"Natural" competitors rant!

[chicken_hawk]

Warning this may have no continuity and in no way is meant to disrespect natural competitors or competitions. However, I am speaking towards a small percentage of athletes and their attitudes and ignorance.

Let me begin with a short bio of myself who now in my mid 40's begain training 12 years ago and then began AAS 7 years ago. Since then I have done two bbing shows (did well first time), and 3 PLing meets as well as adding over 80lbs to my genetically challenged frame. I say that to say, I have a platform to speak from. Less than some, but more than most.

Anyway, my contention with a pecentage of the "natural" competitors is two fold. The first is the attitude that if "they" were to juice they could accomplish the same things as a enhanced lifter or more. There may be a shred of truth in that, but it seams like a stretch to assume the only difference between a winner and a loser is AAS. I have no doubt PED's have helped me do things I would not have accomplished otherwise, but I have also been in this 12 years, rarely missed a day I did not make up and put in the hard work. So, I don't like some half squatting pussy who never dawned a singlet assuming he could accomplish the same things.

I am so tired of over hearing wannabe's at meets or shows say, he's juicing...PED's help, but they do not give you discipline, work ethic or the sack to put yourself on the stage or platform to be judged.

My second and larger point of contention is with federations like IPF. The IPF for those unfamiliar stands for International Powerlifting Federation. They are old and serious as well as being misguided into thinking they may one day make it into the Olympics. They are also know for drug testing their athletes. And apparently, this randomized testing means none of their athletes use PED's. I just want to scream there is a difference between being drug free and passing a drug test.

However, according to their thinking they have the strongest athletes in the PLing world, but they are all natural. I want to say, if that is the case why test at all since your athletes are just as strong without AAS? Come on, a dude passes one year and fails the next...I guess he just started using AAS that year.

I am not sure if there are bbing shows with that attitude but it bugs the shit out of me and on top of that I have never heard a enhanced athlete talk down to a natural competitor...

OK, I am out of gas...feel free to correct me or add your own.

Hawk

 

[Big-John]

The guy that trains me has always been natural and has been lifting for 12 years. His totals are 505 bench 600 squat and 705 deadlift. He has been stuck on these numbers for the last year. Why am I telling all this? Because he knows if he plans on moving up in his lifts he will have to start using PED'S. He know the people that use them and never has a bad word to say. I wish they all could be like him.

 

[GastrocGuy]

I just want to scream there is a difference between being drug free and passing a drug test.

If there is a sticky for quotes, this should make the top of the list. Well said, bro.

 

[srd1]

Well said hawk. I think all of us can feel you on this one.

 

[chicken_hawk]

The guy that trains me has always been natural and has been lifting for 12 years. His totals are 505 bench 600 squat and 705 deadlift. He has been stuck on these numbers for the last year. Why am I telling all this? Because he knows if he plans on moving up in his lifts he will have to start using PED'S. He know the people that use them and never has a bad word to say. I wish they all could be like him.

I admire that attitude a lot. I have two friends who have competed with me who are natural and like the challenge of competing against enhanced lifters. They may be guilty of the first one in assuming that PED's make you a super star, but they have no issue with people using them and actually feel the same as I do about supposed "drug free" feds.

And btw one has a 675 DL @181 and the other is aiming for hitting a 400 bench @198...I admire them both.

Hawk

 

[chicken_hawk]

If there is a sticky for quotes, this should make the top of the list. Well said, bro.

Thanks man, just think "Olympics".

Hawk

 

[thebull2012]

Before I allegedly stopped being natural, I was 175 and benched 550, squated 755. Now days my joints ache and I need all the help I can get lol

 

[turbobusa]

Outstanding post Chick......... Talk soon.... Yeah that means call me dammit.
T

 

[chicken_hawk]

I was looking at the records between raw unity (untested) and IPL (tested) and the difference was only 3-4%. So, apparently PED's make very little difference or cleaning up for the urine test takes a bit off your total.

