For the most part, I find articles by guys who rely on HIT to build their muscle. For ectomorphs like myself, I have tried the HIT method and besides the initial shock gains, I quickly began to move backwards. So let's bring back VOLUME!
First at the risk of endangering myself, I'd like to do a little HIT-
bashing (nothing serious though). HIT was, as everyone knows already,
started by Mike Mentzer. Mentzer's theories on Heavy Duty and HIT changed
throughout the years, until by the end he claimed that 2 days a week for 30
minutes was enough to build muscle. Now, I'd like to be the first to call
"BS" on that, because I will never believe that he ever followed his own
principles to that degree. There are men now, who work out 4 days a week,
and have lagging body parts. To be able to grow on such short and
infrequent workouts, much less grow significantly, you'd have to be able to
cause an incredible amount of muscle overload in 30 minutes, and have quite
efficient recovery.
If either of these are true, then more frequent
workouts would fare better for you anyway.
Moreover I'd also like to dispel the rumor that Dorian Yates used HIT. Many
HIT-ers throw around Yates as though he followed the principles. Simply
put, Dorian Yates worked out 4-6 days a week, for more than an hour at a
time. If that's HIT, then I'd hate to see what you consider volume. Also
consider that no man besides Mentzer in the IFBB ever followed the HIT
principles. This isn't to say that it doesn't work, but that it is FAR from
optimal.
Now, onto volume. Here's an example leg workout that I'll do:
Now that's 33 sets for legs, and that's not my most extensive workout. I'll
go up to 25 sets for back alone, then hit biceps afterwards. I'll do 15
sets for shoulders, follow that up with traps and then forearms. 30-40 sets
per workout is generally what I do, and yes, that indeed can be done in 45-
50 minutes, heavy as I can go, full intensity all the way. I don't believe
in resting for more than a minute under any circumstances.
What Does This Accomplish?
The obvious question is, what does this accomplish? Why would I want to go
through so much volume? HIT-ers will often tell you that intense training
at maximal weights stimulates the fast-twitch muscle fibers, and type Iia
to be specific, which are most primed for growth. Now while this seems all
well and good initially, the problem arises in the fact that a single set
on any exercise, as much effort as you put into it, cannot fully tax a
muscle. If I go to absolute failure in 9 reps on squats, and even crank out
a partial or two with a spotter, I am not done. If I rest for even 45
seconds I could do maybe 5 more reps at that weight, and 9 if I lowered the
weight a bit more. In order to FULLY take out a muscle, you NEED to take
the muscle to the absolute limits, to where it is no longer capable of
performing. It is not uncommon for after leg day for me to be unable to sit
and hold my leg straight out, or to lay on my back and curl my leg back
even with no resistance.
Now, many will also say that the famed bodybuilding "pump" is useless, but
I disagree. If you fail to get a "pump" there's no cause for alarm, but now
there is a stigma around it that seems to suggest the pump is to be
avoided. When a severe pump occurs, fascia in the muscle tissue is
stretched. When this tissue is stretched, the muscle can grow more easily,
with less restriction to it. This is, obviously, a good thing. Moreover, I
have yet to see anyone who can get more work out of a given muscle once a
proper bone-crushing pump has been reached.
I believe the inherent problem in HIT is that while it is indeed seeking to
avoid overtraining and cortisol, it goes too far. I believe that when you
are in the gym, you should show no mercy to your body. You have upwards of
6 days to let a muscle recover, when you're in the gym you should under no
circumstances rest for more than a minute. When you wait until you are
fully recovered between sets, your muscles are healing and your sets become
less effective. Pummel and pound the muscles for those 45 minutes and show
no mercy.
Many people (but not all, so don't attack me) that I know resort to HIT
because volume hurts. Volume hurts bad. Volume is not training with wimpy
weights and waiting for "burns" to set in with 15 rep sets. Volume is
unrelentingly hitting a muscle until it can barely contract at all. Reverse
pyramiding is the ultimate volume tool. For instance:
Squats: 5x9, failure on all sets, 225, 205, 185, 175, 155. (View)
Failure is reached repeatedly, you see, and in order to keep hitting
failure but still getting more fibers involved, the weight is lowered.
After that first set you should be tired, and your legs may be a bit shaky,
but there is no possible way that they cannot do more. If after the first
set you feel you can do no more, then you're wimping out, plain and simple.
I do not mean to be an HIT-hater here, but I'd like to see some folks out
there realize that the overtraining demon will not steal your hard-earned
muscle if you kick a little volume into your workouts. Now hop to it, show
no mercy, and don't wimp out. You've got a week to rest, don't do it in the
gym!
Until next time,
ratpac03@charter.net
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