Ray Mentzer (August 3, 1953 – June 12, 2001) was the 1976 Junior Mr. America, 1978 IFBB Mr. USA and was winner of the 1979 AAU Mr. America competition.[1] Ray's brother, Mike Mentzer won the rival IFBB Mr. America in 1976 during Ray's Junior title.
He was a proponent of heavy duty training along with Mike and although retiring from competition in 1982, carried on training to the heavy duty high intensity principles. In 1983, he flew to Florida in order to be trained by Arthur Jones. At a bodyweight of a then unthinkable 250 plus pounds, he added even more muscle within a month. At one time, training for just six weeks, he squatted 902 pounds for 2 repetitions.
He died from kidney failure, a complication resulting from Berger's disease. Ray died just two days after discovering his brother Mike Mentzer's body in the same apartment due to heart failure.[2]
References
- ^ Darden, Ellington (2004-10-01). The New High Intensity Training: The Best Muscle-Building System You've Never Tried. Rodale. ISBN 9781594860003.
- ^ "Bodybuilders' Deaths Lead to Investigation". Los Angeles Times. 2001-06-14. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
External links
- Hause, Irene [L.]. (1983, January). Mike Mentzer’s Video Venture. Muscle Mag International. Issue Number 33, pages 22–25. Ray Mentzer is quoted in this article. (Retrieved November 16, 2008.)