MIKE MENTZER: HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING EXPLAINED IN 90 SECONDS

Mike Mentzer had the gift of being able to distill complex subjects down to their essence easily. In these excerpts from a bodybuilding seminar Mike gave in Rexdale, Ontario in 1981, Mike does just that. For those who don’t have much time to read up on high-intensity training but want to learn something about it, this video is a great summary.
To see more of Mike Mentzer check out these videos by Wayne Gallasch of GMV:

[dwaynecunningham]

Dude was a genius. Like all geniuses, he was not appreciated in his own time.

[Magneticlaw]

Even with such succinctness and straightforward logic, there are plenty of people who continue to attack or dismiss these points, but of course, that isn't my problem. 💪☺️👍

[SiLoMixMaster]

I am 95 years old and have just started weight training thanks to Mike Mentzer’s teachings, the gains are incredible already and it’s only been 3 weeks, I’m getting younger women in their 70’s and 80’s sliding into my DM’s looking for some action from a swole older man. Just goes to show it’s never too late to get buff and get muff.

[rebinsaleh]

We are the lucky few in the whole world to come across and adapt his methods.

[jaymatthews]

Im twice as sore doing half the work I used to do following his ideas. Hardest thing to realize is the extra rest time. Every time in the past I have been too busy to workout or sick for a week when i come back I notice a drastic strength gain. I always thought damn if I just came to the gym more or went 6 days instead of 5 that would be the ticket. Wrong. Im getting best results 2-3 times a week. This dude was genius work your ass off doing heavy weight very very slowly even pausing as you hold tension 1/3 up 2/3 up then back down will tear you up. I feel so much more sore doing 40 mins of that then 1.5 of just average/slightly above average weight for an 1.5 for 4-5 times a week. Rest rest rest.

[AH_]

The amount of real size muscularity and gains i made from simply shifting my mindset, and training more in line with mike’s principles.. was unbelievable

[krishinthekitchen]

Been doing Mike Mentzer's style of training for a month; I've never felt stronger in the last four years.

You really learn the definition of intensity with this style

[americanthaiboxer]

I did legs this morning & just as I thought I needed to do more working sets on the leg press I stayed in the rack & heard Mentzer say, "Nope. Get to failure on this set right now."

When I got to rep 15 I knew I couldn't do another strict form rep. I superset with leg extensions, then one set of heavy leg curls. I capped off the morning with one set of heavy calf raises & as I type this now my legs are DONE.

That workout took MAYBE a half hour. Thank you, Mr. Little for continuing Mike's work!

[VonGoldfinger]

That guy was the intellectual of bodybuilding. He broke it down like a genius.

[averillallanmcmurtrie]

This really is so true, I am now 74 years old and can no longer train because of health problems. When I was young I trained according to all the principles outlined in the various American and English magazines available at the time. I was self taught because there were no gyms or instructors in my part of the world to teach me. I worked out heavily 3 or 4 times a week and slowly made gains to the point where I could no longer progress. I trained even harder and more often and found myself self going backwards. Fortunately I read an obscure article at the back of Strength and Health magazine, I think around about 1971 (I think in hindsight it was an old 2nd hand magazine produced in 1971 but read about 1975) in which it was stated that the Russian (dare I say it now) weightlifters trained once a week only at 100% performance on any one exercise and 50% the next time followed by 75% on the third workout. The principle was that muscles tear and then repair themselves and we need to allow time for recuperation. I changed my system and had immediate results but the most important thing to do is to make sure you do not exceed those lighter percentages because the feel so easy. In fact I was gaining weight and strength so rapidly I made one error - my ligaments became sore (Squats) but when I warmed up the pain went away, however, it got to the stage that I could not even warm up and I had to stop training and never ever got back into it. Now that I am older, and because of my illness, I have learned several things about diet which might have controlled that problem, and that is (1) cut out the carbohydrates as they are the principle cause of disease and (2) supplement with magnesium citrate (not magnesium oxide unless you want to break records bolting for the toilet). Also do not supplement with calcium as our diet is loaded with it one way or another. The magnesium balances out the calcium. Try the Keto, Paleo or carnivore diet where you eat animal fat for energy. I am not a natural athlete but would still love to train and if I ever get control of this illness I will train with weights again, albeit with lighter weights than I used to use. This system always worked for anyone I taught weight training and, in fact, one person I explained it to had massive results. He was a Samoan but I couldn't go to the gym to train him personally because of my illness, however, I ran into him one day at the Supermarket and he was massive. He explained that all he was doing was training as i explained it to him but others at the gym would not believe him and thought he was on steroids but he insisted he was only using the above system. I have to admit Samoans are naturally well built but it worked for him.

[dangerdavefreestyle]

Thank YOU Mike Mentzer for the knowledge necessary for me to finally make progress and enjoy myself!

[landonmiller]

I wish I could just sit down and have a conversation with him, a true genius

[alabrar]

Mr John
Today i completed reading High intensity training book. My goodness me i never felt better than anytime before in my life. I feel blessed and rightly guide. My heart and my mind are both in peace. Im forever greatful and thankful ! May god bless all of u ❤❤

[GregPaxson]

Ive been hearing a lot of people dismissing HIT training and saying it doesnt work and has never worked. Ive been at it a little over a month... im very happy with the results and even more happy with all the extra time i have. Abstaining from the weights is without question the hardest part for me. I was a high volume guy for years. I plateaued for a long time with nearly zero progress. I think this may just take me to the next level that i never thought i would be able to achieve naturally. I just thought i was destined to be scrawny forever. Im excited to see my progress over the next few months.

[alvarodasilva]

I just love Mike Mentzer principles!!! He was a such smart guy!! A proper geek bodybuilder!!! ❤️

[KnowBetterDoBest]

All the years I've been lifting and training, I never came to think of workouts like this. I dont know how this got into my algorithm, but I glad. I just started this training today and maaan....

[mikearonson]

Mike's logic is simple. This program works and works well.
I have been working out for 40 years. Bodybuilding for the last 5.
I have been implementing high volume training for the last 5 years and it has worked recently. I stopped responding to it. I had to make a change.
I rested for a week and a half, then came back training with HIT. It has given me unbelievable results so far. My legs were always the hardest muscle to grow. I had to torture my legs to get them to respond. I'd spend 1 1/2 hours just on legs doing 1400 reps. I now spend 30 minutes on legs and calves and torture them way harder in that time than I used to. My legs are growing faster now than ever. Every workout, my legs get stronger. I'm doing way more weight with ease now. My body is transforming week by week.

[bogdanmihaipantelimon]

When I switched from a program with volume to one with hit, the results in my case came very quickly. Add muscle mass and strength. I was almost shocked.

[Downfall]

I am 95 years old and have just started weight training thanks to Mike Mentzer’s teachings, the gains are incredible already and it’s only been 3 weeks, I’m getting younger women in their 70’s and 80’s sliding into my DM’s looking for some action from a swole older man. Just goes to show it’s never too late to get buff and get muff.

[KOTJ]

These are facts! The past month I’ve gain more strength by cutting my workouts short w/more intensity (30-60 sec rest between sets)…gotten a better pump & just workout 3-4 times a wk as opposed to 6-7 times a wk! For those skeptical about this try it for yourself & see if there’s a difference!🤙🏾