"HIT is largely discredited in strength training circles. I think it's still used for bodybuilders though"
I tend to agree. HIT (and other regimes that use supersets by maxing out then stripping weight and immediately maxing out again) will tax your muscles and make your muscles grow, however functional strength also requires strengthening your tendons and ligaments which are not stressed at all by light weights. Besides the look, what good are big muscles that can't be used? Just look at the world strongest man competition on ESPN some time. While all those guys are big, most are not as "muscular" as bodybuilders and yet are easily twice as powerful. Power does not equal strength does not equal massive muscles.
Stephen
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