HIT Rob

HIIT indeed well ramp up your metabolism, however HIIT is "HIGH IMPACT" high intensity exercise, so if you value the well being of the joints and connective tissues, i strongly recommend avoiding it.

When you perform or practice the same movement over and over, the body adapts, and learns to use itself more efficiently, both neuromuscularly and intramuscularly. So its possible without even realizing it, that over the last few months your body has began using itself in a more efficient manner. This could well be the reason for what your saying... Rob

Pleasure BA, That would perfect for dips:)

That's perfect, indeed the pump and fatigue with this technique is incredible with a lot less volume. Thing is, when we move into the stretched position of a movement, there's a wind-up of sorts happens, the muscle naturally want to recoil, which makes it easier to just explode out of that stretched position. So by performing the reps in zone's, your forced to control the resistance in the that most difficult stretched zone, you just can't explode out of it, much more difficult:)) Best Rob

It is confusing, its an awkward one to explain lol... The application is the same on any exercise or with any equipment. The simplest application is to cut the movement in half, perform the hardest half of the movement first to almost failure (maybe 2 reps shy), then immediately switch to preforming the easier half of the movement (which will now be just as hard / if not harder), in this half of the movement you go to failure. So with the push-up, start with the bottom half of the movement first, preform as many reps as you can in this half without going to all out failure, then immediately switch to performing the top half of the movement, only this time perform as many half reps as you can to all out failure. There's no full reps performed. Hope this helps Rob

Hey B&B, Yeah, sorta same idea as 21's... The idea is this to work around the sticking point of a movement, if you take for example the squat, the bottom 1/3 is the hardest "zone" of the movement, the middle 1/3 is still hard, but not just as hard as the bottom 1/3, and then the top 1/3 of the movement is easy. So by fatiguing the hardest zone first, then working up through the zones, by the time you get to what would normally be the easiest "zone", it'll feel just as hard (if not harder) as the sticking point. So the level of tension on the muscles is consistent throughout the ENTIRE ROM:) Also, taking the squat again as an example, lets say you perform 10 traditionally performed reps on the squat, you get 10 contractions, were as if you preform the squat in the 3rds as mentioned about, you get not 10, but 30 mini contractions with the same amount of movement (hence more contractions per unit). You can use this technique with any movement or equipment, you can perform the movement in 1/2's , 1/3's or even 1/4s, though, the more zone's you preform, the less weight you'll be able to use, however the trade off is a greater level of congestion build up in the muscle:) Here's some videos of how it can be applied... He's a short video of Brian Johnston the founder of Zone training and triangler training methods... And here's an interview of Brain Johnston in which he talks about the his techniques, and why training for hypertrophy is not all about lifting heaviest weight possible, btw, hes idea's on cluster sets is also excellent (best interview I've ever heard). http://www.highintensitynation.com/2013/02/high-intensity-training-interview-of-the-month-brian-johnston/ Kinda long winded answer, but there was go lol Best wishes Rob

Hi Bodyart, Your right, your body has adapted to the current stimulus... Next to B&B's excellent idea's, I would recommend using Zone training/J-reps, with the push ups, performing just the bottom half of the movement first, once you've reach almost failure, immediately switch to just the top half of the movement. With this hypertrophy specific technique you achieve more contractions per unit of time, you'll find it much harder than preforming just normal reps, but the amount of fatigue and congestion build up within the muscle you'll find is superior to traditionally preformed reps. Hope this helps Rob

Excellent Drew Baye article... http://baye.com/myth-of-sarcoplasmic-versus-myofibrillar-hypertrophy/

Well i cancelled my gym membership last week, from now on its just home gym training. Cant be bothered with packed out gyms anymore, push comes to shove i'll head down for the odd leg workout and just pay as i go. I also started following the dietary advice from Dr Darden's (a HIT pioneer and researcher) new book "the bodyfat breakthrough" http://www.bodyfatbreakthrough.com/bodyfatbreakthrough/index, i got in touch with him recently, he recommend i consume a mere 1900 calories daily, he also recommend zero aerobic activity during this period. His research over the last 30 years has certainly debunked the myth that you can't lose more than 2lbs of fat per week. So i've started to do the things i said i'd never do, ie counting calories, weighing food, and taking fortnightly bodyfat and bodypart measurements, its actually not that bad:)) Anyho, Saturdays workout was Back & Chest... 1. Underhand Pulldown (1 1/4 reps) 2. Flat D-B Bench Press (J-Rep halves) 3. Seated Cable Row 4. Incline D-B Power Flye (1 1/4 reps) 5. Stiff Arm Pulldown *All for one set to failure respectively... Tonight was legs... 1. Lying Leg Curl (J-Rep halves) 2. Leg Extension (J-Reps halves) 3. Static Hip Belt Squat 4. Standing Hip Belt Cable Calf Raise (5 mini cluster sets) 5. Static Cable Crunch (3 static cluster sets) *All for one set to failure respectively ** First 3 movements were in tri-set fashion

