Natural sizes versus roided sizes Question

[soseg]

Ok so I just watched 'Bigger Faster Strong' on youtube, some guy uploaded it in 11 parts, however only 10 are available so I missed the last possible 10mins

anyway im sure you guys have discussed the film in these forums before (cbf searching atm) but my curiousity has left me with this question...

What size in terms of bodybuilding / power lifting is achievable without the use of roids?

It may seem like a simple / stupid question, but basically if people have any photos of bodybuilders for example who can be certain they are not on roids... could you please show me? (a lot of the natural pics i see of bb posing the guys seem kinda small - ie once theyre on stage all oiled up, id rather like shots of guys in their garage/beach etc so I can see what they look like everyday at a respectable body fat)

I ask this because... 1. the movie makes you question how many people use roids. I always had this mindset that only mega reidiculously huge guys would be on them, but as it turns out, a lot more people than you think could be using them. You dont have to be massive to be on roids.

2. the beach scene in the film of the guy having his photo taken for a fitness mag promotion... awesome build/size/physique... to me that looks pretty achievable with a lot of hard work and time... (if anyone who has seen the film recently if you remember what im talking about?)... the guys size was good, he was big, but not mr olympia big... your typical model for a fitness mag that would see chicks would cream over, yet the guy admits he uses roids to get his look... now im wondering... would his size at that rough body fat % be impossible or would people like him use it to just get the results easier?

I'm not in any way considering using it I'm just curious, I'm all for natural but who knows where my mindset will be in 5 years or 10 years when I'm more educated on this topic and more experienced.

So if anybody can answer these questions for me, preferably with photos of decent looking blokes who have not used steroids so i can have a better image in my head of whats achievable naturally it would be greatly appreciated!

[Rugger]

Stan McQuay is 'natural'

[EasyEJL]

this dude is probably one of your better examples. Other than people with a natural myostatin deficiency, i doubt naturally much bigger than this is all that likely

http://www.eugensandow.com/story1.html

there is where some amount of genetics comes into play, some people are naturally bigger. Steve Reeves http://www.ifbbpro.com/hall-of-fame-.../steve-reeves/ is an iffy one, its possible he juiced, possible he was natural with superb genetics

[machinehead]

Even with so-so genetics you should be able to get up to 3.5lb per inch at less than 16% bodyfat. But it may take so much time and effort that you quit much earlier or seek "help".

[holyintellect]

There are many variables to this, and individual genetics is going to be the biggest factor....I have worked with guys with crappy physiques who took grams a week, and I've worked with guys who were natural who could have won smaller regional shows....


holy

[Hank Vangut]

scott adam's keep an interesting blog. i think this sums it up....

Steroid Commercial

I just heard that sprinter Justin Gatlin, the world record holder for 100 meters, tested positive for testosterone and steroids. I was shocked!
My first thought went to the second-fastest man in the world. I have this image of him being so happy when he heard the news that he leaped for joy with his mighty legs, penetrated the ceiling, continued on through the attic and roof, and landed in an nearby pond, where he downed...
How happy are the guys who sell illegal steroids? You can't buy that kind of advertisement. And it sure makes it harder for the just-say-no people. "Kids, don't do steroids. If you do, you might become the fastest man in the world and have so much poontang and money that... I forgot my point."
Just once maybe there should be a story about an athlete who did steroids and didn't set a world record, and didn't hump his way through the entire Victoria Secrets model list. Otherwise you have what I call a mixed message.
Have you ever seen one of the bodybuilding competitions where all the contestants are "natural", meaning they tested negative for drugs? The winner still looks like he could lift a car, and that's impressive. But the winner of the nonnatural competition looks like he could crush the car into a small ball, eat it, and poop it five miles into the center of a mountain. There's a difference.
As I understand it, the side effects of steroids include pimples, shrunken nuggets, and the occasional rage. Are you telling me that science can't fix those things? Just give me some Retin-A, nutsack implants, and Prozac and I'm good to go. I think it would be worth it if I could pull a grown tree out of the ground with my bare hands. Then, at holiday gatherings, when the life-of-the-party guy starts playing the piano. I could upstage him by lifting the house off its foundation and shaking all the furniture to one side until his stupid piano falls out a side door and into the pool.

- Scott Adams (Stick To Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!)

[jminis]

really depends on the individuals genetics.

[Dadof2]

As another poster said, muscular development is all about the individual's genetics.

That being said, the vast majority of roid users get on juice well before they reach their genetic limitations. Hell, many roid users don't even learn how to train and eat properly before they start using the juice (not casting stones, been guilty of this myself).

My advice to you is this:

Dont worry about this.

Strive to be as good as you possibly can be before you worry about how big you are able to get. That is like "Joe the Plumber" worrying about all the taxes he is going to pay on the business that he doesn't own yet.

Train your ass off, eat right, and then see how your body looks. Life experience has taught me that when you are in good shape you are not only bigger and stronger, but you exude more confidence. People, women especially, pick up on this and act accordingly (cream as you put it? ).

