No such thing as natural bodybuilding?

[Joe Go]

People always ask if I'm on steriods because I was in one show. I just laugh. When I say, "I'm a natural bodybuilder." they look really confused. O'well, I'm going to give next years show hell in the lightweight division. Whoo Hoo!

Side Note: I'm going back to Detroit to visit family for the first time since the show. It's going to be intersting to hear what the family thinks of my hobby. LOL!

[Cape1]

[QUOTE=njmuscle66;189850161]Why it is so difficult for you to recognize that there are PLENTY of bodybuilders that enter shows without the use of anabolics.


His idea of bodybuilding probably comes from 'Muscle and Fiction' and Flex mag's. It's not his fault.

[stayfit2008]

I actually learned how to accept the enhanced BB and tyhe natural BB, sorta coming to terms mentality if you would. I like the fact that there are tested natural shows and non tested shows. I feel comfortable entering the tested shows hoping to come in shredded and conditioned knowing this is what the judges seem to look for. Just use a few natural compettitors in here,..Fltallpaul, Fitiron, Sean and many others for example. These guys I feel are natural and have gone up against some pretty tough compettition and took the gold! In my conclusion, I feel there are shows generated for both type of athletes. I will live the 'natural" dream.

[Beefcake Girl]

I feel like a broken record but I'll say it again...I am a lifetime natural who wouldn't know an illegal supplement if I fell on it but I don't really concern myself too much with those of my competitors who use them. Personally, I am not willing to risk my health by using something I am not extremely educated about but I believe people can make their own choice on the matter.

I compete in the NPC and now IFBB regardless though. That is where the toughest competition is and it is satisfying to win against naturals and maybe some who aren't. As a natural, you know you have to train and diet your butt off to get in great shape...for me, I want all that hard work to be worth it and I want to showcase my efforts in a well attended competitive show. This is the NPC and IFBB in my opinion.

As far as natural shows where people supposedly fool the test...I have no idea how that works but really, isn't that putting too much focusing on the winning aspect? Like someone said, why do all that (with illegals) to your body for a trophy? Likewise, why get so upset about the placings of your competitors that may or may not be natural? I understand it is cheating to fool the drug tests but I prefer to keep my focus on my personal journey to the stage. When I wake up the morning of my show, I feel like I have won because I made it through the prep and look my best. Winning has always been icing on the cake.

I don't mean to be preachy but I think this is such a life changing experience to train and compete...in a good way! I hate to see people derailed and encourage you to stay natural and pursue your dreams regardless of the haters. Focus on your own accomplishments, decide what's important and stay positive. This is about YOU not anyone else in the end...

[SB100%Natural]

I feel like a broken record but I'll say it again...I am a lifetime natural who wouldn't know an illegal supplement if I fell on it but I don't really concern myself too much with those of my competitors who use them. Personally, I am not willing to risk my health by using something I am not extremely educated about but I believe people can make their own choice on the matter.

I compete in the NPC and now IFBB regardless though. That is where the toughest competition is and it is satisfying to win against naturals and maybe some who aren't. As a natural, you know you have to train and diet your butt off to get in great shape...for me, I want all that hard work to be worth it and I want to showcase my efforts in a well attended competitive show. This is the NPC and IFBB in my opinion.

As far as natural shows where people supposedly fool the test...I have no idea how that works but really, isn't that putting too much focusing on the winning aspect? Like someone said, why do all that (with illegals) to your body for a trophy? Likewise, why get so upset about the placings of your competitors that may or may not be natural? I understand it is cheating to fool the drug tests but I prefer to keep my focus on my personal journey to the stage. When I wake up the morning of my show, I feel like I have won because I made it through the prep and look my best. Winning has always been icing on the cake.

I don't mean to be preachy but I think this is such a life changing experience to train and compete...in a good way! I hate to see people derailed and encourage you to stay natural and pursue your dreams regardless of the haters. Focus on your own accomplishments, decide what's important and stay positive. This is about YOU not anyone else in the end...

Thanks for your input. I'm a natural competitor myself, I competed for the 1st time in July last year. All through prep I said to myself "just do the best you can" and I did just that. That being said I did want to win, probably an unrealistic desire seeing as it was my 1st show, but never the less I wanted to win... or at least place. Hehehe I've never won anything which makes me want it all the more

I will absolutely stay natural... hell will freeze over before I would touch anything. Thanks for your encouragement.

