Week off before starting HST for 1st time?

Should I take a week off before starting HST for the first time? I was using the conventional once a week method before...

Please post results once you start your program. BTW, could people, who have tried HST, please post your results - bad or good? Many people seem to think that the only way to get big is lifting heavy. And HST sounds conflicting to this. With HST, one has to perform so many different exercises for the entire body. Even the number of sets per exercise isn't high, one could easily fatigue his muscles after that many exercises. How can one lift heavy weights close to his max with tired muscles to achieve greatest gain in

Reg... they are now suggesting a 12-14 off period before starting. Now onto Newbie's concerns...

Finishing last week of negatives... so far, vast improvements in strength in all lifts. +.5 inch on biceps, + .5 inch on quads, + .2 inch (or thereabouts)on forearms, no change in calf, noticeable size increases in traps, shoulders, and back.

Believe me, the 5's and negatives are damn heavy! Just not doing numerous sets to failure every time.

It's not conflicting. You're getting volume confused with heavy. HST uses the principles of mechanical and progressive load to gain hypertrophy. You're just not working to failure necessarily for each part.

Who says? If you focus on compound movements, you can accomplish your goals with five exercises: Deads, which you can alternate with Squats, Bench, Row, Shoulder Press alternating with raises, Bicep Curl . I do eight... adding in Skullcrushers, Calf Raises, and Abs.

Only if you are working to failure. This is not the case. Muscles feel like they have been worked, but I'm not dragging myself out of the gym... Negs are taxing, but the key is that I'm fresh and ready to go 48 hours later. Rarely do I experience DOMS with this program and any DOMS that I had was with the first couple of workouts after the 12 day SD.

The only time you are close to Max is on the last two workouts... it may be max, but it is not failure. The program believes that only 1-2 sets per part are necessary for hypertrophy. Hypertrophy comes when the muscles have to adapt to a frequent and increasing workload.

Overall, I too was skeptical with it. The hardest part was abandoning my 'failure beliefs' aka HIT mentality. But, it does work.

- Osc

Wow....that's pretty impressive, Oscar. Have you experienced this kind of growth before?

I think that's unnecessary. Start w/ 15s though

On 16 Dec 2002, Reg Dunlop wrote: