HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

Hey Guys,

I′ve noticed lately that there are a lot of posts questioning the validity and efficacy of Mike Mentzer′s principles and beliefs. I, too, have had some trouble applying the theory and making steady gains. I′ve mentioned in some of my other posts and replies that I often let my diet slide(a chronic problem for me) and, to be honest, I haven′t always applied Mike′s principles exactly as he specifies. Why? Probably because I′m a little scared to go down to 3 sets/workout(as in the consolidated routine). The ideal routine was too much for me, so I′ve been trying to put together something of an in-between.

Here′s what I find interesting. The doubters lately have been saying that perhaps MM was wrong; that there really is no universal theory of training; that every bodybuilder needs to try something different that works for him. YET, even Arnold Schwarzenegger(MM′s arch enemy, and an ardent fan of the volume approach) says he used the same arm routine for ten years during his competive days, and made relatively steady gains the whole time. Applying this scenario to HIT, we could say that by following the same workout(consolidated, for example), we could make steady gains, as long as we continually increased our poundages, and, therefore, intensity. Varying rest days and advanced techniques would cycle the training somewhat, but the basic, principled workout would remain the same. MM never said you had to use the exact exercises he prescribed. He recommended substitutions if, say, a person did better with rows than pulldowns, for example.

As to HIT not being enough work, Brad Wadlow made a good point in a recent post. He said if you watch the average trainee do a set of ten reps, he usually performs that set in under twenty seconds, whereas a HIT trainee would take approximately 100 seconds to do the same work. Therefore the HIT trainee is doing the equivalent of five sets, all at once, and with greater intensity, since he is lifting slower, and thus placing more tension on his muscles.

Results wise, I can′t say I′ve had spectacular success with HIT, but I think my problem is more motivation than anything. When I′m eating and resting right, I make noticeable gains(and I only consider my gains noticeable when other people comment on them). I do notice that I gain faster with HIT than I did with volume. If I can stay focused and train consistently, I believe HIT could work wonders for me.

Bottom line: I′m sticking with Heavy Duty. For me, it′s better to train once a week for modest results than three to five times a week for the same–or worse–results.

As to cardio, I′m with Mike and Doug McGuff. I think it′s a waste of time. If I want to walk, I′ll go outside and enjoy the fresh air. Treadmills and stairclimbers are for neurotic girls with eating disorders. A study done comparing the lifespans of people in various occupations found that mail carriers lived the longest. Have you ever seen a mailman walking at anything beyond a leisurely pace? Me neither.

Any comments?

CM

CanadaMan,

I′ve noticed the same thing. I also noticed that the people that are posting these negative comments are posting here for the first time.

They all have a common thread in that they followed HIT and MM blindly for years but now have regrets.

One has to question their sanity in that if they followed something for many years with no results then why did they continue? Why did they not post earlier? Why do they post now?

The reason is probably very simple. In the past few months all of the very experienced guys are no longer posting except for maybe Analyzer. This has left a void.

It is being filled with negativism. It′s hard for me to tell if they are all being posted by one or two individuals using aliases. The threads however are very common.

I have had gains in strength and muscle using the techniques. They are constant and steady. Perhaps I don′t feel bad about my gains because I don′t expect to gain 10 lbs of solid rock hard muscle every two weeks. So I don′t get disappointed when I only achieve realistic gains. An ectomorph with short muscles shouldn′t expect to gain 40 lbs of muscle no matter what program they use.

I see nothing wrong with every once in a while shocking your system with a couple of extra exercises for a few weeks just to shock the system but I do see problems with doing a 180.

One of the things that throws people for a loop is the pump that lasts for a few days. They feel that they are shrinking when it goes away.

The principles didn′t suddenly vanish because the experienced guys aren′t here to remind everybody.

If leave they must then by all means go and try the volume stuff. Perhaps in time they will be reminded of why they came here in the first place.

Ferrari,

Thanks for your reply. It does seem that there are a lot of nay-sayers visiting this forum. Conan and MMWG come to mind.

How long have you been using HIT, Ferrari. And, if you don′t mind my asking, what routine are you currently using?

Thanks.

CM

If I′m allowed to comment here, I′ll just say this. It is something I′ve read some time ago somewhere on another forum and it goes pretty much like this:

"I′d rather stick to something based on reason and common sense, than blindly following what everybody else is doing (or supposedly is doing)."

P.S. Since everybody is different and unique and everybody has to find out for himself what works and what not, i.e. everybody has to re-invent the wheel for himself, there cannot be one best approach to bodybuilding, according to ′volumnists′. That would be the same thing as saying that every theory has something valid to offer, i.e. every approach is good as long as you stick to it. To me, that makes no sense. I′m not suggesting that everybody should do EXACTELY the same thing however. There are, of course, certain variations (for example: some like to do a certain exercise and can do it safely, while others cannot). But I′m a true believer of the PRINCIPLES of high-intensity training: train hard (to failure), don′t overtrain, take enough rest for overcompensation and try to eat a well-balanced diet every day.

P.P.S. Ever heard of the ′K.I.S.S.-principle′? ′Keep It Simple, Stupid!′

CanadaMan,

I′ve been doing HIT since about 1980 on and off.

My routine is posted here
/Forums/ViewTopic.asp?topic_id=303