John posted a question about HST in his daily update... lets kick off the discussion!

HST principles are documented here :: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html

MAX-OT is documented here :: http://www.ast-ss.com/max-ot/max-ot_intro.asp

DFHT is another workout program that resembles HST, and is detailed in this doc :: http://www.gettingripped.com/dfht.doc

Lets kick off the discussion of pros/cons and peoples experiences, if any, on these programs!

what ive read over the past few months leads me to believe that max-ot is used as a more steady, continuous training program to increase strength first, muscle size second, while HST is something that goes in 12 week spurts, and is used by more natural bodybuilders to add on much more mass. people also recommend that HST not be used by sports players that are attempting to increase endurance or speed-strength.

more articles on HST ::

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hst.htm (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hst.htm)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hst1.htm (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hst1.htm)

http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/haycock/hst.htm (http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/haycock/hst.htm)


Interesting feedback on HST ::

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/fail.htm

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hitdigest/message/11947

http://www.superiormuscle.com/showthread/t-3141.html

These urls were pulled from a thread on another forum.....

seems interesting.. not sure 100% if i follow or not..

i gather u work the same muscle 3 times a week? i could only do that when i first started training and i was pushing weak and nimble weights..

now i need at least 5 days to recover

seems interesting.. not sure 100% if i follow or not..

i gather u work the same muscle 3 times a week? i could only do that when i first started training and i was pushing weak and nimble weights..

now i need at least 5 days to recover
depends on the program... HST is basically 3 full body workouts over the course of a week, DFHT is a modified 4 day program, and max-ot has varying levels of workout splits that can be done.

most people comment that to get the most from HST, you need a training partner :-(

....something NEW has to get thrown into the mix. Interesting information to say the least....but I have to admit--for me the Max-OT information was better written and much easier to understand.

I'd love to hear from someone who had done both programs for a 8-12 week period and have them compare results. Not sure if anyone in these forums has done that yet, since this appears to be relatively new info on the HST.

personally, im still following the workout plan here :: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/workyear.htm

i figure that i need to get 5 or 6 months of good training before im really ready to jump to a program like max-ot or hst. max-ot was more of a concern because you use poundages that you can only get 4-6 reps, which, in my soft state, might break me! i need to toughen up my muscles, tendons, joints, etc, and get them ready for that type of impact.

on my current plan, the results speak for themself :: ive lost 25 pounds of fat, WHILE gaining 7 or 8 pounds of lean muscle mass.

Regardless of program, if you put your all into what you are doing, some gains should be seen!

Thanks for starting this thread, Troy. I hope a few people here have used the HST program and can comment on it. Good links - I'm going to do some more reading on it tonight when I have some spare time.

Thanks for starting this thread, Troy. I hope a few people here have used the HST program and can comment on it. Good links - I'm going to do some more reading on it tonight when I have some spare time.
Yeah, its interesting how the programs stack up to each other. the thing that i really like about max-ot is the time factor. 40 minutes, and you are done. HST might take a bit longer, and with 15 rep sets, WOW! got doms?!?!?



ps. nice new avatar john! you should also make one that is half fatty on the left, half ripped on the right, but line up in the middle if ya know what i mean!

ps. nice new avatar john! you should also make one that is half fatty on the left, half ripped on the right, but line up in the middle if ya know what i mean!
Thanks T, I tried one like you mentioned (actually that was my original idea) and it looked dumb because my belly button didn't line up thanks to my huge, sagging gut in the "before" picture. Even with my final design, I had to zoom out pretty far to get my whole mid section in... LOL

If you could get your avatar to morph from before to after on a loop, that would be not only excellent, but could be a nifty banner for your own site.

Andrew.

or he could just go with a nice big pic of his current upper body as his av. And as a splash page for the site. And downloadable wallpaper.

:D

I have the link bookmarked that was in John's daily news.

