Despite all of this, Menzter’s name is still held respectfully within the bodybuilding community. He is a legend despite never winning an Olympia title. Becoming Mike Mentzer

As wonderful as it may be to have a well-developed physique, without the ability to think logically and effectively about a subject to which you have been passionately committed, you are, in effect, consigning yourself to living as one half of a human being." For modern trainees, Mentzer’s life and writings should act as a call to arms to question everything, discover what is best for one’s body, and, more importantly, train with purpose and intensity. That alone makes Mentzer a worthy bodybuilding legend. References Peter McGough, ‘Mike Mentzer: The Untold Story,’ Muscular Development, November 5, 2017. https://www.musculardevelopment.com/news/the-mcgough-report/13217-mike-mentzer-the-untold-story-muscular-development.html

Mike Mentzer was the big man before Arnie came onto the bodybuilding scene. He is as much philosopher as he is bodybuilder and his ideas on the mind/body balance have been pivotal in the way many of the great bodybuilders operate. His ideas on intensity and speed being one of the most important aspects of the workout have evolved my routine to great benefit. If you like your slow, steady, grinding workouts, don;t read this book. Read more Modifying Jones’ principles somewhat (Mentzer used fewer reps), Mentzer became a high-intensity disciple. One of his earliest intensity routines — later dubbed his Heavy Duty routine — was as follows: (10) Day 1 (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) Fellas, I'll level with you. I'm utterly Mentzerpilled. The first three quarters of this book is Mike Mentzer systematically deconstructing every broscience myth you learned from the kid who "taught you lifting" at the field house. Note: Mentzer worked up to one all-out set of failure, typically lasting for six to nine reps for each movement listed above.

Why is Mentzer not an automatic legend in the eyes of some fans? His retirement and early death at the age of 49 meant that his contributions were limited. Mentzer won the heavyweight division at the 1979 Olympia and was tapped by many to become the sport’s next legend.Rest-pause is another method of transcending failure. Mike Mentzer had a unique method of doing rest-pause. He advised doing a set of four to six maximum reps with rests of 10-15 seconds between reps (and a 20% weight reduction near the end), so, in essence, the set would be a series of all-out singles. That Mentzer sported a lean and dense physique suggests that this was a good approach for him. Oddly, given the apparent appeal that this kind of dieting style should have, Mentzer’s dietary protocols were not as popular as his training advice.