Combat | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

From Kickboxing Champion To MMA Phenom: The Journey Of Alex Pereira

From Kickboxing Champion To MMA Phenom: The Journey Of Alex Pereira Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts with the most number of World Champions…

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts with the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, and more, Evolve MMA is the best gym to learn Muay Thai in Singapore.

Very few athletes in mixed martial arts can boast a journey as remarkable as Alex “Poatan” Pereira’s. From a multiple-division kickboxing champion to becoming a two-division champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, despite only eight fights under the promotion’s banner.

Pereira’s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and unwavering determination. This article will go over the inspiring combat sports career of UFC Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, exploring the pivotal moments that have shaped him into the MMA phenom he is today.

The Early Days: A Kickboxing Prodigy

Alex Pereira was born on July 7, 1987, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He grew up in one of Brazil’s infamous favelas and dropped out of middle school to work as a bricklayer’s assistant. Pereira’s journey into the world of kickboxing started as a way for him to kick a drinking problem he had picked up from his work associates. He started honing his striking skills in a gym not far from his home in 2009, but little did he know superstardom was on the horizon.

Four years later, Pereira started taking amateur kickboxing matches, going 2-1 before deciding to turn pro. He won the Brazilian 187 lbs Championship in his first professional fight against Clei Silva and went on to win a couple more belts before transitioning to Glory. He won the promotion’s middleweight title during his second outing and went on to defend the belt five times. One of his most notable wins during his Glory run was his victories against fellow kickboxing star Israel Adesanya. Little did either man know they would end up being rivals in a different sport.

Kickboxing Success: Rise To Prominence

Pereira’s breakout moment came when he joined Glory Kickboxing, one of the premier kickboxing organizations in the world. His power-packed punches and devastating kicks quickly made him a fan favorite. He won the Glory Middleweight Championship twice, showcasing his dominance in the kickboxing realm.

A Unique Style: Striking Excellence

What set Pereira apart from many other kickboxers was his ability to mix traditional kickboxing techniques with a unique flair. His striking excellence was marked by precise timing, knockout power, and an unrelenting pursuit of victory. Pereira’s memorable knockouts were the stuff of highlight reels, and he established himself as one of the most feared middleweights in the sport.

Pereira went on to win Glory’s light-heavyweight title as well, becoming the first fighter in the promotions to hold the middleweight and heavyweight titles simultaneously.

The Transition: Embracing MMA

Pereira made the bold decision to transition from kickboxing to MMA in 2015, losing his first fight via rear-naked choke. The allure of new challenges and the opportunity to test his skills in the cage were irresistible, especially given the success his rival Israel Adesanya was enjoying inside the cage. Despite his immense success in kickboxing, the switch to MMA was no easy task.

Training And Adaptation

Pereira understood that succeeding in MMA required a different skill set. He committed himself to rigorous training circled around Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling. The transition from the striking-focused world of kickboxing to the multifaceted realm of MMA was a daunting one, but Pereira was determined to make it work.

Pereira made his MMA debut under the banner of Jungle Fights, a prominent MMA organization based in Brazil. His debut fight was met with great anticipation, but he didn’t get the results he had hoped for. Defeated but not broken, Pereira went on to knock out his next four opponents. His striking prowess was evident, and his string of victories earned him a spot on the UFC’s roster.

Instant Impact

The MMA world took notice of Pereira’s instant impact in the UFC. His striking pedigree allowed him to stand out in the cage, and it was clear that he was more than just a kickboxer testing the waters. He was a legitimate threat to the established contenders in the division.

Pereira won three consecutive fights in the UFC, defeating former middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who was a top contender then, on his way to a title shot against Adesanya.

The hype was at an all-time high when the two kickboxing standouts met inside the cage, with both fighters showcasing their well-rounded MMA skills, landing takedowns on each other. Alex was down on the scorecards heading into the fifth round, but he pulled off the comeback victory by finishing Adesanya in the fifth.

The Highly Anticipated Rematch

Pereira’s win against Adesanya earned him the middleweight title and set the stage for a rematch between the two rivals. They met for the second time inside the cage at UFC 287 and it was Adesanya who got the better of the exchanges this time around, knocking Pereira out cold during the second round, bringing their rivalry to 1-1 in mixed martial arts.

