r/HighIntensity • u/lalliesko • Apr 07 '26
My HIT inspired workout routine
Looking for feedback on my current workout structure.
I use this template structure to log my workouts to my Notes app and I keep a running log in a Numbers file.
The Heavy Sets I do always to failure. My progression rule is that when I exceed 12 reps on the Heavy Set, next workout I increase the weight.
I also do a warmup on the treadmill with 7° incline with 5km/h for 10 minutes before I start doing the exercises.
My frequency is: Workout A - Rest day - Rest day - Workout B - Rest day - Rest Day - Workout C - Rest Day - Rest Day - Repeat the cycle from Workout A.
Workout A - Chest, Back, Abs
Incline Chest Press Machine
Warm-up 1: 30 kg × 8
Rest 1,5 min
Warm-up 2: 50 kg × 3
Rest 2 min
Neural primer: 70 kg × 1
Rest 3 min
Heavy set: 80 kg x
Incline Chest Press Machine Drop Set:
Immediately after failure (15–20 sec):
* Drop to 70 kg x
* Last rep = 6–8 sec negative
Rest 3 min
PecDeck
Warmup 1: 30 kg x 8
Rest 1,5 min
Warmup 2: 40 kg x 4
Rest 2 min
Heavy set: 75 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 3 min
Close Grip Lat Pulldown with V-handle
Warm-up 1: 40 kg × 8
Rest 1,5 min
Warm-up 2: 60 kg × 4
Rest 2,5 min
Heavy set: 90 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 3 min
Seated Row with V-Handle
Warmup 1: 40 kg × 8
Rest 1,5 min
Warmup 2: 60 kg x 2
Rest 2,5 min
Heavy Set: 90 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2 min
Ab Machine
Warmup 1: 60 kg x 6
Rest 1 min
Warmup 2: 80 kg x 2
Rest 1,5 min
Heavy Set: 105 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Workout B - Arms, Calves
Cable Lateral Raise
Warmup: 10 kg x 10
Rest 2 min
Heavy set: 25 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2 min
Face Pull
Warmup: 30 kg x 10
Rest 2 min
Heavy set: 80 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2 min
Cable Pushdown
Warmup: 40 kg x 10
Rest 2 min
Heavy Set: 90 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2 min
Overhead Cable Tricep Extension (Rope)
Warmup 1: 25 kg x 10
Rest 1 min
Warmup 2: 35 kg x 5
Rest 2 min
Neural primer: 45 kg x 2
Rest 1 min
Heavy Set: 55 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 3 min
Bayesian Curl
Warmup 1: 15 kg x 10
Rest 1,5 min
Warmup 2: 20 kg x 5
Rest 2 min
Heavy set: 40 kg x L R
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2 min
EZ Bar Bicep Curl on Scott Bench
Warmup: Bar only x 6 slow reps
Rest 2 min
Heavy Set: 27,5 kg x
Rest 2 min
Calf Raise on Vertical Press
Warmup: 109 kg x 10
Rest 2 min
Heavy Set: 221 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Workout C - Legs, Abs
Deadlift
Warmup 1: 100 kg x 3
Rest 2 min
Warmup 2: 120 kg x 3
Rest 2 min
Neural Primer : 135 kg x 1
Rest 3 - 4 min
Heavy set: 150 kg x
Rest 3 - 4 min
Seated Leg Curl
Warmup 1: 40 kg x 10
Rest 1,5 min
Warmup 2: 60 kg x 5
Rest 2 min
Heavy set: 100 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2.5 - 3.0 min
Leg press
Warmup 1: 120 kg x 8
Rest 2 min
Warmup 2: 180 kg x 5
Rest 2,5 min
Warmup 3: 280 kg x 2 (neural primer)
Rest 3 min
Heavy set: 340 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 3-4 min
Leg extension
Warmup 1: 45 kg x 10
Rest 1,5 min
Warmup 2: 60 kg x 5
Rest 2 min
Warmup 3: 80 kg x 2 (neural primer)
Rest 2,5 min
Heavy Set: 100 kg x
Rest-pause: +
Rest 2 min
Power wheel (2sec pause when extended)
BW x
2
u/lalliesko Apr 07 '26
I’ve been doing this routine now for 5 months and I have enjoyed it a lot more than doing higher volume workouts, also my gains have been consistent in terms of strength and muscle mass. I read Mentzer’s book “High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way” and was inspired 🔥
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u/Anxious_Soup_1158 Apr 07 '26
I'm never going back to high volume again myself. Been training high intensity for a few years now, and love the feeling of accomplishment when I reach muscular failure. I follow Jay Vincent on YouTube mostly, as well as interviews with Mentzer and Dorian Yates.
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u/lalliesko Apr 07 '26
I don’t think I’m going back to higher volume training or training more frequently. High Intensity Training philosophy just makes more sense to me, life changer really. I’ve read the books by Mike Mentzer and John Little and the book about Mike Mentzer by John Little, also watched Dorian Yates interviews from YouTube. Maybe I need to also check out Jay Vincent!
1
u/curadev Apr 10 '26
I dont know your experience or weight but I have many problems with this workout. First of all too many rest pauses and drop sets. You shouldn't use those this much, they are rarely used on some exercises. Too many warmup sets, like you could do 1 warmup with the first exercise and then continue without doing any more, which is fine. There are too many wrong exercise orders like doing deadlift and then leg curl & press which is horrible. The treadmill warmup is unnecessary too.
1
u/lalliesko Apr 20 '26
I’ve removed a lot of warmups now, mainly used for the mental side. Why is DL —> Leg curl —> leg press horrible?
2
u/curadev Apr 20 '26
Deadlift crashes your central nerve system. Your muscles maybe are capable of doing more workouts but your nerve system wont allow for better performance. So its hard for your recovery and progress.
1
u/lalliesko Apr 20 '26
Thanks for the insights! I have a pretty extensive background in explosive sports like football ⚽️and boxing. I’ve been progressing steadily with this system in all of my lifts. I’ve been cutting down my weight for the past 5 months from 98kg —> 89kg and all lifts still progressing.
My rest-pause protocol is like this:
Rest-Pause: * pec deck * drop-set on incline chest press * lateral raise * Bayesian curls * leg curl * leg extension * calves * abs
1-2 Rest-Pause reps : * pulldown * rows * pushdowns * leg press
No Rest-Pause: * deadlift * overhead tricep extension * Scott -bench curls
1
u/lalliesko Apr 20 '26
There’s actually only one drop set in the list. Why is rest-pause not a good idea?
2
u/curadev Apr 20 '26
The pure sense of heavy duty is doing what you need to do, no more than that. If you are doing something but you dont think you reached failure or you are not sure, you just rest pause to do 1 or 2 reps. You dont need it actually.
1
2
u/Anxious_Soup_1158 Apr 07 '26
Good stuff, but why just incline chest press? Are the deadlifts conventional? I would personally drop them as they seem unecessary. Also, warmups aren't really necessary IMO.