[SB100%Natural]

[QUOTE=Cape1;189932401]

Why it is so difficult for you to recognize that there are PLENTY of bodybuilders that enter shows without the use of anabolics.


His idea of bodybuilding probably comes from 'Muscle and Fiction' and Flex mag's. It's not his fault.

I personally do not find it hard to believe that plenty of BBs enter shows without use of anabolics. The bone head I was refering to trained and competed in the 70's. He said to me:

"If I (me) competed back then I would have used drugs."

I said that I absoultely would not have! Anyway he then went on to say that his body was now totally destroyed, back, knees, elbows, shoulders... everything was bad! LOL! what does that tell you?

[WNSO]

Good post on here!
We organize natural competitions and have been doing so for about 11 years now. When we first started the idea that someone would compete in our shows if they were using something didn't even cross our mind! We thought natural athletes would be the only ones on stage. And sorry as it is, that is not sometimes the case.
We have implemented many systems to keep the stage clean and maintain an even playing field - from urine testing, to our physique screening panel, to demerit points on the judging sheets, and to specific guidelines for the judges - however there still are some people to "sneak" through. But it is rare.

This year we implemented 2 new systems - 1) out of competition testing and 2) publishing the names on our website of those whose urine test comes back positive (this is agreed to by the athlete when they sign their legal document attesting to the fact that they are natural and agreeding that if their test comes back positive their name will be posted). These 2 system we feel have made a big impact! Out of the thousands of people who competed this year in Season One, there were 3 that were found positive for steroid use and 1 who refused an out of competition test. All 4 were banned from our organization.
On the one hand it is great that we caught some people, and hopefully in time so that they can get their health back to normal, and on the other side it demonstrates that we are serious about cleaning up the sport. We are hopefull that Season 2 will have even fewer people banned for positive tests!

As mentioned by someone else on this post, there are amazing natural bodybuilders around! Derrick Brown (see above on this post) just won our FAME World Championships in Toronto and he looked amazing, along with the other natural FAME Pro Bodybuilders who competed against him. He is actually now promoting the FAME Canadian Nationals in Calgary this fall (the show he promoted in the spring has 218 athletes for a regional event!, so we expect this show to be a big one!!!) - just as a side note, the Toronto show had about 400 natural athletes competing, so there are lots of clean guys and girls out there!

If you are interested here is a link to our drug testing rules and requirements:
http://fameworldtour.com/Natural_Requirements.html

If you have any questions let us know!

[Beefcake Girl]

Thanks for your input. I'm a natural competitor myself, I competed for the 1st time in July last year. All through prep I said to myself "just do the best you can" and I did just that. That being said I did want to win, probably an unrealistic desire seeing as it was my 1st show, but never the less I wanted to win... or at least place. Hehehe I've never won anything which makes me want it all the more

I will absolutely stay natural... hell will freeze over before I would touch anything. Thanks for your encouragement.

I totally understand your persepctive going into a show...actually I think i am the odd duck who doesn't focus so much on winning! My roomate and I always laugh about it....I never thought much about it, I just wanted to improve...but I never expected much when I started competing (I was skinny and got bombed my first shows!!) She, however, did well from the start and always goes in planning to win. Just a different mentality...Mine: set realistic goals you can possibly reach, Her: "eye of the tiger" win is necessary kind of thoughts.

I just think there are so many variables that I can't control...I prefer to base goals on what I can actually impact: yes, sometimes it's a better placing than last time, sometimes just better callouts. But often it's to meet different people in the industry and shoot with different photogs. One show it was simply to get a makeup lesson to learn how to do my own for a show! Kind of silly I know but this way I feel I have tangibles to accomplish that I can reasonably expect will happen.

This works for me but most other people are like you...they want to WIN!!!! Don't get me wrong, I want to win too, but I find other stuff to work on along the way to my victories

[SB100%Natural]

Good post on here!
We organize natural competitions and have been doing so for about 11 years now. When we first started the idea that someone would compete in our shows if they were using something didn't even cross our mind! We thought natural athletes would be the only ones on stage. And sorry as it is, that is not sometimes the case.
We have implemented many systems to keep the stage clean and maintain an even playing field - from urine testing, to our physique screening panel, to demerit points on the judging sheets, and to specific guidelines for the judges - however there still are some people to "sneak" through. But it is rare.

