Heavy Duty II: mind and Body Paperback – January 1, 1996

Besides a great read of Body Building Science, muscular development and how to take your training to the next level and achieve outstanding results as told by Body Building great, Mike Mentzer, the book is an outstanding reference book for all times. The Science that Mentzer discusses and the practical methods and strategies that Mentzer lays out are as relevant today as they were yesterday. This is Mentzer at his best! The premise of Mentzer's work is High Intensity Training and there is a science and specific methodology to it. Many people confuse "high intensity" with aerobic or endurance training, but Mentzer is speaking in terms of anaerobic- high intensity training (short duration and lifting heavy weights 8-10 reps to failure) to stimulate muscle growth, and then allowing enough rest in between for the body to recover and build muscle. As Mentzer says, "50% is the workout and 50% is rest". Further, Mentzer says, "Short circuiting the rest means over training and a slow down in progress". The book is really more designed for the intermediate and advanced weight trainer and body builder as opposed to the beginner, as he does not explain how to do specific exercise. He specifies the exercises but assumes the reader knows what a bench press is, as an example. (There are tons of books for the beginner but few really geared to the intermediate and advanced). This book is the best I've read on Body Building Science, Nutrition and Body Building practical strategies and methodologies to take your body building and weight training to the next level for faster and greater results. Static Holds and Negatives are some of the advanced strategies explained and discussed where to use them to get optimal results. The Why's of Mentzer's routine sequence and the Why's of the amount of rest are explained in detail. The Why to every recommendation Mentzer makes is explained, so that the reader walks away with a full understanding of how to apply his methodology and achieve optimal results in far less time. I have been working out since I was 15 years old and read probably 50 books on the subject, and by far, Mentzer's work is the most useful and greatest for maximizing ones potential. (I probably wasted a 100,000 hours over my life time over training and short circuiting my bodies ability to build more muscle; I wish I had read Mike Mentzer's book sooner). Having Mike Mentzer's book, "Heavy Duty II: Mind and Body" reads in such a way it is like having Mike Mentzer as your personal coach. The book is out of print probably because of Mentzer's premature passing away, but I highly recommend the purchase of a used copy such as the one I purchased. I rate it "A++".

If you want to train HIT, read this book.

Good info. The book doesn't tell the tempo of the exercises like the videos that are online do.

Arthur Jones, inventor of the Nautilus machines, and Mike Mentzer, his student at one time, adhere to the concept that, to make weightlifting gains, one must keep the workout brief; very intense; and allow sufficient time to recuperate between workouts. The majority of people in the gym workout too long; not intense enough; and too often. Although Mike Mentzer wrote several books, I believe this book offers the best advice. Heavy Duty II may be out of print and difficult to obtain, but it is worth the price if you can get it. Although I constantly switch workout routines, it seems that I revert back to the split routine every four days that Mentzer suggests in this book. To make this workout routine work the weight training sessions have to be extremely intense, lifting "to failure". Some people cannot push themselves to this level, nor should they if they have a medical condition.Both Jones and Mentzer died. Jones was about 80 when he died, but Mentzer was only around 50. This is far too young for anyone to die, especially someone who had such knowledge of fitness as Mentzer did. I believe Mentzer was accurate on his weight training strategy, but wrong on his veiw of aerobic exercise. He believed aerobics was not necessary; that it could interfere with weightlifting gains; and that a person should perform no aerobics or other exercise on days between weight training workouts. However, a multitude of medical evidence demonstrates this may not be sound advice. The prevailing medical advice, as suggested in the excellent book by Henry Lodge, MD, and Chris Crowley, entitled "Younger Next Year", is that on the days between weight training workouts a person should perform some kind of aerobic exercise, even if it is just brisk walking. Actually, the late Steve Reeves advice, which essentially was to workout with weights 3 x week and perform power walking on other days, is excellent advice. Still, Mentzer makes a convincing argument that brief, intense, infrequent, workouts with weights will result in the best gains.

I was a great fan of Mike Mentzer, and this book is his finest accomplishment. He lays out exactly what to do and how to do it. And more than that, he tries to help you learn to THINK, which is even more valuable.Mike's approach is rather intellectual, so it turns off some people. But this book contains the goods. It is a shame they do not do another printing of it, though that might be because there are some estate or rights issues. If it were re-printed, it would be sure to be a best seller. I treasure my copy very highly.None of the other work published after his death is really Mr. Mentzer. It is largely a jumbled mess written mainly by bodybuilding magazine regular John Little. John is a good writer, but he does not do the best job explaining Heavy Duty, and some of his advice is rather contra to Mike's.Mike Mentzer is an icon, and he has lots of enemies. Temper your assessment of negative reviews with this knowledge in mind.If I could get my hands on ONE Mike Mentzer book, this would be the one I'd choose, even at 100x the price of the others.

Good quality used book at a reasonable price and quick delivery, many thanks.