Your videos are truly one of a kind, Josh! Thank you for featuring me in the thumbnail and highlighting our natural UA-cam community, it's a tremendous honor. Gaining 20-40lbs of muscle is realistic, but you're absolutely right here. The best advice is to stop stressing about genetics. Commit to the long game, as building a legendary natural physique takes time, likely more than five years. And even if you could achieve it sooner, why rush toward an arbitrary physique goal when we don't yet know our full potential? Keep learning, embrace the minor progression (1-2lbs of lean tissue here and there adds up), and never quit. Commit for decades, and one day you'll be shocked at how far you've come, surpassing even your original expectations.
Great genetics? Lift and do your best. Average genetics? Lift and do your best. Subpar genetics? Lift and do your best. Only time this really impacts things is when trying to be a professional at it. Lifting is great for you both physically and mentally, so you should be doing it anyway. Taking a process focused approach is way better than a results focused one, because at the end of the day, you just don't know till you put a lot of time and energy into it...which isn't going to happen if you don't learn to enjoy it. So enjoy it! Stay curious, stay humble, keep learning, keep growing, and you end up where you end up.
@@tonymontana3949you are incredibly stupid for thinking this. steroids weren't widely used, plus at the time Steve competed they weren't known to help in muscle building, they were using to treat hypogonadism and muscle wasting from war time imprisonment.
Looking good is awesome but the real goal is to not be an older person with health problems and dependent on medication. My dad is paying the price for not taking care of himself when he was younger and it is a big motivator for me.
@@gabadu529 He's an example of what a sedentary life can do to someone. Diabetes, Quadruple bypass surgery, nearly blind, can barely walk...it's pretty sad. Never exercised and only did office work all his life. I don't want to live that way.
@@brandonyoung4910 looking awesome doesn't = life without health problems, sometimes the most health conscious are the most unfortunate, also sometimes there's a point of diminishing returns. But obviously being in the best shape you can be aka maintaining 13-18% body fat consistently, and keeping artificial ingredients and vegetable oils to a low, while maintaining good exercise is all you can ask for
Glad to see alex getting his praise the man is wise like an owl and if every fitness person was as intelligent and honest the whole industry would be better
i’d never want to know how much muscle I can build. It would be like knowing how the movie ends without seeing it or knowing when you’re going to die. Enjoy the journey and never stop trying to get better
This is a great outlook and I agree. You can’t realistically “peak” unless you would link that term to winning a competition of some sort. There will always be things to improve for the rest of our lives.
After 2 years of training naturally the gains go at a crawl,almost to a standstill. The human body does not and will not hold hold more functional muscle than necessary it has no use for its all about maintaining after 2 years and doing something you enjoy.
@@fatman4346That is simply not true. Yes, at some point the gains will come very slowly, and that point will come at a different time for everyone. But if you are plateauing after only two years, there is absolutely stuff you can change about your training, nutrition and recovery that will start a second, if smaller, growth spurt. And sometimes even advanced trainees find new gains after 15 years of training because they try a new training modality. Eric Helms and his back would be an example. So don't give up so soon. :) Unless your want to maintain, which is cool.
I just wanted to say that I purchased your program about 18 months ago and entered the gym for the first time. I now go 4 times a week, track my food, I'm 8kg heavier and I have lost 2 pant sizes. The original training video you made sent me on that path. I'm 33 years old, married with 4 young children and in the best shape of my life. I appreciate the help, Thank-you. keep up the videos.
Should have put George Hackensmidt in there. Put all of these dudes to shame IMO. 5'9 210 with abs and 18 inch arms apparently. The dude was an absolute unit before roids existed. Also great video
@@SeradjLarfi Sandow was 5'9 and 195lbs, Hackensmidt was 5'9 and 210lbs and noticeably fatter than Sandow.....ome could almost say 15-20lbs fatter......so like.....exactly what I said......
I've been lifting my 340-pound obese ass with my own two hands for 21 years as a paraplegic, then I leaned up. On the rare occasions I'm being asked by a layman to give some tips, they expect some weekend regimen to look like me in a few weeks. I needed to know everything there is to know about resistance training to get my nutrition right, to not lose muscle mass on a calorie deficit. I didn't. So I do have the knowledge to impart. People just don't want to hear how much time it takes naturally...
@@fifth5106 Leaner than 104lb? My pelvis and legs are atrophied to crap which accounts for up to 35% of a man's weight, and even so I am 172 pounds. I'd say your first order of business would be to get your nutrition straight, so you eat enough protein to be able to build muscle the first place. Metabolic needs require continuous adjustment of your caloric intake, based on weekly trends in weight (let's say a new calorie target every 20 pounds). Let's say you do everything right (and clean), you train regularly (without overtraining), many videos out there how to do both, I'd say you'd need 3 months of sticking to your nutrition and training religiously to see any results. Anything said in the video still applies, so what you do, how well you are able to stick to it, and your genes can both slow down, or accelerate your progress.
