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Low volume high intensity training
- Thread starter hardrock
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You have made a good decesion hardrock because I know for a fact low volume high intensity works. Ever since I started it 3 months ago, I have been making steady gains. Ive gained 20 pounds SOLID. I use rest pause sets for biceps, triceps, delts, traps, and some back excercises like close grip pulldowns and bent over rows, and some chest like dips and machine flys. If im doing benches Ill do 2 working sets to failure of 2 exercises, incline and decline. For squats ill do one set for 20 LONG reps. For deads ill use 2 working sets of 10.
I don't see why I would have to do 12 + sets a body part to get my muscle to grow. I was SO rediculously overtrained when I used the high volume method. My muscle is either going to grow or its not going to grow. When I do my 1-2 sets or rp set im telling my muscle to grow, and given all the rest I get it GROWS, every time. I think a lot of guys are overtraining.
I don't see why I would have to do 12 + sets a body part to get my muscle to grow. I was SO rediculously overtrained when I used the high volume method. My muscle is either going to grow or its not going to grow. When I do my 1-2 sets or rp set im telling my muscle to grow, and given all the rest I get it GROWS, every time. I think a lot of guys are overtraining.
Thaibox
New member
hardrock, I'm not trivializing your back problem, or doubting its legitamacy in the least. But, I've had 2 crushed discs in my lower back since '95 and of course I was told that I could NOT do squats or anything resembling a deadlift. I've spent may hours curled up in a little ball in insane amounts of pain, not to mention hobbling around with a cane occasionally. A few years ago, I tried the empty bar, and I'm now pulling 545 and stiff-legging 405 for reps off a block. I've built erectors like granite pillars. I believe deads are the best thing I've ever done for my back. Without them, I would have had surgery by now and been much smaller. Just want to point that out, because I would hate it if you fell into the same trap as I did, thinking you couldn't do them. Just a thought man
hardrock said:
Be sure to do hyperextensions for the back at least....and they will help in rehab. Do 3 slow sets of 12-15 with weight and hold at the top for a count.
Rest pause reps...a favorite of Dorian Yates....take a set to failure or at least until the last rep is the very last rep you can complete.....then put the weight down for 10 seconds...then pick it up and do more reps...put it down and rest again for 10 and then do more reps. Do this three times max.
They work very well for curls and calves especiallya lthough they work well on almost all exercises. Don't do this too much or you will over train.
Best exercises for mass
Chest.....dips with elbows out or declines. Try this.....hold your arms out straight in front of you and extended and then contract the pecs....now move the arms DOWN at about a 45-60 degree angle...notice how much stronger the contraction is. The fuction of the pecs is to bring the arms across the front but also to bring the arms DOWN.
Lats....palm up chins or pulldowns. This grip places the bi's and lats in their strongest pulling position.
Rows with a curl grip ie: Yates rows.
Upper mid back.....Deadlifts and rows. Row strictly and try to hold the weight in the fully contracted position with low back arched a bit.....same for pulldowns etc.
Shoulders.....seated overhead presses to the front. Bench set at about 80-85 degrees.
Bi's....regular curls
Tri's....close grip benches with a grip about 15 inches apart(elbows in) OR dips with elbows IN, either free dips or machine.
Low back....regular or stiff leg deads
Hams...stiff leg deads
Quads...DEEP squats or DEEP leg presses at least but squats are better
Abbs ...hanging kne ups curling torso up to chest.
Traps...shrugs and dealifts
Calves...donkeys but I also like raises in the leg press machine.
Focus on adding small to tiny amounts of weight to the bars weekly as this is KEY. The goal is NOT intensity but progressive poundages...intensity will come along with the very hard work done. www.fractionalplates.com
I have been training in this low volume high effort way for 22 years ever since Mike Mentzer. I did drift from it a couple times due to brainwashing from the glossy mags but I only became stale with high volume and gained NOTHING.
Everyone will go stale from time to time bro. You need to cycle your training intensity. You cannot train all out all the time. Even Yates couldn't train all out for more than 6 weeks after which time he backed off but still used heavy weights and low volume on the basics.
After you can no longer add even 2 pounds per week to the squat and 1 pound per week to the bench and half pound to presses etc then end the cycle and take 7-10 days off. Then start again with about 90% of your previous bests for the rep range used. Sometimes one can go for months with tiny progressive weight increases and keep growing and sometimes only 6 weeks or so....if you are still able to add small amounts of weight to the bars then you are still gaining and there is no need to stop.
Listen to your body....if you are tired then DO NOT train...take another day off..you will not shrink trust me.
RG
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hardrock said:
Up to 5-7 working sets per bodypart while "on" but usually only 4-6 working sets ....3-5 or less working sets per bodypart while off.
One can do a hell of a lot with only 2-3 sets of full squats for 10 reps IF you really gring them out and go deep.
RG
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D
Deleted member 33117
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Low volume high intensity is definately the way to go. I used to do 20 sets per body part, but have cut back to 4 sets to failue now and am making great gains. My currently split is:
Tuesday
deadlift
palms up lat pulldowns
incline bench
military press
Friday
leg press
toe press on leg press machine
close grip press
preacher curl
I always start with a very high rep set and take it to failure. then pyramid up on every set. Every time I go into the gym, I am able to either add a little weight on each lift, or am able to get extra reps with the same weights. I've also found rest pause to be very effective, though I don't take 10 or 15 seconds. Usually when I hit failure, I take 2 or 3 seconds to catch my breath, then squeeze out2-4 more reps, once I fail I take a couple more seconds and am sometimes able to squeeze out one more. I'm now up to the point where I am inclining and closing grip 405, deadlifting 675, and leg pressing 1350 all for reps. On the leg press I always get at least 20, so I'm thinking of trying to talk people into climbing up on the slide for more resistance.
Currently I'm 5'9" 226 ibs (not sure of body fat but I can see my abes) with just under 3 years of training.
Tuesday
deadlift
palms up lat pulldowns
incline bench
military press
Friday
leg press
toe press on leg press machine
close grip press
preacher curl
I always start with a very high rep set and take it to failure. then pyramid up on every set. Every time I go into the gym, I am able to either add a little weight on each lift, or am able to get extra reps with the same weights. I've also found rest pause to be very effective, though I don't take 10 or 15 seconds. Usually when I hit failure, I take 2 or 3 seconds to catch my breath, then squeeze out2-4 more reps, once I fail I take a couple more seconds and am sometimes able to squeeze out one more. I'm now up to the point where I am inclining and closing grip 405, deadlifting 675, and leg pressing 1350 all for reps. On the leg press I always get at least 20, so I'm thinking of trying to talk people into climbing up on the slide for more resistance.
Currently I'm 5'9" 226 ibs (not sure of body fat but I can see my abes) with just under 3 years of training.
