Mentzer Heavy Duty
Four workouts separated by 96 hours (add rest as you get stronger), one set to failure per exercise.
What it is
Mentzer Heavy Duty is Mike Mentzer's Ideal Routine: four workouts, each 96 hours apart, with one all-out working set per exercise, most of them to failure.
What you need
You need a barbell, a rack, a bench, cables and machines. Each workout has 3 to 5 exercises.
The schedule
Four workouts, each separated by 96 hours of rest - add extra rest days as you get stronger and recovery demands grow. Every exercise is one all-out set to failure, often with intensifiers like forced reps.
With 96 hours between workouts you train about every fourth day, so about two sessions a week. Day 2 (legs with a leg press) and Day 4 (legs with squats, advanced) are alternatives in the source; this version keeps both in the rotation.
| Workout | Exercises (sets × reps) |
|---|---|
| Chest & Back (Day 1) | Pec deck (to failure) 1 × 6-12; Incline press, superset (to failure) 1 × 6-12; Close-grip palms-up pulldown 1 × 6-12; Deadlift (near failure) 1 × 6-12 |
| Legs (Day 2) | Leg extension (superset) 1 × 6-12; Leg press (or squat) 1 × 6-12; Standing calf raise 1 × 6-12 |
| Delts & Arms (Day 3) | Dumbbell lateral raise 1 × 6-12; Rear delt raise 1 × 6-12; Barbell curl 1 × 6-12; Triceps pressdown (superset) 1 × 6-12; Dip (or negatives) 1 × 6-12 |
| Legs, Advanced (Day 4) | Leg extension (superset) 1 × 6-12; Squat 1 × 6-12; Standing calf raise 1 × 6-12 |
How progression works
Beat the logbook: more weight or more reps than last session, every session. When progress stalls, the answer is more rest between workouts, not more sets.
The days
- Chest & Back (Day 1)
Chest and back. One all-out set to failure per exercise, 4 total working sets.
- Legs (Day 2)
Legs. Pre-exhaust the quads with leg extensions supersetted into the leg press (or squat), then calves. 3 total working sets.
- Delts & Arms (Day 3)
Delts and arms. Laterals and rear delts, then curls and a pressdown/dip superset. 5 total working sets, every one to failure.
- Legs, Advanced (Day 4)
The advanced leg day. Leg extensions supersetted into squats, then calves. 3 total working sets.
Questions about Mentzer Heavy Duty
How often do you train on Mentzer Heavy Duty?
Every fourth day: each workout is 96 hours after the last, about two sessions a week. Add rest days as you get stronger.
How many sets per exercise are in Mentzer Heavy Duty?
One working set, after your own warm-up sets. Most exercises take it to failure.
What rep range does Mentzer Heavy Duty use on Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi's version sets 6 to 12 reps for the working set on every exercise.
What do you do when Mentzer Heavy Duty stalls?
Rest more between workouts. The program's answer to a stall is more rest, not more sets.
This program was adapted from Mentzer’s Ideal Routine on mikementzer.org.