@@dominic.h.3363 my bad I meant like how long would it take for me to reach 140-150lbs but lean? Currently bulking and have been getting +120 grams of protein and hitting my 2400 calories a day all from meat, eggs, and other high-quality sources of nutrition.
@@fifth5106 About 125g of protein sounds right, but 2400 calories might be a bit too much for start at your current weight. I'm betting right now you're building more fat than muscle. If you are looking to gain fifty pounds (most of that in muscle), you're looking at 2-5 years (variability depending on your genetics, your diligence, your nutrition, and your training). The thing with bulking is that you can't expect to just only be able to put on muscle while you eat more. So leaning up, when your target is that high, is not on the table until you gained enough muscle mass that you are at the finish line. If you want VISUAL results faster, instead of one single huge bulk, do smaller bulks, and then just drop the excess fat you accumulated before you start another small bulk, but that will only prolong those years further and looking lean will be a periodic thing (just to check where you're at in terms of lean mass). I'd say ~8 years in this scenario. That's my (self-)educated guess...
Why are we just automatically believing that he’s natty at face value just because he says he is? I’m not saying he isn’t, but there’s no way to know if someone is natural or lying unless they provide loads of blood work and steroid tests to “prove” they’re actually natural, which I don’t think aDestiny, or any other online self proclaimed lifetime naturals have ever done
Natural bodybuilding shows are a joke now. Most are on TRT and did at least one cycle... And studies have shown one cycle and you get residual benefits for life
It's the same with all those natty influencers, who suddenly after years put on 10 pounds of muscle and cut down to 10-12% bf. The whole fitness industry is a joke.
You're overly cynical. We've seen many ex-natural bodybuilders, who looked amazing before, blow up once they actually hopped on. Most of these folks have been training consistently for at least a decade.
Depends on the cycle and how long you've been on. There's something called omeostasis and even tho you can actually gain 30lbs of muscle with a single cycle (I've personally seen a guy on 300mg test get around 38lbs of weight nearly all muscle in 16 weeks) your body will get back to it's ''normal'' form because it takes time for it to adapt to all that muscle tissue that you achieved. So yes you will probably retain some but most people who only do a small cycle and get 10/15lbs of muscle will probably lose most of it when they get off especially if it's a 6-8 weeks cycle. Your body takes time to set himself with that amount of muscle and hypertrophy is something that our body does not want since it implies more calories to retain and a higher metabolism/cardiovascular power output and we have now reached a level where food is not a problem but it has been for hundreds of thousand years and it has been just 60/70y that we can all afford to eat more than we actually need because of wealth and health parameters in our new society (after second world war). If your body knew that you're lifting something just to be more fit and pleasant to the eyes on the beach it would never grow, it does because in our genes we must adapt in order to survive but the body doesn't know you're benching, it only recognize stress and then knows that the next time you need more muscle to push/pull something and not die.
Some of these guys coming up with formulas just makes me laugh lol. Height and centimetres -100 equals your weight in kilograms at five or 6% body fat. I’m 168 cm tall -100 is 68 kg. So about 150 pounds is the max I could weigh. I certainly think that most people think that a guy at my house can get up to 150 pounds or more natural if they have good genetics
The thing about building muscle naturally is that the process of building it is SO beneficial to all aspects of your health. It will decrease your risk of heart disease/failure, it will decrease your chance of osteoporosis, it will increase your libido, it will increase your vitality, and so on and so forth. There is no "end goal." It never ends. Just keep building. So you can comfortably take your time.
Building muscle most certainly does not reduce heart disease. Hypertrophy training does not provide healthy stimulation of the heart; for this you need cardio… this has been known for decades. In fact excessive lean mass sought by so many is counterproductive to heart health even if achieved naturally. The rest of your claim is true.
Steve Reeves was natural. He's written multiple books on the subject and claimed natural throughout his life in an era where steroids weren't illegal or as stigmatized as today. Also, the form of testosterone available in the late 1940s was hepatotoxic and wouldn't be in use for long by anyone (if they could even get it), and the safer forms didn't exist until the 1950s when he had retired from bodybuilding and downsized for the movies. The main reasons people think he wasn't natural are his proportions (since his waist was so small relative to his frame) and some inflated measurements online (like how he supposedly had a 52" chest when it was 48" at the 1947 Mr. America). At the 1947 Mr. America, his arms were 17.5" and his waist was 31" (not 29"), and he got bigger in the offseason. He was never below 11-12% bodyfat, you don't see detail and vascularity like you do amongst today's natural pros. Steve has claimed his arms were up to 18.5" which I can certainly believe if he weren't in contest condition. Guys in that era prioritized arm training. If you look at Steve objectively, his back and chest were underdeveloped by today's standards. His shoulders were pretty good, but there are naturals today with much better shoulders (esp side and rear delts). In regards to lower body, Steve also had no glutes or hams, he was mostly quad and calves. I just don't get why everyone thinks he's sus. I think it's just a lack of standards in modern natural bodybuilding and ideas put forth by young, inexperienced lifters who aren't physically mature or have never been around athletic people. It seems the black pill crowd thinks anyone who is the least bit muscular and dominant looking is on gear.
