Most people use HIIT and think it’s good for building muscle. It’s awesome for conditioning, but it’s actually not great for muscle hypertrophy and strength gains.
Rather, HIRT is the better choice. HIRT stands for High Intensity Resistance Training, and it’s basically HIIT with compound lifts and heavy loads.
Key Things You Need To Know!
HIRT (High Intensity Resistance Training)is similar to HIIT but uses heavy resistance training.
HIRT is highly effective at improving muscular strength, endurance, anaerobic conditioning, and work capacity.
Combining the heavy loads with high intensity is uniquely effective at maintaining or even gaining muscle mass while in a cut.
HIRT can be used for trainees wanting to optimize body composition or improve strength and conditioning for performance.
What Is HIRT Training: High Intensity Resistance Training?
Key Things You Need To Know!
HIRT is a method of training that uses planned intervals with resistance exercises and heavier loads (75-90% 1RM)
HIRT is essentially HIIT, but it only uses resistance training.
Minimal Rest means you take only short breaks between sets. This keeps your heart rate up, so you get a cardio workout while you’re lifting weights.
HIRT stands for High-Intensity Resistance Training. It’s essentially HIIT, but it only uses resistance exercises, generally free weights.
How Do You Perform HIRT?
HIRT generally uses larger, compound movements with heavier loads (80-90% 1RM)
Consists of a circuit with 4-6 exercises you usually run through 2-3 times
Uses set interval times (20s work / 40s rest) or prescribed reps and short rest (6 reps with 20s rest)
A typical HIRT session has you doing 4-6 big, multi-joint exercises in a circuit using short rest periods. For example;
Strength Focused HIRT Upper Body Workout
Perform 6 Reps wIth 80% 1RM for each exercise
Rest 30s between exercises
Rest 2:00 between sets
3 cycles
Exercises
Single Dumbbell OHP (Right)
Bentover Row
Bench Press
Dual Dual Dumbbell Pendlay Row
Single Dumbbell OHP (Left)
Conditioning Focused HIRT Full Body Workout
Uses 30s work / 30s rest intervals
Perform reps for the entire work interval
Rest 1:00 between sets
3-5 cycles
Exercises
Chinup
Squats
Dumbbell Push Press
Renegade Row
Lunges
Pushup
Key Performance Benefits of HIRT
Key Things You Need To Know!
Improve cardio and anaerobic conditioning
Increase work capacity
Increase muscle endurance
Improve body composition
Increase muscle mass and strength
One of the biggest misconceptions about HIIT is that it’s great for building muscle mass and strength. However, HIIT tends to use cardio exercise or light weight with resistance training.
Therefore, we don’t think HIIT is the best choice for muscle hypertrophy and strength. But HIRT might be, at least when choosing high-intensity training modalities.
Since HIRT is a mix between strength training and cardio, you’re going to improve both. However, you’ll fall in the middle rather than optimizing either.
Instead, you get benefits that neither pure strength training nor endurance training can give you.
So while increases in mass and strength are seen in studies, we feel HIRT shouldn’t be looked at as a “hypertrophy and strength modality” but rather an anaerobic conditioning tool.
1. Improves Cardio and Anaerobic Conditioning: Unlike HIIT, which is mostly cardio, HIRT is all about lifting heavy. This makes it much better for building muscle.
2. Can Preserve and Possibly Build Muscle: While it shouldn’t be your primary pick for muscle hypertrophy, HIRT is an effective and time-efficient method for building muscle with less time commitment (Zhang et al., 2025).
More importantly, it can preserve muscle mass and strength during a cut.
3. Great for Fat Loss and Improving Body Composition: Because you’re using heavy exercises and working at a high intensity, HIRT can result in a big calorie burn. Add that to its positive effect on muscle mass, and HIRT is awesome for improving body composition (Moro et al 2020).
4. Time-Efficient: HIRT is a great option for someone who wants to train but is short on time.
Various research shows that it is a time-efficient alternative to traditional training and can remove any barrier of time (Paoli et al., 2012).
HIRT Vs. HIIT Vs Circuit Training: What’s Better?
Key Things You Need To Know!
HIRT is primarily focused on improving anaerobic conditioning, work capacity, as well as giving strength and hypertrophy gains
HIIT is primarily focused on improving VO2max and cardio
Circuit training is primarily used to do a lot of exercises fast to decrease training time while adding some cardio to a workout.
HIRT, HIIT, and circuit training can look very similar at first glance; so what’s different?
We’re going through a brief summary of the three high-intensity training styles. Keep in mind we’re comparing the “real” versions and their original purpose.
HIRT (High-Intensity Resistance Training)
Type of Exercises Used: Large, compound resistance movements
Number of Exercises Per Round: 3-4 (occasionally up to 5)
Load / Intensity Used: Moderate to heavy loads (typically ~60–80% 1RM)
Work / Rest Intervals: Short work bouts (20–30 sec or ~6–10 reps) with brief rest (20–30 sec), between rounds
Total Number Of Rounds: 2-3
Primary Goal / Purpose: To maximize anaerobic conditioning, strength endurance, and increase work capacity. It can preserve muscle mass during cuts and may build muscle with the right variables.
HIRT is a resistance-based conditioning method that uses moderate to heavy loads performed in sequence with short rest periods or intervals. It prioritizes compound movements to maintain force production while accumulating fatigue across sets.
This increases the total amount of high-effort work you can perform while fatigued. As a result, HIRT is effective for improving work capacity and the ability to sustain repeated high-force efforts.
HIIT Training (High Intensity Interval Training)
Type of Exercises Used: Simple, high-output modalities that are usually cardio-based (sprinting, cycling, rowing, sled work).
