How Many Reps And Sets To Build Muscle? High Intensity Training For Natural Athletes
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
- In this video I go over my Naturally Intense High Intensity Training, namely how many reps for muscle growth as well as how many sets to build muscle naturally. A system of high intensity training whereby I train just three times a week with workouts lasting no more than 10-20 minutes. An ultra-low volume approach, but one that I have used exclusively over the past thirty plus years and it's helped me do everything from being able to successfully compete at a very high level in natural bodybuilding to having a successful career as a personal trainer. It's not only how I train, it's also how I train my clients, and I have had the joy of seeing it help hundreds of men and women over the past three decades build muscle, lose fat and make their fitness goals a reality.
In the video I breakdown precisely how many sets per workout is optimal and go into detail about how many reps for muscle growth and the degree of intensity and mindset that's required to make it work. Low volume training significantly reduces likelihood of overuse injuries and I hope you can benefit from my system focused on getting better results in less time. Excelsior!!!
Chapters:
00:00: Intro
02:31: Benefits of High Intensity Training & Low Volume
03:31: How Many Sets And How Many Reps for Legs
04:42: Why Doing More Sets Doesn't Mean More Results
05:34: How Many Reps For Muscle Growth
08:02: The Importance of Intensity For Muscle Growth
09:21: How Many Sets & Exercises For Back And Shoulders
12:19: How Many Sets & Exercises For Chest, Arms and Abdominals
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This reminds me of a program I used about 6 years ago to get over a plateau: Day 1: chest- 2 pressing movements and 1 fly; Delts- one lateral raise and 1 press; Triceps- 1 Dip, 1 Isolation. Day 2: Back- 1 pullup/pulldown, 2 rowing movements; Biceps- 2 isolation movements. Day 3: Quads- 1 squat/leg press and 1 isolation; Hams- 1 leg curl; Calves- 1 movement. 2 sets to failure on each of each exercises. Each day repeated every 5-6 days. Made great progress....don't know why I stopped that split. Might go back to that or try your split next time! Thank you for your great content!
Thanks indeed for tuning in and the rule is to never stop a routine if you are still making gains with it. Go for it and I am sure you will be pleased with the results!!!
This is gold. Im 30 and been doing pretty much all types of training splits. What i have not done is lower volume, but I have always trained very hard. Im pretty jacked and ripped but been stuck at the same size and strength for years. Very little gains. Time to try this protocol and see if lower volume will do the trick. This really sparked some new motivation for me! Thanks a lot! You have a new sub💪🏻
Thanks for watching and do let me know how it goes!!!
Its been almost 3 months and i can see gains! My girlfriend been commenting on my gains aswel and my friends have been asking me how i got bigger so fast. Thank you Kevin!
Hi Kevin, I’m 63 this year and have been training with weights since the late 70’s. I never do more than 3 sets per exercise and only 2 exercises for a small bodypart and 3 for a larger bodypart. Each day I train only 1 bodypart (ie. Chest, Traps, Lower Back, Deltoids, Biceps, Triceps, Upper Back, Quads, Calves). This system allows me ample recovery time as I’m only training each bodypart once every 9 days. At my age my priority is recovery after taking each muscle group to momentary muscular failure. My workouts are typically 30-45 minutes, I hit the muscle hard and then I’m out of there. I don’t think the younger lads at the gym understand this and continue with their 2-3 hour workouts and wonder why they’re not growing. Thanks for the information on your channel, God bless you 🙏🏻
First off thank you so much for taking the time to look at my work and for the kind words! Yes indeed, true intensity and the idea of recovery isn't popular these days and a lot of people would have so much more in the way of success if they just did less and trained harder. Keep on fighting the good fight and all the best from over here in New York!!!
What was your routine at your peak? Similar to a bro split, or more of what you outlined above?
I'm 59, I do a PPL split followed by a day off , I do 2 exercises per body part with 2-3 sets to failure, with good nutrition and rest, ive made significant strength gains and am happy with my muscle growth 💪, wish I knew or paid more attention in my early years
Thanks for watching and it's never too late to keep making gains!!! Keep it going and thanks again!!!
I have been training naturally for 30 years. I change my training maybe every four months, usually movements and it works quite well but i will try your recommended style soon. Thank you for your great channel.
Thanks so much for tuning in and do let me know how it goes!!!
Kevin even now I am following your principle of workout and I am very happy with the results.
Thank you Kevin!!! I was waiting for this video.
It takes a while to put them together but I have been working on this one for a while now. Thanks as always for the support and I really hope it's helpful!!!
My favorite intensity technique is the isometric hold to go to failure. The pump is almost incredible! Thanks for your expert recommendation on this technique!
And thank you so much for watching!!!
Kevin, THANK YOU very the valuable content and thorough description of tips and nuances. However, I had a very hard time following on my phone or on my computer due to the sound effects that are usually way jarring and louder than the spoken part. Your valuable content is much appreciated and doesn't need the effects which could intimidate listeners with sensitive ears. Keep up the good content coming though. Peace!
I am doing HIT “Heavy Duty” by the great Mike Mentzer which is similar philosophy regarding to yours! I do agree that the real HIT should be short duration and low volume workout.
break between sets 0-30sec
Biceps 3exercises 3sets (no more)
Triceps 3exe 3sets
Back chest Legs - 2-3exercises 3sets
Reps no less 6
My English is not good but I think I understood it well 💪
I start this split today!
Thanks so much🤝
That's it and thank you so much for watching!!!
Thanks for this free program man!
My pleasure, my friend!!!
1. Love your videos.
2. Love your channel.
3. Thank you for sharing this.
4. Your gona blow up one day.
5. Thank you for being you.
Much love!!!!
Wow. I don't know how to respond to that other than thank you, thank you thank you. I really appreciate it!!!
This is truly gold sir.all of the influencer is on roids and keep sharing their program.but for me natural it dont build muscle and always feel fatigue😢thank you sir🎉
Really appreciate you taking the time to look at my work, my friend!!!
I think u r the best natural lifter and one of the few web s trainer honest
Truly kind words, my friend, and thank you for watching!!!
Excellent info!.
Everything pretty clear to me, thanks!!
And thanks so much for watching!!!
