Author Topic: Mike Mentzer (Read 94641 times)

Matt · « **Reply #50 on:** February 28, 2006, 07:59:56 AM »

Quote from: 240 is Back on February 28, 2006, 07:48:54 AM

Mentzer had a small window when he was one of the best physiques around. He really should have returned in 81 and earned #1 or 2 at the O. $:-\$

Hard to say. 1981 was definitely the year for Tom Platz. But Mentzer would have been up there and may have won it.

jaejonna · « **Reply #51 on:** February 28, 2006, 08:09:05 AM »

Mentzner was atop the bodybuilding world the weeks before the Sydney Olympia, then Arnold stepped off the plane and thus the biggest BB meltdown in history would shortly thereafter ensue....

Max_Rep · « **Reply #52 on:** February 28, 2006, 09:04:51 AM »

Quote from: YearsGoneBy on February 28, 2006, 07:46:10 AM

I'm asking because he never really looked that big to me, just wondering.

Yes. He and Ray used to train with Denny Malloy (now deceased) at Gold's on 2nd street when I first moved to L.A. in the summer of 1980. I often saw them training. The summer of 1981, after Gold moved to it’s current location in Venice, I trained with Samir Bannout and Mike was still training very seriously with Ray and their training partner Jerry McCall. I also saw then training during most of that summer and got to train with them on three occasions when Jerry was traveling. They were very strong (especially Ray) and did more work sets that they preached.

The gym was packed with guys training for the California, the America and the Olympia. It wasn’t uncommon to see Platz, Samir, Ray, Mike, Casey Viator, Robert Jodkiewicz, Mike Christian, Charles Glass, Pat Hayes, Chris Dickerson and others training at any given time.

Rome · « **Reply #53 on:** February 28, 2006, 09:17:49 AM »

I saw the late great in Mentzer the lobby of the Beacon right before the pre judging of the very first Night Of The Champions. Mike was one of my heros back then so but I couldn't work up the courage to say anything to him. He had a red warm up suit on and HUGE delts, that were apparent even while he was covered up. What struck me (I was was 18 and 6ft tall) was how short ALL of the competitors were.

Dan-O · « **Reply #54 on:** February 28, 2006, 10:04:53 AM »

Actually..... to me Gustavo Badell's physique reminds a lot of Mentzer's. They've got a lot of the same structure, except of course Badell is a lot bigger.

Mentzer was big and thick for his time but in my opinion lacked a lot of the details that some of his competitors had.

onlyme · « **Reply #55 on:** February 28, 2006, 01:43:16 PM »

Max is right about it not being uncommon back in the early to mid 80's to see allot of the top pros training at one time. Every guy you saw in the magazines was training either at Gold's or World's or both. I trained in the morning back then cause my training partner then could only train then. I lived in Manhattan Beach and drove all the way to Santa Monica to be there by 8am. It was a mightmare most of the time. When you live in LA you look for and try every possible shortcut possible to get to where you are going. I took backstreets, alleys and every which way to get there in the shortest amount of time so I could try to sleep in longer. But there are none. The traffic was just horrible. My mom used to do it everyday. Her office was in downtown on the 66th floor of the UCB Building which to this day is still the tallest building in LA. Not sure what's it called today.
But it was worth the drive to train in the morning with these guys. Allot of movie stars too. But the only one who I remember the name is Brad Harris. I'll never forget the day I was walking up the stairs and looked up and Sergio was standing their talking to Eddie G. in a suit. Man he looked cool.

Oh and about Mentzer (Mike) I never saw him in shape. I didn't even meet him through Ray. I met him one day when I was going to Gold's back in the early 90's to see Pete. He was in the front lobby. Just said Hi and that's about it. I'm not sure the last year Ray competed. But, I was training with him going to his gym in 85' and 86'. Muscle Mill was a great gym. Small in comparison to most gyms though but had everything you needed. I think an old frined who was a fireman bought it from Ray.

bigbalddaddy · « **Reply #56 on:** February 28, 2006, 01:53:33 PM »

SWOLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

natural al · « **Reply #57 on:** February 28, 2006, 01:55:23 PM »

I've got a couple of books about Mike that have come out in the past couple of years by john little. Mike seemed to me to have amazing potential to build quality muscle..I remember in the book "Beef It" robert kennedy is talking about different body types, he does arnold, zane, tony pearson and mike. Mike got the highest rating in the mesmorph category. I'd love to have access to all of that old natilus stuff just to try some of the stuff that he used to do out. I've tried the lat pulldown machine out and it's awsome..if you ever get a chance to try that machine out do it, it takes your hands out of the movement so you don't have to worry about gripping the bar.

Heatmiser · « **Reply #58 on:** March 01, 2006, 07:58:20 PM »

Huge and solid as a rock.. especially considering this was in the pre-GH/Insulin days

(Danny, of course, is bad-ass as well)

The_Infidel · « **Reply #59 on:** March 01, 2006, 08:02:19 PM »

Mentzer? No chest. Big stomach.

