After years of competition, Mike decided to quit his competitive career and concentrate on new projects in 1982. A few years later, a significantly more muscular Mentzer emerged in the IFBB and began an incredible career, climbing the ladder of national and international physique titles, growing gigantic in the process. (The before-and-after photos confirmed that also.) Drew Baye: In your book, you also mention Mikes younger brother Ray. Then, he discusses how he merged his experiences into his latest publication, The New High Intensity Training Introduction He played defensive tackle and was about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 230 pounds. That question will go down in history with Who really killed JFK? Viator trained himself and slowly lost muscle and gained fat. Who is he? Also, my soreness from deadlifts lasted an entire 7 or 8 days! No other HIT books covers NTF training. Surely, with the correct instruction and motivation, we can turn a reasonable percentage of them into HIT believers. Rodales marketing team assures me that the book will be: Excerpted in Mens Health MUSCLE magazine (September issue). And strength training was a lot safer than the most popular aerobic activities, such as jogging and aerobic dancing, which were the latest crazes. Rest 2 to 3 minutes Exploiting indirect effect can become the key to excellent, even startling, gains. Ken was sitting next to me and we began sorting through our strength-training slides, since we had both given talks using a 35mm-slide projector earlier in the day. What happened to Mike and Ray Mentzer? Incline dumbbell fly (5 sets, 8 reps) 2. Friday HGH . Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty Training in Action Mike and Ray are genetic oddities, and I never imagined theyd turn out the way they did. Because thats now my age and someone needs to write sensibly for this group of men. My original Nautilus book, initially published in 1980 and revised five times, sold more than half a million copies. Use about half the weight (50 percent) that youd normally use. Mike eventually decided to call it a day and go to bed as exhaustion set in. It is thus very interesting to see Mentzer putting his own heavy duty training program in action. Learning logic and acquiring the ability to think critically is not easy, though not impossibly difficult. The downward spiral began at this point. Ray had no choice but to have a replacement kidney due to the severity of the illness. Naturally, isolation is an important component for stimulating muscle growth, and exercises that work large muscle areas don't have to be compound movements. If you can accomplish 4 repetitions with this weight in 120 seconds, youll be ready to add the two pre-exhaustion exercises before you do the leg press. So at least from that perspective, static contractions are lacking. Delts, Biceps & Triceps. Mike Mentzer's brother, Ray, put three-eights on an inch on his presumably larger upper arm in six weeks, performing no more direct arm work that chins and dips. - 6 day rest - Day 2. After Ray retired from completion he continued to workout with his high intensity training approach he called "Intensity For Immensity" and reached a peak body weight of 270 pounds in fairly lean condition. Flat barbell bench press (5 sets, 6-8 reps) 3. Joness personal form when he trained himself was impeccable. He always trained alone, after finishing his day job. It was during this time that he developed his largest physique. Bodybuilding Titles Won A major reason, I believe, is either ignorance, or a neglecting, of the principle of "indirect effect". Photography: To illustrate the history, I also have more than a hundred photographs from the 1970s that are placed throughout the text. Shrug (No commercial intended, but the book will truly help.). Mike could still look after his younger sibling, though. Mike and his girlfriend, Julie McNew, came over to my home several times for dinner and we had some far-reaching conversations, none of which had much at all to do with bodybuilding. Ray made at least one appearance at the Ephrata Rec Center, signing autographs for fans. He retired at age 29 and switched to training other bodybuilders. The entire movement needs to be fluid and controlled. We are not medical professionals and nothing on this website should be misconstrued to mean otherwise. He sort of reminds me of the character John Wayne played in his old western movies. As HIT decreased its following from 16 to 8 percent, high-volume training (HVT) increased its numbers from 16 to 24 percent. Rest 2 to 3 minutes Assuming you understand the meaning of deep commitment and very hard work, that routine will guide you to significant gains. Because organized properly, you get better results. 1979 AAU Mr. America. I was going to watch the deliberations from my angle for 10 minutes, and join the action. For example, full-range exercise provides more thorough muscular strengthening, more stretching for flexibility, more work for the cardiorespiratory system, and more calorie-burning ability from the overall workout. Drew Baye: How is your book, The New High-Intensity Training, different from other HIT books, such as those written by John Little, Stuart McRoberts, Brian Johnston, and Matt Brzycki? Overall, Im very pleased with whats happening with the book. Only then do you let it return to full extension. Ellington Darden: It is interesting that both Ken and I were raised in Conroe, Texas, which is 30 miles north of Houston. They have a New York City office, but the majority of their publishing house in located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, which is a quaint community in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Chest & Back. I assumed one of the Mens Health design team would be assigned to do the layout of my book. Bodybuilding was a lot healthier then. