1.You can’t be big and shredded as a natural bodybuilder.
As a natural bodybuilder, you are limited. You cannot have the mass and conditioning of guys like Kali Muscle by just “eating and training right”. It’s not going to happen no matter what kind of routine you follow. It’s all a scam.
2.Supplements are a joke.
Supplements are not magic. They are just a way to monetize the bodybuilding game. Unless your mouth is injured and you can’t eat solid food, there’s no need for supplements. Not even creatine and protein.
3.Squats and deadlifts are no magic.
Squats and deadlifts represent two of the greatest exercises in the world. However, they have shortcomings too and quite often strength trainers attribute magic qualities to them. Not the case. Squats and deadlifts are just exercises – not magic.
4.There is a lot of disinformation.
Many bodybuilders suffer from paralysis by analysis due to the incredible amount of contradicting information. This is counterproductive. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of disinformation.
5.Unrealistic expectations
The products in the fitness world are usually advertised by bodybuilders on steroids. For example, the articles on T-Nation are written by people who look somewhat normal, but there are photos of steroid users surrounding the information. This ”furniture” misleads the unaware lifters into believing that they can achieve the physiques in the photos by following the discussed programs and taking the presented supplements. This is a complete lie and guys like Christian Thibaudeau know it perfectly well.
As a result, many recreational bodybuilders develop unrealistic expectations and feel depressed and sad when their goal physique turns out to be just a pipe dream. It hurts, doesn’t it?
6.Lifting weights is a narcissistic activity.
Admit it already – you lift weights because you want others to admire you! You want others to say: “Hey, bro! Sick arms. Flex for me.”
7.Bulking sucks.
Bulking just sucks. Period. You get fat in the hope to build more muscle. Past a certain point, every gram of nutrition is stored as fat and doesn’t help muscle construction.
8.Bodybuilding could be really boring.
Lifting weights gets very repetitive, and when the results slow down, the burden increases even further. This could also be a good thing… a way to test your “faith”.
9. Most bodybuilders are stupid
Sorry, but the majority of the meat heads are brain limited and haven’t read more than 5 books in their lives. All they think about is money, sex, and muscle. The fitness world is full of superficial and fake personages such as Dana Linn Bailey. Just go to any bodybuilding expo and observe the amount mediocre spiritual level of most people there.
10. You can’t quit
You think you can quit lifting? Good luck. I’ve tried many times. On one occasion, I stopped lifting for 18 months. I simply didn’t have the desire to do a push-up. I thought I was done, but eventually, the fire restarted. As they say – there is no such thing as a former training addict. Natty or not, you can’t quit. At least not forever.
Another excellent article. As a 60-year-old who’s been bodybuilding drug-free since age 16 in 1972, I can only add:
#1…and, to most people ( including to most women), that smaller yet leaner look attainable naturally for most guys with average genetics is considered ” a great physique” and “attractive”.
#2…”supplements” really mean, “supplements the marketeers’ bank accounts.
#3…so squat and deadlift, for sure, but realize that neither squats nor deadlifts can transform drug-free average genetic potential into a world-class physique.
#4…always keep in mind that there are no “secrets” nor “revolutionary training methods” nor “startling scientific discoveries” in training and eating. While there is perhaps better understanding now of HOW and WHY training methods and nutrition works, the same training methods and nutrional advice has been used since — are you ready? — at least 1930 (nineteen THIRTY). New names and new terms are attached to these same methods in order to get people to buy “the latest mass-packing program!” or “the secrets of the pros!” but they’re the same methods. The only “secrets” might be the exact stacks and cycles of drugs which a particular champion is using.
#5…people are dishonest and people outright lie, even to themselves, and bodybuilders and “training gurus” are no exceptions.
#6…only a tiny percentage are born with the genetics to attain world-class physiques, and even they require drugs to do it. The average guy can’t, even if he uses drugs. Hard work, dedication, consistency, determination, intensity are all necessary to maximize one’s muscle potential, sure — but most don’t have the potential to be world-class, even if they have the exact same drive and passion as those who are genetically able to be world class. Accept reality.
#7…learn to leave the gym mentally once you’ve left the gym physically.
#8…sure, some extra calories are necessary in order to optimize anabolism, but, the body can only use so many for building muscle — too many extra won’t get you more muscle faster, it’ll only get you fatter.
