How Bodybuilding Really Changed | Ron Partlow | Long Haul Mentality

Ron Partlow — IFBB Pro, co-host of "It's Just Bodybuilding," and host of "Mutant on a Mission" — joins Nick this week for a wide-ranging conversation on how bodybuilding has actually changed since Ron turned pro back in 2015. Ron competed through 13 Canadian Nationals and 4 North Americans before finally earning his pro card, and he's spent the years since traveling the world touring gyms for Mutant. That gives him a rare vantage point: someone who trained in the pre-social-media era and now lives inside the content machine every day. Nick and Ron get into the wild evolution of stage tanning (six bottles of Pro Tan, Dream Tan, and the birth of spray tan services), the uncomfortable truth about genetics vs. hard work, why so many lifters are overanalyzing bloodwork and peptide protocols for no reason, what made Chris Aceto one of the best coaches of all time, the origin story behind Mutant on a Mission, and a tour through some of the best gyms in the country right now. If you're into the history of the sport, honest coaching conversations, and why bodybuilding media doesn't have to be all bashing, this one's for you. 0:00 – Intro & catching up 1:48 – Why "It's Just Bodybuilding" avoids the negativity in bodybuilding media 9:01 – Ron's road to becoming an IFBB Pro 10:06 – The wild history of stage tanning: Pro Tan, Dream Tan & spray tan services 15:04 – Genetics vs. hard work: the truth nobody wants to hear 20:26 – Training Keon Mod and spotting a true genetic outlier 22:20 – What the pre-social-media era gave old-school bodybuilders 24:16 – Overanalyzing bloodwork, peptides & gut protocols 41:15 – Why Chris Aceto's calm approach makes him one of the best coaches ever 43:31 – The origin story of "Mutant on a Mission" 48:00 – Touring elite gyms: Absolute Recomp, Destination & the "collector gym" 1:03:07 – Egos in bodybuilding: why every era has them 1:05:16 – Wrap-up FOLLOW RON PARTLOW Instagram:   / rep300   Podcast (It's Just Bodybuilding): search "It's Just Bodybuilding" on YouTube/Spotify Mutant on a Mission: search "Mutant on a Mission" on YouTube Gym (West Coast Iron): https://westcoastirononline.com/ FOLLOW NICK BAGLEY / LONG HAUL FITNESS Website: https://www.thelonghaulfitness.com Instagram:   / nick_bagley_   YouTube:    / @thelonghaulfitness1774   #bodybuilding #ifbbpro #bodybuildingpodcast #oldschoolbodybuilding #mutantonamission #bodybuildingcoach #contestprep #stagetan #peptides #bloodwork #tRT #bodybuildinghistory #fitnesspodcast #hardgainer #longhaulmentality #ronpartlow #nickbagley #ironculture #gymtour #genetics #bodybuildinglifestyle