Fascinating testimonial. 👍
Fantastic content that do not need all the sound and visual effects. It can stand all on its own as result of its originality and exclusive exclusivity. In fact special effects distract a bit. This is a definite improvement on Mike Mentzer's high intensity program. Makes much more sense for the Average Joe not using steriods. I have been training for 55 years now and I am always looking for improvement. I am definitely going to give this a good go. Many thanks.
Thank you so much Kevin, This Helped A lot!
My pleasure and Excelsior!!!
Thanks Kevin found link for the 3 day only workouts
I'm 60 years old, tried all trainning routines over the years, at prescent been doing upper body every other day, legs in-between in-between torso days, I must have been grossly over trainning
Gonna look forward to trying your routine, just gotta get my head round only working all bodyparts once a week , looking forward to journey
Thanks dude
Mark uk
All the best and let me know how it goes!
Yea let you know mate
Think my old battered body is crying out for less volume
Thanks for reply kev
It's been about 2 years since I worked out. I always did high volume workouts. But I'm gonna try this routine out today. See how it goes
All the best and let me know how it goes!!!!
Great information as always Kevin.
Thanks, Gary!!!!
@@naturallyintenseday 1 quad 2ex 3set. Ham 2ex 3set(12 total.,,..,
Day 2 back 2ex 3st delt 2ex 3st (12 total) is this accurate?
Kevin, I'm Brazilian and I love your channel and by the way, have you thought about putting subtitles in your videos? the brazilian natural bodybuilders are getting hyped because of a famous channel in here, so more and more people are interested in videos about natural bodybuilding .
It would be nice if you think about putting subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese and other languages so that you can get more viewers and subscribers.
Brazil is very big on youtube and on fitness as well.
Perhaps if the numbers go up but right now I don't have many Brazilian viewers at all. But would most certainly put in foreign language subtitles for any population that starts tuning in.
@@naturallyintense yeah, for the moment not so many, but it's going to grow, and man, I'm cheering for your channel, it has great content, I'll share and watch more of your videos ( watched about 4 normal videos and some shorts)
@@35327290 Muito obrigado meu amigo! Muito apreciado!!! (Which is probably the extent of my Portuguese!)
Great video! You should write a book! Thanks Kevin
I came close a few times with an agent and had the manuscript put together. Might still happen but in the meantime it's important for people to know about this form of training.
@@naturallyintense Hey Kevin you do know you can self publish now? you should definately give it a go. I have a few that I am writing for hopefully 2023.
One stop 🛑 for sure Kevin u the man
Really appreciate that, my friend!!!
Brother tanks for sharing !
Very good video.
When tou talk abort 3 sets ..Do You mean 3 HIT sets or is it kind a warm up set a medium weight set and a heavy one on The last set ?
If I feel i need a bit more frequency would you advice an A-B-A type of training? Ex. Upper/rest/lower/rest etc...
Love your content, I’ve intuitively been training similar to this.. but a few more isolation exercises because I train full body twice a week.
Thanks so much for tuning in and don't discount the value of isolation exercises if you do them at high intensity.
@@JoseGonzalez-gg6rs Absolutely! I was doing ninjutsu training three times a week when I first started training and it's the brevity of it that allowed me to pursue my passion in martial arts while still realizing my goal as a natural bodybuilder. Training is 3 times a week with workouts that last no more than 10-15 minutes for most, but you have to go at it with blistering intensity! That you are only training three times and have so much in the ay of rest makes it possible to not overtrain while doing martial arts and I can attest from personal experience that it certainly works!!!
@@JoseGonzalez-gg6rs Anytime!!!
Your training principles remind me of Stuart McRobert and his training routines in his books, I did very well on his routines but got very frustrated when I hit plateaus and went back to high volume training which is ok but I’m getting older now and finding I’m constantly tired all of the time, so I’m going to give yours a go now that I’ve seen this! Thank you for the post, VERY informative! 🫡
Thanks for watching and coincidentally, I have a video on breaking through training plateaus coming out later today and I hope it helps as well!
Thank you Kevin appreciate your authentic heart.
And I really appreciate your taking the time to look at my work. I really do!!
I'm new here....I'm 59 and this is some of the best explanations I've heard in years....I'm going to try this out....thank you.... New subscriber!!
Thanks so much for subscribing!!!
@@naturallyintense
Kevin when you out legs one day do you take the next day off then do another body part. How long before you get back to legs again 🤷🏿♂️
@@paksau1 7 days
Yep! Winter or summer, no change as the first sets REALLY warm you up.
Thanks for share , ill try
very well explained 👍💪
Thanks so much for taking the time to tune in!!! Really appreciated!!!
I am 53 and 5-8 205 at about 18% BF right now and while I think I could maintain my muscle with 2-3 shorts HIT workouts a week, I definitely could not maintain my strength. I also feel that there are brain benefits from doing exercises that require some balance and coordination like over head presses with a barbell, front squats, and basically barbell exercises where the movement pattern is emphasized over muscular tension for time. HIT tension focused workouts do teach you to deal with intensity and discomfort, but I think there is a huge benefit from doing exercises where you actually could lose balance and where muscles have to fired in a coordinated pattern and this probably requires an additional couple of 45 minute workouts a week. Perhaps people could get this from playing a sport, or hiking etc. over variable terrain.
The only other thing I will add is that I am pretty confident I could maintain my muscle even without going to failure probably 2/3 of the time. I could do 10 reps at a 13-14 rep max with a good mind muscle connection one workout, then do 10 reps at 11-12 RM then in the third workout go to failure, but the three workouts all contribute to maintaining muscle. Failure is rather arbitrary IMO. If you think of an exercise as flexing against weights instead of lifting weights, you can produce quality contractions without reaching failure.
I agree wholeheartedly that those exercises offer substantial benefits, but not sure why you are assuming we don't do them. Overhead presses, front squats and clean and presses are all included and I've put up some good numbers with all of them over the years. There's absolutely no reason to exclude them and I've worked with a few (natural) Crossfit athletes who have done really well with their lifts as a result. As for the presumption on strength, my experience and more importantly, my observations over the years with a significant number of men and women are that you will get stronger with this form of training.
