Muscle-specific vs HST weight training

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
I've been doing a muscle-specific weight training program for over a year, and I've seen great results. I've put on almost 30 pounds of muscle. The basic premise is this:
Day 1: shoulders/tris
Day 2: chest(dumbbell)
Day 3: Legs/Back
Day 4: shoulders/tries
Day 5: chest/bi's
Day 6: Legs
Day 7: Back/abs
Day 8: Bi's

My roommate used to do this program with me, but never made the same gains I did. That's kinda natural...he doesn't really have a 'lifting' build, he's 6'3 and lanky. Recently, he got all excited about HST, Hypertrophy-Specific training. Basically, you lift 3 times a week, only do one exercise per muscle, and only 2 sets per excercise. Every other week you change the reps....15, then 10, then 5, then repeat. He has made some gains in this program...HOWEVER, he started doing creatine when he started. I'm trying to convince him that his gains are mainly due to the creatine, but he will not believe me.

I don't understand how HST can possibly be better than muscle-specific. You don't target any particular part of the muscle, for example, I do incline/flat/decline bench, and flies, one day with barbell/cables(flies), the other day with dumbbells, to target the different heads of the muscle, and in different ways. He ONLY does dumbbell incline. He also only does 6 reps a WEEK per muscle. I do roughly 9 per muscle, per day, and there are 2 days in each 8-day cycle. I just don't see the advantage of HST.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
There are so many different programs that work for so many different people. Creatine could definitely have triggered some of his growth. Most people need a higher volume than some of the super low-volume programs prescribe. I tried mike mentzer's heavy duty II approach and for me it was a piece of crap.
 

sonambulo

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2004
4,777
1
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insane amounts of volume dont work for some people. if i train more than twice a week, i dont grow. period. also, i took creatine for 9 months. it did nothing.

can you tell me the circumference of your wrist and the circumference of your roommate's wrist?
 

Bulldog13

Golden Member
Jul 18, 2002
1,655
1
81
:: shrugs :: Try both and see what works.

We do a routine similar to yours.

1 Legs
2 Chest
3 Biceps
4 Shoulders
5 Triceps
6 Back
7 Rest

20 - 30 sets per part. High intensity.

BTW : Skoorbs, LOL at your cat pictures.
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
Originally posted by: sonambulo
insane amounts of volume dont work for some people. if i train more than twice a week, i dont grow. period. also, i took creatine for 9 months. it did nothing.

can you tell me the circumference of your wrist and the circumference of your roommate's wrist?

Mine is about 7", I'm 5'6"....I don't know his(and he's not here), but I wouldn't imagine its much more
 

Buttzilla

Platinum Member
Oct 12, 2000
2,676
1
81
wow, people seem to be trying to gain mass...i'm tryin to lose but been having the hardest time.
 

sonambulo

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2004
4,777
1
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Originally posted by: Deeko
Mine is about 7", I'm 5'6"....I don't know his(and he's not here), but I wouldn't imagine its much more

his is probably less. hardgainers tend to have smaller skeletal structures. at 7" wrist circumference it wouldn't surprise me if you pack the muscle on pretty easily.