Attn: BIG H and other HIT followers....

Crimson Ghost · Dec 31, 2002

My training partner and I are looking to change up our training. Right now we train 5 days a week and only train each body part once every 7 days, using about 9-12 sets per body part. I've tried looking around and cannot find and solid info on HIT. There seems to be several different theories contained in each person's "style". Could some one elaborate a little. We have been training for 6 years and are not natural, so we can take whatever is thrown our way. How many days a week do you train? From what I read I'm guessing 3-4 days a week, lifting each muscle group only once in that week. What rep scheme do you use? I usually like to stay between 6-8, but respond well to reps as low as 4. If anyone that trains this way could just let me know a simple layout. I know all of the different lifts, I just need to know about frequency (how many days a week), sets and reps. Thanks,

Crimson Ghost

xcelbeyond · Dec 31, 2002

Not meaning to sound like an ass, read: http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1158

While the title states "beginner," it has some very good principles and techniques.

xcel

Crimson Ghost · Dec 31, 2002

Uhh...

Thanks Xcel....read that already. I see it is titled for "Beginner and Intermediate" bodybuilders. I don't consider myself either. I'm 255-260 lbs and my training partner is 230, probably more now. We've been lifting religously for 6 years. I liked the layout of Big A's article...but how would it change for someone further down the road than beginner/ intermediate? Add an extra lift (1set) per body part, etc? Maybe Big A can answer? I just want to get it right so when we try it out we'll know if it really works as well as everyone says it is.

Thanks again...

Crimson Ghost

Mr_Magoo · Jan 1, 2003

my favorite two ways to train are hst (very similar to a post on this board by lats called "a little story for ya" or "a little story for ya 2", not sure which one

my other favorite way is dc's way which is something ive been doing since b4 he wrote his long thread on it, he outlines it very well, at animalkits.be read the 53 page thread called cycles for pennies

to learn more about hst, go to thinkmuscle.com and read bryan haycocks post, and go to www.hypertrophy-specific.com and read the posts by Blade and Bryan

Crimson Ghost · Jan 1, 2003

Thanks!

Cool, thanks for the info. I'll go check it all out.

Thanks again!

Big A · Jan 1, 2003

Actually the program that is outlined in that article is what I follow now as well. I never found any need to change it. The only variations to stop from going stale are switching from incline presses to flat presses or flat flyes to incline flyes, etc. That is more than enough and it still works now.

bigheinz · Jan 1, 2003

All hit workouts are under the same rule: hard, breaf,infrequent and safe.
Get all Mike Mentzer's books.
Get in www.cyberpump.com and look at "hit faq version 4.0 by rob spector" it realy make my body changes in one year...
read all the articles of the king of hit, Arthur Jones.

Train 2 to 3 days a week. As you get bigger and stronger or from intermediate to advanced bb, train only 1 to 2 days a week.
Never make more than 3 sets per bodypart to real failure.

I was training last year every 6 days only 1 to 2 sets per body part, 5 to 6 reps to real muscle failure. Some time i hit the 140% of effort only 3 reps.

HIT is the best way to grow. You hit the point....

And remember......

.......There is no space for the littles !!!!!!
Bigheinz

Fathead · Jan 2, 2003

MY style of hit.

I have to chime in on this one as well as I use hit in non comp months.

MY first comment MIKE MENTZER was an idiot and a liar but he had his followers and they are loyal so that won't be popular.

HIT is what it is however it can be tweaked in my opinion.
real quick example.

The other day I did chest, I warmed up with flat dumbell press I did my first set in old grand pyramid fashion 10*100, 10*100, 7 *125. oh yea before I did that I did 2 sets of dips 2* 30 reps.

I then went to the incline smith and did my very first set I am fairly strong so I put on 345. I was alone this time so I did not get as many reps only about 4 but remember I am already warm so pyramiding is not needed. I then rested for about 2 mins and hit the rack at 315*6, 280*7, 245*10, 225*8 and by the time I hit 205 even though it is very light normally I could only get about 8. I am stripping the weight down so each weight is not a set my first set is 345lbs and the following set is the strip down set which I consider only 1 set as I am only resting long enough for me or whoever to remove and add weight.

