After witnessing Reg Park’s ripped movie poster, Arnold Schwarzenegger was motivated to take up bodybuilding as a career. Soon, he found himself training hard at the gym and winning bodybuilding titles before landing in the USA to compete in the Mr. Olympia, organized by Joe Weider’s IFBB.

Arnold started dominating the Mr. Olympia stage in the 1970s and was an undoubted champion from 1970 to 1975 till he officially declared his retirement to venture into the cinema industry. However, in 1980, he made a surprise comeback to the Mr. Olympia stage, competing against bodybuilding icons like Mike Menzer and Tom Platz. A resurfaced video reflects the Quadfather discussion of the rivalry between Schwarzenegger and Mentzer.

Arnold Schwarzenegger v/s Mike Mentzer

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s quest to become successful developed in his childhood after witnessing the poverty of their family. So, he moved to the USA to make it big in the bodybuilding world and lifted heavy weights at the Gold’s Gym to win the Mr. Olympia titles. His hard work earned him 7 Mr. Olympia titles during the decade. Having achieved the pinnacle of success as an athlete in the bodybuilding arena, Schwarzenegger moved to cinema to try his luck in 1975.

But Arnie made an unanticipated comeback to the stage of Mr. Olympia in 1980, shocking every competitor. It was during this time Mentzer and Arnie’s rivalry was rooted, which transformed into various levels. Speaking about them, Tom Platz once said, “There was Tension between those two always. Mike would say you don’t need to train six days a week, twice a day as Arnold does, he trains only two-three times a week.” 

The 68-year-old Quadfather further added, “Arnold’s methodology was being challenged in print, in the magazines. Arnold didn’t like that.” To the unversed, Mike Mentzer is known for his HIT method of building a physique that needed intense training as well as equal recovery periods. Mike Mentzer compared Arnie to a child in 1980 Mr. Olympia.

Mike Mentzer’s comments on The Austrian Oak

The 1980 Mr. Olympia championship is regarded as the most controversial event in bodybuilding sport. Many elite bodybuilders like Frank Zane, Boyer Coe, and Mike Mentzer were aiming to prove their dominance on the 1980 Mr. Olympia stage. But the sudden entry of Arnold Schwarzenegger demotivated the icons.

When Mentzer defended Coe while discussing the weight class that Arnie proposed, the 7x Mr. Olympia snapped at Mentzer, reminding him that he lost to Zane due to a “ big stomach.” But the fierce Mentzer retaliated, “Look, Arnold, Boyer Coe said what he did as a gentleman–he didn’t deserve that response. You’re the one who’s acting like a baby, literally!”

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The bodybuilding world is familiar with the feud between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mike Mentzer. While Schwarzenegger demands unparalleled love from bodybuilding fans, Mentzer also earned his share of love and recognition in the sport as he was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2002. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below! 

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