Sqweezer's HIT routine.

[BRIT_BEEF]

Finally the routine everyone has been waiting for.
I am a mentzer man and usually modify his workouts. For beginners i recommend usually lifting 3 days a week and once you become more advanced to start lifting twice a week.
Day one is chest, back. Day two is shoulders and arms. Day 3 is Legs
Advanced training is a total upper body workout on day 1 and day 2 is legs. Usually at least 2 days and no more than 5 days rest in between day one and day two . Most of my clients lift on monday and thursday. Or tuesday and friday.

I recommend hit training year round: It changes from cycle to cycle. One cycle may be pyramid doing warmup sets and then doing one set to failure with a rep speed of around 3 up and 3 down or slower on the negative. Example of incline bench press and new hit trainer can bench 225 for 6 reps. New routine would be empty bar for 10 reps, then 135 for 10 reps, then 185 for 2 reps, NOT TO FAILURE, OR 5 OR 6 REPS, JUST 2 REPS TO WARMUP AND GET BLOOD FLOWING AND PREPARING THE BODY FOR THE ONE SET TO FAILURE. Then 205 for 2 reps. Then rest a little more than you did on the warmup sets and let your body know that you are now doing one set to failure and wont be doing a second set. In fact do the set like you are never going to do that lift ever again and will be retiring after the lift.

After you do the one set to failure record or remember what you did. The next workout you must go up by 5 pounds or one rep with the 225 to failure, . Once you can do 225 for 10 reps, go to 230 in the next workout and do 230 to failure, Never have a rep number in mind when doing a new weight , only have a rep number in mind when you know you have to go up by at least one rep.

ONLY ONE COMPOUND EXERCISE, NEVER TWO.
DRINK ONE PINT OF WATER AFTER CHEST.
AS A BEGINNER TO HIT NO ISOLATION EXERCISE UNTIL NEXT TRAINING CYCLE.
WHEN IS THE NEXT CYCLE?
The next cycle starts after you can no longer go up in weight or reps and after you can no longer go up in weight or reps you will change the workout and add a static hold, and if you have a spotter forced reps with ONE DROP SET TO FAILURE DOING HIGHER REPS WITH THE SAME REP SPEED, OR A SLOWER SPEED TO FAILURE.

SECOND EXERCISE IS NAUTILUS PULLOVER SUPERSETTED WITH REVERSE GRIP LAT PULLDOWN.
First warmup with the pulldown for a couple light sets , then do a light warmup set with the pullover. Then do one set to failure in the pullover and with NO REST OR VERY LITTLE , do your one set to failure with the pulldown or chinup. THIS CAUSES YOUR LATS TO HIT FAILURE BEFORE SHOULDER, AND ARMS OR GRIP. IVE HAD MANY HAVE LAT CRAMPS AFTER DOING THIS. THEY FINALLY HAD A REAL BACK WORKOUT.
4TH EXERCISE IS DEADLIFTS, NO DEADLIFTS FOR ADVANCED LIFTERS. Do pyramid style deadlifts and do one set to failure with the heaviest weight you can use wiht no weight belt.

drink another pint of water.
This completes day one-


Day two , 2 days later is shoulders and arms
Exercise one is up and down the rack side laterals every other week, and rear delt fly up and down the rack every other week,
Otherwise do nautilus or hammer shoulder press or seated dumbell shoulder press and do warmup sets . REMEMBER THE LAST WARMUP SET IS ALWAYS DONE FOR JUST 2 OR 3 REPS WHERE 12-15 REPS WOULD BE FAILURE IF YOU DID GO TO FAILURE ON THAT SET.

THE ONLY SET YOU WANT TO USE UP YOUR RECOVERY IS ON THE ONE SET TO FAILURE. STOP THE REP JUST WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO LIFT HARD TO DO THE SET.

Example of my last incline dumbell press routine-
25's for 10 reps, 45's for 6 reps, 80's for 6 reps, 100 for 2 reps, 120 for 2 reps. no rest in between the 25 and 45 except racking the db and getting the new ones. about one min rest inbetween the 80,100 and 120.