I read about that program before I started training 6 months ago - it is definently on my lsit of programs to do. :tucool:

as for what is the "best" program...
I forget where I read it, but this quote is great:

"the best training program is the one you are not on".

simply put - your body responds best to a change, so it is always good to keep your mind open, and try a new program now and then.

My current training is based on max-OT, but I don't do a 5 day split, and I don't go as heavy as 4-6 for all lifts.

As John mentioned, I think it takes longer for joints and tendons to get conditioned to lift heavy then it does muscles - so if I get into max-OT seriously - it wouldn't be until I've been lifting for well over a year.

I am also interested in hearing real results from the HST program.
there are tons of people talking about how great the program is on the forums on the HST site - but it seems biased coming from there...

PS - nice new avatar John - your old one was creepy - it kept me up at night :p

I haven't had a chance to read the full article on HST....but I'll hit that link later tonight after work.

But for anyone who has read the article.....regarding the nutritional standpoint, does it call for as much of an increased caloric intake as Max-OT seems to? Right now my daily intake ranges from 2000-2500 calories....since I would like to build a little muscle mass while still dropping some body fat % (I'm 6'1"/194 lbs right now). When I took a look at the Max-OT guidelines it says that I should be consuming somewhere in the range of 3200 calories....which is a HUGE jump as far as I'm concerned.


Is the HST program encouraging an equal caloric intake?

I am also interested in hearing real results from the HST program.
there are tons of people talking about how great the program is on the forums on the HST site - but it seems biased coming from there...


Check out the misc.fitness.weights newsgroup. HST is the considered holy grail over there.

im not to sure about the HST program or the other one.. i dont know anyone thats done is.. i shall ask my educated friend if he's tried or know of anyone that has.

i stand behind max ot principals. overload creates stimulus, which yields great gains. i've trained 2 years prior to max ot.. and lower reps with high weight has given me amazing results..

one thing i've noticed though, is some body parts seem to respond better to 6-8 reps.. even 7-9 reps..

i find really hitting 6 reps to failure makes a huge difference, vs barly getting off 4

i stand behind max ot principals. overload creates stimulus, which yields great gains.
Great gains as long as you're not injured as a result of following the program.

MAX-OT is a fine program, but it's not the only way to build muscle, and it may not be the safest way, either - hence this thread.

If you could get your avatar to morph from before to after on a loop, that would be not only excellent, but could be a nifty banner for your own site.

Andrew.
Not a bad idea, I'm going to think about that for v2.0. :)

or he could just go with a nice big pic of his current upper body as his av. And as a splash page for the site. And downloadable wallpaper.

:D
You want an aspirin or something, girl? ;)

PS - nice new avatar John - your old one was creepy - it kept me up at night :p
So long as the new one doesn't... ;)

"the best training program is the one you are not on".

I think that was Charles Poliquin. Anyone who wants to learn more about why we lift the way we do, read more from the man...

Not sure how much stock I put into t-mag, but here's two articles on the Poliquin principles: part one (http://www.t-mag.com/html/8simpl.html) , part two (http://www.t-mag.com/html/13simpl.html)

I've been reading up on the HST for most of the morning, and I'm seriously considering giving this routine a whirl. It seems like many on these boards have used or are currently using the MAX-OT approach, but it appears that we're still waiting for a HST guinea pig. I'm right at a break in workout routines...and I've been thinking about the MAX-OT, but I think I'm gonna try this new one to see how my results turn out.

Here's my first question...as I'm sure this applies to other routines as well....it calls for you to figure out your "repetition max" before setting up your schedule. How exactly do you determine your max? Does this constitute an entire session devoted to seeing how much you can lift with good form for each of the exercises?

I've been reading up on the HST for most of the morning, and I'm seriously considering giving this routine a whirl. It seems like many on these boards have used or are currently using the MAX-OT approach, but it appears that we're still waiting for a HST guinea pig. I'm right at a break in workout routines...and I've been thinking about the MAX-OT, but I think I'm gonna try this new one to see how my results turn out.

