Even the best bodybuilders could make mistakes in their workout routines that others may want to watch out for. But when the icon in question is five-time Mr. Olympia Classic Physique Chris Bumstead, it’s difficult to pinpoint if he’s faltered in his diligent routine. Exercise science expert Dr. Mike Israetel sat down to analyze the champion’s routine to see how it fared for him.
In an extensive video, the researcher went through Bumstead’s leg workout before Mr. Olympia. He mainly focused on three exercises – leg presses, belt squats, and Smith machine squats. He observed the bodybuilder’s stance and technique and provided details on each exercise concerning Bumstead’s strength and abilities.
Looking at his warm-up with prime leg curls, Dr. Israetel suggested putting most of the weights on top instead of the middle or bottom peg of the machine. This ensures that there is less force experienced at the top of the movement. Since Bumstead also mentioned how he focused on tight contractions while performing exercises, he debunked the ideology by asking viewers to prioritize deep stretches instead.
They then move on to the main exercises, starting with leg presses. One key piece of advice that Dr. Israetel shared was how to achieve optimum knee and hip flexion to work the quads. One should perform leg presses by keeping the feet as low on the platform as possible. While Bumstead performed multiple sets of this exercise, he impressed the scientist with his strength.
“It’s also that position is just overall less stress through your body, less force, and probably better for all your joints. So something definitely to consider if you’re training press like this in your own spare time with your workout routine. Damn his calves look f****ng sweet.”
Bumstead’s belt squats next got all the praise from the expert as a leg workout choice. His technique and control were something that Dr. Israetel took as an ideal example of how people were to perform such workouts. Even the Canadian’s deep smith machine squats left him in awe of his strength.
However, Dr. Israetel called out against Bumstead’s sets on the adductor machine, calling it unnecessary unless done under some context. Ultimately, he was starstruck by Bumstead’s physique and gave a rating of 8.5/10 for his leg day.
“Great on the basics, great in the control, the foundation’s awesome, the arrangement of the exercises is awesome.”
Dr. Mike Israetel found more flaws in late Mike Mentzer’s routine
Heavy-duty workouts may be beneficial for many, including icon Nick Walker in the current times. However, Dr. Israetel felt that the method could use a revamp. Looking through Mike Mentzer’s old training videos, he pointed out some suggestions relevant to current times that the legend didn’t follow.
One of the key demands of heavy-duty training was going against volume training to spend less time at the gym. The expert revealed that HIT boosted muscle growth in the initial phases of training. However, he firmly believed that volume training was necessary for progress in one’s physique. Mentzer was a legend for a reason, and Dr. Israetel agreed that his dedication and contribution to the bodybuilding world were unparalleled.
