What’s the number one reason to lift?
The goal has always been to look good naked.
This is why every fitness commercial chooses fitness models over fat hairy powerlifters.
But when you learn that you cannot become like your heroes naturally, the desire to lift quickly disappears.
Why would you go to the gym 5 days a week, lift dirty iron and share oxygen with annoying morons constantly judging you?
What’s the point of subjecting yourself to similar attacks when nothing is ever going to come out of it?
Why would you slave in an iron dungeon if you can achieve the same results by dieting and doing push-ups, pull-ups, pistol squats and calf raises at home?
Why are you killing yourself with heavy weights when at the end your summer cut you still look like a starving junky?
Those are some of the dilemmas residing in the heads of most naturals. If you have not asked yourself similar questions at one point in your career, you are either a lucky person or a very delusional one.
In this world, there are two main types of people – employees and employers. The employees are individuals who do exceptionally well when following orders. They work tirelessly for years and achieve a lot…but not for themselves. The problem with those people is that they are very naive and constantly think that one day they will win the lottery. Every day is the same as the one before. Every year is just a repetition of the previous one. I know because I’ve done it. I have 10 years of experience working at the same place. Nothing ever changed there except that we got old. That could be very depressing if you don’t know what you are doing.
The other type (employers) simply takes advantage of this. The job of the employers is to find good bees and put them in a factory. The main difference between employees and employers is that the latter have a vision for the future and see the big picture. They don’t count on winning the lottery. They simply abuse their position of power. They want to have more control over their lives. They want answers and results NOW. They also come from the ”right” lineage.
The same applies in the gym world. I’ve been an employee there too. My first five years were spent in an expecting state. I was praying for a magical routine, a plan, a secret, a formula of some kind that was going to help me grow. I’ve spent many late nights looking for solutions. I was often going to bed with red eyes and headache from all the research.
I was a believer. I had faith in the system and hard work. Eventually, after yet another harsh stare coming from the mirror, I quit. I couldn’t take it anymore.
”Why am I doing this,” I asked myself.
”To be a hero,” said a weird a voice.
The iron room could make you feel like a real warrior. It’s one of the only places where you can finally be alive. Everyone is seemingly equal in the gym. It doesn’t matter whether you are a president, a general or a regular toilet cleaner – heavy is always heavy. The barbell does not care about your lineage. It’s a representative of the cold computerlike universe that we live in. Therefore, lifting weights is one of the purest forms of living because it’s honest. A good workout is an adventure. You get to be a man again. Unfortunately, the simulation only lasts about an hour.
Another special side effect of workouts is that they slow down time. A second under a heavy weight is an hour. During that second your mind is clear. You don’t think about your small dick, your lack of money, your age, your colleagues, your boss, your friends, the purpose of life – none of that. You finally get a chance to shut down the part of your brain that is constantly producing intrusive questions eating your soul. That could be a precious weapon in your arsenal and a huge motivation to go to the gym.
Back in the day, I decided to do an all-out set of push-ups each time a self-destructive thought came to me. It worked. At the end of the set, the thought was often gone if not forgotten. Of course, like every other drug, this trick has limitations too. The bigger the wound, the harder it is to heal. You don’t expect to negate all kinds of pain with a pill of Aspirin, do you?
And despite knowing all of this, I still said ”Fuck you. I want muscles.” to that voice.
Quite frankly, I was getting tired of living in this idealistic state where all kinds of material gains are criticized.
Isn’t it funny? Very often the people who tell you that you shouldn’t want the material are either very rich and satisfied themselves or delusional individuals looking for a way to rationalize the ineffectiveness of their actions.
Honestly, I couldn’t find a legit answer to the question. After all, why would you do something that is not producing the results you want? Would you work just for the thrill if there’s no pay? Would you go to the office to see your lovely coworkers and socialize? I doubt it. You will probably start searching for another way to earn money and satisfy your needs for actual tangible results.
However, there are more byproducts of training besides aesthetics. They can keep the engine going for a long time.
Strength
You can build sick strength naturally. One arm pull-ups, one arm push-ups, heavy deadlifts, heavy squats – all of that is possible naturally with training and patience.
The difference in terms of strength between a trained and untrained individual is ridiculous. Would you believe me if I tell you that most people on the street can’t do 10 push-ups with proper form? Go ahead and ask them. Most will do some sort of banana extensions.