Number of Exercises Per Round: 1, sometimes 2
Load / Intensity Used: Effort-driven, near-maximal output (load is not the primary variable)
Work / Rest Intervals: Short, intense intervals (10–60 sec) with incomplete recovery (commonly 1:1 or 1:2 ratios)
Total Number Of Rounds: 3-5
Primary Goal / Purpose: Maximize cardiovascular output and anaerobic conditioning in minimal time. Can offer muscle preservation benefits during cuts
HIIT is a form of conditioning that typically uses cardio exercises and alternates between maximal effort intervals and short rests. The rest time provided is not complete recovery, but it is enough to let you keep working.
This creates a great metabolic demand by extending the total time spent working at very high intensity. As a result, HIIT is highly effective for improving VO2 max, anaerobic capacity, and overall conditioning.
Circuit Training
Type of Exercises Used: Mix of resistance, accessory, and bodyweight movements (often includes core)
Number of Exercises: 5–10 per circuit
Load / Intensity Used: Light to moderate loads or bodyweight, perform a prescribed number of reps.
Work / Rest Intervals: Continuous movement with little to no rest between exercises; longer rest between rounds if used
Total Number Of Rounds: 1-3 (depends on number of exercises)
Primary Goal / Purpose: Improve general fitness and muscular endurance through continuous movement
Circuit training is a form of continuous training that uses multiple exercises performed back-to-back with minimal rest. The transitions are quick, allowing you to keep moving without full recovery.
Circuits are generally organized to target different muscle groups, with the focus not on building fatigue or hitting failure. Rather, it allows you to complete numerous exercises in a short time.
As a result, circuit training is effective for improving general conditioning and sustained effort capacity.
HIRT Vs. HIIT: What’s Different?
HIRT and HIIT can be thought of as high-intensity training with strength exercises or high-intensity training with cardio. The formats can be relatively similar except for the exercise.
Therefore, the primary difference is the modalities used to produce different outcomes.
HIRT Training: To improve anaerobic conditioning, work capacity, and strength endurance
HIIT Training: To improve your cardio and VO2max
HIRT Vs Circuit Training: What’s Different?
HIRT and Circuit training can look quite similar as they both use multiple strength exercises in a circuit with little rest. However, there are some significant differences.
HIRT uses heavy loads and big compound exercises, while circuit training tends to use smaller accessory work (curls, body squats, cable exercises, or core training).
HIRT, and even HIIT, are designed to accumulate fatigue while still allowing work to continue, forcing the body to keep working while tired.
On the other hand, circuit training seeks to minimize fatigue and interference with exercises through strategic exercise order. A good way to think about circuit training is a long super set.
Final Say: Who Should Use HIRT Training?
Anyone can use HIRT in their programs. In fact, everyone should at some point!
With that said, here are some specific situations in which this should occur.
General lifters or functional athletes who want to train all aspects of fitness
Strength athletes who are in a conditioning block or can replace a strength session
Anyone who wants to lose weight and burn fat while optimizing muscle mass and strength
The one variable that is most often missing from a trainer’s overall program is anaerobic conditioning with weights. While HIIT is anaerobic conditioning, using weights is a different stimulus with its unique benefits.
That’s why we just released a unique High-Intensity Fat Loss system that pairs minimal strength training with both HIRT and HIIIT for maximal weight loss and body composition improvement.
Check it out here! SFS High Intensity Fat Loss (HIIT + HIRT)
FAQ: What Is HIRT (High Intensity Resistance Training)?
1. What is HIRT (High Intensity Resistance Training)?
HIRT is a training method that combines resistance exercises with short rest periods to maintain high output across multiple sets. It uses moderate to heavy loads performed in sequence to improve strength endurance, work capacity, and overall conditioning.
2. Is HIRT the same as HIIT?
No. HIRT uses loaded resistance exercises performed for reps, while HIIT uses short bursts of maximal effort, typically with cardio-based movements. HIRT is driven by force output and load, whereas HIIT is driven by speed, power, and incomplete recovery.
3. Can HIRT build muscle and strength?
HIRT can support muscle growth and strength by allowing repeated high-effort sets with moderate to heavy loads. It is most effective when combined with progressive overload and traditional resistance training principles.
4. What exercises are used in HIRT workouts?
HIRT primarily uses compound movements such as squats, presses, rows, deadlifts, and loaded carries. These exercises allow for higher output and greater total work compared to smaller isolation movements.
5. How long should a HIRT workout be?
Most HIRT workouts last between 20 and 40 minutes. The duration depends on exercise selection, load, and rest periods, but the focus is on maintaining consistent output rather than extending total workout time.
References
Charles, T., Snodgrass, S. J., Davidson, S. R. E., & Williams, C. M. (2022). The impact of high intensity resistance training on low back pain disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25(S1), S22–S23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2022.09.157
Moro, T., Marcolin, G., Bianco, A., Bolzetta, F., Berton, L., Sergi, G., & Paoli, A. (2020). Effects of 6 Weeks of Traditional Resistance Training or High Intensity Interval Resistance Training on Body Composition, Aerobic Power and Strength in Healthy Young Subjects: A Randomized Parallel Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11), 4093. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17114093
Paoli, A., Moro, T., Marcolin, G., Neri, M., Bianco, A., Palma, A., & Grimaldi, K. (2012). High-Intensity Interval Resistance Training (HIRT) influences resting energy expenditure and respiratory ratio in non-dieting individuals. Journal of translational medicine, 10, 237. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5876-10-237
Zhang J, Chang H, Cui H and Chen B (2025) Comparative analysis of high-intensity resistance training and blood flow restriction training on enhancing upper limb muscle strength and mass. Front. Physiol. 16:1568616. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1568616
