HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

MENTZER′S HAPPIEST CLIENT!

an interview with Ali Ahadpour
by Derek Hardy

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I would like to preface this interview first by thanking Ali Ahadpour for his testimonial. I found Ali′s story similar to mine and I hope some readers will not have to waste years marathon weight training, before trusting the reasoning power of their mind and have full confidence in Heavy Duty training.

(Note-This interview I have typed mostly verbatim)

Derek: Ali, please let our readers know about what kind of training you have been doing up until 3 months ago.

Ali: My background in training started about 8 years ago when I was 15 years old. Ever since I started I′ve tried every single program you could purchase, for example Cybergenics, Innervation training, Body Contract-Duchaine′s, Arnolds, Weider, POF, Periodization, non Periodization, Pyramid system, 5 x 10, 3 x 10 ……. need I go on?

Derek: I get your point. What kind of results did you get from your use of those prior mentioned training systems.

Ali: I really had nothing to show for my results, I basically looked the same. You couldn′t tell the difference between me and someone who did not lift weights.

Derek: What made you decide to try Heavy Duty?

Ali: I saw an ad for Mike Mentzer′s Heavy Duty training and then I read some of his articles and it made perfect sense to me. I placed an order for his books and set up a phone consultation.

Derek: Tell us about your results.

Ali: Since I started 3 months ago I have gained 23 pounds of muscle, I look like I just went through a complete physical metamorphosis! I don′t know what my exact body fat percentage was when I started with Mike′s training. All I know is my waist size has gone down 2 inches from a 34 to a 32 inch waist and now that I have more muscle I eat more calories because my metabolism has increased.

Derek: What about your strength?

Ali: Strength increases have been phenomenal, going up on major multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts and dips anywhere between 35 to 50 percent increases. As Mike pointed out with strength increases so will muscle size.

Derek: Give some of the readers an idea of what your Heavy Duty high intensity workout consists of.

Ali: I′ve done all this by working out 1 time every five to seven days, and my workout lasts 10 minutes. It is amazing my workouts before I tried Heavy Duty lasted well over an hour 4 to 5 days a week. Now with Heavy Duty I complete 2 exercises to failure 10 min. total and that′s it. I am a college student and I attend school every day Monday thru- Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm and I feel so much better, by that I mean more energy for my studies. Because I even tried 2 a day training on the multi-set volume approach. I forced myself to go work out even while I was suffering from chronic fatigue.

Derek: What was your initial reaction when Mike first outlined your Heavy Duty workout?

Ali: My reaction was no way, no way this can work. It flies against all quote un-quote conventional wisdom that you′re taught, you know you have to work out and got to be constantly in the gym. I thought oh no, I′ll probably atrophy even the small amount of muscle I have. I was totally wrong about that I never knew the amount of muscle gains I was capable of achieving.

Derek: So, basically would you say you were afraid, kind of a fear that…

Ali: Yeah! Definitely afraid, and even.. this is a fear… even the very little muscular development I had but even then I was thinking; I′m going to lose everything that I worked so hard for 7 years which was very minimal or miniscule to say the very least and I thought I was going to lose that by trying this radical system. But I was severely mistaken, all this time I really was, believe it or not overtraining. I wouldn′t believe it or I didn′t want to believe it. Now I see that this is exactly how much time it takes for the body to recover from high intensity training stress. I have definitely been mistaken all along.

Derek: Before you changed over to Heavy Duty had you ever heard about it? While you were trying all these other programs?

Ali: I had heard about it in passing I had read some books referring to Arthur Jones and the Nautilus phenomenon and certain body builders like Mike Mentzer and Casey Viator who utilized short high intensity training. I really didn′t give it that much thought. I just figured that this is like anything else in the world, you just model what the majority of the top bodybuilders said to do–ultra marathon routines. Like 20 sets per body part stuff like that, I figured it was just like any other aspect of life you just model them and get the results. I was really mistaken because obviously these top pro bodybuilders are on every type of anabolic in existence using outrageous quantities and this I′ve learned greatly enhances recovery ability. Getting back to your question yeah, I heard about it (Heavy Duty) before but it didn′t really start to click in until I started reading some of Mike Mentzer′s articles and really understanding what he was saying.