Hawk

 

[xmen1234]

"Lets get this straight right now – between AR and me, we have almost 60 years combined experience in performance enhancement, specifically with the use of banned and illegal drugs and this includes beating Olympic caliber drug tests. Hence, we can unequivocally tell you that, in baseball, basket ball, cycling, track and field, football, boxing, hockey, wrestling, square dancing, ping-pong and underwater basket weaving, the only participants not using some form of PED’s are the losers – and even they are suspect. You think CF is any different? If you do I have a nice bridge in NY I can sell you." -John Romano

Steroids, Crossfit, and The Crossfit Games: Who & How | Romano & Roberts

 

[psych]

I was looking at the records between raw unity (untested) and IPL (tested) and the difference was only 3-4%. So, apparently PED's make very little difference or cleaning up for the urine test takes a bit off your total.

Hawk

IPL? Do you mean IPF....IPL isn't a great comparison, I know you're a USPA guy. "NOT KNOCKING ANOTHER FED."

Raw unity has caved to much for the knee wraps and monolifts. Also I agree 100% with you C. Hawk about drugs not being magical. The real deal in comparing results is the rules between feds, 2 hr weigh-ins, wayyyyy stricter judging, no knee wraps (not a debating what is raw). USAPL raw nationals is the top raw fed of clean talent. Those guys are beast in their own right. Any one i meet that says so-and-so is only good cause they are on PEDs I just tell um to go USAPL.

But there are ALOT of IPF guys that get around the tests. Not "staining" anyone, just saying certain countries don't test as hard as others. Norway, Sweden, USA, and Iceland are the strictest when it comes to testing though.....mainly cause those countries still buy the IPF lie of becoming an Olympic sport.

 

[xmen1234]

I respect the USPA for not testing. They know it's gonna happen and if you wanna just compete, go for it. If you want a chance to win, well do what you gotta do. No judgement. Just get it done.

 

[chicken_hawk]

IPL? Do you mean IPF....IPL isn't a great comparison, I know you're a USPA guy. "NOT KNOCKING ANOTHER FED."

Raw unity has caved to much for the knee wraps and monolifts. Also I agree 100% with you C. Hawk about drugs not being magical. The real deal in comparing results is the rules between feds, 2 hr weigh-ins, wayyyyy stricter judging, no knee wraps (not a debating what is raw). USAPL raw nationals is the top raw fed of clean talent. Those guys are beast in their own right. Any one i meet that says so-and-so is only good cause they are on PEDs I just tell um to go USAPL.

But there are ALOT of IPF guys that get around the tests. Not "staining" anyone, just saying certain countries don't test as hard as others. Norway, Sweden, USA, and Iceland are the strictest when it comes to testing though.....mainly cause those countries still buy the IPF lie of becoming an Olympic sport.

Sorry, I acronym dyslexic...yes I meant IPF. And I understand the rules differences, and drugs and not a guarantee of success, but if they are not a difference make why test for them? We all know that is bullshit. AAS make the really good, great and that is all there is regardless of Federation.

Hawk

 

[psych]

Sorry, I acronym dyslexic...yes I meant IPF. And I understand the rules differences, and drugs and not a guarantee of success, but if they are not a difference make why test for them? We all know that is bullshit. AAS make the really good, great and that is all there is regardless of Federation.

Hawk

1. People believe that the USAPL will go to the olympics. Big money in having the "drug free label". They can corner the market on supplements that pay to have that fuckin sticker. They also fuck over the equipment feds every year with gear taxes to keep their shit legal. Making the lifters pay with price hikes.

2. Negative few of strength sports being a drug fueled mayhem.

3. Negative few of PEDS by the public pushed by media and politics. They LLOOOOOVE to show how steroid "abuse" is the same thing as some one who is responsible. The Ben Afleck after school special is a good example.

4. People need a reason to have an excuse to why they didn't win. Fuck back in the day their was only juniors and open, they even had separate nationals. Now you have sub-master, master 1-5, military and police divisions. Everyone gets a trophy. Now there is raw and raw with wraps, walked out or monolift etc.....