Alex shook the loss off without missing a beat and made his 205 lbs debut against former light-heavyweight champion Jan B?achowicz, winning via split decision. He went on to defeat Ji?í Procházka for the belt at UFC 295, at the same Arena he defeated Adesanya to win the middleweight title.

Moments after the fight, Pereira called out Adesanya, challenging him to fight for the light-heavyweight title. Interestingly enough, the callout wasn’t because of any bad blood between the two. Adesanya had recently expressed his intent to walk away from MMA for a few years, but Alex believes he simply needs an opponent who motivates him to compete.

More recently, Pereira headlined UFC 300 and defeated top contender Jamahal Hill in the first round by KO, retaining the belt and further cementing his status as one of the promotion’s top stars.

A Remarkable Journey

Alex Pereira’s journey from kickboxing champion to emerging MMA phenom is a testament to his dedication, adaptability, and raw talent. His ability to transition seamlessly from one combat sport to another has captivated the imagination of fight fans worldwide.

Pereira stands as a symbol of what can be achieved through unwavering determination and a relentless pursuit of greatness as he earned his rank as one of the most inspiring fighters in MMA history.

Pereira’s journey is a perfect showcase of what martial arts are meant to represent. He’s had to deal with lots of adversity, like getting choked out during his first MMA fight and losing his first UFC title defense against Adesanya, but he always perseveres and accomplishes his goals.

There’s no flash or gimmicks with Alex Pereira, just a stoic man who has tons of quiet confidence in himself and a solid understanding of the fundamentals of fighting.

From Kickboxing Champion To MMA Phenom: The Journey Of Alex Pereira

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts with the most number of World Champions…

The Early Days: A Kickboxing Prodigy

Kickboxing Success: Rise To Prominence

A Unique Style: Striking Excellence

Pereira went on to win Glory’s light-heavyweight title as well, becoming the first fighter in the promotions to hold the middleweight and heavyweight titles simultaneously.

The Transition: Embracing MMA

Training And Adaptation

Instant Impact

Pereira won three consecutive fights in the UFC, defeating former middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who was a top contender then, on his way to a title shot against Adesanya.

The Highly Anticipated Rematch

More recently, Pereira headlined UFC 300 and defeated top contender Jamahal Hill in the first round by KO, retaining the belt and further cementing his status as one of the promotion’s top stars.

A Remarkable Journey

Pereira stands as a symbol of what can be achieved through unwavering determination and a relentless pursuit of greatness as he earned his rank as one of the most inspiring fighters in MMA history.

There’s no flash or gimmicks with Alex Pereira, just a stoic man who has tons of quiet confidence in himself and a solid understanding of the fundamentals of fighting.

10 Drills That Will Increase Your Punching Power

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts with the most number of World Champions…

Punching power is one of the most beneficial attributes you can have as a boxer, and many would even argue that it’s the number one attribute a boxer should have. Punching power prevents opponents from crowding you inside the ring and allows you to end any fight in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, everyone isn’t born with the type of devastating punching power boxing greats like Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Rocky Marciano displayed inside the ring. Most boxers have to work hard at developing their punching power. Fortunately, punching power is one of those attributes you can improve significantly with training.

Drills That Will Make Your Punches More Powerful

Before diving into some of the drills you can add to your training to improve your punching power, it’s important to state that improving your technique makes your punches more powerful. The techniques used in boxing have been refined for centuries, and executing them properly typically increases their power and speed.

Start your journey towards becoming a more powerful puncher by committing to improving your technique. Without further ado, let’s look at some of the drills that help to increase your punching power.

1) Plyometric Pushups

Plyometric pushups help to improve the explosive strength and speed in your shoulders, arms, and chest, which are the main body parts that generate power in your punches. The exercise is the same as a conventional pushup, with just one main difference: you explode off the ground as you finish each rep. Here’s what the exercise looks like:

Get into the high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keep your abs and core tight.
Drop down as if you were performing a standard pushup, then explode off the ground as you push off it.
You can make the exercise more challenging by clapping your hands as you explode off the ground.