Derek: What kind of advice would you give to others that are in the position you were in before you switched over to Heavy Duty. Most everybody seems to be training multiple sets and days. Maybe they are afraid, have some fear or are skeptical even though they see Dorian Yates uses this program and he′s the number one guy–Mr. Olympia.

Ali: Unless they′re taking steroids and growth hormone they′re all in my shoes and I guarantee you I used to work out with them every day in the gym, and they were just like me–miniscule results. I mean it just seems futile why put in so much time, effort, money, gym membership, supplements and buying every program with nothing in return? When you look the same from year in to year out and you′re putting this much time in it′s just insane. It′s insane to keep doing the same thing and expect to get different results. You′re going to have to try something different like Heavy Duty to get different results. And before they even think about anabolic steroids which came to my mind you know it′s like anything if you are not going to see some progress you′ll do whatever it takes, that′s the mentality. I′m saying before you even look to anabolic steroids or to the next ultra marathon routine by joe blow bodybuilder, I say just give Mike′s program a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, I thought I was your typical "hardgainer" that was the label I gave myself. Now I see that was wrong. I was just using the wrong training systems. I′m telling everyone before they even think about… In my opinion you can even make better results on Heavy Duty than you can using steroids, I know quite a few people who told me they′ve used steroids and none of them have even come close to the results I have achieved. Just by using a very simple, concise and scientific approach.

Derek: That seems to clear it up very well. People will ask this question about steroids you′ve alluded to it earlier. Are you steroid and hormone free?

Ali: Yes, I am hormone and steroid free and a point I would like to make is that I′m 23 years old and in basic anatomy and physiology between ages 15 and 18 is when you′re hormonally naturally at your peak, during that time you′re supposed to just look at a weight and grow. That wasn′t the case with me, hormones actually go on a decline after the age of 18 and I′m now making outrageous gains even though my hormone levels are naturally down from what they used to be and no I don′t take any anabolics. I don′t think the risks are worth it. Of course now it′s not an issue at all any more with the results I′ve received from Heavy Duty not to mention I′m a college student and I′m on a very tight budget.

Derek: What about nutrition, are you taking any special supplements.

Ali: No just can′t afford to because of my budget. Even money for food is tight, I stay informed on supplements just for my personal information and I don′t know what kind of results I could get from say creatine but so far I have yet to need it. Mike helped me with a basic nutrition program and keeping my calories a little above maintenance, it′s not that complex.

Derek: So on the college student budget you could add a couple extra Top Ramen to you diet and you would be fine.

Ali: Exactly, it′s not as difficult as we′re led to believe.

Derek: How about your friends, what has been their reaction?

Ali: My girlfriend loves it, she can′t get over it because basically her boyfriend now has an amazing body. All my other friends [are] as impressed we′ll go out and … sometimes I′ll now be bigger than the bouncer.

Derek: And what does your girlfriend think of now having more time available for her.

Ali: Oh much better! I mean obviously I already have time constraints as it is. I′m sure everyone else does. At the very least not only all the results you get using Heavy Duty, how would you like to get these amazing results at 10 minutes a workout? It′s amazing and again I′m not doing any aerobic activity, I have much more time for her and for school. That′s the other thing–my school grades have improved because now I feel so much better I can study and I′m no longer tired from marathon training.

Derek: Are you afraid if you had to reschedule a workout to another day?

Ali: Absolutely not, that would just allow the body more time to overcompensate and grow. Where in the past if I had to skip a scheduled workout day I felt guilty, like I was breaking one of the ten commandments.

