Is there anything you would like to add. Mentzer began lifting when he was only 12 years old, and by the age of 15, he could bench over 350 pounds. Mike Mentzer trained with at least one partner (frequently his younger brother, Ray, 1979 Mr. America winner) who spotted him and assisted when he reached failure. Rear-delt rows 2 x 6-8, Biceps However, he is no longer available, and most people have to make do on their own. Mentzer preached high-intensity exercise once a week or once every five to seven days and stressed that 20-30 minutes were ideal for achieving maximum muscle stimulation. Mike Mentzers Heavy Duty training system was a revolution. Over two decades after his passing, Mike Mentzers workout system lives on. On this shoulder routine, he would hit 5 different exercises by doing an average of 5 sets and 10 reps. 1. her boyfriend now has an amazing body. Here are the workouts, each to be performed every other week: Workout 1 Mike Mentzer was a legendary bodybuilder who won the 1978 Mr. Universe, becoming the first bodybuilder ever to get a perfect score from the judges. It was so that his nervous system could repair itself. Dam, it took 16 weeks for you to figure that one out. the results. 1. Rest-Pause After reaching failure, rest for approximately 15 seconds and perform anther rep. Repeat for 2-3 reps. Mentzer had another way of doing a rest-pause set: 4-6 max single reps with a rest of 10-15 seconds between each rep and a 20% reduction of weight near the end in order to get that last rep or two. His father would regularly test and encourage his academic knowledge using many rewards, such as cash to ensure he excelled. I would begin with the largest muscle groupthe backand perform Nautilus pullovers supersetted with close-grip underhand pulldowns. Ali: Since I started 3 months ago I have gained 23 pounds of muscle, I look like document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am a personal trainer and fitness fanatic. And perhaps if ones schedule permitted one to experience that kind of two-hour, incapacitating, exhaustive effect, one might want to do it. The researchers concluded that once a week training with an adequate exercise volume can successfully stimulate muscle growth in younger adults, but older gym goers who want to maintain their muscle mass should stick to longer and more frequent training sessions. For the year between the 1979 and 1980 Mr. Olympias, as high-intensity training (HIT) rode the crest of its foremost adherent, Mike Mentzer, it seemed on the verge of transforming bodybuilding. I plan to carry this out for a minimum of six months or until lack of progress or something unforeseen, such as an injury or illness, takes place. I've used Mike Mentzer's routines with some success in the past (see my previous blog posts about my experience with Mentzer's Perfect Consolidated Routine) and have decided to perform the Ideal Routine again. Leg curls 2 x 6-8 Vitamin E 4 sets of flat bench, 3 sets of inclines, 3 sets of flyes and 2-3 sets of cable crossovers. No mention of intensity in the study. Keep in mind, the goal was mass gains, so I ate at about a 500 calorie surplus daily. and use Heavy Duty protocol. using the wrong training systems. Please to anyone reading this, Read up on Mike Mentzer on his training methods and learn what true productive weight training is really about. The "Sainte-Marie" shaft is a former coal mine that was operated by the mining company "Compagnie des mines d'anthracite de La Mure" until 1946. I knew that hed been all over the board in terms of sets and reps throughout his early career, starting out with a whole-body workout performed three days per week, on which he gained no less than 70 pounds over three years, bringing his bodyweight up from 95 pounds at age 12 to 165 pounds at 15. When 19-year-old Casey Viator won the 1971 Mr. America after training HIT-style under Arthur Jones tutelage it caused a sensation in the bodybuilding world. Failure wasnt enough for Mentzers Heavy Duty system. But if youre looking to maximize your physique potential, you need to use exercises that directly target each muscle groupat least some of the time throughout a training year. Parallel Bar Dip 6-10 reps. Upon hearing that, I quickly realized how much deceit was being practiced in the bodybuilding world, where champions whose arms were obviously far less substantial than Mikes would loudly proclaim measurements of 21 inches or, in some instances that stretched credibility to the breaking point, 22 inches. For example, do workout A on Monday, B on Wednesday, A on Friday, B on Sunday (or Monday, if you prefer to take weekends off). One set may gas you out. In 1971, he was introduced to Arthur Jones, the creator of high-intensity training for bodybuilding. Muscle size increase is a result of the body fighting the stress put upon it by increased muscle mass. The minimalist workouts also provide benefits in that more focus, concentration and energy can be put into the exercises since the body won't deeply use them up in just a couple of sets. (Heavy Duty) before but it didn't