HST Type Routine: Keep in mind the objective on an HST routine is not to gain strength but to gain mass.  The good side is, if done properly you will gain strength as well. One key factor for making an HST routine successful is to add weight to each workout. It doesn’t matter if it’s only 1 lb or 5lbs, as long as you’re progressing forward and adding weight.   If near the end of a cycle you are unable to add weight, continue with the same weight until you are able to. 
 
 
Cycle Length: 8 Weeks
Set and Rep Ranges:
Week 1&2: 2X15
Week 3-4: 3X10
Week 5: 2X10
Week 6-7: 5X5
Week 8: 3X5
 
Weight Ranges for reps and sets:
Weeks 1&2, Start at 70% of your 15 Rep Max for each major compound exercise
Weeks 3-5: Start at 75% of your 10 Rep Max for each major compound exercise
Weeks 6-8: start out at 80% of your 5 Rep Max for each major compound exercise
 
Failure: Never go to failure.  If you find yourself starting to stall at the end of a mini cycle, stop, rest 15-20 seconds and finish out the remaining reps. Your goal for the end of each cycle should be to get in each set and finish out the called for reps but not able to complete another with good form or assistance. If you can, the weight is too low.. If you can’t, you started with too much weight. 
 
Schedule: Follow the HST structure on all exercises unless other wise noted after the exercise.  On some of the Isolation exercises you will either do 2x8-12 or 3X8-12
 
Monday: Full Body
Low Back Squats, ATG
Flat Bench
Standing OH Press
BB Rows
Pull-ups…………………2x8-12
Skull Crushers…………………2x8-12
 
 
Wednesday: Full Body
Deadlifts with Shrug
Incline Bench
Standing OH Press
Side Raises…………………2x8-12
BB Rows
Pull-ups…………………3x8-12
 
 
Friday: Lower Body
Low Back Squats
Front Squats……………………2X8-10
45 Deg. Leg Press
SLDL…………………3x8-12
Calf Raises………………………….1x20 1x15 1x12  INCREASING WEIGHT EACH SET
 
Saturday: Upper Body
Flat Bench
Incline DB Flyes……………………2x8-12
Standing OH Press
Bent over, Rear DB Laterals. ……………….2x8-12
BB Rows
Pull-ups…………………3x8-12
Incline DB curls……………….2x8-12
Skull Crushers…………………2x8-12

2 thumbs up! Fine holiday fun for the family!!

excellent plan on the workout routine bro.  i really like the setup.

i dunno about doing it 4 days.. but if you have the time/energy.. it looks like it could be fun.  just keep it split like you designed on that fri/sat.

legs friday, and upper body saturday....

in the words of borat... "iliiiiiiiiiike"

I love it man, thanks.  Can't wait to find my out my maxes and tear into this workout.  I do have a few questions:

1. Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun.  That would work right?  I don't see why not.  My friend wants to workout with me but can only do 3 days a week.  So I'm thinking he does the wed/fri/sat schedule, but on tues/thurs/sat with me. 

2. How do you do warm up sets?  I'm used to doing the max OT style but on full body days to warm up the different muscle groups it would take forever.  Should I warm up like in NROL with my semi specific warmups and then the few sets of warmups (1 rep per 50 pounds)?

3. I can just make parallel on squats(any deeper and I round my back, I have poor flexibility) so I feel like ATG might be a problem for me.  should I just sub in regular deep squats until I get more flexible?

4.  I don't have access to a machine for legpresses; would lunges be ok as a substitute?  I absolutely hate lunges, but I think they are awesome.

5.  For the Iso exercises, the rep ranges don't change right?

Awsome routine man If i wasn't already doing another routine you recomended i'd love to try this.

1. Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun.  That would work right?  I don't see why not.  My friend wants to workout with me but can only do 3 days a week.  So I'm thinking he does the wed/fri/sat schedule, but on tues/thurs/sat with me. 

Sure.. those days are fine...