Derek: Well that pretty much covers it. Is there anything you would like to add.

Ali: All I can say is before you waste any more time, money, etc. I just ask you to try Heavy Duty–Mike Mentzer′s routine that you′ve heard about a lot, give it an honest try and you will get progress immediately work out to work out. Look at the results I and others have achieved and I have no doubt that it works.

Derek: One last question where can people contact you if they have questions or maybe they′re still skeptical.

Ali: Contact me any time I live in Kansas City, Missouri.

Derek: Do you have an email address?

Ali: I will be getting one in about two weeks but any time someone wants to call me they can. I go to school 7:30 to 4:30 pm midwest time, any time after 4:30 pm if they want to call I′ll be there to answer any of their questions. My phone number is (816) 931-2109 and I′ll be happy to answer their questions, or if for some reason they just don′t believe me and they think this is like a paid advertisement or I′m phony they can call me up and ask me themselves if I′m a true person, I′m honestly telling the truth. I′ll be very honest with them, I′ll tell them exactly, this is truthful [it′s] everything I′ve said it is.

Derek: Hey, Ali thanks a lot.

I would like to thank Ali Ahadpour again for this candid unrehearsed interview. I found him to be honest, intelligent and articulate. He mentioned to me after the interview that he was a little bit mad because he spent so many wasted years with nothing to show for results, before he was willing to trust his mind and use Heavy Duty protocol. Well I can′t say he′s the only one, many very successful and very intelligent people have been duped to workout multiple days and sets including yours truly. The important thing is when you make the switch to Heavy Duty you have one less problem to rack your brain with. When you switch to Heavy Duty you will have much more muscle and time allowinq the freedom to become a more productive individual and enrich all areas of life.

Off the Charts–An Interview with Jeff Whitlock

By Derek Hardy

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Jeff Whitlock is a hard-working businessman sometimes working 14-hour days, a schedule that can make it tough to make significant exercise gains. Jeff is much happier these days, due to his results via his continued telephone consultations with Mike Mentzer.

"Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice and the alternative his nature offers him is rational being or suicidal animal."

Ayn Rand–Atlas Shrugged
Jeff is a rational, intelligent man and took it upon himself to investigate many training ideas. When Jeff discovered Arthur Jones, he told me, "The Nautilus ideas made perfect sense."

The interview that follows is a training journey that is now delivering "off the charts" results. High-intelligence trainers, fasten your Nautilus seat belts and hang on for yet another documented Heavy Duty success story.

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DH: Tell us about what has happened since you began consulting with Mike?

JW: My gains have been great since I switched from the routine that I was using.

DH: What routine were you using?

JW: The Nautilus routine from Ellington Darden′s book.

DH: It didn′t work or what?

JW: Well it worked for about 6 months and then I just hit a sticking point. It was a bit bewildering because all the information was very intelligent and made sense. I think most of the ideas were originally from Arthur Jones.

DH: Jeff, could you give our readers an idea of the routine you were using?

JW: Sure. The idea is to train the whole body three times a week.

DH: When you hit the sticking point, what did you think or do?

JW: I got a little frustrated, then I tried different variations of the Nautilus program. I thought that since I had made good gains for a while on the Nautilus routine, that maybe I could find a way to jump-start my progress. However, it did not work. I just could not make any progress. I decided to find something that would work.

DH: Jeff, before we get to what you did to break that plateau. Tell our readers about your training experience.

JW: I started lifting in high school with the traditional 3 or 4 days multiple set routines. That worked a little but I think it was mostly from just the initial gain everyone gets from starting an exercise program for the first time. I was always thin and that is why I started lifting. I was about 6′1" and170 lbs. When I graduated high school, I needed to lift weights.

DH: Let us get back to the Nautilus routine. Jeff how long did you continue the Nautilus routine after your gains ceased?

