HighIntensity.net View Mike Mentzer Bodybuilding Topic

I guess the answers have already been given elsewhere, but I REALLY would like to know this:

1. Is the Athlete′s Routine truly Mike′s latest and final Consolidation Routine?

2. Did he really consider it his best routine, even better than the Ideal (Principled) Routine?

I haven′t seen any of the Mentzer (HIT) dvd′s yet, so I can′t really tell myself. I know it is mentioned in ′Muscles in Minutes′ (of which I have a copy), but it does not appear in his final work, HIT the Mike Mentzer Way. That′s a bit confusing, at least to me. I really would like to know this once anf for all.

Many thanks in advance!!!

B-WINE,

1.) Yes the Athlete′s Routines was Mike′s LATEST and FINAL modification and application of the HD/HIT theory.

2.) Now this one is a little bit TRICKY. Firstly according to Mike in his book HD2 Mind and Body the Consolidated Routine was conceptualized because of an experience he had with one of his client a guy named Racy Chatterji who as Mike mentioned was so UNRESPONSIVE to training (ideal routine) that he concluded that maybe he was an ANOMALY (exception). In fact Racy had a very BELOW AVERAGE recovery ability. Anyway after throrough analysis Mike eventaully solved the problem by FURTHER LOWERING Racy′s training volume and frequency while concentrating solely on COMPOUND movments which hits multiple muscles at once so as to CONSERVE his recovery resources.

Well personally I did not think that Consolidated Routine (or the Athlete′s Routine) is IDEAL for everybody especially for the AVERAGE and the ABOVE AVERAGE trainee. For one it is so ABBREVIATED that it would not be ale to deliver sufficient exercise to all the MAJOR muscle in the body EFFECTIVELY therefore you would not be able to develop a COMPLETE physique with it. I do beleive in the INDIRECT EFFECT of exercise but I think you can only develop a muscle effectively and to its FULLEST POTENTIAL when you exercise it DIRECTLY. Just like in building a HOUSE you will need all the essential materials to build a GREAT HOUSE but if all you got is just pieces of wood , a bunch of nails and a hammer you might be able to build a structure that may resemble a house but definitely NOT an exceptional one.

I sugest tat if youy are curently using the IDEAL ROUTINE and still gaining with it then stick with it. NO NEED to abbreviate your routine further or convert to the CONSOLIDATED or ATHLETE′s Routine well unless of course you belong to the EXCEPTION and have the Recovery Ability of a Racy Chatterji.

PEACE.

NeuroMass,

Thank you for your good explanation! I′m familiar with the unresponsive guy ′case′, since I also have a copy of HD II. But this is a good opportunity for me to start rereading this great book again (I read it only once – shame on me!).

Just out of curiosity: do you perhaps know why the Athlete′s Routine doesn′t appear in Mike′s latest and final book, HITTMMW?

Thanks again!

B-WINE,

These routines are not to be viewed as better or best unless they are applied to a specific situation.

It all depends on where you are in your progression. If you are a beginner or intermediate level then the ideal should serve you well. If you are advanced "or" a person with poor recovery ability then the consolidation routines are more appropriate.

The bottom line os to let the results and progress dictate your choices. If you are progressing well with the ideal routine then stick with it. If the consolidation works for you then stick with it.

No matter what you choose you will eventually need to modify the routines to continue to progress.

NeuroMass believes that consolidation routines are for people with below average recovery. I am an example os someone who does not fit this belief. I have average recovery but reached a point with higher volume where I couldn′t progress anymore and need to adjust my routine downward.

If you are looking for a perfect routine it does not exist. Your workout card will reveal to you what works and what doesn′t.

If something is stuck then you need to evaluate why it is so. In August 2003 I was stuck on the pulldown at 162.5 lbs. I re-evaluated and was able to add 15 lbs in a short while. Continuing to constantly evaluate the situation has permitted me to progress to 245.

In the overhead press I was getting stuck at 92.5 and progressing slowly. Now I train with 180.

At that time I was doing about 8 exercises. An ideal type of routine would have moved me forward from that point. However now I am past the point where the ideal would allow me to progress at every workout.

You do not need to place yourself in a category of good, average, or poor recovery because it is irrelevant. You just need to determine if you are progressing.

In his Seminar, Mike propose the Athlete′s routine for everyone, the Athete′s routine beeing the ultimate and perfect routine with the minimum overlap.