Mike Mentzer’s Workout Routine: The Complete Guide

Most individuals suppose constructing muscle requires doing extra—extra units, extra reps, and extra hours within the health club.

Mike Mentzer disagreed.

His exercise routine took the alternative method: quick, brutally intense exercises adopted by lengthy restoration durations.

This method labored for Mentzer and even impressed bodybuilding legends like Dorian Yates to observe his strategies.

However how did Mentzer practice precisely? And does his exercise routine maintain as much as fashionable science?

On this article, you’ll get a full run down of Mentzer’s exercise plan, study what science says about his strategies, and discover ways to adapt his program for optimum outcomes.

Key Takeaways

The Mike Mentzer exercise routine emphasizes low quantity, coaching to failure, and prolonged relaxation between exercises, however these ideas don’t align with how most individuals like to coach or what analysis exhibits drives muscle progress.
Mentzer’s exercise plan is a 3-day cut up (chest and again, legs and abs, and shoulders and arms) with only one heavy set per train in every exercise.
The professionals of the routine embrace a give attention to progressive overload, coaching by means of a wide variety of movement, and monitoring energy to measure progress.
The cons embrace too little quantity, coaching to failure, and rare exercises, which can restrict muscle progress.
Adjusting the Mike Mentzer exercise routine by growing quantity, decreasing depth, and coaching extra steadily makes it simpler and sensible for many gymgoers.

Who Was Mike Mentzer?

Michael Mentzer was an American bodybuilder, businessman, and creator. 

His most notable bodybuilding achievement got here in 1979, when he gained the heavyweight class on the Mr. Olympia (though he misplaced the general title to Frank Zane).

Mentzer developed “Heavy Responsibility,” a coaching technique that prioritized lifting heavy weights for minimal units, coaching to failure, and emphasizing restoration. He believed this method was essentially the most environment friendly approach to construct muscle and keep away from overtraining.

After retiring from bodybuilding following the 1980 Mr. Olympia—a contest he controversially claimed was rigged in favor of Arnold Schwarzenegger—Mentzer devoted his profession to teaching others utilizing his Heavy Responsibility ideas.

One among his most well-known followers was six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, who credited Mentzer’s strategies with serving to him break by means of muscle-gain plateaus later in his profession.

Mentzer handed away in 2001 on the age of 49 attributable to coronary heart issues.

Right here’s an image of Mentzer throughout his prime:

Mike Mentzer’s Exercise Routine: A Full Information

Mike Mentzer’s exercise plan modified all through his profession. In his first e-book, Heavy Responsibility, he outlined a push pull legs routine.

Later, Mentzer up to date his method. In his remaining e-book, Excessive-Depth Coaching the Mike Mentzer Approach, he advisable a brand new cut up organized like this:

Day 1: Chest and again
Day 2: Legs and abs
Day 3: Shoulders and arms

Right here’s an in depth breakdown of this newer Mike Mentzer routine:

Day 1: Chest and Again

Dumbbell fly (pre-exhaustion set): 1 set of 6-to-10 reps
Incline bench press: 1 set of 1-to-3 reps
Cable pullover (pre-exhaustion set): 1 set of 6-to-10 reps
Reverse-grip lat pulldown: 1 set of 6-to-10 reps
Deadlift: 1 set of 6-to-10 reps

Day 2: Legs and Abs

Leg extension (pre-exhaustion set): 1 set of 12-to-20 reps
Leg press: 1 set of 12-to-20 reps
Standing calf increase: 1 set of 12-to-20 reps
Sit-up: 1 set of 12-to-20 reps

Day 3: Shoulders and Arms

Notes on Mike Mentzer’s Exercise Routine

At first blush, Mike Mentzer’s program appears easy. 

However if you wish to observe it appropriately, you even have to stick to his pointers round relaxation, warming up, coaching to failure, and so forth.

Right here’s the whole lot it’s good to know.

Relaxation Between Exercises

Mentzer believed that restoration was simply as essential because the exercises themselves, which is why he advisable taking 4-to-7 days of relaxation between periods. 

He didn’t prescribe a inflexible schedule (e.g., practice each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). As a substitute, he structured his routine into Days 1, 2, and three as a result of your want for relaxation can range primarily based in your progress and circumstances.

Mentzer prompt beginning with 4 days of relaxation between exercises. For instance, for those who do Day 1 on Monday, you’d full Day 2 on Friday, and Day 3 the next Wednesday. 

If one thing interferes along with your coaching schedule—work, journey, or fatigue, for instance—he suggested ready an additional day fairly than dashing again to the health club. 