2) Heavy Bag

Working with a heavy bag does wonders for your punching power. Wrap your hands, put on a pair of boxing gloves, and go to work. The key to getting the most out of your heavy bag drills is imagining the heavy bag is a real opponent and keeping your technique clean as you work. You don’t want to stand in front of a heavy bag and mindlessly punch away.

A simple way to start with a heavy bag is to punch for 15-second intervals followed by 15-second breaks. Repeat the process for a few three-minute rounds, taking one-minute breaks between rounds. Wear wrist weights to make things more interesting if you want more of a challenge.

3) Shadowboxing

Shadowboxing might not be the first thing to come to mind when it comes to improving your punching power, but it’s an effective way to improve your technique and execution, leading to increased punching power.

Shadowboxing should be a significant part of your training routine since it allows you to work on many aspects of boxing like your technique, good work, head movement, and other defensive maneuvers.

The most effective way to shadowbox is right in front of a mirror with a trainer watching you to correct any errors in your form or movement. You can start shadowboxing on your own once you get all the basics down.

4) Medicine Ball Squats

Medicine ball squats help to increase the explosive strength in your legs. A majority of the power of your punches comes from your legs, so increasing the explosive power of your legs increases your punching. It isn’t uncommon for heavy punches like Mike Tyson to have extremely well-built legs. Tyson’s legs are still impressive even in his 50s.

Medicine ball squats mimic the standard squat, but you throw the ball up in the air as you finish your rep instead of decelerating the weight. Here’s what it looks like:

Get into the squat position while facing a wall.
Grab a medicine ball with both hands. You can keep it at chest level or raise it over your head.
Drop into your squat until your thighs are at least parallel with the floor.
Explode up from your squat, throwing the ball towards the wall as you return to the starting position.
Grab the ball as it bounces off the wall and complete more reps.

5) Chin-Ups

Chin-ups are another effective way to increase your punching power. The exercise targets your biceps, anterior deltoids, and pecs; some of the same muscles that throwing a punch activates. Here’s what it looks like:

Grab a pull-up bar with both hands. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, and your palms should be facing you.
Engage your core and upper body as you lift your chest up towards the bar. Keep going until your chin is above the bar.
Slowly return to the starting position to complete a rep.

6) Box Of Rice

Here’s an unconventional exercise that increases your punching power while simultaneously allowing you to assess your progress. It also strengthens the structures in your hands, reducing your risk of injury as your throw punches. Here’s what the exercise looks like:

Grab a bucket and fill it up with rice or sand. Sand is better suited for those who are experienced with the drill though.
Insert both of your hands into the bucket and grab a handful of rice with each hand.
Twist your hands at the wrists and release the handfuls of rice. Repeat for as many reps as you can perform in five minutes and build up from there.

7) Rotation Drills

Rotating your torso as you punch increases the power your strikes land with. It’s one of the first things you learn in boxing since failing to do so leaves your punches significantly underpowered. The more torque you can generate by twisting your torso, the harder your punches will be.

To perform this drill:

Hold on to a heavy medicine ball with both hands while standing upright.
Keep the ball at chest level and straighten your hands in front of you.
Now start rotating your torso, moving continuously from right to left.

8) Jump Squats

Jump squats help build explosive power in your glutes, thighs, and lower back. It allows you to lift heavy weights without having to decelerate them during your reps as you would with a conventional squat. Here’s how to perform a jump squat.

Get into the squat position with your feet hip-width apart.
Drop your hips back as you lower yourself into your squat. Drop down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground. Go lower than that if your flexibility allows for it.
Explode back up and jump into the air explosively to finish a rep.

Start using only your body weight if you’re new to the exercise, and move on to a barbell or medicine ball as your strength increases.

9) Speed Bag Drills

Speed bag drills don’t improve your punching power directly. Instead, it improves your speed, which increases your punching power. It’s simple physics; the faster something moves, the harder it impacts with anything in its way.

Speed bags also improve your hand-eye coordination, improving your punch accuracy. Get a timer and hit a speed bag for three-minute intervals, taking one-minute breaks between each.

10) Medicine Ball Throws

One of the keys to throwing more powerful punches is increasing the power in your punching muscles and their explosive strength.

Medicine ball throws are an excellent way to improve your explosive strength, especially in your upper body, since there is no deceleration in the movement. It’s the advantage plyometric exercises like medicine ball throws have over weightlifting since lifting weights requires you to decelerate your motion during your reps.

