Advice for a Natural Guy

This is my response to a question posted on bodybuilding.com forums.  And since I like to tell it like it is, I thought some of you could benefit from it.  http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=139906403

Question:

Hi guys,

I'm training for a competition in June 2012 - I'm unsure if I should do a natural competition or try my luck in an unnatural one. I have never taken anything other than protein shakes and good food. Lots of guys in the gym who compete say I have the best genetics they have ever seen - some of these guys have been competiing in the amatures for 30 years.

I used to run for Great Britain when I was a teenager and held some records for the 400m but decided to take a break and started training with a group of bodybuilders. A few years on and I'm where I am today. I don't really follow a specific diet as in its not super strict I can seem to eat what I like and still maintain around 4% bodyfat and have 28 inch quads etc.

Just wanted some advice from some experianced guys, if you check out my bodyspace you can see a few pictures of my progress and what I look like.

Thanks

Adam


My Response:

Adam,

The people here have already given some very good, honest, answers. However, I've competed in both types of organizations, and can speak from experience. First of all, natural bodybuilding, is defined by what you do rather than where you compete. If you have never taken hormones, diuretics, banned supplements, etc., then you should be okay.

The great thing about being a lifetime natural is that you can compete in any organization that interests you. And, because you appear to have good genetics, you have a lot of options to choose from. Now, where you compete has more to do with what you want to accomplish, and how competitive you want to be. In your case, there is a strong likelihood, you could one day be a natural pro (probably sooner, rather than later).

Your chances of being successful as a natural pro are better than being natural in the IFBB. I know of a couple drug free athletes in the IFBB, so I think it can be done. But these individuals aren't muscular enough to do well in the open class. But I still think it's a huge honor to compete at that level if you can make it there.

To really do well in the NPC at the national level, most bodybuilders, at your height, compete near the end of the heavyweight or somewhere in the super heavyweight class. I know you're in the UK, and the UKBFF is more relevant, but this is just an example. If you think you can get to that size naturally, then, good luck. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's extremely rare.

As for people trying to convince you take Rx supplements, take that with a grain of salt. No one can see into the future, so it's impossible to determine how well you would respond to them. People just like to speculate because they can see you're genetically gifted, and they're trying to imagine how you could potentially look. But, nothing is guaranteed, and going that route won't make your life any easier. There are so many variables that could influence your health.

The fact is, competitive bodybuilding, at any level, doesn't provide health insurance or retirement benefits. Turning pro, in any organization, doesn't automatically get you a sponsorship or a magazine contract. Whatever you do, think about the bigger picture, and the long term repercussions.

I'm sure you already know all of this stuff, but it's just some food for thought.