Heatmiser · « **Reply #60 on:** March 01, 2006, 08:41:29 PM »

Quote from: The_Infidel on March 01, 2006, 08:02:19 PM

Mentzer? No chest. Big stomach.

Gotta disagree with ya on that.. No denying he was insane though.

Karl Kox · « **Reply #61 on:** March 01, 2006, 09:07:41 PM »

I hope they were not sleeping in that bed together in the above pic

Bodies · « **Reply #62 on:** March 01, 2006, 11:12:29 PM »

Is Mentzer cleaning his Glasses in that Pic?

mesmorph78 · « **Reply #63 on:** March 02, 2006, 07:10:48 AM »

great triceps...
prefer his shape over arnolds...

pumpster · « **Reply #64 on:** March 02, 2006, 08:07:58 AM »

Always considered Robinson & Fox like Mentzer, but better. Robby's density in particular blew away Mike, who lacked detail, possibly because of his HIT training. Szkalak & Padilla comparable too, but Mike was up there & received tremendous hype, in part because of his innovative training and in part the fact that he was one of the better white bodybuilders then.

Mentzer, Robinson, Padilla & Szkalak all left the IFBB quickly because of politics. If Weider had been fairer and allowed these guys to win as they deserved, the early 80s competitive scene would've been a lot more interesting.

HotRodMan · « **Reply #65 on:** March 02, 2006, 12:19:46 PM »

I trained in the same gym as Mike and Ray Mentzer in the early 1970's, Spartan Health Club in Maryland. And again later a few times at Olympian Gym in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Mike also worked part time with Dr. John Ziegler in Olney, Maryland where I lived at the time. Dr. Zielger was the U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team Coach and pioneered the use of anabolic steroids, specifically Dianabol, in the late 1950's. He also invented the electronic muscle stimulation machines for use by paraplegics. Mike was kind of a physical therapist assistant or something. In the gym, his calves always looked amazing; so big they made his quads look small.

Mars · « **Reply #66 on:** March 04, 2006, 02:03:02 AM »

Quote from: Karl Kox on March 01, 2006, 09:07:41 PM

I hope they were not sleeping in that bed together in the above pic

Haha.

Gord · « **Reply #67 on:** March 04, 2006, 02:12:22 AM »

Quote from: Matt C on March 04, 2006, 01:06:21 AM

http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/mikeandraymentzerinthegym

Matt,
I don't think the first four pics are Mike's. He didn't have prominent veins running straight down his upper arms. Could be Ray Mentzer though.

onlyme · « **Reply #68 on:** March 04, 2006, 04:27:39 AM »

Anybody know more of story of when Ray was seeing Rachel McClish and one day he exploded and picked her up over his head and was going to throw her out the 6th (I think) story window of a hotel or maybe apartment. Also, who knows about the bank robbery note

tommywishbone · « **Reply #69 on:** March 04, 2006, 09:08:14 AM »

Mentzer's twisting leaning-over triceps shot is still classic. Great shot!

Matt · « **Reply #70 on:** March 04, 2006, 11:33:28 AM »

Quote from: Gord on March 04, 2006, 02:12:22 AM

Matt,
I don't think the first four pics are Mike's. He didn't have prominent veins running straight down his upper arms. Could be Ray Mentzer though.

Ahh, drat. Just noticed that. And you're right, it was Ray with the prominent veins down his arms. They looked different facially but at times were easy to confuse.

VY_BUFF · « **Reply #71 on:** June 09, 2006, 09:49:12 PM »

&search=mike%20mentzer

BallzDeep69 · « **Reply #72 on:** June 10, 2006, 12:50:47 AM »

What's the big deal with Mentzer anyway? Because of his retarded HIT training? He had no chest, 0 back thickness, minimal lats, horrible hair style... I'll give him credit for his arms, they were pretty good, so I guess HIT will develop the arms but nothing else. He always looks angry in almost every picture I've ever seen him in... Probably from having a grossly overtrained CNS.

Dorian 01 · « **Reply #73 on:** June 10, 2006, 12:55:53 AM »

Funny how the google comments are always full of homos.

Quote

I wonder what Mike would look like skimpy posing briefs worn today. It looks like he is well endowed. To bad Mike passed away a few years ago.[quote/]

Palpatine Q · « **Reply #74 on:** June 10, 2006, 01:06:59 AM »

Quote from: BallzDeep69 on June 10, 2006, 12:50:47 AM

What's the big deal with Mentzer anyway? Because of his retarded HIT training? He had no chest, 0 back thickness, minimal lats, horrible hair style... I'll give him credit for his arms, they were pretty good, so I guess HIT will develop the arms but nothing else. He always looks angry in almost every picture I've ever seen him in... Probably from having a grossly overtrained CNS.

HAHAHAhaha how true. IT's funny how Mentzer was considered blocky and thick waisted, but his waist is tighter than almost all of today's gut-builders.