For right now make your worries along the line of "am I training hard enough, could I have got another rep?" not " I wonder how big I might be one day if I decide not to do roids."

Finally if you are still this concerned about your appearance just get some implants, thats what the chicks do

[dg806]

If you want to look anywhere close to the bb's of today, it ain't happening naturally.
I think EJL summed it up good. \
And IMO, Reeves did juice some.

[soseg]

nah the look I'd love is Hank Vangut's avatar!!!

[soseg]

Stan McQuay is 'natural'

yeah thats an awesome look
if thats not achievable for me naturally then by golly... i'm young and dumb now, but that means I have plenty of years to build myself up naturally and to do lots of reading and thinking before I even consider taking roids! haha

[David Dunn]

Even with so-so genetics you should be able to get up to 3.5lb per inch at less than 16% bodyfat.

Seriously?

Doubtful. Where are you getting your presumption.

5'9" or 69" x 3.5lb = 241.5lbs. I could not achieve that naturally (nor would I want to).

[SilentBob187]

nah the look I'd love is Hank Vangut's avatar!!!

Two words, wii fit.

[EasyEJL]

nah the look I'd love is Hank Vangut's avatar!!!

i hear the guy in that pic is a furrophile

[SilentBob187]

i hear the guy in that pic is a furrophile

Yeah, the guy in that pic has to remain at least 100 yards away from any barn yard animals.

[pmiller383]

Seriously?

Doubtful. Where are you getting your presumption.

5'9" or 69" x 3.5lb = 241.5lbs. I could not achieve that naturally (nor would I want to).

This is probably the first time I am going to disagree with you, but that is definitely an obtainable weight for that height naturally at a BF% of 15 or below. It all depends on genetics, but many people could build respectable bodies if they could dedicate themselves completely to bodybuilding. I am sure most of us have know a couple kids in highschool that were built like that without really ever lifting and I am sure we all know the guy who is 170 lbs at 6ft even though he has taken everything under the sun. Now that guy from the MD add in BFS definitely has an obtainable body, but to be lean like that year round would be pretty hard without some kind of help. Most Pro's of bodybuilding and powerlifting could have had remarkable bodies without juicing, but maintaining them is a whole different story. IMO genetics still has a higher influence on how you can build yourself then steroids do. Maybe I am just naive or optimistic but I think a lot of guys get on juice way to young and never experience their actual potential.

[David Dunn]

This is probably the first time I am going to disagree with you, but that is definitely an obtainable weight for that height naturally at a BF% of 15 or below. It all depends on genetics, but many people could build respectable bodies if they could dedicate themselves completely to bodybuilding. I am sure most of us have know a couple kids in highschool that were built like that without really ever lifting and I am sure we all know the guy who is 170 lbs at 6ft even though he has taken everything under the sun. Now that guy from the MD add in BFS definitely has an obtainable body, but to be lean like that year round would be pretty hard without some kind of help. Most Pro's of bodybuilding and powerlifting could have had remarkable bodies without juicing, but maintaining them is a whole different story. IMO genetics still has a higher influence on how you can build yourself then steroids do. Maybe I am just naive or optimistic but I think a lot of guys get on juice way to young and never experience their actual potential.

It may very well be. I am not disagree with the OP or you. I just can't see me possessing either the genetics or discipline to accrue 40lbs of LBM with or without gear. We'll maybe with gear

[machinehead]

It may very well be. I am not disagree with the OP or you. I just can't see me possessing either the genetics or discipline to accrue 40lbs of LBM with or without gear. We'll maybe with gear

I thought the same about not everyone possessing the genetics too. But then I saw what kind of gains Doggcrapp put on people, many of whom in their "before" looked like they could never carry so much weight. But they did, and that totally turned my outlook around. Of course not all were naturals, and that brings my second point:

I'm not looking for agreement or disagreement, but whatever gains you get with gear and keep after discontinuing gear, you should be able to get naturally. As you said, that would be a matter of discipline and lot of patience because that would take a few more years of hard work which may or may not be worth it given that there is a shortcut and the keepability is a function of diet and time and endocrine status to a lesser extent.

I have a couple more comments but I'd rather go to bed now.

[Hank Vangut]

Two words, wii fit.

Yeah, the guy in that pic has to remain at least 100 yards away from any barn yard animals.

that why i play the barnyard animals wii fit game.

[Hank Vangut]

nah the look I'd love is Hank Vangut's avatar!!!

you don't need any drugs to look like me. i'm sorta puny at only 175lbs, but i stay fairly lean yr around so i appear bigger than i am.
i'd say my genetics are average, but my motivation is way above average.
i've only run a couple mild 4 wk cycles over a 6yr period and after pct i feel that they almost set me back more than they advanced my progress.
i haven't run anything other than natural test boosters in the past yr and look and feel better than ever.