#28 - Mark and Chris Bell: steroids, powerlifting, addiction, diet, training, helping others, documentaries, and living your best life
Peter Attia interviews brothers Mark and Chris Bell, discussing their powerlifting careers, the making of "Bigger, Stronger, Faster," steroid use, and their family's addiction struggles. They share insights on training, nutrition, and the importance of helping others to live a higher quality, more fulfilling life.
Deep Dive Analysis
20 Topic Outline
Introduction to the Bell Brothers and Their Documentaries
Vulnerability and Empathy in Filmmaking
Impact of 'Bigger, Stronger, Faster' on Peter Attia's Beliefs
Chris Bell's Personal Struggle with Addiction and Recovery
Importance of Sharing Struggles and Avoiding Comparison
Childhood Influences: Pro Wrestling and Entrepreneurial Spirit
Early Experiences with Weightlifting and Powerlifting
Mark Bell's Powerlifting Records: Equipped vs. Raw
Chris Bell's Powerlifting Records and Injury
Advice for Strength Training: Challenging Yourself and Monitoring Progress
Chris Bell's Diet Transformation with Ketogenic/Carnivore Approach
Resources for Learning Weightlifting Effectively and Safely
Teaching Kids Strength Training and Minimizing Sitting
Mark Bell's First Bodybuilding Competition Preparation
Bodybuilding Diet and Training Principles
Discussion on Steroid Use in Bodybuilding and Medical Context
Peter Attia's Approach to Optimizing Testosterone
Upcoming Nutrition Documentary and Parting Advice
Kratom: A Plant with Potential Benefits
Resources to Follow Mark and Chris Bell
6 Key Concepts
Powerlifting
A strength sport where athletes attempt to lift as much weight as possible for one repetition in three main lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The total weight lifted across these three exercises determines the athlete's score.
Olympic Weightlifting
A sport involving two lifts: the snatch and the clean & jerk. Athletes lift a barbell loaded with weight from the floor to an overhead position in a single, fluid motion (snatch) or in two movements (clean & jerk).
Raw Powerlifting
A category of powerlifting where lifters do not use supportive gear like squat suits or bench shirts. Only a belt and wrist wraps are typically allowed, emphasizing pure muscular strength.
Equipped Powerlifting
A category of powerlifting where lifters use specialized supportive gear, such as multi-ply squat suits and bench shirts, which provide assistance and allow them to lift significantly more weight than in raw lifting.
Hypogonadism
The medical term for low testosterone levels. Peter Attia explains that it's crucial to understand the underlying cause, which can range from issues with testosterone production to problems with its utilization or binding in the body.
Pregnenolone Shunt/Steal
A physiological phenomenon where, under conditions of high cortisol (stress hormone), the body diverts precursors like pregnenolone away from producing sex hormones (like testosterone) to produce more cortisol instead, thus depleting testosterone substrate.
11 Questions Answered
The documentary challenged Peter's preconceived notions about anabolic steroids, making him realize his understanding was based on dogma rather than critical thought, prompting him to re-evaluate his beliefs on the topic.
Chris's recovery involved significant family support, including his father's direct confrontation and his brother Mark's proactive efforts to get him into detox and rehab, highlighting that recovery is a long, continuous process.
Watching professional wrestling, particularly Hulk Hogan's victory in 1984, deeply inspired them as children to dream big and strive for something extraordinary, influencing their competitive drive.
Chris started squatting at age 16 to address knee pain and rapidly progressed to lifting over 500 pounds in high school. Mark benched 240-250 pounds at just 12 or 13 years old, demonstrating unusual strength from a young age.
Mark Bell advises consistently challenging oneself for progress while properly warming up (e.g., using a hip circle for squats) and learning from minor injuries. Chris Bell emphasizes the critical role of diet, particularly a ketogenic/carnivore approach, for optimizing performance and body composition.
Mark Bell suggests setting new, varied challenges, such as attempting a max set of a different rep range or on an unfamiliar exercise, to continuously find new ways to achieve 'PRs' and maintain motivation.
