Does HIT, High Intensity Training, Work?

Does HIT, High Intensity Training, Work? I discuss some of my limited experience with the training, and suggest reasons why you might want to try it for yourself.

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[sleekll]

I love your honesty and open-mindedness. I have a small story you may find interesting. Back when I started lifting really seriously to compete, I tried every thing from standard 3-5 set each bodypart twice a week to training up until I was doing 10 sets per bodypart a day in split workouts for two years. All while continuously eating 4500 cals per day. I made no gains, no progress. I was about to give up lifting for good until I tried H.I.T. ....I BLEW UP. People accused me of steroids. After reading a book by Gordon Lavelle and several other HIT others including trying some of Dorian Yates' methods II made more progress in 3 months, and then 9 months than I had in my entire 10 years of lifting before (still drug free, always drug free). Eventually the gains slowed down, and my workout buddy passed away and I never got back to where I was using strict HIT. Eventually I switched to dropsets (still one long set, sort of) and broke all my previous plateaus and then slowed down again.

Now here's where it gets interesting. AFTER all this, going from a bruce-lee like look 5-7% bf 150lb (5'11) to eventually more of a Steve Reeves-look @ 185lb at 5-7% bf this. I make progress from doing multiple sets again. It doesn't seem to even matter what I do as long as I work hard and switch things up. I even mix in a little bit of powerlifting. I have even worked up to doing the same body part every day using the principles in Matt Perryman's book (again-drug free since I know many don't believe it's possible). I've always wondered why multiple sets almost made me quit, and now I can make progress from them? Or just about anything now? It really is fascinating and mysterious to how the body adapts, and Natural Gallant is a inspiring example of multiple sets being successful. What I can say about HIT though, is I still mix it in to my workouts, and it kept me going, gave me new hope when I nearly quit.

Definitely follow Gallant's advice to try different things and just see what works for you. I've always been very, very science-minded but this is just one puzzle science hasn't cracked yet. Gallant's ahead of his time. I've been watching your videos and I thank you for all your wisdom and the great example you are setting for bodybuilding success (preferably natural). I hope your Channel gets big, people need more of your knowledge.

[stockriderman]

I workout twice a week with HIT. GREAT results! It just worked. Lots of time for the body to recoup and grow in the off days. Normal workouts didn't work so I suppose everyone IS different and we all need to listen to our body.

[robertw]

Your teachings are always valuable. I really appreciate the emphasis on not getting caught up in, and trapped by, thinking that one way (no matter how charismatic its proponent may be) is the only right way. Thanks!

[thunderkat]

I love your videos! Hit worked for me when I was 25. Although I admit it may not have been optimal. But it worked for me then as much as high volume worked for me years later. I did notice that with HIT I was able to build more consistently without joint pain. And it wasn’t the insane 1 set to failure only. It was more of a Dorian Yates style.

[glendahigginson]

Ive been a HIT advocate for 25 years now, i always go back to what the pioneering physiologist Roux stated in the early 1900s, he said "results are propionate to the intensity of effort put forth, whereas the volume of work is without significance" (this was after decades of research). This being said, I do believe there are individuals that do not have or have not developed the the neurological ability to put everything into one set, for such individuals 3, 4, 5 or more sets sets may well be required (cumulative fatigue). Good video:)

[rockyp]

Have ever tried HIT with longer rest time? The more advanced the more rest u need with HIT so u may need a week plus

[danielholt]

Jay Cutler basically works to failure every working set, short to failure. Dorian Yates probably exerts a lot of pressure in his warm up sets otherwise someone could do a lot less warm up and go straight to the 1 working set to failure (if so his week long full body workout can be done in 30 minutes to less than an hour, and then be repeated 3 days a week), I think he pre-fatigues the muscle before the working set so it's basically 3 sets near the failure range, the working set to complete failure.

Dorian Yates is 6 time Mr. Olympia and his HIT workout is really simple, it could be turned into a full body routine in a 2 day split 3 times a week, 3 day split twice a week, or 3 days of full body workout 3 days a week. It's probably one of the best fundamental routines including for naturals but would be slightly modified more for the workout frequency of naturals, it doesn't take that long.

Jay Cutler's 2010 Mr. Olympia routine is probably the best but it takes a long time, that one you would only do a full body workout once a week in I think a 5 day split 2 hours a day but that routine is meant with anabolic steroids. Working out the body parts once a week is meant more for anabolic steroids, otherwise naturals need to do full body 2 to 3 days a week.

The original HIT routine is really easy. Going to failure a person still stops before failure if they worked their muscles completely and any continued reps only work the joints. Also in beginner phases stop early in reps if the joints are being worked more where going further takes too long to recover that equals overtraining. Instead of long rests in between routines lower the intensity of the sets and adapt to higher workload as time goes on to work towards higher intensity. People are fucking retarded and don't listen to their bodies. I know of a natural who has worked out consistently for 15 years or so, does high volume, and goes to failure every set with great form, great muscular control, and listens to his body.

Casey Viator, Dorian Yates, and Mike Mentzer's later routines weren't considered HIT by HIT's main person Dr. Arthur Jones. During the Colorado Experiment Casey Viator worked out 3 days a week. The best version of HIT is 3 days a week. He switched to High Volume in the late 70s and got much better muscle proportions. Going much less frequently a person would need to take anabolic steroids and even roiders disagree with that. Mike Mentzer didn't really stick to competitions long term, and if he did he would probably have changed his principals like Casey Viator. Dorian Yates as far as I know during his heyday had his famous version of HIT.

