Split routines or 2-3 full body workouts every 4-5 days or so, getting lots of rest, etc.? Which works better, which do you recommend? I am a long-time user of HIT principles and know they work - 1, never more than 2 gut-wrenching sets to agonizingly painful can't get one more rep failure, with occasional forced reps, negatives and pre-exhaust, etc. but am confused about the total body vs. splits argument. Help. Thanks guys.
I suppose it depends on what you find works best for you. I use a four day split with 4 - 5 days in-between workouts. I'm pretty sure the guys at Empire Fitness do a once a week full body routine. Having said that, I've never used a full body routine. Maybe that's something for the future. At the moment, I'm happy with progress on my current routine.
To me the 3-way makes the most sense to me, leaving 3-5 sets / exercise, depending on where you are at. Allowing adequate rest between to bounce back and allow growth to happen. Mike Mentzer himself started everyone off on a baseline program, then made adjustments as needed over time. As long as you progress workout by workout, or at least every 2nd workout, then you are doing all you can to ensure you are on the right path to your goals.
Thanks. I'm most definately a work in progress as you've observed. Now that I've lost most of the fat, I can concentrate on building the muscle. I do squat and deadlift as well as the other big compounds: dips and chins. I just wish I'd been this focused years ago instead of just plodding along in a rut
For the last eight months, I've been concentrating on fat loss and have to date lost just over 33 lbs, and am now at 189 lbs. During that time, I have been using HIT and I have got much stronger and continue to do so. Now that I've achieved a decent level of maintainable leanness, my next goal is to get back to 200 lbs but with the same level of leanness or leaner. Believe me, I am making progress and am confident that I will continue to do so. I just want to reach my natural genetic potential.
I'd say losing 15% of your body weight is progress. You don't need to do HIT just for mass. Keep it up "thebigfella," and I'd say putting on 5-10 lbs of muscle over the next year is a pretty realistic goal for someone not using hormones.
Thanks. If I can achieve 200 lbs by adding muscle in one year, that would be great. That was the kind of timescale I was hoping for. If it takes longer, so be it. There's one thing for sure though, I will be giving it 100% in the gym as in the video.
I try to aim for 5lbs of lean muscle a year. Without hormones, that's about as much as a person can really hope to accomplish.
I started at 185 about 5 years ago. I'm weighing in at about 220 right now. I'm 6'3" and am just now starting to feel pleased with how I've managed to fill out.
I stay pretty lean too. So it's a legit 35 lbs of muscle. Most gains came in the first 2 years. Been about 5 lbs per year since.
I looked pretty close to how you do now when I first started.
That's great work! If I'm 220 five years from now with the same level of leanness or leaner, I'd be over the moon. It sounds as though we have the same kind of natural build. I'm just over 6'3".
Thanks. I've been doing HIT what I would call 'properly' since July 2008. That was one hard workout. I can assure you that the exhaustion at the end was no act. I was absolutely f***ed!
Awesome stuff. I'll assume your gym doesn't have a pullover machine? The gym I'm working out at right now doesn't either. Such a shame. No one exercise is better for the upper body.
N.O. dips are one of the hardest things I've ever done. Back before I understood HIT very well, I did like 30 of them one time, and my triceps were so sore and swollen that I couldn't bend my arms all the way without almost throwing up for a whole week.
I just did some negative-only dips myself about an hour ago...make no mistake, that is some fucking agony that man just went through. It's the only exercise in my HIT routine that comes even remotely close to taxing me with the same severity as deadlifts.
Hey Biggfella
What happened to the radio IV's from Mike himself(with the yellow backdrop)??
whitesoxbill 2 years ago
My 'thebiggfella' channel got taken off due to copyright issues. I've started 'HIT4120' but I've not got round to putting anything on it yet.
HIT4120 2 years ago
Great form and super intensity... way to go!
2uge 3 years ago
Question guys:
Split routines or 2-3 full body workouts every 4-5 days or so, getting lots of rest, etc.? Which works better, which do you recommend? I am a long-time user of HIT principles and know they work - 1, never more than 2 gut-wrenching sets to agonizingly painful can't get one more rep failure, with occasional forced reps, negatives and pre-exhaust, etc. but am confused about the total body vs. splits argument. Help. Thanks guys.
craigandjolene 3 years ago
I suppose it depends on what you find works best for you. I use a four day split with 4 - 5 days in-between workouts. I'm pretty sure the guys at Empire Fitness do a once a week full body routine. Having said that, I've never used a full body routine. Maybe that's something for the future. At the moment, I'm happy with progress on my current routine.
thebiggfella 3 years ago
To me the 3-way makes the most sense to me, leaving 3-5 sets / exercise, depending on where you are at. Allowing adequate rest between to bounce back and allow growth to happen. Mike Mentzer himself started everyone off on a baseline program, then made adjustments as needed over time. As long as you progress workout by workout, or at least every 2nd workout, then you are doing all you can to ensure you are on the right path to your goals.
