In that kind of a case the best thing that can happen would be that you merely wouldnt make any progress; youd just spin your wheels. 1979 IFBB Night of Champions 3rd Mike-Mentzer.com (Drew Baye) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees to support this site by linking to Mike Mentzers books on Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Here is Mike Mentzer's shoulder routine: 1. In the summer of 1979, if you had viewed an upstart, 27-year-old philosopher and former pre-med student with the alliterative name Mike Mentzer as he prepared to make his Olympia debut by trading sets with his youngest brother Ray (who won that year's Mr. America), it would've looked like some sort of madness. Mike Mentzer (1951-2001) was a brilliant professional American bodybuilder, businessman and fitness writer. Jones also had many devout followers over the years including the legendary yet controversial Mike Mentzer. This would require a weight that would take you to failure in between 6 and 9 reps. Then, once you hit failure, keep going. We offer the following story as a means of paying tribute to the passing of a forceful and enigmatic individual who has surely attained the status of bodybuilding icon. It struck me that Mike had been the only high-intensity advocate who actually broke with Arthur Jones on the point of employing a split routine. [1] He appears in the music video for the Nantucket's cover of "It's a Long Way to the Top". On this shoulder routine, he hits a total of 6 different exercises. Bent over dumbbell raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 4. Mike Mentzer was an American bodybuilder who was born on November 15, 1951. Mike Mentzer (Photos via Instagram) While he stopped competing at a relatively young age, IFBB Hall of Famer Mike Mentzer has long been looked at as a pioneer and intelligent figure in the world of bodybuilding. Dumbbell Laterals 2 x 6-8. Most bodybuilding and weightlifting authorities do not take into account the severe nature of the stress imposed by heavy, strenuous resistance exercise carried to the point of positive muscular failure.[8]. In his last interview before his death, Mentzer said he was delighted to get so many phone clients and close personal bodybuilding friends, such as Markus Reinhardt, who had been influenced by him to become Objectivists. 2. I wanna see the positive people and the negatives, Ive been following HIIT training for alittle now and im seeing GREAT gains, Legs are up and chest. Many thanks for your updates! Emmy has a big passion for helping others and motivating people. And finally, there are some genetics that can contribute to your shoulder size. Great profile! He wrote that he was falling short of top spot so decided to give it up. Jones was an accomplished trainer, and inventor of many of the early exercise machines he began training Mike, firmly believing in the teens potential. Mike Mentzer Trains Marcus Reinhardt's Shoulders Using Heavy Duty However, Mentzer was just getting warmed up. In 1978, Mentzer won the Mr. Universe in Acapulco, Mexico with the first and only perfect 300 score. Years later, Mike said that his father "unwittingly was inculcating in me an appreciation of capitalism. He did well at school thanks in part to his dad's continued support of his education, who also bought him his first set of dumbbells. Superset (And there is much merit in that approach.) Required fields are marked *. The weightsmoved in a perfectly controlled and slow manner. This training is not for the faint-hearted. All rights reserved. His approach to critical thought, analytical thinking, and knowing there is one truth, all allowed him to buck conventional thought and push onward with his own mental effort. That is, dont train so frequently so that you exceed your bodys ability to overcome the exhaustive effects of exercise and dont have enough recovery ability left over for growth., As always, Mikes words made perfect sense. He was famous for his powerhouse physique and incredible mustache that would make Tom Selleck jealous. And there were times when we skipped even two days in between workouts, 72 hours. Id answer them back. Straight arm pulldown (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 2. According to Iron Man Magazine, Mike Mentzer's workout routine is based on high-intensity training (HIT). Mikes younger brother Ray, who was thewinner of the 1979s Mr. America began receiving kidney dialysis in 1999. I looked my best, but I didnt feel at my best. || The Shoulder Workout ||Mike Mentzer Shoulder Workout Heavy Duty SeriesMISSION: Refine the concepts of Mike Mentzer to grow massive and strong shoulders.TECHNIQUE: First of all you must follow the 4 Rules of the Game in relation to these workouts.The 4 rules include:1. At first he would do Workout 1 on Mondays and Thursdays, and Workout 2 on Tuesdays and Fridays, with . Only now can I appreciate her friendship., John Little was one of the few who didnt approach me on the ignorant assumption that I was a loony or a crazy. John understands quite a bit about the power of ideas and the way they work in the mind. Seated machine press (5 sets, 6-8 reps). Nautilus laterals 2 x 6-8 Squats 1 x 6-8 In 1975, he started attending the University of Maryland as a pre-med student where his hours away from