They recommend programs like CrossFit Kids, which emphasize proper form and discipline, and advocate for more robust physical education in schools, including standing desks, to counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
Bodybuilders follow extremely regimented diets, often consuming multiple small meals (e.g., 7 meals a day) with precise macronutrient targets, and adhere to consistent cardio and weight training schedules with minimal deviation.
Peter first investigates the root cause of low free testosterone (e.g., high sex hormone binding globulin, excessive siphoning to DHT/estradiol, low DHEA, or insufficient pituitary signal), then addresses the underlying issue, often prioritizing lifestyle factors like sleep before considering exogenous testosterone.
Sleep deprivation and chronically high cortisol levels are primary causes, as they impair the brain's signaling (FSH and LH) for testosterone production, which predominantly occurs during deep sleep.
Kratom is a plant from Southeast Asia that many individuals use to help manage opioid addiction, alleviate pain, enhance focus, and induce a sense of euphoria.
25 Actionable Insights
1. Prioritize Daily Walks
Start with a 10-minute walk every day, preferably after lunch or dinner, to clear your mind. This simple habit is a great place to begin a health journey and manage daily stress.
2. Cultivate Supportive Relationships
Actively include friends and family in your healthy habits and lifestyle, rather than pushing them away. It’s easier to maintain positive habits when surrounded by people who share similar goals and can positively influence you.
3. Embrace “White Belt” Mentality
Adopt a mindset of continuous learning, acknowledging that you don’t know everything and there’s always more to learn and expand upon. This approach fosters humility and drives ongoing personal growth.
4. Prioritize Sleep for Hormones
Address sleep deprivation as a primary cause of low testosterone. Improving sleep quality can significantly increase endogenous testosterone production, as Peter Attia experienced a substantial rise in his levels by simply sleeping more.
5. View Health Interventions as Tools
Avoid all-or-nothing thinking about diets, medications, or supplements; instead, view them as tools to be used appropriately. This approach allows for flexibility and optimal application to achieve specific health goals.
6. Challenge Yourself Daily
Consistently seek ways to improve each day, not always by lifting more weight, but by making progress in some aspect of your fitness or life. Progress is a key motivator and essential for happiness, helping to keep you on track.
7. Warm Up Before Workouts
Always warm up before any workout to prepare your joints and muscles, such as using a hip circle for squats or moving your elbows and shoulders for upper body work. This practice is essential to prevent injury and improve performance.
8. Prioritize Diet for Performance
Recognize that what you eat directly impacts your performance in the gym and overall physical capabilities. Chris Bell found that his diet significantly affected his gym performance, leading to strength gains after dietary changes.
9. Use Ketogenic Diet Strategically
Consider implementing a ketogenic diet for specific goals like tightening up, mental freedom, or to increase carbohydrate sensitivity. This diet can be a powerful tool to manage hunger and cravings when used at certain points in a training cycle.
10. Share Personal Vulnerability
Be open about your struggles and challenges, as sharing vulnerability can create connection and help others who might feel alone with similar issues. This practice fosters empathy and mutual support.
11. Seek Encouraging Gym Environments
Choose a gym or fitness community that is encouraging and genuinely wants you to improve, rather than large chain gyms focused solely on membership sign-ups. A supportive environment is crucial for long-term adherence and progress.
12. Start with Powerlifting
Begin your strength training journey with powerlifting to learn the fundamental mechanics of essential human movements like squat, bench press, and deadlift. This foundation ensures you correctly learn the most important movements in the human body.
13. Low Volume, High Intensity Training
Experiment with training protocols that involve less overall volume but higher intensity, such as doing one heavy lift and leaving the gym. The Bell brothers found this approach highly effective for achieving remarkable strength.
14. Regiment Your Daily Routine
Adopt a highly structured daily routine, including consistent meal times, cardio, weightlifting, and sleep, to achieve peak performance and precision in your goals. This regimented approach, exemplified by top bodybuilders, helps ensure you never skip a beat.
15. Consume Adequate Protein
Aim for approximately 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to support muscle growth. Chris Bell observed immediate positive changes in his physique by increasing his protein intake.