Here's my first question...as I'm sure this applies to other routines as well....it calls for you to figure out your "repetition max" before setting up your schedule. How exactly do you determine your max? Does this constitute an entire session devoted to seeing how much you can lift with good form for each of the exercises?
yep, prepare to spend one/two/even three days in the gym just determining your max weight per rep category. more planning goes into HST than max-ot, but apparently its worth it!

I guess I'll just take the one week split of routines and max out the first time I run through it.....which means I may need to get some voice recognition software if I want to post on here for a couple days afterward.....and I'll probably be too sore to even sit.

Ahhh....the pain of progress! :D

I don't know, now I'm reading the HST info. It seems to suggest that muscles recover within 48 hours, and any time after that is spent returning to "normal".

I don't think I am alone in saying, I'm fed up with all the contradictions, half-truths and plain out lies that are spewed forth at lifters everywhere.

I mean it's hard enough busting ass on the weight bench, only to read that everything you do is wrong.

Personally I used to do full body workouts 3 times a week, and never felt better. Now I train a muscle (group) only 1 time a week and haven't made strength gains hardly at all.

It's to the point now where I don't honestly believe I can increase these poundages, and that's probably going to be the biggest roadblock.

Every article I read has an author who claims to be the only one who knows the science behind this. Why can't they just strap some electrodes to a bunch of weightlifters, and find out what the real hell is going on, cuz I want to get on with "just doing it" again.

sorry for ranting like a little girl. :)

funny thing about the elctrodes.. they've done this with max ot patience vs higher reps, lighter weight

heavy weight, lower reps lead to much more muscle stimulus.

if your not seeing gains now, im more than willing to bet its your diet. you made your initial gains doing the full body workout, but like with anything. progress tappers down

The wonderful thing about the human body is that it reacts differently to different things, sometimes even in contradictory ways. Maybe one study is studying only one small aspect of how your body reacts to a certain stimulus, while another has its focus somewhere else. Most people will have to choose which path to follow to make progress in the direction that they want, that's why it's important to read through each program in its entirety, and look through the research that backs it up. Also, nobody is exactly the same, so what may work for one person may not work as well for another.

It's not necessarily that what you read is wrong, but maybe it's just not right for you! It sounds like HST might be more up your alley. If you're not getting the gains you like working a muscle group once a week, why not go back to the full-body 3x a week?

Keep motivated and kick your own ass!!!

:db:

-CP

Just thought I'd share.. I asked on the IGN Fitness Forum if anyone follows HST and I got one guy who did, here's what he had to say:

"I do. I am currently on my 4th cycle. A standard cycle is 8 weeks.

Over that time, I have gained a total of about 25lbs. I have put almost 2" on my arms and 4" on my chest, as well as a few inches on my legs. I love thise program. IMO it's the way to train for size (hence the name). I would like to know what my gains could have been if I didn't get set back during last summer.

I would certainly recommend reading the articles on their page and the info in the FAQ section of their forum."


I am currently doing Max-OT and enjoy it. I am however planning to switch to something else come the end of the 12 week program as its already been said "the best program is the one you're not on". I just don't like how the AST-SS guys say its their way or no way. If that were true, everyone in the world would be on Max-OT, but they're not and plenty of guys out there are doing just fine. So, we'll see how it goes. I'd really like to hear more RESULTS on the HST program!

Just thought I'd share.. I asked on the IGN Fitness Forum if anyone follows HST and I got one guy who did, here's what he had to say:

"I do. I am currently on my 4th cycle. A standard cycle is 8 weeks.

Over that time, I have gained a total of about 25lbs. I have put almost 2" on my arms and 4" on my chest, as well as a few inches on my legs. I love thise program. IMO it's the way to train for size (hence the name). I would like to know what my gains could have been if I didn't get set back during last summer.

