Abbreviated Training FAQ

[ja2001x]

F.A.Q. on Abbreviated Training Methods

-Throughout this FAQ youll notice I refer to 'HIT' commonly as abbreviated training. This is because typical HIT, built around Heavy Duty and the ideas of Mike Mentzer are not the same as the present ideal abbreviated routines. These ideas are used widespread but I feel they are not for everyone and the evolved version of HIT style training has brought out better results and more realistic views, built for anyone willing to give it a chance in the gym.

-To begin with, when doing abbreviated training you will find that you can no longer handle the usual 4 sets of 12 for excersizes. Instead, abbreviated training focus's on low volume, consisting of 1-2 intense sets per excersize. Each excersize is brought to near, direct, or post failure depending on your body and what it can handle or respond towards best. It is normal to limit excersizes to 1-2 for the smaller bodyparts using mostly direct excersizes and 2-3 excersizes for larger body parts, focussing on compound movements. Abbreviated training carries a tempo of 4:1:2, wich means 4 seconds on the negative portion of a rep (lowering), 1 second pause, 2 second contraction (pull/press). This changes based on personal preference, its just the basic tempo most of us use.

-Another focus of abbreviated training is to prevent injury, strain and overtraining. To help with each you must have a valid recovery time. Most abbreviated trainers will insist on 96 hours recovery, I however believe that 48-72 hours is efficient enough. The movements are used only with absolute proper, strict form throughout the entire set. This means no cheat sets, no partial cheat reps, only positive form. Another rule for safety is to run or jog 5-10 minutes before workouts out. A 5-10 minute jog followed by 2-3 minutes of intense stretching will keep your body warmed up and flexible for the workout you're about to endure.

-Now comes the most important, yet the most misunderstood aspect of abbreviated training, intensity. Different people define intensity in different ways, i however have a different outlook on most that I preach to anyone and everyone, whether they follow abbreviated training principles or not. That outlook is that intensity is defined by your mental and physical approach to weight lifting. During each movement, my mind silently counts the tempo, I concentrate on my muscular movement and I keep focussed on a single spot in the room. I use weight that I know I can only take to 2 reps, I procede to 4 reps without cheating. Intensity to me is a way of feeling that you can do something that seems you can't, doing it, then moving on to another lift. When training intense it is certain that you will feel pain, sweat and sometimes tears. Intensity can also be brought out by complete focus and mental ability to control your thoughts during a given set. You may feel light headed, you may feel a bit groggy, but you continue to concentrate throughout the movement to acheive near or past muscular failure. Stay focussed at all times on what your muscles are doing, what they are trying to acheive and control how hard you train.

-Last, the focus of compound excersizes to develope maximum hypertrophy. Before I procede to describe sample routines, lists of needed movements and helpful directions towards designing your own routine, I must explain the necessary need for a change from the rules of traditional training to the rules of abbreviated routines. Abbreviated training is a realistic way of lifting, it emphasizes the use of movements that are there to develope your body as a whole, and not coax (trick) your body and you mind into thinking your growing. Examples would be a few:

a) Widegrip Pullups do NOT widen your back.
b) Concentration curls do NOT develope a peak.
c) Flies and closegrip bench do NOT develope the inner chest.
d) Isolation movements do NOT develope definition.

Abbreviated Training Style
As I mentioned, abbreviated training revolves around compound movements and mass building direct movements. Focus on the following for compound, mass building excersizes:

Lower Back: Deadlifts
Upper Back (Lats): Chins (supinated), Pullups, Rows
Chest: Bench Press, Dips
Shoulders: Military Press, Seated DB Press
Biceps: Barbell Curls
Triceps: Dips, Closegrip Bench
Quads: Squats, Front Squats
Hams: Leg Curl, Stiff Legged Deadlift
Calfs: Calf Raises, Seated Calf Raises

Abbreviated training routines may be used in 3 different ways:

Full Body
Full Body is a good choice for beginners, its a good foundation for developing strength to help you off. Its also a good mass building routine if your body does not respond as well to direct days for body parts. A sample Full Body routine would be:

Performed 2 times a week. 1-2 sets per excersize all taken to near failure.

Squat (alt. w/ deadlift)
Bench Press
Dips
Military Press
Barbell Curl
Leg Curl
Calf Raises
Bent Rows
Chins

Full Body Split
Full Body Split would consist of a split routine with minimal excersizes all based on compound movements, done 3 times per week for 2-3 sets each, it would look something like this:

Day 1: Bench Press, Dips, Military Press, L-Fly
Day 2: Squat or Deadlift, Front Squat, SLDL, Calf Work
Day 3: Chins(supinated), Bent Rows or DB Rows, Barbell Curl, Incline Shrugs or Shrugs

Split Routine
Split is a different approach wich feeds off of the volume approach to routines. It consists of 3-5 days split, routinly hitting each bodypart with 1-2 sets to near or post failure, focussing on compound movements and few direct excersizes. A routine might look like this:

Day 1: Chest/Triceps
Incline Bench
Flat Bench
Dips
Closegrip Bench
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Legs
Calf Raise
Leg Curl (as warmup)
Stiff Legged Deadlift
Leg Extension (as warm up)
Squat
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Back/Biceps
Deadlift
Bent Row
Chins
Barbell Curl
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest

Rep ranges vary, I try to keep things within a boundry of 6-10. You should rest between each set for 45-90 seconds and 90-120 seconds in between excersizes. Take this time to breath, stretch and hydrate yourself.