He He they did that:))))) Costa Rica i think could well be a dark horse, that guy Campbell is dangerous and on form. US could also be a threat under Klinsman:)

Hey Dylan, For me its cheering on Holland and France:) Before the tournament i was thinking Argentina, but they didn't look all that good against Bosnia last night. Still, its early days. I also think Croatia were robbed against Brazil. I hope Portugal go out in the first round, nothing against the Portuguese, just hate that over groomed wee prick Ronaldo:))

Hi Jeremy, Sorry i see what your saying now. I see no issue with doing low intensity activities on rest days, to relax and unwinded i like to take my mountain bike out for a spin or go for a several mile walk in local nature parks or even some martial arts training, it has no negative effect on my performance in the gym. Best Rob

The fact is, the body needs to recover (before it can even grow) from one workout to the next, but psychologically, most seem to think rest days are just wasted time (or like many stimulus addicts...they just need the daily "fix"), however, time off is not wasted time, its a critical part of the growth process. The Growth process chain is STIMULATE - RECOVER - GROW - STIMULATE - RECOVER - GROW...though for some reason many have the idea its stimulate, stimulate, stimulate then think a bunch of recovery supplements will produce the goods! So a logical question arises - How much rest between workouts? As cappy pointed out, the are many independent variables in individuals, though what has been noted by the worlds most highly experienced HIT trainers, is that beginners can get away with 2-3 workouts per week, and as the individual becomes stronger and more neromuscularly efficient, the average client requires 4-7 rest days between workouts (and in some cases 10-14 days, though these are individuals with a poor tolerance to intense physical stress or those who have reached the upper limits of their genetic potential). Now, i don't discount the fact that there are natural trainees who have done well using higher volume and frequency workouts than stated above, however, that is not evidence that they would have done better had they had train more intensely, briefly, and infrequently. Best Rob

If you take just your frontal delts alone, they are stimulated/effected by the first 5 exercises in your chest and arms workout, and then the very next day your hitting them again with overhead presses and front lateral raises...and this takes place twice a week. My question to you is...does a natural trainee really need or require that amount of volume and frequency for such a small chunk of muscle? That kind of volume and frequency is the kind used by pro bodybuilders whom are born with superior a recovery ability, on top of that they take vast quantities of steroids and growth hormones which also aid recovery. Trust me, when you've experienced a true HIT workout you'll know that 2-3 intense abbreviated workouts are more than enough for the natural trainee...there'll be no doubt in your mind about that:) I first learned about systemic recovery when i spoke with former Mr Universe and HIT pioneer Mike Mentzer in my late teens, i too believed that if i train certain bodyparts on certain days i could get away with using more volume and frequency, i was wrong! Mike taught me that intense exercise has a systemic effect on the ENTIRE physical system, not just the targeted area. So even when using a split routine, one must still allow a sufficient amount of time to elapse for systemic recovery to take place. This is not my idea, Mikes idea, nor anyone's....NATURE that dictates the rules here. Intense exercise is not a hobby, its intense physical stress, and the human body doesn't have a infinite capacity for dealing with it. Mike talks about systemic stress and recovery here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1IcqZLMaH4

Hi S Tales, I would not recommend the above routine to anyone (even if that person was taking steroids and recovery enhancers). Such a program does not allow for systemic recovery to take place, let alone for localized muscle recovery. Increasing muscular size and strength is a tri-phase process, you MUST first employ a proper stimulus (high intensity training), you then MUST allow enough time for the body to compensate/recover from the workout (and not just for localized recovery, but for full systemic recovery), and then you MUST allow enough time to elapse for the third phase to take place, ie over-compensation / growth. Repeat exposure to the stimulus before the second and or third phases have had a chance to happen and you simply short circuit the whole process. I would strongly recommend you reduce your volume and frequency of your training to no more than 2-3 intense abbreviated workouts per week. For the pull-up and BB Row, i would recommend you use wrist straps, this should take some of the focus of pulling with your arms and your grip somewhat, and allow you to focus more on contracting your back muscles. Hope this helps Best Rob

