[@RenaissancePeriodization] Exercise Scientist Critiques the Most Jacked 19-Year-Old (UNCENSORED)

Link: https://youtu.be/NWE2wXvknXU

Duration: 40 min

Short Summary

Julian Fitzgerald, a 19-year-old natural bodybuilder at 5'11" and 195-200 lbs, received an "A" rating and was deemed drug-free by Dr. Mike despite his impressive "irresponsibly jacked" physique. The episode covers shoulder training protocols (2-4 sessions per week, 5-7 sets per session), back thickness techniques, and debates on Phil Heath's arm training philosophy, with Scott and Honey Rabod offering contrasting coaching philosophies.

Key Quotes

1. "Is there a probability he's on drugs? Yes, that's true for everyone. Is the first thing you should think of when you see him that he is on drugs? I don't think that's the case. I would say him being on drugs, knowing nothing about him, not to disparage his good name, is roughly even chance, 40 to 60%." (00:00:23)
2. "human genetic variation is much wider than most people comprehend. There are people out there that will train for years in the most scientific way, and their arms will never get bigger than 14 in. There are other people on the other side of the normal curve, three or four standard deviations out, which means they're one in every 10,000ish, that will within several years of training, just have 20-in arms with no steroids at all, just raw genetics." (00:00:24)
3. "Generally, size is the biggest predictor of strength." (00:00:27)
4. "There's no such thing as having delts that are too big." (00:00:04)

Detailed Summary

Episode Overview

This episode features Julian Fitzgerald, a 19-year-old natural bodybuilder at 5'11" and 195-200 lbs who Dr. Mike concluded is not using performance-enhancing drugs despite his impressive musculature. The discussion covers competitive bodybuilding coaching philosophies, scientific training principles, and practical lifting techniques with contributions from Scott, Dr. Mike, and guest appearances by Larry Wheels.

Natty Assessment: Julian Fitzgerald

Dr. Mike investigated Julian's "natty status" through physical assessment and concluded he is a natural bodybuilder rather than someone using drugs. Julian possesses genetic advantages including sweeping triceps, peaked bicep peaks, and popping bellies—traits described as almost entirely genetic in origin.

• Julian Fitzgerald received an "A" rating from Dr. Mike's assessment protocol
• Scott estimates roughly a 40-60% probability that Julian is on drugs but acknowledges it's a possibility rather than an assumption
• Scott claims some people training scientifically will never exceed 14-inch arms while genetic outliers at 3-4 standard deviations can reach 20-inch arms with no steroids, occurring at a rate of roughly 1 in 10,000 people
• Julian's genetic advantages include sweeping triceps, peaked bicep peaks, and popping bellies
• Dr. Mike advised Julian to train upper and lower body, stay drug-free as long as possible, and potentially pursue bodybuilding to be recognized by Eric Helms

Phil Heath's Arm Training Philosophy

Phil Heath won the Mr. Olympia multiple times partly due to his exceptionally large arms, with triceps specifically noted as a defining feature of his physique. The hosts debate the merits of different arm training approaches based on competing coaching philosophies.

• Phil Heath won the Mr. Olympia multiple times partly due to his exceptionally large arms, with triceps specifically noted as a defining feature
• Dr. Mike notes Phil did not train arms until three weeks before a show and disagrees with deemphasizing arms, arguing it would have been better for Phil to spam delts alongside continuing normal arm training
• Scott disagrees with deemphasizing arms, arguing that Phil's gigantic arms were a hallmark of his physique and key reason he won Olympia multiple times
• Honey Rabot's coaching approach differs: make shoulders full, flatten arms, and only train arms at the very end of prep to create a wider appearance

Shoulder Training Recommendations

Dr. Mike provides specific protocols for shoulder development, emphasizing frequency and volume as key drivers of growth. The discussion distinguishes between front, side, and rear deltoid development and identifies which exercises target each head.

• Dr. Mike's shoulder training recommendation includes 2-4 sessions per week, 5-7 sets per session, averaging ~15 reps per set
• Primary movements include lateral raises, face pulls, and upright rows
• Dr. Mike recommends training shoulders four times a week, combining with other workouts, noting that shoulders are never too big
• The side delt pop look specifically comes from lateral raises
• Shoulder pressing primarily involves front delts, chest work involves front delts, back work involves rear delts

Back Training Techniques and Philosophy

Bigger backs win shows and you can't really have a big enough back, so back training should be prioritized in any physique-focused program. The discussion covers both lat exercises for width and exercises for back thickness, with specific technique cues.

