Duanes first run at HST

[spodoinkle]

Works a bit quiet at the mo and will be till after christmas so Ive decided to go ahead and log my first HST programme.

Im 32, 5"7', 80.5kg. I had been doing split routines found in Mens Health etc. over the past few years on and off, never really getting anywhere, which I realise now was more to do with diet than anything else. About a year ago I came across the SL5x5 website and started it in April. I finished with a 3x5 128kg sqaut which is going to break no records but Im happy enough. I never bothered going to 1x5 as suggested in the programme.

I train at home as I have all I need, squat rack, bench and chin up bar, I dont think I could handle a gym having to wait on someone to finish, I like to be in and out in an hour and no more!

My diet consists mainly of eggs, bacon, chicken, beef, cottage cheese, greek yogurt,milk, fruit, nuts and veg. I manage around 3000cals a day and have a cheat day on Sundays.

My main aim is to use this programme for trail and error to work out a better programme for the next round. My only goal at the minute is to finish this log as the unfinished logs on the forum drive me bananas and to finish out out the programme as there will be a few nights on the beer over Christmas!!! If all goes well, I will record before and after measurements for the 2nd round.

[spodoinkle]

I will be going the beginners route of 2x15, 2x10, 2x5 and the last 2 weeks will either be 2x5s again or 3x3, I will decide closer to the time. I have dropped all my 5RMs by 2.5kg and my deadlift by 7kg as I when I get to the 5s I wont have lifted 'heavy' for 5 weeks so I dont know how I'll get on and I'll hopefully break some PBs in the final 2 weeks. Programme is as follows(bar weight 6.5KG not included):

2x15 Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri
SQUAT 60 62.5 65 67.5 70 72.5
BENCH 51 53.5 55 58 61 65
DEAD 65 65 67.5 70 72.5 75
OH PRESS 22.5 25 25 27.5 27.5 30
BO ROW 33.5 36 38.5 41 43.5 45
CALF RAISE 75 80 85 90 95 100
CLOSE GRIP BP 33.5 36 38.5 41 43.5 45
BB CURL 20 20 22.5 22.5 25 25


2x10 Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri
SQUAT 65 70 73.5 78.5 82.5 88.5
BENCH 58.5 62.5 65 70 73.5 77.5
SLDL 63.5 68.5 75 77.5 80 85
OH PRESS 27.5 30 32.5 35 35 37.5
BO ROW 41 43.5 46 50 52.5 55
CALF RAISE 90 96 102.5 108.5 113.5 120
CLOSE GRIP 41 45 47.5 50 52.5 55
BB CURL 25 25 27.5 27.5 30 30


2x5 Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri
SQUAT 102.5 111 120
BENCH 75 80 85 90 95 100
DEAD 110 120 130
OH PRESS 37.5 40 42.5 45 47.5 50
BO ROW 50 52.5 55 58.5 61 65
CALF RAISE 105 111 120 126 132.5 140
CLOSE GRIP 8.5 52.5 55 58.5 61 65
CURL 30 30 32.5 32.5 35 35


Calf raises, close grip bench and curls are left to the end, if I go over the hourI dont bother about them, I will alternate squats and deads in the 2x5s.

[spodoinkle]

Day 1 Monday 21st November

Bar: 6.5kg

2x15
Squat 60kg
Bench 51kg
Dead 65kg
OHP 22.5kg
Row 33.5kg
Calf Raise 75kg
Close Grip 33.5kg
Curl 20kg


First impressions: killer!! OHP and deadlifts I had to stop around 10 and take a 30 second breather, really felt this in the shoulders, Im assuming this is because Im not used to the high reps. Hardest part is getting used to lifting slow as with the 5x5 it was about speed and power. Really enjoyed it and sweated a lot more than on the 5x5 always a good thing. Managed to fit all in the hour, including 10 min warm up and stretching, this surprised me as 3 lifts on the 5x5 took a full hour with all the breaks between lifting, on this Im taking 30-60 seconds break.

