Seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath is one of the most decorated bodybuilders ever. Heath’s meticulously calculated training style starkly contrasted the hardcore, high-volume methods favored by his predecessors, Ronnie Coleman and Dorian Yates.

On Aug. 2, 2024, Dr. Mike Israetel, Ph.D. in Sport Physiology, dissected Heath’s training during his Olympia reign from 2011-17, providing insights into the exercise selection, form, and volume that sculpted one of the sport’s most iconic physiques.

[Related: “I’m Here, Motherf$#kers”: Jay Cutler Reflects on His Epic Quad Stomp at the 2009 Mr. Olympia]

Barbell Bench Press Safety Profile

Israetel commends Heath’s injury-averse training approach. Elite athletes can build muscle tissue without excessively heavy weights or high training volumes.

The bench press carries significant injury risk when trained with excessively heavy weights or without proper form. The risk is increased for male athletes with high androgen levels, who may be more inclined to push their limits.

“There is nothing categorically wrong or injurious about the barbell bench press if you control the eccentric, pause briefly at the bottom, and use a full or lengthened partial range of motion,” clarified Israetel. He recommends five to 30 reps with good technique and a spotter after a thorough warm-up. 

Heath bench pressed in the mid-to-lengthened range. Israetel recommends retracting the shoulder blades and maintaining a tall chest to achieve a deep stretch at the bottom, promote shoulder health, and maximize pectoralis major stimulation. 

Pull Training

Heath performed rack pulls with the safety pins set at knee level. Israetel suggests lifting the barbell from the floor. Ensure the torso is close to parallel and fully extend the elbows for maximum lat and posterior chain engagement. Lifting straps can eliminate grip strength limitations.

Leg Training

During Smith machine squats, Heath stopped short of parallel. Israetel advises planting the feet under the barbell, maintaining a proud chest, and focusing on achieving depth by aiming to touch the hamstrings to the calves.

Transitioning to stiff-legged deadlifts, prioritize the bottom half of the movement for hypertrophy. Israetel recommends arching the back to keep the chest proud for better hamstring engagement. (1)

Reps in Reserve and Failure & Mind-Muscle Connection

Israetel points out that Heath didn’t typically train to failure, making it difficult to assess his reps in reserve (RIR) at the end of each set. RIR refers to the estimated number of repetitions a lifter could perform before hitting temporary muscle failure. (2)

Israetel argues that many elite bodybuilders don’t usually train to failure, and their muscle growth is primarily a result of exceptional genetics combined with consistent dedication to training and recovery.

Heath’s strong mind-muscle connection maximized contractions with each rep. Israetel acknowledges that developing mind-muscle connection to the level of muscle memory takes years of dedicated practice.

References

Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1927199

Lovegrove, S., Hughes, L. J., Mansfield, S. K., Read, P. J., Price, P., & Patterson, S. D. (2022). Repetitions in Reserve Is a Reliable Tool for Prescribing Resistance Training Load. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(10), 2696–2700. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003952

Featured image: @philheath on Instagram

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