#9…bodybuilding is an endeavour of years — if you’re serious about reaching your maximum muscle mass potential for every bodypart, realize you’re looking at four to five consecutive years of consistent, progressive training and right eating, with gains coming slower and slower yet requiring harder-on-the-overall-body work during
the last two years.
#10…so, be the exception!
i think this site should be banned because whoever is the user of this site is nothing more than a candy ass bitch whose parents do not allow him to buy supplements and go to the gym and he is working out secretly and still couldn’t make any noticeable gains because of drinking too much sperm on a daily basis.
STFU idiot.
i know a lot of huge people who never used any kind of drugs and represent an attractive physique.
just because your body sucks it doesn’t means every body sucks
boy, you had been deceived. nobody with great physique are free of drugs. if they do seems to be having a great-big-muscular body, calculate their body fat percentage. or take a look at their belly. real naturals is what we called lean muscular. small and unimpressive in shirts.
Not only did you fail to understand the article, and most importantly the various considerations and contexts it has been written in, but you are also an disrespectful idiot. Your character and lack of sense or intelligence is evident in your language and the way you communicated. Either get some sense or just STFU and stop spewing shit.
hi
You’re an idiot and you have just proved fact number 9!
I would like to read more about how lifting weights can become narcissitic. I understand that bodybuilding obviously demands or fuels some degree of narcissism because it is about looks and they are judgd by their looks on stage. It would be interesting to read about about the narcissistic side of bodybuilding more in depth.
I do some exercise just to shake off some stress and to stay a bit healthier. I like things like running. I do some weights too, but I don’t enjoy it much because I find it repititive and building muscle for the sake of muscle doesn’t really make me happy. I this sense I dn’t understan how bodybuilders can find some happiness in doing reptitive exercises only for looks.
i can see you don’t regards big muscles as men’s pride. if you do, i bet you will be addicted to lifting weights too.
Awsome article man!!! Even though you sound like a whiny bitch sometimes, I’m still a fan. I don’t even agree with your workout advice.
BUT, someone’s gotta expose the truth about drugs and lies in sports. That’s your job!!!!!
Other comments?
1. Some bodybuilders can be so narcissistic that if you knew how they really are personally, you wouldn’t want to be around them. They want to be praised and looked up to as gods, even if they are complete douches or criminals etc.. And even the slightest insult could harm their egos. Maybe they even cry themselves to sleep if they aren’t worshiped.
2. How many really are dumb asses? I know a lot of even smart guys who were still scammed by the scene. But then again, if you talk logic, many are too stupid to understand and only respond with he said she said dogma.
3. A bodybuilder probably on a combination of steroids jacked 3D, he threatened to beat me up in the gym because he didn’t like my diet. Seriously.
3. roid rage
A lot of the articles on this site present a false dichotomy – either your physique is world-class, or it sucks, as though there’s nothing in between.
In reality, a lot of physiques (natty or not) will invariably end up placing somewhere in between. The problem with guys who absolutely can’t build appreciable amounts of muscle or at least a physique that’s pleasing to the eye often isn’t that they’re not taking drugs, it lies in their genetics instead – having a small frame, bad proportions, short, flat and stringy muscle bellies and low responsiveness to weight training. Does a 6’3″ man with wide clavicles and 8.5 inch wrists not look like he lifts in a shirt? Or did he need to take drugs to grow so tall, wide, thick and barrel-chested? Come on 😀
First of all, you’re not spitting facts, all of those “hard truths” are just opinions of a perhaps frustrated wanna-be bodybuilder. Yes, the products industry is full of liers and bodybuilding expo’s are truly an horror show of demental freaks. But hey, you can’t expect people to take your article seriously when you say: “admit it, you’re just doing it because you are so narcissistic and you want people to compliment you all the time so you can feel better about yourself”. And also, do you guys have some kind of degree on nutrition? Saying supplements are of no use at all is just dumb, clearly you guys are just ignorants, enjoy posting your dead wrong articles while replying to your readers with pride in saying u’ve read more than 5 books in your whole life. This is the kind of person who reads books but doesn’t understand them.
I’ve just seen a couple of books for sale on your page that completely deceive your (again) dead wrong articles, “how big can i get naturally?” ? Truly you are a pig who doesnt deserve merit or even attention
Everything you mentioned is spot on! However about the narcssistic aspect, isn’t that the point? You want to have time to focus on your own body and put in the hard work to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Another excellent point is the supplements… You can get just as of nutrients from natural foods.
This article helped me open my eyes about bodybuilding. It’s geared me towards the powerlifting realm more so.
Cheers!