In line with Mentzer, as you construct muscle and energy, your restoration wants enhance, so he inspired extending the remaining interval to six or 7 days, and even longer, as you get extra skilled within the health club.

RELATED: The Definitive Information to Muscle Restoration

Coaching Time

Mentzer emphasised the significance of selecting a coaching time that works along with your schedule and power ranges. 

Some folks carry out greatest within the early morning, whereas others desire the late afternoon or night. Mentzer believed the optimum time to coach is while you really feel targeted and able to give your greatest effort. 

RELATED: What’s the Greatest Time of Day to Elevate Weights? What 35 Research Say

Heat-up Units

Mentzer believed warming up for every train was important, however he additionally felt it must be fast and environment friendly to keep away from losing power you would spend in your all-out units.

For instance, in case your heavy set of deadlifts is 165 kilos for 7 reps, Mentzer prompt beginning with 115 kilos for 7-to-10 reps. Comply with this with a second warm-up set of 145 kilos for 2-to-3 reps, which helps mentally put together you for the heavier set to come back. After this, you’re prepared to coach.

For those who’re performing an train as a part of a pre-exhaustion superset (extra on this quickly), he suggested warming up with the compound train. As an example, when combining the leg extension and leg press, heat up on the leg press.

RELATED: The Greatest Option to Heat Up For Your Exercises

Pre-Exhaustion Units

After ending a pre-exhaustion set, Mentzer advisable going instantly into the following train. For instance, after ending your pre-exhaustion set of dumbbell flys, you must instantly start the incline bench press. 

After performing units of different workout routines, he prompt resting till you’re feeling recovered, however now not. Because of this as your health improves, you possibly can usually end Mentzer’s Heavy Responsibility coaching program in much less and fewer time. 

Rep Timing

In line with Mike Mentzer, “rep timing” was a key facet of coaching. He believed that to take care of correct kind and security, and to make sure the goal muscle—not momentum—is doing the work, you have to take 4 seconds to raise the burden, pause for two seconds on the prime of every rep, then decrease it for one more 4 seconds. 

RELATED: Ought to You Elevate Weights Quick or Sluggish? The Fast and Soiled Information

Coaching to Failure

One of many cornerstones of Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Responsibility exercise program was the emphasis on coaching to failure—the purpose at which you’ll’t carry out one other rep with good kind. 

Actually, he believed that reaching full failure throughout your heavy set of an train was the best driver of muscle progress.

He referred to reaching failure as passing by means of the “break-over level,” the edge beneath which you don’t stimulate progress and above which you do. 

RELATED: Does Coaching to Failure Assist You Construct Extra Muscle? What Science Says

Progressing

Mentzer emphasised the significance of progressively growing the depth of your exercises. For him, the easiest way to realize this was by means of progressive overload—lifting heavier weights over time. 

For instance, if this week you possibly can curl 100 kilos for six reps and subsequent week handle 10 reps with the identical weight, you must enhance the burden sufficient the next week to deliver your max reps again down to six. 

He additionally suggested not stopping a set simply since you hit a goal rep vary. In case your aim is 10 reps however you are able to do 13, push for 13. If you attain the higher finish of your rep vary (resembling 10 reps in a 6-to-10 vary), add about 10% extra weight in your subsequent exercise.

RELATED: What Is Progressive Overload Coaching?

Monitoring Your Coaching

Mentzer believed the one dependable approach to measure your progress was by monitoring your energy will increase. Metrics like how sore you’re feeling, whether or not you obtain a “pump,” or intestine emotions about your efficiency are, in his phrases, meaningless. 

To correctly gauge your success, Mentzer advisable recording the main points of each exercise. This contains the date, workout routines carried out, weights used, reps accomplished with correct kind, and even your physique weight at the beginning of every session.

The logic is straightforward: For those who’re persistently growing the burden you raise or the reps you full, your muscle groups are rising and adapting. If not, one thing in your method—relaxation, depth, diet, or restoration—is holding you again.

Substituting Workout routines on Mike Mentzer’s Exercise Routine

Whereas Mentzer selected the workout routines in his program as a result of he believed they had been essentially the most becoming, he lets you substitute them periodically if in case you have issues performing them (due to harm or entry to gear, for instance).