really start to click in until I read Mike Mentzer's book 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. I don't know what my exact body fat Located in a very diverse region rich in assets, not only geographically (relief, climate), but also economic and human, the Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes is the latest INRAE centre to be created. Your email address will not be published. Q: Did Mike Mentzer ever do volume training? Superset Derek: Before you changed over to Heavy Duty had you ever heard about it? In some cases, thats true. In the Lyon and Grenoble metropolitan areas, and the Haute-Savoie department, INRAE units contribute to research activities at the Lyon-Saint-Etienne, Grenoble-Alpes, and Savoie Mont Blanc . Nowadays HIT enthusiasts often perform fewer. Mike Mentzer advocated a heavier form of HIT. marathon weight training, before trusting the reasoning power of their mind and have full I just went through a complete physical metamorphosis! This will help increase the mental and physical stimulus for many people which may stimulate further progress. I just Heavy Duty: Basics of Mike Mentzer Workout Routine. Mike Mentzer was a legendary bodybuilder who won the 1978 Mr. Universe, becoming the first bodybuilder ever to get a perfect score from the judges. . Extend sets beyond failure with forced reps, negatives, and rest-pause. In 1986 I was living in Canada and searching for answers concerning the ultimate truth of bodybuilding, and I set out to interview those who, in my estimation, had tried to decipher this Rosetta stone themselves. Mentzer preferred to do his shrugs on a Universal machine, but you can use a Smith machine or free weights. As I age, my recovery ability lessens. Front barbell raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 5. Keep in mind, the goal was mass gains, so I ate at about a 500 calorie surplus daily. Derek: I get your point. We are not medical professionals and nothing on this website should be misconstrued to mean otherwise. I help people achieve their health and wellness goals through simple, time efficient programming that emphasizes a balanced approach to improving general fitness, while bringing out the inner athlete in us all. Login. Barbell upright row (5 sets, 6-8 reps). 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 the definitive article about Mike Mentzers complicated, too-short life see: The Mike Mentzer Story, Bodybuilding, Strength, and Fitness: News, Advice, and Culture, Mitchell Hooper Wins 2023 Worlds Strongest Man, Ronnie Coleman Selling House of 26 Years: $495,000, Thor Bjornsson: I Completely Tore My Upper Chest Off The Bone., Dennis Wolf Talks About Depression, Force-feeding, & Ancient Aliens, PEAK MUSCLE: Best Age for Bodybuilding Success, Back Workout: How to Correct the 5 Biggest Mistakes, Bulgarian Method: Complete Training Guide, Seated Leg Curls Are Better Than Lying Leg Curls, Study Finds Similar Muscle Growth With Vegan vs. Omnivore Diets, Mind Muscle Connection: How to Strengthen It, How Long Will I Live? Now I see that was wrong. The insurgent 28-year-old Mentzer finished a controversial fifth, and, in the aftermath, retired. Was there anything else you did differently with this routine? I asked eagerly. Having recently done the program, I decided I would share my 2 cents. I was forced to abandon it the first time about five years ago when I developed tendinitis in my right . freedom to become a more productive individual and enrich all areas of life. Nautilus pullovers 2 x 6-8 The formula is: brief training, intense training, infrequent training, he said. Moving on to triceps, Id limit myself to fewer than four sets for triceps, doing one preexhaust cycle of triceps pressdowns followed immediately by a set of dips. ANALYSIS: Finally, no pre-exhaust supersets for biceps. Mike Mentzer died in 2001 at 49. I found that I could get the same benefits from the high-intensity training while avoiding the overwhelming exhaustive effects of the three-days-a-week routine.. It is physical and biologically impossible! Considering the lack of science-based knowledge, supplements and the variety of elaborate training techniques we have today, that win was a huge accomplishment that launched Mike's future career. All I know is my waist size has gone down I was planning a deload the following week anyway, but ended up having to take 2 weeks off from all training. I placed an order for his book and video. I placed an order for his book and video. His popularity waned after the infamous Mr. Olympia contest in 1980, when he lost the title to Arnold Schwarzenegger and had the crowds shout Fix! at him. 