"A bigger bag of sh*t is just a bigger bag of sh*t," Yates defends Mentzer against Dr. Israetel!

In the bodybuilding community, a new debate has erupted about which training philosophy is more effective. It was kicked off by Dr. Mike Israetel, a sports science expert and advocate of High Volume Training, who in a recent video went on a rant criticizing and comparing himself to the late legend Mike Mentzer - the icon of High-Intensity Training ( HIT).

Bigger, stronger and more educated

Dr. Israetel, who is known for his sarcasm, reflected on Mentzer's cult status in the community and stated:

"Who am I compared to Mikey Mentzer? Well, honestly, I'm bigger than Mike Mentzer, I'm stronger than Mike Mentzer, and I'm more educated. I know more than Mike Mentzer... Why do you worship this guy?"

Mike Mentzer, who played a key role in the development of training based on achieving absolute failure (instead of a predetermined number of sets and reps) in the 1980s, is still an idol to many bodybuilders (including Yates) today.

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Yates' sharp reaction: sight concerns

Dorian Yates, who himself dominated his era with a training system he adopted and adapted from Mentzer and Nautilus founder Arthur Jones, defended Mentzer. He responded on his Instagram on October 22, 2025 with an uncompromising tone:

"So Dr. Mike, I hope you're speaking with hyperbole, otherwise I'm worried about either your eyesight or your mental health, because your character is not even close to Mentzer. Even with all the banned substances that you estimate will shorten your life by 10 years."

Yates capped off his argument with a punch line aimed at the volume that Israetel places so much emphasis on:

"A bigger bag of shit is just a bigger bag of shit. It's still a bag of shit," Yates intoned.

Controversy and respect

Although Dr. Israetel's image is often based on self-irony and humor, Yates perceived his words as a genuine disrespect to a legend of the sport. Dorian Yates, who has drawn valuable insights from Mentzer throughout his career, still respects him.

This controversy only reopens an old debate in the fitness world: Is it better to focus on extreme intensity in a short amount of time (HIT), or high volume work (VOLUME) as Dr. Israetel advocates?