MR-71 Growth Series - High Intensity Training Part 4/4
Week 4: High Intensity (HIT) System - Muscular Contraction Extreme!
This may seem like a very unusual way to train to some of you, but trust us on this one... This is a great workout, influenced by the Mike Mentzer HIT system.
At first glance, this may look like a workout that doesn't offer much of anything due to the fact that we use less reps, and only workout a few times during the week. But once you've tried it, you'll love it!
The basics of this workout:
1 set per exercise. (optional 1 warm up set before hand), then 1 all-out set.
Do anywhere between 8 and 12 reps every set.
The real secret to success with this workout routine, is the strict form that you must have in order for this workout to be effective.
It should take you 4 seconds to move the weight up. You must then pause at the top of the movement for 2 seconds. Then, lower the weight. It should take you 4 seconds to lower the weight.
With this strategy, you will use less weight than normal. This will help you get the best contraction during each set, without the use of momentum.
You will force so many muscles to work by using strict form, and by NOT using momentum or sloppy form.
After a set or two, you'll soon see why more than 1 set on ANY exercise, is really not required, and can be quite counterproductive in this style of training.
Your workout schedule this week will look like this:
Day 1: Chest, abs
Day 2: Off
Day 3: Back, traps, legs
Day 4: Off
Day 5: Biceps, triceps
Day 6: Off
Day 7: Shoulders, abs
Remember:
This training requires slow controlled form. No momentum.
Step 1: 4 seconds up.
Step 2: Pause 2 seconds when muscles are fully contracted.
Step 3: Slowly lower the weight. 4 seconds coming down.
Approximately 8 to 12 reps per set.
Rest up to 3 minutes (preferably 2) between sets.
After 1 training session you'll soon discover:
Why you don't need much weight with this routine, and you will still BUILD!
Why you don't have to workout very long, and you will still BUILD!
Stick with this training style for about 3 weeks. Once you can do anything more than 12 reps on any given set, it's time to increase the weight. Increase the weight by 5 or 10 pounds, each time you are able to do anything more than 12 repetitions using slow controlled form.
Let's get to it!
The Workout
Day 1 Chest and Abs:
Chest:
Cable Chest Press - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press - 1 sets, 8 to 12 reps
Dumbbell Pullover - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Lever Pec Deck Fly - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Abs & Obliques (sides):
Cable Side Bend - 1 set on both sides, 8 to 12 reps
Cable Twist - 1 set on both sides, 8 to 12 reps
Weighted Crunch - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Vertical Leg-Hip Raise - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
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Day 2 Off
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Day 3 Back, traps, legs
Back:
Cable Close Grip Pull-down - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Dumbbell Bent-over Row - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Inverted Row (feet elevated) - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Trap Bar Shrug - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Legs:
Barbell Full Squat - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Lever Leg Extension - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Lever Lying Leg Curl (plate loaded) - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Lever Seated Calf Extension - 2 sets to full exhaustion
When moving the weight slow, you'll get a FULL contraction, and won't need ANYTHING more than 1 set per exercise.
Increase the weight whenever you can do anything more than 12 reps.
Don't be afraid to replace our suggested exercises, with more preferred exercises.
Good Job! Now go recover!
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Day 4 Off
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Day 5 Biceps, triceps, forearms
Biceps - Barbell Prone Incline Curl - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Biceps - Barbell Curl - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Triceps - Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Triceps - Weighted Bench Dip - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Forearms - Barbell Wrist Curl - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Forearms - Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
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Day 6 Off
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Day 7 Shoulders, abs
Shoulders:
Shoulders - Barbell Shoulder Press - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Shoulders - Dumbbell Arnold Press - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Shoulders - Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Shoulders - Barbell Upright Row - 1 set, 8 to 12 reps
Abs:
Abs - Twisting Crunch - 1 set of as many as you can do
Abs - Lying Leg-Hip Raise - 1 set of as many as you can do
Abs - Cable Seated Twist - 1 set of as many as you can do on both sides
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Take a day off!
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Use this workout routine for approximately 3 weeks. Increase the weight whenever you can do anything more than 12 repetitions on any given exercise.
This style of training makes it so that each repetition is so brutally intense, that you won't need to do a 2nd or 3rd set.
Typically we'd do 8 to 12 reps, and 3 sets... But when you move the weight slower like in this particular routine, 1 set is all that's required due to the intensity of each repetition.
Most workouts will last about 20 to 30 minutes in this series of workouts. But in that 20 minutes, you are getting more out of your workouts than what most people get in a 60 minute workout, who are NOT using the strategies you are using in this workout.
We want the body to adapt. Each week the body will do exactly that. Once the body adapts, we will then increase the workload by increasing the weight!
Increase the weight as needed, and this will intensify the workout, and thus help you continue making gains.
Remember this:
Yes you are using lighter weight, but this doesn't mean you are getting weak, or that you are going to end up lifting less weight in the long run...
What it does mean, is that you are making the exercises more strict. You are using 0% momentum. You are targeting the specific muscle in each exercise when doing the slower reps. This naturally calls for lighter weight, because you are concentrating on the contraction of the individual muscle during each exercise. (Pay very close attention to that point.)
This will actually help you lift more, because you are forcing individual muscles to get stronger.
Most guys hoist the weight, use large amounts of weight, but never achieve a full muscular contraction, because they use momentum, and this distributes the weight across many fibers and joints, but never 100% on the intended muscle, leaving that muscle neglected week after week, month after month.
The solution lies in the slower controlled reps, this forces the muscle to contract due to isolation.
Isolating the biceps during a barbell curl, yields better muscular hypertrophy in comparison to utilizing the shoulders, and hoisting the weight up with the lower back to complete a barbell curl.
Do you want to use the back and shoulders to successfully perform a barbell curl?
Or do you want to use ONLY the biceps to successfully complete a barbell curl?
That's what this workout routine comes down to: Isolation, full contraction, proper recovery, and executing the right exercises for inevitable muscle growth.
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