BY this time I am burnt on chest but I do go and do some quick cables usually real light around 60 or 70 lb 8 3 sets.

I then run and hit some bis but that don't matter as my point is made.

The point is this and this is where I get Mentzer was a bullshiter because he never tells you about the warmup sets Yates kind of never admitted to warming up either but they did. To someone who was watching me I just did 14 sets for chest

but I really in my mind at least did 3 sets of flats, 2 sets of incline, and 3 sets of cables = 8 sets dips don't count.

Now I will not work chest again til Monday and I only workout 45 mins 4 days a week and I do my cardio seperate normally as I have the stuff at home.

Where is this leading well cut back a day, cut out dual excersises it makes me think what a dork when I see a guy do barbell incline right after he did dumbell inclines and then they go do flatbench, cables, and pec dec all in one workout doing about 18 sets, complete waste of time.

Don't do Squats and then do go do legs presses see what I mean. BTW I am about 260 myself so you should be able to handle that kind of drill.

Anyway thats my version of hit as I have tweaked it some, I hope I made a iota of sense and it helps you even a little.

bigheinz · Jan 2, 2003

Mike Mentzer was crazy but he was a gentleman with to many fallowers over the world, i am the first have to thanks Mike Mentzer what i am now. He was an exelent teacher and he is the reponsable of Dorian's titles and he rescue Body building from volume training or think in this: the big size we are seen now come from Dorian's growth year by year, making crazy Nasser, Flex and Levrone...
Every body changed his workout routines becouse Heavy Duty works and Dorian Yates return it to life.
Cormier took second place in the Olympia by Mike Mentzer work.
About your training routine if it is good for you keep going but you are perfoming to many sets and reps to call that hit, you just change hit to your needs and this results to you, that is why you have to thanks Mike Mentzer work too, you only train 3 to 4 days a week becouse Mike Mentzer works 40 years trying to teach his knowledge.
All of us makes mistakes in our lifes, Mike Mentzer does i agree, but to many people own him a lot.

Heinz Senior

Fathead · Jan 2, 2003

Disagreeing again with you again

I do not have MENTZER to thank for anything my gains were through my own hard work. If I have anyone to thank it is my strength coach from college who held several records for a long time and was at one time the strongest man in the USFL and NFL and this was when they really used JUICE in those leagues.

Your Correct my version of HIT and yours probably are different but I know you don't just go in cold and do one super heavy set or you would stay injured. This again is where MIKE MENTZER was a liar he misled a lot of guys in the one set principle if this were the case why did he look like shit in his elder years it was not just age. HE was a cokehead for one thing and a chain smoker but I am getting off the topic I just get really pissed when guys make him out to be some kind of visionary that he was not. MENTZER took OLYMPIC POWER LIFTING PRINCIPLES and started teaching it as HIT and his own creation, which was bullshit because HIT has been around a long time under different names.

As BIG A said in his initial article a lot of people don't stick with the stringent HIT method because it is just that too strict and they get bored with it so they believe it does not work for them. The thing they don't do which you can do with any program is tweak it to fit your style and it can still be the same program it just may be 8 sets instead of 6 sets which may be perfect for that stimulation for growth they are looking for.

I have competed and trained since I was 16, twenty yrs now and I never stop learning and I used hit 10 yrs ago and abandoned it for different reasons.

Back to the initial guys question though yea HIT works but you have to make it work and stick with it but it does get mundane. I said earlier it takes away repeat exercises and all the little things you might be used to like the pec dec which according to MENTZER was a waste yet tons of pics have him doing pec dec.

Heinz if I sound upset it's not with you I just have no respect for MENTZER and just to let you know I normally loose 60 to 70 pounds for comp and gain it all back with my version of HIT.