Testosterone propionate, an injectable form of testosterone still used today, which is not hepatotoxic, was first commercialised in 1937. 1940s guys were likely the first fake natties. Grimek, Reeves, all of them.
Yeah, I also think Reeves was natural. The possibility of him having access to usable anabolic steroids is much less likely, than people realize. His arms were his genetic strongpoint, and like you said, his training included a lot of arm stuff.
Small traps were the style back then, it was thought that big traps would make your head look too small. He also was the "man with no ass" as big glutes were not considered aesthetic at the time either. His programming indeed had tons of arm volume, when I emulated his program for several months that was when my arms suddenly blew up in size.
Agreed his mother was a nutritionist as well. Testosterone was available at the time but wasn't widely accessible and not very effective. It wasn't until Nilevar that we started to see enhanced body builders in the late 50s.. Bill pearl (after he retired from competing) is a good example.
"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." - Socrates
@@Atomic_Pinneaple i disagree. Bodies respond to steroids differently, therefore, achieving something, even with the assistance of anabolic steroids, is still what your body is capable of.
something that got phased out of showing off the body from the olden times is muscle control. it wasnt the static posing they went for, but dynamically tensing and flexing muscles. It looks really cool
so true, im only 20 years old at the moment, very happy with my physique, advance level strength, but there is so many areas in my physique that can be improved (arms, calfs, halmstrings, neck, forearms, hands, specific muscles on my back, upper chest. I find it hard to believe I will ever not have somewhere I can make more gains, and even if there comes a point where I cant build more muscle, I will most definitely be able to learn new skills, to be stronger and make my muscles more efficient even without more growth
Amazing video bro, so easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need to take steriods/sarms/peds in general because of social media and videos like this keep me wanting to work harder naturally
I remember seeing a adolescent kid with a myostatin deficiency and he was ripped; had visible abs and clear muscle separation and he was younger than 9 so genetics really are the key factor as you’ve mentioned
Started lifting seriously (5 days/week, 45 intense minutes per workout) at the age of 20 in 1989. Standing 178cm tall I started at a body weight of 76kg. By age 23 I was at 93kg while still being lean enough to have a six-pack. So I had put on 17kg of muscle in three years, completely transforming my body. And that was with no juice, very average genetics and a broke student diet. Most people would be very surprised at what they can accomplish if they just try.
Did roughly the same when I went to Uni. By third year and over 30 lbs of muscle it was time to quit as I was getting too big to play other sports and that was taking summers and Christmas holidays off. Always wondered what the limit would have been naturally.
I’m 36 years old, been training for 16 years, always been natural. I started in 2008 at 125-130 lbs, in 2 years I got to 170, I’m 5’9’’. As the years passed, I started eating better, getting better sleep, train smarter, stopped drinking and now I’m at 160 and honestly I look way better then I did at 22 at 170 lbs. so yeah even though you stop gaining weight and mass, you keep improving. I love the grind, I’m addicted to it, can’t wait to see what 40-50-60 years old will look like for me 💪🏼
Hi I'm on the internet I'm 5'9, 175 lbs, 42 years old and natural. I'm not a bodybuilder but I enjoy lifting. I am mostly an ultraendurance athlete. Most of my gains were made while working (either guide in hiking, swimming and canoing) or Christmas tree cutting (lifting 20 tons a day for a month giving +5 lbs each year.) I can't say i have a great nutrition but i'm lean. I devoted my life to sport. Thanks you reader, i don't have much more to say.😅
8:13 it's worth mentioning that WNBF pros get tested, polygraphed and are subject to random tests with only 10 hours notice up to 5 times per year. It's practically impossible to do a cycle under these circumstances.
I thin the sky is the limit with natural bodybuilding. We have lots of U.K. guys who are yoked without any steroids such as Simeon Panda, Mike Thurston and Matt does Fitness. I think it’s safe to say the next generation will be bigger still !
