Dorian Yates' training philosophies were derived from his early idol Mike Mentzer's HIT (High Intensity Training) method. After years of training and experimentation, Dorian concluded that maximum muscle response was possible only with the shock of brief, high intensity training.
The most unique principle in Dorian's "Heavy Duty Training" is the utilization of one working set per exercise. Each body part gets at most two warm-up sets before the single maximum working set. Compound movements involving heavy weight require 3 sets to preserve joint and tendon health.
The one working set should be performed with a weight that induces failure at the target number of reps, using various techniques. For example, quote Dorian:
"It must be stressed that the one final, all-out set I do takes me to the very limit of my capabilities. For example, for chest, one of my preferred movements is the incline barbell press. After two or three warm-up sets of six to 12 reps each, I load up the bar and grind out six reps to failure. Without stopping, my training partner then helps me keep it going with two or three forced reps, again to failure; but the set is still not finished. He'll then assist me with another three or four rest/pause or negative reps, until the bar absolutely will not move."
His single set training method also eliminates the "pacing phenomenon", where the trainer anticipates an entire workout filled with countless sets and does not push to absolute failure.
Another principle in Heavy Duty training is the use of maximum rest time between sets. Dorian firmly believed that in the pursuit of 100% failure in each set, the muscle could not be worked to achieve that level of failure if it wasn't fully recuperated from the prior set. Quote Dorian:
"I perform a set with 100% energy to 100% failure--then beyond, to 100% fatigue--and I won't do another set until I feel that the muscles have recuperated 100%, however long that takes. For example, when I take squats or leg presses to total fatigue, I know from experience that it's likely to be at least five or six minutes before I'll be able to even think about what my address or name is, let alone do another set."
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Dorian adopted an ON / ON / OFF / ON / OFF / ON / OFF schedule to accommodate maximum intensity training for each body part.
The shoulders and triceps were trained together on the first day, being that they were smaller body parts and training them before the following back day would be least abrasive to the nervous system. After training back on the second day, Dorian took a day off before and after his grueling leg days. The cycle would end on a chest day, followed by another rest day before the entire rotation began again.
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HOW TO TRAIN WITH HIGH INTENSITY
1. Train using exercise that best complement your body's structure. The barbell back squat vs. leg press
argument is an example of this consideration.
2. Be in complete control of stretch and contraction of the target muscle throughout the entire range of motion.
This is crucial for Dorian's Heavy Duty training because you will only get one set to take the target muscle
beyond total fatigue. The argument stands that lifting maximum weight only fatigues your coordinated body
strength, without fully fatiguing the traget muscle.
3. Raise intensity with each training cycle. Try to best the previous sessions by one rep, then follow up with
forced reps, negative reps and partial rep.
4. Always be aware of the purpose of intensity over volume. The number of sets and reps should decrease as
you become more proficient in increasing intensity in the movements.
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