As requested by many into H.I.T or curious to either try it or dismantle its premises, I am here to answer your questions or generally discuss H.I.T. I am an expert in all of Mike's work and I have done 6 cycles of workouts as of (July 2007). I am open to all opinions and do not try to belittle or totally disagree with others questioning H.I.T (as some people do).
OK LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED WITH MY OUTLINE OF THE BASIC H.I.T ROUTINE AND SOME PERSONAL GUIDELINES I HAVE AUTHORED AND AFTER THIS THE DORIAN YATES ROUTINE:
MIKE MENTZER WORKOUT PLAN AND TIPS
WORKOUT # 1 Chest and Back
1. Dumbell Flyes - 4-6 reps
Pre-exhaust with
Incline Smith Machine 1-3 reps ( after failure do a few negatives)
[periodically do static contraction to failure on pec-deck, choose a weight where u can hold the contraction for 8-12 seconds to fail]
2. Straight arm Pulldowns 6 -7 reps
Pre-exhaust with
Close grip Palms up Pull downs 6 reps
[periodically do static failure on close grip pull down, once again choose weight that u can hold 8-12 seconds in the contracted position]
3. Deadlifts 6-8 reps [ Do these nice and slow as per the advised rep speed]
WORKOUT # 2 - LEGS
Leg extensions 4 - 8 reps
Static failure hold for 8-12 seconds use this at your discretion.
Superset with
Hack Squats 4-8 reps.
Do negatives after positive failure. Remember purely negative reps are done after failure. Each negative rep : the weight should be lowered slowly for 10 seconds.
Leg Press Machine Calf Raises 6-8 reps (sometimes a little lower sometimes a little higher)
Advanced techniques for calves:
Static failure: 30 seconds hold static contraction.
Negatives: lower for ten seconds on leg press machine (these are great for calf growth)
Cycle 1 Workout 3
Side raises 4 6 reps
Do static failure after positive failure, hold for 8-12 seconds.
Do negatives too.
Bent Over rear raises 4-6 reps
Do statics and negatives as well but they are quite awkward for this exercise.
Close Grip Palms up pull downs 4-6 reps
Periodically do statics.
Triceps Push Downs 3- 6 reps
Pre-exhaust with
Dips 2-5 reps.
Always go to negative failure on dips after you have reached positive failure.
WORKOUT # 4 REPEAT LEGS
HEAVY DUTY WORKOUT GUIDELINES
1. Rep Speed is 4 second positive, 2 second static (where applicable) and 4 second negative. This is essential and beginners must make rigorous effort to adhere to the rep speed and make it become second nature. Remember, the aim is to increase the poundages lifted, however the key is that YOU and YOUR MUSCLE are responsible for moving the weight and not momentum. Forget about impressing others if training at a commercial gym and focus on your goals and your form. While the other lifters at your gym move large amounts of weight with momentum and make little or no progress (except for the satisfaction of their ego), you will be on your way to a HEAVY DUTY physique and reaching your goals. The other crucial benefit of this rep speed is that there will be no stress on your joints, tendons and connective tissue. All the force will be removed. Attempting a HEAVY DUTY regime with a quicker rep speed is a one way ticket to injury, arthritis and severe joint pain both in the near future and later in life.
2. You should rest 5-7 days between workouts. For example, if you did workout 1 on Monday, the earliest your next workout should be is Saturday. Your need for rest will depend heavily upon your diet, your amount of cardio, your use of advanced intensity techniques such as negatives, forced reps, statics and rest-pause, and of course your genetics. Experience and logic dictate that those not adhering to a high protein diet of 6 meals per day will not progress as well those who are. Sometimes you may feel you need longer than 7 days between workouts, that is fine, only workout when you feel you are ready. HEAVY DUTY training places a remarkable stress upon the Central Nervous System and you will feel this effect after your very first workout.
3. High Intensity training is harder than any other style of bodybuilding. The ability to reach TRUE FAILURE (where your entire bodily system cannot complete another rep
not even if your life depended on it, not even if your survival as a human depended on it) is very difficult and you will have to build up to this. Do not be deterred or feel inadequate or incapable if you stop short of true failure in your first cycle. Remember, the body and mind will naturally fight the need to reach such an intense effort, and your mind will question the need to push so hard. Other times, the agony will be so intense that you know you can do more however you feel like stopping. Once again, do not worry, as time progresses you will cope better and even exceed your expectations. The intensity of effort to complete a HEAVY DUTY workout is extreme and in order to go through with it you must have a strong emotional attachment to not only the workout itself but also the results you desire. Without this desire you will not be able to reach TRUE FAILURE and you will not workout close to your true potential. HEAVY DUTY is all or nothing, if you do not push the limit or have the desire, your workout will not produce optimal results. Funnily enough a lack luster H.I.T workout will still stimulate the growth mechanism better than your run of the mill endurance style bodybuilding workout which is the industry standard these days.
4. A low rep range staying between 4-6 reps is the best rep range for stimulating the growth mechanism and forcing your body to adapt and grow. With this rep range your body is always being put under extreme pressure to adapt to lift a heavier weight. This is imperative and even more crucial for the natural bodybuilder. Another important reason is it is harder to concentrate and achieve high-quality contractions as the reps become higher, especially since the reps for HEAVY DUTY range from 8 seconds for those exercises without a static, and 10 seconds for those with a static contraction. Therefore just 6 reps will result in you controlling the weight for one minute! That is a lot of time which your muscle is under tension! So be at ease for those who feel more secure using higher reps!
DORIAN YATES HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING SPLIT
BICEPS
Incline Dumbell Curls 1* warmup 10 reps x 50 pound dumbells.
1 working set 6 - 8 reps x 70 pound dumbells.
EZ - Curl Barbell Curls 1* warmup set 10 reps x 100 pounds
1 working set 6 - 8 reps x 140 pounds.
Nautilus Curls 1 working set 6 - 8 reps x 120 pounds
(REST OF WORKOUT ROUTINE TO BE POSTED SOON)