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The Attainable Physique
Not long ago, I read a discussion on a bodybuilding forum about ideal physiques. In that thread, people (mostly males) posted photos of what they think is the ultimate male body, and most said their goal was to reach that level of muscularity and leanness.
I was very disturbed.
The problem? Most of the "perfect" physiques pictured were clearly the result of steroids and other bodybuilding drugs.
Now, we all have different goals, and I'm not going to diss one person's goal because his is different than mine. But what I found disturbing was that most of these "perfect" bodies could never be attained without the use of illegal drugs.
And that's not just peeing in your Cheerios or calling everyone who's big and lean a 'roid monkey out of "jealousy." Fact is, the pro physique is a drugged physique. Heavily, heavily, drugged.
I just think it would be kinda de-motivating to know that your idea of the perfect physique, your goal physique, is without-a-doubt unattainable... unless you turn to steroids (and even then your results aren't guaranteed. Too many other factors involved.) Most people, even the readers of bodybuilding mags and websites, don't actually use steroids, yet their role models are often heavy dopers.
I believe that many people have forgotten what a non-drugged, hard-built body looks like. The magazines, and even the Powerful Images section on this very site, have spoiled us and given us unrealistic ideas about muscle. We almost have to look at pre-1960's era bodybuilders to remember what natural, champion physiques look like. Think Steve Reeves.
The best thing about the pre-1960's physiques is that you could look at them and think, "If I worked hard enough, I could look like that too!"
Well, I believe there are plenty of "Steve Reeves" out there today. In fact, with modern supplements and more info than ever about training and nutrition, I think there are plenty of natural lifters out there who look better than Steve Reeves.
What's more, these guys can probably teach us all a thing or two about training and diet. Since they've chosen to build their bodies without the aid of steroids, their info is probably more applicable to us than the info we get from pro-bodybuilders or so-called "bodybuilding coaches" who only work with drugged lifters, which can skew their ideas about how a natural guy should train and eat.
(By the way, most bodybuilding "coaches" and "contest prep experts" are basically just untrained pharmacists. They're people who know a lot about drugs, not necessarily people who know a lot about training and nutrition. One big exception to this is our own Christian Thibaudeau. In fact, he may be one of the first true hypertrophy & fat loss "coaches.")
I can hear the pro-bodybuilding fans now. Yes, yes, the pros do work hard, train hard, and diet hard. And yes, they have great genetics too. Not taking that away from them.
But if only it stopped there, then maybe people would have a better idea of what a great, natural physique really looks like. But the addition of steroids, growth hormone and other drugs has really clouded the waters. And a step past that: those drugs have created physiques that most people don't even admire or desire anymore.
"But Chris, what about natural bodybuilders! There are drug tested shows, ya know!"
I know. And I know many natural bodybuilders still use steroids; they just know how to time their cycles and not get caught. Or they're "natural right now" meaning they've been clean for a period of time, but certainly aren't lifetime drug free. "Natural" bodybuilding can, sadly, be a very murky topic with lots of gray areas.
I suppose it's still possible to be motivated and inspired by drugged bodybuilders. I mean, those early black & white pics of Arnold were pretty motivating to me when I first started lifting, though I soon learned the truth.
Maybe people just don't know how those bodies are really built. But really, does anyone over the age of 12 not know these days? Anyone who argues differently would sound like those kids in my small town back in Texas who'd passionately proclaim, "Wrastlin' is real, I tell ya!"
I guess I'd just rather see people choose role models with physiques that are actually attainable. And that's the password here: attainable. Work hard enough, eat right, supplement right, hope for the most supportive genetics, and you too could look like your bodybuilding role model.
It's a pipe dream, of course, but a nice thought anyway.
A few days ago Thibaudeau and I were having lunch when he made an interesting statement. He said, "You can be very big but not very lean. And you can be very lean but not very big. If you are both very big AND very lean, you're probably on steroids."
Now, Thibs isn't trying to be a party pooper either. He lives and breathes muscle building. He doesn't want to crap on anyone's dreams and goals, but he is a realist.
But could modern competitive bodybuilding even survive a reboot -- a return to true natural?
Could you ever get the proverbial toothpaste back into the tube?
Probably not. And that's too bad.
Photo credit: Drug-free TMuscle reader John Roman.
) af artiklen. Den er ganske fin - om end lidt banal, men det er jo tilsyneladende nødvendigt.
Der er allerede oprettet en tråd om det program - og ja, det er et mega pr-stunt for at skabe hype til produktsalg. Søg efter tråden.
så du holder fast i at han nok har gyno SELVOM billedet siger han ikke har? gad vide om du også har ment jeg har gyno når jeg har trænet i esbjergs "gyms" 
