With career-altering muscle tears on the rise, former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout is taking a closer look at how to avoid these dilemmas. In his latest Old School Labs podcast, Bannout shared that muscle tears weren’t common during his days of competing and offered a solution for strengthening the connective tissues and joints.
“I never had any issue tearing biceps or chest or anything, thank God for that. You got to be smart and be careful.”
The bodybuilding Gods haven’t been kind to athletes in the IFBB Pro League lately. Former four-time Men’s Physique Olympia Jeremy Buendia learned this painful lesson after sustaining a ruptured Achilles while fulfilling his duties for a sponsorship. His problems were amplified after he re-ruptured the same Achilles tendon during a trip to the park with his daughter. As a result of the setbacks, he revealed that his preparations for the 2024 season were ‘a wrap.’
These incidents weren’t isolated, as Brandon Harding, another high-profile bodybuilder, bowed out of the 2024 Toronto Pro Supershow this weekend due to a torn delt. Fans were saddened by the news considering Harding’s Pro debut has been in the works for quite some time. Even retired bodybuilders are sustaining muscle tears, including former seven-time 212 Olympia Flex Lewis, who tore his tricep off the bone after a freak accident inside a restroom stall.
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In light of the troublesome trend, bodybuilding veteran Samir Bannout offered his two cents. During his era, he can’t remember bodybuilders injuring themselves as often as today. Below, he explains how athletes can preserve their bodies and avoid tears in the future.
Samir Bannout Discusses Bodybuilders Who Keep Sustaining Muscle Tears: ‘These Injuries Are Becoming Common’
Unsure of why athletes continue to injure themselves, Bannout explained that muscle tears weren’t common during his bodybuilding days.
“I don’t know. These things weren’t common in my days back in the days. I mean, look at Arnold or whatever, all the champions, I seldom heard of anyone having injuries. I remember Vince Taylor, he ripped up his bicep and he went to reattach it, but these you know, Jeremy what’d he have the Achilles torn? Flex Lewis’ arm?”
He shared that when he trained and felt something ‘a little bit awkward,’ he would end the session immediately to avoid damage.
“If it happened during training then it would be different but if it happened on accident, it could happen to anyone. I was very cautious when I was training, if I felt something a little bit awkward, I pulled away and I didn’t even finish my workout.”
As for a solution to these injuries, Bannout swore by chelated minerals, especially calcium and magnesium.
“One thing I could advise people, increase your chelated minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. I would actually make sure I would not take anti-inflammatories like even Ibuprofen any painkiller would mess you up big time if you go to the gym and train with intensity because it masks the pain and then you end up ripping things apart,” said Samir Bannout.
He cautioned athletes to avoid painkillers like Tylenol or Ibuprofen because they mask the pain during workouts, making it easier to sustain injuries.
“It’s a big no-no to take any anti-inflammatory or painkiller prior to training, at least hours before. You don’t need to do that at all. I don’t know if I can blame that on the gear or the modern days what these guys are doing. I’m not going to say anything unless I’m 100 percent sure.”
“That’s too bad these injuries are becoming common,” said Bannout. “I tore my bicep but not in training. I fell off a motorcycle so I have zero injuries while I’m training, zero, ever.”
Instead of using over-the-counter painkillers, Bannout advocated for the use of enzymes like Bromelain, which could strengthen the connective tissues and joints.
“No Ibuprofen and going to the gym, never. Not even Tylenol. Acetaminophen or Tylenol, Ibuprofen, either one, never take that before the workout, ever. If you do, you will make it much worse. I would just keep taking more enzymes like a Bromelain.”
“Bromelain and chelated minerals will strengthen these joints and the connective tissues and being smart. You should be aware of certain things,” said Bannout. “You know when you put on unnecessary weight, it’s going to be much more hell for your joints, especially the Achilles and the knees.”
Maximizing training efforts while avoiding painkillers has become a shared goal within the bodybuilding community. Aside from Bannout, Arnold Schwarzenegger recently discussed how to reduce knee pain without the use of pain pills.
“It could be that a lack of activity increases the likelihood of joint issues, and movement serves as the medicine.”
Bodybuilding expert Lee Labrada has also revealed his tried-and-true strategies for avoiding disastrous muscle tears.
“The end range of motion of a weight-bearing exercise. Whether you are an experienced lifter or just starting out, it’s important to understand the limitations of your muscles, tendons, and joints in order to optimize your training journey both in terms of avoiding injury and increasing results.”
Muscle tears have become increasingly prevalent in the bodybuilding community. Samir Bannout believes chelated minerals and avoiding painkillers will decrease your likelihood of these injuries on the horizon.
Watch the full video from the Old School Labs podcast below:
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