2uge 3 years ago
Great execution...great form! - show em how its done bigfella! - MR
mrhighintensity 3 years ago
Thanks Markus. It was hard, hard work and a great workout. I learned a lot from the guys at Empire Fitness.
thebiggfella 3 years ago
How long does it take you to recover from these workouts? I would find it difficult to do this intensity more than once every 5 or 6 days.
ed257 3 years ago
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thebiggfella 3 years ago
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On average, about four or five days but I'll be incorporating longer rest periods of six to ten days periodically.
thebiggfella 3 years ago
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thebiggfella 3 years ago
Congrats on losing 33 lbs of fat. That is a significant accomplishment.
I hope you are doing lower body work (squats, deadlifts) because they can help you to burn fat and grow muscle - even on your upper body.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
ed257 3 years ago
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Thanks. I'm most definately a work in progress as you've observed. Now that I've lost most of the fat, I can concentrate on building the muscle. I do squat and deadlift as well as the other big compounds: dips and chins. I just wish I'd been this focused years ago instead of just plodding along in a rut
thebiggfella 3 years ago
He does not have much muscle development for all the hard effort. I wonder if he is making progress with HIT training?
ed257 3 years ago
For the last eight months, I've been concentrating on fat loss and have to date lost just over 33 lbs, and am now at 189 lbs. During that time, I have been using HIT and I have got much stronger and continue to do so. Now that I've achieved a decent level of maintainable leanness, my next goal is to get back to 200 lbs but with the same level of leanness or leaner. Believe me, I am making progress and am confident that I will continue to do so. I just want to reach my natural genetic potential.
thebiggfella 3 years ago
I'd say losing 15% of your body weight is progress. You don't need to do HIT just for mass. Keep it up "thebigfella," and I'd say putting on 5-10 lbs of muscle over the next year is a pretty realistic goal for someone not using hormones.
lettersfromtheleft 3 years ago
Comment removed
thebiggfella 3 years ago
Thanks. If I can achieve 200 lbs by adding muscle in one year, that would be great. That was the kind of timescale I was hoping for. If it takes longer, so be it. There's one thing for sure though, I will be giving it 100% in the gym as in the video.
thebiggfella 3 years ago
I try to aim for 5lbs of lean muscle a year. Without hormones, that's about as much as a person can really hope to accomplish.
I started at 185 about 5 years ago. I'm weighing in at about 220 right now. I'm 6'3" and am just now starting to feel pleased with how I've managed to fill out.
I stay pretty lean too. So it's a legit 35 lbs of muscle. Most gains came in the first 2 years. Been about 5 lbs per year since.
I looked pretty close to how you do now when I first started.
lettersfromtheleft 3 years ago
That's great work! If I'm 220 five years from now with the same level of leanness or leaner, I'd be over the moon. It sounds as though we have the same kind of natural build. I'm just over 6'3".
thebiggfella 3 years ago
Man those negative dips are the shit! Anyone who hasn't tried em should
hopupman2002 3 years ago
JTB: Great application on the Lateral Raise (Manual/Hyper). Great Sequence of Exercises! That Abdominal Machine is the Best One Made!
exarchives 3 years ago
Thanks. I've been doing HIT what I would call 'properly' since July 2008. That was one hard workout. I can assure you that the exhaustion at the end was no act. I was absolutely f***ed!
thebiggfella 3 years ago
Awesome stuff. I'll assume your gym doesn't have a pullover machine? The gym I'm working out at right now doesn't either. Such a shame. No one exercise is better for the upper body.
Beethovens7th 3 years ago
N.O. dips are one of the hardest things I've ever done. Back before I understood HIT very well, I did like 30 of them one time, and my triceps were so sore and swollen that I couldn't bend my arms all the way without almost throwing up for a whole week.
Beethovens7th 3 years ago
That`s brutal, cheaper than a dominatrix though!,5*.
jjmm112 3 years ago
I just did some negative-only dips myself about an hour ago...make no mistake, that is some fucking agony that man just went through. It's the only exercise in my HIT routine that comes even remotely close to taxing me with the same severity as deadlifts.
mannym 3 years ago