This year we implemented 2 new systems - 1) out of competition testing and 2) publishing the names on our website of those whose urine test comes back positive (this is agreed to by the athlete when they sign their legal document attesting to the fact that they are natural and agreeding that if their test comes back positive their name will be posted). These 2 system we feel have made a big impact! Out of the thousands of people who competed this year in Season One, there were 3 that were found positive for steroid use and 1 who refused an out of competition test. All 4 were banned from our organization.
On the one hand it is great that we caught some people, and hopefully in time so that they can get their health back to normal, and on the other side it demonstrates that we are serious about cleaning up the sport. We are hopefull that Season 2 will have even fewer people banned for positive tests!

As mentioned by someone else on this post, there are amazing natural bodybuilders around! Derrick Brown (see above on this post) just won our FAME World Championships in Toronto and he looked amazing, along with the other natural FAME Pro Bodybuilders who competed against him. He is actually now promoting the FAME Canadian Nationals in Calgary this fall (the show he promoted in the spring has 218 athletes for a regional event!, so we expect this show to be a big one!!!) - just as a side note, the Toronto show had about 400 natural athletes competing, so there are lots of clean guys and girls out there!

If you are interested here is a link to our drug testing rules and requirements:
http://fameworldtour.com/Natural_Requirements.html

If you have any questions let us know!

Fantastic work... keep it up. I like what you are doing with testing. 400 naturals at the Toronto show, WOW! Just goes to show that over here (Norway) we are WAY behind the US, Canada and other countries in europe. Unfortunately there isn't even 1 natural bodybuilding organization here as far as I know, it's pretty much the norm that if you are gonna compete, you got to pump yourself full of drugs to do so. It's a very sad situation. I'm constantly trying to educate people here that there is such a thing as natural bodybuilding and that you CAN achieve a great physique without drugs. Public opinion here on bodybuilding is very negative or at least thats the impression I get. As soon as you mention the word "bodybuilding" you get a raised eyebrow look and the negative vibes start flowing, it's such a shame. I look forward to the day when people here associate natural bodybuilding with physical excellence, great health and even better lifestyle habits. Roll on that day

[WNSO]

We'd love to have a show out there!
Maybe it starts with a fitness model and muscle model event to peak the interest and then we add a bodybuilding division into it?
If you would like to discuss this further you can email me directly at:
jkippel@fameworldtour.com

[Hardcore Natural]

Wow! An inspiring physique!!! I agree with what you are saying here. Thanks for your input... NATTY BODYBUILDING IS REAL

Better believe it's real! Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply ignorant!

[SB100%Natural]

Better believe it's real! Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply ignorant!

hell yeah. I know its real, you know its real, all the naturals out there know its real. The others will come around one day, if not... **** em.

[user67233783783]

is everyone natural at every natural show? no. but the majority at most shows are and he's obviously just very insecure about the fact that you don't use and he did so he's trying to make himself feel better about it.

exactly....the truth of the matter is a lot natural guys LOOK better NOW because of advancements in food and supplementation. That guy sounds like he is just jealous

[jumbeam]

i know this thread is old, but ofcourse you "know" you are natural. you have "won" shows. if you admitted then you would be stripped. dont bull**** a bull****ter man. cmon.

I have heard similar. It's just like when a cop gets busted for something illegal. People tend to generalize that cops are bad... etc.

I know I am natural. I have won a few shows.

I believe Layne is natural and he has won some shows too. I can name many more guys that I believe are natural. In fact, I don't know any bodybuilder personally that CHEAT in these natural shows. My guess is they are far and few between.

Steve, it comes down to this: You are a natural bodybuilder. You know it. And that's all that matters. Just worry about yourself and don't worry about what others are and/or believe. Be a role model for natural athletes.

[jumbeam]

Bro you are blowing smoke up your own arse here. you are validating yourself and you know it. the reason why you reacted so badly to the old mans comments is becuase you took it to heart and for good reason. c'mon guys. iv done years and years of bodybuidling, iv been in the "natural" industry since I can remember. the trick is to do what you need to do, juice the way you need to, use the right blockers and time frames and shut the f*** up. the trick is NOT to try convince the world. that you are clean, get on with it and stop drawing attention. thats how it works, all the vets know that. good luck bro. and dont be ashamed of what you use, this is whats its all about. you are disrespecting those who choose to use. If you are a user and you deny it (on a forum without being asked) then you are in complete and utter denial and lying to yourself.