@@Jafmanz i dont dead lift because i broke my back a few years ago. also the rate of strentgh gain slows down exponentially over time. Im fighting for my life every year to go 5kg heavier at this point. I really should do a proper bulk
@@grasshopper3918 miniscule amounts maybe 10-30 lbs on most lifts. lower for accessories isolation. Then again I'm getting to the point where I question if I need to get bigger. Also I work on getting reps up on ever increment gained before moving up. When you train for so long you really are fighting for every lb added
I trained from my teens and reached my natural limit my my late 20's. (im 46 now as per my pic and smaller with more body fat) But back then I made most of my significant gains when I was around 22-23 then had another spurt around 26. Newbie gains were good but they were not the most significant gains i made in my journey in terms of my overall physique. I also learned during that time most people dramatically underestimate just how big you can get naturally if willing to put the work and effort in
@marcdaniels9079 absolutely, but from what ive seen 99% of people still sell themselves short with their own training and underestimate just how big they can get naturally and as a result dont move too far past their newbie gains
Your videos are so good that they deserve to be watched on a 65" TV while eating popcorn! Your quality is mindblowing, Josh! (There's just one thing I want to point out, Alex's surname is Leonidas, not Leonadis 😅)
I was 21 years old when I left for my deployment as a soldier. I was 6ft 152lb. While in country there wasn’t much to do in between missions so I started working out. I gained 20lbs in 7 months. And another 5 lb before leaving for home a month or so afterward. I turned 35 this year and I had my T levels checked. I found that I am in the top 90th percentile. At 740 for my age that is impressive. I don’t have time for the gym but I am a coal miner. Labor intensive work. I’m still lean and weigh 164lb. N still have a six pac abs. Genetics are important but motivation is key. Your discipline will be the difference between whether you’re healthy and strong.. or regretful.
This is very motivational man, thanks for making this video as I have body dismorphia but no way will I ever use steroids. This puts my mind at ease a bit knowing that with enough time and effort I can still look good ❤ love bro 👌🏻
Great Video! After 5 years of constant training with ever switching/improving technique and taking care of my nutrition i am starting to reach a physique that outshines at least 95% of the people in my gym. Apart from creatine i am 100% natural, however i am starting to get the feeling that the others think i am on stuff. I dont know what to think about it yet or how to react. If i could i would like to tell them all about training technique, nutrition etc. so they could reach that goal too, but you can tell they don't want to hear that. They seem to feel more comfortable about themselves putting you into the unnatural category whilst they themselves are far from unlocking their true potential. It is frustrating but also complimenting in a way. I am just gonna stick to my workout and have fun as i always did. Just wanted to share this experience of mine.
Most people have a very limited understanding of what can be done. And they won't expand that understanding until they see for themselves, which won't happen because of that barrier they put in place. Most won't believe you, but some will. So if someone asks, it's worth trying. There needs to be more pushing of what's possible naturally, to expand perspectives. To inspire those guys who would otherwise join the crowd and assume they have to use drugs to feel good about how they look. I know you know, just adding some thoughts.
Lifetime natural here. I'm 44 and I weigh around 211 and my height is 5"10. Currently on a cutting stage. When I was 30 I started gaining 2.5 lbs a week. I started doing squats consistently for the first time and I was drinking whey protein. I was eating every time my pregnant wife at the time was eating. A friend of mine asked if I was on gear. I told him no, and he didn't believe me.
Such a well put together video Josh! Honoured to have been included. I hope this gives people the motivation to find out what they can do for themselves :)
9:14 Eric Helms is not a lifetime natty. He openly admits to taking Superdrol in the past, but identifies as a natty anyway, and competes in natural bodybuilding because it's not against the rules of the competition.
I've been training, somewhat on and off, for the last 25 years. I recently went on TRT, as treatment for a series of longstanding health issues unrelated to lifting. It's "NHS TRT", which means it amounts to 75 to 100mgs of Test a week, not the mini cycles we hear about from some clinics. The gains I've been making are unbelievable. Now, this could be because I've introduced a biological stimulus that is novel, but that I am equipped to handle, or it could be that I'm recovering faster, including appetite, so am able to train more (and that could be psychological), or it could be that I'm a "hyper responder" or whatever. Of course, the gains will eventually level out. All I know is, two people at the gym asked if I was "on steroids", to which I had to answer "yes... kinda".
Some people are just impatient ie the 19 year olds doing 6-12 month transformations where they get super jacked unrealistically fast. People want things now and doing it natty takes fukn years and years. And another thing is people just wanting to reach a level that is unobtainable naturally. You know, wanting to be Sam Sulek sized or some shit. We really gotta ask ourselves with that shit, why? Why would I need that unrealistic body that doesn’t even exist in nature.
I started at 62kg (136lbs) and 21 years later I'm at 112kg (247lbs) and 100% natural. That was from 18 years old to 39 but I am 15%-17% bodyfat and when I started I was 12-13%. To gain muscle without being 5% ripped isn't as much of a challenge as keeping that low BF% as your body is always trying to fight against being that low with Test levels dropping 'naturally' due to that very low BF%.
4:41 did he come straight from the set of The Last Of Us? The message here is basically: "don't worry too much about your genetics... Worry about the effort you put into it. Consistency and good healthy habbits. Regardless of peds because you still GOT TO put in the work". So the good old basics essentially. All equally important. 1. Resistance training 2. quality food 3. sleep Bonus - 4. lifestyle & happiness (i think it matters alot and contributes to a major part of it) Josh. NEVER stop producing the quality content you put out. Your content should be used in lectures for people in general.
