HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

Hi everyone, I am new to hit and I am have some questions that I hope you guys can help with. well, I recently bought Mike Mentzers "High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer way" and I really loved his philosophy and it makes sense to me. I have been going to the gym for about a year now and haven′t made great changes on my body until the summer when I started focusing on my diet. Well, first of all, I don′t know how to go train to failure. Is it when you can′t move the weight any more or is it when you can′t do the excersise in extrict manner? Also, is it recommeded to use those lifting belts that protect your lower back when doing dead lifts and squats? also, should I do squats or leg presses and how to go to failure on those excersises. Also, I′ve read in this forum that it is good to start out with the consolidation routine and I would like to know if it is good to start out with the athletes consolidation routine? Well, I appreciate any help from you guys, and I am I know I′ve asked many questions but I just want to be sure that I am in the right track.

hey Torro82, I would say since Mike recommended doing the ideal routine first then that should be what to do. Here is a link to some of Mike′s principles from the book Heavy Duty 2: Mind and Body.

http://www.geocities.com/ggrom/hd2.html

Read that and it will get you headed in the right direction. Good luck.
jim

Training to FAILURE means that you have to continue pushing for more reps until you CANNOT do another rep ( or move another inch) is strict form no matter how hard you try !!! Remember that to do this correctly you must first understand that all rep execution should be STRICT (don′t CHEAT) and standardized (4/2/4 , 2/4, etc.) to get a PRECISE record of your performance . In my opinion using Lifting belts is counterproductive to your training goal ! You should train to STRENGTHEN every muscle of the body in proportion to each other to prevent strength imbalance that may result in INJURY !!! So start out with a good weight that you can CONTROL and progress from there . As for squatting to failure you should do your squats in a POWER RACK with saftely pins !!!
In HD2 Mike recommended you start out with the IDEAL routine . If for some reason you are not gaining with that program then and only then you should switch to the Consolidated program . The Consolidated Program was designed for the ADVANCED trainee and also for the those whose recovery ability is unusually inferior (the unusually HARD GAINER) !!! PEACE .