@@naturallyintenseActually I got directed here after watching a Drew Baye video. He uses very slow, constant tension training and he is opposed to trying to build balance and coordination in off the field or court. His model is to build muscle, and then do your sport. I am an exercise physiologist and I think he is misapplying the concept of negative carryover. The second reason I made that assumption is that clean and presses, and squats and overhead presses tend to take me longer to prepare for than a 10-20 minute workout would allow. When I do them, I see them as somewhat of a "learning" experience where you have to have a mental/neural break between sets so I think it would be challenging to get the most from complex exercises in such a short time. Third, well, you have pretty impressive body"parts" like your arms, and maybe I just presumed that you don't build great bodybuilder looking arms if you spend much time on clean an presses, presses and front squats. Again, I just think that while I wouldn't do more sets, I need a little more time than 10-20 minutes 3x per week to do bigger exercises. I do fairly low volume anyway. Checking my journals I got the best results when I averaged about 35 work sets per week, and no added benefit from going up to 60, but I never had to go to failure on those 35 sets to get stronger and add muscle. When I went to failure it tended to take out more than it put back. I usually did one top set though.
@@mertonhirsch4734 There are many ways to the summit of any mountain, and I can't say much about Drew Baye's model as I don't know much about it but I would agree with you in objecting to the idea of not being able to build muscle, balance and coordination with high intensity training. My own background is in the martial arts and before I even knew what the term personal trainer meant, this form of training was something I used to get better at what I did while building muscle. I do see where you are coming from though as I know a good number of what I call "technician lifters" who also see those exercises as a bit of a path to self discovery and as an end onto itself. And I think there is profound value in that approach, which does require more time. That said, each workout in this protocol is different, and the exercise variety from session to session can be significant, so those exercises are just more like tools in the toolbox, with the idea of hitting the muscle from as many different possible angles over time. Sounds like you are on a good path though!
@@naturallyintense Thanks, it's nice to see a different take on high intensity and training quality. My workout Monday was just 2 sets of front squats with a harness, and 1 set sitting at the bottom of the front squat for 60 seconds, and also 2 sets of pullups and 1 set of weighted hangs. Then today, two days later I did 3 sets of stiff leg deadlifts and 3 sets of close grip bench press. I will probably just do shoulder press and chest support rows tomorrow. Most HIT people don't like variety in reps or exercise selection, but you recommend that.
Great information kevin
Thanks, Michael!!!
Hello Kevin,
we had just written to each other.
This is a very good and insightful video. 👌👌👌
I'm going to train exactly like this now.
I previously did too many sets for my biceps and triceps. Each, warm up 2 sets and then 9 sets with high intensity.
Way too much!
There is a lot of merit to what he is saying from my experience. I am 57 and have been training since I was 18, the routine I used in my younger days was 3 days a week whole body routine, 6 exercises for 2 sets each. I made the most gains ever on this routine.....whenever I strayed away from it it was because of the noise around split routines and more sets etc.....never worked and whenever I went back to the 3 day a week routine Check noticed better results....,
Thank you for taking the time to look at my work and it can indeed be hard to stay on one path when there is so much noise, (good word choice) around us. Thanks again!!!
Thank you Kevin.
And thank you for watching!!! Truly appreciate it!!!
Thank you!
And thank you for watching!!!
Hi Kevin, great content you are putting out. Keep it coming, very greatfull to gain some of your knowledge.
Kevin can you tell me how long you are resting between sets? Thanks
Thanks for tuning in and if I am training alone I only rest as long as it takes to increase the weight, so not much rest time at all.
Great vid! Similar concepts to Mike Mentzer's HIT. I'm 66 and have used HIT off and on since the 70's. I'm not as strong as I was in my 20's-40's, but for my age and weight, I'm pretty proud of my fitness level. My question is this: How long do you rest between sets? I usually rest between 30-45 seconds. Anymore than that I feel like I'm cooling down. But I've been reading and seeing a lot lately that 2-3 minutes rest between sets shows better gains. What do you think? BTW, I also do slightly slower reps, especially on the negatives. Your thoughts?
First off thanks so much for watching and kudos for keeping it going into your 70's as you are exactly where I hope to be in a few years. To answer your question, I only rest as long as it takes to change the weights or as long as it takes my partner to finish her set. But never the 2 to 3 minute break often recommended. Which has been shown to allow a conventional trainee to lift more weight, BUT there have never been any studies on short rest periods with high intensity over time. What I found is that for someone starting off, their weights will be lower initially but over time it goes up and the injury rates seem to be far lower as you are training as you observed in a much warmer state and you aren't going overboard trying to powerlift. Which means less injury risk over time. Sounds like you are on a great path and thanks again for watching!!!
the most common thing you hear is to pick one or two exercises and milk them until you plateau, for as long as you can, months. and once you see stagnation, then you change out the exercises...you'd instead do variations/alternatives for the same muscle groups, every week to essentially avoid this and making sure the muscles are getting a new adaptation? so is this kinda like your diet approach slower but give better results in the long run? just recently found your channel and absolutely love how you explain things, very different to other natty channels.
Thanks for tuning in and you nailed it! The constant variety over time from my observations leads to consistent gains and you never have the plateau effect.
thanks, that was very useful
And thank you for watching!!!
Hi Kevin, I’m just wondering, do you do all sets to failure and can still get the workout done in 10-15 minutes?
Thanks
If I did I would most likely be done in less than 10 minutes. And all sets aren't to failure.
Glad i ran into your channel keep up the good work. BRONX Love 183
Thanks, bro!!!
Is it 3 working sets, all to failure? So lets say you are doing 3 sets of hamstrings. Do you warm up with 1-2 light sets, then do 3 working sets, or do you do 3 sets in total with 1 or 2 of them being warmup sets? Thanks 😊
It's a bit more complicated than that. Often it's 2 warm up sets and a last all out set, but because each workout is different, it could sometimes be two sets all out, one set all out (rarely) or a 4th set (even more rare). Hope that helps and thanks for tuning in!!!
@@naturallyintense ok, thank you for replying! Got it. But with warmup sets, do you go almost to failure like 1-2rir? Sorry to drown you in questions, maybe you have some sort of trainingprogram or online coaching i can apply for? I want to do it as close to your workouts as possible.
Technically the only way to do Naturally Intense is to work directly with one of my trainers or myself and you can see the options available for one on one training or routines here- www.naturallyintense.net/
I’m new to working out, I’m not a body builder. I’ve been getting frustrated lately by watching videos on body building and it seems like everything I find is targeted towards routines and behaviors that steroid users conduct.