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. I train in Goldswhen I do trainand I see this as probably the most pervasive mistake among bodybuilders, including advanced bodybuilders. Pumped, they probably are, John, he replied, but measured coldwhich is how you should measure your armsthey never stretched the tape beyond 18 1/2.. Viators victory eclipsed the fact that a second 19-year-old phenom, Mike Mentzer, was an impressive 10th in that same contest. I think you can effectively gain mass with a consolidated routine if youve been doing higher frequency and/or higher volume training for awhile. that this is exactly how much time it takes for the body to recover from high intensity training I thought oh no, I'll probably atrophy even the small amount of muscle I have. It flies against all quote un-quote Single leg hamstring curls (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 5. Here is a classic Mike Mentzer HIT routine from his early training. Considering the lack of science-based knowledge, supplements and the variety of elaborate training techniques we have today, that win was a huge accomplishment that launched Mikes future career. And while keeping up that kind of training in addition to a full college schedule, a part-time job with a physician and the demands of an ongoing relationship with a nice young lady, I found that I just didnt have the energy. Pre-Exhaust Supersets Do a set of an isolation exercise before a set of a compound exercise for that same body part without resting. Squats 1 x 6-8 Glutamine We knew that recovery was important in terms of overall, or systemic, recovery. Then I might finish off with two sets of lying triceps extensions. But carried on for too long, that kind of effort actually causes you to lose muscular mass and strengthyoull always be making inroads into your recovery ability and never allowing yourself to recover, let alone grow, which is secondary. If youre one of these people whos whole physique develops proportionally from just the basic 4 or 5 compounds, then by all means, dont waste your time with the isolation stuff. The materials are provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind either express or implied. Just by using a very simple, concise and A proper training protocol should have been about 3 different exercise of one set each in a high intensity method of taking each set to failure once every 7 days. On this chest routine, Mike Mentzer performed 5 different exercises with an average of 5 sets. Pushdowns 1 x 6-8 scientific approach. utilized short high intensity training. The workouts will be conducted once every seven days, starting today. The one upside for the consolidated training is that it did work for at least a few of Mikes direct clients. Finally, there is the research (National Strength & Conditioning Association) which shows that multiple sets are better for producing muscle gains than are single sets, which were found to be good for maintaining but not as hot for gaining. 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. lose that by trying this radical system. I would like to thank Ali Ahadpour again for this candid unrehearsed interview. He later created a Consolidated Routine which. Mike Mentzer had one of the sharpest minds in the muscle game. Mike Mentzer began bodybuilding when he was 12 years old. Its fine to speculate and have an opinion on whether you THINK something would be true or not, but keep in mind this particular poster specifically asked if anyone had made mass gains while using a Mike Mentzer consolidation routine. The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend, High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way, Group Coaching Through Subscription toMy Substack Newsletter. How the hell were we going to grow unless we at least let that happen? The pros of this type of training are obvious more time off to allow the body to rest and recover. Glucosamine/Condroitin It wasnt the long-term recovery that was required. If youre skeptical [of Heavy Dutys low volume], your subconscious child is telling you that more is better, Mike Mentzer wrote. Machine Shoulder Press 2 sets x 68 reps, Dumbbell or Machine Rear Lateral 2 sets x 6-8 reps. But, adding direct work for the biceps, triceps, and calves only takes 3 extra exercises. Thats why he advocated only one day per week. ANALYSIS: A pre-exhaust superset for chest: flyes before presses. Nautilus machine pullovers were also a favorite of fellow HIT-man Dorian Yates. On this leg routine, he performed 6 different exercises. Young bodybuilders reading this should be cautioned against doing too many sets on too many days for all bodyparts. Please, In fact, apart from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Id argue that hes probably made the largest impact on the bodybuilding community to date, followed by several other successors and his predecessor Arthur Jones. The biceps receive no direct training in this workout, and the triceps have only one set of dips to hold them for the next week or so. Mentzer released two popular Heavy Duty booklets in 1980, and, through his articles, seminars, and mail-order business, his philosophy was as great a sensation as he was on stages. The solution is beautifully presented in Mike's writings on Heavy Duty. Wed do that because wed meet on Wednesday morning or discuss it Tuesday night, and it was obvious that we were still tired, that the forced reps and the negatives wed done on Monday with our leg and the chest work, for instance, were