Heavy Obligation, Blood and Guts & DoggCrapp
Excessive-Depth Coaching (HIT) has been producing debate for many years, however has now overflowed into the mainstream. Conventional bodybuilding has all the time emphasised quantity for constructing muscle; raise extra = develop extra.
Nonetheless, HIT coaching challenges this by emphasizing depth over quantity, resulting in shorter but brutal classes. Of all of the HIT lifters through the years, 3 stand out—Mike Mentzer with Heavy Obligation, Yates with Blood and Guts, and Trudel with DoggCrapp.
Specifics of their coaching fluctuate, however all of them preach depth of effort as the important thing driver of muscle progress. Understanding their variations might help you perceive the philosophy and how one can modify HIT coaching for you, or simply do theirs!
Key Rules You Want To Know!
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What Is HIT Coaching?
Excessive-Depth Coaching (HIT) is a bodybuilding methodology based mostly across the concept of utilizing very excessive depth with minimal quantity. Lifters usually use simply 1-set however convey it previous failure.
Proponents consider this ultra-high depth is the first stimulus for muscle hypertrophy. In truth, they consider that extra units solely improve fatigue and restoration calls for with out producing extra progress.
What Is The HIT Coaching Philosophy?
It is necessary to comprehend that HIT will not be a selected protocol however a philosophy of coaching. This means it has core central tenets that completely different figures interpret otherwise relying on their wants.
The foundational guidelines of HIT embrace:
- Very low quantity: Typically one working set per train.
- Most effort: Units taken to absolute, technical failure; normally previous.
- Gradual, managed execution: Eliminating momentum to extend muscular rigidity.
- Excessive restoration emphasis: Decrease frequency, extra relaxation days, and an aggressive give attention to sleep and diet.
- Train choice: Emphasize compound movements to hit extra muscle mass with better load.
- Heavy masses: Often use heavier masses (6-8 reps) than mainstream bodybuilding (particularly Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates)
- Progressive overload: Monitoring efficiency within the logbook and enhancing persistently.
Briefly, the overarching methodology of HIT is: Excessive Depth, Low Quantity, Maximize Restoration.
Mike Mentzer: Heavy Obligation Coaching
Studying the unique idea from Arthur Jones of Nautilus, Mike Mentzer is the figure most related to HIT.
Calling his model of HIT, “Heavy Obligation”. It took the low-volume rules to the intense with an obsessive emphasis on failure and restoration.
Mentzer believed the most important mistake lifters make is coaching too lengthy and too usually. His answer was quick exercises, lengthy relaxation intervals, and brutally intense units.
What Is Heavy Obligation Coaching
Heavy Obligation coaching is the model of HIT coaching created by Mike Mentzer. It emphasizes very low quantity, very excessive depth, and fewer coaching frequency to maximise restoration.
1. One All-Out Set Is Sufficient
Mentzer argued that after the muscle reaches momentary failure, the expansion stimulus is full. Any extra work solely delays restoration.
This meant that he often used 1 set per exercise. Heavy Obligation classes had been usually 30–45 minutes and contained as few as 3–5 complete working units.
2. Low Frequency and Full Restoration
In contrast to fashionable routines that hit every muscle twice weekly, Heavy Obligation educated every muscle each 5–10 days; that is usually lower than as soon as per week.
Mentzer believed restoration, not the exercise, was the limiting issue for progress. Due to this fact, for those who shorted restoration, you shorted progress.
Of the three coaching types on this article, Heavy Obligation is farthest from fashionable tips of hitting a muscle twice per week with 10-20 weekly units (Schoenfeld et al., 2016; Schoenfeld et al., 2017)
3. Extremely-Strict Execution
Reps had been all the time carried out with gradual and managed actions to take away momentum. Mentzer deliberately increased time under tension to make sure most stimulation with minimal units.
This is in nice distinction to the philosophy of “transfer huge weight” that many lifters have, then and now.
4. Excessive-Depth Methods
Pressured reps, negatives, pre-exhaustion, and rest-pause had been important to his coaching. The only working set was usually so demanding that it required longer relaxation intervals earlier than shifting to the subsequent train.
5. Logbook Development
Each exercise demanded a measurable enchancment: more reps, more load, or slower execution. If development stalled, the answer was usually much less coaching and extra restoration.
How Heavy Obligation Trains
A typical Heavy Obligation makes use of a physique half break up with 3-4 workout routines complete. Every train makes use of one working set and is taken to failure.