Here’s how you perform medicine ball throws:

Start by laying flat on your back while holding on to a heavy medicine ball.
Keep the ball close to your chest and throw it upward as you push it away from your chest.
Catch the ball with both hands as gravity brings it back to you, and repeat until fatigue kicks in.

You can also perform medicine ball throws while standing upright. Some would say this variation is better suited for boxers looking to improve their punching power. Here’s what it looks like:

Start by standing in your boxing stance while balancing a medicine ball on the palm of one of your hands.
Throw the ball by pushing it forward. You can throw it at a wall or a training partner who can throw it back to you.
The key to getting the most out of this exercise is throwing the ball as if you were throwing a punch each rep.

Introduction To The Ruotolotine Choke

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts with the most number of World Champions…

In grappling sports like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and No-Gi submission grappling, chokes stand out as the most efficient way to put opponents out of action. Unlike joint locks, chokes are rarely endured, swiftly rendering opponents unconscious. In the current submission grappling meta, dominated by leg locks and wrestling, the Ruotolo brothers, Kade and Tye, are renowned for their mastery of various arm triangle attacks, offering a unique perspective.

With Tye and Kade reigning as the current ONE Lightweight and Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champions, respectively, let’s delve into their most recent submission victories, employing the same technique to defend their titles at ONE Fight Night 21. This article serves as an introduction to a submission named after the Ruotolo brothers, known as the Ruotolotine.

What Is The Ruotolotine?

The Ruotolotine presents a variation of a modified head and arm choke. Essentially, this submission employs the opponent’s shoulder to block their near carotid artery, while your forearm or wrist obstructs the other, disrupting blood flow. Distinguishable from the arm triangle, the Ruotolotine culminates on the back from the chair sit position, with hands locked akin to the D’Arce, contrasting with the arm triangle’s conventional execution from the side, typically from the mount.

Relatively, the Ruotolotine becomes an option once you have access to the opponent’s back while trapping them from the arm triangle on the side. It involves a head and arm choke executed from behind, utilizing your underhooking arm as the choking arm to grasp your other arm’s bicep. The opposite hand locks in the choke and reaches behind the opponent’s trapped shoulder or pushes their head down.

At its core, this submission is a variant of the head and arm choke family, as it uses the head and arm to limit movement and force the opponent to tap. The attacker uses the opponent’s own arm as a tool to limit the flow of blood, thereby forcing the opponent to either submit or pass out. As mentioned above, the head and arm (or triangle choke) family consists of popular submissions like the arm triangle choke, anaconda choke and D’Arce choke.

Understanding The Chair Sit

To execute the Ruotolotine effectively, it is essential to know the various methods of gaining access to the opponent’s back. Tye Ruotolo’s setup in his recent match involved initially securing the mount position, compelling the opponent to turn to one side. Subsequently, he capitalized on the position by transitioning to the chair sit, seizing the opponent’s back as he applied the choke.

The chair sit is a fundamental move in BJJ where you first get a chest-to-back connection to control the opponent’s torso, then use a sitting motion to transition to the back take. The central premise of the chair sit involves going from one side of your hip to the other while you shift your body weight at an angle. Doing this gives you the ability to secure your hooks, thus locking your opponent in place. Once you secure the back, your next course of action should be to attack the neck using submissions like the RNC, short choke, and Ruotolotine.

Ruotolotine Technique Breakdown

While both Ruotolo brothers concluded their recent matches using the Ruotolotine, let’s analyze Tye’s entry as he applies the choke from the back. Tye’s match with esteemed opponent Izaak Michell was characterized by intense scrambling, both standing and on the ground. For those unaware, Izaak Michell is a grappling phenom hailing from Australia. He won gold in the 2021 IBJJF World Championship as a brown belt, and has been coached by great minds of the art like John Danaher and Craig Jones. From the standup, Izaak executed an elbow drag, utilizing it to initiate a single leg takedown and transition to a rear body lock for back control.

Tye initiated a wrestling switch as he fell to the ground and attempted to insert his arm between Izaak’s legs to defend. Being exceptional with scrambles, Tye managed to sweep Izaak with a hip bump sweep by controlling the elbow and turning his entire body with his head facing sideways to accomplish the sweep. This was one of the highlights of the match, as the sweep was very unexpected and quick. And performing the sweep on a super tough Izaak Michell was simply amazing.