Nutrition
Another important part of muscular hypertrophy that must follow every abbreviated routine is proper diet. There are several ways of eating for mass gains but I take a simpler approach, based mainly on carbs consumption and just above maintenence eating habits. First, you must find your base caloric intake. To do this, follow this link and determine your base caloric intake: YellowJacket's Weight Gain Thread

Once youve done that, you now know exactly how many calories you are to consume daily. Thats right, you will be eating maintenence level calories throughout the day, no more.

Whats the catch? How can I gain with maintenece level calories? Its rather simple. Aside from your regular caloric intake, each night you will need to wake yourself 3-4 hours into your sleep. Yes, this may sound harsh but its needed for this form of dieting. Each night when you wake up you must consume a shake containing 500 calories or foods like cottage cheese, yogurt, skim milk, flax/olive oil and whey protein. Now if you do this, you will consume 500 calories over your maintenence level daily, in 7 days you will have reached 3500 calories over your limit. This is equal to 1 pound of bodyweight, not Lean Body Mass but bodyweight. You could possibly gain 3/4-1 pound of LBM (muscle) a week depending on your intake and if you stay strict. Doing this you will have very little fat gain. Whats that? Lean all year round! You should have no problem staying below 12% BF on this form of dieting, given that you are at 6-8% when starting.

You should consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and no more. Some may say more is needed but it is entirely unnecessary. You should take in small amounts of flax and olive oil as well as small amounts of peanut butter for healthy fats. The rest of your diet should be based on carbohydrates, sources such as whole grains, brown rice, oatmeal and pasta are my choices.

As for supplements, I have very little knowledge because myself, I do not use them. I take whey protein post-workout and that is it. I believe that with a proper diet you need little supplement help.

Recovery
Many people do not realize that you grow when you sleep, not when you lift. While on an abbreviated routine you should focus on trying to get atleast 8 hours of sleep per night. Make it a goal to get 9, make it a priority to get atleast 8 for optimal recovery.

In Closing
The focus is to train hard and work towards building muscular fatique in each workout, all factors including intensity must be followed. Changing guidelines to fit your routine is a good idea to fit you but dont alter them drastically or you are not following the rules of abbreviated training. The only way to judge this form of training is by challenging yourself, trying it and following it as it is to be followed. If you cheat yourself, use more sets, dont stay focussed - you arent going to get a good taste of the fruits it has to offer.

Abbreviated Training References
Books: The Insiders Tell All Handbook on Weight Training Technique, Beyond Brawn, Further Brawn, all authored by Stuart McRobert.
Sites: Hardgainer.com, MuscleTalk.co.uk
Exsersizes: ExRx.net

[ja2001x]

I wrote this only so that I could link to something when referring beginners to abbreviated training as well as to link it in my signiture for anyone with the desire to give abbreviated training a try.

Comment on it as you wish.

[Malgavito]

Nice tips, thanks
Ill be starting this tomorrow

What if you wanted to cut?

Follow just with less calories?

[alpha]

The Split Routine doesnt have ANY shoulder exercises!?!

I've changed your split a little and made a program for myself:
Mon: Chest\tricep
(bar)Incline Bench-3
(bar)Flat Bench-3
(DB)Decline bench-2
Closegrip bench-3
skull-crusher(lying tri. ext)-2

Tue: Back\bicep
Chins-3
Bent rows-2
Barbell curls-3
hammer curls-2
deadlift-3

Wed: Rest

Thu: Shoulder\trap\(forearms)
Militry press-3
lateral raise-3
bent laterals-2
(bar)Shrugs-3
Behind-the-back wrist curls-3
Reverse wrist curls-2

Thu:Rest

Fri: Quad\Ham\Calf
Squat-3
leg curls-2
leg ext.-2
Stiff legged deadlift-3
Donkey calf raises-3
Seated calf raises-3

Sat: Rest
Sun: Rest

Is this OK? Any changes requird?

[mattabull]

Originally posted by alpha


Is this OK? Any changes requird?

umm, id like to know how you incorporate 2 thursdays in a week? wish i had 2 thursdays

[ja2001x]

Malgavito - Just stay a little lighter while cutting, less sets, same weight, no weight progression and no failure sets.

alpha - The split routine was only added for you 'die hard' volume guys but its not as good as the other 2 splits. I usually only do just 2 sets of OH Press on chest/tri day.

I think you are doing too many sets and too many excersizes, when I say 2-3 sets I mean use weight so you can do 2, if you have not fatigued the muscle, hit another. Drop a pressing movement from chest day, ya dont have a dipping station but 3 pressing movement on the bench is overkill.

[alpha]

should i do db flys, pullovers or pec-deck instead?
I dont want to drop incline bench cuz im convinced it'll help me with my upper-chest, i dont want to drop flat bench cuz its a power movement and decline bench is the closest thing to doing dips.
should i be doing both deadlifts and Still-legged deads on the same week? even squats tax my lower back, is normal or does it mean im doing it wrong?

[natinder24]

nice thread, raises some new ideas