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Published in the October 1971 Ironman, Viator's routine hit the bodybuilding world like a tsunami: three whole-body workouts per week, 20 all-out reps per set, sometimes only one set of an exercise and always very few working sets per bodypart. When I found out that Dr. Darden had a new bodybuilding book coming out I was very excited. But I dont think Arnolds triceps, nor forearms, were in the same category as Viators, Olivas, and Coes. It was the essential basic Heavy Duty routine consisting of four to five sets per bodypart and broken into two workouts. Not surprising to me, the addition of 18-1/2 pounds of muscle increased his resting metabolic rate by 530 calories, or 28.6 calories per pound of added muscle per day. Also, pushing the forearm down into a flat surface, like a table-top, and applying tension via controlled bodyweight to perform very slow gruelling triceps extensions (with equal emphasis in the negatives in both exercises). After I perform isometric exercises involving large muscle-groups I am sometimes panting and nauseous as though Ive just maxed out my cardiorespiratory capabilities. I do this by sharing stories, techniques, and routines the basics of which I experienced from being around Arthur Jones for more than 30 years. The #1 Source For Oldtime Strongman Training Secrets. But they can be fairly close and still very significant. A situation of increase and decline Less than 48 hours after Mikes passing, he passed away, leaving the bodybuilding community in complete darkness. Ellington Darden: I was a fan of Mikes books, especially the ones that chronicled his training for the 1978 Mr. Universe and the 1980 Mr. Olympia. On a beach, Ray and Mike Mentzer engage in some joint flexing. Olivas arms were round like a couple of bowling balls and Viators were massive and rock hard. With the do-it-yourself approach, your results will probably never be maximum. Interestingly, I replicated the 14-day experiment with another Gainesville Health & Fitness subject, Michael Spillane. Let's start by acquainting them with you. . After a while, Ken asked me what I thought about his new section, which he called Exercise Versus Recreation.. Is the science of microtrauma and its alleged role in hypertrophy well understood? And, hes into the martial arts, so he does some of that several times a week. Posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 by John Wood. Likewise, some of us even recall the few pictures published of a 19-year-old Mentzer in York the year Casey Viator won the AAU Mr. America. The reason his workouts were referred to as HIT (High-Intensity Training). The awesome Mentzer brothers, fuelled by their intense rivalry, show what they can do when they pump iron at the gym. He was frequently up for a hard workout. Drew Baye: I also think that the bodybuilder you use to illustrate your HIT exercises has an outstanding build. Breakfast. Net Worth, Partner, Biography. Annabel DaSilva Workout Routine, Diet Plan, Exercise, Body Measurements, Who is Josh Dallas? Mike Mentzer was focused on High Intensity, Low Volume training, capitalizing on a six to nine rep range. There is this rumour going on that Ray had squatted as much as 900 pounds, with Darden confirming Ray could almost certainly handle 700 odd pounds in powerlifter form. While many people know the basics of Heavy Duty training, the advanced techniques are known by only a few. As well I found him very bias towards AJ, as in he was never wrong. As you stated, however, theres a place for timed static contractions in exercising people who have certain limitations. Drew Baye: In Joness 1973 Colorado Experiment, how much muscle did Casey Viator gain during the first two weeks? It was the essential basic Heavy Duty routine consisting of four to five sets per bodypart and broken into two workouts. I remember coming in on a Monday and Benny informed me that Ray had squatted 900 that past Saturday. Mentzer's heavy-duty training system. Ray, his brother, who is also suffering from illnesses, found him. and a mutual friend told me that Cooper still didnt care for strength training. Evidently, her interest in seeing the video studios had vanished. Another option if someone wants to train more frequently is to follow a split routine. Pulldown Behind Neck Born in 1941, Franco Columbu was a Strongman competitor and bodybuilder who won two Mr. Olympia titles: in 1976 and 1981. Number of Bodybuilders Using High Intensity Training. In my new HIT book, I note that Arthur Jones personally trained Casey Viator for 10 months prior to the 1971 Mr. America contest. Ellington Darden: Mike moved to Lake Helen, Florida, in 1983 and worked for Nautilus approximately 6 months. They would send me various items, including tiny photos of themselves. Drew Baye: Whats your take on the current Mr. Olympia competitors? Anyway, review chapter 16 to find out all the how-tos. And Im glad he did. But in my experience, sooner or later, youre going to have to train alone and youre going to have to push yourself. We