JW: I continued for eight months and then I started to seek out a routine that would allow me to gain strength and muscle. I was very motivated because I used to be very lean but over the years I added some fat and got out of shape. In addition, at age 34 it felt like the clock was ticking.

Last winter I thought to myself that this is my last chance to get in the best shape of my life. I heard about Mike Mentzer and his improvements on the Nautilus ideas, but most people in the gym would say negative things, for example, "How can only one set work," etc. I took it upon myself to read Mike′s articles and books. I discovered the Heavy Duty Web Site. I found out that Mike was available for telephone consultations and I thought to myself, I would give it a try. I spent enough on every other routine. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain [so] I signed on with Mike for telephone consultation.

Reflecting back, it is the best weight training decision I have made. Mike explained to me that the old Nautilus routines would eventually lead to overtraining. Mike explained I was overtrained and suggested I take a 3-week rest from exercise.

DH: Tell us about your Heavy Duty routine and the results.

JW: Well, I′ve only been training once every seven days since Mike switched me to the consolidated programs A and B, and my gains are outstanding.

My deadlift has gone up and up. To give you an example when I first started with Mike, I think it′s a few months shy of a year ago. I have everything recorded in my training journal. I could deadlift 135 pounds for 11 reps to failure, and my last workout I deadlifted 485 for 11 reps to failure. If you calculate the percentage increase that′s a 359% increase since I started Heavy Duty.

DH: Since you have your journal in front of you. Please tell us what you recorded for your most recent deadlift workout, before you switched to a more abbreviated Heavy Duty program?

JW: Sure, I did 380 for 11 reps.

DH: Ok, let me do some math. You did 380 x 11, then 485 x 11 during your most recent workout. So…that′s a 105 pound increase and 128% increase. In addition, did you say you are on a low calorie diet?

JW: Yes, and I have lost 8 pounds of fat since I have been on this diet. While increasing my strength incredibly, I am really starting to look great. I am 6′1" tall and weigh 215 pounds and I am going to gain 10 more pounds of lean muscle.

I also increased 170 pounds on the leg press. In addition, from last September until today, I have gone from 35 pounds for five reps to currently 80 pounds for 11 reps. With the weighted dip exercise.

DH: That′s double the weight and more than double the reps. That is a 228% increase and again all this on a low calorie diet. That is truly impressive!

JW: A couple other things I want to mention. My wife, Brenda, can′t believe what a stud I am. She is impressed with my accomplishments and is very proud of me. My dog, Salvador, is proud to have me behind his leash when we walk through the neighborhood. Before I started Heavy Duty my knees used to ache and now the aches and pains are gone. Also, my training partner, Doug Reiter, was in a car wreck awhile ago and after all the physical therapy he was still experiencing a good deal of back pain. He also is now feeling much better then ever. His leg press has gone up over 300 pounds.

DH: Those results are fantastic. Although, I am not that surprised because many of my personal training clients have experienced the same type of results.

The skeptics of those curious about Heavy Duty can contact Jeff to confirm his results. Please, remember Jeff is a busy man who values his time. Jeff lives in the middle time zone. Please, place you calls accordingly at (734) 847-1661. Thanks Jeff and continued success.

I enjoyed interviewing Jeff Whitlock who truly is a "High Intelligence" Heavy Duty Trainer.

REALITY REPEATS: More Positive Evidence for Heavy Duty Exercise
Interview with MIKE MENTZER′S training client BRICE DUNN

by Derek Hardy

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Derek: Brice, I would like to start by getting some information on your training experience. More specifically when did you start weight training, what kind of exercise program and what were your results?

Brice: (laughing) Oh god, I have done a ton of things….In the beginning I was about 17 and I was training with my uncle. We basically did a 3 days on one off routine. For example, chest & back on Monday, biceps and triceps on Tuesday and legs on day 3. And we did the traditional exercises flat, incline bench press and dumbbell flys for chest and pull ups and pull downs for back.

Derek: How did that routine work for you?