After the sweep, Tye secured the mount position with a classic grapevine and head control while keeping his upper body low. As Izaak was aware of the threat of being trapped in the mount, he immediately sought an escape route by turning his body sideways, pushing Tye’s knee down in an attempt to create an opportunity to force a half guard or extract his legs to insert a butterfly hook. As Izaak sought to rise and braced his elbow on the mat, Tye managed to apply the famous Dagestani handcuff to secure Izaak’s bottom arm.

While maintaining the quarter mount, Tye controlled Izaak’s top hand with a wrist grip, preventing him from executing a hip frame. This allowed Tye to slide his top leg up and take Izaak’s back with the chair sit. As Tye fell backward, hooking his top leg and positioning his bottom leg with a crab hook, he reverted to the chair sit position and swiftly applied the Ruotolotine. To tighten the choke, Tye wrapped his legs across Izaak’s midsection to gain control over his lower body.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Ruotolotine stands as a formidable addition to the arsenal of techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This submission offers practitioners a potent tool for achieving victory on the mats. By using proper timing to secure the opponent’s back, grapplers can execute the Ruotolotine with precision and efficiency. Furthermore, its versatility allows for seamless integration into various grappling scenarios, offering both offensive and defensive applications.

As with any technique in BJJ, mastering the Ruotolotine requires dedication, practice, and a deep understanding of positional awareness and timing. However, for those willing to invest the time and effort, the Ruotolotine promises to be a valuable asset, capable of turning the tide of any match with its efficacy and surprise factor. Try the Ruotolotine today, and let us know if it works for you!

Breaking Down Demetrious Johnson’s Style Of Fighting

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts with the most number of World Champions…

Demetrious Johnson is one of the least intimidating men who is constantly mentioned when pound-for-pound mixed martial arts rankings are discussed. Standing at 1.60 meters tall, the appropriately named “Mighty Mouse” is the poster child of what a mixed martial artist should be.

DJ is excellent in all phases of fighting. He’s one of the best strikers in his division, and the same goes for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills. His wrestling is good enough to cause problems for Olympic-level wrestlers like Henry Cejudo.

Dissecting The Mighty Mouse

Demetrious Johnson always steps into the cage with a well-thought-out game plan, and he typically always finds a way to impose his will on his opponents. This article will explore the little things that make DJ one of the greatest champions in MMA history.

1) World-Class Striking Game

If one skill separates Johnson from most of his opponents, it would be his high-level striking. Johnson rarely gets outstruck during his fights due to his incredible striking speed, accuracy, and deep understanding of Muay Thai. He’s equally competent fighting out of orthodox or southpaw stances, and he’s constantly switching between the two, making it hard for opponents to predict his attacks.

DJ’s approach to striking can be best described as conservative. He’s not much of a risk-taker when it comes to the standup game, typically choosing to minimize the damage he takes while outpointing his opponents.

Johnson rarely chases knockouts during his fights, but he does have the power to put opponents away if the opportunity presents itself. Joseph Benavidez learned that lesson the hard way when he got sloppy during his second fight against DJ.

Johnson’s incredible footwork has a lot to do with his success inside the cage. Every step is calculated, which allows him to slip out of attacks and launch devastating counterattacks.

DJ combines his footwork with his keen sense of range to break down opponents from a distance. He loves pumping out his jab as a range finder, and he does the same with low kicks. Johnson starts opening up with combinations once his opponent’s attacks become predictable. He sometimes chooses to push the pace, and he’s equally as comfortable fighting in the pocket or against the cage.

2) Amazing Submissions

Johnson enjoys spending time on the mat, and it shows during his fights. You will rarely find him in a compromising position when a fight hits the canvas. If he’s on his back, he’s constantly working for submissions, looking to reverse, or working his way back to his feet.

If he’s on top, he’s peppering his opponents with shots while constantly looking for submissions. He’s racked up some pretty cool ones during his career, like the nasty guillotine he won his ONE Championship debut with or his last-second –literally – far side armbar submission of Kyoji Horiguchi.