I think the most realistic is looking at boxers pre-PEDS because they are not trying to be professional bodybuilders their body is a by-product of what they do. Back then they also had a layer of fat to be burnt off in the fight to give more stamina. Giving even more realistic goals and the answer there is not just can you look great. Boxers like Primo Canera put most steriod users today, to shame 260 - 290lbs all muscle and had the stamina for 10 - 15 rounds.
At 2:05 he is not REG PARK he is Richard Baldwin and he is 80 years old alive now he was a golden era bodybuilder. Now I have to see your videos with a grain of salt. REG PARK was the guy who Inspired ARNOLD
To me, the *Bronze Era* bodybuilders are the most inspiring, because they built a very impressive physique (even by today's standards) using the knowledge of the time, no PEDs whatsoever and single digit bodyfat. Imagine if they had 15-20% bodyfat, they'd be larger than a fridge. The Silver Era is basically like this, but sadly they will always remain sus, because PEDs started to emerge in the 1940s and you can never be sure.
I'm 58, have worked out since I was like 13 . I can make gains at a ridiculous rate when I want and maintain easily with just a few modest workouts a week. I'm just lucky that I got my maternal grandfathers genetics . He was built like an ape and constantly won bets doing feats of strength . I actually get asked if I am taking steroids often, but never have . I would consider it (through s doctor) if my quality of life was suffering but so far so good. My motivation is to feel great , and have FUN . I'm currently trying to see how defined I can get with lighter weights and calisthenics . In the winter I like to lift heavy and eat a lot and get big . "Something is Everything " is my favorite model . Just get in the habit , don't compare yourself to others and keep it fun . Longevity is the ultimate win .
I have naturally prominent Pectorals and triceps and used to be asked frequently if I took steroids. I was under 125 pours at 5'3 in my early 20s and am now at 45 yo around 140 (with more fat but I cut down from 150 in the past tree months.) I beat that if get back to the same body fat I had, people would doubt me again. It's all about looks.
7:45 This guy seems to forget that Kai did porn (reason why it was impossible for him to ever win Mr. Olympia) to fund his bodybuilding and its also possible to use steroids for free.
I've always been a really hard gainer, but I did improve when I discovered the best way to train was not going at it every day, doing the same exercises over and over. Discovering breathing squats helped me immensely. Now here's the point of my making this post: I only ever really gained as a result of a series of happy coincidences, when I was training properly while undergoing what we colloquially call "growth spurts". At 13 we have the initial puberty growth spurt, and I had just begun fooling around with weights in the eighth grade in high school. We also had weights at the local Boys Brigade HQ at our suburban Baptist Church. I was the absolute weakest boy going in, but not for long! In my ninth grade year, the high school built us an outdoor gym, in the hope that the guys would make use of it and so help themselves to play better football. But the tall poppy syndrome being what it is meant that nobody wanted to stand out and so they didn't go near the gym. I, however, feeling the need to become ever more bigger and stronger because I was a loner and school was an extremely violent place for someone like me, relished every moment I could spend at the outdoor gym. Pull-ups, parallel bar dips, going back and forth on the horizontal ladder every lunch time, then racing home after school to lift the weights I'd bought following year ten, I came back from school holidays looking noticeably bigger. The next growth spurt occurs at age 17 - 18 years of age. I had discovered breathing squats just in time to really take advantage here and I gained 35 POUNDS of solid muscle in just four months, following a program I found in Iron Man Magazine. I followed Bradley J. Steiner's program to the letter and not only got huge, but unbelievably strong as well. I mean, I had been the strongest guy at school, including all the teachers, and my strength put the fear of God into anyone who foolishly picked a fight with me . . and believe me, my high school musta been full of fools!! . . by the time I was in my senior year. But by the time I finished that program I was a man to step aside for, even at just 18 years of age! After I finished that program I didn't know what to do next, so I just kept on training hard on the basics with almost nothing to show for it because the growth spurt was over. Keep in mind that I didn't have a clue growth spurts were even a thing back then. I put it down to sheer luck! I may have gained a small increase in size and strength over the years between 18 and 24, but nothing to write home about. I tried my hand at bodybuilding, with limited success, even in the novice division, which I never got good enough to leave!! Then I was approached by a guy at work who desperately wanted to become bigger and stronger. He came to my dungeonesque gym three afternoons each week for ten weeks and we trained together. We weighed ourselves at the beginning of the training cycle and again at its conclusion, but he just vanished without a trace mid cycle because he'd been sacked from work due to cutbacks. I weighed 90kg, and he weighed 65kg. We did breathing squats with maximum poundages, bench presses to failure, and bent over rows to failure, and that was it! Oh, and immediately after the breathing squats we did breathing pullovers. Then my wife came downstairs and counted the reps for me, and spotted me in the bench