The reason why Mike Mentzer became one of the most influential bodybuilding mentors was because of his mindset. His philosophy regarding training went beyond competitions and the gym, therefore serving him success. He once talked about his philosophical endeavors and how he developed his own ideology.
In a resurfaced interview posted by Heavy Duty College on YouTube, he talked about three influential figures in his life. In general, although Mentzer was someone who would want to look up to someone, only a few made the cut.
The first person was Mentzer’s father, whom he witnessed make decisions and stand by them with integrity. One could credit his firm values stemming from that since he never deterred from the path he devised for himself.
The next three were popular philosophers who helped Mentzer gradually form an objectivism-based personal ideology going forth. These included Rex Dante, Ayn Rand, and Nietzsche, who played crucial roles in his life and mindset.
“I feel very fortunate to have lived in the time of Ayn Rand and I’ve thought about that many times…I don’t know where I’d be without objectivism.”
Later on, Mentzer began including this objectivism-based philosophy in his bodybuilding training, trying to correlate the two. He concluded how the objective of any goal undertaken by any individual, be it related to finances or physique, ultimately boiled down to the desire for self-mastery.
“At bottom, the purpose of all goal achievement is to develop a sense of mastery. Efficacy. To achieve a certain type of happiness that can only be had as a result of achieving goals.”
Mentzer applied this strongly to bodybuilding training, especially to highlight the purpose of the sport. For him, it did not just contain several training sessions and a jacked physique as a result.
Bodybuilding’s true purpose was a study for Mike Mentzer
Often, individuals who trained for bodybuilding competitions kept in mind a goal physique and a rough idea of how to get there. The struggles it went on to present through the journey disciplined the aspiring bodybuilder. However, Mentzer’s take on this process was different since he witnessed it from a philosophical viewpoint.
For the late legend, bodybuilding was all about logic, science, innovation, and, as a result, muscle building. The ultimate goal wasn’t to win but to master the skill that the sport demanded, which was possible through a particular mindset. Unless an individual adopts that, they will not be happy with their dream physique since it never changed them on the inside.
