In a recent conversation with Dr. Brett Osborn, a renowned neurosurgeon and fitness expert, we explored the world of High Intensity Training (HIT). HIT has been a much debated topic in the fitness world for decades, and its evolution tells a fascinating story.
HIT emerged from the principles of Arthur Jones, who believed in very high intensity, full-body workouts, with just one exercise per body-part. The hallmark of this style of training was doing only one set per exercise, but taking that set to failure and beyond. According to Jones, if you "liked" doing a particular exercise then you were doing it wrong. If done properly those sets were excruciating, leaving you wanting to vomit.
Because these workouts were so intense, Arthur believed that you needed to significantly reduce the frequency of the workouts. That's why he typically advocated for no more than 3 workouts per week, using the other 4 days for recovery. This was in stark contrast to the popular style of volume-training where bodybuilders were spending hours in the gym and training 6-days per week.
His methods were later adapted by his pupil Mike Mentzer, who put his own spin on it and used it to achieve noteworthy results in professional bodybuilding, competing against legends like Arnold Schwarzenneger and Frank Zane. Mike was very outspoken about his belief in HIT and often critical of other styles of training. Unfortunately Mike was never able to really prove the effectiveness with HIT in terms of winning the Mr. Olympia crown. After the 1980 Mr. O contest, Mike retired from professional bodybuilding at the young age of 29.
Fortunately for HIT the next generation of bodybuilding brought another advocate in the form of Dorian Yates, who built on the principles of Jones and Mentzer, added his unique perspective, and created his version of HIT that took Yates to 6 Mr. Olympia titles.
Yates' HIT style was different from Jones'. It was not about doing a total body workout, but rather breaking it up into more body parts specific workouts. He found that although achieving the desired intensity in one set was possible, it was also sometimes difficult to execute in the real world. Ultimately he opted for two sets. Similar to Jones and Mentzer, Dorian believed that HIT was not just about intensity in the traditional sense but also about balancing that intensity with adequate rest, emphasizing the balance between stimulus and recovery.
The HIT community is diverse, and opinions on the best approach vary widely. Some believe that mechanical tension is the only trigger for muscle growth, while others believe metabolic stress and muscle damage from eccentric training play a role. But the truth is, we don't fully understand what triggers muscle growth. It's like trying to define dark matter in space - we have theories, but no definitive answers.
What we do know is that our bodies are highly adaptable. Our bodies will adapt to what we consistently do, which is why different training styles lead to different results. Powerlifters, for instance, experience more mechanical tension in their lifts than bodybuilders, resulting in a different type of physique.
The argument then is not about which method is superior, but rather which method aligns with your specific goals. Whether it's powerlifting, traditional bodybuilding, or HIT, it's essential to have a clear understanding of what you hope to achieve from your training.
So, who's HIT for? If you're someone who enjoys intense, focused sessions and has the capacity for high-intensity workouts, then HIT might be a good fit for you. It requires a certain level of mental toughness and a willingness to push your body to its limits, but the potential rewards are significant.
In the end, the most effective training method is the one that aligns with your goals, fits your lifestyle, and motivates you to keep pushing forward. Whether it's the principles of Arthur Jones, the adaptations of Mike Mentzer, or the unique spin of Dorian Yates, it's all about finding what works for you.
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