High Intensity Training (HIT) Explained

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.