figured Cooper did not know how to define exercise clearly, at least not in the vernacular that Hutchins had conceived. So, during the experiment, he was rebuilding previously existing levels of muscular size. Doing low reps with a big weight was one of Rays main training tenets. Ray was forced to wait for a different donor. Hutchins was a beginner and I had been training seriously for a number of years. DB shoulder press - 1 x 8 reps The Mentzer family, unfortunately, has a history of heart disease. In peak condition, Caseys right arm was 19-5/16 inches, Olivas was 20-1/8 inches, and Coes was 18-7/16 inches. Multiple sets, warm ups working up to heavy all out sets but there were no negatives or forced reps. Hutchins and I both has access to weights through the school system. To be specific: Hit: 100kg- 140kg squat 4 reps - long time Starting strength: 100kg - 170kg squat 5 reps - 4 months. Crenshaw had 18-inch upper arms and 15-inch forearms, which were mighty impressive; but even more impressive was his neck, which must have measured at least 20 inches. Ray continued working out diligently behind the scenes even though he was no longer in the spotlight on the bodybuilding stage. Start your reps immediately with each breakdown; don't spend an extra moment as a breather. Here is a sample Ray Mentzer style high intensity training workout routine: Monday There is nothing wrong with repeating things other people have said if those things are right, if you give credit where credit is due, and if you are adding value to it or making it accessible or understandable to a new group, and Ell accomplishes all of these with his books. Shoulder presses, declines, inclines, pull-downs, curls, etc. Casey could make his biceps, in a series of three distinct contractions, grow more massive as he moved his forearm closer to his shoulder. I disagree with Darden that theres a strike against isometrics vs negatives here. McCutcheon placed high in a few contests in Great Britain and relocated in 1992 to Portland, Oregon, where he became an engineer for Novellus Systems. Stump later introduced me to the guy who eventually became the editor of The New High-Intensity Training. Spillane was younger, 21, lighter, 132 pounds, and had less genetic potential than did Hudlow. Ray Mentzer Bodybuilder, Ray Mentzer Workout - Bodybuilding Fanatic Also I put Steve Reeves through a workout in 1978, as well as Frank Zane and Bob Guida. Mentzer's dedication never wavered. He admitted to spending three hours a day in the gym as a young man while serving in the United States Air Force. Kens dad was a physician in town and Philip visited him often to gain practical knowledge. Chin He built a super, heavy duty hydraulic with a control that a training partner could operate. Mike believed in training with a partner who can assist when reaching failure. Hey Fred, glad you like the interview. Family, Partner, Biography, Easy easy to make Popcorn Shrimp (Perfectly Tender and Crispy), Who is Tiya Sircar? Drew Baye: Due to the level of motivation required to perform the kind of outright hard work involved in high intensity training, do you think most people would get better results training with a partner? Let me explain. Don't let'em food you. Copyright © 2001-2020 BodybuildingFanatic.com. Everyone involved agreed that this was a doable arrangement. My hamstrings seem very stubborn that way, and isometric exercise produces virtually no soreness there, as if Ive done next to nothing despite willing a 100% exertion. But since Hutchins had his back toward me, it was difficult to gauge what was happening on Kens side. He and some other guys would perform squats for hours on end. Ellington Darden: Jones said he had every intention of training his legs, but when he arrived he had a bit of a chest cold. As I focused on the guy, I recognized him. He was known for lifting over 900lbs in squats, and for weighing 275lbs of rock-solid muscle at one point. And what a training session it was. But he still added 11-3/4 pounds of muscle in 14 days. This can be carried to a logical extreme. All rights Reserved. Ellington Darden: People ask him that all the time, and Ill shoot straight with you. I have read before that Mike and Ray Mentzer were really into using amphetamines to train harder. I was 8 years older than Ken and I didnt really didnt have much contact with him until my fourth year of college. As the name would suggest, this routine isn't for the light of heart. I took accurate measurements of Hudlow before and after, as well as photos of him from the front and back, which you can examine in the HIT book on page 202, so Ive tried to present the results in as factual a way as possible. My first response is to say that intensity is more important when youre younger (from 15 to 40 years of age), and form is more important when your older (over 40). Increase The Bar, (Workout) Ray won the title of IFBB Mr. USA in 1978. Mike Mentzer died in 2001 at 49. While a person could learn most of what they need to know about training by just reading the first two Nautilus Bulletins, there is a lot of great information in Ellingtons books and some really interesting historical information and interviews in the more recent ones. Drew Baye: Can you tell me more about this NTF workout. He consumed high-quality dairy, chicken, and beef as sources of protein. I once read about Ray Mentzer training legs once a month! (Delicious, Fresh, and Simple to make), Who is Michael Deluise? In actuality, Rays workouts were limited to 45 minutes. I think the major limiting factor to true isometrics is the lack of negative work which appears to be the most important part of the exercise for stimulating strength and size gains, and the lack of full-range strength improvement. 