It's the Getbig mantra: If you look halfway decent (bodybuilding-wise), you ain't natural.
I'm glad I built 18" arms and got to nearly 250 lbs (offseason, not contest), before I joined this site in 2003. Otherwise, my hopes would be crushed.
Bingo!
Like me, you made some decent gains without drugs. In my glory days I competed against a couple natural guys that had better genetics then me and they beat me without any of us on drugs.
Like you, I would also think drugs were "everything" if I had not experienced what I could do without any.
I don't think I'm the greatest natural freak in existance. So it always seemed reasonable to me that a few gifted guys could be bigger and more ripped, then me, without drugs.
The best "Raw" ( no bench shirt) lift is around 714 lbs by this massive beast named Mendelson.
The best unlimited bench with "straight jacket type shirt" lift is around 1000 lbs.
Since you can see the guy actually lifting raw without a bench shirt, you are forced to accept it as fact.
Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to even try to hold 700 lbs laying on the bench with my arms locked.
The real issue here is the perception that nobody can build an impressive, ripped contest body without drugs.
The reality is that every Mr Olympia ( since 1965) used some form of steroids and PED.
The biggest bench lifts on record have all been done wearing some kind of support shirt.
BUT, one look at the raw records shows that a few gifted guys can lift more then the avg gym rat could dream was possible.
Put that gifted raw lifter in a bench shirt, and you have a world class lifter.
Either way, the gifted lifter has jaw dropping strength, that few possess.
I've been in/around bodybuilding since the 1970's and have seen various gifted bodybuilders at a variety of wts.
One thing is always obvious when I see a gifted bodybuilder on stage.
Drugs can only ENHANCE what nature gave them. Without the right genetic look, all the drugs in the world won't make you a champion.
Plus, every top bodybuilder has to endure some form of a diet and contest prep to look 100% ripped and conditioned on stage.
From 1983-1987 I took moderate cycles of various common steriods, one drug a a time. I currently use prescribed Androgel to help keep my testosterone levels in the ideal range ( * 600-700 mg/dL) .
When I ran track I could sprint faster on a good track wearing spikes then I could on a road.
However, no track ,spikes or drug was going to allow me to compete with Ussain Bolt.
