High Intensity Training (HIT) is a form of bodybuilding and strength training that emphasizes the quality of repetitions and momentary muscle failure. It is believed that only one intensive set is necessary to stimulate muscle growth and strength. HIT was popularized in the 1970s by Arthur Jones, founder of Nautilus. One of the most famous HIT advocates was Mike Mentzer. Find other training methods and exercises at the weight training and bodybuilding main page.
Description
Who HIT is for:
People who don’t respond well to common bodybuilding routines (hard gainers) often react better to high intensity training. Others use a HIT routine to break a plateau when a normal routine stops producing results.
Workout description:
- Workouts per week:
HIT advocates do 1 to 3 workouts per week. The average workout lasts 60 to 90 minutes. - Body parts per workout:
Most HIT workouts are full-body workouts, but some people also do split routines (one day upper body, one day lower body). - Exercises per body part:
Only one intensive exercise is performed per body part. - Sets per exercise:
Do one set per exercise. However, you can do 2 or 3 warm-up sets before the actual set. These warm-up sets should not go close to muscle failure. Keep your warm-up brief and purposeful. You can also use a back exercise as a warm-up for the biceps, then go directly to the intensive biceps set (without an additional warm-up). - Repetitions:
Repetitions are very slow and controlled. The last repetition must reach muscle failure. Proper technique is essential. Don’t create momentum, bounce, or swing the weight. A typical HIT cadence is 3-1-4-1:
Example for barbell rows:
3 seconds pulling the barbell up (concentric phase)
1 second squeeze the barbell at full contraction
4 seconds lowering the barbell (eccentric phase)
1 second rest with the barbell hanging - Intensity:
After the last repetition, you can use techniques like negative repetitions or isometric holds to increase intensity. - Rest:
Rest is very important. Sets are very intense, so you need more rest between sets and exercises than in a normal routine. You also need more recovery time between workouts. HIT advocates usually train only once or twice a week. The workouts are more intense than usual and therefore require longer rest. - Overtraining:
In HIT, reaching muscle failure sends a signal to the muscle to improve. Sending this signal three times in a row causes overtraining. The single set where you push your muscle to grow and get stronger must be very intense.
History
Not everyone agrees that Arthur Jones invented high intensity training. Around 1880, Gustav Zander, a Swedish physician, advocated similar training principles and built exercise machines very similar to those later developed by Arthur Jones over 100 years later.
Famous HIT Advocates
- Arthur Jones
- Mike Mentzer (Heavy Duty)
- Dorian Yates
- Aaron Baker
Advice
- Choose heavy free-weight exercises such as barbell bench press, barbell squat, barbell row, and barbell curls.
- Focus on correct technique and avoid using momentum.
- Overtraining is the biggest enemy of HIT and usually begins when you do a second set to muscle failure. Only do one set per muscle. Make sure you get enough rest between exercises, sets, and workouts.
- Target a single muscle group with one exercise and one set.
- Do 6–10 reps for upper body muscles and 8–20 reps for lower body muscles.
Examples:
- Barbell Deadlift: 5 to 8 reps
- Barbell Bench Press: 6 to 10 reps
- Barbell Squat: 12 to 20 reps
- Calves: 1–2 sets to failure, 15 to 20 reps
Suggestions
- High Intensity Training Bodybuilding Routines
- Negatives in Bodybuilding
- Muscle Failure
- Conventional Bodybuilding Routines
- Olympic Weightlifting
- Powerlifting
- Bodybuilding
- Barbell Bench Press
- Barbell Row
- Barbell Biceps Curl
- Barbell Squats