16. Practice Strict Dietary Adherence
For specific body composition goals like bodybuilding, adhere strictly to your prescribed macronutrient targets, even avoiding restaurant foods or extra snacks that could disrupt your plan. This level of precision is necessary for advanced results.
17. Try New Exercises for PRs
To achieve a ‘personal record’ every time you step into the gym, try variations or exercises you’ve never maxed out on before (e.g., max set of seven with incline dumbbell press). This approach makes training a ‘game’ and keeps it fun and motivating.
18. Address Obesity for Better Sleep
If struggling with obesity, prioritize weight loss and a healthier diet to improve sleep quality. Addressing obesity can help improve sleep, which in turn positively impacts overall health and hormonal balance.
19. Manage Cortisol Levels
Be aware that high cortisol levels (hypercortisolemia) can negatively impact testosterone production by shunting precursors and impairing deep sleep. Managing stress and cortisol is important for maintaining hormonal balance.
20. Minimize Sitting for Kids
Encourage children to minimize sitting and consider standing desks in schools to maintain their natural squatting mechanics and overall physical health. Sitting is identified as a major factor in crippling natural movement patterns.
21. Teach Kids Mental Toughness
Engage children in physical challenges, like dead hangs, and use these opportunities to teach them about mental toughness, pushing limits, and understanding that progress often involves discomfort. This helps them learn to test the limits of what they are capable of.
22. Prioritize Academics for Kids
In youth training programs, ensure that academic responsibilities, such as homework, are completed before engaging in physical activity. This instills discipline and prioritizes education before physical training.
23. Consider Kratom for Well-being
Kratom, a plant from Southeast Asia, is used by some for opioid withdrawal, pain management, diet adherence, mental distraction, euphoria, and creativity. Chris Bell uses it daily as a pre-workout, noting it makes him feel great and helps with focus (Note: This is a personal account and not medical advice).
24. Utilize Mark Bell’s YouTube
Access Mark Bell’s YouTube channel (‘Super Training 06’) as a free and extensive resource for learning how to correctly perform major lifts, featuring content from top powerlifters. This channel provides a wealth of information for those looking to improve their lifting technique.
25. Visit Super Training Gym
Visit the Super Training Gym, which is free to the public, to experience the environment and potentially meet Mark Bell. This offers an ‘unbelievable service’ to the community for those interested in strength training.
7 Key Quotes
For the greatest enemy of truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived, and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebearers. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
Peter Attia (quoting John F. Kennedy)
It's never over. People ask a lot of questions about success or getting jacked or bench pressing more weight. You could take steroids and you can do all these different programs and you can do all these different diets, but it's never over. You never, there's never a spot you get to and you're like, fuck yeah, this is perfect. This is where I wanted to be. I'm going to hang out right here.
Mark Bell
You don't judge a man by where he stands. You judge him by how far he's traveled to get there.
Mark Bell
Rule number one is to challenge yourself. Rule number two is to not hurt yourself.
Mark Bell
Without progress, I don't believe you can even have happiness.
Mark Bell
I honestly believe that anabolic steroids when used at physiologic levels are safer than Tylenol.
Peter Attia
Nothing is all good and nothing is all bad.
Chris Bell
2 Protocols
Mark Bell's Daily Walk Recommendation
Mark Bell- Go for a 10-minute walk every day.
- Do it after lunch or dinner.
- Walk with your son, daughter, mom, or dad if they live close by or if you can get a second with them.
- Preferably, do it more than once a day.
Peter Attia's Testosterone Optimization Approach (for symptomatic low free testosterone)
Peter Attia- Assess if low free testosterone is due to low total testosterone or high sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG).
- If SHBG is high, investigate the underlying cause (insulin, thyroid hormone, estrogen, or genetics).
- If total testosterone is low, determine if it's due to excessive siphoning into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or estradiol.
- If not siphoning, assess if the body is not producing enough testosterone (check DHEA as a substrate or pituitary signals FSH/LH).
- Address primary underlying issues such as sleep deprivation and high cortisol levels, which impair natural testosterone production.