Mike Mentzer Said “1 SET” is All You Need…

Mike Mentzer, pioneer of High Intensity Training, preached in his Heavy Duty book that a single set taken to all out failure with maximum effort was all you needed in order to build muscle.

Was this valid?

Well, as we know, training requires a delicate balance of volume and intensity. The higher the volume, the lower the intensity and as intensity goes up, volume comes down. So that means that a workout with high volume is not going make use of heavy loads nor will it require as much effort per set.

Like I’ve always said, you can train long or you can train hard, but you can’t do both.

With recovery in mind, it is extremely difficult to train with a high number of sets and reps using heavy weights and then come back and train with that same intensity. On the other side of the coin, if you are training with low volume, you won’t achieve the necessary stimulus for growth by using light weights.

As I said before, there is a delicate balance between volume and intensity. Finding that balance is one of the most important things you can do as a natural lifter.

For more tips on how the best ways to build muscle, be sure to stay tuned to this channel and remember to subscribe so that you never miss another video from a physical therapist with a pro sports background as a PT and strength coach.

Jeff Cavaliere MSPT, CSCS served as both the head physical therapist and assistant strength coach for the New York Mets. Jeff earned his Masters of Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s of Physioneurobiology from the College of Health Sciences University of Connecticut Storrs. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

[nelacostabianco]

Mike's 'one set' approach is more correctly referred to as 'one working set' all out after having completed 1-2 warm up sets for the exercise in question. Those warm up sets can be 50% -60% of what the working set will be. For example my Yates rows I will do a 185lb and 225lb warm up sets before loading 285lbs for my 6 rep working set.

[chaunceyburgett]

Most comprehensive response to this question ever.

[sonic]

NOTE: per set exercise, NOT full workout. Also Mike include super sets in his heavy duty training.

[bodybuilder]

Been lifting for 21 years and Mike's approach gave me the best gains I ever got

[krazykris]

This was real facts. Sometimes you gotta listen to Athlean X and not only criticize. Thanks man I am working out since 1982....a lifetime in the gym.

[Hamburgler.]

What people don't understand is that Mike did one WORKING set to failure. He definitely did (I believe 3) warmup sets first, so, it's not so black and white.

[z_calsthenics]

Less is more way too many people do too many exercises and reps or a lot of volume more is not always better

[MannyCarlos]

He finally addressed the one set debate.

[RAMSRT]

To truly take advantage of the one push to complete failure set, you need something to aid you in recovery. This could differ for others but my recovery took about twice as long as normal.

[tryfourlo]

This has been the go to fitness channel for years. Thanks once again!💪🏻

[peterf]

I started lifting weights again after about 20 years (was still doing kbells, bw training etc). Have made good gains with low volume HIT training, including some negative only sets where possible. Sometimes did 2 sets of an exercise, never consecutively. Solid sessions.

[markhiggins]

Got ti say Mike mentzers approach works for me. I'm 59 and dudnt always have the stamina tk rep after rep. I now do 1 warm up 2 medim sets increasing weight and 1 max set. Then move on. I leg press 500kgs. Bench 140 kg pb 160. Squat 180 kgs. Gained 10% strength overnight with above approach. Happy for nearly 60❤

[SedraKotova-wbib]

Your channel is a hidden gem, glad I stumbled upon it!

[jamesbrazeal]

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge Jeff

[jflint]

I was doing that workout routine. Idk if I made gains honestly but I did get stronger doing it. It worked for me but only in strength I think. However I am cutting so

[undeniable]

I do 5 or 6 exercises per body part one set to failure and best results I've ever had. It works if you do it right and have proper rest and nutrition. best shape of my life at 34.

[ChahilAthletics]

Intensity and duration are inversely related.

Like Jeff said, if you are able to generate 100% intensity (momentary muscular failure) in one set then that's all you need. If you stop 1-2 reps short, then you may need 1-2 more sets.

Problem is people overestimate how hard they train and end up doing sets 4-5 RIR so they feel like they need 4-5 sets.

[wii]

If you hit complete failure then you training with enough intensity

[sebastianhabscheid]

Mentzer as well was, of course, after the maximum tolerable volume: in order to make the max gains—he just happened to believe that this was achieved by one set only. However, people forget or ignore that the exercises were tied to one another—for example: pullovers immediately followed by close grip pulldowns and finished up with some bent-over rows. He also used forced/assisted reps and here and there threw in some negatives—and all this plus the warm-up did quite add up to some decent volume. Yet that volume is still considered to be small, low or whatever because the standard is considered to be three sets, which shows, because anything below that is considered low.

However, not only was the volume higher than one might think and the exercises cleverly put together, they were also performed with much greater short-term effort or intensity. Good look doing a Mentzer-, Yates- etc. style workout for four hours AND consummating five others that week AND repeating that every week AND making max gains carrying that out.

[Bodyknowledge]

I did the Mentzer method HIT( and the other versions) for years. I gained from it because I believed in it and could. Maybe I would have been better with another approach? I enjoyed H.IT and it suited me so what more can be typed?