Rob's High Intensity Training Log

[HIT Rob]

Lol, am actually the smallest in my family, my youngest nephew is 14 and is 6'7 and 230lbs, I recommended he stick a dumbbell on his loaf to slow his growth down lol. Never actually played rubdy, but I love ma arm wrestling and motorbike racing:)

[esqinchi]

Lol, am actually the smallest in my family, my youngest nephew is 14 and is 6'7 and 230lbs, I recommended he stick a dumbbell on his loaf to slow his growth down lol. Never actually played rubdy, but I love ma arm wrestling and motorbike racing:)

 

Holy shit man! He should move to the States and play professional football. Probably make a killing.

[HIT Rob]

Back again...hope everyone is well...

 

Still trsining hit style twice a week as ever, with a wee bit more volume...

 

Currently training with machines only and am making great progress...

 

Today I hammered the crap outta my legs, went with...

1. Seated leg presses

-worked up to the stack (250kgs) + 2 power bands were attacted to increase tension in the peak contraction range, I also had my training partner press down on the back rest to increase tension on the negative portion of the rep. I managed 9 superslow reps.

-2 mintue rest

2nd working set, this time I went with just the stack, and rest paused each rep in the weakest range, got 8 reps.

- 2 minute rest

3rd and final working set was a static hold to failure, held in the position of maximum motor arm.6

 

After a short breather I moved to the seated leg curl

1st working set was using 75kgs for 8 reps to failure + 2 self assisted forced reps, 2 set was a static hold to failure with the same weight.

 

Finnished up the workout with static crunches preformed on a pulldown machine and using ab slings.

 

Great workout, no need for any quad isolation work as all levels strength were taken to failure. In fact am no longer performing any isolation work for my back, chest or shoulders, just a cable curl and pressdown for bis and tris, a calf press for calves and a static crunch for the abs.

 

Currently using a 3 way split, but as mentioned, am only training twice per week to allow for full recovery to take place, so essentially, each muscle group is only getting directly trained 3x per month...and its working like a charm:)

[esqinchi]

Good to see you back mate. Was getting very quiet around here. Hope you are well, and all. Glad you're making good progress.

[HIT Rob]

Good to see you back mate. Was getting very quiet around here. Hope you are well, and all. Glad you're making good progress.

 

Hi Chris, thanks mate:)

 

Indeed, it was very quite, but theres seems to be a bit more traffic now:)

Take it easy, and will talk soon

Rob

[HIT Rob]

So over the few weeks ive began to implement the training and nutrition concepts of the former mr o competitor MIlos Sarcev. Specially, pre, during and post supplementation ( glucose, ammio acids and creatine), well, whata differance this has made, my rate of recovery has improved like nobody's business, as anyone who's been following my log will know, two hit workouts per week for me is about all I could handle. However am now training 4 days per week (still hit style) and sometimes twice per day....and heres me putting down supplements all this time lol.

 

Another interesting concept of MIlos's is one he reffers to as "iso tension", this is machine only workouts, with an emphasis on the contraction and tension on the muscle for maximal stimuation, as MIlos stated back in the 90s "if you want to merely do physical work, get a job in construction, at least you'll get paid". (watch youtube video called "milos sarcev iso tension"). Moreover, am not counting reps anymore, just focusing on going to failure, that way, I can keep my mind focused on the muscle and not a arbitrary number of reps.

 

Todays workout was shoulders & arms

1. DB lateral raises × 2 working set to failure

2. Machine lateral raise (static hold) × one static hold to failure

3. Rear delt cable flyes × 2 working sets to failure

3. Cable curls × 2 working sets to failure

4. Technogym biceps machine (static hold) × one hold to failure

5. Pressdowns × 2 working sets to failure

6. Assisted dips (asssited purely for to keep the movement more piston like) × 2 working sets to failure

- No overhead presses for direct frontal delt work, front delts receive more than enough stimulation from dips and incline presses.