Exercise A – Chest & Again
- Pec Deck → Bench Press (pre-exhaust superset)
- Pulldown or Pull-up
- Barbell or Machine Row
Relaxation 4–7 days earlier than subsequent exercise
Exercise B – Legs
- Leg Extension → Squat or Leg Press (pre-exhaust)
- Leg Curl
- Standing Calf Increase
Relaxation 4–7 days
Exercise C – Shoulders & Arms
- Lateral Increase → Overhead Press
- Barbell Curl
- Triceps Pressdown or Dips
Heavy Obligation is efficient for lifters who can push to legit failure, get better slowly, or have restricted time.
Its weak point is that extraordinarily low frequency is probably not superb for a lot of lifters, and the demand for true failure is larger than most notice.
Dorian Yates: Blood and Guts
Dorian Yates was closely influenced by Mentzer’s HIT framework. Nonetheless, he tailored it right into a extra sensible bodybuilding system.
Generally known as Blood and Guts, Dorian Yates’ style of HIT training is extra reasonable in quantity in comparison with Heavy Obligation, but nonetheless low in comparison with conventional prescription (6-8 weekly units vs. 10-20 weekly units).
Nonetheless, it nonetheless practices excessive depth.
Yates believed you did not want many units, however the units you do carry out have to be brutally exhausting. He constructed his six Mr. Olympia titles on this precise method.
What Is Blood And Guts Coaching?
Blood and Guts Coaching is the model of HIT coaching created by Dorian Yates. It emphasizes single, all-out units per train whereas utilizing a number of workout routines in a session to coach a muscle as soon as per week.
1. One Working Set Per Train
Like Mentzer, Yates carried out a number of warm-ups however normally one true working set; he did generally carry out two. His classes usually included extra workout routines per physique half than Mentzer’s minimalist method.
2. Greater Quantity Than Heavy Obligation
The place Mentzer may use 2–3 workout routines for a muscle, Yates usually might have used 4-8, every with one all-out set. This preserved the low-volume spirit whereas making certain full muscle protection.
It is necessary to level out Yate’s separated physique components. So once we say he educated again with 8 units, he may say he educated decrease again with 2 units, rear delts with 2 units, and the foremost again with 4 units.
For instance, throughout his Mr. Olympia reign, Yates’ Again and Rear delt day included;
- Hammer Power Pulldown
- Barbell Rows
- One-Arm Hammer Power Rows
- Cable Rows
- Rear-Delt Hammer Power
- Bentover Dumbbell Raises
- Hyper Extension
- Deadlift
This equates to coaching every physique half with round 6-8 working units per week. Of the three HIT coaching types on this checklist, that is extra according to fashionable tips. New analysis really suggests 5-10 working units per week are most effective, delivering probably the most outcomes per set (Pelland et. al, 2025)
3. Greater Coaching Frequency
Yates educated every muscle roughly as soon as each 5–7 days, extra often than Mentzer. His break up resembled a conventional bodybuilding routine adjusted for HIT rules.
4. Managed, Highly effective Reps
Reps had been explosive on the concentric, managed on the eccentric. Yates emphasised technical failure—not sloppy, grinding reps.
5. Use of Intensifiers
Yates commonly used:
- Pressured reps
- Negatives
- Relaxation-pause
- Partial reps
He not often stopped at easy failure. His objective was to recruit and exhaust the highest-threshold motor models obtainable.
How To Use Blood and Guts Coaching?
Blood and Guts usually makes use of a physique break up of some type whereas hitting the fitness center 3-4 occasions per week. Check out this article for a full, detailed look at Dorian’s full program!
A Yates-style again thickness session may appear to be:
- Hammer row: 1 set to failure
- Barbell row: 1 set to failure
- Deadlift or rack pull: 1 to failure
- Machine row: 1 set to failure
Or chest:
- Incline barbell: 1 set to failure
- Chest press machine: 1 set to failure
- Incline dumbbell flyes: 1 set to failure
- Cable crossover: 1 set to failure
Extra workout routines however low complete working units. In a manner, Blood and Guts can look just like a conventional bodybuilding program, besides you solely use one all-out set per train.
Blood and Guts is well-suited to lifters who get pleasure from compound actions, need clear construction, and like the intensity-first method with out Mentzer’s excessive frequency reductions.
Dante Trudel: DoggCrapp Coaching
Dante Trudel’s DoggCrapp (DC) Coaching is usually lumped into HIT, nevertheless it’s really a hybrid system. We’re mentioning it as a result of it is a distinctive method that also focuses on HIT methodology.
