Why I Don't Believe In Natural Bodybuilding
By: Justin Hayward and Charles Simeone
My name is Justin Hayward. I compete in the National Physique Committee(NPC), which as many people know is the national bodybuilding organization that is most well known. It is the organization where all the best competitors get their pro-cards, and go on to become IFBB athletes. The thing about the NPC versus other organizations is that the NPC is an open competition, meaning there is no drug or polygraph test. There are no rules saying what you are allowed and not allowed to do or take to place well. Many see this as destructive to ones health.
As many of you know, I train and work with athletes that compete in both the NPC as well as in natural organizations. The natural leagues that I'm most familiar with are the OCB and the INBF. These two may be the biggest natural competitions aside from muscle mania, and offer pro cards which offers the possibility to compete on the "natural pro stage" with the WNBF and the IFPA. I have accompanied my athletes to various competitions in these leagues as well as the drug and polygraph tests needed to compete.
I will give specific examples of why I do not believe in these natural organizations. First, lets start with the OCB, the most drug-laden of natural organizations. I accompanied one of my athletes (who was in fact 100% natural- no pro-hormones, steroids or illegal fat burners) to his OCB polygraph test in 2008. He was asked 4 questions- Have you ever taken testosterone, have you ever taken clenbuterol, have you ever taken growth hormone, and have you ever taken lasix. These were the only questions that were asked. This is about 4 out of hundreds of steroids, prohormones, fat burners and other chemicals used for bodybuilding purposes. The conclusion here is that these athletes could take almost any drug they wanted and get through this polygraph test.
The INBF which is a more strict organization, is also flawed when it comes to drug and polygraph testing. My client competed in an INBF competition a few weeks after the OCB show and they accepted the OCB polygraph for his entry. They did not test him again. In both competitions, he placed extremely well in the men's divisions. I also have had a few encounters with top natural pro's who recommend prohormones, using their own experiences with these products as their recommendations. One of these pros is currently one of the most well known natural athletes in the WORLD.
My name is Charles Simeone and I have competed in almost 10 INBF shows, took second in the northeast america and have won 1 overall INBF title. I have been at schows MANY times where athletes have actually told me that they have used compounds such as clenbuterol. Also, the urine test given to athletes are far from strict. The INBF, as Justin said, is one of the toughest natural organizations as far as banned substances, but still they lag in the manner that they test for these drugs. When I was tested for my competitions, I was given a cup and they told me the bathroom was down the hall. This bathroom was nowhere near where they gave me the cup and I easily could have gotten someone else to do it for me. However, there was no need, as I had never taken more than a test booster and always followed the banned substance list.
After I while, I decided that competing on a playing field that was supposed to be even, but was not, was not for me. I have now decided to compete in the NPC. There is no way to know if the winners at these natural organizations are actually natural, so if you are placing well in them anyways, why not compete against bigger and better guys in the NPC? That's the transition I decided to make and will be competing sometime next year.
In conclusion, we are not bashing or discrediting people who really do bodybuild naturally. There are plenty of guys who do this, and good for them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with bodybuilding naturally. However, keep in mind if you plan on competing, if you're stepping on a very competitive stage, that not all of your competition is going to have the same natural mindset that you have. You are not competing on an even playing field, and the outcome may not be fair.
By: Justin Hayward and Charles Simeone
My name is Justin Hayward. I compete in the National Physique Committee(NPC), which as many people know is the national bodybuilding organization that is most well known. It is the organization where all the best competitors get their pro-cards, and go on to become IFBB athletes. The thing about the NPC versus other organizations is that the NPC is an open competition, meaning there is no drug or polygraph test. There are no rules saying what you are allowed and not allowed to do or take to place well. Many see this as destructive to ones health.
As many of you know, I train and work with athletes that compete in both the NPC as well as in natural organizations. The natural leagues that I'm most familiar with are the OCB and the INBF. These two may be the biggest natural competitions aside from muscle mania, and offer pro cards which offers the possibility to compete on the "natural pro stage" with the WNBF and the IFPA. I have accompanied my athletes to various competitions in these leagues as well as the drug and polygraph tests needed to compete.
I will give specific examples of why I do not believe in these natural organizations. First, lets start with the OCB, the most drug-laden of natural organizations. I accompanied one of my athletes (who was in fact 100% natural- no pro-hormones, steroids or illegal fat burners) to his OCB polygraph test in 2008. He was asked 4 questions- Have you ever taken testosterone, have you ever taken clenbuterol, have you ever taken growth hormone, and have you ever taken lasix. These were the only questions that were asked. This is about 4 out of hundreds of steroids, prohormones, fat burners and other chemicals used for bodybuilding purposes. The conclusion here is that these athletes could take almost any drug they wanted and get through this polygraph test.
The INBF which is a more strict organization, is also flawed when it comes to drug and polygraph testing. My client competed in an INBF competition a few weeks after the OCB show and they accepted the OCB polygraph for his entry. They did not test him again. In both competitions, he placed extremely well in the men's divisions. I also have had a few encounters with top natural pro's who recommend prohormones, using their own experiences with these products as their recommendations. One of these pros is currently one of the most well known natural athletes in the WORLD.
My name is Charles Simeone and I have competed in almost 10 INBF shows, took second in the northeast america and have won 1 overall INBF title. I have been at schows MANY times where athletes have actually told me that they have used compounds such as clenbuterol. Also, the urine test given to athletes are far from strict. The INBF, as Justin said, is one of the toughest natural organizations as far as banned substances, but still they lag in the manner that they test for these drugs. When I was tested for my competitions, I was given a cup and they told me the bathroom was down the hall. This bathroom was nowhere near where they gave me the cup and I easily could have gotten someone else to do it for me. However, there was no need, as I had never taken more than a test booster and always followed the banned substance list.
After I while, I decided that competing on a playing field that was supposed to be even, but was not, was not for me. I have now decided to compete in the NPC. There is no way to know if the winners at these natural organizations are actually natural, so if you are placing well in them anyways, why not compete against bigger and better guys in the NPC? That's the transition I decided to make and will be competing sometime next year.
In conclusion, we are not bashing or discrediting people who really do bodybuild naturally. There are plenty of guys who do this, and good for them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with bodybuilding naturally. However, keep in mind if you plan on competing, if you're stepping on a very competitive stage, that not all of your competition is going to have the same natural mindset that you have. You are not competing on an even playing field, and the outcome may not be fair.
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