the gym were spent in the study of "genetics, physical chemistry, and organic chemistry." Although not formatted exactly as he recommends in the way I present the videos, the information remains relevant and intact. Frank Zane recently made a post about the 1980 Olympia on instagram where he "congratulates" Dumbbell side lateral raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 2. In 1971, Mikewon his first competition, the Mr. Lancaster at the age of 18. Incline presses 1-2 x 6-8 The Mike Mentzer Story Mentzer began lifting when he was only 12 years old, and by the age of 15, he could bench over 350 pounds. workouts. Check out our top rated fat burners to find out what actually works. Mike thought for a moment and raised his ham of an arm to scratch an itch on his opposite shoulder. Mike Mentzer speaking on Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ben Weider, and the 1980 Mr. Olympia Contest: I remember most clearly speaking with Joshua Marshall the day before the show at Paul Graham's gym. Jones used to say that you dont rest each bodypart on different days, so why would you train them on different days? In this book, Mentzer shows why people need to use their reasoning ability to live happy, mature, adult lives, and he shows readers how to go about doing so. What could possibly be better than a well-balanced diet, which covers all of your nutritional needs.. Paul, Mike, and/or Gainers Paradise will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death. Your email address will not be published. Mike Mentzers training style developed from HIT, High-Intensity Training that was founded by Arthur Jones in the 70s. Some time later, Mentzer attracted more attention when he introduced Dorian Yates to high-intensity training, and put him through his first series of workouts in the early '90s. The formula is: brief training, intense training, infrequent training, he said. Plate loaded incline T-bar row (4 sets, 8-12 reps) 4. Press Behind Neck 2 x 6-8. Mike Mentzer believed that natural bodybuilders should introduce long rest periods between training sessions to ensure proper muscle and joint recovery. Mike Mentzer placed 5th. He clearly saw mike doing 4 sets for an exercise, 4 exercises per bodypart pyramiding up the weight in a 10-12, 8-10, 6-8, 4-6 fashion. Workout 2. The routine I followed was the essential basic Heavy Duty routine consisting of four to five sets per bodypart and broken into two workouts, he began. Mentzer came from a well-educated home. He stood only 5'8 yet packed 215 pounds of rock-solid muscle on his frame. Front barbell raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps) 5. Mentzer went on to win that competition the next year, in 1976. Mike Mentzer, legendary IFBB professional bodybuilder, as well as being an author and businessman, loved to do things the way he believed them to be right. Dumbbell side lateral raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps) 2. Bad for metabolism, circad. Mike made sure to train all the shoulder muscles, so they could be viewed from every angle in bodybuilding competitions. Leg curls 2 x 6-8 He became a professional bodybuilder after that 1978 Universe win. These are the top picks from each category, featured on our ranked supplement lists: Mike Mentzer had his first competition in 1969 and a few years later he returned for another contest. He became a professional bodybuilder after that 1978 Universe win. You can do a lot with the correct carb loads and B-Vitamin mix i.e. Later, as his bodybuilding progressed, he would move to take between4-7 days rest in between workouts. that is what I am interested in. Growing muscle takes time. He was very, very concerned, as a friend's concern. Years later when Yates won Joe Weider's "Mr. Olympia", he credited Mike's "Heavy Duty" principles for his training. Nautilus presses 2 x 6-8 I was training on that kind of routine; that is, the full-body, three-days-a-week routine performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, when I was at college, he related. After that I would do one set of squats to positive failure, usually in the neighborhood of 400 to 500 pounds, and then proceed on to leg curls for two sets. Ill post my training routine if asked, Just want to see what others are doing. In the 1980 Mr. Olympia he placed fourth (in a tie with Boyer Coe) behind Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Dickerson and Frank Zane. 1976 IFBB Mr. Universe 2nd (MW) I suggest that anybody who is not familiar with high intensity but wants to try it might start out with that three-days-a-week routine. He has been a life saver for me, from last in my class in high school and 130lbs to 1985 Jr. Mr. Mississippi,1987 Mr. Mississippi,1985 Middle weight Southern Classic,1987 Light Heavy 3rd place Southern Classic,1988 Heavyweight 3rd place Southern Classic, on the same stage with Shawn Ray when he won Nationals,U.S. Leg extensions 1 x 6-8 Heavy Duty II also espouses critical thinking. Lying triceps extensions 2 x 6-8, Back Mentzer's theories are intended to help a drug-free person achieve his or her full genetic potential within the shortest amount of time. He claimedhe needed it for productivity, and didnt use it for recreation. According to him, pro bodybuilders get away with frequent high-volume