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While it's a given that the vast majority of competitive body builders use some form of anabolic steroid, it still befuddles me how so many mma enthusiasts are quick to point the accusatory finger at anyone with an admirable or impressive musculature in MMA. Sure, muscle shark Sean Sherk got busted but if you look at most of the fighters who have gotten caught for steroid usage, their physiques range from downright fugly to average at best. Just look at the list: Josh Barnett caught three times, more recently he appears to have had gynecomastia removal surgery (a man boob condition often associated with long term roids usage). He never had a body builder's physique but was noticeably more girthy at the peak of his usage circa UFC championship. Royce Gracie. Don't even get me started on Royce's build. Hermes Franca. He has a Chuck Liddell looking long armed apish look at best. Nothing that fits the stereotypical profile. Tim Sylvia was busted for juicing and is notorious for having one of the most scorned and hideous physical builds in heavyweight history. Nothing "Ah-nold" about him. Chris Leben was noticeably thicker and more girthy in his bout with Bisping after which he got caught juicing but he didn't have a "Manhoef" build.
Yet even at that, people unfairly assume fighters who are very muscular and bulky like Alistair, Brock, Manhoef, Lashley, Kongo, Carwin must be juicing because god forbid a "normal" person ever be able to acquire physiques like theirs without cheating. Although I have no personal experience with steroids I have been weight training for a long time, wrestled in college and tried competing in an amateur body building competition just for fun. The horror stories about steroids I heard from buddies in the gym over the years scared the crap out of me but because some of them had experience with such substances I was able to learn facts and distinguish truth from myth. I'm not much for supplements and prefer just proper dieting but I know that sizeable gains and definition can be achieved with proper routines, dieting and supplement combinations---all without the use of banned substances.
It is a common misconception that in order to get considerably larger and more ripped than your average/typical physique you need to be on anabolic steroids. In actuality, from what I understand, just like legal supplements, steroids will work for you depending on how you apply their usage. This is why guys who put more emphasis on functional training, martial technique and cardio in their routines don't get Ronnie Coleman/Marius Pudzianowski physiques but instead look like Barnett and Sylvia. On the contrary, Coleman and Pudzianowski look the way they do because of the types of workouts they do combined with their anabolic intake.
Due to this, I say stop with the garbage accusations on fighters like Alistair, Manhoef, Lashley etc and consider such men innocent until proven guilty. Having massive ripped muscles doesn't automatically make you a steroid user. It is entirely possible to get huge and yolked out on legal supplements and the right types of anaerobic routines. Also, natural body size and genes have a lot to do with it too. It's when guys start getting to Coleman's and Schwarzenegger's (former) size that the usage is far more obvious but that's to a greater extreme. I'm damn sure a lot of the more barrel chested non-body builder looking guys in strongman competitions could very well be on steroids and they don't have super hero physiques. And once again, just look at Royce Gracie.
P.S. forgot to include Anthony Torres...he's from my island and is actually my cousin but it's still embarrassing to know he was among the first to get busted in UFC's latter day generation. Dammit Anthony...ah well. GSP's physique is way more impressive than Anthony's and many have even speculated he juices. once again innocent until proven guilty I say.
Yet even at that, people unfairly assume fighters who are very muscular and bulky like Alistair, Brock, Manhoef, Lashley, Kongo, Carwin must be juicing because god forbid a "normal" person ever be able to acquire physiques like theirs without cheating. Although I have no personal experience with steroids I have been weight training for a long time, wrestled in college and tried competing in an amateur body building competition just for fun. The horror stories about steroids I heard from buddies in the gym over the years scared the crap out of me but because some of them had experience with such substances I was able to learn facts and distinguish truth from myth. I'm not much for supplements and prefer just proper dieting but I know that sizeable gains and definition can be achieved with proper routines, dieting and supplement combinations---all without the use of banned substances.
It is a common misconception that in order to get considerably larger and more ripped than your average/typical physique you need to be on anabolic steroids. In actuality, from what I understand, just like legal supplements, steroids will work for you depending on how you apply their usage. This is why guys who put more emphasis on functional training, martial technique and cardio in their routines don't get Ronnie Coleman/Marius Pudzianowski physiques but instead look like Barnett and Sylvia. On the contrary, Coleman and Pudzianowski look the way they do because of the types of workouts they do combined with their anabolic intake.
Due to this, I say stop with the garbage accusations on fighters like Alistair, Manhoef, Lashley etc and consider such men innocent until proven guilty. Having massive ripped muscles doesn't automatically make you a steroid user. It is entirely possible to get huge and yolked out on legal supplements and the right types of anaerobic routines. Also, natural body size and genes have a lot to do with it too. It's when guys start getting to Coleman's and Schwarzenegger's (former) size that the usage is far more obvious but that's to a greater extreme. I'm damn sure a lot of the more barrel chested non-body builder looking guys in strongman competitions could very well be on steroids and they don't have super hero physiques. And once again, just look at Royce Gracie.
P.S. forgot to include Anthony Torres...he's from my island and is actually my cousin but it's still embarrassing to know he was among the first to get busted in UFC's latter day generation. Dammit Anthony...ah well. GSP's physique is way more impressive than Anthony's and many have even speculated he juices. once again innocent until proven guilty I say.
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