I started reading up on HST after reading through Steve Holt's site, VegetarianBodyBuilder.com. (Thanks to the vegetarian diets thread!)

I've actually been thinking along these lines in the past few weeks, before I read up on HST: namely, mixing my workout programs to focus on strength and functional hypertrophy, then move into optimal hypertophy training, and back. (With cardio thrown in, to keep my heart and lungs healthy!) I just didn't have a detailed plan worked out yet.

HST incorporates some of what I like best in my current program, Max OT, with a more varied schedule.

Read more about HST here. No, you don't need to sign up for anything or pull out your credit card.

Interesting article. Doesn't seem too out of line with other training articles I've read, actually, just combines the principles under a new name. I just wanted to caution you- this is written in the language of someone who wants you to think they understand cellular physiology better than they actually do. There are several questionable leaps of faith and at least one or two fallacies. Seems reasonable overall (would love if it were better-cited!) but don't be fooled by the language. Let us know how it works out!!

More HST info on BodyBuilding.com.

Lots of additional links to related articles in that one, including a sample 10-rep 2-week cycle.

This looks pretty intense -- 14 exercises and 22 sets in a single day?! However, the HST For Dummies article suggests a more modest 8-12 exercises, with the author preferring only 8 himself.

So I'm going to draw up an HST program tonight and hit it first thing tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

I decided to follow HST For Dummies, so the first week is dedicated to finding your 15 rep, 10 rep, and 5 rep max weights for all 8 exercises.

I've been doing 4-6 rep maxes for Max OT, and the warm-ups and acclimation sets for that give me a good idea of where my 15 rep and 10 rep maxes ought to be. Sure enough, my estimate for 7 out of 8 exercises was spot on today.

I ran into a bit of a problem though. Normally, you don't do 15 reps because Gym Law says that anything above 10 reps is just calorie-burning, and not additional helpful muscle stimulus. HST demands a 2-week 15 rep phase, so I complied. I nearly passed out with a massive headache after pushing 155lb squats for 15 reps. Five hours later, I can still feel a tight ache at the base of my skull. I don't know if I kept pressure on my neck too long, and pinched a nerve or artery, or whether I knocked a spinal disk out of whack -- need to research it. For a few minutes, I wondered if I was having a stroke even. Not fun.

But the rest of the workout was pretty fun! I was good to go in about 15 minutes, and the high-reps give you a very satisfying burn (yes, lactic acid build-up is purposely invoked in HST, despite what tradition would say). Got a nice pump out of it too, thanks to the full-body nature of the program.

After this week, it's a week of rest (Strategic Deconditioning) and then on to the main event! I Can't wait. In the meantime, I'll happily up my running to keep myself occupied during my off-time.

Edit: Oh, crud. I hope it isn't really spinal compression. Well, at least I have something to go on now.

It's been over a month and I haven't started HST, beyond scoping out my 5, 10, and 15 Rep Maxes. A combination of respiratory infections, stress related illness, and just plain old doldrums.

I just realized this is a program that really requires strict commitment. Lose a single day, and your whole sched is thrown off.

Maybe I should look for something that better suits my erratic schedule. It's a pity though -- I put a bit of effort into building a perfect schedule/routine, and it definitely takes more thought and planning than most routines.