 

Diet wise, am back with a high fat, low carb approach ( just using carbs for performance and replenishment). Making better progress now than I have in years:))

[esqinchi]

Hitting it hard and often eh mate? Is this because of your recovery efforts, or are you venturing into hobby training?

 

What are you eating these days? Mind posting up some examples? I want to lean out more, and I think I might be taking in too many carbs. Maybe I could follow in your almighty footsteps?

[HIT Rob]

Lol, purely down to improved recovery rate...

 

diet wise, Ive limted all grains, heavy starchs and fruit, and am opting for advodos, veggies, nuts / nut butters, seeds, coconut oil, mct oil etc. Ill be honest, ive also brough organic free range eggs back into my diet, as well as a little full fat dairy and whey.

 

The pre and post workout supplementation is whats make the biggest difference regarding my improved recovery rate, especially this use of glucose. So yeah, things are going the right way fast:)

[HIT Rob]

Just got done with a back and biceps workout

 

1. Underhand pulldowns - 95kgs x 2 working sets to failure + static hold to failure

2. Seated cable row - 90kgs x 2 working sets to failure

3. Mike Quinn style one arm DB rows ( pulling the DB into the hip / lower lat)- 45kgs x 2 working set to failure

4. Cable curls - 40kgs x 2 working sets to failure

Job done!

 

Leg workout 14-7-15

1. Leg extension (to pre exhaust the quads) - 90kgs x 2 working set to failure + static hold to failure

2. Leverage leg press - 400kgs x 1 working set to failure + 1 working set to failure with 350kgs

3.calf presses - 200kgs ( stack ) - 1 working set to failure + several partials.

Job done!

 

Chest / shoulders / Triceps 13-7-15

1. Markus Ruhl style cable crossover ( to pre exhaust the pecs ) 80kgs x 2 working sets to failure

2. Iso leverge Incline press 130kgs x 2 working sets to failure

3. Assisted dips x 2 working sets to failure

4. One arm cable lateral raise 20kgs x 2 working sets to failure

5. Pressdowns 45kgs x 2 working sets to failure

Job done!

 

Very happy with my training at the mo, strength is up, condition is improving every week, and my recovery rate is still much better than it was, that being said, am gonna take 3 days off for some R&R. Just one small issue with my left elbow/forearm, seems I may have a little tendinitis beginning, so am avoiding anything that causes any pain.

 

Rob.

[esqinchi]

Holy shit man those are some big numbers!

[HIT Rob]

Yeah, the last time I attempted 400kgs I failed on the first rep lol, this time round I got 7 slow, controlled, deep reps:)

Am no mr universe, but i guess its not bad for a natural stroke victim with degenerative disc syndrome lol.

 

Have a great weekend

Rob

[HIT Rob]

20.7.15

Chest

1. Murkus Ruhl style Cable crossover x 2 sets to failure

2. Pec deck machine x 1 static hold omega set to failure

Shoulders

1. Machine lateral raise x 1 static hold set to failure

2. Underhand front cable raises x 2 sets to failure

Triceps

1. Straight bar pressdowns x 2 sets to failure

2. One arm cable rope extension x 1 static hold to failure

Felt great after 3 days off, fancied a taste of some max contraction training, lol pecs are sore as hell after the omega set on the pec deck. On all static holds, the resistance is held in the fully contracted position. On the one arm cable rope extension, I make sure to take 3-4 steps back away from the machine to insure the motor arm is at its fullest in the contracted position. MCT legs on Wednesday or Thursday, cant wait:(

[HIT Rob]

Leg day

Technogym leverage leg press

2 warm up sets with 200, then 300kgs for several reps each, then one all out set with 400kgs for several reps (want to own this weight before taking it up another notch). After a 3 minute rest, I followed up with a second working set to failure, this time with 350kgs. I then rested a further 3 minutes and then performed a static hold to failure with 300kgs, holding the resistance in the position of maximum motor arm.