1978 IFBB Mr. USA In fact, Ray would regularly host Saturday night squat parties. Two days later, Ray died from complications from his long battle with Berger's disease. The website's content is not a substitute for direct, personal, professional medical care and diagnosis. Leg Press 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 consumed more than 60% of his daily calories as carbohydrates. All of us should strive to win back those previous HIT believers. Arthur Jones had some of that ability, too. Hi Drew, I was just reading that interview, Ive bought his book,hoping there would be something new, but have found that he was just vomiting what arthur jones did and said. That reinforced to me that the weight gain was added muscle and not just water brought about from the creatine loading. High Intensity Training For Muscle Growth Ray, like his brother, trained using Heavy Duty High Tntensity Training. In a relative sense, the so-called easiest stage will not seem at all easy. Joe Weider rehired Mike in the fall of that year, but after six months, Mentzer left to assume the editorship of Workout, a newly launched magazine. Here's the EXACT CYCLE that MIKE MENTZER used to win the 1980 Universe . Put simply, when you work one muscle, other unworked muscles are affected; when it grows, they growto a smaller extent, of course. Ellington Darden: Ive trained Boyer Coe, Joe Means, Scott Wilson, and Ray Mentzer to name four. And it can still be accomplished without drugs today. If you read nutrition labels, sucrose, glucose, fructose, and maltose, all refer to sugar. Ray Mentzer has weighed in at 270 and Lou Ferrigno has competed around 300 pounds. The pullover done on a Nautilus machine is an example of an exercise that works a very large volume of muscle without being a compound movement. 1-2 Sets of 6-8 Reps. Close Grip or Neutral Grip Pulldown. Ray noticed physical changes in him that soon produced results. Sorry for the humungous post Drew; hope it is useful. The idea is that by stopping short of failure you spare your recovery ability the task of having to overcompensate from a much deeper inroad. I first noticed McCutcheon six years ago, when close-ups of his arms and torso were featured on the award-winning Bowflex commercial. Ray went to bed after a long and demanding day at work, but Mike continued to work late. Mike And Ray Mentzer Pass Away Due To Health Issues. I think that a little articulateness goes a long way here; the standard is way above that of the average muscle-mag and the result is a more penetrating Q&A that the reader can draw useful conclusions from Darden expresses himself well. Heavy Duty: Mike Mentzer's Most Productive Routine - Iron Man Magazine Flyes - 1 x 12 reps The exact physiological processes aren't completely clear, but what happens on a muscle-training level is clear. Leg Extension What do you think of his not to fail sets? Much of the credit goes to its nature as a big, three-joint exercise (hips, knees and ankles are all involved). Press Behind Neck. As bodybuilders most of us want to feel as though we're "sculpting our bodies" not allowing nature (read: rest) to do most of the job for us. Come on, Im not that daft!!!!! Actual experience on this routine will reveal a growth-indicating pump in the upper arms and forearms every workout. He performed one set of 11 or fewer HIT upper-body exercises, three times per week. The sad story does not end here. Instead, he announced that combating successfully what was on the interior was the final test of a Nautilus obstacle course, and let her enter ahead of him. Was Arthur Jones the first person to introduce negative work to bodybuilding? Ellington Darden: I certainly did. Make them alternate days, and try to rest on your off days. So read on. a side for 11 reps his 1st day back. In the end, Rays life was both successful and tragic. Mentzer joined the US Air Force after graduating from High School. Ken and I, for several years, had tried various approaches during Nautilus seminars to debate people who believed they needed daily aerobic activity to be healthy. Mike Mentzer's Final Days - The Truth! - Bodybuilding.com Heavy Duty: Mike Mentzer's Most Productive Routine, by John Little Ellington Darden: The first thing that pops into my mind happened in Atlanta, Georgia, one night in February 1980. Ray Mentzer Diet Plan, Workout Routine, Exercise, Body Measurements There was talk of the unusual arms on the boy (Mentzer) as good, some said as Viator's arms. Advertised in Muscle & Fitness and Ironman magazines (November and December 2004 issues). This crazy author thinks I want spaghetti arms! Rest 2 minutes When I graduated from Conroe High School in 1962, I was the strongest student athlete in most of the basic strength-training exercises. Login. Make no mistake here. My Most Result-Producing Routine By John Heart | Elite Trader Drew Baye: That 18-1/2 pounds of muscle built by David Hudlow in two weeks seems almost too good to be true. Are you struggling to build muscle or maintain your weight? Ray Mentzer's Mr. America Pec Routine [Archive] - RX Muscle Forums He started his fitness journey at the age of 12 and became a phenomenal