training thanks to the steroids in their systems. P.S. . In 1971, Mike suffered a severe shoulder injury that puta long-term pauseon histraining. He just scratched the surface with that physique. Single leg hamstring curls (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 5. His triceps, in particular, when viewed from behind, reminded one of two large watermelons hanging out of a T-shirt. Personal Trainer, Researcher, Author, Inventor Gym Owner, Doctor, Physical Therapist, Strength & Conditioning Specialist. Remember to use strict form when doing all of your exercises. Mentzer though, built on this model, opted for a Heavy Duty variation. [4][2], Mike Mentzer was born on November 15, 1951, in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. With the blessing and promotion of Joe Weider, the trio manufactured and distributed their own line of cut-and-sew sportswear. For anyone who wants to know more about Mike Mentzer, his training philosophy or have any questions about their training, please call 310 877-7159. 1977 IFBB North American Championships 1st (MW) That averages 16 extra calories per day, and only four of them needed to be from proteinbecause muscle is 22% protein, about one quarter. 2023 Greatest Physiques. How to take thm, [] how about Mike Mentzer, who was around 215 lbs in this photo; would your 215 lbs look like Mike []. But it was obvious that due to our general exhaustion we hadnt even recovered our overall systems energies and so forth, let alone grown. I need to know the steroid cycle. Was there anything else you did differently with this routine? I asked eagerly. Think about it. Really, the buildup of lactic acid was so quick, so dramatic and so severe that until my body metabolized it, usually about two hours later, I was almost incapacitated. I saw him in person in 1979 in Baton Rouge, at a book signing,The Mentzer Method to Fitness. Mike Mentzer (1951-2001). Thats all correct now! When he signed my book I was in AWE! When he began his 4 year service to theUnited States air force,Mikewas spending 6 days a week in the gym, normally for up to 3 hours at a time. It was during this time he started working out over three hours a day, six days a week. She was his biggest influence. His recommended diets were well balanced, and he espoused eating from all four food groups, totaling four servings each of high-quality grains and fruits, and two each of dairy and protein daily, all year-round. A: Mike J. Mentzer was an IFBB professional bodybuilder, author and personal trainer, that promoted his own version of High Intensity Training which he called Heavy Duty. By age 15, his body weight had reached 165lb (75kg), at which Mike could bench press 370lb (170kg). He was a judges favorite, andmany competitors believed with his new fame he could win purely on popularity. This contest gathered a lot of attention, because at it he became the first bodybuilder ever to receive a perfect 300 score from the judges. The passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable bodybuilder. Mike Mentzer. The workout he proposes and claims allowed one of his clients to go from 160 lbs to 210 lbs in just 3 months (with a total of 12 workouts lasting a mere 2 to 4 minutes each) optimizes recovery days- anywhere between 4 and 7 between workouts.is as follows: workout one: 1. deadlifts. If we had not recovered, then, in fact, there was no way we could have grown from the first workout. If you're a vegetarian who's serious about strength training, you need to know how to optimize your diet to get the best results. 1st exercise: Dumbbell side lateral raise 5 x 8-10. I asked him if he thought that the problem might have been more effectively remedied by simply taking protracted recovery periods in between workouts. If they find its too exhausting, try the four-day. Finally, I asked Mike to summarize his experience for the benefit of all those bodybuilders looking to build mass. He graduated cum laude from Grambling State University in 1984 with a BSc in accounting. Who is Mike Mentzer? Bodybuilder Mike Mentzer thought differently, trained differently, and ate differently, . Mentzer wrote several books about weight training. Barbell upright row (5 sets, 6-8 reps). Here he talks about how he built them. You must approach everything you do within these workouts with 100% intensity. In grammar school and Ephrata High School, he received "all A's", He credits his 12th grade teacher, Elizabeth Schaub, for his "love of language, thought, and writing." In 1971 he suffered his worst defeat, placing 10th at the AAU Mr. America, which was won by Casey Viator. Then I might finish off with two sets of lying triceps extensions. We knew that happened relatively quickly after a workout. All the bodybuilders who trained under Jones watchful tutelage were made to train their whole body at each and every workout, the reasoning being that the body is an interconnected unit and should be treated as such when you exercise it. We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. >Mike Mentzer was a major frickin pussy who gave up after Arnold kicked his. >he wasn't gay) and then died from the steroids he had sucked up in order NOT. He also criticized the teaching of Kantianism in schools and universities and said it's very difficult for an Objectivist