Pull-ups? Are you kidding me? You would be lucky to find an average guy on the street who can do 3 full range pull-ups. You have to understand that the world is busy. It’s playing angry birds.
Health
The second reason is the most important one – health.
When the gurus say that humanity has become a giant herd of smartphone zombies, they aren’t joking. Most people don’t exercise. As a result, their physical abilities are lowered to insane levels. These days going out to buy something to eat is often the highlight effort of most humanoids.
Training keeps you young. Moving is the only way to maintain the body in a good condition until you are as old as a mummy. Steroids in moderation can help too because testosterone is considered the fountain of youth by many, but moving is the only thing that keeps the functions of each joint strong.
Any way you look at it, training improves your quality of life…as long as you don’t get injured.
Skills
The only way to develop skills is to train for them. Yes, there is a drug that will help you build big muscles, but there isn’t a drug that will transfer skills into your body. You don’t become a good pianist without training. You can take all the drugs in the world. Doesn’t matter if you don’t practice. The same applies to skill work done in the gym. For example, if you want to hold a solid handstand, you have to train for it.
The cool strength and skill feats are sometimes enough to keep us interested in lifting. That’s why I often advise people who are about to give up to switch to a “real sport” or focus on a physical skill that is somehow related to strength. That’s many times better than rotting like a modern zombie.
Mental toughness and discipline
With the rise of the digital world, we have become even more scared of our shadows. Everything is soft and politically correct. Feminism does not help either. Watch a video on YouTube – 90% or more are politically correct. People are afraid to talk because they will be censored and banned. If you use offensive words, you are a racist, hater…etc. All insulting comments are removed.
While training cannot change the political tendencies in this world, it can certainly add a little bit of toughness in the life of the modern humanoid. Like I’ve said already – a heavy weight does not care who you are. It always delivers the truth. You either lift it or it stays on the ground. No other options.
Moreover, training will teach you that good things in life take time. Lifting is not like going to the disco. You need a plan and vision for the future.
The Good side of Knowing the Truth
The good side of knowing the truth is that you don’t waste time in things that do not work. You are a slave with knowledge who can laugh at his master. It’s up to you to evolve and find a new meaning in your journey.
When you know the game, they can’t play with you.
You are on another level.
You are stronger.
Can you handle the power?
The Downside Of Knowing The Truth
When you know the truth, your existence becomes painful because you can no longer console yourself with mainstream propaganda.
Think of the so-called enlightened ascetics in this world. They live a lonely lifestyle. Many of them know more than we could ever comprehend, but at what cost?
Are they happy with their truth?
Can the truth be your friend?
Can the truth feed you?
Can the truth support you in times of struggle?
Can the truth heal you when you are ill?
Are the people living the red pill life really that smart? What if the ”stupid masses” are actually in a better position because they are happier in their delusional state? Maybe in a weird sense, the masses are also enlightened individuals because they don’t torture themselves with things they can’t change and just live their lives in the most pleasurable way? They don’t try to be heroes. They accept their fate as insects on the planet and move on.
”It is what it is. Let the universe figure itself out,” they say.
Who would you rather be?
A guy who has created a whole website to complain about the shortcomings of natural bodybuilding or a regular social brah who is lifting, having fun in the gym, taking selfies and drinking delicious protein shakes?
Another great article!
You’re a f*ckin genius.
Great read as always!!! Keep after Truth. It sets you FREE!
“Who would you rather be?
A guy who has created a whole website to complain about the shortcomings of natural bodybuilding or a regular social brah lifting and having fun in the gym, taking selfies and drinking delicious protein shakes?”
Man, you are awesome.
Fantastic,thanks for sharing the truth, truth seeker. its better to know the truth instead of being deluded at least for me and in sport. by the way, in an aricle you mentioned that the maximum potential of gaining muscle is about 2 to 7 kilograms which is completely true, unlike the other site and models which claim 20 kilograms of pure muscle . but what is your estimation at a higher bf percentage?for example,can it be doubled at 25 percent bf ?and a more private question?have you not yourself ever really done a very low dose of aas?and if not?why honestly?
