Genetics and Bodybuilding, Part 1 In this 3 part interview conducted by Alex Sorokin, I cover how much of a factor genetics play in bodybuilding and other sports. 1. Do you think that athletes inherit most of their athletic ability (endurance, power, speed), or is it something they acquire over time? Answer: Genetics will determine how quickly results will be achieved from a training program and how far the body will be taken when pushed to the extreme. However, there is an even more important factor and that is the mindset. Many times I have seen a gifted athlete that never realizes his/her potential because the mindset to achieve goals and to push the body to the limit is simply not there. This in turn allows an athlete that perhaps has much less genetic gifts to surpass a genetically superior one. So at the end of the day, the wildcard is the human spirit. 2. I understand that training in every sport is essential in achieving success. How do genetics influence your progress in training, such as the speed of achievement? Answer: As mentioned previously, assuming all other factors (such as training, nutrition, supplementation, rest and recovery tailored to the athlete’s physiology) are equal, genetics will determine how quickly the athlete will achieve progress. I have worked with athletes that have accomplished in one year what would take a more average one 8-10 years. 3. Do you agree that the way your body absorbs nutrients is mostly genetic? Answer: Again, all other variables being equal, yes, nutrient absorption is a genetic factor as well. There are people that simply process nutrients much better than others. This explains why you can have athletes that may not always eat as clean as they should and yet they may be getting better results than an athlete that does everything by the book. This is one of those things that I just had to learn how to live with early on as for me, I need to follow everything by the book. However I have friends, and even my significant other, who can eat whatever they want and not gain an ounce of fat. 4. How is the ability to absorb nutrients by the body and rebuild itself important to sports. (You can pick a specific sport to provide an example, such as body building.) Answer: I will speak of bodybuilding and one thing I should mention is that regardless of genetics every guy can get a lean and muscular physique and every girl can look lean and toned. When genetics start playing a huge role is if the athlete wants to be competitive at a professional level. In cases like this, your ability to absorb nutrients and use them for energy production and protein synthesis will give you an edge over someone who does not have an optimal ability. 5. I know that the speed of metabolism is largely inherited, and that a person can boost their metabolism to a certain degree. What kind of advantage would a person with naturally fast metabolism would have over a person with slow BMR. Answer: That is correct. As far as your question the answer is simple. Going back to bodybuilding, a person with a fast metabolism will never have issues getting lean. However, if the metabolic rate is too high and the nutrient absorption capability is not optimal, gaining muscle for that person will always be a challenge. This is called an ectomorph body type (a naturally lean person). The mesomorph however is the one with an optimized metabolism and an incredible ability to utilize nutrients for muscle mass gains. The endomorph, or slow BMR person (like me) can have an advantage over a hardgainer since the slow BMR allows for good muscle production. The only thing that an endomorph has to worry about Is staying lean. More on this tomorrow... By the way, for a great program that will maximize your genetic potential, take a look at this one, which will only be on sale until Friday at midnight: Max-Hypertrophy
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:00:00 +0000