BJ being extremely comfortable regardless of where he ends up on his back allows him to throw strikes without much concern. Johnson is virtually impossible to take down, and if he does end up on his back, he can get back up on his feet whenever he wants. Even Cejudo had a difficult time keeping Johnson on his back when he finally secured takedowns.

3) Great Takedown Defense

Demetrious Johnson isn’t one of those MMA fighters who train in BJJ and convince themselves they are equipped to deal with any grapplers they run into inside a cage. DJ is a student of the game, and he realizes how much success wrestlers have had in the sport. Johnson wrestled at the high school level, but he never took it further than that.

He incorporates it into his training though, leading to an impressive 65 percent takedown defense rate, considering the fact he’s only fought the best of the best since 2011. DJ also incorporates takedowns into his game. He completes about 56 percent of his takedowns.

Johnson landed 14 takedowns during his title defense against Kyoji Horiguchi, and he’s scored more than ten takedowns in a fight three times in his professional MMA career. The fact most of his opponents aren’t expecting him to shoot makes his takedowns that much more effective.

Johnson uses his footwork to lure opponents in, then he shoots in for a takedown. DJ’s takedowns are good enough to put the likes of Henry Cejudo on their backs. His favorite is the double-leg takedown.

4) High Fight IQ

Like many of the other legends of the sport, DJ has a deep understanding of mixed martial arts, the rules of the sports, and the way fights are scored. He rarely makes a mistake when he’s inside the cage, yet he’s always there to make his opponents pay for any mistakes they make.

DJ’s deep understanding of the game often gives him the edge when he finds himself dealing with world-class competitors who are just as well-rounded as he is.

5) Unbreakable Endurance

Johnson is a cardio machine who never gets tired during fights. You can often observe him not even taking deep breaths heading into the fifth round of championship fights.

Cardio is one of the essential parts of success in any sport, yet some fighters refuse to put in the work. DJ isn’t one of these fighters. He understands that cognitive and manual skills are greatly diminished when fatigue seeps in, so he trains appropriately.

All of Johnson’s skills discussed above would be irrelevant if he didn’t have the cardio to keep up with any challenger that comes his way.

Mixing it all up

Mixed martial arts is about mixing up different fighting styles, and Demetrious Johnson does that as well as anyone else. He’s comfortable exchanging blows with the best strikers in the MMA world, and he can grapple with the best grapplers in the flyweight division.

DJ’s intelligent approach and willingness to constantly learn new things led to one of the most impressive unbeaten streaks in the sport’s history. He’s one of the fighters you should certainly study if you plan to compete in MMA in the future.

The Mike Mentzer Workout Routine

In the fitness world, Mike Mentzer’s training philosophies are having a resurgence in popularity. High-intensity training is more popular…

In the fitness world, Mike Mentzer’s training philosophies are having a resurgence in popularity. High-intensity training is more popular than ever and people want to learn about Mentzer’ training system.

Here’s a full breakdown of the Mike Mentzer workout routine and everything you need to know about this training style.

Who was Mike Mentzer?

Before we get into the Mike Mentzer workout routine, let’s talk about who Mike Mentzer was. Mike grew up in Pennsylvania and got into physical fitness and bodybuilding from a young age.

He began training seriously during his teens and worked his way up the ranks and became an influential figure within bodybuilding.

Mentzer’s approach to bodybuilding was heavily influenced by his background in philosophy. This intellectual approach set him apart from many of his peers in bodybuilding.

As a forward thinker, Mentzer developed a highly structured and scientific approach to training. His training philosophy was centered around intensity over volume.

Mike believed that the key to muscle growth and strength gains was to train with maximum intensity with just one set.

The Mike Mentzer Workout Routine

Mentzer’s training philosophy was centered around the idea of intensity over volume. He believed the key to muscle growth and strength gains was to train with maximum intensity.

The entire Mike Mentzer workout routine revolves around one set to failure. Whenever Mike was in the gym, he would pick no more than three exercises and do a single set to failure.

Mentzer argued that this approach allowed for maximum stimulation of the muscle fibers without doing multiple sets. By following this training philosophy, he believed that it would reduce the risk of overtraining and minimize time in the gym.

