High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way (Paperback)

Best Bits:
Training the Mike Mentzer Way:
(a) 15-45mins training sessions
(b) Honesty about Bodybuilding Marketing
(c) Max 3 days per week training system
Franco Columbo's Nutrition Book:
(a) Set diets for body/training type
(b) Natural foods to lose fat and gain muscle
(c) Vitamins section and guide was helpful
(d) Food list and protein quality list

This is without doubt the best book I have read on weight training/body building, and I have read a lot.

The book provides a detailed explanation of what exactly is meant by High Intensity training. Mike explains the theories behind High Intensity/Low Volume exercise, providing sound logical reasoning and common sense explanations as to why HIT is by far the best way to train.

Throughout the book you are encouraged to think for yourself, rather than just take the author at his word, and apply his theories to your existing program and its results and how the theories of HIT apply.

Detailed workouts are listed, including all the information needed like:

Exercise selection.
Number of sets.
Target Reps.
Rep Speed.
Rest period between sets.
Workout frequency.

Each of the above is explained diligently, and an explanation is given for why a particular route is recommended.

The book also encourages you to analyse your results and explains what to do if you stop getting consistent strength increases.

I myself started using Mikes HIT regime a year ago now (having purchased another one of his books) and in the past year I have had the best strength and size increases since I started training 8 years ago. Believe it or not since starting HIT I have been stronger on every exercise, every workout for the last year!

However the other book that I read by Mike was much briefer and left some unanswered questions in my mind. This, much more comprehensive, book has answered all those nagging questions and provided me with a much deeper insight into the science of HIT.

Although the amount of training required with conventional methods never really caused me a problem (I would have trained 7 days a week if it provided the best results) Mike regime provides you with more than adequate rest time, and means that by the time I come to a work out I am so full of energy I feel like putting the weight through the roof.

If you are into weight training/bodybuilding stop wasting time with all of the ridiculous, un scientific workouts listed in the current "Muscle Mags" doing the rounds and base your training on the sound principles of HIT and watch your strength/size sky rocket.

As many of you will know Mike sadly passed away in 2001, so rest in peace Mike, and thanks for leaving us such a great legacy.

Mike Menzter never set out to influence or sell to anyone. If you are mentally ready you will find him and his work. What really surprised me was it felt that half of this book was purely philosophy, which went over my head until I studied further. But this was actually the most life changing part for the book! He wants his readers to think for themselves rationally and not adapt even his system without thinking for themselves. This is to be appauded. His writing suggests he thinks the brain is the most important part of the body.

His training method is radical and I imagine it would be emotionally difficult for people to accept it, fly in the face of what society believes, and go against what the exercise media brainwashes us with.

For 5 weeks I have been using his method, 20 minutes once every 5-7 days and my muscular and strength transformation have scared my wife. Everyone around me has commented on the sudden transformation. I dont take any suppliments, just a regular diet (+500 extra calories) with extra attention to good unprocessed foods, low sugar. But even without the visible results Mentzer is so logical in his approach that a rational person cannot come to conclusion other than this is the final word. However, the 20 minutes are the most intense and painful training I have ever undergone. And then the extended days off required from the gym are frustrating. You feel like you are not doing enough. But if you have done Squats and Deadlifts to true failure at very slow cadence you will understand there is nothing more demanding or painful in exercise. Despite the maximum effort, because its so controlled at slow speed, I feel this is also the safest exercise activity I have done.

This is the truth about switching on the fitness growth button, with no hidden agenda, or lust for profit at the expense of the reader.