press. Mid-way through the training cycle I added seated triceps extensions and concentration curls, one set each, performed after the big three. Well, how did I go? At the end of the ten weeks I weighed 102kg! I was squatting 150kg for 20 reps in the full squat too! Now I wasn't concerned with definition because I had all but abandoned any thought of ever being lean again. I was so impressed at how wonderful I felt as a big dude with power to burn! After a disastrous return to bodybuilding for one last tilt, at the urging of the guys at work, I was down to 80kg, and kinda-sorta defined, and I gave up for good at being a bodybuilder, and threw myself full speed ahead into Powerlifting . . which I shoulda done at age 18 when the fist big growth spurt had seen me grow so big and strong that I was keeping up with the powerlifters at the YMCA where I trained back then. But, I wouldn't be told that no one can be a successful bodybuilder unless they go on the gear big time. I believe there was one last growth spurt that happened to me at age 31. I was fully into Powerlifting and wanted to get as big as possible, so I made one last attempt at using breathing squats, this time with a difference. I wanted to emulate my hero Joseph Curtis (J.C.) Hise, who used to do 20 reps with 400 pounds, 182.5kg. I began training for this with just 11 reps on 190kg, and worked my way up, one rep per week until I did 20 x 190 on New Years Eve 1984. A few of my powerlifting buddies came over (I trained at home and had coached all of them at one point or another in the preceding couple of years) to spur me on, and I was hugely motivated to succeed. I did 'em, and it nearly killed me!! I took almost 20 minutes to stop huffing and puffing after I racked the bar! I was weighing 102kg at that time. The breathing squats had produced nothing in the way of increased size. Why? because I was not undergoing a growth spurt, that's why. But a few weeks later I noticed myself growing bigger once more and by late February of the year I turned 31, I was weighing 112kg. Amazing! And considering I hadn't been training for the Powerlifts due to my working on the 20 x 190, I was astonished at how well I did at a local meet in February, with PRs in every lift! That was the best year of my life since when I turned 18. I squatted 300kg in my home gym, and totalled 700kg in competition weighing 110kg on August 31st 1985. I'll make mention of the fact that I was doing a physically demanding job as a truck driver and warehouse man from age 28 through to age 43. I competed all through the 1980s, the latter half of which, in the newly-formed Australian Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation, in which I held the committee position of coaching and refereeing coordinator, elected unopposed, because I'd already helped so many lifters anyway before Drug-Free had been a thing. I wrote the federation's rule book as well, again with the unanimous support of the members. So, after taking far too long to get to the point of this comment, I just wanna say thank God for growth spurts!!
1:05 This misconception has actually been disputed by David Bolton in his book "The Lost Secret to a Great Body", which goes in-depth into the light dumbbell system and how it can be used to build muscle. Both Sandow and his teacher, Professor Attila, claimed that Sandow built the base of his physique with this system. Of course, his heavy weightlifting for strongman shows certainly contributed to his physique as well
It suggests that the subject can gain 5x as much muscle compared to the bone in their body, eg. 5kg muscle for every kg of bone. It doesn't make a difference how you measure the mass of the bone or muscle, therefore there is no difference between how the narrator stated it and how the author stated it other than personal preference.
No there is a difference, physically the units are not the same and thus the ratio will never be the same but you can make the arguement that the muscle is 5 times the bone mass @@ember3527
Fist pump for the Lui Marco mention. Even tho it wasn't exactly flattering, ha. Lui is a terrific example of a guy who has committed to building his body naturally. He makes natty bb seem like the only logical choice. It's great.
Bronze era bodybuilders are in my opinion the most aesthetic and functional looking physiques of all the different bodybuilding eras. Totally achievable naturally with nothing but hard work and sweat
To put the term "natural" in perspective, don't forget there is genetic outliers, including genetical anomalies that allow to trigger easily muscular hypertrophy. It's also not the same thing at all to have started as a teenager vs at 30 years old.
It's about process, not product. Discipline and consistency is the secret sauce. Most people who say they have bad, or even average, genetics have never figured out the optimal diet and workout routine and applied themselves for a long enough period of time to know what their genetic potential is. You have to find value and joy in the process or you'll never get the product. Eventually, you'll get to a point, like I have, where the reward is getting to work out. Lifting for 2 hours a day might seem like a chore to many people, but it's a privilege to me.
Great perspective and presentation! At peak I was close to 196lb at 180cm and ~10-12% body fat. At the time I didn't think this was anything special. Now I'm focused more on performance and weighing 172lb at similar body fat %. Way happier, healthier, and more athletic. No complaints on how I look and healthy natural level of testosterone.
Some people simply build muscle quicker than others. Hard work and good nutrition works. I’m 60 got back into gym year ago. Making good gains and burning fat. But I’ve always had good frame.
