new member
Hi,
My name is Andy. I'm 49 yrs. old and have been training inconsistently from about the age of 16. Followed Mike Mentzer's training since the late 70's. I even had a few phone consults with Mike Mentzer back in the 90's. I'm currently 5'9" and 185 lbs. with a 33 in. waist and roughly 20-25% bodyfat level. My current goal is to reduce my bodyfat level along with whatever muscle I can possibly gain at this point in my life. I'm guessing I'd probably have to get down to 165-170 lbs. to attain an 8-10% bodyfat level. I currently train once/week alternating front squats/dips with front squats/pulldowns. Its control of my diet that I have the most amount of difficulty with. But with a wife, two teenage kids and a FT job it ain't easy.
Welcome Andy!
Nice to have you here.
So you train two sets per week in a fashion you described? Do you feel that these exercises cover your body parts sufficiently?
There might be also others who had that luck to speak with Mike in person. Can you dig from your memory what advices Mike gave you?
I like to read these memories when Bill mentions something. Only this way, we may keep his legacy alive.
Easy one jozzef. He told me to stick with deadlift/dips alternated with squats/pulldowns. Reps performed under control w/o any specific speed. As long as they're performed under control to positive failure, and that's it. Regulate frequency of workouts when progress plateaus. Basic KISS principle. I don't think this stuff is rocket science by any stretch.
Andy
Good to hear from you Andy. I too have a full time job and a wife and 4 kids, so I know what you're dealing with when it comes to eating. Good luck Andy! Keep us informed!
Kevin F.
Andy,
was it right from the start of your interaction with Mike that he gave you this routine, or he downscaled it to this one?
Based on what did he advise you the routine?
jozzzef,
It was the routine he gave me right from our first conversation. I believe he that he based it on the number of years I had been training(even though it had been somewhat inconsistent) and on my height/weight/bodypart measurements.
Andy,
I trained with Mike also! I made tremendous gains on that routine for about 12 weeks. Then I overtrained! Seems like I do well hitting every bodypart about every three weeks.
Glad to have you here.
David
I think what might lead to overtraining on the consolidation routine is alternating squats and deadlifts each week. I think the lower back takes a pounding, along with the overall system from the stress of those 2 movements. I like the idea of alternating shrugs or rows with deadlifts perhaps every 2-3 workouts, or doing leg presses in place of squats. Or like what afrdmd is doing by squatting each week and not deadlifting at all. Deadlifts are really draining. I always say, squats are tough but they make me smile, while deadlifts make me have to lay down.
Andy, thanks.
Hd-hit for me both DL and squats are hard, but I feel more "comfortable" with DL as it's safer I would say. If anything happened to my knee while squatting, it would be nasty injury.
Whereas, doing DL, in that case I would just drop the bar. Of course, lower back is the issue.
I like both though.
I'm on the routine where I have leg press and no DL. Only, stiff legged DL covering DL and curls and rows alternated with pulldowns. I like SLDL exercise much more than leg curls. That's why I want to stay on the routine Bill prescribed me.
If something works I don't want to change it.
3 exercises per workout is the way for me. Max. 4 exercises, no more.
Andy... please forgive me for missing this post.
I wont give you an excuse only that I have been very busy.
Thank you for being part of our forum family. You will find a great gathering of minds and hearts here along with a great deal of support.
I want to welcome you and extend any help I can in assisting you to reach your goals.
Blessings and best regards,
Bill