• Bigger backs win shows and you can't really have a big enough back, so back training should be prioritized
• Effective lat exercises are overhead work like pull downs, assisted pull-ups, pull-ups of every kind, and straight arm work like dumbbell work, cable stuff, and pullovers
• Rows are not the best lat exercise because they don't let the lat come close to its halfway point of stretching, while the lengthened component of exercise causes disproportionate growth
• Haning's cues of rounding on purpose and arching on purpose are the correct way to perform rows to maximize back thickness
• For back thickness training, key cues include slow eccentric tempo, pause at peak contraction, and deep arching to stretch spinal erectors and rhomboids

Preventing Dominant Muscles from Taking Over

Dominant muscles like arms tend to take over during back exercises, becoming the limiting factor and absorbing most of the growth meant for other muscles. Two primary methods address this issue to ensure proper muscle targeting.

• Dominant muscles like arms tend to take over during back exercises, becoming the limiting factor and absorbing most of the growth meant for other muscles
• Method 1: maintain mind-muscle connection and kinesthetic awareness to emphasize the target muscle
• Method 2: use isolation movements where the target muscle is the limiting factor (e.g., lat prayers for back, flies for chest)
• VersaGrips are recommended during back pulls to ensure grip strength isn't the limiting factor on the movement

Trap Training Debate

Honey Ramad and Scott present contrasting views on the necessity of dedicated trap training for competitive bodybuilders. The debate centers on whether traps are visually important enough to warrant isolation work or whether they receive sufficient stimulation from other movements.

• Honey Ramad says you absolutely must train traps or you will look completely unbalanced
• Scott disagrees, arguing traps are visually overrated and will get recruited during heavy side delt work
• Training side delts with full range of motion recruits traps heavily, so dedicated trap work is unnecessary if you do sufficient side delt work
• Scott defers to Honey Ramad's championship pedigree on training knowledge while disagreeing about the necessity of explicit trap training

Bench Press Technique and Safety

Larry Wheels provides insights on bench press safety based on over 13 years of heavy pressing, including injury prevention and optimal hand positioning. A concerning incident during filming prompted discussion about the importance of proper equipment and spotters.

• Larry's advice is that pec tears occur when scapulae are protracted during bench press; retraction protects the pec tendons
• Counter-argument: Retraction during bench press may increase pec rupture risk from stronger forces but reduces shoulder joint pain and is a trade-off for more weight
• Arching and retracting during bench press is best for preventing shoulder joint pain and trauma, though its effect on pec protection is uncertain
• Close grip bench pressing may be optimal for lifters with developed arms but less developed chests, as it favors arm involvement over chest
• Larry has benched over 600 lbs for the past 13 years without ever experiencing a pec tear
• The bar slipped and fell despite the lifter not using a suicide grip, causing visible concern and requiring reassessment of physical condition
• Serious bench press lifting requires a competent handoff partner, as poor handoff technique can immediately cost 20 lbs off the lift

Mind-Body Dynamics and Training Pain

The psychological aspect of intense training involves a dynamic where the mind ultimately overrides the body's resistance and pushes through fatigue. The discussion explores whether experience diminishes pain sensation and the role of expectation in suffering.

• During intense training under heavy load, the mind ultimately overrides the body's resistance and pushes through fatigue, described as a "mind versus body" dynamic where the mind acts like a rocket the body must follow
• Accepting the pain of training doesn't eliminate it but reduces suffering; suffering stems from expectation versus reality mismatch
• Scott has been training for 26 years and still experiences pain during intense workouts, indicating that pain sensation doesn't diminish with experience

Blood Pressure Effects During Heavy Lifting

Heavy resistance training causes significant cardiovascular stress, including dangerous fluctuations in blood pressure that can lead to temporary vision loss or loss of consciousness. Specific exercises pose greater risks due to body positioning and movement patterns.

• During heavy lifting, increased blood pressure causes weird ear sensations and lightheadedness; when pressure releases, blood rushes to the legs, temporarily lowering blood pressure to the brain and risking brownout or passing out
• Scott experienced visual field blacking out intermittently during lunges due to blood pressure changes during the exercise
• Pendulum squats cause brownout-like symptoms due to the elevation change involved in the movement

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