so exhausting that we hadnt overcome the effects of the workout. Ali: My girlfriend loves it, she can't get over it because basically The main legs workout is repeated. On the other hand, the younger bodybuilders who reduced both the number of sessions per week (from 3 to 1) and the exercise volume (from 3 sets to 1) maintained their muscle size, while those who cut down to exercising once a week but maintained the exercise volume (3 sets) managed to increase their muscle size. I mean obviously I already have time constraints as it is. This is precisely the reason we have such an obesity problem in this world. Overhead cable triceps extension (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 4. To maximize recuperation, workouts follow the push-pull system: pushing muscles one workout, pulling muscles the other workout. ), there's a routine called The Consolidation Routine, which consists of the following: Workout A One set Squats One set Close-grip, Palms-Up Pulldowns rest 5-7 days Workout B One set Regular Deadlifts One set Dips rest 5-7 days In my opinion you can even make better results on Heavy Duty than you can using steroids, Heavy Duty books and courses continued to sell. for 7 years which was very minimal or miniscule to say the very least and I thought I was going to But as his shape and health deteriorated throughout the 90s, Mike lost a big part of his followers. I always selected weights for my exercises that allowed me to get at least six good positive repetitions and then continue with forced and negative reps. With any preexhaust set, such as leg extensions to leg presses or pec deck to incline presses, I would take no rest at all between exercises, but I would rest long enough to catch my breath, and Id only do the negatives once a week on each exercise. At best you might be able to get a suggestion of where you might go based on your muscle belly lengths, your bone structure and metabolism and neuromuscular efficiency, but the most important thing, I think, is motivationeveryone can improve themselves, and thats important. Learn how your comment data is processed. I readily accepted, for I knew that it would afford me an opportunity to talk not only bodybuilding but philosophy, a passion that Mike and I shared for more than two decades. I don't know what my exact body fat percentage was when I started with Mike's training. Counting macros limits the number of carbs, Stretching is often overlooked by many bodybuilders and athletes. The information contained within is not intended to provide specific health advice, or any other advice whatsoever, for any individual or company and should not be relied upon in that regard. Dips 16-10. You successful and very intelligent people have been duped to workout multiple days You changed the rules if there really were any in this study to your own to fit your narrative that one workout per week was not effective in gaining both size and strength. Well, Mike replied, it was back in 1979. Each rep will be performed with a cadence of 4-2-4. And when you actually train with high-intensity, you dont need a lot of volume, Arthur Jones said. 1 set with a heavy weight followed immediately by incline press. Standing calf raises (5 sets, 10-15 reps). However my strength hasn't increased in my . They can also be produced synthetically or Home Gym Essentials: How to Create a Home Gym, Foam Rollers: Learn The Benefits and Risks, Why Grip Strength is Important to Your Health, Post-Workout Meal Ideas: 5Foods To Eat After a Pump, How To Properly Count Your Macros For Weight Loss, The Importance of Stretching Before Working Out, Top 10 Best Partner Workout Exercises for Valentines Day. He would eat 4 different food groups to each serving he ate. Weight: 200.8 pounds While you (For those that arent aware this is a classic sign of overtraining. Force yourself to go beyond failure using forced reps and negatives. Fitness Tests Predict Mortality, COVERT CARDIO: How to Burn Calories Easily, Darrem Charles: Bio & Classic Physique Advice, Paul Rudd Shares Fitness Secrets for Looking Young, HIT MEN: The Story of High-Intensity Training, Priority Training Principle: How to Eliminate Weaknesses, Science Says: Best (and Worst) Chest Exercises. Upright rows 2 x 6-8, Shoulders Ive been lifting 12+ years, but was coming off 3 years of dealing with some hip injuries. We had to recover first. Do your last warmup with approximately 75% of your working weight and stop before reaching failure. Derek: How about your friends, what has been their reaction? At that point, where the weight is stuck and wont budge, I will fight to complete the rep for a period of 15 seconds then rack the weight. I knew that high-intensity training was the bestthere was no question about thatbut I couldnt put up with that kind of exhaustive effect immediately after the workout; I had to either go to a job or back to school, and all I could do was to collapse in a heap and sleep. It wasn't acquired by Wealthy Gorilla Limited until 2019, and since then both our range of content and our audience have grown significantly. All drug free and of all different ages. Required fields are marked *. Universal machine shrugs 2 x 6-8 As a 27-year-old professional bodybuilding rookie in 1979, noted especially for his shoulder, arm, and leg density, Mike Mentzer was a phenomenon. What does Mike Mentzers workout routine look like? Single leg hamstring Curl: 5 sets 8-10 reps. Barbell squats: 5 sets 6-8 reps. So, if balance, symmetry, or any sort of general body building goal is your aim, then the consolidation routine is not ideal long term. the results I and others have achieved and I have no doubt that it works. in the gym. 