Editing Mike Mentzer (section)

===Amateur===
Mentzer started [[bodybuilding]] when he was 11 years old at a body weight of {{convert|95|lb|abbr=on}} after seeing the men on the covers of several muscle magazines. His father had bought him a set of weights and an instruction booklet. The booklet suggested that he train no more than three days a week, so Mike did just that. He attended the first Mr. Olympia and later said: “The [[1965 Mr. Olympia]] contest was almost a religious experience for me."<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGough |first=Peter |date= June 25, 2022|title=The Mike Mentzer Story |url=https://thebarbell.com/the-mike-mentzer-story/ |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=The Barbell |language=en-US}}</ref> By age 15, his body weight had reached {{convert|165|lb|abbr=on}}, at which Mike could [[bench press]] {{convert|370|lb|abbr=on}} {{citation needed|date=March 2023}}. Mike's goal at the time was to look like his bodybuilding hero, [[Bill Pearl]]. After graduating from high school, Mentzer served four years in the [[United States Air Force]]. It was during this time he started working out over three hours a day, six days a week.<ref name="Bob Burns" />

Mentzer started competing in local physique contests when he was 18 years old and attended his first contest in 1969. In 1971, Mentzer entered and won the Mr. Lancaster contest. In 1971 he suffered his worst defeat, placing 10th at the AAU [[Mr. America (contest)|Mr. America]], which was won by [[Casey Viator]]. Mentzer considered his presence at this contest important later on, as he met Viator, who gave Mentzer the contact information for his trainer Arthur Jones. Due to a severe shoulder injury, he was forced to quit training from 1971 to 1974. In early 1975, however, he resumed training and returned to competition in 1975 at the Mr. America contest, placing third behind [[Robby Robinson (bodybuilder)|Robby Robinson]] and Roger Callard. Mentzer went on to win the competition the following year in 1976. He won the 1977 North America championships in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia, Canada, and competed a week later at the 1977 Mr. Universe in [[Nîmes]], France, placing second to Kal Szkalak. In 1978, Mentzer won the Mr. Universe in [[Acapulco]], Mexico with the first and only perfect 300 score. He became a professional bodybuilder after that 1978 Universe win.<ref name="Bob Burns" /><ref name="ifbb" />