A Startling Admission...

[Blood&Iron]

Today was leg day. Several weeks ago, after suffering some slight twinges in my back, I realized my squat form had broken down, so I dropped my poundage back by 100lbs. and started trying to work my way up again gradually with perfect form. Previously I had been doing 3-5 reps on my work set. I upped this to 6-8 and actually upped my TUL's for all my leg exercises, using considerably slower cadences for all my work sets. To make a long story short, this made my leg workouts more like they used to be, i.e. much more painful. It took until today for me to realize something; I AM NO LONGER A HITter. This is not something of which I'm proud, merely a statement of fact. Despite having argued with numerous people on this board about what exactly is meant by HIT, I really think it lies in minimal rest, very low volume, and pushing yourself to your limits. If you're resting more than 1-2 minutes between sets, performing excessive warm-ups, or keeping your TUL's short I don't think it's HIT. I can tell when I've performed a HIT workout because it feels like my head is about to explode, and my muscles have been liquified. I can't stand, I can't even sit and be comfortable. There's no respite from the pain. It's like I've gone into anaphylactic shock. This is how almost every workout for the past 3 years has been for me. Yet still, I didn't consider my workouts intense enough, so about 6-7 months ago I hired a trainer to supervise my workouts and push me even harder. Instead he suggested I try a very different approach, involving warm-ups, resting between sets, a faster cadence, etc. I decided to give it a shot, and was pleasantly surprised by the results. They weren't staggeringly better than some of my previous gains, but I actually enjoyed working out, rather than dreading it. So I've been continuing in this fashion for the past 6-7 months. Still I called what I was doing HIT. But today I finally realized it wasn't. I have noticed that while in the previous 3 years I suffered no twinges and no pains, in the past 6-7 months I noticed a plethora of warning signs that the speeded up cadences and higher volume are taking a toll on my body. Nothing major, but certainly a great deal more "bad" soreness than previously. Unfortunately, I also developed something of an ego regarding my poundages which previously I never had. It used to be I could be curling little pink dumbbells and not give a fuck, but now I worry that using less weight will cause my muscles to atrophy(Intellectually I think this incorrect.) I'd like to go back to HIT, but frankly I enjoy working out as I do it now, and have a hard time considering going back to extreme pain entailed by true HIT. Maybe that makes me a wimp. I don't know. Anyways, not sure what the point of all this was, but just wanted to share my experiences with others.

 

[DaCypher]

Interesting... I find the "extreme pain" as you call it (I don't call it pain, I call it a challenge) to be somewhat enjoyable. Call me a masochist if you want, but I find that I could workout no other way. Not only have I not been able to match the results that I've achieved thus far with any other style of training, but I find that I have been enjoying my workouts more than ever (partly because of my results). I can, however, definetly understand how some people would not prefer HIT because of the incrediblely strenuous and "painful" workouts. If you've found something that works well for you and you enjoy it, then you should stick with it. Everybody is different so there is no one magic style that will be for everyone. Keep working hard...

 

[Blood&Iron]

DaCypher-

I'm not sure how long you've been using HIT but I too found, at one time, the pain somewhat enjoyable. Pain or intensity, take your pick, became my raison d'etre, and over several years my intensity grew and grew. I am of the opinion, as expressed by Ken Hutchins(originator of SuperSlow), that if you're really working out intensely it is impossible to enjoy it. I can't think of a single person who enjoys vomiting or lapsing into unconsciousness. The effects of a single, or even several very intense sets is quite different from the metabolic overload of a truly intense workout.

 

[DaCypher]

Well, I have yet to pass out or vomit from doing an intense set/workout, so its possible my idea of intense isn't nearly as great as some may do. I have only been using HIT for 2 months now, so its also possible (and probable) that I'm still enjoying the new routine and still gaining the benefits from it because its so new. When I do my sets to my idea of true failure (physically unable to exert any more force) I reach a natural "high." I guess in some people this causes vomiting and unconsciousness, however I have yet to experience this. I would assume some day I will grow tired/sick of this intensity and will probably, like you, have to change my style of training to a less HITish methodology.

 

[Blood&Iron]

BTW, I've never vomited or passed out myself. I've come very close, and stood over the toilet for 20-30 minutes waiting to puke, but I usually pulled back a little when I felt impending spewage(A few times I done the old regurgitation into the throat bit though. Yum.) Intellectually I never really thought puking and the like could be good, but still I sort of viewed it as proof of really taking things to the limit. That was actually my goal in hiring trainers to supervise my workouts from time to time, namely to have someone push me past when I might otherwise pull back. Every one of them said I was the most intense trainer they had ever seen(this included a guy who was training for the SEALs who commented "Maybe you get good results, but to me its not worth it that kind of pain." That's still makes me slightly proud.) But I'm not shit compared to some of the accounts I've read on Cyberpump. But as the trainer who changed my ways commented "HIT guys think that the person whoever is working the hardest gets the best results, and I don't really think that's true." If you haven't at least become very nauseous though, I have to say you aren't training all that intensely. I started a friend on a HIT routine, and after the first exercise he had to run to the bathroom to throw up. But then, he had me overseeing his workouts...

One final great quote from Arthur Jones, the father of HIT
"If you haven't vomited from a set of barbell curls, you don't know what intensity is."

 

[DaCypher]

Damn, all these wasted non-vomit inducing workouts. Seriously though, I guess I'm not really that intense if I'm not experiencing any of those symptoms. I could definetly understand not enjoying working out if those conditions occurred on a regular basis. You sound incredibly hardcore, I hope to one day reach that intensity (I guess I'm not there mentally yet since my failure doesn't seem to compare to yours). When that day occurs, I will probably want to quit using HIT, because it seems very unpleasant. Until then I'll continue with my semi-HITish style because it seems to be working for me, and I'm enjoying it.

Its funny that he mentions barbell curls, because that exercise in particular bothers me a bit. I've always though it had to do with the fact the my lungs weren't able to fully expand because of the additional pressure from arms on them (this is especially the case when doing preacher curls).

 

[Blood&Iron]

When that day occurs, I will probably want to quit using HIT, because it seems very unpleasant. Until then I'll continue with my semi-HITish style because it seems to be working for me, and I'm enjoying it.

If it works AND you enjoy it, that's the best of both worlds. While it was very unpleasant I kept at it for a couple of years, and might still be doing things that way if not for the trainer. I might well go back to it too. I just have to work up the nerve. Half the reason I don't want to go back to that way of doing things is that I REALLY enjoy my workouts now(Well, except for leg day.) so I'd be giving up something I enjoy AND doing something very painful. But if you're really dedicated to bodybuilding, you can endure almost anything. Pain is irrelevant.

 

[gymtime]

B&I - You have sold out to the dark side. Change your name to Water&TinFoil. Come back into the light before it's too late!!!

 

[Blood&Iron]

B&I - You have sold out to the dark side. Change your name to Water&TinFoil. Come back into the light before it's too late!!!

That's a bit harsh.
Anyways, I still train pretty intensely. During my last couple leg workouts I've felt pretty nauseous and light headed. Happy? Plus I had to listen to 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" while squatting today. I thought I'd puke before I even got the bar off the rack.

 

[DaCypher]

What exactly do you do to get your workouts that intense to make you want to throw up? I've always thought my workouts were pretty tough, I couldn't imagine making them any more intense, I wouldn't know how.