My friend Dean was actually Personally Trained by Mike. Another friend and I were instructed by my friend Dean in his methods [I was age 14]. I went from 145 lbs to 170 in 1 summer. I have used his methods since. I became a Personal Trainer and have implemented his ideas for over 9 years. It is the most efficient method of gaining size in the least amount of time. It is extremely mentally taxing though. My friend who also started his method at this time read Atlas Shrugged as a result of our mutual freinds exposure to Mike. Throughout the years I gleaned bits hear and there. Until finally I read Philosophy who needs it and OPAR. Ive been hooked ever since. I dont share the tribal hatred some do though. Ive got too much to learn to slow down for nonsense.

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Mr. Johnson,

It's great to hear that Mentzer introduced you to Objectivism.  You seem, at least from your series of posts, to be trying to reconcile your current environment with what you've learned about Objectivism.  I don't mean to sound curt when I say this, but you might find it more useful to step back from message boards such as SOLO (they can be, how should we say it, extremely passionate places that can be overwhelming for newbies) and review some more of Ayn Rand's works.  As you read it, try to ask yourself if the environment in which you currently live, with labor unions and public schools, is the most logical way to live, given the full context.  It is not enough to say, it kind of, sort of works as is. 

Remember what Mentzer says about body-building...that just because one body-builder became a world champion doesn't mean his method of training is the most appropriate.  We need principles.  Principles based on the facts of reality.  Objectivism is a fully integrated philosophy that shows how those facts of reality translates into principles for living on this world.  Read more Rand, as she'll do a better job than most in explaining what exactly Objectivism entails.

John Drake

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Wasn't he a medieval Latin poet?