1-6-1 Chest / Triceps workout 1. Pec Deck Flye - one set to failure + static hold to failure 2. D-B Lateral Raise - one set to failure + 3 half reps 3. Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension - one set to failure 4. Triceps Rope Press-down - one set to failure + static hold 4-6-14 Back / Biceps workout 1. Stiff Arm Rope Pulldown immediately follwed by... 2. Underhand Pulldown - one set to failure + static hold to failure 2 minute rest then... 3. BB Shrugs - one set to failure 4. Rear Delt Machine - one set to failure 5. Seated EZ-Bar Curls - one set to failure 8-6-14 Leg workout Tri-set 1. Lying Leg Curl (J-Reps) - one set to failure immediately followed by... 2. Leg Extension (J-Reps) - one set to failure immediately followed by... 3. Static Hip Belt Squat - static hold to failure two minute rest then... 4. Standing Cable Calf Raise - one set to failure 5. Static Crunch (on the pull-down machine) Lower back has been a bit better than it was, but my doc has referred me to see a orthopedic to see if i would benefit from more drastic treatment (possibly surgery). Training wise, I've had to drop all upper body chest and shoulder pressing movements, they seem to be irritating my left elbow as i go through the mid point of the rep. Not to worry, there's always a way to work around these things:)

What about ya mate... All very true Mike, Yeah i was surprised Steve Reeves used the term "sport" to describe bodybuilding, when you look at his pictures the word "art" seems a better term. There is objective criteria to judging bodybuilding, but i honestly have to never seen it as a sport. The Weider brothers tried for decades to get Olympic recognition, but it never happened, the Olympic committee told them they need to "clean up" the sport as the drug use is soooo flagrant. I saw an interview of Dorian Yates on youtube talking about his steroid use, he made what imo was a very irresponsible comment about steriods not being all that bad since they did him no harm (so far). I wonder what possessed him to make such a comment when several of his fellow competitors are dead or seriously ill (Andreas, Nasser, Art Artwood, Don Youngblood, Sonny Schmidt, Mohammed Benaziza), or have kidney failure (Flex Wheeler, Don Long, Tom Prince, Shaun Davis). Mike Materzzo needed a triple heart bypass at just 38, he blames the bodybuilding lifestyle and steroid use.

Hi all, So talking about Steve Reeves and natural bodybuilding on another thread recently got me thinking, specifically as to why today's pro bodybuilders are so looked up to, and secondly, why people want to even see that chemical look? I don't discount the fact that these men and woman train and work extremely hard to achieve the end product we see on stage, however the fact is, these people are using vast quantities of drugs to achieve that ridiculous look. How much? Well, consider when Andreas Munzer (the most shredded bodybuilder in history) died of multiple organ failure aged just 31, his body was found to have no less than 20 different drugs in it. On a side note, he is just one of many who have payed the ultimate price in recent years. Here's a video i notice of Steve Reeves the other day, and it really sum's up how the bodybuilders from the golden era of bodybuilding feel about today's "champions"...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3RhccAyrgE The quote at the beginning really sum's it up perfectly for me... "Bodybuilding as its practiced and promoted today, is dying and dying fast. Well, its a good thing, never in my life would i have imagined that such a terrific sport would have been filled with so-called "champions" who are held up as heroes and adulated for physiques that were built with drugs. What kind of REAL bodybuilding champion is that? Since when did the distinction need to be made between natural bodybuilder and chemical bodybuilder need to be made, when i built my body you were a bodybuilder...PERIOD! And you did it without drugs, by training hard, eating right and getting the right amount of rest." Interested in hearing other views on the matter:) Rob

Just a high enough bar mate, or even an iron gym door frame bar... The underhand chin is somewhat of an upper body squat, its stimulates the lats, traps, rear delts, abs, forearms and even the pecs and triceps to a degree. The underhand grip puts the biceps into their strongest position, making them less of a weak link.

You could add underhand chin-ups or pull-ups, or even inverted rows, to work the back and biceps more, if you want to target your legs, try sissy squats, static squats, and bodyweight squats and or one legged squats using J-Reps/zone training, this will make them much harder. For calfs perform one legged calf raise on the edge of a ledge or block. Best Rob

Fact - Intense muscular contractions milks venous blood back to the cardiac muscle which protects it while you workout intensely. Moreover, high intensity training also up regulates certain enzymes which in time has the cardiac muscle work less hard at rest and play. Indeed Mike is right, too much of anything is toxic, and intense physical stress is no exception to that rule. There is a therapeutic window here, but its a very narrow one, the dosage and frequency must be just right...especially when your a natural trainee with an average recovery ability. HIT is not a "hobby", it is what it is, intense physical stress, make no mistake...overexposure is toxic.

Stimulus - intense physical stress, the second phase is recovery (compensation), recovery preseeds the third phase...growth (overcompensation).

There has been research that has shown a certain degree of muscle can be built on a near starvation diet...as long as the first requisite of muscle building ie a proper stimulus has been first employed, and two, a sufficient amount of time has allowed for recovery and overcompensation to take place.

Hi Maybenot, I use the term extreme in reference to the fact that BOTH top level competitive bodybuilders and strongmen use vast quantities of steroids and growth hormones.

Sergio was one in a million with an amazing work ethic. For me Steve Reeves physique would be my all time favorite, he had it all, mass, strength, athleticism with superb lines, unmatched shape and symmetry. Moreover...he was 100% natural.