weight every single workout until it is no longer possible to increase the weight anymore without keeping good form.

Try that workout for a few months, and tell me you don't think it's adequate.  That is probably the best strength building routines you can do. 

Then there's westside training, but that's a whole different ballgame.

I sent you a PM... would like to talk with you a bit more in detail.

thanks

actually.. for some reason i couldn't send a PM, so i sent you an email instead.

allrighty. i went to the HST website. i read up ALOT on this... and I really do think that I want to give this workout a try.  The way that they explained it.. it made lots of sense.

however... i really want to know if this works before i try it.  how many of you guys/girls have seen this training in action, and how are the results?

What's a good resting time in between sets if you were going to try the HST 10 rep program?  2 minutes?? or is that too much... 1 minute rest?

I've right in the middle of my 3rd HST cycle and was very hesitant to try it when I first started reading about it. 
 
Just a few things that may have already been covered..
HST is hypertrophy specific training. Meaning it is a mass based program and is meant for growth.  Although some do experience strength gains the object of the program is hypertrophy..
 
People often get confused about the basic principals of HST. The primary reason you do 2 weeks of 15 reps 2 weeks of 10 reps and 2 weeks of 5 reps is it allows you to train each muscle 3 X's weekly. 
 
By changing the rep range every 2 weeks, it allows you train a solid 6-8 weeks without ever having to reach failure or stalling on your lifts.. stalling is one of the primary reasons people hit a wall..
 
they train week after week with same weight once they've reach a peak, never progressing.. It's been clearly documented in many studies that using a progressive load is the key to strength and hypertrophy.. HST training is nothing more than completely utilizing the progressive load technique to trigger hypertrophy better or as good as any program I've ever seen.
 
HST can be performed with any rep range.. but the 15/10/5 is probably the most efficient.. there is enough difference in those ranges so zigzagging is minimized, you can train loger without stalling. If you prefer, you can do a 12/8/4.. the key is to at least have a 4-5 rep range difference between cycles..
 
If you're use to working one muscle group each week, it will be a little difficult adjusting to HST.  At first you'll feel as if you're not pushing yourself hard enough but as you go deeper into the cycle, you'll think otherwise.. HST can be brutal if done correctly.
 
the theory on training the muscles frequency is, it doesn't allow the muscle time to adapt.  while you're training each muscle 3 X's weekly, you're only hitting it with 1 or 2 exercises for 1-3 sets max. 
 
Again this doesn't seem like much but keep in mind instead of hitting the pecs with 12-15 sets 1 X weekly, you're hitting it with 12 sets spread out over 3 workouts each week. 
 
The beauty of HST is, your workouts are planned out 8 weeks in advance.. establishing your 15/10/5 rep Max's are crucial in order for the program to be successfully.
 
Most people doing HST, keep it simple.  the less complicated the better... Focus primarily on compound lifts with little or no isolations. if you choose a good routine, each of your muscles will get plenty of stimulation.
 
A good diet above maintainance and 3 good workouts weekly will do wonders for you.. I would suggest giving it a try if you're wanting to focus on mass.   
 

ORIGINAL: TheSilverFox

allrighty. i went to the HST website. i read up ALOT on this... and I really do think that I want to give this workout a try.  The way that they explained it.. it made lots of sense.

however... i really want to know if this works before i try it.  how many of you guys/girls have seen this training in action, and how are the results?

What's a good resting time in between sets if you were going to try the HST 10 rep program?  2 minutes?? or is that too much... 1 minute rest?

Im on my second HST cycle. I altered mine a bit so i go to the gym 4 days a week, I have seen some pretty good results so far. My first cycle I was bulking, this time im cutting down, tryouts for semi-pro start soon.

At first I thought the 2 sets for each exercise was crazy, but it does work. Compound exercises, and just make sure your diet is in order for bulking and you should see some good results.

I never really looked into HST too much.  I'll have to check it out.  The idea of varying the rep ranges catches my interest.  I've been switching ranges every workout, but sticking to a range for 2 weeks then switching sounds kind of cool too.

@smoundzou: What sort of rest times between sets and exercises do you think are effective with HST? In the past, I've been fairly lax about my rest times, but I think I could improve my results if I got a little religion on that... Then again, maybe it's not an important thing. After squats or deadlifts I feel like I really need to rest a long time so my heart doesn't explode on me, but maybe I can improve on that.