The Mike Mentzer Workout Routine Training Splits

The Mike Mentzer workout routine is a training split broken up into three days of training per week

Day One: Chest & Back
Day Two: Legs & Abs
Day Three: Shoulders & Arms

Day One: Chest & Abs

Dumbbell Chest Fly, Cable Crossover: 1 set to failure
Incline Smith Machine Press: 1 set to failure
Machine Pullovers or Straight Bar Lat Extensions: 1 set to failure
Close Grip Underhand Lat Pulldown: 1 set to failure
Deadlift: 1 set to failure

Day 2: Legs & Abs

Leg Extension: 1 set to failure
Barbell Back Squat or Leg Extension: 1 set to failure
Leg Curl: 1 set to failure
Standing Calf Raise: 1 set to failure
Weighted Decline Sit Ups: 1 set to failure

Day 3: Shoulders & Arms

Machine or Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 1 set to failure
Reverse Pec Deck or Dumbbell Rear Raise: 1 set to failure
Barbell Curl: 1 set to failure
Cable Triceps Pressdown: 1 set to failure
Weighted Dips: 1 set to failure

What is the Duration of a Mike Mentzer Workout Routine?

The Mike Mentzer workout routine should last no more than 30 minutes per training session. Mentzer believed spending hours in the gym training would just burn the muscles.

He felt that you could get everything you need in just a 30 minute training session.

How Often Should the Mike Mentzer Workout Routine Be Done?

The Mike Mentzer workout routine was based on a split system. Typically targeting different muscle groups on different days of the week.

Mike advocated for a low frequency of training, with each muscle group being worked every 4-7 days to achieve adequate recovery.

The Mike Mentzer Workout Routines Resurgence in Popularity

Years after Mentzer’s untimely death, his workout routine has had a resurgence in popularity. Online, there are now many hardcore fans of the Mike Mentzer workout routine, who have adopted the training philosophy.

It’s no surprise that Mentzer’s training theory has a huge fan base because there’s a lot of good stuff in it. The best part is that you’ll get results with less time spent in the gym.

The Positives of the Mike Mentzer Workout Routine

There’s a lot of good stuff within Mike Mentzer’s training theories, but there’s two reasons it’s still being used. These two reasons are because the Mike Mentzer workout routine is simple and effective.

His training system is easy to follow and will get you results. All you have to do is train hard for one set per body part and you will get results.

Criticisms of the Mike Mentzer Workout Routine

While the Mike Mentzer workout routine can be an effective form of training, many exercise science professors have issues with it. Here are some of the biggest criticisms of Mentzer’s training style.

Outdated Training Methods

The biggest criticism of the Mike Mentzer workout routine is that the training methods are outdated. This doesn’t negate Mentzer’s influence as a forward thinker, but science wasn’t available during his era.

Now that more research and studies have been done on the best training methods, we know what works and doesn’t work. For his era, Mentzer was ahead of his time, but since more research has been done, we can see his theory’s flaws.

Mentzer’s Progression Algorithm

In Mentzer’s progression algorithm, he starts every exercise with 8 reps and continues at that weight until he completes 12 reps. Once he achieves 12 reps at the weight, he adds 10% to the load and restarts the progression.

Newer exercise science research has shown that you can hit hypertrophy with a 5-30 rep range and not just 8 reps. The other flaw in Mentzer’s progression algorithm is the progression will eventually take longer to achieve.

A better progression would be keeping the same rep-range, but adding 2.5 to 5 lbs in your next training session. You’ll have a more frequent progression and get better results.

Mike Mentzer vs. Arnold Shwarzenegger

The biggest detractor of Mike Mentzer’s training Theory was the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger. These two were bitter rivals who hated each other.

Mentzer’s training theories and diet went against everything Arnold founded his training on. The two would constantly snipe at each other at Gold’s Gym and nearly came to blows.

In the 1980 Mr. Olympia, Mentzer came in fourth and Arnold took first when many thought he didn’t deserve it. This caused Mike to quit professional bodybuilding, citing that it was all political and in favor of Schwarzenegger.

The Legacy of Mike Mentzer and His Workout Routine

Despite his tragic passing in 2001, the Mike Mentzer workout routine is more popular than ever. There are now more people using the training philosophies that Mike developed decades ago.

It’s a shame that Mike didn’t live to see his theories validated, but people will continue using his training philosophies.