Jesus, 25 pounds if lean mass in a little over a half a year?! That's a somewhat hard to believe unless he's a genetic freak or using anabolics. Amazing if true. I'm going to give HST a try when my shoulder heals... why not?

Wait, so John you are already through with Max-OT? Did you actually complete the full 12 week program?

If so, what kind of gains did you make? Did you find it to be as good as they claim (aside from the injury-prone type of workout)?

you forgot another possibility john... perhaps he was eating like a horse! from what ive read, people on a GOOD clean bulk can average of 2 to 4 pounds a month, including fat. he says he gained 25lb, not 25 lbs of lean mass. perhaps he is including a bit of fat?

Yeah corb, I kind of asked that, but have yet to get a reply... We shall see.

Wait, so John you are already through with Max-OT? Did you actually complete the full 12 week program?

If so, what kind of gains did you make? Did you find it to be as good as they claim (aside from the injury-prone type of workout)?
actually, ive been wondering this for a while. i wonder how many beginners saw johns progress on max-ot, and immediately jumped on the max-ot bandwagon because it worked for him. this worries me, because people are prone to do what someone else did, instead of research. i wonder how many people have potentially been injured due to poor form + heavy weight + beginning lifter...

Yeah corb, I kind of asked that, but have yet to get a reply... We shall see.
i mean, john has no ideas on these numbers, thats for sure. perhaps he can tell us how many times people downloaded his max-ot doc, or maybe how many times, if any, someone has emailed him about a pain after doing max-ot workouts, but really, we can only wait for people to come forward!

I've wondered as well how many people new to training started right off with Max-OT simply because that was John's current program.

Anyway, I've read good things about HST and I've been thinking about switching to it simply because I like full body WOs. I haven't only because I'm still seeing results on my current program. I'll probably switch anyway in a few weeks once I get fully bored. I like switching things up and trying different approaches.

i mean, john has no ideas on these numbers, thats for sure. perhaps he can tell us how many times people downloaded his max-ot doc, or maybe how many times, if any, someone has emailed him about a pain after doing max-ot workouts, but really, we can only wait for people to come forward!

I was not referring to John. I was referring to the types of gains the guy who said he went up 25lbs on HST made.

for the first two months of working out, i was doing a full body routine, that resembled little of the HST program, because it was a structured pyramid layout vs 2 set @ high rep layout.

how are most people structuring their warmups or stretching for HST? obviously, you arent going to do a warmup set or two, because you will be in the gym ALL DAY!

I don't think that some people understand that both max-ot and hst require an adequate fitness level. Some of them made immediate gains just becuase they simply switched to different program. Tha will happen to anyone. However, you can experience the maximum effect of the program if you are physically and mentally prepared to do so. Lifting to failure is hard. When we think that we cannot do anymore reps, we actually can, it is just a slow rep, but our mind is already set to "That's it."
As for all different studies: For every study that exists in the world, I will find another study that will prove otherwise.
Let's just say I've read Mike Mentzer's book - HIIT. He advocated HIIT for bodybuilding. You do a warmup set and a set to failure. That is it. And he said you had to give at least 72 hours of rest before next work out. In his program you'de workout full body once every 2 weeks. His idea was that once you do one set to failure every other set will just lead to overtraining that requires more time for rest.

Wait, so John you are already through with Max-OT? Did you actually complete the full 12 week program?

If so, what kind of gains did you make? Did you find it to be as good as they claim (aside from the injury-prone type of workout)?
Well, I injured my shoulder not to far into my bulking program (which was when I started MAX-OT), so my upper body gains pretty much sucked, as expected. My legs have responded phenomenally to MAX-OT, though.

I'm really worried about injuring myself again, and I want to keep my mind open to other programs.

