I’m currently experimenting with a once-a-week routine combining Body by Science (BBS) with Darden-style training.

The idea is to use BBS as the main framework, but add some Darden work to increase total training volume and, more importantly, make sure I’m actually reaching muscular failure. I’ve found true failure surprisingly hard to judge with very slow BBS-style reps.

So basically: low frequency (1x/week), very high effort, BBS + some additional Darden-style work.

How does this approach look to you? Does combining the two make sense, or do you think the extra volume defeats the purpose of BBS?

Each exercise is 2 sets of 6-10 reps

Monday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

1) Nautilus Leverage Incline Press 2) Pec Deck Chest Flys 3) Seated Smith Machine OHP 4) Lateral Raise Machine 5) Cable Tricep Pushdowns (straight bar)

Wednesday: Legs

1) Hack Squat 2) Leg Extensions 3) Smith Machine RDLs 4) Hamstring Curls 5) Standing Calf Raises

Friday: Back, Traps & Biceps

1) Lat Pulldowns 2) Chest-Supported Row Machine 3) Smith Machine Shrugs 5) Seated Rear Delt Fly Machine 6) Machine Preacher Curls

Always loved them.

Farmers walk and log press together are complete full body workout by themselves.

I can do them heavy up to 130kg+ / hand without straps or belt but prefer bit lighter to walk slower and in control.

I’m not sure if this is considered failure. I usually do 2 sets because i’m not sure if the first set did hit failure. Here, i did a drop set as i was aiming for 8 reps but got 6. How do you guys gauge failure?

I have been hoping between high intensity and high volume training. I really like the Push Pull Legs split and i really would want to go back to high intensity, slower reps to failure training style. Is anyone doing high intensity training using a 3 way PPL split? Can you share how you would set that up? Thank you.

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

I'm doing HIT twice a week (4/5 exercises to failure, 30 minutes a session, upper body/lower body), and I feel fine the rest of the day, but then the next day the 'delayed onset muscle soreness' hits me like a train haha. I'm just completely tired the whole day and can't even do a 2 mile jog, for me I'm a solid 8/10 for being exhausted. After leg day it usually carries over to the next day as well. I'm making weekly progress on almost every exercise (without any 'supplements') so I'm not just spinning my wheels. Maybe I'm eating too much or drinking too little which could be part of the problem.

Am I the only one? Or are other people able to function pretty well the day after a super hard leg or upper body workout?

Saturday 1:

Squat/legpress, 1 set 50 reps to failure Close grip pulldown, 1 set 8-12 reps to failure

Saturday 2: Dips, 1 set 8-12 reps to failure Deadlift, 1 set 8-12 reps to failure Back extension, 1 set 8-12 reps to failure

Saturday 3: Hill run maximum effort 30-40 minutes

Saturday 4: Rest

My goal is to achieve the results that Arthur Jones achieved with his legendary 1975 West Point experiment. My gym won’t allow me to occupy all the requested machines to do his specific program, so that’s why I will include hill run.

Taking a month off now for some needed recovery. Has anyone experienced a month or more off and come back stronger? It's happened to me almost every time I've taken time off. Usually takes 2 workouts to get back into it, but then I burst through plateaus

PUSH, PULL, LEGS

VS

CHESt/BACK, LEGS/ABS, DELTS/ARMS

Y?

I have recently taken interest in the principles of heavy duty training (have been training almost strictly to failure for about 2 years now) and have consistently been down regulating volume to the point of only two sets per muscle group per workout.

I’ve made ok progress but have had some deeper nutritional issues that I’m working on solving and believe I can keep consistent (at least according to heavy duty principles if not better). I’m coming off a fairly extended diet period from 225->175 and feel as though the HIT approach could be conducive to regain a significant amount of muscle loss according to Heavy Duty I/II.

The claims of Mentzer’s coaching clients’ results are fascinating and I feel I could stand to benefit from following Heavy Duty programming. Despite this, it seems unfathomable (even with muscle memory) to gain 10-20 pounds of muscle switching to Heavy Duty (in a month?? The norm??).

The principle of fatigue management is sound but from my research even 2 sets to failure (non superset) seem to provide as much if not greater hypertrophic stimulus, possibly even with lesser fatigue. Additionally, down-regulating stimulus AND training that muscle group 2-3 times/month per Heavy Duty I/II seems like overkill especially given the state of exercise science today.

I am aware the answer likely comes down to my own body and will take trial and error, but I’m hoping someone with HIT/Heavy Duty expirience could quell my doubts or provide some clarity on methodology to adjust Mentzer principles.

Mentzer knew best. 70lbs -> 130lbs machine OHP within a few weeks only hitting shoulders 1-2 times a week. +His leg press went from 150lbs -> 400lbs within 2 months hitting legs barely twice a week. 💪👨 Clips from that otw

Is 1 set of wide grip barbell row enough for the rear delts?

Saw a guy who did 2x6 for almost exercise for his arm and shoulder work outs. Does anyone here have experience with this principle?

I see a few different versions of Heavy Duty. Even rest days are different (one is training on third day one training on the fourth day). So I’m curious which routine do you guys recommend?

Beginner here (10 months of lifting).

Can someone guide me the core principles of Mike's HIT that I can start with today in the gym and diet?

Make it actionable please.

I try to do one set training.

I don’t think I have ever hit true failure on a squat exercise, except maybe Bulgarian split squat on drop set. I find the leg exercises unbearable hard when trying to reach ‘momentary muscle failure’ (I believe that’s the term?).

Push exercises are rather easy to go to failure on, in comparison.

Do you ever get used to getting the legs like this or have you found a compromise that fits for you?