Charly Jeong, known on Instagram as @charlton_banks, is a standout figure in the strength sports community, making his mark as an elite powerlifter turned NPC superheavyweight bodybuilder and co-founder of Team Full ROM. With a decade-long background in powerlifting—boasting a best total of 1925 lbs at 242 lbs—Charly’s journey took a pivotal turn after repeated injuries led him to seek new challenges in bodybuilding.

His transition was marked not just by a shift in training focus from pure strength to hypertrophy and aesthetics, but also by an impressive competitive debut: in May 2021, Charly won the overall at his first bodybuilding show, immediately qualifying for the national stage. Later that year, he made a splash at NPC Nationals, earning a spot in the highly competitive first call-outs and finishing top 10—a remarkable achievement for a newcomer.

Charly is recognized for his analytical approach to training, emphasizing individualized technique and mind-muscle connection, and for his relentless drive to improve, particularly in building his back and overall stage presence. As he continues to develop as a bodybuilder, Charly’s story stands out for his ability to blend the discipline of powerlifting with the artistry of bodybuilding, inspiring both lifters and fans across the fitness world.
In this episode, we dive into the importance of critical thinking in the fitness space, the risks of blindly following trending sports science, and why grounding your training in evidence and reason is more vital than ever.
In today’s episode, we dive into a wide range of insights: Some of the topics include:

Why sports science research does not hold up like in other scientific fields
The importance of anecdotal evidence
The origins of the name charly_banks for his Instagram handle
Charly’s t ransition from powerlifting to bodybuilding
Sustainable training
How to break through plateaus
Do what you can that works for you
Most athletes powerlifters and bodybuilders have regular lives and regular jobs too and its just a hobby
More muscle is more strength
The gym not being therapy
PEDs in professional bodybuilding
Harm reduction practices
Top Training principles volume vs intensity
Optimal training farce with influencers


And so much more! Get ready for a truly informative episode.