I always admired Mike Mentzer and knew from my own experience that his training philosophy had great validity. Achieving lower body fat with a higher body weight meant packing on more muscle. The day before, both he and brother Ray were working on a fitness DVD titled HIT. However, Mentzer was just getting warmed up. Once he reached that point, Ray would have his training partner help him do another 2-3 forced reps, controlling the weight with slow and perfect form. Id put 110% into the enterprise and it hadnt worked out.. He also did stutter reps and slow negatives. This would make him go beyond the point of muscle failure. Your email address will not be published. If you have any questions about Ray Mentzer's training, diet, etc. Id answer them back. So you have to wonder why so many seem eager to risk their lives and health for success. rhyth. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease. Were disappointed, but Im very thankful the jury didnt convict her of first-degree murder.. In 1978, Ray became the IFBB Mr. USA champion. At a bodyweight of a then unthinkable 250 plus pounds, he added even more muscle within a month. And it's not always the biggest guys or only the top-ranking pros who struggle, but their drug use is consistent enough to draw some conclusions. In the midst of the chaos that day, Ray completely forgot that he needed to turn up for his kidney dialysis treatment. This would require a weight that would take you to failure in between 6 and 9 reps. Then, once you hit failure, keep going. I'd put 110% into the enterprise and it hadn't worked out.". It just didnt feel like a normal contest; no one was being their usual self. The defense attorneys expressed dissatisfaction with some of Superior Court Judge Curtis Rappes bench rulings, and indicated that appeals are likely. To gain further insight into Mikes 2001 death, it is necessary to turn the clock back 21 years. Although he was no longer under the spotlight of the bodybuilding stage, Ray kept training hard behind the curtains. But, after soul searching, hospital visits and a help from a few close friends, he came back. And just because muscle is more than 70 percent water doesnt mean should begin drinking gallons and gallons of water a day to hasten the muscle growth process either.. Ashley Dunn is the former weekend editor at the Los Angeles Times. He was always in the shadow of his more famous brother, bodybuilding legend Mike Mentzer, despite the fact that Ray was an excellent champion in his own right with a competitive physique that did help him capture various titles. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ray Mentzer. Some top pros almost reach 50, but even less get to 55 without a major health scare. Digesting that loss, Mike planned to leave no stone unturned in his onslaught for the 1980 Olympia crown. Or do they roll the dice just to build more muscle and drop more fat than the next guy? With steroids, there's use, there's misuse, and there's abuse, and they're very different things. Burt . The point is, though, Ray did have his own take on training but was less publically vocal. The Heavy Duty, as he became known was born and raised in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. 7 Things No One Tells You Before You Start Lifting, Tip: Avoid Xenoestrogens and Phytoestrogens, Tip: Surround Yourself With These 5 People. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Lowes attorney, Mark Kaiserman, said he also was disappointed in the verdicts and vowed to appeal. While there were no reported long term side effects at the time, Mike began to suffer from fatigue, and would spend full days in bed without being able to even lift an arm. In a career that spanned over three decades, he was one of bodybuildings most * Ex-girlfriend of movie producer Robert Evans. He claimedhe needed it for productivity, and didnt use it for recreation. He was 33 years old. It was time to move on. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Id never dreamed theyd end up like they were, but Mike and Ray are genetic freaks., Ray Mentzer was one of the bodybuilding greats of his era. What to take. Shohat, Greenbergers attorney, said the verdict of second-degree murder showed that the jury did not believe Greenberger was the driving force behind Radins killing. In 1971, Mikewon his first competition, the Mr. Lancaster at the age of 18. Ray suffered from kidney failure caused by Berger's Disease. Professional athletes seeking every possible advantage and recovery method shouldn't surprise us, even when it's directly prohibited by their sport's rules and the law. Greenberger called Mentzer the murderer. He is a member of famous with the age 48 years old group. In his seminars, he was openly contemptuous of the Sydney affair; a posture that he believes led to his being unofficially blacklisted by the IFBB, making promoters reluctant to book him. The coroners office is investigating the deaths of two bodybuilding brothers in their 40s who died within two days of each other in their home in the exclusive neighborhood of Rolling Hills Estates. Mike Mentzers training style developed from HIT, High-Intensity Training that was founded by Arthur Jones in the 70s. I wish he was still living too. 1980 IFBB Mr. Olympia 5th. As reported at some length in the June 14th, 2001 edition of the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles County coroner's office is currently investigating the deaths of bodybuilding brothers Mike and Ray Mentzer, who died within two days of each other. Really. A lot of people drink coffee and smoke cigarettes to stay stimulated and be productive. 