FastCatChamp on GST....Live From Ironville!

[FastCatChamp]

After six months of Starting Strength and Bill Starr 5x5, I am going to give a program with hypertrophy variables a shot.

First I am: Age-36, 5’10”, 195. Lift stats are in my signature line below.

My new program is Growth Stimulus Training (GST). GST is a split style program runs on four week Macrocycles. Each week, I will do four workouts each of which revolve around a compound lift.

My compounds will be: Press- Bench, Push- Squat, Lift-Deadlift, Pull- Chinups. Each workout also employs two supplemental lifts. Each week uses a different rep scheme. Week 1 uses an 8 rep scheme with 65% of 1RM. Week 2 gets to 6 reps for 75%. Week 4 uses 2+reps for 90-95% of 1RM. In addition each workout schedules a final set (of 3 total sets) as an AS MANY REPS AS POSSIBLE (AMRAP).

This setup is way out the ordinary strength-based program that I am familiar with. I am going to commit to GST in order to harden up, build muscle, and work on muscle endurance.

GST http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121353501

[FastCatChamp]

GST Macrocycle 1 - Microcycle 1 Press

Explosive Primers interlaced with warmup and work sets

Core Lift - Bench Press
Warmup
8x45
8x95
3x135
Worksets
8x170
8x170
16x170 AMRAP

Supplemental Lift #1 - Incline Bench
Warmup
8x45
Worksets
10x95
10x95
10x95

Supplemental Lift #2 - Dips
10xBW
10xBW
7xBW Did 10, but cant in good faith count the final three

Abs - Decline Situps
10xBW+35
10xBW+35
10xBW+35


Notes - Way out of the ordinary from my normal strength-based routines. First, I dont feel like death afterwards. Yet, this was way more demanding than it looked on paper. Tris were fried after the first set of dips.

[FastCatChamp]

GST Macrocycle 1 - Microcycle 1 Push

5 minute walk with dynamic warmup movements

Explosive Primers interlaced throughout warmups and worksets

Core Lift - Low Bar Squat
Warmup
8x45
5x95
5x135
3x160
3x185
Worksets
8x225
8x225
15x225 AMRAP

Supplemental Lift #1 - Front Squat
Warmup
5x45
Worksets
10x95
10x95
10x95

Supplemental Lift #2 - Stationary Lunges
10xBW+40
10xBW+40
10xBW+40

10 per leg on each set with 20# dbs in each hand

Notes - Holy god! My body is really geared towards low rep squat sets. This was a challenge to say the least. Also, cutting back on milk a tad to cut a few calories. Trying to cut back from 8-10 cups per day to 4-5 cups. That represents about 500 calories.

[Farley1324]

1rd

[K-Krakrz]

subbed- have fun with GST!

show us your plan?

[FastCatChamp]

1rd

Always good to have your feedback. Welcome aboard......again!

subbed- have fun with GST!

show us your plan?

Will do soon, but right now I am off to purchase a lat machine and 180# of weight from a craigslist ad for........$50 whole dollars.

[SionX]

Dam I was beaten to 1st! Very well done on your amazing 1rms and theh best of luck with your new plan. Looks very interesting

[matt297]

4st

Lets tear this up FatsCat!

[FastCatChamp]

Dam I was beaten to 1st! Very well done on your amazing 1rms and theh best of luck with your new plan. Looks very interesting

4st

Lets tear this up FatsCat!

Thanks guys. I know that this is way different than previous. I'll try and give as much feedback/critique as possible since it is likely that each of you will get to a split sometime in the future. What I like about the setup is the compound lifts that are emphasized.

Also - I am sore as hell from yesterdays Squats.

[adoboandryce]

subbed. let's rock.

[FastCatChamp]

show us your plan?

Core Press - Bench Press
Supp #1 - Dips
Supp #2 - Incline

Core Push - Low Bar Squat
Supp #1 - Front Squats
Supp #2 - GHR/Hypers

Core Pull - Chins
Supp #1 - Self Supported Dumbell Rows
Supp #2 - Underhand Barbell Rows

Core Lift - Deadlift
Supp #1 - Strait Leg Deadlift (Romanian)
Supp #2 - Hack Squat *This is actually to support Push movements

Abs - 3x/week


The above is also my order of workouts.

As far as weights, in Week 1 I will use 65% of 1RM. In Week 4 I will be at 90% of 1RM for sets of AMRAP-3-3. That will equate to Bench@235, Squat@315, Chins-AMRAP, and Deads@370. A little leary of the deads and trying to crank out reps. Goes against what I have done with keeping deads in low rep ranges to protect yourself. Besides, I am not sure I could crank out more than three at 370. That may be a telling point early on in the program.