Truth Seeker how old are you? Do you have a girlfriend/wife? I guess not, do you even believe in such a thing as real, honest love? You seem very lonely person to me. I am lonely as fuck and I know that even if some day I get the body I’ve always wanted I will still be missing on something and generally unhappy. Living lonely life is sad and devastating in a long run. But my mind is fucked up and I’ve always preffered night over day and it’s kinda hard for me to find a real soulmate in this world. You’re right about lifting heavy iron clearing your mind, your self esteem grows to the roof for a while, but it’s temporary then you go back to reality. Kinda sad, anyways you are the cure for many lost souls I guess, great articles, keep them coming brah! We’re all gonna making it 😀
Thanks bro, but you will not be lonely forever. It will end…don’t ask me why. You’ll see.
You come to this world alone and you leave it alone. What’s the issue in being lonely? Just be yourself and try to be happy, but always be yourself!!
Dude, we pretty much share the same shoes. I like the night as well and the reason is that there’s mostly no people around. You’re probably lonely because you’re afraid of being judged, rejected by people so you never open yourself up to anyone. In a way I like having time alone reflecting on things but at times it gets painful because we evolved as sociable creatures. Maybe some day.
Sorry to break it to you, but unless you do something to change your loneliness, it’s unlikely to change.
Hear it from a guy who has probably been more isolated than 99% of the population for the past 6 years or so.
I would rather be the first guy. Fsck being delusional! At least i won’t feel deceived.
Oh I FORGOT THESE QUESTIONS BRO,when you said in an article about 2 X body weight is the record of deadlift for naturals , did you consider bar weight or no?i weigh 90 kilos at 22 bf percent. at 175cm. my records are 85 kilos at bench press, 90 kilos at squat and 140 kilos at deadlift without the bar weight.do u consider them low? or good?it has stuck for month!is it the end you think?or i can increase more?
2xBW is not the limit. It’s way higher even for naturals. Your lifts are fine, but you can definitely improve.
You’re already at 22% bf.
Don’t try to get stronger. Forget strength, and go on a cut, get to like 15% and work with what you got.
That is if you plan on staying natty.
This reminds me alot of “the iron” by henry rollins ! Really really great piece of motivation sir ! Thank you buddy! Greetings from germany
Yeah. I stole things from it.
Thanks truthseeker for telling me im an insect. Bro u always have a way with words. Please write again soon, because i want to feel worthless again. (LOL).
I don’t have a body builders body but I look better doing the exercises I do rather than the ones I don’t. I stated to think how regular dudes in black and white photos looked before anyone was forced to become overly concerned with their physique and I look OK next to them.
The “lust of the flesh”, “lust of the eyes”, and the “pride of life”. Freud wanted to free the sexual instinct from the restraints of the “superego”; Marx encouraged members of the proletariat to revolt so that they could satisfy their desires for material possessions; and Nietzsche proclaimed an ego too powerful to be held down by moral constraints. The heart of man, as described by Freud, Marx, and Nietzsche, implodes upon itself and in so doing becomes an object of deep suspicion. The heart is at odds with itself and therefore cannot be trusted. Free yourself from this worldly thinking.
Thank You.
hey man another great article, keep doing the good work !
Great article as always. I see many parallels in myself a few months ago and yourself maybe 10 years ago: disillusion with life, questioning the system, the bodybuilding world being a sinister microcosm of humanity as a whole etc. I just wonder who’s in a better position now. I’m only 19 but kinda depressed and lonely, still a lot of unfulfilled potential. I have time on my side, but motivation will always be the problem as I know everything is rigged against me for the rest of my life. After all the years of misery and eventual realisations in your own experiences, I’m sure you can find peace and success soon. You have a pretty loyal fanbase now, with the odd rotten egg who thinks you’re a nutcase. All the best buddy!
You’re lucky to get to read this as such a young age. Truth Seeker is not only a pretty brilliant writer, but also spot on. Absorb the truth, then make it work in your favour.
To all the good natty bros, don’t let this fucking world tear you apart, the “misery” will end, and we will not be alone, just keep lifting weights
I rather be the guy who knows the truth because truth changes you, physically, emotionally, intelectually. Once you know truth you become a different person.
you are too good. you are too good. too good
bro, what is your opinion about Michael Matthews – Muscle For Life
is he natural you think?
