The first group consisted of young adults between ages 20 and 35, while the other consisted of older adults, aged 60-75. years with nothing to show for results, before he was willing to trust his mind 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. Are you tired of dealing with sore muscles and tight knots after a workout? It wasnt the long-term recovery that was required. 1. What kind of results did you get from your use of those prior Mike Mentzer's Old School "Most Productive" 2 Day Split Routine - Substack 2 inches from a 34 to a 32 inch waist and now that I have more muscle I eat more calories You are reading opinions only. Mentzer's Ideal Routine | Kevin's H.I.T. Blog No, perhaps not, he said. However, he is no longer available, and most people have to make do on their own. The Mike Mentzer Story. Derek: Before you changed over to Heavy Duty had you ever heard about it? The partner removed just enough stress for two or three forced reps. development I had but even then I was thinking; I'm going to lose everything that I worked so hard were trying all these other programs? I assumed stronger pulls, presses, and squats would develop the rest of my body, as is often preached by the minimalist crowd. Nautilus laterals 2 x 6-8 The Clermont-Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes Centre brings together the units located in the Auvergne region, from Bourbonnais to Aurillac via Clermont-Ferrand, with 14 research units and 14 experimental facilities, representing 840 staff (permanent and contractual staff). Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. When Mike Mentzer was asked how big they were at one of his seminars, he responded with characteristic wryness, Very big., I once asked Mike what his arms had taped at their largest, and his answer startled me: About 18 1/2 inches. I was incredulous. successful and very intelligent people have been duped to workout multiple days effort, money, gym membership, supplements and buying every program with nothing in return? John Little This article is from 2003 to read a more updated article on how Mike Mentzer had a "Heavy Duty" mindest and workout regime Click Here HOW TO TRAIN LEGS TO FAILURE!! MIKE MENTZER'S LEGS ROUTINE - YouTube 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. I still trained religiously during that time period, but with less intensity. As men and even women for that matter age our hormone levels drop as we age making it harder and harder to do the things we once did say in our 20s as compared to my age now which is 64. Also, dont be afraid to alternate different exercises from time to time for the bigger muscle groups the back, delts, legs, and chest. Dorian Yates uses this program and he was Mr. Olympia. Superset It was just too much all at once. The new Mr. America introduced the other teenager to Arthur Jones. More like 5 or more if you really want to be at your strongest. Front barbell raise (5 sets, 8-10 reps) 5. 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. He worried that the notion that you have to have good genetics to achieve a championship physique had actually served to destroy the motivation of certain bodybuilders. I think it was the second day of a split-routine schedule, and we were both quite fatigued, apparently still not having recovered from the previous days workout. 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. The Barbell examines Mike Mentzers high-intensity training system: Heavy Duty. Minds, -Group Coaching Through Subscription toMy Substack Newsletter, The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend by John Little and Joanne Sharkey, High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way by Mike Mentzer and John Little, This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. I would like to preface this interview first by thanking Ali Ahadpour for his testimonial. Here is a classic Mike Mentzer HIT routine from his early training. The gym opens in 45 minutes. Mike Mentzers workout philosophy was adopted by Dorian Yates, who won six Mr. Olympia titles in the 1990s. From there I would move on to traps and perform two preexhaust cycles of Universal machine shrugs supersetted with upright rows. And his pairing of the exercises is brilliant as well. His father would regularly test and encourage his academic knowledge using many rewards, such as cash to ensure he excelled. Single leg hamstring curls (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 5. Then it would be on to shoulders, for which I would do two superset cycles of Nautilus lateral raises followed by Nautilus behind-the-neck presses and two sets of either rear-delt rowsperformed by sitting backward in a pec deck machine and squeezing your elbows as far back as they can goor two sets of bent-over dumbbell laterals. Using 6 to 9 reps achieve full-rep failure. and use Heavy Duty protocol. Heavy Duty, how would you like to get these amazing results at 10 minutes a workout? New Cognizant jobs added daily. because my metabolism has increased. Mike Mentzer Training - Zero Sets, Sticking Points and Moon Walks Mentzer preferred to do his shrugs on a Universal machine, but you can use a Smith machine or free weights. 