HIT3 Training at Home: 8 Week Muscle-Building Program

Whether it’s by choice or by factors outside of their control, some fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders have started training at home. Because of this, it could be considered more challenging to get a quality workout in. Some of the popular programs out there aren’t designed for home gym warriors.

Fortunately, there is at least one program that takes this into consideration. Last month, M&S shared a training program called HIT3, which was created by former bodybuilder John Robert Cardillo. The high-intensity principles of that program, combined with the minimal rest periods, provide a challenge that many programs don’t.

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For those of you that can’t make it to the gym to try Cardillo’s HIT3 for yourself, don’t lose hope. You too can feel the benefits (and pain) of this program. This is the home gym version. These exercises can all be performed with basic equipment in a home gym setting.

As a matter of fact, folks training in their own weight rooms could actually have an advantage over gym people. People training in gyms could be at the mercy of others using the desired equipment. People training at home have 100% control of their equipment. That means no waiting, no making quick changes, and you can plan the workout without any other outside factors.

About HIT3

If you didn’t see the gym version of this program, you can check it out here. Cardillo’s philosophy is that you should reach failure three times in one set. The first is positive failure, which means you can’t perform another rep with proper form. The second is negative failure. So you wouldn’t be able to control the lowering of the weight. The final phase is known as static failure. With assistance, you return the weight to the contracted position and hold it as long as you can. You get one working set per exercise, and the only rest you get is when you change from one movement immediately to the next, and one minute of rest in between muscle groups.

The workouts are broken down into three days over the course of a week. At least one day off in between workouts is recommended by Cardillo so you have enough time to rest and recover.

• Workout 1 – Chest, Front Delts, Side Delts, Triceps
• Workout 2 – Lower Back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Calves
• Workout 3 – Lats, Rear Delts, Traps, Biceps, Abs

Home Gym Compromise

If you’re able to train at home with a partner, then you should try to follow those guidelines as best as you can. However, many people train alone in their weight rooms. If this applies to you, then your goal should be to reach positive failure only. Don’t cheat the reps for the purpose of doing negatives. It won’t be as beneficial and could actually increase the risk of injury.

Here’s an extra tip for those of you that can control the settings that you train in. Set everything up before you start the workout. That way, the transitions from one exercise to the next are absolutely minimal. Remember, unlike the gym people, you have the freedom to use whatever you want since you own it.

Use whatever weights or equipment you have access to, and make the sets as challenging as possible. Positive failure within the specified rep range should be the goal. If you don’t have the equipment for these exercises, throw in the substitutions that you can do and that you feel would be best.

Also, if you have more equipment than what is available here, and you feel that you could make this workout more challenging, then by all means please do.

Workout Schedule

A minimum of one day off after this workout is recommended, and two may be better. During that time, focus on eating quality food and getting plenty of rest. A sample schedule of this workout is:

• Monday - Workout 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
• Tuesday - Rest
• Wednesday - Workout 2: Lower Back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Calves
• Thursday - Rest
• Friday - Rest
• Saturday - Workout 3: Upper Back, Rear Delts, Traps, Biceps, Forearms, Abs
• Sunday - Rest

Related: Rest Day Strategies: Active Recovery vs. Passive Recovery

Workout 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps Workout

Like the gym version of this program, the workouts will begin with isolation movements to pre-exhaust the primary muscle group before multi-joint, compound movements are added to the equation. Focus on proper form with each rep and focus on the working muscle as much as possible. That mind-muscle connection is vital.

Workout 2: Lower Back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Calves

These are a lot of exercises but remember you’re only doing one set of each. Since you only have one shot at them, make them meaningful and beneficial. Cardillo’s sequence here is designed with the intention of working the posterior chain as effectively as possible. That means starting at the top with the lower back and working down. He also placed hamstrings before quadriceps so the back of the thighs can grow in proportion with the front. Too many trainees place too much emphasis on the quads and throw in leg curls at the end. This prevents that.

Workout 3: Upper Back, Rear Delts, Traps, Biceps, Forearms, Abs

This day will focus heavily on the pulling muscle groups as well as the forearms. If you don’t have a pullup bar, get bands and perform pulldowns. If you do have a pullup bar but are unable to perform full reps with your bodyweight, connect the bands to the bar and use them as assistants. If you get stronger at pullups, your back is sure to grow. All of the other exercises here should be executed as they normally would be.

Rest, Recovery, and Nutrition

Once the sessions are over, you’re going to very likely be sore. However, many people will try to push through and train again. Don’t do this. As admirable as it may be to carry on, the rest is actually a part of the muscle-building game here. That time to recover is crucial. Recovery tactics such as stretching and massaging should be used when possible. Getting proper sleep is essential as well.

Finally, focus as hard on what you’re eating as you do on how you’re training. Drink plenty of water every day (most people should focus on having a gallon), and keep that menu high in protein to support those muscle-building efforts. Whichever nutrition program you are following likely has its own guidelines around carbs and fats, but make sure the protein is there. Many people can benefit from having one gram per pound of bodyweight.