Imo he ain’t natty. He has the typical story of a guy who trained for many years and had average/shitty results, then all of a sudden he found some sort of “magical method” and got ripped with good size.
yeah thanks bro ,exactly, it is laughable,as he said for many years he has tried anything,but suddenly every thing has changed by just lifting compound movements.!!
What the hell, did you even try to analyze his before and after pictures? If you take a good look you’d see he’s only got very slightly (almost imperceptibly) bigger, but it all comes down to lower body fat giving more muscle definition.
I too think his magical 3×4-6 program is bogus, but not for the reason you think. Adaptation is adaptation, no matter how many reps or sets, the important thing is giving your body a reason to adapt. So no difference between 3×4-6 and 6×8-12 if the end result is that they make your body respond to the stimuli by adaptation.
He also has 7 inch wrists so that physique is pretty attainable by most people who are not gifted with thick bones. I myself trained to failure (I feel more comfortable doing so and know my limits) for 3 and a half years and grew to be “big” almost like him relative to my body structure that is, despite my 6 inch wrists and skinny fat starting point.
hey truth seeker have you heard of mgtow? and if so, what are you thoughts about it?
This is the first time I hear about this.
YEAH,IT IS INCREASING NOWADAYS THE GIRLS HAVE A VERY HIGH AT THE SAME TIME FAKE CONFIDENCE AND THEY WALK IN STREETS LIKE KINGS OF THE WORLD.
Dude, your insight on life & the system is unreal. I like your philosophy and way of thinking, because I can relate to most of what you’re saying. Btw, check out “MGTOW”; I get the sense that you’re a MGTOW lol
He is mgtow
MGTOW are pussies, i read the entire blog of the masculine principile, pretty interesting, and truthful, but for me is better to fight in life than to give up. MGTOW has some truthful insights to modern relationships between the sexes, like truth seeker has said, women nowadays, specialy women who go to college and have expected society to give them everything are spoiled as fuck.
This is amazing man, you’re the real mvp. Do you have a youtube channel? If you dont make one, go do it right now.
Either the people who follow this blog are just as delusional as the writer or he moderates pretty heavily. It always amazes me that the people who give themselves a handle such as “truth teller” or “truth seeker” are the least likely people to have the truth and the most likely to have a warped view of life that they consider the truth.
Well he is pretty much right about the fitness industry AND the whole strength athletics and strength based sports. And I’d go as far as saying that he is right pretty much about any professional sport out there, everybody is using PEDs, that includes the olympics, there’s no way to deny it. Dunno if he’s right about anything else in life but I’m sure he’s got his reasons to think that way.
Ther’es not such a thing as “the truth”, ther’es my truth, your truth and the rest of the world truth.
So far, mine resembles a lot to his, in every aspect.
PD: to the author.
Thanks for implementing “the follow up comments” !!
You mean to Truthseeker’s truth? If that’s the case then I agree.
OK, Here’s the thing. I’m drug free. In my prime I squatted 600lb, for reps. I also have arms that hover between 18 and a half and 19 inches and can bench press around 380 even now at 51.
I had a tendency to be skinny when I was younger, so it’s not as if I’m a genetic freak or anything either.
So what I see when I read this garbage is a bitter individual full of self hate because he can’t get the superhero body he really wants due to appalling genetics. I actually don’t even know why he goes to the gym, given that he seems to hate it and the patrons of every gym he goes to so much.
And it appears that instead of just accepting that he got the shittiest of shitty genetics, he wants to point the finger at anyone who is bigger and stronger than him and bitterly cry out, “Oh yeah, he’s on the juice”.
I can only assume that the acolytes he has managed to attract are other embittered skinny guys.
I can tell you now that your energy is better spent by learning how to train for drug free growth properly rather than taking this muppet’s advice.
Shaun, I had similar numbers. I could squat 750-800lb; deadlift 500-650lbs; my benches were weak at 300-310lbs. I am a great swimmer (long distance). I did it because I did a lot of work logging, building, concrete and it helped my strength for work. I have lifted for over 50 yrs surrounded by guys who cheated with roids. I always outlifted these guys who were sometimes twice my size and I saw a lot of them with health issues and a few deaths. I am near 70 and still strong. But so many of these guys on roids always had personal issues. I trained hundreds of young men and the ones who lacked confidence or were seeking the easy route would revert to drugs.