Your videos are truly one of a kind, Josh! Thank you for featuring me in the thumbnail and highlighting our natural UA-cam community, it's a tremendous honor. Gaining 20-40lbs of muscle is realistic, but you're absolutely right here. The best advice is to stop stressing about genetics. Commit to the long game, as building a legendary natural physique takes time, likely more than five years. And even if you could achieve it sooner, why rush toward an arbitrary physique goal when we don't yet know our full potential? Keep learning, embrace the minor progression (1-2lbs of lean tissue here and there adds up), and never quit. Commit for decades, and one day you'll be shocked at how far you've come, surpassing even your original expectations.
Alex your last transformation video was EPIC! it motivated me to go to the gym when I had no energy
Alex your small and not big enough.
Alex my boy, you got GLAZED hard here 😂
Sounds fruity
💜💜💜💜
PLS NEVER TRADE QUALITY FOR QUANTITY, YOUR "DOCUMENTARIES" ARE ACTUAL GOLD
are not, he compares unnatty to natties... what a joke of a person...
@@WhiteDraqon WTF?
@@WhiteDraqon He compares one group to another group... yeah? That's what comparissons are for
Great genetics? Lift and do your best.
Average genetics? Lift and do your best.
Subpar genetics? Lift and do your best.
Only time this really impacts things is when trying to be a professional at it. Lifting is great for you both physically and mentally, so you should be doing it anyway. Taking a process focused approach is way better than a results focused one, because at the end of the day, you just don't know till you put a lot of time and energy into it...which isn't going to happen if you don't learn to enjoy it.
So enjoy it! Stay curious, stay humble, keep learning, keep growing, and you end up where you end up.
Hey buddy 🤗
I'd add easy cardio, like walking, for everyone of those groups too, possibly some harder efforts too
Steve isn't natural
As President for The Society of things that matter, I approve this message.
@@tonymontana3949you are incredibly stupid for thinking this.
steroids weren't widely used, plus at the time Steve competed they weren't known to help in muscle building, they were using to treat hypogonadism and muscle wasting from war time imprisonment.
Looking good is awesome but the real goal is to not be an older person with health problems and dependent on medication. My dad is paying the price for not taking care of himself when he was younger and it is a big motivator for me.
a side effect of looking awesome is often followed by being an older person without health problems.
What happened to him? Did he use to excercise or not?
@@gabadu529 He's an example of what a sedentary life can do to someone. Diabetes, Quadruple bypass surgery, nearly blind, can barely walk...it's pretty sad. Never exercised and only did office work all his life. I don't want to live that way.
@@brandonyoung4910 looking awesome doesn't = life without health problems, sometimes the most health conscious are the most unfortunate, also sometimes there's a point of diminishing returns. But obviously being in the best shape you can be aka maintaining 13-18% body fat consistently, and keeping artificial ingredients and vegetable oils to a low, while maintaining good exercise is all you can ask for
@@Pawnband parents teach us how to be in so many ways. Often times unintentionally. Enjoy every moment with him bro.
Lifetime natural here! Been training for last 40 years..just ate sensibly and trained hard still pushing in mid 50s and in ok shape!!!
Good to see you prove it on your channel garageman brutal keep going old man 💪
And you'll keep that muscle unlike juicers who are effectively renting theirs only for as long as they are on the juice.
Been lifting since 18 (24 now) what's consistent life advice you have for someone like me now and as I get older?
Building size as side effect of getting stronger for contact sport / fighting, or lifting just to look puffy?
@@ghil263 Either one. It's good to know both
Glad to see alex getting his praise the man is wise like an owl and if every fitness person was as intelligent and honest the whole industry would be better
Good stuff, man. Promoting natural bodybuilding in an inspiring way. Put the time in, dial in everything you can, and stay the gd course!!!
i’d never want to know how much muscle I can build. It would be like knowing how the movie ends without seeing it or knowing when you’re going to die. Enjoy the journey and never stop trying to get better
Thats dumb.. its 25 FFMI.
This is a great outlook and I agree. You can’t realistically “peak” unless you would link that term to winning a competition of some sort. There will always be things to improve for the rest of our lives.
to be outrageously positive, I'd say you'd only peak when you stop being healthy or are already dead lol
After 2 years of training naturally the gains go at a crawl,almost to a standstill.
The human body does not and will not hold hold more functional muscle than necessary it has no use for its all about maintaining after 2 years and doing something you enjoy.
@@fatman4346That is simply not true. Yes, at some point the gains will come very slowly, and that point will come at a different time for everyone. But if you are plateauing after only two years, there is absolutely stuff you can change about your training, nutrition and recovery that will start a second, if smaller, growth spurt.
And sometimes even advanced trainees find new gains after 15 years of training because they try a new training modality. Eric Helms and his back would be an example. So don't give up so soon. :) Unless your want to maintain, which is cool.
I see Alexander Leonidas i click
I see Leonidas I click off
Good youtuber but that’s glaze my guy
Oh shit that's alpha destiny/buff destiny/male destiny?
