When it comes to cardio or weight training, the bodybuilding world is divided into three types of fitness fanatics. While some people exclusively do cardio or weight training, others devote equal effort to both exercises. However, according to a resurfaced audio tape of Mike Mentzer, which was published on Heavy Duty College’s YouTube channel, the legend preferred weight training.
An interviewer, who claimed to be a fan of cardiovascular exercise, questioned the late icon about whether doing such exercises for around an hour every day can give maximum health benefits.
Interestingly, Mentzer, who was not an enthusiast for cardio, claimed that it is not always the most effective way to lose body fat. He goes on to explain that the entire weight-control process is greatly influenced by the number of calories consumed.
The bodybuilding icon used a simple example to demonstrate his point. If a person does two hours of cardio every day but fails to keep a particular calorie limit, they would gain weight significantly due to overeating. However, he recommended switching to the superior alternative, saying:
“Your weight training can give you the cardiovascular benefits at the same time it gives you the muscle training benefits.”
Mentzer went on to state that if a person does not rest much between sets, they are maintaining an age-adjusting pulse rate. As a result, they will create a cardiovascular training effect during their weight training session, which will provide them with several benefits, such as a healthy heart and lungs, as well as skeletal muscle tissue growth.
However, while striving for optimal results, the late icon previously shared his peculiar workout regimen.
Mike Mentzer’s four-day split routine
Mike Mentzer, the pioneer of HIT, followed a specific workout regimen to reap the most benefits. His schedule called for working out one portion of the body on Mondays and Thursdays and the other on Tuesdays and Fridays, with rest days on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
The first workout Mentzer completed was for his chest, shoulders, and triceps, with each body component performing four to six sets of each exercise. He trained his chest with cable crossovers and inclined presses, his shoulders with nautilus laterals and bent-over laterals, and his triceps with triceps press downs and nautilus triceps extensions.
Mentzer’s back training routine began with Nautilus behind-the-neck torso exercises. He then moved on to close-grip underhand pulldowns and rows. He also did shrugs and upright rows before moving on to his bicep exercises, which included Naulitus curls. Afterward, Mentzer performed his leg routines, which comprised leg extensions, leg presses, and leg curls, to complete his four-day split training regimen.