I’m 42 years old- 6ft and 243 lbs. I was in shape when I was younger and worked out. Would you recommend this three days a week for someone like me, who is naturally big?
I’m trying to build muscle but lose fat, it’s refreshing to see guys like you on RUclips.
If I followed an “enhanced” body builder on RUclips I’d just keep getting fatter and fatter.
I’m glad that I have found your resources.
I’m spreading the word, so people don’t think they need gear to get results or that they should eat 8 meals a day and have 6000 calories
And that's precisely why I am here. There's too much in the way of extremes and thank you so much for tuning in and spreading the word!!! Really appreciate it and look for a video on the relatively small amount of food you need to grow very soon!!!
Fantastic and informative video. For all of the exercises that you mentioned, you recommended doing 3 sets of each. Is EVERY set of those 3 sets supposed to be performed all out and taken to failure or is it only the last set?
Thanks so much and it's usually the last set, with the first two preparing you mentally and physically. That said what matters isn't always failure but how novel what you are doing is. So you don't have to hit failure every time but you do have to be training hard and doing something radically different if you aren't hitting failure. Hope that helps
@@naturallyintense Much appreciated.
@@shameermulji Anytime!!!
Kevin, thank you for all your advice and content!
Q: When you described “3 sets”, it seems like the first one was somewhat comfortable, the second set was difficult and the third set was “shut off from the world, all out, blisteringly intense”.
Is that accurate generally? (knowing nothing is static and is always changing).
That's correct, but again, it can radically change. And thanks so much for tuning in!!!
I've been doing a similar split but all twice a week instead of once. I'm sore a lot and often unmotivated. When I take vacations I typically come back stronger so I've always thought I may be over training. I'll try this now for a while
Let me know how it goes!!!
Hi Kevin. Stumbled on one of your videos today and immediately subscribed. Ive been working out since 1976. Chemical free. One thing that immediately came to mind is. With your methodology. Getting a pump in the target muscle isnt required for growth? I ask that because im into high volume traing. Ive held the belief that getting a pump means the target muscle is getting infused with blood. Blood caries oxygen and nutrients to the cells, which helps muscle growth.
Thanks for watching and to answer your question, the pump from the types of high intensity techniques I employ are ridiculous. And the whole idea behind the training splits is to maximize the pump as well to optimize nutrient delivery to hard worked muscles. Give this a look - ruclips.net/video/bzH6sl4pi_c/видео.htmlsi=BuohA3NzjvsDTOTu
Great video and content. Keep it up! In regards to rest periods they seem to be very short in duration (ex 20secs), is this done on purpose to be used like an intensity technique (ex. Rest-pause) or just to make workouts shorter? Cause in my experience going from the 2nd to 3rd set with minimal rest periods will dramatically impact the quality of my 3rd all out set.
As well how do u gauge or plan how intense to push the 3rd set and final reps? For example duration of isometric holds, how many drop sets or rest pause sets, etc?
Thank you!
Maybe adjust your definition of “quality set” towards being more about difficulty and all-out intensity than number of perfect reps.
What about the rest between exercices?
How many time do you recommend between sets?
Thanks!
First of all, thank you for all you do, which certainly helps to make the world a better place. How long of a break between sets do you recommend?
Thank you in advance and have an absolutely amazing, fun, healthy and adventurous day 💪❤
And thank you so much for taking the time to look ta my work as I do really appreciate it!!! To answer your question, if I am training on my own I only rest as long as it takes to change the weight or set up for the next exercise. And if I am training with my training partner, Erika, it's only as long as it takes for her to do her set, or if equipment provides, we will do the same exercises simultaneously to cut down on rest time. So it's always minimal. Thanks again!!!
Great question 💪
Can you re-release the dvd?
Working on it!!!
Great video. I was surprised to see you training 1 body part per week though. The general advice I see is that natural lifters need to hit each muscle group 2-3 times a week. Obviously this approach has worked for you and your clients but do you think quicker progress might be possible training full body 2-3 times a week?
That's an excellent question. And in my experience those who trained more never made more progress than those who trained less, which could also be a factor of the fact that the intensity is never as high. It's simply not possible to naturally train at a significantly high intensity and sustain it training more than 3 days a week and in the limits of my own early experiences, training less always gave me more in the way of gains. (And most naturals make assumptions with their training, not data driven observations and never test the inverse of what they are doing to see what works best, which I believe is unfortunate.)
Fascinating method. I would like to try this but work at alone at home with barbells, dumbbells and bodyweight. How should I do this safely especially with squats? Is it similar to rest pause where the 3 sets are done with little rest? I am now in the process of binge watching your content 😊
Thanks so much for watching and it can indeed be done at home as most of my clients train at home and I myself have gone a long way during lockdown training this way with just dumbells and a barbell. I am still training exclusively at home so it certainly can be done and thanks again for watching!!!
I agree with you on your 3 day split routine,but i believe it would even be better for most to weight train every other day..also on non lifting days add some cardio,some flexing, and maybe a 360 degree planking...other things like cycling swimming calisthenics is important...i my self was also 155 5 '11 at 17...i worked out at school and home since i was 9..but of course i did not know what i was doing..at 18 back in 1977 i joined my first gym and worked out 5 days a week and within a year put on a lot of muscle and strength.
At 215 lbs...i trained very hard...i most definitely over trained most of the time,but when we are young our bodies recover much better..in my mid sixties now i cut back my volume and time i train as well as cut out certain exercises...i also never do the same workouts twice..i always change routines... i eat two times a day and consume approx 120 grams of protein per day...i am not ripped like you but still look pretty darn good at 248lbs...thanks for sharing.
Hi Kevin and thanks for the great information you provide. I'm trying to implement your protocol and I have a question: what about the rest periods? You always talk about a session that last 10-15 mins max. So I guess the rest between sets is very low. Understanding that the rest period is a variable you can twist to make the intensity of the workout even harder, can you give me an average rest period I can start with? Thank you so much, I'll keep enjoying your contents both here and on Instagram.
Thanks for watching and the rest periods are only as long as it takes to change the weight if I am training alone. So it's nonstop. Hope that helps!!!
@@naturallyintense That sounds intense :) Thank you!
So im going to do this workout out and post my results.