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 . Dont forget to share this article with your friends and family. INRAE center Clermont-Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes 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. Getting back to your question yeah, I heard about it bodybuilding shoes and I guarantee you I used to work out with them every day in the gym, and they Hi John, You are right as I doubt that the training intensity part of this study probably never even crossed their minds. Single leg hamstring Curl: 5 sets 8-10 reps. Barbell squats: 5 sets 6-8 reps. figured that this is like anything else in the world, you just model what the majority of Having recently done the program, I decided I would share my 2 cents. That brought his bodyweight up again, but only slightly. it an honest try and you will get progress immediately work out to work out. Ali: Unless they're taking steroids and growth hormone they're all in my 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 Mentzer Workout Routine, Diet Plan & Supplements - SPCFiTZ I recently did one of Mike Mentzer's consolidation programs (the variation with 2 days per week, 3 exercises each day) combined with the recommended 4-2-4 tempo and gained 10 lbs in 8 weeks. Standing barbell curls 1 x 6-8 In my opinion you can even make better results on Heavy Duty than you can using steroids, When Mentzer won the 1976 Mr. America, he was celebrated as much for his training philosophy as his physique. Capping off the year by winning the heavyweight division of the Mr. Olympia (Frank Zane won the overall), he emerged as bodybuildings heir apparent. , Mike states that he performs barbell rows parallel to the floor pulling to the sternum. At the very least not only all the results you get using Garlic All drug free and of all different ages. 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. 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. That's the other thing--my school grades have improved because now I feel so So he started a methodical reduction in volume and frequency while keeping records on his clients' progress. squats, deadlifts and dips anywhere between 35 to 50 percent increases. I just went through a complete physical metamorphosis! No, he said, it was the immediate response, the immediate fatigue. Mike Mentzer's Workout Routine, HIIT Training & Diet Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Each workout is followed by 4-7 days . Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. the top bodybuilders said to do--ultra marathon routines. Close grip supinated cable pulldown (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 4. Mike Mentzers once a week training philosophy was so unconventional that, to this very day, different bodybuilders hold radically different views on his approach. The Mike Mentzer Evolution? - Ellington Darden HIT Coaching - COMMUNITY For achieving failure, you can also . Ali: Since I started 3 months ago I have gained 23 pounds of muscle, I look like I just went through a complete physical metamorphosis! 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. Squats 18-15 Mike Mentzer Consolidation Routine: Workout A - YouTube In 1979, Mentzer prescribed only 3-6 working sets per body part (supersets count as two sets), with typically one or two lighter warmup sets per exercise. She is the face behind the workout routine articles here on Jacked Gorilla. 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. Barbell preacher curl (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 7. Lying Triceps Extension 2 sets x 68 reps. were in before you switched over to Heavy Duty. Today’s top 1 Cognizant jobs in Grenoble, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France. Just by using a very simple, concise and Super greens. And, as I stared in disbelief at the massive shoulders and arms he was sporting that day, I had empirical proof of the efficiency of his most productive routine., Editors note: John Little is the co-author with Mike Mentzer of High Intensity Training The Mike Mentzer Way (New York: McGraw Hill; 2002). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am a personal trainer and fitness fanatic. Train with less intensity and you will need more volume. INRAE center Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes Mentzer's Ideal Routine. enhances recovery ability. Doing a Mike Mentzer heavy duty program - Bodybuilding.com I also intentionally cut down bodyweight a bit the last 2 years and focused more on getting healthy (hip function, mobility, flexibility, muscular balance, becoming pain-free, etc). It seemed every bodybuilder tried his lower-rep HIT, though most eventually returned to a more moderate system. If you choose to, you could follow the barbell curls with chin-ups (underhand). I spent several years doing just big, basic compound lifts with no direct isolation work for the arms and calves, etc. Upright