Dr. Mike Israetel recently announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding after failing to win his pro card. This decision surprised fans, amid growing discussions about his health among fitness enthusiasts and industry figures.
In a subsequent hour-long YouTube video, he elaborated on his reasons for quitting, expanding on the personal toll he had previously mentioned on social media.
He revealed that he missed the final call-out in his last competition due to insufficient tanning, an issue stemming from his tendency to neglect skincare throughout his brief competitive career.
While not naming the responsible company, he acknowledged the judges’ decision as fair, noting that he could see the difference in post-competition photos. This setback, combined with other realizations, prompted his indefinite withdrawal from competition.
“If I’m on a ton of gear and I don’t have jiu-jitsu, I just become really mentally unpleasant to be around myself in my own head.”
As a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he expressed a desire to dedicate more time to the combat sport and his company, Renaissance Periodization.
He found that competitive bodybuilding was interfering with these pursuits while also posing health risks due to increased drug use and lifestyle changes. Dr. Israetel also discussed the impact on his professional and personal life:
“It’s cost me a ton at work and a ton in…burdening my wife…the upside is potentially cool, it just has to be a lot of cost paid consistently to have a high probability of that upside.”
While acknowledging that he had willingly accepted these trade-offs, he concluded that the negatives now outweighed the positives. Despite the difficulty of his decision, he felt compelled to step away from the sport to focus on more promising opportunities.
This pivotal decision will mark a turning point in Dr. Israetel’s career, prompting questions about his future endeavors.
What lies in the future for Dr. Israetel?
Dr. Mike Israetel outlined the challenges that kept him from competing, explaining how it ultimately interfered with his passions and how the required drug doses posed risks to his health. Additionally, he needed more time to develop and improve his brand, which was the deciding factor.
Looking to the future, he emphasized that he would continue training regardless of other changes. While he acknowledged disliking certain aspects of competition, training itself remained a joy.
His new goals include slightly reducing his size, improving his leanness and muscle mass, and gradually decreasing his drug intake. Although he hasn’t set a specific weight target, he plans to maintain his focus on combat sports and his company.
