# Dorian Yates & Mike Mentzer



## AnaSCI (Jun 21, 2014)

> How many sets should a bodybuilder perform when the goal is to build maximum muscle mass? A quick look at the history of our sport shows that people have developed massive muscles from all sorts of training protocols. The legendary John Grimek made great gains when performing three to six sets per bodypart, Steve Reeves made his best gains performing nine sets per bodypart, Bill Pearl did up to 30 sets per bodypart, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Frank Zane were 20-sets-per-bodypart men, while Lee Haney made his best gains on roughly 12 sets per bodypart. In reviewing those figures, one might conclude that performing multiple sets is the key to massive muscles, which is precisely what most bodybuilders and bodybuilding writers have concluded. That paradigm was challenged in 1992, however, when Mike Mentzer successfully tested a one-set-per-exercise protocol that led to Dorian Yates winning the Mr. Olympia title.
> 
> Heavy Duty, The Mentzer and Yates Training SessionsFor many months Mentzer had theorized that one set to failure was sufficient to stimulate maximum gains in muscle mass. The bodybuilding community looked down its collective nose at Mentzer and his proposition. After all, Ellington Darden, Ph.D., had advanced that same notion (which he had learned from Nautilus pioneer Arthur Jones) in several bodybuilding books throughout the 80s, but Darden’s publications, while enjoying solid sales among Nautilus aficionados, caused nary a ripple in the waters of professional bodybuilding.
> 
> ...


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## MattG (Jun 21, 2014)

This has always amazed me how Yates could do mininmal sets and look like he did. It obviously worked for him, but i just cant see myself growing huge and proportionately at only 1-2 sets per bodypart. Just doesnt seem possible to isolate certain fibers of all parts fully. But hey Ive never tried it so i cant knock it. Id try it but just have the fear of wasting a few weeks worth of time at the gym experimenting...


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## Alinshop (Jun 21, 2014)

MattG said:


> This has always amazed me how Yates could do mininmal sets and look like he did. It obviously worked for him, but i just cant see myself growing huge and proportionately at only 1-2 sets per bodypart. Just doesnt seem possible to isolate certain fibers of all parts fully. But hey Ive never tried it so i cant knock it. Id try it but just have the fear of wasting a few weeks worth of time at the gym experimenting...



I don't either, but I am guessing that genetics play a huge part. I average about 25-30 sets per body part and put on about 5-7lbs of muscle per year. I can't imagine utilizing 1 set. Jealous


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## DaveWallerCB (Jun 21, 2014)

Thanks for posting! It's been a while since I last read this article. Maybe this is the same school of thought DC training was birthed out of?


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## Sandpig (Jun 21, 2014)

I did Heavy Duty back in the early 80's when I was in my Twenties.

My partner and I got really strong but never gained much in size.

Now I will admit nutrition and sleep were not where they should have been.

But I enjoyed it.


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## chicken_hawk (Jun 22, 2014)

This had always bewildered me as well. I know in reality he might do a few exercises per bodypart, so that is one thing and he trained each body part more than once a week. And while that still is not much when you add the Rx cocktail it was probably enough. Most honest pros and I beleive we have had this discussion before will tell you that Rx is the #1 factor when it comes to size. It sucks to admit but its true and the 2 litre of Mountain Dew Dorian drank PWO was not just for calories.

Hawk


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## Phoe2006 (Jun 22, 2014)

chicken_hawk said:


> This had always bewildered me as well. I know in reality he might do a few exercises per bodypart, so that is one thing and he trained each body part more than once a week. And while that still is not much when you add the Rx cocktail it was probably enough. Most honest pros and I beleive we have had this discussion before will tell you that Rx is the #1 factor when it comes to size. It sucks to admit but its true and the 2 litre of Mountain Dew Dorian drank PWO was not just for calories.
> 
> Hawk


Was that for the caffeine plus sugars for the slin?


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## MattG (Jun 22, 2014)

I was wondering about the purpose of that too. Thats a shitload of soda.lol


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## Sandpig (Jun 22, 2014)

I don't think I could drink 2 liters at once and I do drink a lot of Diet Coke.


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## chicken_hawk (Jun 23, 2014)

Phoe2006 said:


> Was that for the caffeine plus sugars for the slin?



Yeah, it was for gh+ slin PWO...that's how the pioneers of the big boy age did it. 10iu hgh +10iu slin + simple sugar like Dew.

Hawk


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## Magnus82 (Jun 23, 2014)

chicken_hawk said:


> This had always bewildered me as well. I know in reality he might do a few exercises per bodypart, so that is one thing and he trained each body part more than once a week. And while that still is not much when you add the Rx cocktail it was probably enough. Most honest pros and I beleive we have had this discussion before will tell you that Rx is the #1 factor when it comes to size. It sucks to admit but its true and the 2 litre of Mountain Dew Dorian drank PWO was not just for calories.
> 
> Hawk



Lol! Mountain Dew basically saved his life.


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## FordFan (Jun 24, 2014)

Good article.


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## chicken_hawk (Jun 24, 2014)

Magnus82 said:


> Lol! Mountain Dew basically saved his life.



Now how many of us can say that? LOL

Hawk


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## chaotichealth (Jun 25, 2014)

Damn I didn't have to give up the dew?  Maybe I need to rethink my sups


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## chicken_hawk (Jun 26, 2014)

chaotichealth said:


> Damn I didn't have to give up the dew?  Maybe I need to rethink my sups



Now all we need to do is afford 10iu of hgh ED.

Hawk


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## Phoe2006 (Jun 26, 2014)

chicken_hawk said:


> Now all we need to do is afford 10iu of hgh ED.
> 
> Hawk


That would be nice. And if it was pharm grade would be even nicer.$$$$$$


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## chaotichealth (Jun 26, 2014)

Not asking where but wondering what should one expay for gh. I was told 2 kits for $800. But I dont see that guy any more.


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## Phoe2006 (Jun 26, 2014)

chaotichealth said:


> Not asking where but wondering what should one expay for gh. I was told 2 kits for $800. But I dont see that guy any more.


I think its still kinda frowned upon for asking prices just like I can't post prices or tell you where to get it. But there's more than a few sponsors that carry it. So go ahead and look through all the stickies and check for yourself.


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## chaotichealth (Jun 26, 2014)

Alright got ya.  Not something I'm going for just yet  money is tight I can't even buy protein till next week.


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## chicken_hawk (Jun 26, 2014)

chaotichealth said:


> Alright got ya.  Not something I'm going for just yet  money is tight I can't even buy protein till next week.




I hear that!

Hawk


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## Marshall (Dec 23, 2014)

Old bump.

I can only say that for me, training this way maximizes my genetics (for better or worse). I've tried every other way of training, but this gives me the best results.


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