Not all great figures have happy endings. Mike Mentzer had his life cut tragically short at the age of 49 after he succumbed to a heart condition. While he left behind a legacy of success stories courtesy of his training techniques, he didn’t build much of a reputation among his fellows.
In a candid chat with Mentzer’s protege, Dorian Yates, bodybuilding icon Tom Platz reveals a shocking incident about the veteran’s final days. Even before his untimely death, Mentzer witnessed some heartbreaking incidents that eventually led to his downfall.
The legend passed away on June 10, 2001. His brother, Ray, followed suit a few days later. The duo had established their style and technique, which educated many young bodybuilders to do it right. Yet, in his career, Mike witnessed downfalls after the infamous Mr. Olympia in 1980. Amidst many who boycotted the bodybuilding championship that year and the time that followed, Mentzer was one of them.
Some hypothesize that the veteran took the loss hard enough to change his ways of living. Platz recalled seeing him in a debilitated state outside of Gold’s Gym once. He didn’t seem to be in his senses.
“I remember one day I was walking to Gold’s Gym, and Mike’s there in the gutter, laying there like a drunken guy.”
Platz later approached him, only for Mentzer to not hear his arrival. Later, when he went into the gym, he saw the veteran in an upsetting state indoors, ripping away his pictures from the wall of fame.
“I said to my training partner, ‘Tony, if I ever get like that, keep the pictures stay on the wall’. I was sort of making a joke, but I felt so sad for Mike.”
Admittedly, the late legend sobered up later on and would be found smoking cigarettes outside the gym. But Platz was upset about watching an intellectual like Mentzer get wasted away. Eventually, when he passed, it brought together the entirety of the bodybuilding world to remember the contributions of the physique scientist.
Mike Mentzer left behind a legacy: Heavy-duty training is now the trend
Heavy-duty training is synonymous with Mentzer’s name. The late legend pioneered high-intensity training along with longer rest periods to guarantee larger muscles and optimum growth. Backing his training techniques with science and logic, Mentzer helped many aspiring bodybuilders, including Dorian Yates, succeed.
Despite his untimely demise, Mentzer’s ideas and principles live on. In current times, bodybuilders like Nick Walker religiously derive inspiration from Yates, who trained under the late icon. The techniques surrounding heavy-duty training are popular even today and help one succeed in their goals.