[CaseySmithBB]

Bro you are blowing smoke up your own arse here. you are validating yourself and you know it. the reason why you reacted so badly to the old mans comments is becuase you took it to heart and for good reason. c'mon guys. iv done years and years of bodybuidling, iv been in the "natural" industry since I can remember. the trick is to do what you need to do, juice the way you need to, use the right blockers and time frames and shut the f*** up. the trick is NOT to try convince the world. that you are clean, get on with it and stop drawing attention. thats how it works, all the vets know that. good luck bro. and dont be ashamed of what you use, this is whats its all about. you are disrespecting those who choose to use. If you are a user and you deny it (on a forum without being asked) then you are in complete and utter denial and lying to yourself.

Jumbeam,

There is no honor in deception.

[str8flexed]

Jumbeam,

There is no honor in deception.

these people have no honor and what's worse is they assume everyone else must be like them as well. No jumbeam I'm afraid there are quite a few people around who value their integrity over a piece of metal

[Slovation]

I dont understand how a non-natty would feel good about beating nattys. It would be like bragging about beating a ford taurus in your corvette. I just find it funny how no one doubts a natty bodybuilder till they are successful.

genetics
knowledge
work ethic
drugs

In that order of importance. I know plenty of people that use and look like utter garbage. You also dont have to use drugs to place well in shows whether they are natty orgs or not. There are plenty of natty athletes that still place well in open shows.

[fltallpaul]

I dont understand how a non-natty would feel good about beating nattys. It would be like bragging about beating a ford taurus in your corvette. I just find it funny how no one doubts a natty bodybuilder till they are successful.

genetics
knowledge
work ethic
drugs

In that order of importance. I know plenty of people that use and look like utter garbage. You also dont have to use drugs to place well in shows whether they are natty orgs or not. There are plenty of natty athletes that still place well in open shows.

There is not way a Natty could win an overall at an NPC show...

no way...no way

wait wut...

[Slovation]

There is not way a Natty could win an overall at an NPC show...

no way...no way

wait wut...

[MAX.MAREK]

Does what this guy said to me today have any truth behind it? Does this happen? Do chemically enhanced athletes compete as naturals, as the guy said, and win natural shows all the time and get away with it?

what he said is very true on many accounts. I know this personally aswell, as i know a good handful of 'naturals' that really arent. many forms of $teroids, in pill form, get out of the system alot faster then injectable stuff. Also growthhormone isnt effectively detectable in the system. so many competitors take these products while in offseason, or upto a certain point in prep, then get off.

sad i know, and i have no idea why they just dont compete in untested competitions. whats the point of fighting someone with 1 arm when you have 2...ya know?

[Barn01]

Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2
Rep Power: 0 (RED)

Both posts were this thread back to back!

Don't feed the trolls fellas

[Bnizzle163]

You can tell your friend he is full of it... I'm not pro, however I was the tallest guy in the open lightweights and took home a win at my last show... there was a kid in my class backstage bragging about the halovar cycle he just took and the great results it gave him. He got 4th

[ShoulderBrah]

Unfortunately, NPC is one of the few routes to IFBB there is. And since you need a 1st place win at NPC nationals to get into IFBB, then you really would have to be naive to think most of those guys are natural. I personally know NPC competitors that have cheated and they are still in the NPC shows. They use test, pro-hormone, B12 shots, etc. This has completely turned me off to competing because I know NPC is full of cheats. BTW, NPC does not test their competitors. They chose at random. NPC is one of the least regulated shows I've seen. It is sickening. And to the people who are natural like you and I who actually are competitive people... it seems pointless when I know that this is going on inside my own town's NPC show.

[Bnizzle163]

Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2
Rep Power: 0 (RED)

Both posts were this thread back to back!

Don't feed the trolls fellas

Wow... no more forum posts within the first 5 minutes of waking up for me lol

[bigfish18q]

To get to the IFBB level like Jay and Ronnie are at, yes you HAVE to use gear, and while I'm sure there are people in natural shows who use I think it's something other people will always use for justification. "Well everyone else does it". In my opinion these people are upset they couldn't get there naturally, so they justify using, by telling themselves everyone does. I know people at the top level who use gear obviously have a lot of dedication, but I still think it's the easy way out.

[blastedpotato]

Gear isnt detectable after a certain period of time.

[Garage Rat]

The WNBF natural BB org may be about as close as you can get.
They require a lie detector test as well as urinalysis test for athletes.
I know you can still get around these tests if really want to but it is some what a deterrent.