“No, I’m Not On Steroids… But Thanks For Asking.”

Now, before any one gets their feathers ruffled, understand a few things:

1. When I write these articles, they are mainly based on my personal experiences and opinion.
2. I don’t discredit anyone’s choices made that effects their lives.
3. It’s my article and I’ll write what I want to.

With that said, I’ll begin. If you guessed what the topic of this article is based on the title I’ve given it. I can almost guarantee that a majority of you have, basically, summed it all up and have decided that it’s just another piece discrediting drug use, particularly, in bodybuilding.  Please, keep reading.

Let me start by saying that I am a “Lifetime Natural” bodybuilder and athlete. What this means is, I’ve never used anabolic steroids or any other drugs in my life to perform in sports or in the pursuit of a superior physique. I compete in natural bodybuilding organizations ONLY, in which I am tested through urinalysis and polygraph. I have earned and still hold a current pro card in a particular natural organization and am subject to random testing at any given moment. Even further, in the event that I win overall in a pro competition, I am held to another urinalysis before I can collect any monetary prizes whatsoever. There is a strict, zero tolerance banned substance listing, where, if any substance or procedure listed on that list has been used, it is, without hesitation, means for disqualification, as well as a possible ban from competing in certain organizations for anywhere between 5-7 years and even up to a lifetime ban. Yes. It’s that serious. Again, I am a lifetime natural.  Always will be.

When I first began lifting, the first thing I promised myself was that I would do this drug-free. No experimentation.  No cycles. Just natural. I’ve broken a lot of promises in my life, but this one remains true and strong. Do I bash drug users? Heck no!! How can I when some of my most favored and admired champion bodybuilders of the past and present have and/or are using? That’d be hypocritical of me. I just chose a different route. A different M.O. One that suited my desire and the where and how far I wanted to take my career as a competitive bodybuilder. True story: When I first joined an actual gym, all I trained were my chest and arms. They grew quickly. People noticed. When I learned that being a bodybuilder meant training the entire body and all its muscle groups, that’s when I began training my legs, back, & shoulders and I started to grow even more. Again, people noticed and it was then that I had people approach me about two things: to tell me I should compete and to sell me steroids and other growth hormones. It irritated me. I just wanted to be big. I hadn’t thought about competing (not right away) and I didn’t want what these guys were selling, especially since I had no idea what the hell they were talking about. *(FYI, to this very day, I couldn’t name a single pill, shot or implant that boosts muscle gains at a rapid rate. I chose this ignorance.)  But putting on muscle mass draws that kind of attention. People see you growing and they tell you they have something that’ll make you bigger, faster OR they accuse you and assume that you’re “on something”.