Bodybuilding legend Frank Zane discusses the catch 22 of having more information at our fingertips… but less knowledge
In the latest episode of The Mike O’Hearn Show, Frank Zane returns for a candid conversion with Mike O’Hearn discussing the irony of aspiring bodybuilders today having more access to information than ever before… but receiving less valuable knowledge and more misinformation. Zane also breaks down his childhood growing up and how he didn’t have any direct bodybuilding role models.
As we are just around the corner from the new year, we’ve decided to pull into the Mike O’Hearn Show archives and publish an unreleased segment from Mike’s conversation with the bodybuilding legend Frank Zane. Less of a formal interview and more of a “fly on the wall” peek at a candid bodybuilding conversation – this episode provides truly valuable insight into the mind of one of the greatest living legends in the sport.
In this episode, Frank Zane offers a guide on how to ensure that you are receiving the correct information for your training and nutrition plans – rather than absorbing and parroting misinformation that so easily spreads on the internet today. Let’s dive into it!
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Modern Bodybuilding’s Catch 22: More Access But Less Quality Information
At the top of the segment, Frank Zane talks about how he sees a lot of people working hard but not working smart. Zane opines that many people in the gym today, “don’t have a clue.” They often absorb incorrect information and then utilize it to train wrong repeatedly. Over and over again for years.
Frank Zane tells a story about someone he saw in the gym training on a machine. Zane wanted to see how long the person would be using the machine so he can use the equipment next. The man answered that he was not close to done yet – as he was doing ten sets of the exercise. Frank wonders why anyone would ever have to do ten sets while working out. This anecdote is just an example of the kind of misinformation that sticks and affects the larger world of bodybuilding and fitness.
Mike O’Hearn points out that during Frank Zane’s prime competitive years in bodybuilding, there was less access to information but that information was more precise. Today, there is so much access to information. It’s easier to get than any other time in history. However, this access leads to the spread of a lot of incorrect or misinformation.
Much of this information is not deliberate. It’s simply the masses repeating things they see despite possibly being incorrect. If it becomes wide spread enough, it essentially becomes accepted as universal fact.
The Biggest Misconception About Bodybuilding In The Golden Era
Mike O’Hearn asks Frank Zane how a 20 year old today would decipher which information to follow? How to can someone today separate the bullsh*t from the real deal?
Frank Zane says it comes down to being physically in the right environment. Zane goes on to say that when he was in his prime, they all went to the same gym and everyone was doing the same workout. Everyone learned from each other in person, seeing the results as they trained together and adapted as they saw how their body reacted. Ultimately, most bodybuilders did the same training routines – but it came down to the dedication, genetics, and work ethic while doing the routine.
This is the biggest misconception about legendary bodybuilders from the Golden Era. Everyone assumes that there is a secret trick, special workout, or unique plan that builds a champion. But many of the legends were simply training exactly the same exercises as everyone else. Why? Because it worked.
Ultimately, the difference between a champion or legend and an “average” bodybuilder – is the willpower, consistency, and of course, genetics.
Today, there is so much information available but no centralized hub for that information. Information can come from and spread to anywhere. Social media apps promote viral content without a care as to whether that information is accurate. Anyone claiming to know “the trick” to success can obtain a platform and, if sounding convincing enough, amass an audience.
That’s not to say that misinformation didn’t exist before the internet. Certainly there were likely some gyms in the 70s full of confident but clueless lifters spreading incorrect tips on how to lift. But for those who took weightlifting seriously, they could find a gym full of experts and absorb information by doing not by searching online or on social media.
So that is ultimately Frank Zane’s advice for young and aspiring bodybuilders. Find the right environment and make sure early that you aren’t accidentally repeating incorrect information. If you don’t catch it – you’ll be wasting time consistently doing workouts the wrong way.
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Wrap Up
Frank Zane also goes into detail about other subjects such as his life growing up in a small blue collar town and having no role models for bodybuilding. As well as the benefit of having a support system that can keep you in check against your own ego and bias as you grow as a bodybuilder.
You can watch the full episode of The Mike O’Hearn Show above. And don’t forget to check back every week for new episodes only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network or where ever podcasts are downloaded!
