“Never Would Have Been Mr. Universe”: Mike Mentzer Once Slammed Fitness Freaks’ Myths Surrounding Soreness

A good workout session at the gym would usually result in a good pump and an occasional sore feeling. However, to judge a day at the gym based on these feelings is controversial, according to legend Mike Mentzer. The bodybuilding icon, who pioneered the high-intensity training routine, had some bold takes on the common muscle growth indicators.

In a resurfaced interview he did with Bill Phillips, Mentzer spoke about a plethora of ideas and misconceptions surrounding bodybuilding training. One of these pertained to the feeling of soreness after an intense workout. Many believed that the soreness indicated muscle growth, but the icon was quick to debunk that.

He started by clarifying that whether it was getting sore or a good pump, both of these situations were feelings experienced by ones who trained. And while they are completely valid, one couldn’t trust feelings to indicate a physical change during workouts. He revealed how he rarely got sore during his workouts, even if they consisted of high-intensity reps.

“If getting sore was a requirement of getting bigger, of stimulating growth, I never would have been Mr. Universe because I almost never got sore”

The feeling of soreness in itself isn’t wrong. Mentzer clarified that if one faced a break in their routine, a huge change in their training plan, or performed workouts that demanded more stretching, the soreness was natural. However, it wasn’t an indicator of muscle growth.

“Getting sore is not a sign that you did anything positive for yourself, it’s just hurt”

 

 

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Similarly, he debunked another misconception surrounding the link between getting a pump and gaining size. According to Mentzer’s bold claim, muscle growth doesn’t occur actively during a workout.

Mike Mentzer points out that workout doesn’t contribute to growth

A common image of bodybuilders includes working out daily and gaining size with time. However, Mentzer doesn’t believe that’s true. The pioneer of methods like high-intensity training and one-set-to-failure, the bodybuilding veteran researched and came up with scientific theories on when muscles grew during the course of an entire training plan.

 

 

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Turns out, an active workout doesn’t lead to growth. However, what does induce growth is the rest period in between workouts. Recovery is the key to hypertrophy. Mentzer explained this by dividing the entire workout session into two parts. One dealt with active exercise. While the other comprised of the rest period. The exercise triggers the system responsible for the growth of muscles. However, when the muscles find sufficient time to rest, that’s when the growth happens. Such was Mentzer’s prowess in the field that his observations are relevant even today. That’s why he was a true legend in the field.