Does H.I.T. Work?

Training Bodybuilding
21

[quote]T1gNaL1 wrote:
Of course H.I.T works, every training method works to some degree. You simply have to discouver what forms of training are more effective for you. Before you start H.I.T go grab some Mike Mentzer books on the subject. H.I.T is not simply one set to failure. There are a variety of methods that take it far beyound that. Thus HIGH INTENSITY. Get all the facts, keep your intensity up and if you grow you grow, if you don’t change it up.[/quote]

Oh hell no, not Mentzer.

Anything you want to know about true HIT, go to Darden.

He worked with the pioneer of HIT, Jones, and has done a lot of actual research on test subjects to find the optimum methods of training.

Now it seems a lot of people want to argue about this stuff, but the fact of the matter is that there are people who got big and strong doing HIT, and people who got big and strong doing volume and/or high frequency training. Therefore they both work.

To paraphrase Ian King, HIT would be great for a person who has only done volume, and volume is great for a person who has only done HIT.

The real problem comes when people believe in only one philosophy, and close their minds off to anything else.

I think the biggest problem between the two groups is how they look at exercise. Here at T-Nation there are a lot of people who enjoy spending time in the gym, and the idea of spending less time in the gym makes no sense to them. (Not to mention that a properly performed HIT workout is anything but fun.)

22

What’s interesting about this discussion is this:

Just about every pro Bodybuilder since the 40’s and 50’s have used either high volume, or medium to high volume to build their physiques.

Yet, some people give Jones credit for developing a “brand new way to build muscle.”

Odd.

Especially considering that fact that we always try to emulate success in every other activity we do.

How did Tiger Woods get to be the best Golfer?

How did Lance Armstrong get to be the best bicyclist?

How did any pro get to be the best at his sport?

We watch, we study and we try to emulate as best we can the practice sessions of the best of the best.

Yet…everything the pro bodybuilders have been doing for 60 years is somehow invalid because Arthur Jones said so?

Look, we all know that pro bodybuilders are taking massive amounts of steroids and other body enhancing substances…

But…

That does not negate the fact that fairly large amounts of volume have indeed been working for those at or near the top for decades. And not all of those folks have been taking large amounts of steroids or even any steroids. (See early legends).

Does it even make sense that less will do more for you?

Will you get a better golf swing with less practice?

Will you get a better jump shot with less practice?

Will you become more proficient and a stronger cyclist with less practice?

Don’t get taken in by the “less is more” crowd.

Jones had a great deal to gain financially by promoting these ludicrous concepts!

Along with the machines that he sold he also pushed “less time in the Gym” as his model. It’s not enough to sell the steak you also have to sell the sizzle.

Volume (in some fashion) works!

23

I think that every program works…the cocnept of Intensity, however, seems to be misunderstood when you state to perform 1 set to failure per exercise…

I think you need to couple Intensity and Volume…the right amounts of both will give you a lifelong formula

I would suggest training with a fast concentric and simply try to resist the weight as much as possible, being it more than 2 seconds…like 4-6 seconds on the way down, or use long pauses with 1-2 second concentrics (like a 5-second pause at the bottom) and simply going 1 rep shy of failure for 3-5 sets per exercise, hitting each bodypart with 2 or 3, twice a week at least.

You can integrate such concepts to a program like Quattro Dynamo, or ABBH or even OVT.

24

[quote]mertdawg wrote:

Do you train the whole body 3x/week, or split it up and hit everything 1x/week? When I read Mike Mentzers articles, I was always amazed at how he would talk about cutting the frequency of training. He wrote about one trainee who had stalled doing each bodypart 1x/week on a 3 way split (Chest/tri, Back/Bi, Legs) and he had to cut them back to 3 workouts every 2 weeks to get them to start making progress again.

[/quote]

I go full body once every 3-4 days and have been making steady progress since I started doing it nine months ago.

The reason I started doing HIT was because I was severely injured in an accident and couldn’t do anything for my legs other than SuperSlow training. It worked extremely well (as a rehab method) and I eventually got strong enough to tolerate faster training. I have been sticking to the one set to failure method because it works and I have no reason to switch to anything else.