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Is anyone using HIT -- does it work?
- Thread starter Becky
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In the HIT FAQ on the cyberpump.com site, the "failure" they are referring to is concentric muscular failure. That is, the concentric,or positive, part of the lift is where you are exerting the most force (i.e. with squats, when you are pushing up, or with bicep curls, when you are pulling the weight towards you). You reach failure when you are unable to complete the current rep (on the concentric/postive part of the lift) without degrading your form. Not sure if that makes any sense, but basically you fail when you can't complete another rep without cheating.
Blood&Iron
New member
DaCypher said:
Some HIT authorities, most notably Dr. Ellington Darden, actually recommend going to static failure. After the weight stops, continue pushing for at least 15seconds, though you might not even perceive that the weight is moving. He recommends having the mindset that, although the weight has stopped moving, you're going to complete the rep anyway. Visualize a vivid life or death situation, e.g. a car is crushing you to death and only by completing the rep will you live. I find this difficult to do while using a standard cadence of 2-4 since it's hard to perceive that the weight is still moving when you've been lifting so quickly, but with SuperSlow it is good. It works, but you need to be careful because it can easily lead to overtraining. Going to concentric failure will, in most cases, be sufficient. Going to eccentric failure, meaning you cannot even lower the weight under control is generally a bad idea--unless you have an experienced spotter--for obvious reasons.
Blood&Iron
New member
Re: Re: Is anyone using HIT -- does it work?
Labelling oneself a hardgainer will in no way lead to diminished gains. It is merely a realistic appraisal of one's potential, and most often forces one to pay even more careful attention to careful training, diet, and rest. This can only improve one's results.SteelWeaver said:
Blood&Iron
New member
DaCypher said:Blood&Iron,
Wow, that sounds pretty hardcore. I gotta give that a try next workout.
Tell me what you think. It doesn't get more hardcore than SuperSlow. There was a great study by Dr. Wayne Westcott which showed much improved results using SuperSlow over a standard cadence, but he remarked that the problem was only about 2 out of 98(?) participants said they would be willing to continue doing their workouts in such a manner because they were so painful.
I read about super slow while I was researching HIT. It definetly looks very intense. I don't think I'm ready for it (or maybe I'm just afraid to try it). Either way, I think sometime down the road I'm going to have to give it a try.
I'm really anxious for my next workout so I can try that static failure. By the way, where have you been reading about the Dr. Wayne Westcott studies?
I'm really anxious for my next workout so I can try that static failure. By the way, where have you been reading about the Dr. Wayne Westcott studies?
Blood&Iron
New member
I've seen the SuperSlow study mentioned in a number of places. Cyberpump, superslow.com, a few newspaper articles, and in an issue of Muscular Development magazine from a number of months ago--though MD did its best to discredit the study(MD's staff is made almost exclusively of periodization advocates,) I haven't taken a look at the actual study. It's probably too recent to be in Medline. I think SuperSlow is great--though not the be all and end all of exercise science--and used it almost exclusively for a couple of years, however it makes working out very unpleasant. Of late I've been letting myself enjoy my workouts, rather than dreading them, and this is impossible if I'm using SuperSlow. The other problem I have with SuperSlow is the dogmatism of Ken Hutchins and co, although this is a trait endemic to the exercise field. SuperSlow devotees tend to view those who don't fully subscribe to their theories as quacks and morons.
Blood&Iron, DaCypher and other HIT-ers,
Two questions.....
1. When we talk about reaching concentric failure are we talking complete and utter concentric failure? Let me be more specific...often, when I'm doing an exercise, I'll reach concentric failure at some point, but with most of the movements, I can lower the weight, wait a few seconds (10-30), and then a lot of times, I'll be able to force out another rep. If I continued to do that, I might be able to continue squeezing out 1 rep at a time, resting and continuing, but is that what's considered concentric failure, or is it as soon as you can't do another rep during the course of your normal rep range.
2. Also, do any of you have erratic breathing patterns when doing HIT cadence (2/4, or other slower cadences) reps? I notice that I tend to do a lot of little exhale/inhales even on the negative because I'm moving so slowly, as opposed to the normal inhale on the negative, exhale on the positive that you normally see with faster cadence reps. Occasionally, I find that my breathing can screw up my set, because I'm holding too long, and my breathing gets all erratic. Anyone have a good pattern to their breathing that works for them?
Two questions.....
1. When we talk about reaching concentric failure are we talking complete and utter concentric failure? Let me be more specific...often, when I'm doing an exercise, I'll reach concentric failure at some point, but with most of the movements, I can lower the weight, wait a few seconds (10-30), and then a lot of times, I'll be able to force out another rep. If I continued to do that, I might be able to continue squeezing out 1 rep at a time, resting and continuing, but is that what's considered concentric failure, or is it as soon as you can't do another rep during the course of your normal rep range.
2. Also, do any of you have erratic breathing patterns when doing HIT cadence (2/4, or other slower cadences) reps? I notice that I tend to do a lot of little exhale/inhales even on the negative because I'm moving so slowly, as opposed to the normal inhale on the negative, exhale on the positive that you normally see with faster cadence reps. Occasionally, I find that my breathing can screw up my set, because I'm holding too long, and my breathing gets all erratic. Anyone have a good pattern to their breathing that works for them?
Guinness,
Personally, I would say that I try to stick with the 204 cadence (2 seconds on the positive, 0 second rest, and then 4 seconds on the negative). By following this, you will never be able to rest for 10-30 seconds. This long of a rest would be a break between sets. The idea behind HIT is to keep your muscles under stress for a continuous amount of time. By resting for 10-30 seconds (or even a quick rest of 3 seconds or something) defeats the purpose. You need to keep the muscles under constant tension for maximum results, in my opinion.
In terms of breathing, I find myself taking a couple breathes on the negative. On the postive I usually have no problem exhaling one breath and I think the breathing is the most important on the positive part of the lift anyways since the negative is a bit easier. Anyways, I find this tends to be a personal thing. I'd recommend trying to exhale once on the postive, and take a few (maybe only 2) breaths on the negative and see how that works. It definetly helps me to develop a pattern.
Anyways, hope that helps...
Personally, I would say that I try to stick with the 204 cadence (2 seconds on the positive, 0 second rest, and then 4 seconds on the negative). By following this, you will never be able to rest for 10-30 seconds. This long of a rest would be a break between sets. The idea behind HIT is to keep your muscles under stress for a continuous amount of time. By resting for 10-30 seconds (or even a quick rest of 3 seconds or something) defeats the purpose. You need to keep the muscles under constant tension for maximum results, in my opinion.
In terms of breathing, I find myself taking a couple breathes on the negative. On the postive I usually have no problem exhaling one breath and I think the breathing is the most important on the positive part of the lift anyways since the negative is a bit easier. Anyways, I find this tends to be a personal thing. I'd recommend trying to exhale once on the postive, and take a few (maybe only 2) breaths on the negative and see how that works. It definetly helps me to develop a pattern.
Anyways, hope that helps...
