“Just F***ing Wrong”: Exercise Scientist Calls Out Mike Mentzer Fanboys for Following “Outdated” Workout Tips

Exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel is known for dismantling inaccurate advice, even if it comes from a bodybuilding legend. In his latest video, that’s exactly what the bodybuilding coach does. While speaking about the resurgence of the late uncrowned Mr. Olympia Mike Mentzer, Isratel points out how some of Mentzer’s advice is outdated. However, “fanboys” are blindly following his every word.

The PhD holder in Sport Physiology explained there is a lot to like about the Golden Era legend. Yet, there are many things that High-Intensity Training practitioners got wrong. Israetel explained that most of it was simply because of the lack of research in the 70s. Hence, people should look at the data. So, what did Mike Mentzer get wrong?

Mike Mentzer was not at fault

While stretching is crucial to maintain mobility and flexibility, people often ask about the right time to stretch. That’s where the research comes in. For decades bodybuilders believed that stretching before lifting weights was part of the warmup. Israetel played a clip where Mike Mentzer said the same thing.

“It is absolutely essential to warm up properly before engaging in any intense physical exercise,” said Mentzer. While warming up before lifting weights is essential for preventing injury, how you warm up is even more crucial. Static stretching, as Mentzer showed in the clip, increases the likelihood of injury. Dr. Mike Israetel named a few more.

“Static stretching before working out reduces your strength and power output levels,” said the exercise scientist. Since stretching lengthens the muscle fibers, putting stress on them after stretching results in suboptimal performance. However, Israetel said that Mike Mentzer made an “honest mistake,” because “There was no (scientific) literature,” on stretching and its correlation with weight during Mentzer’s era. However, there is a right way to stretch before a workout.

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Dynamic stretching is the answer

While static stretching is detrimental to performance, those looking to incorporate it into their warmup routine should try dynamic stretching. Unlike static stretching, the dynamic version moves the joints through their range of motion but doesn’t lengthen the muscle long enough to cause problems. It also helps increase blood flow, preparing the muscles for the workout.

However, Insraetel advises people to warm up differently. The exercise scientist instructs people to go through the motions of the exercises they plan to perform without weights. If someone plans to perform deadlifts, their warmup would be to perform the movement without any weight on the bar, according to Mike Israetel. 

Taking inspiration from legends like Mike Mentzer isn’t harmful. Yet, blindly following outdated advice might result in disaster.

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