👍🏽
Interesting. I'm all for most of what youre saying except for the changing what your doing movement wise. I was taught to keep the movements the same but change up the order or the sets & reps and like you said TUT, the intensity, etc. I think using basic compound movements is key to building hardcore muscle mass. Like squats, bench press, shoulder press, rows, pullups, barbell/dumbbell curls, extensions, etc. but I agree with what you say about not doing hours upon hours of training and doing endless sets and reps and spending 3-4 hours in the gym. I mean seriously, wtf do people do in the gym for 3-4 hours? It always baffled me. When I first started I was doing way too much I think I was doing like 7-8 for chest, 5 for biceps & triceps, I think 10 for back and who knows how many I did for delts. it was ridiculous. Right now I do a dumbbell program and it takes me about 1/2 hour with warm ups. I do 2 each for quads, hamstrings, & calves, 1 for glutes; 3 for chest & back; 2 for delts, biceps, & triceps, 1 each for neck & traps.
Day-1 = quads, hammies, & glutes
Day-2 = neck, traps, delts, & back
Day-3 = chest, biceps, & triceps
I believe I got that routine from your Video "Naturally Intense HIT".
I like what you said about the first set is warm up, second & third set are working sets and the third set is all out. Now do you go until failure on the third set? I always thought going to failure wasn't a good idea because of over training and injury.
Great video. I love your stuff. Even though you're a "little guy" compared to me. LMAO. Just kidding, Brother!! :p
In 2003 I am oging to start getting more serious after doing a lot of other types of training like for explosive power, using kettlebells, resistance bands, medicine balls, & sandbags, etc. I need to go back to my roots in bodybuilding though. I missed it and other types of training isn't the same for me.
But yeah, you & I will be battleing it out in 2023 for the Mr. Olympia all natural contest. haha!
Oh yeah, for core/ab training I only do ab wheel rollouts. I do them 3 times a week for a finisher. I ike them because they are full body and really work the little stablizing muscles as well as the core.
That indeed is my training split and I think that since almost everyone at the top of the lifting spectrum uses drugs that we all are taught that you need to train for hours on end. Arnold's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding influenced a lot of people to train more and there's a more efficient and safer way to do it. As for the Natural Mr. O, I won't be on stage but I certainly will be cheering you on, my brother!!!
@@naturallyintense haha I won't be on any Mr. O stage. Too many drug freakazoids. I do wnat to start my own all natural federation one day. Arnold, the education of a bodybuilder ws ridiculous. He was training for 2 hours twice a day etc. Even back then I knew that was crazy. Oh, on the last set are you going to failure everytime or only once in a while? I know it's intense of course but it it necasary to go to failure?
@@m.k.spaulding1327 Not always complete momentary muscular failure as some exercises just aren't possible like squats. But you still go all out with the last rep being literally the last rep OR you then do a compound set of vertical jumps or extensions or some other isolation exercise. But the last set is always a hard one.
Ok, cool! Thanks, buddy.
Hi Kevin,
When you say 3 sets only. What exactly is the protocol?
Let's say you do the 1st set. Do you go all out here? To MMF? Or is it a 'warm up' set then followed by 1 or 2 'all out' sets?
Next. Do you rest 1-2 minutes after the first set before starting the second? Or, very little rest?
Or, are your 3 sets just basically one 'giant, long' set, with maybe 10-20 seconds rest between each 'all out effort' for each 'set' ?
Sorry for so many questions, but each one of these protocols can be very intense.
The answer would be all of the above, as I constantly change the workouts and can do all of the variations mentioned and more.
@@naturallyintense Thank, Kevin.
i also i agree to zero cardio protocols i improve my body compositon improve muscle mass lose bodyfat to stop cardio and focus and high intensity training
In my experience it is crucial for natural bodybuilding. And look for a video on it soon!!!
Thx!🔥🔥
First of all thanks for the great contents of your channel. I’m 53 and pushing in the gym since I was 20. I know that I have to change my approach (volume volume and more volume) to be able to keep progressing even at my age. I’m very interested in your approach and I understand the idea of changing routine at every workout. What I’m not sure to be able to do is to destroy the muscle with only 3 sets. I’m afraid I’m not able to get enough intensity with only 3 sets. Any suggestion? Thanks again
And thanks so much for watching. To answer your question I think it's important to understand that truly high intensity training is a skill and is difficult to master. It's a crucial distinction as it's attainable either from having someone knowledge in it pushing you or on your own from a very dedicated practice to trying to be able to do it. It's not easy, but it can be done. Just have to work at it and give yourself time. Hope that helps!!!
@@naturallyintense thank you Kevin with the help of your videos I’ll give it a try. By the way, are you planning to develop a sort of downlodable guide to your program? I’d be more than happy to buy it
@@danielemanganaro5823 To be honest, I never expected there to be that much interest in it to consider doing a guide, but you can purchase training plans from my site.
@@naturallyintensei was looking for some sort of training plan to purchase on your website, but haven’t found any. Can you help me with that? Thank you again
@@danielemanganaro5823 Sure thing! The plans are accessible here- naturallyintense.typeform.com/plans?typeform-source=naturallyintense.net
Thanks Kevin. I'm 76 and an experienced lifter. I'm concerned about bone density. Your program builds strength, muscle and maintains connective tissue. Isn't heavy weight lifting needed to stimulate and maintain bone density especially for older individuals?
Who said anything about not lifting heavy? Initially there is a drop in how much you can lift but over time you get stronger and stronger and put up some very impressive poundages. I myself am doing stiff leg deadlifts with 405lbs for reps and squatting 405lbs for reps (and could go heavier but instead make what I have ultra intense so I don't need to) but it's always about lifting as heavy as you can! Hope that helps!!!
@@naturallyintense It does & wow! Thanks so very much for your informative reply. -Most appreciative and inspired by all.
Great video.
When you say 3 sets am I right in thinking the last set on each exercise only you push it and go all out?? The other 2 sets are more warming up/getting the muscles ready for the final set?
Thank you
Not necessarily. Usually yes the first two are feeler sets but if I am already warm I might do 2 sets all out or occasionally just one. I vary each workout so the only consistent pattern tends to be change. Hope that helps!!!
@@naturallyintense great.
