HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

I don′t know why I feel like I′m going to get slammed for asking this, but I need to hear some sound reasoning on this, so here goes:

I am currently using the Ideal routine as set out in HIT the MM way. In that, there are no squats or flat bench presses. I would like to increase my lifts in all of the basic powerlifting lifts (deadlift, squat, bpress). It is my understanding that in training for powerlifting, you are strengthening your neurological connections more than you are really trying to build muscle, although muscle mass will follow. Since the Ideal routine doesn′t contain 2 of these lifts, would it really hurt to do a powerlifting routine every other workout? Only those three lifts, 2 sets each, 1 max rep each each set. My reasoning is that even though that would make my rest time double between my HIT workouts, the pwrlifting workout would at least help me maintain muscle while increasing poundages.

Alright, go ahead everyone, I′m bracing myself

aarnoe,

I don′t think you should be slammed at all for your thoughts. Everyone has different goals, and not everyone is purely concerned with muscle mass gain. If you are interested in gaining muscle mass AND increasing in basic lifts in that manner, by all means do so. You of course know you won′t get the fastest increases in muscle mass or 1 rep poundage increases when splitting up this way, but you should get very good results overall.

I don′t see anything wrong with that, because it sounds like you have two goals. Just be aware it will take longer to reach both of those goals when splitting your focus.

Also, make sure you allow enough rest time inbetween workouts to prevent overtraining in either area. If you increase in strength in both areas consistantly, then it is working for you. If either areas don′t increase in strength consistently, something is NOT working, and you will have to figure out if it is overtraining, atrophy, etc.

Good-luck!

Darrell

Aarnoe, Why not drop the ideal routine, just for now, and concentrate on those three lift. If you feel strongly about gaining strength in those lifts, then it would make sense just to concentrate on getting stronger in them. Of course, I wouldn′t recommend doing single reps either. I always believed that most powerlifters hardly ever, or almost never did single reps. Those three exercises would cover the whole body anyways. I believe Hd/Hit is the best way to train for strength anyways. Best of luck in your decision.
jim

I really don´t understand what you are saying here! Have read the book carefully? Because Mike do mention thoose exercies, some of them as alternative exercies.

If you want to do squats, then do them instead of the leg presses. The same goes for the bench presses, do that instead of incline presses or maybe dips. The deadlifts are always in the routine, sometimes exchanged by shrugs and leg curles.

If you only want to concentrate on thoose 3 exercises, do the Consolidation Routine. But I think it´s a misstake to do that routine if you haven´t advanced from the Ideal Routine, but that´s your decision!

If your sport is POWERLIFTING I don′t think the IDEAL routine or the CONSOLIDATED routine would be best for you . In powerlifting your main concern is lift the most weights in the Bench Press , Deadlift and Squats . I suggest you concentrate on those 3 while still applying the basic HIT principles such as Overload Breifly , infrequently and training with 1 set to failure after warm ups . The main difference I think is in the performance of your rep forget about the 4/2/4 cadence and just use a faster speed tempo (1/2) and also train with lower reps (4-6 or lower) . Max out once in a while to guage your 1 REP max . Remember your goal is powerlifting gains and not bodybuilding so OPTIMUM STRENGTH (Force Production ) is your goal rather than OPTIMUM MUSCLE STIMULATION . In any case rest and recovery is still crucial for overcompentation (adaptation) .

My sample HIT Powerlifting Program :

Routine 1:

Squats
Bench Presses

Rest 6 days

Routine 2:

Deadlifts
Weighted Sit-ups

Train HARD.
PEACE.