# WTF just watched a bunch of Dorian Yates vids......



## j1mmytt (Jan 12, 2011)

Ok am i going mad or does Dorian advise his trainees to only do 1 warmup set and only 1 working set for each exercise!?!?!?!?!? If this is true then i have been overtraining for 7 years lol

I watched him advise a bicep workout and he only made his trainees complete 2 working sets, 1 on each exercise and only two exercises?!?!. Right this has really confused me now.......... Looks like a complete game plan is in action.

Do you guys train like this?


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Read up on HIT


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## 1Tonne (Jun 6, 2010)

Not currently, but from what im reading and talking to friends about, this will likely be the way i'll go in coming months.


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2011)

HIT

Doesnt suit everyone, but if you put the graft in then im sure it will work.


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## the_muss (May 16, 2008)

Dorian did what he found to work best for him. I'm sure he didn't always train like that - to get that big in the first place I'm sure he would have used higher volume and later adjusted his training according to his strength's weaknesses etc...


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## j1mmytt (Jan 12, 2011)

Right..... i might give this ago... Dam i just trained back today, wish i had of watched this earlier boooooo. Il do some HIT searching


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

I have trained this way for a while and love it. When i was using more volume i felt like i was pacing myself.

On the working set i rack it at failure, wait 10 seconds then get a couple more, then rack it again wait 10 seconds then 1 or 2 more.

I do usually 2 or 3 warm ups though.


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## doylejlw (Feb 14, 2010)

Currently doin HIT training and love it.


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## Rekless (May 5, 2009)

Does help yoiu to go all out as you know you only have one working set which u give your all as oppose to 2-3 heavy sets.

the 6-8 reps do need to be a struggle though, with a partner probably helping you to squeeze out the last couple.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

j1mmytt said:


> Right..... i might give this ago... Dam i just trained back today, wish i had of watched this earlier boooooo. Il do some HIT searching


Have a search on some Mike metzer HIT training, good stuff


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## j1mmytt (Jan 12, 2011)

But i have always trained high intensity, never go above 10 reps, usually around 8 reps sometimes less. But maybe im doing too many sets then......


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

Started HIT about 3 weeks ago myself, love it. Read a Mike Mentzer book for a while, watched a week in the dungeon and decided to give it a go. If you're gonna do it, do it properly. It's hard but I love it.


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2011)

j1mmytt said:


> But i have always trained high intensity, never go above 10 reps, usually around 8 reps sometimes less. But maybe im doing too many sets then......


Your not doing HIT then.

Take a look at Doggcrap. thats pretty High, Google Mike Mentzer HIT too.

Its obviously not done you any harm, and different training styles dont suite everyone.


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## Bigkev2010 (Dec 7, 2010)

i am on my 3rd week of this training (blood and guts - new) and finding it great but very hard

its a lot harder than you think as your are training to failure everytime not just hammering out sets

i have put on 4 lbs in these 3 weeks so far and my strength has gone up + 10kgs on bench alone


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## Ts23 (Jan 14, 2011)

2 working sets WTF iv never herd of this before, that has to be a 5 min work out tops, explain this please ? ? ? what would be the point in going to the gym and doing 2 working sets


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

Ts23 said:


> 2 working sets WTF iv never herd of this before, that has to be a 5 min work out tops, explain this please ? ? ? what would be the point in going to the gym and doing 2 working sets


Try youtubing some Mike Mentzer lectures, or Yatesy seminars. This site is also crammed full of info on HIT.


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## j1mmytt (Jan 12, 2011)

Looks like some good results here, Dorian knows his stuff then. But i just cant bring myself round to only 2-3 bicep sets.


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## Bigkev2010 (Dec 7, 2010)

no you do between 2-7 exercises with 1 warm up set then 1-2 flat out sets i can normally get in and out in 35-40mins


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

j1mmytt said:


> Looks like some good results here, Dorian knows his stuff then. But i just cant bring myself round to only 2-3 bicep sets.


Do them properly and you won't be able to do any more afterwards mate. I only do 3 sets a week now but by the time I'm done I wouldn't want to touch them again for at least a few days.


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## Rekless (May 5, 2009)

Ts23 said:


> 2 working sets WTF iv never herd of this before, that has to be a 5 min work out tops, explain this please ? ? ? what would be the point in going to the gym and doing 2 working sets


2 working sets for bicep, you do chest the same day, 3 working sets, whole thing takes about 40 mins.


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## Rekless (May 5, 2009)

j1mmytt said:


> Looks like some good results here, Dorian knows his stuff then. But i just cant bring myself round to only 2-3 bicep sets.


Why? it's only a small muscle.

You hit them with Back also, Which on his Blood and Guts workout has 5-6 Working sets.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

tom0311 said:


> Do them properly and you won't be able to do any more afterwards mate. I only do 3 sets a week now but by the time I'm done I *wouldn't want to touch them again for at least a few days*.


I know that feeling


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## Prodiver (Nov 14, 2008)

tom0311 said:


> Do them properly and you won't be able to do any more afterwards mate. I only do 3 sets a week now but by the time I'm done I wouldn't want to touch them again for at least a few days.


Absolutely!

Most guys overtrain, and reduce their gains.

Some adopt HIT but without the intensity, and reduce their gains...

Don't forget you only need to stress a muscle just enough and give it time to make it grow.


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## CoffeeFiend (Aug 31, 2010)

Presume HIT means 'high intensity training' i.e. absolute heaviest you can lift till failure rather than slightly lighter trying to get more reps out?