I don't think that some people understand that both max-ot and hst require an adequate fitness level. Some of them made immediate gains just becuase they simply switched to different program. Tha will happen to anyone. However, you can experience the maximum effect of the program if you are physically and mentally prepared to do so. Lifting to failure is hard. When we think that we cannot do anymore reps, we actually can, it is just a slow rep, but our mind is already set to "That's it."
As for all different studies: For every study that exists in the world, I will find another study that will prove otherwise.
Let's just say I've read Mike Mentzer's book - HIIT. He advocated HIIT for bodybuilding. You do a warmup set and a set to failure. That is it. And he said you had to give at least 72 hours of rest before next work out. In his program you'de workout full body once every 2 weeks. His idea was that once you do one set to failure every other set will just lead to overtraining that requires more time for rest.
i COMPLETELY agree with that! beginners will see gains regardless of what they do. they could go move bricks around their yard every day, and gain lean mass! its beginners luck, so to speak, the body has yet to adapt.

funny thing about the elctrodes.. they've done this with max ot patience vs higher reps, lighter weight

heavy weight, lower reps lead to much more muscle stimulus.

if your not seeing gains now, im more than willing to bet its your diet. you made your initial gains doing the full body workout, but like with anything. progress tappers down

Yes, you are right, it was my diet, I've changed that up (just this last week) started eating protien every meal, and logging meals. (thanks to john) Even this past week the fat has started coming off and my muscles are growing. It's really easy to spot given the last 6 months of stagnation. Hopefully these poundages will start to increase. I need to get over the mental block, so that doesn't get in my way..

thanks...

So has anyone actually tried the HST workouts, it's been 3 weeks, so I'd be curious to hear some thoughts.

So has anyone actually tried the HST workouts, it's been 3 weeks, so I'd be curious to hear some thoughts.

I've heard from some people that it works well but is really boring. If your goal is to gain muscle only then it's perfect otherwise I wouldn't try it. Then again there are more interesting workouts that achieve mass gain e.g. Pendulum Bodybuilding. It's not for people new at lifting weights though.

Hey Karatetricker,

How is HST working for you? I'm on my 7th week of Max-OT and am pretty sure I strained my left rotator cuff so I might be up for a program change after laying off the shoulder for a week'ish.



As for my opinion of Max-OT, I think it's pretty good. I like the short intense workouts which don't leave me feeling weak as a baby after them, unlike pyramidding, ugg.

For the 7 weeks I've been on it, I am seeing strength gains as well as muscle definition gains... but as I don't have any other program to compare it with atm, this doesn't really say much.

The biggest con against Max-OT for me would probably be the injury rate. I think form is crucial in Max-OT, espically once you get into the really heavy weights (your body weight and above). For beginners that want to try Max-OT, I suggest you carefully follow the forms by viewing video's of the excercises.

I took my measurements yesterday after only 2 1/2 weeks of Pendulum Bodybuilding.

I've gained 1/2" on my arms, 1/2" on my upper legs, 6/8" on my calfs, 1" on my chest/back

:cool:

That amazed me and I'm not on any steriods. I am on a perfect diet for me though :D

Here's the link to Pendulum Bodybuilding. Not for beginners (http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/296pend2.html)

personally, im still following the workout plan here :: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/workyear.htm

i figure that i need to get 5 or 6 months of good training before im really ready to jump to a program like max-ot or hst. max-ot was more of a concern because you use poundages that you can only get 4-6 reps, which, in my soft state, might break me! i need to toughen up my muscles, tendons, joints, etc, and get them ready for that type of impact.

Thanks for the link!

I've been lifting weights about 2 months now, and I'm feeling I need a bit of a change. When I checked out the site, I realized I'm doing something quite similar to the second month, so I think I will follow the month 2 for a week or two, then move on to month 3, then 4. After that, I'll see what happens. I like the idea of changing the routine every month. Sounds like a good idea. And I love what the guy says about the program:
If you follow the general guidelines, I am confident you will see outstanding results, and you will have a body that others envy, and that you once thought was impossible to attain.

Hi All,

Personally I think any weight training program will work if you put the effort in.

I reviewed Max-OT in the past and thought it was pretty good overall.