Bullshit.
Bullshit everywhere.
Yeah guys I actually squatted 1,300 lbs.
I never took any drugs, didn’t use any whey protein, no creatine, no straps, no nothing just raw af.
Actually fuck that, I did 1,300 kg… yeah and for reps too.
Oh yeah if you want me to train you just email me. Or you can email those two weak natty fucks who squat poverty lifts below 1,000 lbs gg RIP.
Remember kids, don’t do drugs.
So, how many pull up can you do, fatass?
Inb4 Shaun turned out to be a gorilla capable of human speech
of course he talks in a way to attract specially natural bodybuilders and visitors of the site and this is his aim, but after all most of his articles are true about bodybuilding.an IMP he is not the only person to write these articles, I think Truth Seeker is a group .
If you read his books, you’ll realise, he’s a one person team!! IMO.
truthspeaker why are you so hostile. squating 750lbs, deadlifting 600lbs is not that much weight to do naturally if you grew up working digging footings,clearing land,lifting logs in the NC mountains like I did. When I went to an integrated high school my senior year at a body weight of 150lbs I picked up a barbell for the first time with 500lbs. I always had a strong lower body. years later as I matured we had some guys in our weight club who were always irritable because of their steroid use. just like you.
Truthseeker is 100 percent accurate and correct on everything he writes on the topic of bodybuilding, there is not point denying it. I know that from my own personal experince. But thats all he’s undeniably right about. Everything else he writes about is his opinion based on his own personal experiences, meaning his philosophy and spiritual views might be correct or incorrect. Im a pessimist. So I naturally agree with what he has to say on most topics, however he is just as lost as all of us. The answers he has are only based invariably on the collective opinions of others from which he has taken wisdom from. The answers he has are also tainted by his life viewed through his own eyes. This is to be expected because he is human like you and me. Ultimately I read his articles because they are a good read, and they can offer me wisdom from someone else’s life experiences. I take what I can use from what he writes and use it to work on myself, both spiritually, mentally and physically. Thats what the world is, its a place where people use each other (my tainted view), take what you can, and if you want to recieve it again, then give it back.
Hi ‘Truthseeker’, great article as always. Thanks. When I was 17 (I am 34 now) and 18 years old, people thought I was on steroids. I trained 4 times per week on average and I did physical labour. I made the mistake to train with guys in their early 20’s who were winning national and international championships with ‘natural’ bodybuilding, when I think back, they were probably on low dose steroids. I come from a military family and even special forces in the family. I got my training ethics from my family: ‘just push harder’. I was eating like a horse and training like a beast. I gained lots of strength (all the weights on most machines in the gym) in a short time and maybe 15-20 kilograms of mostly muscle. After that I had injury after injury, my tendons and joints could not keep up. It took a long time to heal, still working on it but the last two years have been better. Competing with supernaturals is dangerous..
“Why would you go to the gym 5 days a week, lift dirty iron and share oxygen with annoying morons constantly judging themselves and you?”
Its the question I make myself every early morning after my trainer disclosed the entire fitness facade to me, after 2 years of hardcore training and virtually no results.
Atte: A scrawny dude with no longer a sixpack, that couldnt build any muscle, after permabulking for months.
What? And truthy mctruthface hasn’t told you yet to drop your number of workouts a week and also reduce the number of sets you do?
Why is that? Clearly he’s not a solutions man.
Can you please make an article on how to look like Jeff Seid, Zyzz, Matt Ogus, aesthetic crew?
Tell us the exact dosages and exact compounds. Not all natties are “Oh I’m gonna stay natty whole life hur durr self improvement hur durr handstands.”
Some are gonna make the leap, and you should help them, since many of them are also your readers.