rows 2 x 6-8, Shoulders These people are not the norm, though. I would like to thank Ali Ahadpour again for this candid unrehearsed interview. Of course, I realize hes inquiring about muscle mass, not simply weight gain. the interview that he was a little bit mad because he spent so many wasted 1-2 Sets for as Long as Possible. ANALYSIS: Note that Mike Mentzer, who was noted for his tremendous trapezius development, did more sets for traps (4) than biceps (3) and the same amount as for triceps (4). And there were times when we skipped even two days in between workouts72 hours. I would start with leg extensionssix to eight reps to failureand then continue beyond that with forced reps and negative reps, and then go immediately to leg presses, preferably on a Nautilus Compound Leg machine, as that would allow me to go from one exercise to the other without pausing. Nautilus machine pullovers were also a favorite of fellow HIT-man Dorian Yates. For much more about the incredible history of Jones, Viator, Mentzer, and others, check out: HIT MEN: The Story of High-Intensity Training. Enjoy! Ali: My girlfriend loves it, she can't get over it because basically Ever since I started I've tried every single program you could purchase, for example Innervation Derek: I get your point. Divide your body parts into two workouts, and allow 48 hours between workouts. 1 Cognizant Jobs in Grenoble, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France - LinkedIn Increasing the volume also increases the amount of recovery time need to make the gains needed. 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. Even today Mike is considered to have had one of the greatest builds of all time and validated once and for all HIT. When you And before they even think about anabolic steroids which came to my mind you know it's I mean it just seems futile why put in so much time, So some of the gains could probably be attributed to muscle memory when I decided to get back to finally focusing on getting bigger again. Is there anything you would like to add. Were the same ones being done each workout for 3 times in a week. with strength increases so will muscle size. Mentzer starting pumping iron at the age of 12 at a bodyweight of 95 pounds. Here is Mike Mentzer's shoulder routine: 1. That right there is over training. Keep in mind, the goal was mass gains, so I ate at about a 500 calorie surplus daily. Mentzers training was based around intensity. He purportedly was able to put 50 pounds on one of his trainees in just a few months using a workout that lasted only 2-4 minutes, with a long recovery time between workouts (4 to 7 days recovery. Note: For more information on on the best form of High Intensity Training see The Colorado Experiment Workout. Little is now available for phone consultations regarding Mentzers revolutionary Heavy Duty Training System. With all the other demands I had in my life at that time, I was really forced to do something about it. When you look the same from year in to year out and you're putting this much time in it's But again, yes, I think mass gains can be acquired if you use this, or a similar routine. Disclaimer: This website is an educational service that provides general health information. Heavy Duty, indeed. A muscle does not need to be trained more than once in a 7 day period. The study did not mention what exercises were being done. He seldom even trained again. And finally, Id finish up with biceps, where Id do one set of standing barbell curls to failure followed by one or two sets of either seated concentration curls or preacher curls., Legs And Mike was the physical proof that High Intensity Training also called HIT does work well enough to create the best physique. Calf raises 2 x 6-8 Nautilus pullovers 2 x 6-8 Try doing that with to a count of five going up and down with the added aforementioned added isometric contraction. 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. Their enthusiasm is often a hindrance; theyre so willing and able to train marathon-style to acquire a muscular physique that they often overtrain. Derek: Tell us about your results. Heavy Duty books and courses continued to sell. Superset Mike Mentzer died in 2001 at 49. I found him to be honest, intelligent and articulate. I would just suggest that no matter what methods you use, you dont do more than four to six sets per bodypart, use strict form, train to failure, use forced reps occasionally and dont overtrain. And when you actually train with high-intensity, you dont need a lot of volume, Arthur Jones said. After he retired, Mentzer prescribed increasingly lower volumeeventually as little as only one or two all-out sets per body part every two weeks! I weighed myself twice first thing in this morning on an empty stomach and received the same exact numbers. Many people who comment on questions like this simply speculate without ever doing the program themselves. 