Right here’s are his suggestions for substitutions:

Dumbbell fly: Cable crossover or pec deck machine
Incline bench press: Flat barbell, dumbbell, or machine bench press or dip
Cable pullover: Dumbbell or machine pullover
Reverse-grip lat pulldown (Day 1): Barbell, dumbbell, or machine row or chin-up
Deadlift: Shrug and leg curl 
Leg extension: Mentzer says you possibly can’t substitute the leg extension, however sissy squats would work effectively.
Leg press: Again squat
Standing calf increase: Leg press calf increase or donkey calf increase 
Sit-up: Hanging leg increase
Dumbbell lateral increase: Machine lateral increase, upright row, behind-the-neck press, or machine shoulder press
Bent-over dumbbell lateral increase: Bent-over cable increase
Reverse-grip lat pulldown (Day 3): Straight-bar curl, preacher curl, chin-up, focus curl, or machine curl.
Triceps pushdown: Skullcrusher, machine triceps extension, or overhead triceps extension, 
Dip: Shut-grip bench press

The Execs and Cons of Mike Mentzer’s Exercise Routine

Whereas he might have positioned himself as “the considering man’s bodybuilder,” Mike Mentzer’s exercise program isn’t completely aligned with our fashionable understanding of what drives muscle progress.

To guage what Mentzer obtained proper and the place he might have missed the mark, let’s discover the professionals and cons of his coaching methodology by means of the lens of science.

Execs

Mike Mentzer’s coaching routine emphasised progressive overload, which analysis exhibits is the first driver of muscle progress. 

He additionally championed coaching by means of a wide variety of movement, which proof additionally suggests is best for good points than coaching by means of a brief vary of movement. 

One other facet of coaching he obtained proper was monitoring. 

Mentzer knew soreness or “the pump” weren’t dependable methods to measure progress. As a substitute, he inspired folks to give attention to monitoring will increase within the weight they raise, which is an goal signal of muscle progress.

Cons

Some of the controversial points of Mike Mentzer’s exercise program is its low coaching quantity (variety of units). Though he introduced sturdy arguments for this method, analysis persistently exhibits that doing extra units—at the least up to a degree—results in better muscle progress than doing fewer.

RELATED: How Many Units Ought to You Do for Muscle Hypertrophy?

Mentzer’s insistence on coaching to failure additionally seems misguided. Whereas he believed it was important for progress, research now present that stopping 1-to-3 reps in need of failure might be simply as efficient and certain improves restoration.

His suggestions for coaching frequency had been equally flawed. Whereas relaxation is essential, proof exhibits that muscle groups are usually prepared to coach once more inside 48-to-72 hours. Subsequently, ready seven days between exercises doubtless sacrifices good points.

Ought to You Comply with Mike Mentzer’s Exercise Routine?

Mike Mentzer’s exercise routine has loads of advantage, however in its authentic kind, it’s unlikely to swimsuit most individuals. 

The low quantity, coaching to failure, and lengthy breaks between exercises don’t match how most individuals like to coach or what science exhibits works greatest for muscle progress.

That mentioned, with a number of easy changes, Mentzer’s program might be an efficient and sensible approach to practice. For instance:

Enhance Quantity: As a substitute of performing only one set per train, do 3 units. This may enhance your outcomes whereas nonetheless protecting exercises temporary.
Scale back Depth: Cease 1-to-3 reps shy of failure in each set. This is sufficient to construct muscle with out inflicting restoration points.
Alter Frequency: Coaching 3 days per week is a greater schedule than coaching as soon as each 4-to-7 days. Scheduling exercises on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is an effective means to do that.
Add Decrease Physique Quantity: The higher physique muscle groups get extra quantity than the decrease physique on Mentzer’s program. To even issues out, add 3 units of a compound decrease physique train (e.g., the lunge, hack squat, or Bulgarian cut up squat) after the leg press.
Rearrange Train Order: Pre-exhausting your muscle groups is an ineffective approach to practice. As a substitute of doing isolation workout routines as pre-exhaustion units, flip the order so that you carry out compound workout routines first.

With these tweaks, Mentzer’s exercise routine turns into extra balanced, sustainable, and efficient for many gymgoers.

FAQ #1: What number of units do you do per physique half on Mike Mentzer’s exercise routine?

Mike Mentzer’s exercise routine calls for only one working set per train, which he believed was sufficient to stimulate muscle progress for those who take it failure. This interprets to roughly 1-to-2 units per physique half per week, relying on how lengthy you allow between exercises. 

FAQ #2: How does Mike Mentzer’s cut up examine to different 3-day splits?

In its authentic kind, Mike Mentzer’s cut up most likely isn’t as efficient for muscle progress as, say, the push pull legs or full-body splits, which practice your muscle groups extra steadily. By tweaking it barely, nevertheless (extra on the specifics above), you may make it comparably efficient.

FAQ #3: Was Mike Mentzer pure?

Mike Mentzer admitted to utilizing anabolic steroids throughout his bodybuilding profession. 

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