Thank you for replying
So true mate
👍🏽
Hello, sir! I watch your videos from Russia and I'm really grateful for the information you share with people. My English is far from perfection , so sometimes it seems that I miss some of your ideas. In this video you are talking about chest training and , as far as I understood , you usually do 2 exercises for this muscle: press and fly movement. Does it work only for you ( as you've been training for quite a while ) or it can be used by me, for example? I've been working out for two years, but I'm completely new to a high intensity training. Thank you in advance.
Thanks for tuning and all the best from New York! To answer your answer your question, this is protocol that I have used with hundreds of men and women over the past thirty plus years, so I am quite certain that it will work for anyone following this particular system. Thanks again for watching!!!
@@naturallyintense my question was about the number of exercises for chest. In my case It's better to do just one (e.g bench press) and that's it, correct?
@@user-xj6oi7fl9l No, two would suffice.
Cool dude!
Less is more!
@@frankgradeenofficial Absolutely!!!
Grest video. I was curious as to your thoughts about other ways HIT was implemented. Namely, I saw videos and studies of doing one set full body multiple times per week - so instead of training one muscle group one time per week for multiple sets, you train one set to failure but with higher frequency a few times per week. Same volume but spread over the week.
Thanks for watching and to answer your question, in my experience with this particular protocol full body workouts are unsustainable and were never an option as there was always an inevitable reduction in intensity with some body parts and there wasn't enough time to recover. Give this a watch to see a bit more about my split- ruclips.net/video/bzH6sl4pi_c/видео.html
Hello Kevin, when you state 3 sets, are the first two more like warm ups?
And on average how long does the workout in this video last approximately?
Many thanks in advance for your insightful content 🙏
Thanks for watching and the workouts last anywhere from 10, 15 to 20 minutes at the very most. Since each workout is different the timing can change and it takes a while training at home to set stuff up between sets. But for the most part those I train almost never train longer than 10 minutes and that is the goal you should be striving for as you have to remember I worked up to this over thirty years. And as for the first two sets, sometimes they are warm ups, sometimes they are hard sets, since each workout is different it constantly changes. Hope that helps and thanks again!!!
Thanks Kevin, definitely going to switch things after having watched your vids. How long is your break between sets. I probably need several minutes rest to be able to do comparable number of reps on the second and third set than on the first. Or do you recommend dropping the wait significantly?
I go nonstop as it's the best way to keep the intensity up. Give this a watch- ruclips.net/video/_0ZwujSCj_U/видео.htmlsi=2n3cYE-P9veUsXDd
@@naturallyintense Hi Kevin, much appreciated that you give a response to all our questions and comments. I feel it will take a while for me until I'm able to really give it the necessary intensity.
Hi Kevin, first up, thank you for this awesome videos and your knowledge 💪🏼😊
I got a question about the three Sets.
You only go all out on the Last Set, so the first two sets are challenging but no total Failure, about RIR 1 ?
The Last set is all out with Intensity Techniques?
Best wishes 💪🏼
And thanks so much for watching and to answer your question, it depends. Sometimes it's two sets of warming up with the last one going all out. No reps in reserve and sometimes it's one set al out of I am already warm or it can even be two sets all out. The only pattern is that my workouts change every time. Hope that helps!!!
Hi, you always do different exercises. Do you write down the weights?
I used to for many years. But at this point I more or less know it by heart
Hi Kevin thank you for your video. Just a quick question with your 3 sets as I currently train 5x5. Are the 1st 2 sets the same weights or lighter building up to your final all out set? I am looking to experiment with HIT and want to make sure I apply it correctly. Many thanks again 🙏
Thanks for tuning in, Paul and the first set of the first exercise for a muscle group is a bit of a overall warm up, and I will usually increase weight with each successive set for a final all out set. But for other exercises I am often pretty warm by then and as such don't always need to pyramid the weights and can do sets starting at my max and work down for example. Hope this helps and do let me know how it goes!!!
@@naturallyintense thanks Kevin 👍
@@paulcomer4891 Anytime! Always happy to help!!!
Thank you for the info. Have you tried doing just 1 set per exercise?
Very rarely I will do just one set, as every workout I do is different from the last but only as a second or third exercise if I am already warmed up. And even then it's very rare as you need some other sets to get your mindset fixed and your body in the right place to go all out. And it's better as well in terms of injury prevention.
@@naturallyintense So you do 3 all-out sets or just 1?
@@cannonieh4469 Most times it's three.
It's weird. I had a thought a few days ago to include more intuitive training to my H.I.T routine. The next day I see an interview with you talking about just that. Synchronicities!
Synchronicity indeed, as if you walk the same path you will eventually see the same things others on the path will see! Keep it going!!!
@@naturallyintense Thank you! The way you talk about training truly resonates with me. You've got yourself a new subscriber!
@@tubbey76 Thank you so very much!!!
God bless u
Thank you so much, my friend. Best to you and your family.
Hi , do you journal your workouts to keep track ?
I did for many years- 15 to be precise- but at this point I don't need to as it's almost embedded in me over time.
Hi Kevin, when you talk about 3 sets per exercise on a chest day, you perform in training for example:
1) bench press - 3 sets
2) dumbbell flyes - 3 sets?
The second question is whether the series you are talking about are they taken to failure? That is, 6 sets to failure?
And can I find somewhere how you do the workouts, step by step?
Sounds about right for the training sequence and not all sets are to failure, but making it even more confusing (sorry) is that each workout can be radically different from the last one. So it's hard to put a set pattern on it, but mostly it's 2 sets hard and last one all out, but not always, as it can also be just one set all out, ot two sets, etc. Hope that helps and as for step by step, it's based on output and evaluation, so everyone doing it would have to do it differently, so it's only something you can "see" by doing it with a certified Naturally Intense trainer.
Hi uncle Kevin, luckily I found you on youtube.
I am currently 22 years old and always desire and seriously build a healthy body. Can you give me some advice?
Kevin's program 3x per week (legs, back and shoulders, chest and arms and abs) is mostly 6 working sets per muscle group per week and high intensity.
Is this program effective for young people like us? I hope you can help me with an answer and I really want to get serious about building muscle because I'm obsessed with conventional bodybuilding routines and spinning my wheels forever. Respect uncle Kevin
Thank you for taking the time to look at my work, as I do appreciate it. To answer your question, I started training this way when I was a teenager and have trained dozens if not hundreds of young men with this routine. (My son, who is now 18 among them) and it does indeed work regardless of age. If anything it works best when you are younger as your testosterone levels are higher and I wish you all the best on your path. It takes some time to do it naturally, but stay the course and you will get there.
