realkensei

In life, we all strive for the moment that will make us whole—one that will make us satisfied with every decision made up to that point. We look to replicate whatever ideal vision we have of ourselves in our heads and make it a reality.

Mike Mentzer believed in these ideals to a level that could only be described as scientific. He carefully designed his routine to make that vision the real deal.

“Heavy Duty” Mike believed in maximum intensity—pushing yourself as far as you can possibly go without killing yourself. Every rep counts, and every day counts in the bigger picture of life itself.

Mike Mentzer made history in 1978 at that year’s annual IFBB Mr. Universe competition in Acapulco, Mexico, by becoming the first and only competitor to receive a perfect score of 300.

Obviously, the judges were impressed with Mike’s incredible density, definition, and symmetry, which rivaled the best of the era. This was one of the finest milestones of Mike’s career.

Mike Mentzer was always pushing himself, even at the young age of 15, when he benched an incredible 375 lbs while weighing just 165 lbs. It was always about maximum intensity.

Life makes it difficult for us to find that perfect score. But with the proper conditioning, endurance, and strength, it most certainly can be done. You just have to be willing to be honest with yourself first and foremost.

Intense passion is a beautiful thing, but it will do no service to you or anybody if it’s misdirected. You have to be willing to put aside mental crutches that keep you in the past or that maintain a state of weakness disguised as social freedom or validation.

Finding freedom or validation doesn’t just revolve around what lifts you up, but what you can lift up—and whether you can maintain it every day.

Mike Mentzer was a man who knew his limitations but marched forward anyway to achieve his “maximum intensity” and find his perfect score.