philosopher with a PhD to get a job in any of the universities. Mike Mentzer (November 15, 1951 June 10, 2001) was an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, businessman and author. It wasnt the long-term recovery that was required. I was 19 years old,me and 2 friends drove from Carrollton,Ms to Baton Rouge to see him. Arnold Schwarzenegger - He's been named the Austrian Oak, The Terminator,John Matrix, Mr. Barbell forearm curl (5 sets, 10 reps). He described Objectivism as the best philosophy ever devised. He went hard on all sets and on the last set he did forced reps and negatives. He was born on November 15, 1951 in Germantown, Pennsylvania and grew up in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. His first breakthrough became known as the 'Ideal (Principled) Routine', which was a fantastic step in minimal training. High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way (English Edition) eBook : Mentzer, Mike, Little, John R.: Amazon.nl: Kindle Store Mike was seated at his desk, and I was directly across from him on a sofa in the living room when I first asked him about it. For instance, rather than train Monday and Tuesday on a split routine, working half the body on Monday and the other half on Tuesday, I would do the first half of the body on Monday, skip Tuesday to recuperate and then train on Wednesday, rest on Thursday and repeat the cycle again, starting on Friday. Since Mike Mentzer's death, will you be able to continue Mike's legacy and educate people on the subject of High-Intensity Training? Anything less is not optimal.2. To get back in the action, Mike entered1975 IFBB Mr. America to see where he stood. Front barbell raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 5. 1. Your email address will not be published. When Greg asked mike if he'd abandoned hit, mike snapped (Mentzer was an asshole btw) that it was the last set that only counts. However, year also marked his worstdefeat; 10th place at the AAU Mr. America. Capping off the year by winning the heavyweight division of the Mr. Olympia (but not the overall), he emerged as bodybuilding's heir apparent. Arnold, despite breaking formation on several occasions and receiving a warning from the judges placed 1st. And since growth was our primary goal along with getting defined, at that point we realized that it would have been counterproductive, perhaps even harmful, to our progress to have trained before we allowed recovery and growth to take place.. [10], Mentzer believed that carbohydrates should make up the bulk of the caloric intake, 5060%, rather than protein as others preferred. Thank You Mike. Mike being Mike, stayed up late to work on the scripts. Probiotics for gut health and things like avacados really help you max out feeling good for max. Close grip supinated cable pulldown (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 4. On this arm routine, Mentzers would hit a total of 7 different exercises. Mike Mentzer (November 15, 1951 - June 10, 2001) was an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, businessman and author. It can easily be read cover to cover [4] [2] Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Bodybuilding career 2.1 Amateur 2.2 Professional 2.3 Retirement 2.4 Legacy 2.5 Bodybuilding philosophy 2.6 Diet and nutrition 2.7 Mentzer's heavy-duty training system Despite his younger brother insisting he took a break. To stay in shape he opted for thrice weekly workouts with fewer sets, and to compensate for the lesser volume, increased the intensity. Standing barbell curls 1 x 6-8 This training involves short, intense exercises that work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously. 1977 IFBB North American Championships 1st (Overall) [13], While in school, Mentzer's father motivated his academic performance by providing him with various kinds of inducements, from a baseball glove to hard cash. In my opinion, Mike's ideas on bodybuilding were "allowed" to emerge because of his Objectivism. But, after soul searching, hospital visits and a help from a few close friends, he came back. Life isnt without hardships, and no matter how difficult things may seem or how far from the path you have strayed, you can always turn things around. 1. That three-days-a-week program left me so exhausted that when I did another full-body program on Monday, I was so shot afterward that all I could do was go home and sleep for a while.. Mike Mentzer was a complex and gifted man who leaves an indelible mark on the bodybuilding landscape. Mentzer won the Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia titles with perfect 300 scores in 1978 and 1979, respectively. To get started on the proper, methodical path read her books of explicit philosophic essays Philosophy: Who Needs It-- especially the Introduction and the first two chapters and The Romantic Manifesto especially the second chapter, "Philosophy and Sense of Life." There was a strain and tension in the air all the way through.. Mentzerwas 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 225 lbs. Barbell preacher curl (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 7. Then he found he was actually progressing better than before. 