Thank you for the information. What do you do on the remaining days of the week after 3 days of training?
I enjoy life and live it to the fullest. But no additional exercise.
Can this advice be valid for more strength oriented approach, f.e. day 1 Squat - 3 sets , day 2 Bench 3 sets, day 3 Deadlift 3 sets, with each day having 2-3 lighter accessories supporting main lifts?
Yes, it can. As it would allow for maximum rest times in between training sessions.
@@naturallyintense Thank you for response
@@jakubkucharczyk5255 Anytime!!!
I have a client whose very overweight, Can I try this on her for 3 weeks and I’ll see results? Thanks for sharing this content tho
Thanks for watching. It's a set of principles presented as is, but I would not recommend anyone training anyone else with it without certification in Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. Which takes at least 4 to as long as 6 months of instruction. As there are many nuances that need be understood that can't be transmitted by a few videos. And it's not a 3 week program by any stretch. Hope that helps, and sorry it's so involved.
My shoulders have trouble recovering How would Monday Shoulders Back
Wednesday Legs
Friday Chest Arms
Saturday and Sunday Off
work out?
It would work perfectly fine!!! Go for it!!!
Heyyy new subcriber here
How long to rest between each warm up sets?
And how long to rest between warm up sets and the working sets??
Also how long to rest between each working sets???
I was thinking
45-60 seconds of rest in between each warm-up sets. (3 warm sets total)
Warm up sets are:
1st warm up set - 50% weight 10 reps
2nd warm up set - 70-75% weight 6-8 reps
3rd warm up sets - 80-85% 6-8 reps 3-4 reps
And then 1 mins rest before going into the working sets, and then have 1 min rest in between each working sets. (2 working sets total)
Working sets:
1st workings set - 100% weight 10 reps
2nd working set - 100% weight 10 reps
Is this alright?
What do you reccomend?
Thanks for tuning in and there's no rest. I rest only long enough to change the weight if I am training on my own, or as long as it takes my partner to complete their set (but even then we tend to go at the same time. So rest isn't in the equation which guarantees blistering intensity.
@@naturallyintense ouhhhhh this is unique!
Also you have mentioned 3 sets for exercises, are those 3 sets of working sets? If it is how many warm up sets and reps do you before hitting the working sets, what do reccomend?
Or is there a 1 warm up set in with that 3 sets of the excerise? And how much reps do you for the 1 warm up sets?
@@Blue_Tsuki It is indeed unique and here's what makes it more unique and more difficult to answer your question, as every workout is different. The three set paradigm is only one of many possible permutations as it changes every time. Reps change as well (there's a video on that here you can look at) and it's extremely dynamic in nature. Sorry it's not as straightforward as other protocols but I hope that helps.
@@naturallyintense hmmm truly is unique, but yes thank you for the information I truly love the content from this video
Too much sets is no productive
So I think imma just do the normal usual
45-60 seconds rest in between each warm up sets
So 50% - 10-8 reps
70-75% - 6 reps
80-85% - 3 reps
Then like you set 2-3 working sets you have stated it is should more than enough. (in between sets 1 min rest )
I shall also look into your other video which you have suggested for better understanding! Thank you!
I will be looking for to more of your contents, as it is very important for natural gym people!
Keep up the good work!
🙌🏻🙏🏻💯
Hy Sir! First of all it was a fantastic video! Can I try this program?, I'm 16 years old natural teen.
Absolutely!!! I started training this way when I was 16 as well and it's the best time to start!!!
@@naturallyintense thank you very much! Have a nice day!!
@@arnoldnemeth17 You too, Arnold!!!
@@arnoldnemeth17 You too!!!
Is the rest between exercises, for example between the chest and biceps, as short as possible, or can we rest longer....Thank you and Excelsior from Croatia-Europe......💪👌👍
All the best from New York and it's always minimal rest, nonstop!!!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:01 💪 *High Intensity Training Overview*
- Introduces Naturally Intense High Intensity Training.
- Advocates for training three times a week for 10-20 minutes.
- Highlights personal success and maintenance without cardio for 18 years.
01:35 🏋️♂️ *Optimal Reps and Sets for Muscle Growth*
- Discusses optimal reps and sets for muscle growth naturally.
- Emphasizes the effectiveness and convenience of high intensity training.
- Mentions the importance of minimizing wear and tear on joints.
03:47 🦵 *Leg Day Routine*
- Outlines leg day routine emphasizing hamstring exercises.
- Stresses the importance of focusing on challenging exercises.
- Recommends three sets per exercise for optimal results.
09:23 💪 *Back and Shoulder Training*
- Details back and shoulder training regimen.
- Advocates for three sets per exercise across the board.
- Emphasizes the importance of intensity and variation in workouts.
12:26 💥 *Chest and Arm Workouts*
- Describes chest and arm workout routines.
- Highlights the significance of compound exercises followed by isolation movements.
- Advocates for intensity over quantity in training.
Made with HARPA AI
When you say the workout lasts not more than 10-20 minutes, is that the entire workout or just for one muscle? You demonstrate focusing on a number of muscle groups. Do you train a particular muscle just once a week or 3 times a week? It would take me at least 10 minutes to do 3 sets of any one exercise. If I understand your technique, that means I would do a maximum of 6 different exercises a week. Is that correct? I don't see how I would achieve a whole-body workout that way.
Give this a watch - ruclips.net/video/S5EYPM2108A/видео.htmlsi=oK4K3QdGeihGL7-T
I'm 55 male. Consistent training over 35 years. Minimal gains. Never tried your style of training. I want to become I always feel sore, tired, "overtrained". My question - with 3 sets per exercise, does this include warm up? How would you warm up before taking 1, 2, or 3 sets to failure?? Thank you
I am sure that like most you train 5 or more days a week for an hour or more and that can indeed be draining if you are natural and the problem is that many naturals who train that way were big to begin with. That said, the first set is usually a way of feeling out where I am and the second one is a working set, sometimes it can feel like the last set, but I tend to do one more and really leave nothing behind. But I don't always train to failure each time. Every workout is different and some exercises like deadlifts or heavy squats aren't safe for failure, so I may do a compound set with another exercise to get the most out of it. Hope this helps!!!
