I've updated all of this material since I resumed my workout regimen in February of 2007. I'll leave this page here for archival purposes, but my new information is on my Wiki site at http://www.parkscomputing.com/cppwiki/index.php?title=High_intensity_training. A log of all of my workouts is also online at http://www.parkscomputing.com/cppwiki/index.php?title=HIT_training_journal.
Here's my current workout regimen. This is largely derived from the Heavy Duty [http://www.smartbodybuilding.net/training/references/hd_faq.htm] program popularized by Mike Mentzer [http://www.mikementzer.com]. After trying higher-volume programs, I've been amazed at the progress I've made with this approach. I've increased strength, gained muscle, and lowered my heart rate below 60 beats per minute, all with roughly two hours of exercise per month. I also went on a sensible diet (nothing fancy, just healthier food and smaller portions) and lost 20 lbs.
I keep a detailed record of my weights and reps in an Excel spreadsheet, and I plan to export that information to XML and use this page to display my progress and the changes I've made to my workout routine over time.
Each exercise in the program is performed for one set to failure. That means I use a weight that is heavy enough that I can only do the prescribed number of repetitions. When I can't move the weight anymore in strict form no matter how hard I try, I end the set and move immediately to the next exercise. If I am able to perform more repetitions than the prescribed range, I continue to failure and increase the weight on the next workout cycle.
When I started the routine I was working out twice a week, on Monday nights and Friday mornings. I've since gone to four, and now five days between workouts. That gives my muscles ample time to recover and grow.
Yes, I said every five days. For example, if I start the cycle with chest and back on Monday night, then my next workout will be legs and abs on Saturday night. I'll work my arms and shoulders the following Thursday night, and finish the cycle with legs and abs again on Tuesday night.
Most of you are probably thinking that there's no way such a brief workout could be of any benefit. Well, I've tried a much higher volume before, and I never saw results like I'm seeing now. In the nine months I've been on this program, I've increased strength and muscle mass beyond anything I've ever experienced before. I was a really skinny kid, so this sort of progress is a dream come true. As a busy software developer and family guy, devoting barely two hours a month to exercise and still seeing benefits is downright amazing.
Don't run to the gym and start this workout just because you read it here. If you have any doubts at all about your health and capacity for hard work (because this is very demanding program), see your doctor first. Also, if you're not familiar with the exercises listed you'll want to have a trainer show you proper form. If you try exercises like deadlifts or squats without knowing what you're doing, you can hurt yourself.
I encourage you to research various programs before you dive into a workout routine. I did a lot of reading and comparing before I settled on this approach, and I'm still experimenting. I am convinced that this is the best workout I could be doing right now, but I don't want you to take my word for it.
For more information about strength training and general fitness, I recommend ExRx.net [http://www.exrx.net/].
Every few cycles I'll modify these workouts slightly, depending on where I'm lagging. What remains the same is the overall number of sets per workout. Each exercise is performed for one set to muscular failure.
I fiddled with this workout a little a few months ago, but now I'm back to the basic order I started the program with. The only change is that I start with deadlifts now, then jump immediately to the next two back exercises. Since deadlifts are so taxing they serve as a pre-pre-exhaust set, so I'm using a tad less weight on the pulldowns than I would otherwise.
I did have leg curls in this workout, but the deadlifts proved to be enough of a workout for the hamstrings. This workout is now ridiculously short, but I feel the effects for days afterward.
I recently replaced one-legged toe presses on the leg press machine with one-legged calf raises while holding an 80-lb. dumbbell.
I think I'm just now beginning to really turn the corner on my arm and shoulder development. Whether it's improvement in my form, better overall results from changes in my leg workout, or just plain working harder, I'm happy with what I'm seeing.
The triceps sequence involves doing extensions to failure, then immediately doing dumbbell bench presses with the same weights to call my fresh pectorals and deltoids into play. This allows me to work my triceps even harder.
This is the same as workout two.