2023 Greatest Physiques. Prologue: Mike Mentzer died 13 years ago this month on June 10, 2001, aged 49. One of these protocols included the famous Heavy Duty Training. "I'd exhausted all avenues of thought on my predicament, and realized I was wrong. Since 1999 Mikes younger brother, by 21 months, Ray had been receiving kidney dialysis and was awaiting a transplant. As I listened during that fateful May 2001 phone call I couldnt help but think the effusive fast-talking Mike was in the middle of a productive genius phase. Health became an afterthought. Mikes story is one of tragedy, but also of redemption and dedication. Part of the reason for his success was he prescribed to his brother's concept of heavy duty training which involved very high intensity 45 minute workout sessions. Click Here for Free Bodybuilding and Fitness Magazine Subscription, Click Here To Get A Free High Intensity Training eBook, Click Here for a Chance to Win Free Bodybuilding Supplements. He was found dead in his apartment, due to heart complications, by his younger brother and fellow bodybuilder Ray Mentzer. In 2001, Mentzer lived in an apartment in Los Angeles, where his brother Ray found his lifeless body. Kaiserman said he will file an appeal after Lowes sentencing Aug. 16, basing the appeal in part on Rappes decision to allow prosecutors to use secretly taped conversations among several defendants as evidence. All rights reserved. He described this feeling as being at deaths door. "If they want more definition, I'll give 'em more definition," he vowed. What can you take from this? So, how much is Ray Mentzer worth at the age of 48 years old? The weight would be so heavy that by the 9th rep, Ray would reach failure. But the next morning, he was back to "being a productive genius. The fact that anabolic steroids were finding their way into gyms in the 1960s was no coincidence. "I'd exhausted all avenues of thought on my predicament, and realized, On Saturday June 9, 2001 after a long day he wrapped filming of the DVD he so wanted to finish. So more accurate reporting would be to identify them as "former bodybuilders. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. He was 225 pounds, And more cut than I'd ever been. He had suffered a heart attack in his sleep. The jury, which had been deliberating since July 10, reached their decisions Friday. With this realization,Mikeswore to himself to back on track. Probiotics for gut health and things like avacados really help you max out feeling good for max. Mike Mentzer died on Sunday, June 10th, 2001. Mike was 49 and Ray was 47. He begantraining 3 times a week and bythe age of 15, Mikecould bench press 370lb (170kg), with a body weight of just165lbs (75kg). A native of Germantown, Pennsylvania, he died of heart failure in Rolling Hills, California at the age of 1975 IFBB Mr. America 3rd (Medium) Sadly, Ray Mentzer would contract Berger's Disease which would lead to kidney problems that contributed to his passing. Mike being Mike, stayed up late to work on the scripts. Hed do squats for hours on end, together with a few other guys. Along with Mentzer, accused of carrying out the murder. Discover Ray Mentzer's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. All rights reserved. Theyd send me little pictures of themselves and all types of stuff. Mohammed Benaziza: Seven total Grand Prix wins in 1990 and 1992, 1st place at the 1990 Night of Champions (beating On the morning of Tuesday, June 12, Joanne Sharkey (General Manager of Mikes business but who was in essence like an older protective sister to the brothers) received a call from Rays dialysis unit that he hadnt turned up for his appointment. As Mike wrestled with his demons, the bodybuilding community, to its discredit, took a detached stance toward his circumstances. When Ray and his brother were little, theyd send letters to Bill and tell him how they admired his physique hoping that they too could one day sculpt strong and ripped muscles like Bill. In 1979, he had started taking amphetamines: "Not for the purpose of getting high - that was the furthest thing from my mind. , money, salary, income, and assets. He won the Mr. Olympia title in 1979. Fame? He just scratched the surface with that physique. 1971 Mr. Lancaster 1st He was so fatigued that he couldn't even raise his arms, and had to stay in bed for the remainder of the day. Many bodybuilders sell themselves short. Mike Mentzer died on Sunday, June 10th, 2001. Mike used to say you could get full development of a physique using his system training only one half hour a week. While steroids, amphetamines, smoking, etc. Ray, his brother, who is also suffering from illnesses, found him. Ray, his brother, who is also suffering from illnesses, found him. To compound the loss of Mike, on June 11th, at approximately 9:00 PM, Ray died in his sleep. Ray suffered from kidney failure caused by Berger's Disease. Both brothers lived in Redondo Beach, and they shared an apartment together. A 2012 study in the American Journal of Cardiology investigated mortality rates among NFL players and actually saw that they were, overall, almost half as likely to die as comparably-aged non-athletes. Ray died just two days after discovering his brother Mike Mentzer's body in the same apartment due to heart failure.[2].