HIT Routines

Author: Technical Panel

Date

24/03/2006

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Hit Count:

9550

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Core Beliefs About High Intensity Training

A routine that believes that progression is based upon strength gains on a routine that is based upon the theory that you do the smallest amount of volume to produce the greatest results. HIT routine believe that you stimulate a muscle by pushing to close to or beyond what it can cope with in a short unit of time, while draining very little recovery reserves, thus produces size and strength gains. HIT believes that size (cross sectional area of a muscle) is directly relative to strength, and thus a routine based upon regular and measurable strength gains will result in an increase in muscular size. Any routine that is abbreviated (short in duration, low in volume) and high in intensity (pushing a fibre close to or beyond momentary muscular failure) constitutes a HIT routine.

Various HIT Routines

BRAWN 20-Rep Squat Routine (As invented by Stuart McRobert and popularised in the book of the same name)

1. This is a highly abbreviated routine that should be done twice per week
2. The squat should be performed such that the first 10 reps are hard to achieve, the following 10 are to be performed in one's or two's until the 20 reps are reached. This is a massively draining exercise.
3. Reps should be performed slowly and in strict style, a tempo of 301 is suggested and 402 for longer range movements.
4. Rest between sets can be as long as 3 minutes.
5. If sufficient intensity can be generated, you need do only 1 set of each exercise. You should never do more than 3 sets.
6. You must aim to increase the weight on the bar by a small amount (no mater how small) at each workout.
Squat  1x20 reps. Super set with
Pull Overs
Donkey Calf Raise 2x15-20 reps
Stiff Legged Dead Lift 2x15-20 reps (Once a week only)
Parallel Bar Dips 2x6-9 reps
Bent Over Row 2x6-9 reps
Seated Press 2x6-9 reps

 

Dorian Yates Heavy Duty Training (As popularised in Dorian Yates's books and video)

1. A less abbreviated routine, allowing for slightly higher volume and consequently slightly lower intensity on each set.
2. It uses a four way split on the body, so each body part is only trained once every 6 days.
3. The program is a two days on, one day off program.
4. One maximum effort set is done for each exercise (in the main), with warm up sets being done first, stopping far short of maximum efforts.
5. Rest between sets ranges from 1-2 minutes for the smaller muscle groups and 2-3 minutes on the larger ones.
6. You should aim to increase the weight by a small amount at each workout. Use or forced reps is advocated.
7. Reps should be performed in strict style with a constant tempo, 201 is suggested.
Chest and Biceps

Incline Bench Press 1x6
Hammer Chest Press 1x8
Incline Fly's 1x8
Cable X-Over 1x8

Incline D/B Curl 1x7
EZ Bar Curl 1x6
One Arm Preacher Curl 1x8

Legs

Leg Extension 1x11
Leg Press 1x11
Hack Squat 1x7

Lying Leg Curl 1x8
Straight Leg Deadlift 1x8
Single Leg Curl 1x8

Standing Calf Raise 1x11
Seated Calf Raise 1x8

Back & Rear Delts

Machine Pullovers 1x9
Hammer Pull Downs 1x8
Bent Over Rows 1x6
Seated Single Arm Row 1x7

Rear Delt Raise 1x10
Dumbell Rear Delt Raise 1x8

Hyperextension 1x8
Straight Leg Deadlift 1x5

Shoulders & Triceps

Smith Machine Front Press 1x6
Seated Lateral Raise 1x9
Cable Lateral Raise 1x9
Dumbbell Shrugs 1x10

Triceps Press Down 1x11
Lying Triceps Press 1x6
Single Arm Kick Backs 1x9

 

Heavy Duty (As popularised by Mike Mentzer)

1. A highly abbreviated routine training bodyparts every forth day.
2. Using the following split:- Chest and Back, Legs and Abs, Shoulders and Arms, Legs and Abs
3. The program is repeated in a sixteen day cycle.
4. One maximum effort set is done for each exercise (in the main), with warm up sets being done first, stopping far short of maximum efforts.
5. Rest between sets ranges from 1-2 minutes for the smaller muscle groups and 2-3 minutes on the larger ones.
6. You should aim to increase the weight by a small amount at each workout. Use or forced reps, heavy negatives, rest pause, statics and pre-exhaustion are the norm.
7. Reps should be performed in strict style with a constant tempo, 201 is suggested or even slower at 302.
Chest and Back

Pec Deck 1 x 6 - 10
Incline Chest Press 1 x 3
Pulldowns 1 x 8 - 10
Deadlift 1 x 8

 

Legs

Leg Extension 1 x 10 (or static)
Leg Press 1 x 10

Standing Calf Raise 1x11
Seated Calf Raise 1x8

Shoulders and Arms

Lateral Raise 1 x 10
Seated Shoulder Press 1 x 10
Bicep Curls 1 x 10
Tricep Dips 1 x 10

Legs and Abs

Leg Extension 1 x 6 - 7
Squat 1 x 15

Crunches to failure

 

Static Contraction (As popularised by Pete Sisco and John Little)

1. A highly abbreviated routine training the whole body once a week or once every two weeks.
2. The program is repeated in a variable schedule based upon results and recovery rates.
3. One maximum effort set, a static contraction, under maximal load performed, performed to failure, preceded by an intense negative.
4. Rest between sets ranges from 2-3 minutes for the smaller muscle groups and 4-5 minutes on the larger ones.
5. You should aim to increase the weight by a small amount at each workout.
6. Reps are not performed - only intense maximal statics in the strongest range of motion.
Workout 1

Shoulder Press 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Cable Row 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Weighted Crunch 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Bench Press 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Barbell Shrug 1 x 5 - 10 second static

Workout 2

Lat Pulldown 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Close Grip Bench Press 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Cable Curl 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Leg Press 1 x 5 - 10 second static
Toe Press 1 x 5 - 10 second static

 

Power Factor Routine (As popularised by Pete Sisco and John Little)

1. A highly abbreviated routine training infrequently.
2. Using the following split is the norm:- Chest and Back, Legs and Abs, Shoulders and Arms, Legs and Abs
3. The program is repeated in a variable schedule based on results and recovery.
4. One to three sets are performed per exercise in the strongest range with purely partial movements and near maximal weights over a specified duration.
5. Rest between sets ranges from 1-2 minutes for the smaller muscle groups and 2-3 minutes on the larger ones.
6. You should aim to increase the power factor or power index each workout by adjusting the reps, weight or time under tension.
7. Reps should be performed in strict partial style with a constant tempo in the strongest range only.
Chest and Back

Incline Chest Press 
Pulldowns 
Deadlift

 

Legs

Leg Extension
Leg Press

Standing Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise

Shoulders and Arms

Seated Shoulder Press
Bicep Curls
Tricep Dips

Legs and Abs

Leg Extension
Squat

Crunches to failure



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Questions and Answers on HIT Routines
Posted by

Questions and Answers

Gabriel P. Question

HIT Routines: Hi,

At Mike Mentzer training when you say it s repeated in a 16 day cycle this means that each 16 days we should train only about twice per week

Thanks

Answer

yes thats right gabriel , you do each body part once over a 16 day period , so you basically train one body part then rest 4 days before training the next body part.....this programme is set to maximise recovery in between workouts. hope this helps

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