High
intensity training is one of the best method’s to put on quality muscle mass
and definition, if not the best. It was found by Arthur Jones who experimented
with this form of training with top bodybuilders of the era. He was the
inventor of the Nautilus; many well know bodybuilders trained under his
guidance like Casey Viator, mike mentzer and Ray Mentzer. It was Mike Mentzer
who popularized this form of training and added his own observation to the HIT
theory and perfected it. Mike advocated and trained his clients no more
than 7-9 sets per workout and further reduced the training by reducing the
number days trained per week; 3 days per week sometimes even less depending on
the gains. Mike advocated HIT training a lot and held many seminars’s and shot training
videos. The man who took the HIT method to the top and revolutionized the sport
of bodybuilding was Dorian Yates. 6 consecutive times Mr. Olympia and a big
follower of HIT method.
The
principle of this training method was that one should train brief, infrequent
and with all intensity. It was believed that training with high intensity and
to a point where it would create muscular failure momentarily yielded great
gains and results. Since its intensity which is the key in this form of
training, the training volume and duration of training is very brief compared
to traditional volume training where one performs numerous sets and repetitions
with low intensity. We all know that training stimulates muscle growth by
recruiting new muscle fibers but rest and nutrition is what makes them grow.
Adequate rest has to be provided for the body to heal and grow and endure the
taxing from next intense workout. Hence a great emphasis is placed on rest and
recuperation.
A
typical HIT Workout can be like focusing one single muscle group to may be a
minor muscle group in addition, like Back with Biceps. Again a great emphasis
is placed on form and technique as it’s just not moving weights but lifting
with perfect form and in slow and controlled fashion rather than jerking the
weight. I strongly believe one should be training no more than 45 minutes, if
they are aiming to build quality muscle mass naturally. We all more or less
have access to same nutritional information but what separate us are the
training methods to some degree and most importantly the intensity. Try High Intensity Training for good 4-6 months and see the results.