The problem with most of these programs is that that there are too many rules: do this, don't do that etc..

That's why I came up with my own program short and sweet...or should I say The Bare Minimum.

Basically it breaks down like this:

pick any 5 days.

Since I have a wife and Kids I like to have my weekends free.

So I break it down like this:

Monday: 18 minutes stationary bicycle

Tuesday: weight resistance training 15 minutes

Wednesday: 18 minutes stationary bicycle

Thursday: 18 minutes stair stepper

Friday: weight resistance training 15 minutes

Something like this is all you need to transform your body…of course you have to add in there Proper Nutrition!!!

Take Care,

Bill Belfert

http://www.Bare-Minimum-Training.com

Hi All,

Personally I think any weight training program will work if you put the effort in.

I reviewed Max-OT in the past and thought it was pretty good overall.

The problem with most of these programs is that that there are too many rules: do this, don't do that etc..

That's why I came up with my own program short and sweet...or should I say The Bare Minimum.

Basically it breaks down like this:

pick any 5 days.

Since I have a wife and Kids I like to have my weekends free.

So I break it down like this:

Monday: 18 minutes stationary bicycle

Tuesday: weight resistance training 15 minutes

Wednesday: 18 minutes stationary bicycle

Thursday: 18 minutes stair stepper

Friday: weight resistance training 15 minutes

Something like this is all you need to transform your body…of course you have to add in there Proper Nutrition!!!

Take Care,

Bill Belfert

http://www.Bare-Minimum-Training.com


Please understand that my following comment comes from complete SHOCK from the pics I just saw on that website...

You are going to tell me that you developed the body in those pics purely using the system you just mentioned? It seems impossible....

Please understand that my following comment comes from complete SHOCK from the pics I just saw on that website...

You are going to tell me that you developed the body in those pics purely using the system you just mentioned? It seems impossible....

That's ok...I can understand your shock...but it is the truth.

What it comes down to is how Consistent you are with your workouts and Proper Nutrition. I really don't care what workout you choose to do (there's about a million different ones to choose from) But why not pick the one workout that gets you great results by doing the Bare Minimum. I have a family and don't want to waste away in the gym 6 nights aweek two hours at a time like I used to do when I was in my twenties.

So I came up with my Bare Minimum Training Program.

I've been at it for years...but if you want go back to my site and check out some of my successful Clients at:
Successful Clients of Bare Minimum Training (http://www.bare-minimum-training.com/successful.html)

Take Care,

Finally Get YOUR Life Back...
And Train Bare Minimally,

Bill Belfert

Something I've noticed on a lot of these amazing transformations on other sites is that most of these guys already have a high amount of muscle mass and all they did was uncover it. That added with better lighting makes them look 100x better.

Don't get me wrong, they did an amazing job with fat loss but didn't really need to build any muscle (the hardest thing to do out of the two).

I guess it depends on your goals. People who want to also add muscle need to train for more than 30mins a week on weights. Almost every professional workout is great because the body likes change and needs challenge. You should never stick to one weight training program for a long period of time. Your body will stop growing.

They say the best program is the one you're not on. :D

Something I've noticed on a lot of these amazing transformations on other sites is that most of these guys already have a high amount of muscle mass and all they did was uncover it. That added with better lighting makes them look 100x better.

Don't get me wrong, they did an amazing job with fat loss but didn't really need to build any muscle (the hardest thing to do out of the two).

I guess it depends on your goals. People who want to also add muscle need to train for more than 30mins a week on weights. Almost every professional workout is great because the body likes change and needs challenge. You should never stick to one weight training program for a long period of time. Your body will stop growing.

They say the best program is the one you're not on. :D


Thanks Revlis,

I agree with you about all I had to do was get rid of the fat to uncover the muscle I already had...but where I disagree with you is I believe you can ad muscle mass with short intense workouts if and only if you get stronger every single workout!

