As a 46-year-old who likes to train but is beginning to experience more aches and pains than muscle growth, I'll be very interested to read the alternatives Fred has been using to continue his training. I'm experiencing almost exactly what Fred is except with my shoulders. My weighted dips progress nicely until my shoulders become so sore I have to drop weight and/or the excercise. I'm doing the things I should be--good form, L-flyes, proper rest--but my now older body seems to have some very definite limits. I'm wondering if high reps is the way to go and if that's what Fred has discovered.
Thanks always for a fantastic site: it's up-to-date, well executed, and full of interesting, insightful, inspirational, and informative features (sorry for the alliteration).
Brian Stokes
On Strong Women...
I just wanted to thank you for this section of the site. I was talking to a few women in my computer science class today. They started talking about weight training... Rather than spend hours explaining, I was just able to send them to Strong Women. What a time saver :)
Thank you, for real-world, down-to-earth training info. I begin traing HIT style nov. 1 and have been very pleased with the results.
I enjoy some running and strenuous hiking here in phoenix plus lifting. Well I was without a doubt overtraining. Since reducing my sets by 2/3 (number of exercises was always just one or two) and training to failure on each set I actually look foreward to each session. I'm only lifting twice a week bu it's plenty. Even my wife and two other friends have switched from 3-5 days and high volume to HIT style.
The toughest thing for us was the mind; telling yourself that "sure the muscle burns" but I know it's possible to do 4 more reps. This took about two weeks for me (4 whole body lifting sessions total). I had begun doing two sets of each exercise however, after the second week I was able to make the first set so tough that I did not need nor want do do a second set.
Anyway, i'm rambling on. But just wanted to say thank you for a most worhwhile web site.
respectfully,
Glenn
Just some words of appreciation for the benefits I receive from your site and thanks to the contributors.
I guess I am truly a hard gainer. I am 61 and have kept in good shape most of my life. My weight lifting has kept me toned and given me a better body but not the gains I would really like. Used to do the typical for a man that learned the routine many years ago, ie: every other day, 10 reps etc. Lots of cardio. Never found anything that addressed us skinny lanky guys, the ectomorphs. Not until I ran across some stuff by Swarzenneger who said ectos benefit more by intense and less frequent workouts. Then I found your site. I enjoy my workouts now and feel I have a sound understanding of how to workout for my body.
Thanks to all of you. You are truly giving of yourselves and remind me of some of the goodness in life. I wish I could give back. (My background is psychology/clinical hypnosis)
Thanks
Lee Fouts
hello i am from argentina(please forgive my grammar errors) and i think this is a very good page. I live in corrientes wich is in the north of argentina. Actually i am the only guy there who does hit, so i am the firstone who could open his mind and stop doing the weider routines. I have recently started the hit but the progress as regards strenght and size are incredible and i also feel better because i am not overtrained. I am sure that in a few months there will be more people doing hit routines so continue with this page i am sure that you will beat weider in a short time
Congratulations! The new features are great. As a Garage Gym member,I especially appreciate the addition of the Garage Gym forums. I am really impressed with the attention to detail in connection with the new changes. Thank you so much.
Tom DiMaggio
I can't believe someone could lift so much weight at such a light bodyweight! That is AMAZING!!!!! This has to be some kind of world record or something. Just a couple days ago, I did 20 reps w/185# and felt like I got hit by a Mac truck. Looking at that I realize just how far away I am to being truly strong. That's only about 5 to 10# over my bodyweight for 20, 407 is over 3 times Dr.Ken's bodyweight. He looked like he was struggling w/the first one, but somehow he managed to get 23. I am thoroughly impressed!
Editor(s),
First of all, I would like to say Thank You Very Much for maintaining, and constantly updating, what I consider to be one of the very best strength- training sites on the 'Net. I have been an avid reader for many years, even going back to when Cyberpump was hosted by Geocities. Cyberpump was the home page on my browser for several years. I still visit to read all the new stuff at least 5 times a week. I really appreciate what you are doing, and wish everyone associated with the site only the best, always.
Best Wishes to the Cyberpump Staff.
Respectfully,
Todd Clevinger
Here I am, sitting at my computer, eyes buggin' out like over-inflated Swedish balls, head literally buzzing like a hive of bees on steroids, having read article after article by Cyberpump's articulate and impassioned writers. My mind is officially blown.
I don't have much to say that hasn't been said before, but indulge me: after years of overtraining, quitting from frustration and fatique, and like a dog to his vomit, going at it again, I have made absolutely NO appreciable gains in either size or strength in over 12 years! Add to that a spinal injury 10 years ago, and you've got one hopeless guy.
