HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

I′ve been on HIT for almost 2 months now, but been reading about the principles for several months previous. The gym owner of the gym that I go to is a bodybuilder and is actively competing (natural for life). We′ve discussed HIT before and he acknowledges that it has merit (he is a volume trainer). Since I started on HIT, he keeps on commenting on how much better I look, bodyfat and muscle mass wise. He wanted to know more of the principles and so we got into a good deep discussion on HIT.
One big stumbling block for me is the "growth switch" that we flip when exerting max effort. In HIT the MM way, Mike likens recovery/growth ability to filling a hole in the beach that we dig when lifting. The less time you spend in the gym, the more recovery ability can be used to grow muscle because only a small hole was made.
That idea tells me that 100% of your recovery ability will be used once the growth switch is flipped. IS THIS REALLY THE CASE?
When I used to volume train, I believed that muscle growth was equally proportionate to the amount of fibers you damaged while training; hence long, arduous workouts. I believe that he, my friend, believes the same.
How can I convince a bodybuilder, who looks great as is, that his way is not the proper way, when that was the way he got to where he is?
I think that if this growth switch/recovery resovior question was clarified, it would help me reason.
This is a confusing topic, I hope everyone can follow my thought process (I barely can).

OVERCOMPENTATION is an ADAPTATION process of the body to compensate due to exposure to a potentially damaging stress . It′s a SURVIVAL mechanism of the the body to COPE with an ever increasing stress to the body . 100 % recovery crucial for this process . Remember their are 3 stages first you stress the body (muscles and CNS) next your recover from the stress and the last is OVERCOMPENSATION (growth adaptation) . If you don′t provide the body with sufficient rest period you could short circuit the whole process and you′ll get a less than optimum growth or worst no progress at all . Also I don′t beleive that the amount of muscle damage is an indication of optimum stimulation/growth . In fact it is not a very desirable condition because it can actually stall the growth process especially if you don′t take sufficient rest in between workouts . With this kind of damage you′ll need to rest a very long time before your body could recover . I beleive the body respond best to optimum stress (threat of damage to the systm ) rather than to actual damage . Although you do acquire some damage in your muscles during training it just a side effect of HIT and not the actual goal in training . PEACE .

You are a prime example of what I was trying to convey about how best to deal with people when it comes to HD/HIT training. He see′s your progress, and is showing interest in it. That′s great. I would point him to a number of areas. I just did this for my brother. I first pointed out this site, highintensity.com, and then gave this link:
http://www.geocities.com/ggrom/hd2.html
I think that when it comes down to explaining why you should only do one set, that the light switch is a good example. You only do one set for the same reason that you only turn the light switch on once, in that they both turn on only with one turn, the light comes on with one flip and the growth stimulator turns on with one set.
As far as recovery ability, everyone can use the simple analogy that if you are not either getting more reps/or adding weight, (getting stronger) then you may not be applying the three principles properly.
I understand how you want to be able to express the beliefs, so I hope this helps.
jim

THanks guys,
So more than likely, my friend is just on the very high end of the spectrum when it comes to recovery ability, especially since he has never used drugs. One thing that he did mention that I thought was pretty funny was that he didn′t think that he could ever do HIT. His reason was that he has been doing his thing for so long that he would feel that he was missing something or not doing enough because of the added rest days. He also stated that it has to do alot w/ mental toughness to stay out of the gym.
I′ll check out that link Jim, thanks.

Aarnoe, your statement about your friend′s apprehension toward′s the lesser volume is something that we,( I don′t believe ), touch on enough. As Mike said, on page 100 of Heavy Duty 2, " If you are addicted to exercise, then exercise your free will, exercise your power of choice, exercise your knowledge, exercise restraint, but don′t exercise your muscles for at least two weeks". LoL.
Mike said this to a client, meaning that since they are in an overtrained state, that the two to three weeks off is necessary in order for the recovery ability to catch up. Again, as Mike stated, it is just our "fear" that we wouldn′t be doing enough. I still have that unfounded "fear", to be honest, even though I know there is absolutely no justification. I gave the example one time, that I too have seen strength and size gains from taking a layoff. Mike said that to clients, and all responded with,"You know, it′s funny you said that because I noticed it too". Just about everyone would agree with that statement. Personnally, these are the best gains I have ever had, and I was training at least 3-5 days a week. It was or still is hard for some of us to get that mindset out, that we don′t need to do more than is necessary to accomplish our goals. Every single time, that I came back to the gym from a layoff, I would be stronger and bigger, but the gains would eventually slow down. Thats when I would make the wrong move and train more, more sets, more times in the gym, more advanced techniques, then the inevitable would happen. I would become severely overtrained. I would shrink and get weaker with each time that I worked out. So what did I do at that point, switch exercises. Thinking that those exercises were slowing down my progress. If I only knew. I wouldn′t have wasted all those years.
jim