 

Legs were by this time were completely f#$ked. I proceeded to do the jello walk over to the calf press machine, were I sat down on the machine and said to my training partner..f##ked it, am done. I then went home i glugged down fresh orange juice with BC amino's and glucose mixed in, I then flaked out on the couch for a solid 3 hours lol. Think I may have over done it today, just a tad:) when I woke up I was as hungry (for carbs) as a bear out of hibernation, I polished off two soy burgers in muili seeded bread, with tomatoes, lettuce, gherkins, fried onions and sweet corn relish, followed up with a medium tub of this morroccon sweet potato, curried chick pea stuff my misses gets me, and then nicely rounded off with a a big ass fruit salad and a rice protein shake...calories?? Hmm...probably a few thousand+

 

Back and biceps are up next ( ill through in some calf presses to make up for todays fiasco ), ill give it a day or two.

[esqinchi]

Curse you and those huge numbers and loads of delicious food! lol I'm over here cutting with my greens and tempeh - and want nothing more than a veggie burger with pickles!

[HIT Rob]

Opps...sorry:)

 

Was just having one of those days yesterday, back to cutting today.....well maybe tomorrow:)

[HIT Rob]

Hit zee back, biceps & calves today after a 3 day rest...

 

1. Close grip palms up pulldown

- One working set with 100kgs to failure

- 30 second rest

- One static hold with 100kgs to failure (weight held in the finnished position)

 

2. Seated cable row

- One working set to failure with 95kgs (holding the weight in the contracted position for a second or 2 with sach rep)

 

3. Machine curl (technogym)

- One static hold with 67.5kgs to failure

 

4. Calf press machine

- One working with the stack (200kgs) + training partner applying additional resistance to failure + serveral partials

 

Job done!

 

Workout lasted a mere 15 minutes ( including a few warmup sets not mentioned). Ive come back fo my senses lol, its not the volume of mechanical work done with muscle, but the intensity that counts:)

 

Happy training

Rob

[HIT Rob]

29-7-15

 

Chest / Triceps

1. Seated converging chest press

Stack (130kgs) x 5 reps to failure

90kgs + resitance bands x 9 reps to failure

70kgs + resistance bands x 10 rest pause reps to failure

2. Pec deck

stack (110kgs) + training partner applying manuel resistance to stack x one static hold to failure

3. Triceps pressdowns

42.5 kgs x one set to failure

4. One arm cable rope extension

27.5kgs x one static hold to failure

 

Done and dusted after 13 minutes of training.

 

Left shoulders out today, have a little touch of tendinitis in my left elbow, laterals seem to irritate it.

 

Legs up next in a day or two, however it goes better than last time:)

[bodyartt]

Hi Rob,

 

thanks for posting this, it is inspiring.

 

I am training in the HIT style, one set to failure (sometimes with rest pause) but only once every week, 5 compound exercises. You said recovery is important but i feel even one week gap is not enough since I am an ectomorph with poor recovery capacities. U think HIT style training once every two weeks is enough?

 

Also is overcompensation (or growth) measurable? For instance, if I work out today and wait for another week or two, during that rest week overcompensation takes place? which means size will increase during that week?

[HIT Rob]

Hi BA,

 

Thanks:)

 

I would say if your goal is to just improve your general health its fine, but if your goal is to optimize your development, then I'd say its not enough. I base that opinion on my own experience and the experience of many other advanced hitters. After several months of infrequent training (2-3 workouts per mon,th) , it became apparent to me that I was becoming more and more deconditioned from the lack of metabolic effect of training (in spite of the fact i was becoming stronger each and every workout).

 

In my opinion, you'd be better to keep your current freqency as it is, but reduce the volume and or stress of your workouts, so rather than a 5 compound movements all in one workout, reduce it to 2-3 compound movements and then one or two smaller isolation movements (which are less stressful).

 

Growth can be measured, body by science co authur and max contraction creator John little used bod pod testing on over 1000 of his clients, he found the average individual required 6.6 days before anything showed up as the result of a workout. Of course thats not a one size fits all, you may requre more or less.

Persoanlly I found another hit proponent (BIll Sahli) idea better (since must of us dont have access to bod pods), he refers to it as the 2 day rule, basically you wait until you feel 100% fully recovered from a workout, you then take 2 additional days off (to allow for overcompsion to take place).