bodybuilder. That being the case, then I must go with chapter 16: shocking your hips and thighs. Drew Baye: While its important not to workout too long or too often, do you think that many high intensity training enthusiasts have gotten carried away with reducing the volume and frequency of their training? This was largely because of his new training regimen, Heavy Duty Training, which was developed by Mike Mentzer, his older brother by 21 months. (Cooper was speaking at a hospitals grand opening the next morning.) He built a super, heavy duty hydraulic with a control that a training partner could operate. But Mike was unreceptive. In mid-February 1971, Jones noted that Casey was down to 205 pounds and was smoother than hes been since he moved to Florida. Thus, taking 8 percent of that number indicates that 1,600,000 males are into HIT. My reasoning is that a younger body can handle cheating much better than an older body, so as you get older, youd be wise to focus more on form than intensity. I know a lot of people believe that adding that much muscle so quickly is impossible. What happened? Ive experimented with all styles of leg presses and this one is the hardest of all. Make no mistake Ken Hutchins was one strong, Texas teenager. Indirect effect can be thought of as a sort of ripple effect. Wrist Curl, Day Two Weight loss without dieting: the new trend to remove excess flab! During the competition, Mike and Arnold had a bitter argument that was never settled, and worse, continued to fester. I had a tremendous pump throughout my upper body. Mike and Ray Mentzer Heavy Duty Training - Bodybuilding If you have not developed the metabolic conditioning to follow these routines, then back off. Again, he was judged an easy winner. In 1971, when he was 20, he participated in Mr. Lancaster contest and won. timed static contractions have become popular with some instructors for use with clients who cant perform certain exercises through a full range of motion due to physical problems or injuries. 3 Day a Week High Intensity Workout - The Pumping Station It felt like we were in the middle of an old-fashioned tent revival. 1976 Jr. Mr. America (Tall) Answer: Mike trained very, very intensely as did Ray. He quickly competed in and won the Junior Mr. America and IFBB Mr. America competitions. In late 1967, Alexander invited Hutchins and me to his wedding and at the reception afterward, Ken began talking to me about strength training and bodybuilding. Ellington Darden: Now were talking about a probable world record for muscular growth, but as I point out in chapter 3 of my book, Viator had been in a disabling accident and his muscles had atrophied. We remain great friends and I try to see him once a month. Undergrip row He seemed to be in a perpetual training drift, looking for someone or something to take his oars and row him to shore. The result: Jones built 11-1/4 pounds of muscle in 14 days, which is not bad at all for a man almost 50 years of age. When Ray had the Muscle Mill in Redondo Beach, there was a guy named Ross who worked for Universal Studio as a stage manan experienced machinist. For the first time in years, Im actually very psyched about my training again. Workout 1 of Mentzer's Routine Leg Exercises. High-intensity training (HIT) is a form of strength training popularized in the 1970s by Arthur Jones, the founder of Nautilus.The training focuses on performing quality weight training repetitions to the point of momentary muscular failure.The training takes into account the number of repetitions, the amount of weight, and the amount of time the muscle is exposed to tension in order to . Reverse curlStage reps Who took a cookie from the cookie jar? Mike and Ray are the only two brothers in history to both win the Mr. America contest. Although systemic recovery is still affected by each workout more time is allowed for local recovery. In the past, with my bodybuilding books from other publishers, I had always worked with a man on the design and layout. Ray Mentzer was even stronger than Mike, right? Mike Mentzer Photo Album. At that time, Cooper was the #1 running guru, as a result of a couple of best-selling books on aerobics. But now, judging from the photo spreads in the magazines, its ridiculous. Height: 5'9" Ellington Darden: Yes, I believe youre right, especially those who recommend only three exercises once a week, or even once every-other week. But it was no use. Thats why I had Hudlows resting metabolic rate checked before and after the 14 days. His Heavy Duty formed the cornerstone of six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates' regimen, and it continues to influence bodybuilders today. A similar result occurred when Arthur Jones put Ray on an eight-exercise, one-set-to-failure (drop sets being considered one set) exercise program in 1983. He took the Nautilus training principles and helped explain them in a way that people could easily understand and apply, and without insulting people in the process like Arthur did. He prided himself in being able to keep a straight face, which threw you off, until you figured out his style. 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. That stated, Casey Viator gained 39.87 thats right, just 0.13 shy of 40 pounds of muscle in two weeks. Today, that percentage of involvement has shrunk by half, which leaves approximately 8 percent. Staying off stages for most of the rest of the decade, Viator worked for Jones at Nautilus until 1978.