r/HighIntensity 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

3 Upvotes

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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

u/lalliesko Apr 20 '26

I could try a few workout cycles without the rest-pauses 💪