2. How do you do warm up sets?  I'm used to doing the max OT style but on full body days to warm up the different muscle groups it would take forever.  Should I warm up like in NROL with my semi specific warmups and then the few sets of warmups (1 rep per 50 pounds)?
 
One warmup set is fine... if you keep the structure the same.. you'll probably onlyhave to warmup on the first exercise.. squats..


3. I can just make parallel on squats(any deeper and I round my back, I have poor flexibility) so I feel like ATG might be a problem for me.  should I just sub in regular deep squats until I get more flexible?

Parallel is fine.. but make sure you're actually going to parallel and not half way or 3/4 squats.. 135lbs ATG squats will condition you better than 3/4, 225lbs squats will..

4.  I don't have access to a machine for legpresses; would lunges be ok as a substitute?  I absolutely hate lunges, but I think they are awesome.

I hate lunges too, but yea they'll work fine.. 

5.  For the Iso exercises, the rep ranges don't change right?

That's correct...just keep them the same... try to increase the weight with each workout..

 
One warmup set is fine... if you keep the structure the same.. you'll probably onlyhave to warmup on the first exercise.. squats..

- I can totally see this on weeks 1-2, even 3-5, but when you get into the five rep range, isn't a more sufficient warmup necessary?  And shouldn't each different muscle group be warmed up?  OR, does too much of a workout take away from a HST routine?


Parallel is fine.. but make sure you're actually going to parallel and not half way or 3/4 squats.. 135lbs ATG squats will condition you better than 3/4, 225lbs squats will..

- I def go parallel, even just below parallel.  isn't ATG a$$ to ground though?  it's different than a proper deep squat(like in Starting Strength) right? Deeper?  If so, as I get more flexible I will strive to go lower on ATG days.

I hate lunges too, but yea they'll work fine.. Front squats would be a good sub as well.. but the lunges will work the hams more.. rotate them..

- You already have front squats scheduled in on Saturdays. So do I still alternate lunges/frontsquats on fridays anyways(and front squats on sat), and do front squats twice a week?

- I can totally see this on weeks 1-2, even 3-5, but when you get into the five rep range, isn't a more sufficient warmup necessary?  And shouldn't each different muscle group be warmed up?  OR, does too much of a workout take away from a HST routine?
 
I think that's going to be more of a personal judgement call.. keep in mind that with HST.. the first few workouts of a cycle are going to be farily easy, but as you near the end of a mini cycle.. the weight starts increasing close to your RM and they get more difficults.. so depending on how well you warmup.. will depend on if you do warmups for the rest of the lifts.. I doubt you would need to warmup for anything other than the first exercises..
 
- I def go parallel, even just below parallel.  isn't ATG a$$ to ground though?  it's different than a proper deep squat(like in Starting Strength) right? Deeper?  If so, as I get more flexible I will strive to go lower on ATG days.

ATG is just a slang expresssion for deep squats..
 
- You already have front squats scheduled in on Saturdays. So do I still alternate lunges/frontsquats on fridays anyways(and front squats on sat), and do front squats twice a week?

That was my mistake. If you're unable to do a leg press.. you can replace them with... DB Lunges, or DB step ups..
 
good luck

well, all there is to do now is find my RM's and hit the iron hard. can't freaking WAITTT.
I promise to do justice to this routine haha.  I might even post some pictures finally.
Thanks again smoundzou

Glad I could help... If you follow the routine and take the time to find your correct RM's and of course plan a good diet.. you'll certainly see some good results..

If I could just add one thing about finding your RM's.  ALWAYS start conservatively.  If you're not sure if you 10RM squat is 185 or 195 or whatever, set it at 170.  Always leave yourself room to keep progressing.  You don't want to stall out too early.
 
For example, if you think your 10RM squat is 185 you would set up your routine so that at the end of the 10 reps microcycle you would be ending at 185.  I would say to set up your microcycle so that you end at 170 so you still leave plenty of room for progress.

ORIGINAL: brihead301

If I could just add one thing about finding your RM's.  ALWAYS start conservatively.  If you're not sure if you 10RM squat is 185 or 195 or whatever, set it at 170.  Always leave yourself room to keep progressing.  You don't want to stall out too early.