@@naturallyintense Thank you! Very helpful. I've been trying to cut down days/week. Went from 4 (AB off AB) to 3 (A - B - A). Today before seeing this I had 5 warm up sets before 2 work sets near failure on one exercise per body part). I see I must need to cut back on junk volume, ie to much warm up. Very helpful. Thank you.
@@janjan6263 Anytime and always more than happy to help!!!
Hello Kevin, I was thinking about teaching my wife your method of training. Do you have any video for women training ? or is it the same as men's training ?
I would caution first that it takes a Naturally Intense certified trainer at least 5-6 months of instruction before they are able to reliably train others in this system as there are many nuances to such a highly dynamic training system. So you would be showing her what you've picked up from the videos, and there is absolutely no difference in training between men and women. Contractile proteins respond to unaccustomed overload regardless of gender.
@@naturallyintense if I lived in US I would certainly do the certification course , thanks for the info !
Kevin, is there a problem if i do some cardio in those days I’m not doing the weight training?
If your goal is maximum muscle mass, it might not be a good idea, besides if you are training a truly high intensities, you are already doing cardio- ruclips.net/video/DJV9I7eRv8o/видео.html
Hello. Love what you are doing and you look amazing. I am 47, out of shape, and
I have a medical condition that no one seems to know how to deal with appropriately called ehlers-danlos syndrome, which seems to be a collagen disorder, but really seems to manifest a lot in the connective tissue. It's gotten to a point that I can no longer work a full time job to feed my family, and It causes a lot of pain, injury, and it's debilitating with no cure. I truly believe that building muscle can really help, but where do I start and go about achieving results with this type of condition?
Please let me know what you think and if there's any advice that you can give it would be much appreciated. Thank you so much😊
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at my work and here's what I recommend for anyone in a similar situation, first make sure you are medically cleared to train with weights, as you need to ensure that it won't make your current medical situation worse, then make sure your diet is truly devoid of all processed foods and you are consistently eating clean. Then start slowly, preferably under supervision. Muscles get bigger and stronger from unaccustomed stimuli, so there's no need to try to go too heavy or too hard in the beginning. Once you are able to do so, then it's about listening and making sure you stay within the parameters of what your body is capable of, which will keep expanding the more you train. And you will need to also infuse yourself everyday with an almost unrealistic sense of positivity. There are going to be many hard days ahead and times when you feel like you aren't getting anywhere, but every step counts and never stop making those steps no matter what, and one day, if you stick with it, you will find yourself stronger than before in both body and spirt. Truly wishing you all the best on the Path and know that I am over here cheering you on! Thanks again and Excelsior!!!
@@naturallyintense O my gosh, that is amazing advice!
Some of those things I was already wondering about, but not really sure. You not only gave me great words of wisdom, but some confirmation as well. The part I am most concerned about is the diet as you described. I'm confident that it would be the best route to take, but it's harder than I thought to eat that clean, especially when raising a family with food banks. But I believe that doing the best I can will still be better than nothing and with your advice I have hope that I can build to do even better. Thank you so much for responding to me,
And may God bless you!
It's an honor to be of help, my friend and keep on doing the best you can with what you have and never lose faith that things will get better!!! Wishing you all the best and thanks again!!!
@@naturallyintense thank you brother.
You are truly an inspiration! 😁
You talk about changing the workouts up frequently. Do you log your exercises to track progression or go by feel? I train in a high intensity matter currently but do two sets to complete momentary muscular failure. However, I train with longer rest period by far than you do and I track progression using similar or the same lifts. I've been getting bigger an stronger over time this way, but the way you train is interesting, but I'm wondering how you monitor progression if at all. Thanks and God bless!
Thanks for watching and I tracked everything for about 15 years but after a while it wasn't really necessary and haven't in a very long time. But the results remain whether I tracked or not and since my primary goal was always increasing muscle mass, it didn't make sense to keep doing so. Hope that helps.
Idk about doing different exercises every workout. I think training the same exercises for a period of time and maximizing progressive overload would be more ideal
Which in a way is part of the problem in developing universally effective training programs. There isn't a reliance on what has been shown to work with significant numbers of people and instead it comes down to the individual saying what they think may or may not work. I challenge you to think like a scientist and instead of thinking, conduct an experiment and see if it works. How's that?
@@naturallyintense what are you suggesting exactly? That I go into the gym and do different exercises every workout for each muscle? How would progress be tracked that way? Isn’t over complicating things a sure way to spin you wheels??
@@joshmontgomery9942 Take some time and look at my work and go from there. And never make assumptions about protocols without first learning how it's worked for a large number of individuals. There's not that much out there from truly lifetime natural athletes, and while something may sound unconventional, as long as it consistently yields results, the scientific method would necessitate that you seriously consider re-evaluating any idea that what you think works is the only way, or the most effective way. As that you can only truly know after conducting your own long term experiment. Hope that helps.
I have 2 questions:
1. On Back & shoulders, the back muscles should be trained before the shoulders or the other way round.
2. After working out my Arms, do i train the Tricep first or bicep first?
Generally the rule of thumb is where many people say is that we need to workout the larger muscle first. Please clarify
Shoulders are always trained before back muscles, that's a standard and on chest and arms day it's biceps first then triceps as you need few minutes to be able to hit your triceps after a hard chest workout. These are my observations for optimal results over the course of three decades consistently for myself and my clients over the years. Hope that helps.
@@naturallyintense Yes Sir thank you so much for clarifying.
Would you consider it beneficial to have very little bodyfat, e.g. 8%, when trying to gain muscle?
It depends. If you are in a state of what I call comfortable equilibrium and aren't severely dieting to maintain that percentage then absolutely you can.
So just to confirm - you are not doing three sets to total failure, correct? You’re doing one set maybe a light warm-up high reps, second set a little bit more intensity may be approaching failure and then the third set is all out total failure? Just wanna make sure I understand the level of intensity for the three sets. Thank you.
It's slightly more complex than that as each workout is different and so the number of sets can be less or I could do two sets to complete failure or rarely just one, but quite often it's two warm up sets and one last all out one. Hope that helps.
What if I wanted to do Deadlifts? Would I do those on Leg day or Back day?
I do deadlifts on back day, although I do often incorporate stiff leg deadlifts on leg day.