Brice: It kind of worked a little bit for about the first month and then it just stopped and I stayed the same body weight and strength.

Derek: Ok, did you keep using that routine or what did you do?

Brice: Well since that didn′t work very well I started talking to this real big muscular guy in the gym and he gave me his routine to follow; he told me to work out 5 days a week and alternate body parts. Chest on Monday, back on Tuesday, triceps on Wednesday, biceps on Thursday, legs on Friday and rest Saturday and Sunday.

Derek: What results did you get from that program?

Brice: It didn′t work at all.

Derek: It didn′t work at all, this guy was real big and muscular so he should be an expert?

Brice: No, he wasn′t at all, and I thought he knew what he was talking about because he was incredibly muscular. I can′t [say] any good things about asking the big buffed out guy in the gym for good training advice, that routine was worthless.

Derek: I guess you can call that choosing your parents correctly.

Brice: (Laugh) Yeah, I believe that′s right.

Derek: Since those routines did not work well, what did you do next?

Brice: I was looking through a magazine and I found a routine called "Russian Volume Training" and you do 10 sets of 10 reps each time and Super set those sets. For example- decline bench press Superset with back pull downs again 10 sets of 10 reps each time and that just totally killed me! I only did that for 3 weeks and I realize now I was totally overtrained!

Derek: I think I know but , what were your results? Do you remember how much weight you lost?

Brice: About 5 pounds and I was very thin to begin with–about 152 pounds at the time.

Derek: I agree with you on stopping that volume program. What did you decide to do next?

Brice: I went to a basic 3 times a week routine- Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And I did like the total body, I did 3 sets and that worked a little I gained a little muscle but not a lot.

Derek: Ok, so what made you decide to call Mike Mentzer?

Brice: I was really frustrated with my training results and it wasn′t going anywhere. I thought I could get bigger because at 6 feet tall and 152 pounds I had to at least give Heavy Duty a try. I thought that I have tried just about everything else, [so] I called Mike Mentzer as a last resort.

Derek: Tell us about your experience using Heavy Duty high intensity training.

Brice: With all of the other programs I kind of knew I was overtraining, but all the big guys in the gym told me that you could only look kind of athletic on a 3 day a week program. I read Mike′s articles and I was kind of reluctant once I found out it was only that little amount of training. Because I didn′t think you could gain muscle off of that little (brief) training workout but I tried it.

Derek: That′s interesting what kind of things went through your mind when you called Mike for a phone consultation and he outlined the baseline routine?

Brice: To be totally honest with you…. I thought he was full of crap (laughing). I didn′t think it (Heavy Duty) would work at all.

Derek: What made you try the routine if you thought it was b.s.?

Brice: I thought I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I told myself I would only try Mike′s workout for 3 or 4 weeks tops and if it didn′t work , I would then look for something else.

Derek: Reading Mike′s articles convinced you?

Brice: It started with the articles, they were all reasonable, logical and scientific but after I ordered and read his book I began to see the truth. I see now how and why it works. Not only that, I have had great, wonderful results!

Derek: Yes, tell us about your results.

Brice: I followed Mike′s advice and every workout since I keep getting stronger.

Derek: Any lean muscle increase?

Brice: Yes, when I started Heavy Duty I weighed about 151 or 152 pounds and it′s been about 3 and one half months and I now weigh this morning 181 and I′m not fat–it′s muscular weight gain. What has really moved up and increased are my legs, they used to be very , totally skinny legs. I used to be only able to squat 155 pounds for about 7 reps. Now, I can squat 290 pounds for 10 reps and I continue to increase my reps and weight I can lift every time I squat!! I have gone up a lot, big time for me. It seemed crazy, typically for the first 2 and one half months it moved up about 10 pounds every single workout, I mean weight I could lift.

Derek: What workout were you doing?