I would rest about 5 minutes actually and get my mind ready. The 100 and 120 pumped blood into my system , didnt use up any of my recovery and now i can give everything for my one set to failure. im already sweating and nervous tension sets in as my body knows pain is coming. It knows exactly whats coming and hates it which will result in more muscle growth later if i up my previous workout by at least one rep.
I then do the 140 for 7 reps, one rep better than my last workout.
The workout was a success.

Example if you can only do 80 for 6 reps now would be . 20's for 10 rps, 40 for 6 reps, 55 for 2 reps, 65 for 2 reps, . Then the 80's to failure.
Most volume workouts are similar but most would do 55 for 6, 65 for 6 which is useless and uses up some recovery that could be used for the 80's to failure. MAKE SENSE!

NO SECOND SET IS NEEDED BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE WHAT YOU HAVE NEEDED TO DO TO STIMULATE GROWTH.

oKAY back to day 2.
next exercise is your choice, do 2 bicep exercises and do a different bicep exercise each workout . Do pyramid with the first exercise until you do one set to failure. With the second exercise do it up and down the rack style. You can do this on any exercise or machine also.
For triceps do one pushdown exercise. Do a different grip each workout and then do one set of dips to failure.

I NEVER HAVE TO CONVINCE ANYONE OF DOING A SECOND SET OF DIPS, JUST LIKE CHINUP. WHY WOULD ANYONE ASK FOR A SECOND SET OF CHINUP OR DIPS. DID THEY NOT DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME? IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO DO A SECOND SET OF DIPS OR CHINUPS , WHAT THE HELL WHERE YOU DOING WHEN YOU WERE DOING YOUR ONE SET TO FAILURE, IF YOU HAVE MORE ENERGY TO DO MORE REPS , KEEP GOING.
If you say well after doing the set , after resting i now have energy to do another set. YES THIS IS TRUE , YOU COULD DO ANOTHER SET, BUT EVEN AFTER REST YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MATCH THE SAME NUMBER OF REPS AND IF YOU CANT UP IT BY ONE REP ANY EXTRA SET IS USELESS .

dAY 3 LEGS: VERY SIMPLE: SUPERSET leg extension with squat or leg press. warmup on the squat or leg press until you are ready for your one set to failure . Stop and then warmup with the leg extension doing 2 very light warmup sets , then remember the last should be hard and heavy but just done for a couple reps or so. Then do the one set to failure , and with very little rest do your one set to failue in the squat or leg press. Record or remember what you did and let your brain know what it has to do the next workout in order for you to improve.

THE STRONGER YOU ARE THE MORE WARMUP SETS YOU WILL NEED.

THE WEEKER YOU ARE THE LESS WARMUP SETS YOU WILL NEED.

Just like on my example of the 80 and 140's. the guy doing the 140 needed more warmup sets.

PLEASE NO KANE FAN OR WHOEVER POSTS BASHING WHAT I SAY, THIS IS WHAT I RECOMMEND. IF YOU DONT LIKE IT TOUGH.

ADVANCED ROUTINE IS DOING SUPESETS
day one, superset pec deck or cable fly with incline bench press or seated machine bench press or flat dumbell press , or hell any exercise . ALWAYS WARMUP WITH THE COMPOUND FIRST, HAVE YOUR WEIGHT SET FOR THE ONE SET TO FAILURE . STOP AND WARMUP ON THE ISOLATION . DO ONE SET TO FAILURE IN THE ISO AND WITH LITTLE REST ONE SET TO FAILURE IN THE COMPOUND.

If you cant go up do forced reps, holds , or change exercises.

SOME MAY NOT LIKE THIS, BUT YOU WANT YOUR BODY TO BE UNADAPTED NOT ADAPTED.

THen do shoulders, no presses just side lateral and rear delt fly.
Then back, do one row and one pulldown exercise.
then do one bicep exercise. Do the exercise you have never done before or havent done n awhile and same for the triceps.

I CALL THIS NEW EXERCISE, NEW INTENSITY, NEW GROWTH.