It makes use of the HIT rules of excessive depth and low units throughout classes. Nonetheless,
- Makes use of the next coaching frequency, hitting a muscle 2-3 occasions per week.
- Whereas different types of HIT use rest-pause units as an possibility, it is the first set intensifier in DC coaching.
- Makes use of a type of periodization referred to as blasting and cruising.
DC is without doubt one of the most progression-driven hypertrophy systems ever created. It is also not designed for novices, as Trudel meant it for superior lifters who perceive bodybuilding fundamentals.
What Is DoggCrapp Coaching
DoggCrap Coaching is a model of HIT created by Dante Trudel. It emphasizes high-intensity with low quantity, train variation, and fixed progressive overload.
1. Relaxation-Pause Because the Major Set Construction
DC’s signature ingredient is the rest-pause set:
- 6–8 reps to failure
- 15 deep breaths
- 2–4 extra reps
- 15 breaths
- 1–3 extra reps
- Gradual, managed destructive
With rest-pause, one set is definitely the amount of two intense straight units compacted. This produces excessive depth with minimal time.
2. Excessive Frequency With Rotating Workouts
In contrast to Mentzer or Yates, DC trains each muscle greater than as soon as per week (3 occasions each 2 weeks) utilizing rotating train choices.
As well as, every muscle makes use of three workout routines it rotates via every session. This permits;
- Excessive frequency
- Mitigates extreme joint stress
- Reduces stagnation or boredom
- Makes use of train variation for fuller muscle progress (really proven by science!) (Baz-Valle et. al, 2019)
3. Excessive Loaded Stretching
DC consists of “excessive” 60–90-second weighted stretches for every muscle instantly post-set.
Trudel believed this could;
- Broaden fascia
- Enhance nutrient supply
- Elevated progress indicators.
Whatever the mechanisms, his stretching was notoriously painful.
4. “Beat the Logbook” Development
Progression is everything. If an train stalls for a number of rotations, it is changed. This creates built-in periodization and prevents stagnation.
5. Blast and Cruise Cycles
DC is run utilizing a type of periodization known as “Blast and Cruise”. These cycles primarily work as exhausting coaching and deload weeks.
- Blast: 6–12 weeks pushing rest-pause depth aggressively.
- Cruise: 1–2 weeks with lowered depth to forestall overuse and systemic burnout.
How DoggCrapp Trains
DC coaching has a complete of 6 completely different exercises which might be rotated via.
- “A” Exercises: Chest, shoulders, triceps, again.
- “B“ Exercises: Biceps, forearms, quads, hamstrings, calves.
- “1, 2, 3“ Exercises: Every quantity features a completely different train for that muscle
- A1, B1, A2, B2, A3, B3
Due to this fact, weekly coaching appeared like this;
- Week 1: A1, B1, A2
- Week 2: B2, A3, B3
- Week 3: A1, B1, A2
You then all the time carry out progressive overload. If you happen to stall on an train for two classes, you swap in a brand new train.
DC is right for superior lifters preferring a structured system with selection. As you employ very excessive depth and prepare a muscle greater than as soon as per week, it’s good to guarantee you could have the restoration means.
Remaining Ideas
HIT is getting quite a lot of consideration nowadays, and most conversations are: “Is it good or dangerous?“
Coaching not often works on such a binary system. On the similar time, there’s a lot of selection inside HIT coaching. Even for those who do not undertake a full HIT coaching program, studying and utilizing completely different strategies is all the time a plus and can profit your coaching.
You possibly can study the basics, then use or tweak elements which may be just right for you. As we noticed above, Mentzer, Yates, and DC all used the basics of HIT however altered the specifics for their very own model of coaching. You possibly can too.
References
- Baz-Valle, E., Schoenfeld, B. J., Torres-Unda, J., Santos-Concejero, J., & Balsalobre-Fernández, C. (2019). The consequences of train variation in muscle thickness, maximal power and motivation in resistance educated males. PloS one, 14(12), e0226989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226989
- Pelland, J. C., Remmert, J. F., Robinson, Z. P., Hinson, S. L., & Zourdos, M. C. (2025). The resistance coaching dose response: Meta-regressions exploring the consequences of weekly quantity and frequency on muscle hypertrophy and power good points. Sports activities Medication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02344-w
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2016). Results of resistance coaching frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A scientific assessment and meta-analysis. Sports activities Medication, 46(11), 1689–1697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance coaching quantity and will increase in muscle mass: A scientific assessment and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports activities Sciences, 35(11), 1073–1082. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197
