I just completed 4 weeks of a modified GVT program and I’ve read that HIT style training is very effective to use following this type of high volume training. Since I don’t have much experience with HIT, I’m wondering if you guys could suggest a rough HIT routine for me to follow for the next 4 weeks.
check out the cyberpump website
Where’s hetyey when you need him?
Natey:
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Keago 
I checked out the Cyberpump website and those guys are way out there. I knew HIT training was based on high intensity and low volume, but this stuff is just loony. One of their sample workouts included just one set of squats and one set of calf raises as the entire lower body training portion of the routine. Come on 2 sets for half of your body. By the way they also included 8 total sets for upper body parts in this routine, how’s that for balance? Another irritating thing I found there was their heavy promotion of machine training over free weight training. Several articles try to argue that machines are not only as good as free weights, but are better. I couldn’t believe that anyone (other than the people that sell the machines) still believed this. Is this the kind of HIT routine that are you T-men who train this way use or could you provide an example of a more reasonable one that I could try for the next month?
Try this:
squats
calf raises
stiff deads/shrugs
(dips or bench)/overhead presses
pullovers/chin ups
lat raises/flyes into presses
bent rows/bent laterals
biceps
triceps
fore arms
abs
alternate the movements on each side of the slash (two different work outs)
lift controlled on the way up and SLOWLY on the way down. Use machines/free weights where appropriate (I personally like the nautilus pull over and arm machines, the rest I do with a barbell or dumbbells). do one set to absolute failure (not one inch of movement possible, then you hold it) and rest as little as possible between sets (I get a very similar workout done in about 25-29 min depending on waiting times). Train hard, heavy, and under control. Do it 2-3 times per week. You should feel like puking after squats to failure, and then you are just starting. Good luck.
Colin when you say “not one inch of movement possible” does that mean doing partial reps after you can’t do anymore full reps? Like in chins for example do I continue the set until I can no longer bend my arms at all? Also, it seems that the leg portion of your workout is similar to the one I saw at Cyberpump. I just can’t understand the logic behind this. How could the biggest most powerful muscle groups, the quads, hams, hips and glutes ALL be trained with just one set of squats and yet relatively tiny bodyparts like the biceps and triceps get hit by at least 3 different movements each (bench, overhead press, and direct tricep work for the tricep and rows, chins, and direct bicep work for the biceps)?
I’ve followed Cyberpump for quite some time, and I must have missed something there, becauseI didn’t get the same impressions. Yeah, machines are good IN SOME CASES. Also, when they say 1 set, my impression of that is one WORK SET, not 1 total set. I believe warm up sets are still a good idea. Here’s what I’ve done for the last year plus:
Workout A: Pullups (3 grips); squats 3-4 warm-up sets working up to working weight, 1 set of 12-20 (progressively more reps) until form falters, then 1 more set of 50% of the reps of the first work set; Dips 1 short set no added weight, 1 set to failure at +30 lbs, 2nd set to failure at no added weight; crunches.
Workout B: deadlift similar to squats, but I don’t go to faltering form; dumbell press 2 warm-up sets then 2 sets to failure; 1-arm dumbell rows 2 sets at same weight as bench press; crunches.
I do each of these once a week, with another short session of whatever needs to be done to bring up a lagging part (curls, shrugs, whatever). That’s it. HIT encompasses MANY types of training that tend toward very intense, briel and infrequent (by necessity) lifting. Use the information to help you find something that works for you.
Steve, I mean you just keep pushing, even if it does not move. Then you slowly lower. As far as the lower body goes, no prob, just get rid of one of the upper movements and add a leg exercise (sometimes I like removing the 2nd back exercise and alternating curls, extensions). Have you ever squated to failure? I mean, at the end you are resting for a couple seconds between reps (no rest in the start) and on your last rep you just keep pushing in the hole. If you have a spotter, do some forced reps (he just has to help you out the hole). You will feel like vommiting, and then it is right off to calves and stiff deads (do these smooth, but don’t go light, it should be pretty close to you squat ± 25%). The lack of standing around (warm up before doing anything, then just don’t stop) and pacing make it very very hard. Good luck.
if you have not trained HIT before try ONE work set per bodypart 3x’s a week to failure. other options include splitting the body in half or thirds and still training 3x’s a week, you just alternate workouts, mentaly I think this way is better for someone just getting into HIT because you can do a tinny bit more volume, I say keep your sets to 3 per week per bodypart. so if you split the body in thirds you can choose three exercises and do 1 set of each (after warm up), but the bigger and stronger you get the MORE rest you need so as you progress you will decrease sets and workouts and up intensity even more (my personal favorite is decending or drop sets) you MUST concentrate on compound movements and I do not mean front squats I mean back squats, I do not mean cleans I mean deads, ect… OVERLOAD YOUR BODY!! NO isolation work for “major” bodyparts. NEVER workout 2 days in a row, if you have been training volume when you think you reached failure you still have atleast 2 reps in you, when in doubt go SLOWER NEVER FASTER, use PERFECT form. I split my body like this; one day= chest,back,tri’s and rotator work, my workout change from time to time on some exercises but others are ALWAYS included my last “day 1” was hammer low rows, dips, bentover BB rows, hammer bench, lying tricep extentions then some rotator work. day two= legs, lower back, calves, bi’s and abs (I will soon be adding the hammer 4-way neck) example of my last “day two” after 2-3 low rep light warm ups squats, stiff leg deads (I’m becomeing obsessed with how much I can stiff leg) leg press, standing calf raises, reverse culs (I usualy do incline db curls but last workout I felt like doing reverse curls) then the nautilus ab machine. next day off then I do day 1 again ect… about the machine thing they are just tools that you may or may not use, in SOME exercises free wts. are better (deads and squats come to mind) but in others machines are better (I think the hammer decline is MUCH better than decline BB presses or even flar benches). are dips a machine or free wt. exercise? I think they are the best pec/tri exercise there is but I guess you could call that a machine. point is there is no reason why machines that are made correctly can not be as good or in some casses better than similar free wt. exercises it just that alot of people so against them grew up in gyms with shitty universal equipment or similar machines. and steve if you do not know how 1 set of squats can work your whole lower body you have never done 20 rep squats to FAILURE, hell unless its a double I hardly see anyone squat to failure but if you try it, especialy the first time or two, you will not want to do any more than 1 set anyway.
Thanks colin, brider and hetyey. I think you guys have given me enough info to construct a decent 4 week HIT routine. Hopefully the last 4 weeks of volume training has got my body primed for some explosive gains from the HIT training. I’ll try to eat a little more than normal and get plenty of rest and see what happens.