 

Hope that answers your questions:)

 

Rob

[bodyartt]

Hi Rob thanks again. I worked out last Sunday so if there is no increase in size by this Sunday does that mean I haven't fully recovered? Must I measure my arm or chest with tape to find out if overcompensation has taken place?

[HIT Rob]

Lets say for instance your were to train once a week in hit style for the next year, and you added 5lbs of lean muscle to your frame. That would average a mere 0.096 grams of muscle stimulated from each training session, so thats not going to be all that measurable with a tape from one workout to the next. I would only recommend using tape once in a blue moon.

 

Are you following the body by science big 5 workout by any chance?

[bodyartt]

Hi Rob, five pounds seem too little, Drew Baye says 25 pounds is possible in the first six months.

 

I follow BBS approach but use dips instead of bench sometimes, or rows instead of pulldowns.

[HIT Rob]

That's true, In fact Mike Mentzer believed one could actualize his or her genetic potential in one year or less (if following a properly conducted hit program), I would agree with him on this, as most make the bulk of their gains in the first year of proper training. So I guess its possible to use s tape for the first while, of course as you near your genetic potential its not going to be really possible. The mirror is a good quide as well:)

 

BBS is a good approach, I used it several years ago when I started back training after suffering a stroke. But I dont feel its ideal appoarch if one is trying to optimise his or her development. Im also not so sure anymore in the one set to failure theroy nethier, ive been experiementing with 3-4 sets to failure on certian bodyparts and am liking the response. Am beginning to believe that the first heavy set with max load merely primes cns, its possibly the second and third sets with lighter loads that cause most of the hypertrophic response. Ive also in recent years become a big believer variation....so that the body doesn't adapt to doing the same thing over and over ( in line with the SAID princple and GAS).

 

Best of luck

Rob

[HIT Rob]

2-8-15

BACK / BICEPS

 

Close Grip Palms Up Pulldown

110kgs x static hold to failure

Immediate drop set

90kgs x static hold to failure

 

Seated Cable Row

95kgs x one set to failure

 

3. Machine Curl (Technogym)

75kgs x one static hold to failure

immediate drop set

50kgs x one static hold to failure

 

Done in 9 minutes!

 

4-8-15

LEGS

 

Leverage Leg Press

400kgs x one set to failure (slightly static hold in the bottom position, before an explosive positive)

3-4 minute rest

300kgs x high rep set to failure

 

Calf Presses

200kgs + training partner applying manuel resistance x 2 sets to failure + partial reps

 

Static Crunch (using ab slings on a pulldown machine)

65kgs x 2 static holds to failure

 

11 minute workout (well in fairness the machine took a while to load and unload:)

[HIT Rob]

5-8-15

 

Just got done with a MCT arm workout...lotta fun, I cant remember the last time I hit the gym for the sole purpose of training arms:)

 

Started with heavy Tricep pressdowns with a revolving straight bar, worked up to 45kgs for several strict reps, then attacted the rope to the cable machine and performed a maximal static contraction extension, with my arm drawn right back by my side using 30kgs per arm, as soon as my triceps give out i took a 10 second rest pause and then went at it again to failure. Triceps toasted!

For Biceps, I shimmed over to the technogym biceps machine (an awsome device), here I worked up to a maximal static hold using the stack + 7.5kg plates added to the lever arms, here I did the same as with the triceps extension, I held the resistance to failure, took a 10 second rest pause then went at it again.

For dessert, I performed a single maximal static hold on underhand pulldowns (with the resistance held in the bottom position).

 

Job done, really enjoyable workout, felt fantastic. Recovering well, and getting stronger by the week, I still feel this is down to the added supplementation and improved diet plan.

 

Post workout meal was a jalapeño and tomato pasta with added chickpeas, for afters I had 200grams of soy yoguart with one scoop of chocolate flavored rice protein thrown in (40grams of protein). Num Num Num:)