[spodoinkle]

Day 2 Wednesday 23rd November

2x15

Squat 62.5kg
Bench 53.5kg
Dead 65kg
OHP 25kg
Row 36kg
Calf Raise 80kg
Close Grip 36kg
Curl 20kg

At the advice of a member on the HST fourms I am only going to do a 1x15 deadlift. Managed everything again in the hour except the OHP, had to break again at 10 reps on the 2nd set. Damn you OHP!!! I definately feel a lot more energetic than when I was on SL5x5.

[tony4100]

Hi, I will be following your journal with interest as I currently train SL at home and have looked at HST as something to do after getting as much out of SL.

I am most interested in your selection and order of exercises as I only have a power rack, bench and Olympic weights.

[spodoinkle]

Cheers Tony, I was the same looking for something suitable after SL5x5. I had been floating around the 120 squat since August so felt the need to move on as progression was getting too slow. I was going to move on to Madcow but found a HST thread on this forum and it seemed to be more what I was looking for, a hypertrophy workout concentrating on the compounds. I got the link to Simplify and Win from a post by Dolphinski and worked from there. If your on Facebook, theres a Stronglift/Starting Strength group you may find helpfull, its made up of a few of the members of the original stronglifts page which was removed.

[tony4100]

I have a bit more to get out of stronglifts, i think i will continue until I have stalled and deloaded twice at 1x5 then give HST a go. I bought the 5/3/1 ebook to other day and I like the look of it. I think I will cycle between HST and 5/3/1.

[Platti]

Same here too, will be watching with interest. Starting the 5x5 in a couple of weeks and will move onto this I think next once I've got all I can from 5x5.

[spodoinkle]

Day 3 Friday 25th November

2x15
Bar:6.5kg

Squat 65kg
Bench 55kg
Dead 67.5kg (1x15)
OHP 25kg
Row 38.5kg
Calf Raise 85kg
Close Grip BP 38.5kg
BB Curl 22.5kg

One week over, muscles feel a lot more 'worked' than when doing 5x5 and Im bouncing about the place with extra energy, Im even getting a deeper sleep than before. Quick review:

Squat - No problems here, Im even getting to go ATG rather than parallel
Bench - Again all reps cause no bother, this was always my easiest lift
Dead - My back is glad I only do 1 set of this, my heart does be banging when I finish the 15, love it
OHP - Again my weakest always has been. I think the problem lies in that Im doing the first set too slow, so the 2nd set is slower again, will try to speed up 1st set
Row - I HATE bent over rows, could never get the technique down and I have zero flexibilty. I thought I had my row up to 90kg, but the bar was a 1/2 inch-1 inch from my chest, which is a fail. Id usually have a banana and some milk an hour before training, but the rows make me want to puke it back up, will have to try 2 hrs before from now on
Calf Raise - No issues, not expecting much from this exercise TBH
Close Grip - Easily my favourite, no better feeling than burning triceps
BB curl - I have never done these before, always stuck to hammer curls on a Friday only. These are burning the crap out of my shoulders and I feel nothing in my bicep at all, I will keep them in to finish off the programme, but cant see me keeping them for a second round

Sunday today, so Im off to KFC and then catch up on the Sky+ recordings

[spodoinkle]

Day 4 28th November

2x15
Bar 6.5kg
Soundtrack The Doors - LA Woman

Squat 67.5kg
Bench 58kg
Dead 70kg
OHP 27.5kg
Row 41kg
CalfR 90kg
CloseG 42kg
Curl 22.5kg

Squats are starting to test me a bit, was thinking the next round switching to 1x15 on all lifts and concentrate on lifting as slow as possible. At the moment Im doing the first set at a moderate pace, then the weight really controls the speed of the 2nd set. Laying of the milk before hand really helped with the rows, plus Im on 20 each side now so easler lifted. I have switched the BB curls to hammer curls, this makes more sense to me as I can hammer curl more with better form.