HST while "on"

[lifthardheavy]

When you're "on", do you do HST as normal, or do you eliminate the off days? i.e., instead of M-W-F M-W-F, I was thinking of M-T-W-T-F-S then repeat. So you do an entire subcycle in just one week, then take one day off, then go on to the next subcycle.

Is this overtraining?

 

[Beebs]

I don't think that HST is going to be a good training style while on. The last 2 weeks of negatives would be the only good time, but you have to strategic decondition after that which would be bad.

 

[Rage (SoCal)]

Yeah....personally I wouldn't go with HST while ON but it all depends what you think is good and what your goals are.

 

[idunk42]

Be very careful of this when your ON. Your muscles may be able to take and you may feel fresh, but remember that your joints and tendons are not used to being able to push this weight, as well as being worked this frequently. In the past I have overtrained while on, and it actually hurt my gains because some of my joints were so sore and I had so many problems that I was forced to take a couple weeks off right when my compounds were in the middle of doing their magic. Now, this may not happen to you, but be aware of this.

 

[CDB]

You still need to recover when doing HST. Increase the volume, stay away from the submaximal weights, do not decondition afterward until you're through PCT and have the whole cycle well behind you.

 

[Rostam]

You still need to recover when doing HST. Increase the volume, stay away from the submaximal weights, do not decondition afterward until you're through post cycle therapy and have the whole cycle well behind you.

Do you mean that HST should start only 3-4 weeks before the end of the cycle? If so then the deconditioning period before this HST would be somehere during the cycle. Should HST be started during cycle with no S D?

 

[bpmartyr]

I am in the "no HST while ON" camp. IDunk has some good points regarding overtraining and I would add that although the recovery of skeletal muscle is enhanced while "on", your CNS isn't.

You can keep the split but keep your weights relatively heavy throughout and add weight or reps as much as possible to keep your body challenged. IMHO

 

[CDB]

Do you mean that HST should start only 3-4 weeks before the end of the cycle? If so then the deconditioning period before this HST would be somehere during the cycle. Should HST be started during cycle with no S D?

Deconditioning is not mandatory at any time in HST. If you see gains stall, then you decondition. HST is more conducive to shorter cycles, 2-3 weeks near what would normall be the end of the cycle. You up the daily volume to take advantage of your body's increased work capacity and place the shorter cycle towards the end of the HST cycle and simply work through PCT with a lower volume and no deconditioning.

If you want to run a longer cycle likewise, start it somewhere within the heavier portion of the HST cycle but using somewhat normal volume and simply do not stop the cycle at 6 or 8 weeks. Keep increasing the reps and/or the load as you can. Drop volume on PCT but keep lifting and maintain the weight as much as possible. Some reduction in weight is okay, you're likely not going to keep all your strength or size gains, but you don't want it to drop too much. Manipulating volume before load usually helps you maintain a reasonable load to minimize any size and strength loss post cycle.