As a huge Mike Mentzer fan from my teens on, I have read everything I could (all of his books except "Muscles in Minutes), and own his official training dvd from right before he passed, as well as a 2-dvd bootleg of a seminar he gave years ago. I'd have to say without a doubt he had the biggest influence on me out of any other bodybuilder. Not that I ever was one myself, aspired to be, or had anywhere near the genetics to win an amateur show with 1 other person it, but whenever in late teens, early 20's I wanted to add muscle or gain some weight, I used Heavy Duty and never failed to get results. I've also followed Yate's version, with a bit more volume and extra day in the gym, this also was always successful at packing on some weight/muscle. People who asked earlier in the thread, or wondering in general, IMO these were some of most important things to consider using any version of his training:
-it's not he built great physique w/ volume and "maintained" it w/ heavy duty;he grew out of a plateau w/ it
-his ideas may not all be scientifically valid (his diet info is major weakness) but work anecdotally
-if was off some aspects (no direct training needed for some parts) his work made people think critically
-his legendary training sessions, stuff of legend, inspired many of us to train to failure
-his writing was very inspirational, and well done; a very reflective, analytical man-too much for some
-he spoke freely about drugs/steroids; this board witch hunts "fake" natties/liars and Mike was open
-in his prime, huge but athletic appearance and one of few that did cardio, in book says would run 5mi. day
-influenced many others who did go on to have higher profiles in BB, like Dorian Yates
-may not be well-known but his principals can be applied to other athletic endeavors such as martial
arts, boxing, MMA training. The personally helped me to critically think in terms of training to failure,
recovery after work outs, the need to some days (hard sparring) to shorten the work out in direct
relation to the intensity, and especially how the body recovers during rest as a SYSTEM not individual
parts affected by particular workout (I used to do a boxing workout so hard my shoulders, arms, etc.
hurt badly and were sore for days, before I thought about Mentzer's ideas and applied them. When I
did use some of the general principals for martial arts training, I avoided injuries better, recovered
overall better, was able to sleep by giving nervous system a break, and come back to have more
or whatever I had done last.
