6x Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates Pays Homage Legend Mike Mentzer: “Picked Up Some Important Tips”

Mike Mentzer was often criticized for his unusual training approach, but the six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates always supported him. The tales of Yates and Mentzer go way back in time, and both pro bodybuilders even trained together a few times. Recently, the mass monster shared a series of pictures reminiscing about the time they trained together at Gold’s Gym.

The pictures showcased the Mentzer brothers spotting The Shadow, aiding him in doing heavy sets. The pro bodybuilder is known for his HIT style (high-intensity training) of bodybuilding. Many might criticize Mentzer for this, but according to Yates, these were “Some of the most brutal sessions of my career! “I definitely picked up some important tips during my time with Mike Mentzer,” he exclaimed.

Yates called  Mentzer a “free thinker,” a “great source of energy,” and his “inspiration.” He highlighted that only the Mentzer brothers did the HIT workout in his hometown. The Shadow also recalled how when he used to train with Mentzer, people always whispered, they “must be on something.” The reason behind this was the tremendous intensity they trained with. Yates further wrote, “It made me laugh though because to me, it was just another day at the office.”

Yates further talked about the workouts they engaged in. The chest workouts with Mentzer were a “series of rest pause sets to failure.”

They also did bicep workouts, and according to Yates, this was a “drop down to just one working set to failure.” Hitting legs was just as important as the upper body, so they went berserk till failure on the Nautilus double leg machine. This is not the first time the six-time Mr. Olympia has talked about Mentzer’s training methods. Earlier, he shared another tip from Mentzer for ultimate gains.

An increase in intensity aids in recovery

The Shadow had shared a montage on his Instagram and turned back the clock, sharing Mentzer’s “More is not better. Better is better” approach. “I understand it more is better but it’s not in this case yeah more intensity is better not more volume more intensity,” Yates clarified.

The Shadow reminisced about Mentzer’s teaching and wrote, “If you go outside and sprint with maximum effort, how long before it turns into a semi jog?” Continuing further, he wrote, “Short intense, max effort, targeted training and proper recovery.”

While both Mentzer and Yates advocated the High-Intensity method, not many took to it, owing to the stress it put on their bodies. Now, however, many do opt for the method, as it promotes massive gains. Will you try the HIT method? Let us know in the comments.