A big advantage of high-intensity training is that it lasts for a short time. You can finish it in about 35-45 minutes and during that period the body will not start to secrete cortisol and put you in a state of catabolism. You can more easily recover from a short training and be ready for the upcoming training.
Another advantage is that high-intensity training stimulates the deep, white muscle fibers that hypertrophy the fastest, thus ensuring muscle growth.
The third advantage is that you can easily integrate the shorter training into your lifestyle and not skip training. Continuity of training is necessary for progress in strength and muscle growth.
The techniques used in high-intensity training are:
In the training schedule shown in the table below, you exercise for two days and rest for one. You do three training sessions divided into A, B, and C.
Series are made semi-pyramid. You go from 12 repetitions to 6 adding a gradual increase in the working weight.
I definitely do not advise only two series, one for warming up, and the other immediately working with maximum weight. For people who do 6 repetitions with 200 kg, this would mean that they warm up with 100 kg, and immediately do the next series with 200 kg. That kind of jump is too risky and would lead to injury.
I will explain the application of the high-intensity technique in the example of the rowing exercise on the lower wheel.
Do the first set of 12 repetitions with 30 kg, the second series of 10 repetitions with 40 kg, and the third of 8 repetitions with 50 kg. The fourth, last set, you do with 50 kg for 6 repetitions. For the seventh and eighth repetitions, use the technique of forced repetitions so that your training partner helps with two repetitions. For the ninth and tenth repetitions, use the descending series technique by reducing the weight from 50 to 40 kg and do two more repetitions with the reduced weight.
I recommend this type of training to people with more than a year and a half experience in exercising.
For six to eight weeks, follow the training schedule shown in the tables:
Day | Training |
Monday | A – chest, shoulders, triceps |
Tuesday | B – back, biceps, abdominals |
Wednesday | Rest |
Thursday | C – legs, hamstrings, calves |
Friday | Rest |
Saturday | A – chest, shoulders, triceps |
Sunday | B – back, biceps, abdominals |
Monday | Rest |
Tuesday | C – legs, hamstrings, calves |
Muscle group | Exercises | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest |
Chest | Vertical bench press | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Incline bench | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Decline bench with dumbbells | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Shoulders | Front press | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Side lateral raise | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Bend over lateral raises | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Triceps | Skull crushers | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Cable v bar push down | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Dips for triceps | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Muscle group | Exercises | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest |
Back | Seated cable row | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Front lat pull down | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Close grip front lat pull down | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Biceps | Barbell curl | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Scott curl on the machine | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Standing biceps curl on cable machine | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Abdominals | Crunches | 3 | max | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Leg raises on a pull up bar | 3 | max | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Rotation crunches | 3 | max | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Muscle group | Exercises | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest |
Legs | Leg press | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Leg extension | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Hak squat | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Hamstrings | Lying leg curl | 4 | 12,10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
Calves | Seated calf raise | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |
| Standing calf raises | 3 | 10,8,6 | 2-0-2 | 60 |