Eat clen, tren hard and test your limits, No this is not a joke, that’s pretty much it. And pray you have good genetics like them/
The writer of nattyornot.com is a natural. So why would u ask him for advice on steroids, since hes never taken, so his advice on how to cycle would be dangerous. Then as to one of the previous comments about a guy whos natural and has arms between 18 and 19 inches, well this person is to be given recognition and respect, hes done naturally what it took arnold, zane, mentzer, platz, dickerson and many more gifted bodybuilders lots of drugs to do. So i cant imagine what would happen if this individual would look like if he started injecting. What a hero, we should all look up to him. I just wonder why he didnt tell us what the secret is to his success, or maybe he wants to keep it a secret along with his fat gut. If this guy is so big, why does he bother coming onto this site to insult others. Maybe because it angers him when he hears skinny guys talking about limits. Why would that be?
ive heard this story before, ectomorph guy is skinny, goes to the gym and gets stronger, but he is still an ectomorph, suddenly he starts eating his macros and like if there is going to be a shortage of food for months to come, he becomes huge and with arnelesque biceps, at least this is the story i have been told by those guys.
While success is measured materialistically by majority today, it really has different connotations. It can be weight loss, self-fulfillment, personal development or simply a long-term vision attained over a period of time by consistently taking steps towards it.
For some reason people are conditioned to see only the outcome but do not think of what it takes to reach that outcome. They are not concerned with the truth, nor would they want to hear it because they won’t like it and chances are they won’t handle it.
For a company owner driving Lamborghini, would they think it took, self-investment, the right set of mind, formation of new good habits and dropping the bad ones, countless late night hours, many failures, frustrations, screw-ups, broken deals, employees layoffs, [insert some other cold hard truth] to reach the outcome?
For a person who went from 254lbs to 177lbs (that’s me) would they think it took 1.2 miles of running uphill and downhill, almost every day, 2 times per day, ending with aching knee joints and completed by weight lifting? Waking up early to run and lift when you really don’t want to but have to keep pushing despite all the possible excuses mind throws at you? Gradual transition from Coke, juices and other poisonous drinks to mineral water and tea? Transition from junk food to “1-ingredient food” and home-made food?
For a successful singer who turned from someone performing locally to mainstream? Do people question what they went through and sacrificed to attain the social status they hold today?
Or a lottery winner who hit it big at the old age? They think it’s luck but what would they say if that person played lottery his entire life and spent huge amount of money and invested time and dedication believing that some day he just “might” win?
This would not be the type of luck that people are familiar with which is something that gets you something at no effort. That would be the luck created by person’s persistence and consistent actions taken over big chunk of their life. After a number of failures there’s luck awaiting around the corner.
Well said my friend
the author of this article is like Steve vai in guitar world. We’ve seen great article often, but this guy’s sheet of writing is always ‘too epic’ to be read. Like no other.
Regard from Indonesia.
I’ve always been a small fuck even if I’m tall. I used to look like a junkie, but I said, WTF, the only way out is AAS.
I took insanity of doses, because my genetics are bunk.
but now I’m 20+ kg above my natural limit, and I love it. I can even maintain it natty without doing crazy sorts of diets and still staying at a good bf (12%). only training every day.
fucking aye man
The author could learn a fucking lesson from you.
i love your articles and site man, greetings from italy, natural till i die !
hey truth seeker, been reading your articles for a while now. they just get better and better. i really liked this one. i read it while i was high.
greetings from Denmark
A great piece Truthseeker. I’ve been working with weights since I was a teenager and now I’m a few months shy of my sixtieth birthday. For me, when I lift heavy and breathe right I enter the zone you describe. It’s actually a form of active meditation. As weird as it may sound, the muscle which benefits most when you lift right is your brain.
Your writing has evolved so much man. Keep up the noble work of enlightening.
Thanks for the free ebooks again!
Greetings from India
Formidable. 919393
“Why would you slave in an iron dungeon if you can achieve the same results by dieting and doing push-ups, pull-ups, pistol squats, and calf raises at home?”
TO SOCIALIZE: OTHERWISE IS POINTLESS.
If you don’t like to do only bodyweight exercises, then with a couple of adjustable dumbells, a bench and a pull up bar, you can pretty much replicate a weightroom at home and there are also strenght bands, sandbags, kettlebells).
Just don’t take it to the extreme. You can get really impressive results as a natty. I think some people here are giving up too easy and wallowing. Your potential as a natty is of course a lot less than as a drug user, but you can still look great to women, intimidate men, and impress people with the kind of person you must be to have sculpted such a body.