[FastCatChamp]

GST Macrocycle 1 - Microcycle 1 Pull

Light Lat Pulldowns interlaced throughout warmups and worksets

Core Lift - Chins/Reverse Chins
8/0@BW
6/2@BW
4/4@BW

The aim here was eight, but I had never done eight chins or pullups before, so my plan was to go to failure and then do reverse chins to make up the difference. This would give anyone great incentive to get their scheduled chins since reverses, when done with effort, are damn challenging.

Supplemental Lift #1 - Flat Bench Dumbbell Rows
10x35
10x35
10x35

Ten with each arm per set.

Supplemental Lift #2 - Underhand Bent Rows
10x75
10x85
10x90

No idea what I could do here. The 90 ended up being a good final set.

Supplemental Lift #3 - Barbell Curls
8x45
10x65
8x65
10x55

I'm a complete pansy!


Notes - Once again, I thought this looked like a light workout on paper. In actuality, these movements are all weak points for me which made the workout challenging. Will have to be careful when doing the dumbbell rows as heavier weight will make me want to pull with my arms. The underhanded rows are the first rows that I have been able to hit my back with. Pendlays never did anything for me. Biceps were trashed after chins, thus the weak-ass curls. That was probably my third sets of curls in six+ months.

a.m. Bodyweight - 195

[K-Krakrz]

Core Press - Bench Press
Supp #1 - Dips
Supp #2 - Incline

Core Push - Low Bar Squat
Supp #1 - Front Squats
Supp #2 - GHR/Hypers

Core Pull - Chins
Supp #1 - Self Supported Dumbell Rows
Supp #2 - Underhand Barbell Rows

Core Lift - Deadlift
Supp #1 - Strait Leg Deadlift (Romanian)
Supp #2 - Hack Squat *This is actually to support Push movements

Abs - 3x/week


The above is also my order of workouts.

As far as weights, in Week 1 I will use 65% of 1RM. In Week 4 I will be at 90% of 1RM for sets of AMRAP-3-3. That will equate to Bench@235, Squat@315, Chins-AMRAP, and Deads@370. A little leary of the deads and trying to crank out reps. Goes against what I have done with keeping deads in low rep ranges to protect yourself. Besides, I am not sure I could crank out more than three at 370. That may be a telling point early on in the program.

Pretty solid workout there. However, why do you have a lift exercise ( GHR ) on push day and a push exercise ( hack swquat ) on lift day?

Also, do you do complexes/weakpoint training?

[FastCatChamp]

Pretty solid workout there. However, why do you have a lift exercise ( GHR ) on push day and a push exercise ( hack swquat ) on lift day?

Also, do you do complexes/weakpoint training?

GHRs & hack squats are my weak point training (legs)
Have not done the complexes this weak as I am more just concentrating on surviving these DOMS.

[FastCatChamp]

Today's Deadlift workout was aborted after deads and strait leg dead. On my last set of sldl (Romanian) all was going well until my sacrum area felt crushed upon completing ther last rep (a rep I easily completed). After 5 mins of not being able to bend, I tried to man up and do my ab work, but could not get on the bench. Its 2 hours out and its getting better but still present. Its not muscle but rather a deep locked-up feeling in my sacrum area. Hope I didn't ruin myself.

[SionX]

Don't worry about 'manning up' when you have that kind of pain. Keeping healthy is every bit as important if not more so than the workout itself. Can't say I've experienced pain directly in the sacrum area (maybe once on the leg press) but not being able to bend over is not a good sign. Tried using the foam roller?

[FastCatChamp]

I'm 3 hours out and I'm able to function, bend, stretch, etc. Although I can definitely tell I did something. I'm hoping it was just an intense spasm in that area that led to the problem. Its not a foam roller kind of situation. More like tendons or nerves. Anyways, I did do 16 reps at 250 on my last set of deads today before going to sldl. This may have just been my body going on strike momentarily!

[Farley1324]

Today's Deadlift workout was aborted after deads and strait leg dead. On my last set of sldl (Romanian) all was going well until my sacrum area felt crushed upon completing ther last rep (a rep I easily completed). After 5 mins of not being able to bend, I tried to man up and do my ab work, but could not get on the bench. Its 2 hours out and its getting better but still present. Its not muscle but rather a deep locked-up feeling in my sacrum area. Hope I didn't ruin myself.

Ouch. Doesn't sound extremely promising. You will find out quite a bit come tomorrow morning, I thin

[FastCatChamp]

Ouch. Doesn't sound extremely promising. You will find out quite a bit come tomorrow morning, I thin

This is my first thought as well. I dont think I am injured, but its more than just soreness.

