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How Did Mike Mentzer Train?
By Paul Becker
How did Mike Mentzer train when he was competing in bodybuilding? This question sparks the curiosity of fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders eager to glean wisdom from a legend who revolutionized the sport with his innovative Heavy Duty training philosophy.
Mentzer, renowned for his unparalleled intensity and efficiency, advocated for short, high-intensity sessions that were quite contrary to the high-volume training prevalent in his era. His training methods were rooted in Arthur Jones's principles of High-Intensity Training (HIT), emphasizing the importance of muscle recovery for optimal growth.
Having won the 1979 Mr. Olympia heavyweight class with a perfect score - a feat still admired today - Mentzer's approach was scientifically grounded and meticulously calculated. With empirical evidence and personal anecdotes from his illustrious career, exploring Mentzer's routine reveals not just a workout regimen but a compelling case for rethinking conventional bodybuilding strategies.
Mike has tried it all. From starting off training his whole body three times a week to increasing volume to around 20 sets per body-part. Although he admitted that his gains slowed down and even stopped on high volume training and he was seriously thinking about quitting bodybuilding.
Mike consulted the well-known Casey Viator who is the youngest Mr. America winner and a student of Arthur Jones. On his advice Mike decided to go back to something that had worked well for him in the past and that was training his whole body three-days-per-week, doing about three to five sets per body-part using high-intensity.
Mike believes strongly in forced reps and negatives to get to the point of failure and beyond. He later changed his 3 X week routine to a 4-day split training the same type of volume to win the Mr. Olympia heavyweight division with a perfect score of 300 in 1979.
With great results getting his competition bodyweight to 218 pounds and ripped to shreds, Mike says that his increased lean body mass could all be attributed to the following routine which he would train every other day, week in and week out. He would always use supersets and negatives as well as forced reps when he wanted to push his limits to the extreme.
The Original Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty Workout Routine
Workout 1
Legs:
Superset Leg extensions 1 x 6-8 with Leg presses 1 x 6-8
Squats 1 set of 6-8 reps
Leg curls 2 sets of 6-8 reps
Calf raises 2 sets of 6-8 reps
Toe presses 1 set of 6-8 reps
Chest:
Superset D/B flyes or a pec deck 1-2 sets of 6-8 reps
Incline presses 1-2 sets of 6-8 reps
Dips 2 sets of 6-8 reps
Triceps:
Superset Pushdowns 1 set of 6-8 reps with Dips 1 set of 6-8 reps
Lying triceps extensions 2 sets of 6-8 repsWorkout 2
Back:
Superset Nautilus pull-overs 2 sets of 6-8 reps with 2 sets of 6-8 reps of Close-grip pulldowns
Bent-over barbell rowing 2 sets of 6-8 reps
Traps:
Superset Universal machine shrugs 2 sets of 6-8 reps with 2 sets of 6-8 reps of Upright rows
Shoulders:
Superset Nautilus laterals 2 sets of 6-8 reps with 2 sets of 6-8 reps of Nautilus presses
Rear-delt rows 2 sets of 6-8 reps
Biceps:
Standing barbell curls 1 set of 6-8 reps
Concentration curls 2 sets of 6-8 repsNote: For more information please read the book "Mike Mentzer and Me" by Paul Becker
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Disclaimer: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
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