Take Care,
Bill
Train Less GAIN More (http://www.bare-minimum-training.com)

I agree with you about all I had to do was get rid of the fat to uncover the muscle I already had...but where I disagree with you is I believe you can ad muscle mass with short intense workouts if and only if you get stronger every single workout!

I guess they have to be VERY intense :D

I personally wouldn't be able to get much out of 15mins, although maybe one 15min PR zone EDT style twice a week could give someone some muscle growth.

I think 30-45mins (excluding warmup) is a good amount of time needed. Ian King recommends that time frame in a number of his books/columns.

It's a floor wax and a dessert topping!

I think some people genetically have an easier time taking off the fat, and others have an easier time putting on the muscle. At least that's my excuse ;)

And you'll probably find the former participating more on this board and the latter more on the "Weight Loss" board.

My corollary to the "workout rule": The best metabolism is the one you haven't got.

--
Rob

I read half way through the Max-OT exercise pdf linked from the site today and it made me interested.

I understand it helps you to gain alot of mass in a minimum amount of time, however I want to loose BF, and maintain the lean mass I have underneith. Not grow big muscles covered with BF!! :p .

What I wonder is wether Max Ot workouts are suitable for people that want to loose fat, I haven´t read anything about BF so far in the pdf?

I read half way through the Max-OT exercise pdf linked from the site today and it made me interested.

I understand it helps you to gain alot of mass in a minimum amount of time, however I want to loose BF, and maintain the lean mass I have underneith. Not grow big muscles covered with BF!! :p .

What I wonder is wether Max Ot workouts are suitable for people that want to loose fat, I haven´t read anything about BF so far in the pdf?

I tried it for 5 weeks while cutting and I hated it. But that's just me...

All this talk of the body "adapting" to a specific workout regimen makes me thing of The Borg!

A few phaser blasts and they "adapt" then your screwed!

Resistance is futile or is it?

... but I actually use HST for something a little different. I spoke with Bryan Haycock (the originator) about this, and he hadn't tried this (his advice was that it was designed for bulking, so only made since when gaining weight) but I use HST consistently when cutting!

It is perfect for me. I have found and it is my opinion that most people overtrain when cutting. While you can take a lot more training than most would have you believe, when you are lowering your calories, your body becomes ultra sensitive and the potential for becoming ill, injuring yourself, etc increase.

HST seems to me to be a great workout to try when cutting. Now, don't get me wrong - I believe that nutrition is the main variable to manipulate, and most routines can work when cutting, but here is why I like HST out of the box:

1. It is designed specifically for mass gain, so on a caloric deficit, I would hypothesize it can help at least maintain muscle mass

2. It has BUILT-IN protection from overtraining! Your first several workouts are very light and easy (read: active recovery). When you get to an intense workout, you simply finish it and start in the next rep range with an easier weight.

I've done one bulking cycle on HST and several cutting cycles using it - I like it best during cutting, whereas the Max-OT, GVT, Holistic etc are more favored in my book when bulking (I tried holistic sets one year and ended up sick for a week, I was so worn down and exhausted from training too hard).

Jeremy

Thanks for the advice, I´m gonna look up more on that HST and see if it´s something for me :)

Thanks for the advice, I´m gonna look up more on that HST and see if it´s something for me :)

Goodluck, just don't fall asleep doing it :D

One last thing, if you're newish to weight training then your body will respond to almost any professionally designed workout.

Goodluck, just don't fall asleep doing it :D

One last thing, if you're newish to weight training then your body will respond to almost any professionally designed workout.


Yeah hehe I know what you´re hinting. I´ve actually caught myself skipping workouts, by staying at the computer sitting on my lazy ass for hours instead. To educate myself, I´ve said!, but most of the time different people say different things, which results in confusion and lacking motivation due to the insecurity, "Am I doing this right, or is it just a waste of time??". The truth is probably as you said, that as a beginner anyone will see results however they do their workouts, as long as I YOU DO THEM!, hehe

Thanx for the advice btw.