Mike Mentzer
High Intensity Strength Training: More Aerobic Than “Aerobics”
The following article is published here with the permission of the author, Greg Anderson, owner of Seattle’s home for high intensity training, Ideal Exercise.
The most common question asked by our new personal training clients at Ideal Exercise is: “Where are the treadmills and stationary bicycles?”. Most have never heard that great benefits to the cardiovascular system, commonly referred to as “aerobic fitness”, can be had through a program of high intensity strength training with no additional steady-state activity. And while I do certainly spend a great deal of my time explaining why such benefits are certainly possible (and more desirable as it is much more efficient to achieve muscular and cardiovascular benefits in a single program) it usually takes a few workouts before the client understands the depth and magnitude of cardiovascular involvement possible from strength training. As one of my trainees remarked recently (after a set of squats to complete failure followed by 20 seconds of effort against the bar in the bottom position): “My God! (gasp, gasp…) this is more aerobic than aerobics…”
Although (as I shall explain) the statement that high intensity strength training is “more aerobic than aerobics” is not entirely correct, such an observation on the trainee’s part does underscore the profound effect of intense muscular contractions on the cardiovascular system. The current mania for “aerobics” in the fitness industry stems from a misunderstanding of two factors: The function of the cardiovascular system, and the identification of skeletal muscle as the window through which optimum loading of the entire metabolic system(s) - including the cardiovascular system - takes place. › Continue reading
Interview with Josh Trentine, NGA and IDFA Natural Pro Bodybuilder
The following interview was originally posted on baye.com in late 2006.
Josh Trentine is the CEO of Overload Personal Training and a natural bodybuilding competitor. He has been competing successfully for years using high intensity training, and turned pro this year in both the NGA and IDFA after taking 1st places in both the 2006 Natural USA and 2006 Canadian Classic.
Drew Baye: How did you get involved in bodybuilding?
Josh Trentine: I watched my first contest, when I was 20 years old. The next year, I found out there would be a natural Mr. Ohio, and I entered (21 years old). At the time, I was using the typical high volume approach that the muscle mags promote. I was training at least 2 hours a day six to seven days per week, many times two sessions per day, not including a bunch of cardio. I hit the stage that year at a whopping 159 lbs.
Drew Baye: So when did you make the switch to H.I.T. training and what prompted you to do so?
Josh Trentine: I continued to compete for the next 2 years, until I was 23. During this time, through the process of trial and error, I gradually reduced my volume, and got better, and better results. › Continue reading
Isometrics: Static Holds and Static Contraction Training
The term isometrics refers to exercise protocols primarily involving isometric muscular contraction, during which no shortening or lengthening of the muscle occurs. Traditional isometric protocols typically involved the sudden application of a maximal contraction lasting 10 to 15 seconds. Current popular isometric protocols vary considerably in duration, from less than 6 seconds in John Little’s Max Contraction training, to over two minutes in Ken Hutchins version of Timed Static Contraction. Some popular high intensity training methods, such as the late Mike Mentzer’s Static Holds and John Little’s Omega Sets, incorporate both an isometric and dynamic component, usually involving an isometric contraction followed by a partial or full range negative. › Continue reading
Experiments With Rest-Pause Training
Background
For those unfamiliar with the term, rest-pause is a method of resistance training where a brief pause is taken between repetitions. Some variations involve a pause between every repetition of a set, some involve pausing between reps or groups of reps to enable the performance of additional repetitions after muscular failure has been reached. The rest-pause between reps is typically between 5 and 15 seconds, and some variations start lower and increase as the set becomes progressively harder.
Rest pause is not a new method of training, or even a relatively recent development. Peary Rader wrote about rest pause training in 1946 in one of his Iron Man training courses, The Rader Master Bodybuilding and Weight Gaining System, and Bob Hoffman wrote about a method of rest pause he called Muscle Contraction with Measured Movement in 1962 in his Functional Isometric Contraction - Advanced Course. There have been numerous variations since then, some of the most popular being the 20 rep breathing squats popularized by Randall Strossen in his book Super Squats, Mike Mentzer’s version from High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way, and Dante Trudell’s “Dogg Crapp” training method. › Continue reading
Interview With Ellington Darden, PhD.
In this interview the author of the best-selling Nautilus book series retraces his early training days with Arthur Jones and Casey Viator and talks about some of the golden-age bodybuilders who inspired him. Then, he discusses how he merged his experiences into his latest publication, The New High Intensity Training