Mike Mentzer (exceptio probat regulam) –
The Exception Proves The Rule
by
Matthew Southworth
Blackburn, Lancashire, United Kingdom

I remember all too well the 10th of June. It marked the passing of my greatest friend and mentor, Mr. Mike Mentzer. I remember a consultation I had with Dr. Andrew Bernstein in which he said, "Matthew, what is talk, some people say talk is cheap". He then added, "Talk is easy". People can talk all day about their particular goals and ambitions to their hearts' content. But, as Ayn Rand stated, "A value is that which one acts to gain and/or keep". As the above statement implies, the key element missing is ACTION. All the daily thoughts you have or the musings of your mind will remain only that until an action is taken to acquire the prerequisite knowledge in order to make those ideas a reality. A testament to this fact is that you, the reader, are sufficiently motivated to read this and other articles on this website, because you have a purpose in mind: to increase your wealth of knowledge and improve your life.

I spoke to Mike once of death, and he said that he hoped that people would carry on, grow their minds and bodies, be productive, and live happy, meaningful lives. Mike never sang his own praises; he was happy improving himself. And as a by-product, his clients also had their lives enriched - myself being a prime example. I have spoken to such great intellectuals as Mike himself, Dr. Andrew Bernstein (whom I introduced to Mike), John Ridpath, Arthur Jones, and Paul Whitrod- to name but a few. All these men are experts in their particular fields, and I have been honoured to learn a great deal from them. I was a student of the Ayn Rand OGC Program. All these facts, though, have one key element: it was Mike himself who made all of it possible. His teachings showed me to find things out for myself, to never quit in the face of adversity, to continue to find the truth, and to 'spiral' ideas and new concepts.

So I say it now, because I never got a chance to really say, "Thank you Mike Mentzer from the bottom of my heart and the centre of my mind, you made all these things possible which I relate to people today." They still find it hard to believe that the ideas of people such as Mike are within their reach. Well, Mike taught me differently: you struggle and try in life until you get what you want. Mike once said to me, "You know what the worst mistake in life is, Matthew? Being afraid to make one."

Mike's teachings have changed my life; and thanks to the ability and good nature of Joanne Sharkey, I am going to release to her for the Mike Mentzer archives, a whole host of tapes with conversations between Mike and myself in regard to exercise, nutrition, philosophy, bodybuilding, art, health, and the development of a sound, rational life. Joanne will also be considering the release of a new plan that was engendered directly after the original Consolidation Routine in Heavy Duty II: Mind and Body, and not mentioned in his final book, High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way. Due to the hectic nature of Mike's schedule, he never got a chance to release this new information, because he was so busy conducting experiments in the exercise field and searching for answers to some profound questions he had.

As a young boy starting out in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, I was a student of philosophy and exercise. I have noticed recently an alarming trend in the field of exercise science. Certain people and groups are casting doubt on the validity of Mike's Heavy Duty. You already know the fact that Mike always had his attackers, but none more so than after his death. If these individuals had had anything worthwhile to say, they would have said it to his face. This is why the release of these tapes and this new plan I mention will help, I hope, to expand upon Mike's legacy.

At the moment, I have a client, Tony Davis, a young man also from Blackburn, who signed up to train HEAVY DUTY--. This was 3 months ago, and he weighed 11 stone. He now weighs 14.5 stone - of muscle. He has progressed really well, and his strength has for the most part doubled on all exercises with the Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty-- program. Although there have been opinions to the contrary about the validity of Heavy Duty, with the inductive premises of observation as a means to acquiring knowledge, Heavy Duty has proved this premise sufficiently for me, my clients, and millions of others.

I am in envy of the thousands of you, who have never heard these tapes (and of course have not seen the new plan), as you will experience the rare treat of hearing for the first time, the resonating voice of Mike Mentzer and learn as I did that nothing is out of your reach. You will see and hear the spirit of Mike Mentzer, which prevails after his death. His was a full life, lived with rationality, productivity, and the ultimate achievement of his goals. This is possible for all of us.

As well as Mike, my father's energy and constant help have inspired me and been my light in the darkness. And Joanne Sharkey's dedication and ability have dazzled me, reminding me of Dagny Taggart. Joanne gets things done with great skill and always to the highest of standards.

We shouldn't be saddened that Mike is not here with us. It's not important how he died – what's important is how he lived and that he was able to transmit his values and beliefs to all of us.

Thank you, Mike, for your invaluable teachings.