Most of us follow a conventional bodybuilding routine. We work out 1 to 3 muscles per training session, do 2 or 3 exercises per muscle group, and perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions each. An alternative to conventional routines is HIT (High Intensity Training). HIT advocates do only one set per muscle group and train only 1 or 2 times per week. Learn more about weight training and find exercises at the weight training and bodybuilding main page.
Workouts per week:
Most people do 3 to 5 workouts per week. The average workout lasts about 90 minutes.
Body parts per workout:
1 to 3 muscle groups are worked in each training session.
Example of a typical 3-day split:
Exercises per muscle group:
Most people do 3 exercises per muscle group.
Example for chest:
Sets per exercise:
Do 3 heavy sets to muscle failure per exercise. Warm-up sets don’t count.
So, when you do 3 chest exercises, you perform a total of 9 working sets for the chest muscles.
Repetitions:
Do an average of 8 to 12 repetitions per set. Use a lighter weight in the first set and perform more repetitions, then increase the weight and reduce the reps in subsequent sets.
Example for bench press:
Intensity:
Intensity is moderate to high. You go to muscle failure in every set except warm-ups, but don’t perform negatives in every set.
Rest:
Rest about 2 minutes between sets. Your pulse should drop to around 130 bpm before starting the next set. Rest between workouts depends on your recovery. Allow at least one or two days before your next chest workout to avoid soreness. However, you can train your legs even if your upper body is still sore.
Overtraining:
The risk of overtraining is higher than with a HIT routine because conventional routines involve more sessions and sets to failure. Some people take a week off every two months or switch to HIT when their conventional routine stops delivering results.