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. The workouts will be conducted once every seven days, starting today. percentage was when I started with Mike's training. freedom to become a more productive individual and enrich all areas of life. I think you can effectively gain mass with a consolidated routine if youve been doing higher frequency and/or higher volume training for awhile. 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. Mike Mentzer Consolidation Routine Mike Mentzer Workout Routine - Pros and Cons Mike Mentzer had one of the sharpest minds in the muscle game. . Derek: What kind of advice would you give to others that are in the position you Mentzer began lifting when he was only 12 years old, and by the age of 15, he could bench over 350 pounds. The website's content is not a substitute for direct, personal, professional medical care and diagnosis. Barbell upright row (5 sets, 6-8 reps). Copyright © 2001-2020 BodybuildingFanatic.com. reps, preferring the 6-10 range. He does the same reps (6-8 to failure + 1-3 after-failure) for even body parts like calves, for which many bodybuilders do higher reps. Dumbbell Flye or Pec-Deck Flye 2 sets x 6-8 reps, Incline Barbell Press 2 sets x 68 reps. On this arm routine, Mentzers would hit a total of 7 different exercises. Good luck. Mike could as he had years of training behind him, and he could also train others this way. All my other friends [are] as impressed we'll Mentzer had adopted the HIT philosophy of Arthur Jones and expanded it into his own radical system, which Mentzer named Heavy Duty. Jones used to say that you dont rest each bodypart on different days, so why would you train them on different days? I don't know what my exact body fat If youre skeptical [of Heavy Dutys low volume], your subconscious child is telling you that more is better, Mike Mentzer wrote. 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. Training Legs to failure presents it problems! On this chest routine, Mike Mentzer performed 5 different exercises with an average of 5 sets. 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. Warmup each exercise as necessary, and push these working sets to full-rep failure at 6-8 reps and then beyond failure via forced reps, negatives, and/or rest-pause for 1-3 additional reps. Mike Mentzer Consolidation Routine Over Training It is probably the case that performing one se to less than failure once a week will not produce much in the way of strength or muscle gains. 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. ask you to try Heavy Duty--Mike Mentzer's routine that you've heard about a lot, give Learn how your comment data is processed. the results. Muscle size increase is a result of the body fighting the stress put upon it by increased muscle mass. The basics will cover most of the muscle groups of the body. conventional wisdom that you're taught, you know you have to work out and got to be constantly The brevity of the program is important for the following reasons: when you grow stronger as a result of your workouts, the stresses on your body . Flat barbell bench press (5 sets, 6-8 reps), 5. Mike Mentzer Client Results - High Intensity Training with Mike Mentzer Unless one is on drugs (s******s) can one get away with insane high volume workouts. Once again just like Mentzer stated you are falling into the trap that many body builders are confused in that the more is better like more money is better, more women are better, taking more s******s is better! Do Your Hormones Affect Weight Gain and Loss. If you read Heavy Duty 2 (Mike Mentzer's version of H.I.T. Mentzer came from a well-educated home. After legs Id move on to chest for one to two supersets of dumbbell flyes or pec deck and incline barbell presses. Most of my injuries were likely a result of nearly a decade of overtraining (too much frequency, volume, and too much intensity in 1-5 rep range), so dropping to just 1 session every 4-5 days and performing 1 working set per exercise worked very well, at least short term, in my case. Mike and I talked about a great many subjects during that trip, but first and foremost on my mind was finding out what Mike Mentzers most productive training routine had been. This is because the arm muscles are relatively small when compared to the traps. This article is from 2003 to read a more updated article on how Mike Mentzer had a Heavy Duty mindest and workout regime Click Here, He stood only 58 yet packed 215 pounds of rock-solid muscle on his frame. Overhead cable triceps extension (5 sets, 8-10 reps), 4. One set may gas you out. Recovery always precedes growth, and growth was our ultimate goal. Counting macros limits the number of carbs, Stretching is often overlooked by many bodybuilders and athletes. 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. next ultra marathon routine by joe blow bodybuilder, I say just give Mike's program This is precisely the reason we have such an obesity problem in this world. confidence in Heavy Duty training. All I know is my waist size has gone down 2 . a try. Rear-delt rows 2 x 6-8, Biceps The study was suppose to be training one day a week not 3. 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..