When You Should Stop Doing What The Pros Do If You Aren’t Competing

I’ve noticed that there’s a pretty strong obsession with what the Pros do in the bodybuilding world. The Pros have been in the sport for years and have the best physiques in the world. So this obsession makes sense, but that doesn’t mean what we do for ourselves is what you should do. While there are obviously a ton of benefits to seeing what the best of the best are doing and how to emulate us, as well as just seeing firsthand the level of work required to be successful as a serious bodybuilder; I want to address two of the biggest misconceptions that I see regarding imitation the Pros.

1. You probably do not have the genetic potential to come off of gear entirely for 2 months and then place top 6 at the Olympia (check my forum for my insight into practices of the Pros), like some of those athletes do. You probably also don’t have the high tolerance for side effects and team of coaches watching your every move when you megadose insulin. Trying to do what absolute freaks of nature do when you aren’t a freak of nature will have you disappointed with your results at best and a serious health risk at worst. Part of the reason Olympia competitors are Olympia competitors isn’t just because they can build muscle and hold onto it better than 99.99% of the population. It’s also because they can take a pallet of pharmaceuticals and deal with the sides and health effects, monitored by great coaches and doctors, much better than 99.99% of the population.
2. What works for a guy who has spent 15 years building a strong, dense base of hard muscular tissue, who then moves into lighter weight, high volume training once he’s already turned pro, will absolutely not be optimal for a beginner. I’ve seen Roelly Winklaar get a pump from a 135 bench with a slow eccentric, and I’ve also seen him squat 765lb for reps like it was a pink yoga barbell. Paul Dillet used to single arm dumbbell curl 80s for a few sets with no problem. That does not change the fact that a beginner in bodybuilding should focus their training around hard, heavy training based around the compound lifts, with medium volume and high intensity, not necessarily imitate what top Olympia competitors do or have done.

The point of this isn’t to say that you shouldn’t look at what the best of the best in our industry are doing and take note. I am not saying that you should not pay attention to what the pros are doing, quite the opposite; what we do is your best example of what it takes to cut it at that level. Having said that, it is important to be cognizant that beginners should not always train like the most advanced lifters, and that sometimes what may work for genetic freaks of nature, or absolute work horses who his entire life is lifting (like Branch Warren) may not necessarily be optimal for the beginner, or even intermediate average lifter.

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This article is the sole opinion of Nick Trigili. Generation Iron Brands LLC does not condone, support, or advocate any form of illegal drug use.

Nick Trigili is a respected IFBB Pro bodybuilder and trainer. Check him out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more informative content. Also make sure to visit his official personal training website – World Class Trainers.