But recently I turned 30, and with 15 lbs of "married fat" gained over the last 5 years, I was feeling out of shape and too old for my age. I had to try one last time to get in shape - for my own self respect! (Having just read a bunch of those Pump cartoons and seeing myself in the character of Fadeous, I'm emarrassed to admit the following). I immediately ordered several hundred dollars' worth of "supplements" and started a ridiculous aerobics routine as well as a 5 day a week weight training regimen (I'm not totally stupid though, as I split the routine to one body part per day, so I actually only trained each muscle group once per week. I had to do it that way so I could stick with the program - knowing I had to go every day helped keep me going.) Despite the foolishness of it all, I made surprisingly quick progress, losing all 15 lbs of excess bodyfat and gaining some visible muscle mass in about 2 months. Everybody noticed. Hooray!
But gains soon stalled to almost nothing and I began searching the web for ideas on breaking through my plateau. That's when I found Hardgainer online, Cyberpump, and Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty sites. Holy Amino's! I immediately ordered Beyond Brawn and Mike Mentzer's Muscles in Minutes. (And to learn of Mike and Ray Mentzer's untimely deaths - what a terrible disappointment! How I would have loved to talk to that man!)
Now I'm determined to give HIT a serious try, and I'm expecting some exciting gains. I'd always considered myself a "hardgainer," with below average genetics, but maybe with the RIGHT training, I'll find I'm not as bad off as I thought! I'll keep you posted as the weeks progress.
Right now I'm still recovering from the buzz-inducing shock of the seemingly radical ideas in HIT and SuperSlow exercise philosophies. I feel like my whole understanding of weight training was backwards, upside down, and inside out, and my mind is reeling from the insights and *surprise* COMMON SENSE of your words. I think I need a nap and a protein shake to recover!
I'm hoping to get a trainer at first, to help me with squats since I'm a bit nervous about starting blind with my back injury. (Any advice on squats for people with back problems is VERY WELCOME!) But other than that the HIT system is logical and easy to follow. I'm really looking forward to getting those books so I can put together a serious long-term plan for strength and mass gains. This is Day One of my new life as a HITter. And it's all UP HILL from here!
Thank you so much for the AWESOME RESOURCE that is Cyberpump!
Ben Catania
Richmond, VA
Diary of a Steel Wanna-be Rocks!
I take a look each week, just to see how she's doing with the weight assisted chins. Pretty soon she'll be able to do a pull-up without any assistance (might be able to do one right now!)
I think that is phenomenal! My 23 y/r wife can't match this little lady in strength or perseverance, at 20+ years her junior! Way to go Cindy! She motivates me more than Hurk ever could, God Bless Him - he's a man or rare stature, courage, and determination, but this little lady has faith, desire and drive based on not but pure heart!
Let her know that her efforts inspire younger, stronger, male lifters too, not just little ladies.
Kelley R. Harvey
Your site really kicks ass!!!! Great job!!!!! I have been bodybuilding for about 2.5 years now and I love it...your site gave me a lot of great info...I can't wait to use these tips in the gym!!!
-Charity--> (PowerQueen)
Hello!,
I am a skeptic. When it comes to working out everyone theories and methods that might work! At 43 my routines had become dull,tiring and a bore. I have never believed in FULL BODY routines. When I found Cyberpump I decided to read up on your training style. After 10 years of the split rout,I decided to try HIT, I am using the outlined routine I must say I feel good! Right now I am hitting it 3 times every 10 days.I was afraid of losing size and the ever evasive "Pump".I feel better than ever. I was obviously way overtrained.
Thanks for putting it straight!
Billy
Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know what a great job you are doing here at Cyberpump. Love the Q/A and also the fantastic job you do in pushing the HIT training approach. Having been in the Iron Game for 11 years and training HIT for the last 8 I can attest to its effectiveness. As a trainer I am always looking for a quality place to send my clients for info. I'll definitely be sending them your way.
Best Regards
Shane Provstgaard
Herk's column is great. He has great stories and great lifts. Very inspirational. He gets me fired up to hit the iron. Thx for including him in your great bunch of writers.
Scott
Very Nice site! I have been looking for info on HIT and started doing a little searching and found your site. The HIT FAQ was exactly what I have been looking for. Thank you.
Gary Hamilton
I've found Cindy's logs really interesting so far & hope she sticks with it, which I think she will. Regarding her concern with side bends & waist thickness, if she takes measurements on a regular basis she can determine for herself just what the effect is. I suspect that the increase due to extra muscle will be not worth worying about & probably compensated for by a reduction in bodyfat. Good luck Cindy.
Dave.
Sirs,
Do thank you and all the people in your organization for
producing this web site.
Thank You,
Roy Sexton