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. ALLWhat about your second workout of the week? I inquired. The main legs workout is repeated. Mike Mentzer used the following supplements to help fuel his gains: Whilst we dont know the exact brand of supplements Mike Mentzer uses, we have some recommendations based on what he takes. Choose a weight so heavy that you reach absolute failure at 6-8 reps. Then keep going. Whereas Arthur Jones prescribed one 20-rep set per exercise, Mentzer lowered the ideal rep-range to 6-8. Whey protein When you At the age of 18 he started competing in physique competitions, and two years later in . ask you to try Heavy Duty--Mike Mentzer's routine that you've heard about a lot, give Emmy has been studying celebrities careers, lifestyles, and workout routines for over 3 years. Incline presses 1-2 x 6-8 Training legs is painful and hard! ANALYSIS: Another pre-exhaust superset: laterals before presses. It is also hard for some trainees to summon the intensity necessary to make the workout successful in only a single set. The Centre is part of a particularly dynamic ecosystem, within the second French . Well I can't say he's the only one, many very This is fine, however, an additional row targeting the lower lat area in addition to this movement would be useful so that the entire lat is hit. You would think it would only be half, but apparently, after a certain point, in terms of volume of training, the exhaustive effects grow geometrically as opposed to arithmetically. Mentzer did of course fill his bodybuilding routine in his early days with high volume training, incorporating as much as 40 sets per bodypart. Bent over dumbbell raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps) 4. Mike Mentzer understood that he had to stick to a clean diet and he took a fairly broad approach to his nutrition in terms of different food sources. Legs are given a. little more reps than the upper body. Ali: I saw an ad for Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty training and then I read some of During the next two decades, Mike Mentzer created a lot of fuss with the unconventional training philosophy he wrote about in his Heavy Duty articles and which emphasized brief, intensive and infrequent workouts. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. Mentzer came from a well-educated home. While it may be easy to overlook, Congratulations on finishing your workout! come close to the results I have achieved. Now, its time to refuel your body with the proper nutrients to help repair and grow Tracking macros is becoming popular among bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts because of its effectiveness. Using 6 to 9 reps achieve full-rep failure. Each workout is done only once every 6-10 days. Ali: Strength increases have been phenomenal, going up on major multi-joint exercises like 1-2 Sets of 6-8 Reps. Yates Barbell Row or One Arm Cable Row. Mike could as he had years of training behind him, and he could also train others this way. He is known for being a fitness icon and he was known for his muscular shoulders. Chest. I assumed stronger pulls, presses, and squats would develop the rest of my body, as is often preached by the minimalist crowd. Look at go out and sometimes I'll now be bigger than the bouncer. You are reading opinions only. None of the suggestions (including exercise, diet, products or services) mentioned should be performed or otherwise used without clearance from your physician or health care provider. The gym opens in 45 minutes. A: When Mike Mentzer first started bodybuilding he trained no more than three days a week. Leg extensions 1 x 6-8 When his bodybuilding career began he would move to the between 4-7 rest in between workouts. Met-rx meal replacement drink Leg presses 1 x 6-8 If trainees in this group with less volume and loss muscle mass than how in the hell is increasing the volume of training going to increase muscle mass. Less volume in reps and sets and more effort. Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments as it relates to the topic(s), or if youd just like to say helloI want to hear from you! As I progress, I will integrate some of the high intensity techniques he advocates, such as negatives, static holds, omni contraction, etc. We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. The cons of this routine are also obvious not enough direct work on specific muscle groups.
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