1979 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Invitational 2nd No, perhaps not, he said. Two days before the 1980 Olympia tookplace, Mike was revisited by thedeaths door feeling. [4][1], In late 1979, Mentzer won the heavyweight class of the Mr. Olympia, again with a perfect 300 score, but he lost in the overall to Frank Zane who was awarded the title for a third time that year. Superset Wed train on a Monday, then skip Tuesday, skip Wednesday and train Thursday. Train and eat at your own risk. A meeting was called, withmany reports claiminginsults wereexchanged between Mentzer and Schwarzenegger and that a fight nearly broke out. I remember reading the magazines at the time. Check out our guide to protein-rich foods to help you on your way - a completely new fitness level is just around the corner. What to take. One of the greatest of all time in my opinion. In it, he detailed the principles of high intensity weight training. Also make sure to increase the weight in a particular exercise whenever possible. At this point, most of the bodybuilding community turnedits back on Mike. Being out from 1971 through to 1974. Michigan Wolverines . Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a5f3462387f6ffb71229b61eab507bb4" );document.getElementById("de63bbf7bd").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Mike certainly had a great mind for bodybuilding. I learned how to do these things by reading and "digesting" the works of novelist/philosopher, Ayn Rand. He won the 76 Mr. America contest at a bodyweight of 205 pounds while training on such a program, but he didnt stay with it, switching eventually to a split routine performed four days per week. Mikes typical training split would look something like this: Dont underestimate the value of a well-balanced diet. MYM was based on the success of Don Smith's "CrazeeWear" bodybuilding apparel. Theyd send me little pictures of themselves and all types of stuff. Superset 2 Cycles. An early look at key positional battles for Michigan football in 2023. Height: 5'8. From there Mike moved on to the routines advocated in the various muscle magazines that espoused 20-sets-per-bodypart training, even at one time extending that to 40 sets per bodypart. Mentzer learned that Viator trained in very high intensity (heavy weights for as many repetitions as possible, to total muscle fatigue), for very brief (2045 minutes per session) and infrequent training sessions. Mikes forearms rippled as he carefully placed a pen on his desk and answered, That would be back, shoulders and biceps. 3. Mike, his brother Ray, and Dorian formed a clothing company called "MYM" for Mentzer Yates Mentzer, also known as "Heavy Duty Inc", in 1994. It wasn't acquired by Wealthy Gorilla Limited until 2019, and since then both our range of content and our audience have grown significantly. of the popular magazines and workout courses of the '60s all the. It was the essential basic Heavy Duty routine consisting of four to five sets per bodypart and broken into two workouts. Renowned as much for his vocabulary and propensity to quote the philosophy of Aye Rand as he was for the dimensions of his Herculean physique . [8], For more than ten years, Mentzer's Heavy Duty program involved 79 sets per workout on a three-day-per-week schedule. Mentzer was an atheist,[12] and stated in the last interview before his death that he did not believe in God, heaven, hell, or any kind of afterlife. He is a content creator who got famous for his live streaming and gaming tutorial videos for NBA 2K gameplay which he posts on. Has a great fear of ocean swimming because he doesn't "want to become filet mignon for some shark!". We knew that recovery was important in terms of overall, or systemic, recovery. Upright rows 2 x 6-8, Shoulders Mike smiled, knowing that it was the question all aspiring bodybuilders wanted the answer to and, indeed, the very question he himself had posed to his idols, like the great Bill Pearl, when he was starting out in bodybuilding. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All of a sudden it occurred to me that it would be useless to train with anything less than all-out intensity, since that was required to induce maximum growth stimulation. Cable triceps . This was met with anger from many contestants, including Mentzer. Noticing the appreciative stares from envious strangers, and knowing that every time you hit the gym, youre pushing the boundaries of what you once thought was impossible - makes it all worthwhile. Enter Mike Mentzer. Concentration curls 2 x 6-8. 2023 Greatest Physiques. Mentzer began training 3 times a week when he was 15 years old and he could bench press 170 kg back then. Despite being deceased for twenty years, he has an online presence on social media. He began training clients in a near-experimental manner, evaluating the perfect number of repetitions, exercises, and days of rest to achieve maximum benefits. On this back routine, Mentzer hit 5 different exercises. Bent Over . Dips 2 x 6-8, Triceps These exercises target all your major muscles, including your chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs. In his first bodybuilding contest, he met the winner, Casey Viator. Within a few days of leaving thehospital, he approachedGolds Gym, Venice, and convinced them to let him start up as a personal trainer.
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