A debate between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mike Mentzer began in the 1970s, both on stage and off, about the most effective training approach for muscle building. This debate remains relevant and recently resurfaced with an Instagram post.

On April 24, a dedicated Instagram account for Mentzer posted an old statement by the Philadelphia-born bodybuilder as its caption. It partially read, “Mike Mentzer made one of the boldest claims in bodybuilding history”.

It revealed Mentzer's claim that Schwarzenegger's prowess in the sport wasn't because of his training. Instead, he credited the 7x Mr. Olympia's "genes" for his success more than his intense workout. The post's caption quoted him, "Arnold Schwarzenegger — the greatest of all time — built his physique in spite of his training, not because of it. Meaning the program Arnold swore by, the one [that] millions copied, was never the reason. The genetics were."

So, what was the difference between the two veteran bodybuilders’ preferred approaches?

Mentzer, who passed away in 2001, followed a heavy-duty training method based on high intensity. This approach focuses on short, intense sessions. It does not recommend a large volume of sets and instead emphasizes low-volume reps with heavy weight.

According to this method, the level of intensity depends on the practitioner's level of training. A beginner would not train at the same intensity as an experienced lifter.

On the other hand, the Austrian Oak's training approach to building muscle and strength focuses more on quality than quantity.

Schwarzenegger suggests targeting specific muscle groups with a variety of movements. He also encourages doing a variety of reps, from nearly 5 to 15, and later mixing that with a higher volume of sets.

Although the discussion of the 2 training methods can go on for a long time, it cannot be denied that both excelled on the bodybuilding stage with their respective approaches. For instance, with his high-intensity method, Mentzer won many competitions, including Mr. Lancaster County, 1969; IFBB Mr. America, 1976; and IFBB Mr. Universe, 1978.

On the other hand, Schwarzenegger made history with his training approach by winning 7 Mr. Olympia titles and a couple of Mr. Universe titles.

While Mentzer often openly discussed Schwarzenegger’s training approach, the 7-time Mr. Olympia also once revealed his disagreement.

Arnold Schwarzenegger does not agree with Mike Mentzer’s approach in specific circumstances

Schwarzenegger often answers fans' questions in the Pump Club newsletter and sometimes on social media. Once, a fan asked for his opinion on the training-to-failure method. In response, the Terminator star said:

“Going to failure in all sets may seem to increase the risk of overtraining. How did you manage your intensity of training throughout the year?”

He also suggested his alternative, saying, “I want you going just short of failure. You should struggle on the last couple of reps, but not fail. They should be hard, not impossible”.

In his training videos, which Schwarzenegger often shares with his fans, he was never seen melting. Even his longtime training partner, Franco Columbu, followed Schwarzenegger’s approach to the T, and after a set, they would decide whether to do another rep.

So, what is your preferred method? Schwarzenegger’s one, or the one that Mentzer suggested?

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy