The concept of high-intensity training, as preached by Mike Mentzer, has been popular through the ages. However, there’s no denying that the method is demanding in nature. It involves pushing oneself to the edge of one’s capabilities and, therefore, could be intimidating.
In a resurfaced video, Mentzer confessed how he discovered the true potential of high-intensity training due to the immense strength it demanded. At first, not knowing the right way to do it, Mentzer would indulge in practices such as forced and negative repetitions for his clients. However, he changed his ways soon.
Forced repetitions involve the trainer assisting the bodybuilder to perform reps when their muscle fails. This technique was popular as a high-intensity method, and the repetitions ranged from anywhere between three to five. Negative repetitions, on the other hand, involve the muscles being in the eccentric phase.
For Mentzer, these modes of intensity workouts did not provide satisfactory results. Almost all of his clients reported gains that didn’t match their expectations. That’s when high-intensity training came into the picture.
“I came to understand much more clearly just how demanding high-intensity training really is, that the body has a strictly limited recovery ability or adaptive capacity.”
Owing to the sheer stress that HIT could cause to the body, Mentzer warned of its repercussions. He would compare the effects of high-intensity exercises to roaming outside in the hot August sun. However, upon knowing the routine’s full potential, his comparisons changed.
“It’s more like going out into the intense August sun, with the sun five million miles closer to the Earth. Or even more precise, it’s like jumping into a fire.”
Being a champion of HIT and one-set-to-failure routines, Mentzer often expressed his disdain for those who opted to squeeze in more sets. The late icon strictly believed that bodybuilding didn’t need to test someone’s endurance.
Mike Mentzer once slammed bodybuilders testing their endurance at the gym
The ultimate goal of a bodybuilder is often aesthetic-based. The target would revolve around more gains, more definition, increased conditioning, etc. To achieve that, Mentzer believed that HIT was the holy grail of growth. However, he observed that not all bodybuilders would focus on precise training.
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In one of his conversations, the veteran snapped at athletes who visited the gym to spend their day testing their strength. Bodybuilding is not an aerobic sport, nor does it require endurance. Therefore, Mentzer preached about HIT being one of the few efficient ways to train.
