Run LA

I didn't state it earlier, but I'm also training for the LA Marathon next March 4, 2007. I'm not a runner and had never run more than 1 mile since high school. I just find running a marathon to be one of those seemingly insurmountable tasks that I want to attempt to tackle.

I've been running for a few weeks now and did a 4 mile run last Sunday. That is the longest distance I have EVER run and I have to admit, I felt OK afterwards. During was a different story! I felt my feet going numb and got shin splits for the first time in my life. I slowed down a bit but kept pushing until I saw that targeted little 4 pop up. Man, was I relieved!

I know that Mentzer did not advocate aerobic activity for bodybuilders, as he felt (with proof) that it taxes the body of recuperative powers. However, as I stated in a previous entry, I'm not lifting to be a competitive bodybuilder. As such, I am incorporating a training schedule that has me running twice a week, Thursdays and long runs on Sundays, with weight lifting rounding out the rest. I only lift once or twice a week at most, so I feel that I'll continue to make gains practicing both. If one starts to suffer, I will lay off the weights a bit until after the marathon. I have to finish it!

I'm training using the iPod and Nike+ combo, which can be found here:

http://nikeplus.com/
http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/

This cool melding of tech toys lets runners track distance, time, pace, and calories. I find the combo to be innovative and motivating. It's really neat seeing my numbers slowly (and I mean slowly) inch forward. And for an extra boost, Lance Armstrong even came on my iPod to congratulate me on finishing my longest run yet!

So, although I mainly aim to track weight lifting progress, I'll also throw in a few running posts.

Run LA:

http://www.lamarathon.com/

HIT Videos

Mike Mentzer participated in a video shoot that advocated his approach to HIT (High Intensity Training) literally hours before his untimely death. That video is available here:

http://www.trulyhuge.com/Mike_Mentzer_HIT_Video.htm

Sadly, Mentzer died the same night that the final shooting for this video took place. The video is cool (albeit with some funky music) because it shows his approach to HIT. I find it amusing that he kept adding too much weight, with Markus (the main subject) several times asking Mike to lower it. Mike believed that you should make progress every workout and, as this video shows, he truly believed it! He puts Markus through a grueling leg workout that leaves him telling Mike, "I hate you, Mike!" Good stuff.

Another cool video is one of Dorian Yates working out. Dorian Yates was trained and influenced by Mike Mentzer. Dorian adopted HIT and went on to become a 6 time Mr. Olympia. His video can be found here:

http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/dorianyates-bloodandguts.html
http://homegym.stores.yahoo.net/doryatblooda.html

Here's a cool website that comments on Yates' workout:

http://www.trulyhuge.com/dorian_yates_workout.html

Mentzer would comment that although Dorian did employ HIT, he did so in an unsafe manner. Dorian literally exploded through the positive motion and thereby employed momentum to get the EXTREMELY heavy weights up (check out Dorian doing leg presses!). Dorian also didn't rest as much as Mike recommended. As a result, Dorian did suffer several serious injuries throughout his career. Regardless, if watching Dorian workout doesn't inspire you, nothing will!

On Mike Mentzer

As I stated in my last entry, I'm employing Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty Training as my system for lifting weights. Mike Mentzer won the 1978 Mr. Universe with the first and only perfect score of 300. He received another perfect score at the 1979 Mr. Olympia, winning the heavyweight division. He retired after the 1980 Olympia after placing 5th to Arnold Schwarzenegger, despite looking better than the previous year. Many contend that the Olympia was rigged to favor the popular Schwarzenegger (who entered the day before after retiring in 1976). CBS, amidst the controversy, chose not to air the show. I have not seen the competition, but I do plan to pickup the DVD at Mike Mentzer's website: http://mikementzer.com/

Mike was ostracised by the bodybuilding community for stating that all bodybuilding magazines and supplement makers where defrauding bodybuilders. He stated that the only reason magazines recommended volume training (working out up 6 times a week, 2 hrs per day) was to make bodybuilders need supplements just to recover. Mike's training and research found that 1 set to failure and maximum recovery time where all that was needed. Mike went against the grain and since most major competitions where held or sponsored by magazine publishers (Weider in particular), he saw no purpose in continuing to compete professionally.

Mentzer went on to train and write. His books are mainly aimed at the competitive and aspiring bodybuilders, but that is not my goal. I'm just looking to attain a higher level of fitness and to look better. However, this does not diminish the quality and informative strength of his advice and system. Do yourself a favor and pick up the following 2 books:

The Wisdom Of Mike MentzerHigh Intensity Training The Mike Mentzer Way

Mike Mentzer was a true pioneer in the science of bodybuilding. Yes, you read that right, science of bodybuilding. Mentzer believed that bodybuilding was a science and an offshoot of medical science. Mentzer was a Pre-Med student and studied physiology extensively, so his advice is, in my opinion, sound and grounded in fact.

Mike was an Objectivist and both books are peppered with Objectivist (Objectivism) Philosophy. I myself do not subscribe to any school of philosophy, but it made for interesting reading. I mainly concentrated on the recuperative section as this is perhaps the most eye opening component of Mentzer's system.

I've read both books and have successfully used Mike's approach to lifting. I get into the gym, lift for 20 - 30 minutes TOPS, and don't show up for another week. In the process, I can lift heavier weights every time I step into the gym and don't feel burned out or bored. My last workout consisted of lifting 265 lbs on the incline press 8 times (not including 2 negatives). That is an all time best and comes only after lifting for a little under 3 months. Even in high school and the years after when I was lifting regularly, I could never hit that much weight on the incline press. I haven't maxed out, but I suspect that I'm getting close to benching 300 lbs.

Mike Mentzer was a true genius; read his books and you'll know what I mean. As I stated earlier, he was also a philosopher and an excellent writer. His logical approach to training is what drew me back to the iron game and I can attest to the success of his methods.

Mike and his brother Ray died in 2001, 2 days apart, from natural causes. Mike was only 49 and his brother, also a former Mr. Universe, was 47. There was a history of heart disease in the Mentzer family and it claimed both brothers and their father at about the same age.

Do yourself a favor and check out his website and get his books:

http://mikementzer.com/

Read a little more on Mentzer on his website and in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mentzer

Welcome

Welcome to my training blog! I am using this as a motivational tool and training journal. I am my main audience, but if you should happen to find and read this, I welcome your comments and suggestions and hope that in the midst of all my penned ramblings, you find some useful information. I am not an expert, but I do read a little.

I have started to again train with weights after a 10-year layoff. I have now been training for a few months and have made substantial gains. I know part of it is due to the muscle memory phenomenon, but I have also sought out knowledge and think I have found a good system in Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty Training regiment and philosophy. More on that later!

I won't keep extensive set, rep, and weight records here, as that's what my spreadsheets are for. Mainly, I'll comment on my overall progress and any musing that relates to my renewed interests in my physical training activity.

For now, welcome and await my first entry.