The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer: The Art, Science and Philosophy of a Bodybuilding Legend Paperback – September 20, 2005

The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer is far more than a bodybuilding book—it's an intellectual and philosophical journey through the mind of one of the most unconventional and brilliant figures the fitness world has ever known. This compelling work artfully blends Mentzer's scientific rigor, psychological insight, and unapologetic honesty into a narrative that challenges not only how we train, but why we train.What sets this book apart is its unique integration of Ayn Rand-inspired Objectivist philosophy with high-intensity training (HIT) methodology. Mentzer’s approach to bodybuilding was never about mindless repetition or chasing trends—it was about logic, purpose, and measurable progress. His rejection of overtraining and insistence on recovery and intensity reshaped modern perspectives on physical development.The book is rich with personal reflections, training blueprints, and deep philosophical discussions that elevate the conversation beyond sets and reps. Whether you're a beginner seeking clarity in the chaos of fitness advice, or an experienced lifter ready to refine your purpose, this book provides both intellectual stimulation and practical guidance.Most importantly, The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer serves as a legacy—a tribute to a man who believed in the potential of the human body, mind, and will when directed by reason. It's a must-read not only for bodybuilders but for anyone striving to live and train with greater consciousness, discipline, and integrity.

A Great book that not only covers HIT I and II as Mentzer spoke and wrote them but also insights into Mentzer's professional body building, nutrition and his consultation work he did with other bodybuilders, as told by his best friend and writing colleague, John Little, and his business manager and friend, Joanne Sharkey. (This book is third person written and so while Mentzer's philosophies are provided, Little and Sharkey also talk about their friend Mike Mentzer and you get insights into the Man and person Mike Mentzer that you would not get otherwise. This is an excellent compliment to Mike Mentzer's last book he wrote, "High Intensity Training--Mike Mentzer Way". Little and Sharkey make sure in the book, not to add anything or take away anything from Mike Mentzer's philosophy and doctrine. Further, there are many photos spanning Mentzer's career as a bodybuilder, coach and consultant, business man and socially. In addition, there are several work out routines with great explanation spanning different phases of Mentzer's career and his evolution in muscle development theory and practice. For those who have already read HIT I and II, this books tops off Mentzer's philosophy bringing it all together and updating with the latest knowledge and practices before his death. For those who have never read Mentzer's HIT I and II, this book gives you everything you need and the full spectrum of Mike Mentzer's Philosophy and Doctrine, Mentzer's way without adding anything to it or taking anything away. It is True Mentzer! A++

As someone who has been bodybuilding for the past 10 years, I found that I was still able to learn from this book. Mike Menter is a knowledgable guy, and his experience in the sport of bodybuilding is nothing to scoff at. It's a slim book but I thought it was written well. There are plenty of pictures throughout. Some bodybuilding books focus strictly on exercise form and execution techniques, reading almost like a manual, but this is not one of those books. It's interspersed with a lot of general wisdom from Mike Mentzer which helped make it an enjoyable read. Recommend for any bodybuilder. For those interested in exercising, but not ready to commit to 5 days a week in the gym, the training philosophy of Mike Mentzer is definitely something you should familiarize yourself with.

A great book to read if you are into bodybuilding, especially if you are a Mike Mentzer fan. This gives us an in-depth understanding of Mike's thought processes as he gave advice radically different from what we usually hear.Things I like about the book:1. It has a lot of pictures of Mike that I have never seen anywhere else.2. Mike (and John) made me appreciate bodybuilding as an art and even a philosophical practice. Bodybuilding may be accepted as an art by many, but it is rarely discussed as such.3. The book is detailed and even gives us some training routines I bookmarked. The routine he prescribed for Dorian Yates is a PPL routine!4. Mike Mentzer took on a more scientific approach to bodybuilding than the other bodybuilders during his time, making this valuable reading. Ever since I started listening to some of Mike's audio tapes and interviews, I have found myself hesitant to take bodybuilding advice from anyone else.5. I love his advice especially when it comes to having a good character. He never let go of this even in competitive situations. This makes me trust him and his advice as honest.Things that could have been better:1. There are some anecdotal reports of people making huge gains by following Mike's way of training, but performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and their role in these gains are never discussed.2. There are some claims that are really just hard to believe, like some people can work out so intensely that it would take their bodies months, even years, to recover.3. Doing one set is overstated. You probably never will have to do just one set per body part, because that would be appropriate to super-advanced lifters only. Most of the time Mike meant doing one set per EXERCISE, not muscle group.Even Dorian Yates and Mike Mentzer himself would do multiple exercises per body part (1-2 sets per exercise). I understand that Mike had to make a shocking statement to catch the attention of people who are into the sport, but I wish he clarified more often that training with very low volume is for the advanced lifters, and not for beginners who are just starting out.4. New research would disprove a few of the things that were accepted to be true back then. One example of this is when Mike Mentzer claimed that the lat pulldown (narrow, underhand grip) is a great exercise for the lats, biceps, rear delts, and also the PECS.