many of them say? I remember on a post on the MM board TP said that drugs are only about 10% and training and nutrition are the other 90% ( I could be worng on the numbers but it's pretty close). Many other pros will echo the same.
I don't know if they do this to protect the young kids out there, or they really believe the crap they spew. We have seen what Flex (who was't even natural when he made his "natural" comeback looked like and for a more dramatic example look at Mike Morris recently.
I'll be the first one to say bodybuilding is not all drugs but I honestly believe that drugs play an equal part to the training and nutrition so what, 33.333333%? In addition to this look at what happened when they tried drug testing back in the early 90s? I forget what Olympia it was I was too young (going on 27) but everyone looked like crap and then the drug testing magically disappears because the "Big Wigs" know.......no drugs, =freaks, =no fans, =no money, =no IFBB.
I'm just getting sick and tired of the pros saying thay only play a small part. Drugs will do something training and nutrition can't. If you have crap symmetry or frame or whatever you all want to call it. You can add loads of muscle and people will forget about the asthetically pleasing part. See JP Fux, Art Atwood, Jumbo Palumbo, Greg Kovacs, and others for examples. If these guys and other didn't possess the mass they had they would have never gone pro. I will admit all these guy looked much better when they won their pro cards with the exception of Palumbo of course. What does that say about bodybuilding? Well, it says two things, if I don't have the genetics just add a bunch of muscle, keep my belly somewhat in tact (unless I'm Mr. Olympia j/k....but not really) come in ripped and your successful. How will I add this muscle?.....Food, training and drugs, drugs drugs. Am I "hating" on the above gentlemen? Nope they are currently more successful than I am in terms of money. I'm just a fan evaluating our sport and giving facts. On the flip side you have guys like Melvin, Darrem, Mark Dugdale, Ronnie Rockel, Dexter, and Shawn who have been blessed with an asthetically pleasing physique but because they don't weigh XXX they'll never be Mr. Olympia.
To kind of get away from subject, Shawn Ray had been the most out spoken guy about this and I had and still have alot of respect for him because of this but it was sad to see a legend of our sport be forced out because he came to terms that he'd never be Mr. O because of the crappy judging system (By the way I couldn't believe the explanation on the posing round I nearly sh*t myself when they admitted it was just another muscularity round, I'll do post on that another time.)
In conclusion, I have the utmost respect for the pro bodybuilders, if I offended any of them, sorry but what I speak is the truth, I might not be a pro but I've been around bodybuilding and bodybuilders for over 10 years and in this short ten years I've seen alot and heard alot. When I post I like to try and stick to 2/3 facts and the rest opinions.
Well this rant was theraputic, I'm sure I'll get some flames but I welcome them.
See you at FIBO
Excuse the typos I'm too lazy to go back and correct anything...Ciao