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## EchoSupplements (Jul 19, 2010)

Yes, give Mike Mentzers book a read - its very persuasive and clearly something he believes is correct. I've never tried it, in fact I train the complete opposite lol but a lot of people seem to report great results.


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## Prodiver (Nov 14, 2008)

CoffeeFiend said:


> Presume HIT means 'high intensity training' i.e. absolute heaviest you can lift till failure rather than slightly lighter trying to get more reps out?


Yes, but many are surprised how much less weight they can move if they lift properly - slowly without heaving or throwing the weight (which cause injury).


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## CoffeeFiend (Aug 31, 2010)

Prodiver said:


> Yes, but many are surprised how much less weight they can move if they lift properly - slowly without heaving or throwing the weight (which cause injury).


I guess i do HIT myself then i get the heaviest weight i can press/curl/lift for 5 reps with perfect form. If i cant do 5 with absolute perfect form i drop weight down fractionally. But saying this... i do probally overdo it on sets..


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## Paulieb (Jan 1, 2008)

I have been doing it for 2 weeks now, I feel a lot more pumped as a result but it is early days yet.

Bare in mind you really need a training partner or a cued up spotter to get the most out of training this way.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

When i look around were i train there are so many people overtraining, doing set after set, seriously slowing down their progress.


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

Prodiver said:


> Don't forget you only need to stress a muscle just enough and give it time to make it grow.


That's the bit I found interesting while reading Mike's book, and while I thought it was crazy at the same time it made perfect sense.

Sure there are other ways to train but this way works for me, it's the most efficient and rewarding.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

Just a thought, what are peoples views of HIT while on a cycle, as a lot of people on here advocate adding more volume whilst on.


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## baggsy1436114680 (Jan 23, 2010)

in HIT arent you doing 3 sets really? As in the dorian vids the so called warm up sets are not exactly light they are pretty tough themselves


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

Considering Yatesy and Mentzer used HIT while on cycles, I'd say it probably works pretty well mate. Think Yates was only doing a couple of sessions a week leading up to '92 Olympia and his bicep workout consisted of a single set.



baggsy said:


> in HIT arent you doing 3 sets really? As in the dorian vids the so called warm up sets are not exactly light they are pretty tough themselves


Yeh, but only 1 working set. Big difference especially when negative reps and forced reps are involved too.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

tom0311 said:


> Considering Yatesy and Mentzer used HIT while on cycles, I'd say it probably works pretty well mate. Think Yates was only doing a couple of sessions a week leading up to '92 Olympia and his bicep workout consisted of a single set.


Thanks, yeah i didn't think Metzer or Yates would change their training when on the gear.


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

hendrix said:


> Thanks, yeah i didn't think Metzer or Yates would change their training when on the gear.


I know they both went through phases of changing their training over the years, to find out what worked best for them. I don't think they would change a routine for the sole reason of gear usage though.

I'll find out soon anyway, starting a test 400 and dbol cycle


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## j1mmytt (Jan 12, 2011)

I always train to my max, and i always make sure i rep till failure, but it just seems that i have more in me so i do alot more sets. Can doing too many sets hinger your growth? if so can someone elaborate?


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

If you truly train till failure, then that is enough. Sometimes I feel I can get another set out, but all it would do is dig a deeper hole to recover from. That rarely happens now though as I add negative and partial reps to as many exercises as I can (about half of them).

Mike and Dorian will explain it much better, so look for some seminars and lectures on youtube or grab a Mike Mentzer book :thumb:


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

tom0311 said:


> I know they both went through phases of changing their training over the years, to find out what worked best for them. I don't think they would change a routine for the sole reason of gear usage though.
> 
> I'll find out soon anyway, starting a test 400 and dbol cycle


Winner, are you gonna do a log. Be interesting to follow that one.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

I extend the set a bit as well jim, by resting 10-15 secs and repping a few more.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

I agree that one set to failure is often enough, but with one qualification - not if you are a relative newbie.

In the first few years of starting out, the potential force your muscles can generate is greater than your CNS can make you lift, and failure when going heavy at this stage is not muscular, it's caused by CNS failure.

As you progress though, your CNS become better and better at maximal recruitment and eventually the limiting factor becomes inability to provide enough ATP and build up of lactate in the muscle - at this stage the muscle will literally fail, rather than it being your ability to force the muscle to work that fails. In this case one all out set can easily be enough to stimualte enough growth and adaptation, but in the case of the newb, a few sets might be required to stimulate the same response.

I think this theory is born out when you look at which bodybuilder do best on HIT style training - mostly it's people who have been training for years. People relatively new to training seem not to do so well.


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

hendrix said:


> Winner, are you gonna do a log. Be interesting to follow that one.


I will if I can be bothered, most journals don't have much going on in them so I doubt it.



Dtlv74 said:


> I agree that one set to failure is often enough, but with one qualification - not if you are a relative newbie.
> 
> In the first few years of starting out, the potential force your muscles can generate is greater than your CNS can make you lift, and failure when going heavy at this stage is not muscular, it's caused by CNS failure.
> 
> ...


I think I agree with you there mate. I wouldn't recommend a HIT routine to a newbie, not if it's done properly.


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## j1mmytt (Jan 12, 2011)

Wouldnt class myself as a newbie, i started training at 20 im now 27. i might give this HIT stuff a go.


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## tom0311 (Nov 17, 2008)

j1mmytt said:


> Wouldnt class myself as a newbie, i started training at 20 im now 27. i might give this HIT stuff a go.


If your avi is of you then you certainly don't look like a newbie either, give it a go. Hopefully you'll enjoy it - I won't be turning back for a while.


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