High Intensity Training, or HIT, is a brutally intense, yet simple, approach at gaining the mass.
The rules are almost too easy:
- Perform One set to failure (exclusive of warm-ups)
- Work Each body part no more than once a week
- Concentrate on the major compound movements.
- deadlifts
- squats
- bench press
- military press
- chin-ups
- dips
- etc,
Some folks will worry about the lack of direct arm work, but when you can dead-lift 500, squat 400 and bench 300 you will have huge arms.
- Only perform the smaller, detailed movements if you have the energy (and recover ability) after performing the compound ones
- Perform 8-12 reps in PERFECT FORM.
- Use a dual progression method (add weight or reps) EVERY workout.
- Don't add too much weight, go in small steps, one or two lbs is sufficient.
- Don't lift more than 3x per week, twice is probably sufficient and, for some once is enough.
- Each workout should last no more than 45 minutes (including warm-ups)
- Get it done and get away from it. Hanging out at the gym as a social function is fine, but don't do anymore than you have to.
- Get plenty of rest between workouts
- Eat plenty of good, whole, foods. You can't make something from nothing!
- Listen to your body, if you're sore on your work-out day then put it off until you feel better.
Daaaaaaats it!
The theory behind it all is just as simple: As we all know the reason that weight training builds muscle is
the result of your body adapting to stress. Since you can only damage your muscles so-much in one session
there is no point in doing mutiple sets. So long as you are willing to work at a great enough level of intensity,
you will put those muscles under enough stress with a single set.
And besides all that, you don't grow while you're working out, you grow while you're resting, do everything in
your power to maximize it!
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