For example, if you think your 10RM squat is 185 you would set up your routine so that at the end of the 10 reps microcycle you would be ending at 185.  I would say to set up your microcycle so that you end at 170 so you still leave plenty of room for progress.

exactly.  start lower than what you think yo ucan do.  much lower.  you can ALLLLLLWAYS add weight.  but if you start too high, you sorta screw up the routine for those 2 weeks

Thanks for the heads up guys.  It's funny how that seems so counter-intuiative for me since I just got off max-ot and I feel like the philosophy is the opposite.

Brihead:
For example, if you think your 10RM squat is 185 you would set up your routine so that at the end of the 10 reps microcycle you would be ending at 185.  I would say to set up your microcycle so that you end at 170 so you still leave plenty of room for progress.
Meaning, set it up so that I should hit 170, but push for the 185 right?  That way I leave room for progress if I can't handle the 185, but still I should push to get there, right?

ORIGINAL: ttarr84

Thanks for the heads up guys.  It's funny how that seems so counter-intuiative for me since I just got off max-ot and I feel like the philosophy is the opposite.

Brihead:
For example, if you think your 10RM squat is 185 you would set up your routine so that at the end of the 10 reps microcycle you would be ending at 185.  I would say to set up your microcycle so that you end at 170 so you still leave plenty of room for progress.
Meaning, set it up so that I should hit 170, but push for the 185 right?  That way I leave room for progress if I can't handle the 185, but still I should push to get there, right?

kinda sorta.

lets say your 10 rep max is 185.  

to start the 2 week cycle you need to start lower.  160 or 165 would be just about right... but just to make sure, take an extra 5 lbs off.  that way, if you see that you're progressing and it's just WAYYYY to easy, you can bump it up 10 lbs instead of 5 lbs the following workout day.

for example

155 lbs x 10
160 lbs x 10
165 lbs x 10
170 lbs x 10 (wow this is way to easy, i'm gonna push myself on the last 2 days
180 lbs x 10
185 lbs x 10 (end of 10 rep 2 week cycle... time to start on 5to6 rep cycle)

does that make sense? 

No, I mean don't push for the 185 at the end of the 10 rep microcycle.  Do 185 in one of the upcoming microcycles. 
 
For instance, say you have one of your 8-week cycles set up like this:
 
2 weeks of 15's
3 weeks of 10's
3 weeks of 5's
 
You already know that you can do 185 lbs. 10 times.  I'm saying to END the microcycle of 10 reps using a weight of 170 instead of 185.  The next workout after that you will be doing 5's, but you STILL won't be doing 185 lbs.  BUT by the end of the 3 weeks of 5's you will be using a weight higher then 185 lbs. assuming that you add 5 lbs. every time you squat.
 
When you then start the 8 week cycle over again for the second time, you can set it up so that you end the microcycle with 10 reps at a weight of 180 or 185. 
 
Say you squat 3 times a week, and add 5 lbs. every workout, and your current 10RM is 185 lbs.  here is what your workouts would look like:
 
15 rep microcycle - 2 weeks
100 - 15 reps
105
110
115
120
125
 
10 rep microcycle - 3 weeks
130 - 10 reps
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
 
5 rep microcycle - 3 weeks
175 - 5 reps
180
185
190
195
200
205
210
215
 
End of 8 week cycle.  Now, that's not exactly the rep ranges Smoundzou suggested, but my point is that at the end of the 8 week cycle you will be using a pretty heavy weight.  If you had set it up so that the end of your 10's you were using 185, then following the 5 lb. progression you would have ended the 8-week cycle with 230 lbs. instead of 215, which you may not have been capable of doing.  Therefore, you would have stalled out early.  The goal is to keep progressing in weight for as long as possible, which is why it's always smart to use weights on the conservative side.
 
Sorry to hijack the thread Smoundzou.  I just wanted to share what I have learned from my past mistakes.