3 TO 4 DAYS LATER DO LEGS , SAME AS BEFORE.

UP AND DOWN THE RACK SIDE LATERAL OR HAMMER CURL EXAMPLE IS:
5 for 6 reps, you dont rest when going up or down . 10 for 6 reps, 15 for 6 reps, 20 for 6 reps, 25 for 6 reps. You can do more with the curl likely then the lateral. When you do one set to failure with the heaviest weight you can use around 6 reps. go back down and go to failure. On your first drop down you may only get 2 reps, . Keep going until your back down to the 5's. You may not be able to move.
You can see and feel why no second up and down the rack set is needed.

Thanks, chris

[BRIT_BEEF]

Please only post questions if you want sqweezer to elaborate on any points made or you have other HIT questions.

This is part of the routines sticky and not up for critique.

Cheers.

[Overload]

Very nicely written. I have been using 2 sets for each exercise and your post makes me think I may not even need that many. After 2 sets I feel I gave it all I had. I guess I'm not going hard enough on the 1st set then.

Anyway, I do have some questions. Why only 1 compound exercise per bodypart? Wouldn't you want to hit the muscles from different angles, especially since it's 1 set?'

And, why no deadlifts for advanced lifters?

[Kane Fan]

I had an idea for a Heavy Duty routine wonder what Sqweezer would think of it

Dips and Chins for upper body

Full Range Squats and Calf Raises for Lower body

[sqweezer]

No deadlifts, in fact i dont really believe in doing a exercise month after month, year after year. There comes a point when you need to change exercises and after doing deadlifts for a couple years or so hopefully be then you would of gained all the muscle you can gain on it and have reached your upper limit of your potential on this exercise. I recommend one compound exercise and when you can no longer go up in weight or reps stop doing that exercise and substitute a different compound exercise. If you

If you do lets say flat and incline bench your body has to recover from 2 exercises and your body will have more resources for growth if you just do one exercise that way the recovery from the second exercise will go towards growth instead of recovery.

[scott_donald]

i like when tere are totally differnent views... puts a new good light on things...

[Overload]

Originally posted by sqweezer
I recommend one compound exercise and when you can no longer go up in weight or reps stop doing that exercise and substitute a different compound exercise. If you

If you do lets say flat and incline bench your body has to recover from 2 exercises and your body will have more resources for growth if you just do one exercise that way the recovery from the second exercise will go towards growth instead of recovery.

That being the case, would be a good idea or one those couldn't hurt things to switch up each workout? For example, week1 do flat bench, week2 incline, week3 chest dips and then rotate again. Something like that.

[sqweezer]

yeah in fact i almost always do that, but not as a beginner to hit

[scott_donald]

Originally posted by sqweezer
yeah in fact i almost always do that, but not as a beginner to hit

why not a beginner...

[Bignbuff]

So who wrote this, sqweezer or BRIT BEEF?

[BRIT_BEEF]

Originally posted by bignbuff
So who wrote this, sqweezer or BRIT BEEF?

sqweezer wrote it...

It was posted in the sticky, but was intended as a personal routines thread.

[scott_donald]

it certainly makes sense could be worth a try in the future...

[timbo81]

That seems overly complicated for hit, I just use mike's consolidated training routine, all compounds. I only workout once a week.

[Wheelies]

And how long have you been doing it and how much strength and size have you gained Timbo?

[timbo81]

Well about 2 months now i've been on hit. I didn't workout for about 7 months this year because I had a string of injuries. I've regained all i've lost and i'm lifting more than i've ever done so it's working alright.

I haven't really measured myself, though physically I can see I am growing. I'll post some pics up around december.

[Douche_Nutz]

Why is there so much hate for HIT? It seems most people are just doing regular 3 or 4-day splits??

[Damien]

Originally posted by Douche_Nutz
Why is there so much hate for HIT? It seems most people are just doing regular 3 or 4-day splits??

It's not the hate for the HIT principles, it's the hate for all of the annoying "jedi's" who talk stupid BS and insult everyone who doesn't do something along the guidelines of HIT.

[Darracq]

Thats is exactally how i have always lifted, except i have never tryed the static hold, or slower reps.
I have gained at least 40 pounds on bench, 50 in dips, and gained 9 lbs in body weight in less than 3 months, and im a very hard gainer.