[FastCatChamp]

GST Macrocycle 1 - Microcycle 1 Lift

10 minute warmup - walking, jogging, dynamic movements

Deadlift "jumps" interlaced throughout warmups and worksets

Core Lift - Deadlifts
Warmups
5x135
3x185
3x225
Worksets
8x250 - 60% of 1RM
8x250
16x250

Wow. Final set was 5-6 with double overhand grip, the rest were alternate grip.

Supplemental Lift #2 - Romanian Deadlift
10x135
10x155
8x175

On last rep, my sacrum area totally locked up upon completing the rep. I mean I couldnt bend down to get my towel. Didnt know if I would make it out of the Bally's as was at. Should have done hack squats after these, but there was no way.

Notes - Really worried that Ive tweaked myself at the beginning of this program.

[K-Krakrz]

GST Macrocycle 1 - Microcycle 1 Lift

10 minute warmup - walking, jogging, dynamic movements

Deadlift "jumps" interlaced throughout warmups and worksets

Core Lift - Deadlifts
Warmups
5x135
3x185
3x225
Worksets
8x250 - 60% of 1RM
8x250
16x250

Wow. Final set was 5-6 with double overhand grip, the rest were alternate grip.

Supplemental Lift #2 - Romanian Deadlift
10x135
10x155
8x175

On last rep, my sacrum area totally locked up upon completing the rep. I mean I couldnt bend down to get my towel. Didnt know if I would make it out of the Bally's as was at. Should have done hack squats after these, but there was no way.

Notes - Really worried that Ive tweaked myself at the beginning of this program.

Might want to ask Ryan about how to go about GST while recoverying from your injury.

[FastCatChamp]

Woke up at 6am and could barely roll over to get my feet on the floor. This must be what its like to be in a car crash! Still not sure if I'm injured as serious DOMS have set in. This follows the same pattern as each of my first three GST workouts as far as the DOMS are concerned. I have two rest days to foam roll and see whats up. One thing I know for sure........no quick movements!

[Farley1324]

Woke up at 6am and could barely roll over to get my feet on the floor. This must be what its like to be in a car crash! Still not sure if I'm injured as serious DOMS have set in. This follows the same pattern as each of my first three GST workouts as far as the DOMS are concerned. I have two rest days to foam roll and see whats up. One thing I know for sure........no quick movements!

I'm afraid it is an injury and the only question is how serious. I say this based on the fact that you couldn't bend over immediately after finishing.

And I hate to say it, but this might prove to be an example of why so many people are against high rep deadlifts.

Get that DOMS worked out and see what happens.

[FastCatChamp]

Yeah, I hear you on the reps. It was a lighter weight for the deads (250), but still a boatload of reps. The injury occured while doing sldls after the deads. It was also light weights (135-175) but that is still loading the lower back/hips to a degree.

I may survive. DOMS are bigtime today, but the pain I was feeling yesterday is gone. Then again, I have been on my feet today moving around.

[FastCatChamp]

After more thought, I realize that I used a three inch step for my sets of sldls. That is what probably caused me to put my back at an unnnatural angle (i.e. rounded). If I would not of used the step I would probably be good and if I stayed with sets across rather than uping from 135 to 175,. I probably would have been good.

Update is that I think I will survive. I can touch my toes, albeit not real quickly. But, I am not in any ungodly pain and have not taken any meds. I would just rate what I have as discomfort.

[Farley1324]

If you can toe touch the day after and only rate it as discomfort you should be alright.

Take it as a slap on the wrist. You have to be very careful regarding your back position whenever you are pulling from the floor or otherwise bending over at the waist under load.

[Genocidal]

subbed. I've always been a little interested in GST, hope to see you make some good gains!

[FastCatChamp]

If you can toe touch the day after and only rate it as discomfort you should be alright.

Take it as a slap on the wrist. You have to be very careful regarding your back position whenever you are pulling from the floor or otherwise bending over at the waist under load.

Been reading up on erectior spinae muscles and the psoas muscle. In the article below scroll to Psoas. This kind of stuff should be required reading for those of us that pull shit from the floor. I think my Psoas muscle spasmed.

http://www.julstro.com/what_happens_exactly.html

[Farley1324]

Been reading up on erectior spinae muscles and the psoas muscle. In the article below scroll to Psoas. This kind of stuff should be required reading for those of us that pull shit from the floor. I think my Psoas muscle spasmed.

http://www.julstro.com/what_happens_exactly.html

Which, unfortunately, is not everybody that lifts.

[FastCatChamp]

6 reps - 3 cycles with Barbell only

1. Deadlift
2. Bent Row
3. Hang Clean
4. Squat
5. Push Press
6. Lat Pulldown
7. Decline Situp

Good stretch and more importantly......I think I will surely be unaffected in time from the back deal of a few days back.