Brice: Squats, pull downs, dead lift and dips with minimal warm-up. Another thing was that my left knee used to hurt when I was doing other multiple set routines and I went to the doctor and he didn′t know what the problem was. Now it seems crazy but since I′ve been training Heavy Duty style I can lift more weight and my knee stopped hurting. It used to hurt before I tried Heavy Duty so the only logical thing I can explain it with, was that I must of been chronically overusing my joints and muscles. Now I am bigger, stronger, and just as nice, I feel zero pain in my knee.

Derek: That sounds great, I was wondering what your friends and other′s thought when you told them you were going to try Heavy Duty.

Brice: Oh they thought I was crazy, they all said there is no way that will work. Everybody from the big guy in the gym to the guy that worked at GNC, I don′t know if you have GNC out where you live..but they all said it was too much rest, they were all wrong.

Derek: Brice it just occurred to me that if you weighed 152 pounds when you started Heavy Duty, and tell me if I wrote this down correctly, you as of today weigh 181 pounds?

Brice: Yes, you wrote that down correctly.

Derek: That′s 29 pounds in 3 and one half months.. wow! I didn′t realize it was that much.

Brice: Yeah, I can only smile!

Derek: Tell me about your friends′ reactions now?

Brice: Well people that know me and when they see me now are very surprised but mainly my girlfriend, we have been together 2 years and she has been with me every workout and she thinks my body looks 100 percent better. She loves the muscle I have packed on and loves that my legs are no longer skinny.

Derek: Yeah, I′ve heard that before, tell us about nutrition are you using any special supplements?

Brice: Not really I just eat a balanced diet, I do eat a little more protein but that′s basically it.

Derek: I know some people want to know if your using steroids?

Brice: Laugh, My girlfriend would kill me, and I don′t want that. I think if I was going to use them I think I most likely would have when I was frustrated with no progress with other routines like "THE RUSSIAN VOLUME TRAINING". I have decided to stay completely all natural and that is why I kept searching for an exercise routine that works and I found and tried Heavy Duty and it has worked incredibly for me! I also know that I′m totally healthy without any possible health risks. I only take a multi-vitamin and really watch my diet but I really think it′s the correct training that gave the biggest results. Actually I know it′s the training routine because I followed a great diet with other exercise routines and I did not get the great results that I′m getting from HEAVY DUTY.

Derek: What about your family what do they think?

Brice: My dad thinks I am getting big and my Grandmother say′s I′m now big enough and thinks I might be getting too much muscle (laugh). Think about it like this, can you imagine a Grandmother watch her grandson gain about 30 pounds of muscle in a few months, that could be a little shocking for a person especially if in all their years they never saw something like that. What I mean is that she has always seen me at a certain bodyweight and now I′m 30 pounds of muscle bigger and still growing! She tells me that she doesn′t want me to get as big as "One of those bodybuilders", although I′m still gaining and could be able to build another 20-30 pounds of muscle on my frame so I could build a body that could go in that direction. It′s hard to explain it to her, I live with my Grandparents and every time I get a comment I know that I′m getting bigger; my Grandmother is funny and I love her I think she′s starting to understand and get used to my new outward appearance with added muscle.

Derek: Brice, I would like to thank you for the interview and I was wondering if I could post your number so if anyone who reads this has any doubts, or may think this is a phony interview they can call and hear it from you.

Brice: Sure, anyone who wants to call me, I′m on midwestern time. Call me about 3 pm west coast time at (303) 443-0377 that would be the best chance of reaching me. Please no late night calls, thank you.

Derek: Thanks again for your time Brice. I look to follow up and get an update in the future, and wishing you continued Heavy Duty success.

Jesus, these guys are gaining insanely fast. Could it be genetics? I don′t have mike with me training, but I do everything I have learned in the past year, I eat above maintenance, train once a week. And have only gained 5 pounds of lean muscle, that′s it. My strength has gone up alot however.

I know, those guys gained like crazy!
So how much did your strength go up compared to the 5lb gain?

Az