In the beginning there was the AAU. They were a way to get into the olympic try outs. The USPF was the first fed, and wasn't tested. AUU turned into USAPL when powerlifting was dropped. USPF WAS A WAY INTO THE IPF, then they started that Olympic hopeful shit and started testing. They always "tested" but didn't care about the smaller feds around the world if they tested at state or national meets, just tested for worlds. NOW in Europe USAPL was tested on every level, screwed USPF out of IPF seat. USPF was the alternative to USAPL. Then the APF was formed and allowed multiply gear. USPF/WPF split and the USPA/IPL formed (alot of bullshit behind that). Then APF/WPC split into IPA, ETC....ETC...

If people aren't talking about drugs it's equipment, monolifts, knee wraps, or what is a legal belt or approved equipment.

Alot of big named lifters that are current are banned from USAPL for failed drug tests....be really surprised who's on there half the big names at RUM....Also you can see one famous lifter who pissed hot, and now has 358+ on his total raw ad raw with wraps. So they do help but that guy is a hard working mother fucker and genetically gifted as fuck!!!

BUT HEY....

 

[chicken_hawk]

Psyche, first thanks for the history lesson as I have always heard there was a lot of dissention in the early days and now I know why. It seams to me that the quest for the Olympics is a major reason for it all. I am sure that as you pointed out many lifters want a excuse for why they were beat.

It also looks like this is never going to change either. I see new federations popping up even now like the EPF...heck I have thought I would like to at least have a meet with no sumo and flat footed benching...two things I don't like, but maybe it's because I do conventional and hate ridiculous bench arches.

Hawk

 

[psych]

Yeah man the uspa started when a guy who won't be named didn't get the uspf presidential seat. He left and split the fed. He also took the Olympia uspf show and turned it into the uspa thing, which DOESN'T INVITE people from the uspf...even if you qualify. Just saying....which is why the west coast is uspa and east coast if uspf

 

[chicken_hawk]

Yeah man the uspa started when a guy who won't be named didn't get the uspf presidential seat. He left and split the fed. He also took the Olympia uspf show and turned it into the uspa thing, which DOESN'T INVITE people from the uspf...even if you qualify. Just saying....which is why the west coast is uspa and east coast if uspf

I wondered how that all worked? These things get a bit confusing for a noob and it seams like RUM has the right idea. It seams nice to have an organization that accepts other lifters to decide the best of the best once or twice a year...heck why not do that for the geared guys too? Let them compete in their own feds thru the year and then round up the best of the best and name a champion.

Hawk

 

[psych]

I wondered how that all worked? These things get a bit confusing for a noob and it seams like RUM has the right idea. It seams nice to have an organization that accepts other lifters to decide the best of the best once or twice a year...heck why not do that for the geared guys too? Let them compete in their own feds thru the year and then round up the best of the best and name a champion.

Hawk

USPA TAKES best sinlge ply guys at olympia

Titan cup in russia takes best Single py guys in the world, Americans and the west can't beat the east in real competitions with strict judging. Thats why all these bomb at big meets, and set records at back yard feds. It's like and IPF ran meet with no drug test.

XPC for multi and raw

RUM was cool when it was no wraps and walked out. But when they added the other day for mono/wraps it ruined it. They make more money now with it which is good, but it's different. To me raw with wraps and a mono is just gear "light".

They need to bring back the Mountaineer Cup. It was the USPF best of the best. It was ESPN back in the day, Coan owned at those!

 

[killswitch604]

Anyway, my contention with a pecentage of the "natural" competitors is two fold. The first is the attitude that if "they" were to juice they could accomplish the same things as a enhanced lifter or more. There may be a shred of truth in that, but it seams like a stretch to assume the only difference between a winner and a loser is AAS. I have no doubt PED's have helped me do things I would not have accomplished otherwise, but I have also been in this 12 years, rarely missed a day I did not make up and put in the hard work. So, I don't like some half squatting pussy who never dawned a singlet assuming he could accomplish the same things.

Exactly.

 

[humpthebobcat]

Unless they standardize exactly what you can eat, wear, and do....meaning make every xompetitor eat the same food, wear the same clothes and do the same work out on the same machine under a bubble for 3 months prior to the competition..........

I think it should all be fair game, anything goes, thats the kind of entertainment I myself would love to pay to watch