Mike Mentzer

[SF1900]

Profound. I don't know about the dancing star bit, but I have gone a "bit" chaotic in the past (once).

Some reactions need a catalyst to initiate

Well, I think the "dancing star" was a metaphor. Nietzsche loved metaphors. 

[Valane]

I always liked Mike, but from a physique standpoint he had strange proportions, short limbs, zero chest thickness, strange lines.

[Lumberjack88]

One of the most aesthetically pleasing physiques ever... I mean look at this shot here:


It doesn't look freaky, it just looks good and muscular...

[WillGrant]

i don't agree i think he has VERY VERY good physique, mentally ill but great physique,, very good thickness and hardness in his muscles,,

i prefer this physiqe too todays pros every day of the week,,

Of course he does have a very good physique, I agree - but it is not a pleasing physique to look at

[Fatpanda]

great thread from a great poster about a great bodybuilder 

[PJim]

I think the guy was great, very honest and open and a good human being whose opinion on training were spot-on. I think that he got frustrated at machiavellian type behaviour is all, which if we're all being honest, should be able to relate to being affected by it if on th recieving end i.e.Arnold. RIP Mike.

[pellius]

Not a pleasing physique to look at but damm look at how thick and dense he is 

Cool pics nolotil , thanks for sharing 

To me, that is what made him impressive. The thickness. When he just stood relaxed the way his arms hung to the side like ham hocks was jaw dropping.

[pellius]

i don't agree i think he has VERY VERY good physique, mentally ill but great physique,, very good thickness and hardness in his muscles,,

i prefer this physiqe too todays pros every day of the week,,

x10

[pellius]

As Nietzsche said, "One must have chaos in oneself, to give birth to a dancing star."

Mentzer was an avid fan of Nietzsche and quoted him often in his articles. He actually inspired me, a boy just starting out in high school that never did a day of homework, to actually go to the library and start reading Nietzsche. I became an avid reader of philosophy and initially majored in it college before realizing that I was never going to get a job with a Philosophy major.

[Danimal77]

went cukkoo but good physique,;;

(mike and his brother ray)

Mentzer was no BULLSHIT. He said it as it was. He never claimed to have 20" arms +. He gave his EXACT measurement of 18 5/8" for his arms, at a weight of 225 pounds, on a 5'8" frame. Had a lot of respect for his not backing down at the 1980 Mr. O... He wasn't intimidated by Arnold.

[Swedish Viking]

This is one of the most brutal physique shots ever taken.

[pellius]

This is one of the most brutal physique shots ever taken.

Exactly. I don't know where this "zero chest thickness" comes from. If anything it's because his arms and shoulders were so thick.

[noworries]

I miss Ray.  We had alot of fun.  I think I made him feel proud.  He always loved to tell people what I lifted the day before or whatever.  I made him laugh more than anyone too.  I felt bad for him at the end.

[pellius]

I miss Ray.  We had alot of fun.  I think I made him feel proud.  He always loved to tell people what I lifted the day before or whatever.  I made him laugh more than anyone too.  I felt bad for him at the end.

Yeah, you trained with Ray along with Max_Rep and I think Don Ross (there's a guy I miss) when he owned Muscle Mill in Redondo Beach. I remember when Ray and Benny Podda came into Barlows to do chest. Those were strong intense muthafukers. I thought Ray actually had a more classical bodybuilder physique than Mike and had a more pleasing traditional overall look. But to me Mike had that "Wow" factor. He did look kind of, I don't know, just different. He caught your eye more.

Every now and then I'd see Ray at El Pollo Loco eating a whole chicken. I wish they'd open up an El Pollo Loco chicken place here.

[pellius]

This has always been one of my favorite Mentzer shots.

[Fatpanda]

[JasonH]

This is one of the most brutal physique shots ever taken.

Cool pic - perfect combination of mass and symmetry right there.

On a side note, how tall was Mentzer?

[dj181]

I think he took it too far with his "consolidated" routine from heavy duty 2, basically training every 6 or 7 days with only 2 or 3 exercises. I tried it, and I did get stronger, but I lost my pleasing "look". Arthur Jones said in some of his earlier writings that there is overtraining but there is also undertraining, and I think this consolidated routine is definitely undertraining. Recently, I've been training every 48 hours, or roughly 3 times a week, and my appearance is much better than before. I think it has something to do with bio-chemical changes in the body, and that once a week, just isn't often enough...

[LITTLE JOHN]

Great guy knew him well.He had an angry attitude and it served him well.

[#1 Klaus fan]

I think he took it too far with his "consolidated" routine from heavy duty 2, basically training every 6 or 7 days with only 2 or 3 exercises. I tried it, and I did get stronger, but I lost my pleasing "look". Arthur Jones said in some of his earlier writings that there is overtraining but there is also undertraining, and I think this consolidated routine is definitely undertraining. Recently, I've been training every 48 hours, or roughly 3 times a week, and my appearance is much better than before. I think it has something to do with bio-chemical changes in the body, and that once a week, just isn't often enough...

There isn't such physiological state as undertraining. If that term is meant as volume that is too small then that is completely subjective and untestable.

[dj181]

There isn't such physiological state as undertraining. If that term is meant as volume that is too small then that is completely subjective and untestable.

Are you sure about that? I think there is a state of "optimal training" training enough to stimulate growth, but not so much as to prevent growth. For example, 2 or 3 work sets once every 6 or 7 days isn't enough to stimulate growth, but 10 to 15 work sets 3 times a week is enough.

[nolotil]

Mentzer was no BULLSHIT. He said it as it was. He never claimed to have 20" arms +. He gave his EXACT measurement of 18 5/8" for his arms, at a weight of 225 pounds, on a 5'8" frame. Had a lot of respect for his not backing down at the 1980 Mr. O... He wasn't intimidated by Arnold.

what you write  has nothing to do with the fact that he was cuckoo,, you must seperate different issues,, 

[LITTLE JOHN]

You don't think anyone who megga doses on illegal drugs is a little cuckoo?

[nolotil]

I think he took it too far with his "consolidated" routine from heavy duty 2, basically training every 6 or 7 days with only 2 or 3 exercises. I tried it, and I did get stronger, but I lost my pleasing "look". Arthur Jones said in some of his earlier writings that there is overtraining but there is also undertraining, and I think this consolidated routine is definitely undertraining. Recently, I've been training every 48 hours, or roughly 3 times a week, and my appearance is much better than before. I think it has something to do with bio-chemical changes in the body, and that once a week, just isn't often enough...

yes,, specially his later training recommendations are crazy,, so infrequent traiing is very poor for growth,, the reason for this is :: protein synthesis is only elevated approx 24-48 hour after training session,, so if you wait too long it isnt good for growth,, this dont meen you necessarily have to train body part every every second day,, as other mechanism have to recover but waiting a week or longer is NOT smart if you wanna grow yourself,, reason you can get stronger with extreme HIT and not grow is mostly NEURAL ADAPTATIONS

[nolotil]

You don't think anyone who megga doses on illegal drugs is a little cuckoo?

mentzer was always crazy,, he has very extreme mind,, he can never do moderation,..