Mike Mentzer’s High Intensity Training

The JamSmooth Workout Challenge did not fare so well. 2 weeks into the challenge I got a painful infection that rendered me useless. I was using Bill Phillip’s Body For Life program and I was enjoying it.

One day I was perusing Amazon and I came across Mike Mentzer’s book, “High Intensity Training – The Mike Mentzer Way.” I read the comments from folks who’d bought the book and I became intrigued. Mentzer’s claim is that with less time and less reps you build more muscle. For the past several years my training methods were 3 to 5 sets, gradually increasing weight with each set. I used the pyramid scheme of 12-10-8-6, or something to that effect. I did not see the progress I wanted. Another part of my method was doing lots of cardio. So my workouts consisted of roughly 30 minutes of weight lifting followed by 30 to 45 minutes of cardio and then 10 minutes of stretching. I’d be in the gym for 90 minutes.

I like being in the gym but even for me that was too long. Generally I’d leave feeling good. However Mentzer’s methods are opposite what I described. He’s all about high intensity in short amounts of time. There are some warm up sets involved but for most exercises you only do one set. One set! However that one set is an all out high intensity set that should have you screaming by the end. Today I completed workout #1 which is chest and back. I was done in 28 minutes. By the end I was completely out of breath and had worked up a serious sweat.

I had a spotter doing incline bench and I was able to go far beyond what I could on my own. I definitely achieved muscle failure. On the last exercise, deadlifts, also one of my favorite exercises, I was so out of breath from the intensity it took me a minute to catch my breath. My heart was pounding. I also got a little light headed, but not in a bad way. It felt great.

There’s no separate “aerobic” component to Mentzer’s methods. The training itself is the aerobics. After what I experienced today I can see what he means.

Writing notes about the workout in my journal I could barely hold my pen because my arms were so tired. All that to say I’m excited about this new method. I’m going to be taking photos, recording body weight and also the amounts I’m lifting. Mentzer claims you will see progress from workout to workout. He says if you don’t you’re doing something wrong. It’s all about the high intensity. I know as I continue I’ll be able to dial in that intensity each time.

I’m glad to be doing something completely different. I was beyond burned out on my method. Mentzer’s method are unlike anything I’ve ever used but I’m going to follow them to see if they work.

Here’s to getting bigger and stronger in 2009.