Mike Mentzer pioneered the high-intensity training plan and put his twist on it. With the help of his customized heavy-duty training plan, fitness enthusiasts have found new approaches to building a better physique. In a resurfaced clip from his training program posted by the YouTube channel Your Gym Rat, Mentzer revealed the only two chest exercises to keep a note of.
Growing the chest is a part of bodybuilding, and it can involve a wide range of exercises that help with it. However, Mentzer suggested that with just two exercises performed according to his technique, one could achieve optimum growth.
The principle of heavy-duty training is to perform every exercise with full intensity but keeping a low volume overall. Mentzer observes progressive overload and split training for his client’s benefit. In this video, he highlighted two foundational chest exercises his mentee helped demonstrate.
The bodybuilding veteran began by guiding his apprentice through pec decks. Here, he performed one set on the machine where Mentzer increased the weights. While he could’ve done more with decreased weights, the athlete could not properly start the rep despite being able to hold and return.
“Your goal as a bodybuilder is to get stronger every workout. You either go up in weight, reps, or both.”
The next exercise performed was the incline bench press. Here, the apprentice got through at least four reps of presses before reaching complete levels of exhaustion. Mentzer immediately recorded his number of reps and overall performance on both exercises.
“That’s all you’re going to do for chest – one set of pec deck and one set of inclined press.”
However, Mentzer left viewers with a warning. The rest-pause method that both he and his mentee demonstrated was to be exercised with caution. The late bodybuilder applied his heavy-duty principles to his routine back in the day when he began looking into the technique more and more.
Mike Mentzer talks about brief and intense training before contests
In a resurfaced video clip posted by the YouTube channel Heavy Duty College, Mentzer revealed what his pre-contest training looked like. Mainly, he focused on strengthening his routine about 12 weeks before the show.
Each week would witness progressively briefer and more intense workout sessions. The entire idea behind the heavy-duty training plan was to spend less time in the gym and still get the maximum output. His final week wouldn’t include training. He then practiced posing, prepared himself mentally, and basked in the sun waiting for the show.
