Physiologist Dr. Mike Israetel has made it his mission to analyze and offer insights into some of bodybuilding’s most notable champions. In his latest effort, shared via YouTube on September 20, 2024, Dr. Israetel examined the validity of Lou Ferrigno’s workouts and training split.
Eclipsing over 2.5 million YouTube subscribers on his channel Renaissance Periodization, Dr. Israetel has become an authority in fitness and bodybuilding, thanks to comedy-filled breakdowns of anyone who had an impact on the sport. He has already analyzed the workout effectiveness of several bodybuilding icons, including eight-time titleholder Ronnie Coleman, seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath, six-time winner Dorian Yates as well as ‘The Comeback Kid’ Jay Cutler.
Now, Dr. Israetel’s attention has shifted to Lou Ferrigno. Ferrigno was one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biggest rivals and led a decorated career in the IFBB Pro League, weaponizing his size, structure, and conditioning like few before him. Some of his most impressive victories saw him claim gold at the NABBA Mr. Universe competition for two years consecutively (1973, 1974).
Exercise Scientist Breaks Down, Critiques the Workouts of Bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno
First, Dr. Israetel examines Lou Ferrigno’s approach to longevity by ‘respecting’ the weights and exercises he used throughout his career.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“If Lou is actually for real about the fact that he didn’t care how much weight he was lifting back in the day because he knew it was all long-term progress and setting up the foundation of your body with good technique to keep going, my god, he is naturally intelligent or wise or some combination of the two.”
He also looked at Ferrigno’s affinity for keeping his sets looking identical regardless of the amount of weight he was pushing.
“Lou is spitting straight fire in this chest workout fellas. If you’re not feeling it, you can reduce the weight,” adds Israetel. “If you’re not feeling it, you can take the day off, you can take a light session, you can put heavy metal or gangster rap into your headphones and do what you must or you can do a little less.”
Israetel warned against letting ego affect how you approach an exercise because oftentimes we find a better range of motion and stimulus using lighter weights.
“Guys can get really attached egotistically to certain weights. Once I hit the 120-pound dumbbells for flat dumbbell press, which I did with at least a full range of motion but not that I would call it great technique, I bench the 120s for 20, once I did that I was like I never physically putting my hands into any dumbbell that’s under 120 pounds again, and that was really stupid because later I discovered I could do much better technique with the 80s and 90s and I got so much more out of those weights,” he shared.
He also opened up on Ferrigno’s use of the guillotine press, a controversial movement due to the bar path hovering over the neck.
“Is that a bad movement to do? It is not. It is super safe. What you have to do is warm up and make sure that as you do it, you allow the correct amount of flare, usually not too little, usually not too much.
You have to experiment with it so your shoulder joints feel hunky-dory and you get a baller chest stretch at the bottom. It’s an amazing movement.”
While guillotine presses certainly have utility, Dr. Israetel warned against using them with heavier weight.
“The way to really screw yourself up with a guillotine press is to go heavy right away with minimal warm-up. Assume you bench the same amount you would normally with a nipple line touch like you’re supposed to for a regular bench, put that shit three inches up, stab yourself in the throat with the thing, and have one of your shoulders pop out and hit an old lady behind you with the humeral joint. That’s all nonsense don’t do that.”
He also praised Ferrigno for his focus on lengthened tension in the stretched position during exercise for muscle growth.
“Lengthened tension and stretch mediate hypertrophy has been confirmed by research so I straight up think low-key Lou is like the smartest guy to ever do the bodybuilding game at this point. Unreal.”
Ferrigno’s Training Split Used During Career
- Day 1: Back
- Day 2: Chest
- Day 3: Legs
- Day 4: Shoulders and Arms
Analyzing Ferrigno’s training split, Dr. Israetel assessed how optimal it was.
“Back on day one, and then again on day six. Back the size of Lou’s, this is an excellent training frequency, check. But what he’s also doing, his back training inevitably recruits a lot of rear delts a ton and biceps.
He’s training rear delts and biceps again on day four and remember those heal pretty quick so they’ll be mostly healed by the time he does his next workout.”
Generally, Dr. Israetel had few criticisms of Ferrigno but did his best to offer some insight.
“The only thing I’d have to say if I was really nitpicky is somewhere like around that chest day, if he put in some extra side delt work, side delts would be crushed twice in that cycle and we’re really getting close to damn-near the perfect plan for somebody Lou’s size.”
“Lou Ferrigno is slept on,” adds Israetel.
Having practiced safe and effective weightlifting strategies, Lou Ferrigno has proven his methods have resulted in longevity. At 72 years old, he’s the picture of health and believes maintaining a positive mindset each day is the key to his success.
Other than adding some extra side delt work to his chest day, Dr. Israetel had little to critique of Lou Ferrigno. He remains one of the most celebrated and decorated athletes to have competed in the IFBB Pro League.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Legend Lou Ferrigno Set to Star in Horror Film as Cannibalistic Pig Farmer
Watch the full video from the Renaissance Periodization YouTube channel below:
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
