Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty System ---

[Johnny Italia]

Has anyone used Mike's system? Does the heavy duty principle work better for building mass than the conventional way? Please, if you've never used his system, don't write and tell what does and doesn't work. I want to hear from people with experience, not opinions!

[MarkyMark]

I have read and followed this heavy duty training method for a short , uneventful time. This is a system that Mike Mentzer never followed. It was just something he could use to get a book sold. I have a couple friends that new Mike well and one was his workout partners roomate. Mike towards the end looked like crap and hid behind his former greatness. He along with many started Bodybuilding but the 1 set is a loser. Ask yourself how many today do it... Not one proffesional or any big guys at your gym follow that principle. Its the lazy mans idea of a perfect situation.
There is no easy road on training. Stick to the basic proven movements, diet and rest .. You will continually make progress. Remember that diet is 75-80% of the battle. Not just gaining weight. Good luck !~

[dumbells101]

used it...didn't work. Mike Mentzer (rest his soul) founded this system with Art Jones the founder of Nautilus. This was Art's teaching and Elington Darden wrote a book way before Mike's called the Nautilus bodybuilding. Anyway Mike got a little strange back then and even thought Art Jones was God at one time. The man had a huge impact on Mikes life and that's where his program came from. You can even read a bit about this in the Oct Ironman.

[Mighty Joe]

Dumbells101, you are right I cannot remember seeing a recent picture of Mike Mentzer! All you saw was the old in shape shots from years ago!
He did have a great physique back then! But what happenned with his brother......??

MJ

[Pete235]

MJ...I haven't yet heard how, but Ray Mentzer was found deceased several days after Mike. The last I heard, it may have been suicide. The brothere were very close and Ray was apparently distrought over Mike's passing. Please don't take this as gospel as I have no collaboration at present. Anybody else heard anything? BTW I know I said this yesterday but nice avatar MM. Bob Paris was one of the most aesthetic athletes to grace the stage along with Frank Zane, Shawn Ray and Flex Wheeler (before he discovered synthol). BTW Flex retired from professional BBing for religious reasons.
Pete

[Johnny Italia]

Ray died the day after Mike. He died of kidney failure.

It is possible that no recent photos of Mike were around because he was not a young man anymore. Remember that the 1980 Mr. O was 21 years ago! He had a website, I think it was mikementzer.com or heavyduty.com or something like that. There were some photos of him giving seminars on the site and he was still huge, but his shirt was on.

I didn't mention that when I tried heavy duty, I did see my squats go from 130 lbs at 11 reps to 220 lbs at 12 reps in a 6 month period. I also gained almost 20 lbs, steroid free. The thing that I was unhappy with was that I seemed to gain a lot of weight in my midsection. Mike told me that it was normal and all bodybuilders looked heavy in the off season. He told me that if I looked at Dorian Yates off season, he had a pouch where his belly should be.

I should also mention that when Mike wants you to go to failure when lifting, he meant failure. Not, "I'm tired and it's getting heavy" failure. I didn't know how intense I had to train that one set until I tried it with a partner who forced me to keep going when I though I had reached failure. Turns out there was always another rep or two if I was helped a little.

I guess I would have continued on with heavyduty if I didn't hate the damn fat that I gained in my belly. Has anyone else experienced this?