Also consider the fact that many drug users look absolutely awful. The overgrown traps and shoulders that result from drug use are a classic “meathead” look. In more than 50% of the cases the person starts to look like an orc, and not human. Instantly, the perceived intelligence of the person by others bottoms out. Self respecting women would not want to get with you (unless they are inflated lips, injected asshole and balloon tits type sluts).
The natty look is superior in many cases. Just learn how to get those hard gainz.
The “natty look” you are refering to is probably the “Youtube natty” look aka <1gram of test a week. Natties just wont look extraordinary (or intimidating for that matter unless they are fat).
Sure, maybe a manlet can look pretty ripped without a shirt on, but who cares? Those models on instagram are on the gear too without the bulging traps and orc-like look.
Basically, you are exactly the deluded type Truth Seeker speaks about all the time. There are no "hard gainz", there is no secret combination to the muscle vault. There is just a ever-stagnating growth. What you look like after 3 years of lifting is probably 90% of your total gains.
He’s actually spot on, a natural can still look somewhat intimidating, especially in a society where most people can’t do 1-3 proper push-ups and forget doing a pull-up that’s impossible. I have above average genetics and I’m happy with that I’m 185 lbs at 17-18% BF, I think I can cut down to 175 at 13-14% BF and that is damn good actually, a lot of people even here don’t realize the numbers I posted are pretty big and huge in the real world. I have big biceps 16 inches so I guess that helps too. Stop worrying because the gains we make as naturals are pretty much permanent as long as you go to the gym 3 days a week and honestly if you can’t do that you are doing something wrong in your life,
Dear Sir,
very interesting website. I´am 58 years old now. Started bodybuilding in 1975. The golden age of BB. The Weider brothers sold their products with pictures of a guy named Arnold Schwarzenegger who was only known in the BB scene. At that time BB was an exotic subculture for a few thousand people here in Germany. Nothing more.
In the beginning I gained a lot of weight because I was not fully grown when I started the training. Me and my best friend were very ambitious. But after a short period of 2 years it was clear to me that I would never look like Arnold or Franco. Would never benching with 200kg. Not the way we did it. I always stayed clean which makes me happy today. After 6 years of training included my time at the army without lifting I gave it up. Meanwhile I had a lot of contact to competition bodybuilders and lifters of every stage. From the wannabes in the local spots to the best German Mr. Olympia contestant we ever had. From people who are happy to bench press their own body weight to the world record holder. Yes I have seen a lot in these years. And I had many very open talks to people who looked I dreamt to look like.
BB is something very special what lifestyle concerns. But in the end it´s a sport like any other.
After some years of training it is not possible to get better. Precisely said: the proportion of what you have to do to grow further and what you get out of it is changing a lot. And one day it will stop completly. For ambitious lifters it´s very very hard to accept.
Interesting thing: in most other sportive activities it´s clear that there is a certain kind of limit. The individual limit and the world record. It´s clear that you only can reach the top if you have a top talent, top training, top other conditions, no injuries a.s.o. a.s.o. Top medical treatment. And top pharmaceutical support. If you haven´t reached a certain level after a few years you´ll never make it.
For instance: if you throw the discus 40 meter only after years of training it´s clear that you´ll never take part at Olympic games. In the BB scene for special reasons some people never have a clear view what is possible (for them) and what not. For my opinion it is the case because a relatively big industry is selling it´s products by lying to it´s clients. That´s bad. But even this medal have two sides. The one who are lying and the one who wants to believe in these lies.
Thanks to the author of this site. Too many young people are doing things which they can´t overview.
The reality of bodybuilding is much tougher than the outsiders can imagine. And by the way this column is very nice to read. The author is not only writing about lifting weights. He is writing about lifting life. (can I say that in English this way???)
brgds
Glove
Thank you for taking the time to write me. I really appreciate your comment and the insight in it.
One of your best articles Truthseeker! I’d like to comment on Glove’s post. I’m 61, and have been working out since being a teen. In my 30s my max on the bench press was about 160 pounds and I could deadlift about 180. I was weighing about 195 pounds at the time. Today my 1 rep max on the bench is 200 and I can deadlift 250 and I’m 15 pounds lighter. And at the gym I go to there’s a guy in his 70s who is even stronger! I don’t look like I lift and I don’t think I look particularly good naked. But after a hard workout of lifting where the emphasis is always on form and breathing, I feel so good.