The HIRT Workout - All You Need to Know

By MuscleTech Strength Coach John Porter Jr.

Question anyone in the gym if they’ve heard of H.I.I.T. (High-Intensity Interval Training) and 98% of the people you ask will have heard of it, or are even in the midst of doing it. I get it: It works.

Depending upon the design of the H.I.I.T. workout, it is an unrelenting barrage of stress on the body – especially the heart & lungs. It can also feature exercises that will garner attention; some positive, and some negative – but attention, nonetheless. When it’s all said and done, you will have the level of endurance and stamina only dreams are made of. 

But what if we can make it better?  What if there is something out there that can give you all the benefits of H.I.I.T. but also lean, functional, and strong muscle that can help you live a better quality of life? What if there is a system that’ll engineer your muscle to burn calories for you all day long thus accelerating your aesthetic goals?

Let me introduce a term many do not know about: H.I.R.T. Which stands for High Intensity Resistance Training.

It is a system that involves strength exercises performed at high intensity at short intervals. The intervals can be for time, or for reps. Once the goal rep or time is achieved, there’s a rest period which also serves as an opportunity to rotate to the next exercise.

Because of the nature of H.I.R.T workouts and the immense stress they can place on the body, it’s recommended that they be designed as a total body program. One “could,” program a H.I.R.T. for one muscle group but the impact could prove to be too much.

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I come in contact with a lot of clients/athletes that simply don’t have enough time to dedicate to a full-blown training program that has a 90 minute duration on average.  Including a proper warm-up and cooldown, using this system can trim down the total duration to 30-45 minutes.

This is a game changer for the busy professional or busy parent that has fitness goals and needs something to enhance their workout experience without taking precious time away from their respective responsibilities.

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Long story short, strength training causes micro-tears in your muscles. For the muscles to grow, get strong, and improve their overall performance they will require repair (through proper nutrition & rest).

More muscle means your metabolism will rise, which will accelerate fat loss and aesthetic changes (if that’s a goal).

Introducing the body to high-intensity efforts will cause your cardiorespiratory system to improve in function.  You will be able to remain in a state which will allow you to perform longer.

You will also develop the ability to buffer lactic acid; the burning sensation when the body isn’t able to provide enough oxygenated blood to working muscles thus creating a hypoxic result.

H.I.I.T. tends to feature plyometric exercises that the body is ill equipped to support. I’ve seen plenty of people injure themselves trying to emulate an exercise that can yield a high calorie expenditure.

Replacing that plyo exercise with something that is low impact yet taxing to the body like Dumbbell Thrusters can only benefit the participant.

If you are a person that gets bored easy then H.I.R.T. can work. One can program 2-3 different H.I.R.T. workouts and alternate them as they see fit so that boredom is kept at a minimum.

Here’s an 8-week H.I.R.T. workout program you can try that I’m sure will take your results to the next level.

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The beauty of High-Intensity Resistance Training (HIRT) lies in its versatility. You have complete freedom to design your workout, as long as you keep the intensity high and rest times short. You can incorporate any resistance training equipment you have available, such as dumbbells, barbells, weights, fixed bars, cables, suspension training kits, or even cardio conditioning tools like kettlebells.

High-Intensity Resistance Training is perfect for full-body sessions or an upper/lower split. Avoid single body part splits, as dedicating an entire HIRT session to just shoulders, for example, can be quite grueling.

To maximize the effectiveness of HIRT, focus on working hard and take advantage of the opportunity to switch between upper and lower body exercises, push and pull movements, presses, rows, and major leg exercises. This approach ensures a comprehensive and efficient workout.

1. Plan Ahead: Before starting your HIRT session at home, ensure you have a clear plan. You won't have time to pause and figure out what's next, so write out your session in detail.

2. Stay Focused: Your only task is to follow through with your planned workout.

3. Choose Your Exercises Wisely: Opt for pairs of exercises to superset or create circuits with four or more exercises, and perform them consecutively without rest.

4. Optimal Rep Range: Aim for 8-15 reps per set. This range balances intensity, load, and volume effectively.

5. Work Hard and Rest: Push through each superset or circuit, then take a 60-second break after each set. Each block of work should last around 10 minutes, with the entire HIRT workout spanning 30-45 minutes.

6. Equip Yourself: A high-quality set of dumbbells is perfect for home HIRT workouts. Our urethane-encased dumbbells are ideal—they're durable and safe for quick transitions between exercises, and they won't cause damage if dropped.

If you're looking for a way to take your fitness routine to the next level, try incorporating H.I.R.T. into your regimen. This 8-week H.I.R.T. workout program can help you achieve remarkable results, enhancing your strength, endurance, and overall fitness. Give it a try and experience the benefits for yourself!