What plant training method/s do you use on Autos?

Describe below your plant training techniques. I've seen people train autos on the site and I've seen other plants grown with no training. Just wanted to make a thread for growers to let everyone know how they train there Autos. Or if you dont train at all your welcome to let us know too. Ready? Set.... Go!

 

[NorthernLights_420]

I might run some hydro down the road again. For now I'm working on ordering a 8x4 tent and more equipment. Investing more into the grow. Legal to grow 12 plants here per household in the state of Michigan, in the USA. So I'm working my way up to being able to grow a whole 12 at a time. Photos I'm running together. But next batch of autos will be perpetual. Gonna plant a seed or 2 per week so I always got plants coming down. Already got 12 Lumpy Space Princess from solfire gardens (photos). Gonna order 5 autos=fast buds girl scout cookies in the near future. Then next will be 5 zkittles auto from fast buds after that. Cant wait for what the future brings

 

[Cringer]

Leaf defoliation is a Must! Lst and Cropping together kicks ass.

 

[WildBill]

Leaf defoliation is a Must! Lst and Cropping together kicks ass.

Kinda a huge blanket statement. LOL!
Defol for light and airflow is certainly a must. LST essentially does the same thing by exposing new bud sites and by evening out the canopy, you break/bend cola dominance and the plant will even out, for the most part, growth hormones distribution to those colas.

A nice clean area under the canopy is beneficial in many ways, but severe lollipopping, well beyond clean, up is silly in my mind. You're removing leaves that provides that plant the energy to grow bigger and better buds. You still need to leaves to power the possible hormonal boost with the plant thinking it's getting attacked and trying to reproduce itself.
That being said, I do think you could get a hormonal boost in bud production if you do this to a strain with a high sugar leaf to bud ratio and take the big fan leaves. I think timing would be key for optimal results. With Autos, I guess that would be towards the end of the flowering stretch.
I'd like to see a research study on it.