Before the 1970s full body routines 3 days a week, and 2 day splits 3 times a week (6 days a week) high volume were popular which were much more difficult than HIT. 3 primary rep ranges to be worked at 100% 1-4 rep max, 80% 8-12 rep max that's the main focus of bodybuilders, and 40%. The competitive heavyweight bodybuilder I worked out with did a 2 day split full body workout 3 times a week, went to failure every set, and did 100% 1 set with 1 minute rest, followed by 80% to failure with 1 minute rest, and then followed by 80% to failure with 1 minute rest, then he would go to the next lift and repeat the same process. He also trained a lot of high school football players with this routine. With only two solid years of lifting weights beforehand, the second solid year with this routine at 18 to 19 years old my natural lifts were 300 bench press, 450 squat, and 450 deadlift with only 1 minute rest in between each set high consistency in success rate each set no fatigue. The bodybuilder could bench press, squat, and deadlift each over 500 pounds and didn't begin bodybuilding until he was 27 years old. He was much older when I trained with him.

I did good in going to failure right away, low rest inbetween sets, and recovering fast because I had previously done a season of track 1 mile 2 mile and calegic wrestling. In running I would run a half marathon a day 5 days a week when I was young, my best was a 5:30 mile with only a year of training with no tricks, just straight up consistent running but did get to that point with running a half marathon a day. Before doing any track or wrestling I was built like a football player at 235 pounds at 16 years old previously and would do 8-12 rep maxes and 1 rep maxes everyday but not in a concentrated routine otherwise I could have gotten significantly stronger significantly faster.

[rocketeightyseven]

I love HIT, but I agree it all works if you progressively over load the muscle and nutrition over time. One thing I did notice about HIT was a drastic insane increase in strength. It's hard to tell by looking in the mirror...if you're adding poundages onto your frame, but I certainly added pounds in the gym at an insane rate.

[McAppleJuice]

Only someone with your experience can nail these topics like you did here. Older video yes, but nonetheless you have impacted my training and I always love coming back to your stuff. Thank you!

[kevinhughes]

I've never made as much gains as I've had using the Mentzer approach.

[charlieabel]

HIT works for me, and High volume resulted in being tired all the time and no gains. The question I have when someone says how many sets they do, it what exactly is a set? It can vary greatly

[overlord]

I'm sure it does, I just think the question every wants the answer to is whether it's better than High Volume training or not.

[tedp]

Hit can reduce the pump, and the number on the bar might go down since you’re not getting in as many reps to practice the movement patterns with. Also many people do not lower volume enough.

[Biggmofo]

I’m curious how many natural bodybuilders have gotten such good results in a timespan in at least 10-15 years. Haven’t seen them ever.

I think Mentzer, Viator and Yates are not very good examples for this training style since they were roided to the gills and would even grow from pushing a lawnmower machine.

Facts is they all used volume programs. Yates program is hardly HIT. Viator only did HIT when under supervision of Arthur Jones. Whenever he could sneak away he was doing volume training in between. This disproves that the Colorado Experiment was a success. When he separated from Arthur Jones he stepped away from it completely. Same for Mentzer Bro’s. But no matter what training style they followed I do like them all, so this is definitely no hate towards them.

My advice is follow something that works until it doesn’t. If you think HIT works then do it. But after almost 20 yrs of experience, I say volume training/powerbuilding is still the best way. Training every muscle group twice somewhere in between the 4th or 8th day.

[enriqueernesto]

Training should be fun and you should feel good afterwards. In my case the Hit method does exactly the opposite

[therehastobesomethingmoore]

Your explanation leads me to think it didn’t work for you because you were not doing it correctly. Taking off 7-8 days ?
If someone here is interested, check out videos by Arthur Jones the inventor of Nautilu, Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates. There are many others but start there. They hit the pinnacle of bodybuilding using HIT.
I’m 61, and decided to try HIT a couple months ago. I figured I would give it 6 months. So far I love it. I see gains and my strength improves every time I go into the gym, which is twice a week for under an hour.

[HDLifter]

After 4 decades of Heavy Duty, the problems I've (repeatedly) seen is 1) There's failure, than there's FAILURE! Many fool themselves when the going gets tough. 2) Mike NEVER claimed any version of Heavy Duty was it! What he did was provide guidelines, in the hopes trainees would tweak them to meet their individual needs. So when I hear about "Oh I tried Heavy Duty but it didn't work for me" it irks me as most just try something from Mike's books or articles and leave it at that. Mike said "I have no special powers to see inside the body". He wasn't infallible, none of us are, but where he shined was he was a thinker...and hoped others would be on how to best apply his ideology.

[brutebiz]

Glad I executed some due diligence and performed a search query on this subject. You have a video on most of the subject matter I'm researching. Thanks

[inuysha]

I can really tell that you're a very spiritual person, great vid as always!

[jsagers]

I think both systems are very badly defined by the opposing point of view. Volume training isn’t just “marathon sets” with little intensity. Volume training done right is just multiple intense sets to throughly stimulate muscle fibers. Because absolute muscle failure is difficult to achieve in one set. This is my criticism of hit. It’s hard to determine what absolute failure is. Are you achieving with extended sets, drop sets, etc? How is that really different than volume? Also it would seem peak contraction would be less in an extended set, than multiple intense sets. Kind of like sprints. Towards the end of my relay the intensity will likely drop. If I’m really wanting the most intense training then sets make more sense. Really progressive intensity is what equals gains. Someone that has success with hit has found a way to focus on intensity and the same for volume training. IMO HIT may be good for someone starting out or who has peaked with their genetic potential. If I was trying to gain or compete I’d stick with volume.