Thought it was bald Omni man...
@@RemingtinArmsit’s actually just Dr. Mike
@@avi_s0ncin0 not enough body hair, we all know Dr Mike is Beast from the xmen
"it's all a mindset" -the bugez
Eric is juiced to the gills
@@slee2695 id say hes on a good dose of test but nothing more
and onion juice
@@slee2695bugez was 80% as big as he is now when he was natty
@Ceisri 80% sure..lmao
Oh he admitted to using sarms "once"
Always a good day when Josh posts
I just wanted to say that I purchased your program about 18 months ago and entered the gym for the first time. I now go 4 times a week, track my food, I'm 8kg heavier and I have lost 2 pant sizes. The original training video you made sent me on that path. I'm 33 years old, married with 4 young children and in the best shape of my life. I appreciate the help, Thank-you. keep up the videos.
Congratulations! Your progress is inspiring. #embracetheprocess
Should have put George Hackensmidt in there. Put all of these dudes to shame IMO. 5'9 210 with abs and 18 inch arms apparently. The dude was an absolute unit before roids existed. Also great video
What do you mean? He just looked like a fatter version of Sandow.
@@taylorhillard4868 There are photos of him lean as well
Agreed wrestler too
@@taylorhillard4868 He was significantly bigger, mf was massive at 5'9
@@SeradjLarfi Sandow was 5'9 and 195lbs, Hackensmidt was 5'9 and 210lbs and noticeably fatter than Sandow.....ome could almost say 15-20lbs fatter......so like.....exactly what I said......
hell yeah Alex, NH, Basement Bodybuilding the goats
NH is a bum
Where's Geoffrey Verity Schofield?
@@ellisthejerk8018His massive triceps obstructed the camera.
Don't forget Geoff
I like gvs I just prefer the over 3 bit more same with Bald omi-man Those 3 Have personally impacted my training The Most
I've been lifting my 340-pound obese ass with my own two hands for 21 years as a paraplegic, then I leaned up. On the rare occasions I'm being asked by a layman to give some tips, they expect some weekend regimen to look like me in a few weeks.
I needed to know everything there is to know about resistance training to get my nutrition right, to not lose muscle mass on a calorie deficit. I didn't. So I do have the knowledge to impart. People just don't want to hear how much time it takes naturally...
How long would you say it would take a 19M 104lb 5’6 dude to gain a lean and muscular look?
@@fifth5106 Leaner than 104lb? My pelvis and legs are atrophied to crap which accounts for up to 35% of a man's weight, and even so I am 172 pounds.
I'd say your first order of business would be to get your nutrition straight, so you eat enough protein to be able to build muscle the first place. Metabolic needs require continuous adjustment of your caloric intake, based on weekly trends in weight (let's say a new calorie target every 20 pounds). Let's say you do everything right (and clean), you train regularly (without overtraining), many videos out there how to do both, I'd say you'd need 3 months of sticking to your nutrition and training religiously to see any results.
Anything said in the video still applies, so what you do, how well you are able to stick to it, and your genes can both slow down, or accelerate your progress.
@@dominic.h.3363 my bad I meant like how long would it take for me to reach 140-150lbs but lean? Currently bulking and have been getting +120 grams of protein and hitting my 2400 calories a day all from meat, eggs, and other high-quality sources of nutrition.
@@fifth5106check your weight every few weeks to see if you're gaining weight
@@fifth5106 About 125g of protein sounds right, but 2400 calories might be a bit too much for start at your current weight. I'm betting right now you're building more fat than muscle. If you are looking to gain fifty pounds (most of that in muscle), you're looking at 2-5 years (variability depending on your genetics, your diligence, your nutrition, and your training).
The thing with bulking is that you can't expect to just only be able to put on muscle while you eat more. So leaning up, when your target is that high, is not on the table until you gained enough muscle mass that you are at the finish line.
If you want VISUAL results faster, instead of one single huge bulk, do smaller bulks, and then just drop the excess fat you accumulated before you start another small bulk, but that will only prolong those years further and looking lean will be a periodic thing (just to check where you're at in terms of lean mass). I'd say ~8 years in this scenario.
That's my (self-)educated guess...
"Would you ever take steroids?" to someone on gear has to absolutely destroy you.
Loll. Like asking a non pregnant woman w a pudge: "When's the baby due"
I was flabbergasted when you listed out my literal five favorite online hypertrophy fellas
I m glad Alex Leonidas getting more recognition.
good old copedestiny days
Why are we just automatically believing that he’s natty at face value just because he says he is?
I’m not saying he isn’t, but there’s no way to know if someone is natural or lying unless they provide loads of blood work and steroid tests to “prove” they’re actually natural, which I don’t think aDestiny, or any other online self proclaimed lifetime naturals have ever done
@@clunkydoo Nah he just works hard
@@clunkydoo He has good genetics and good advice. The latter is what matters.
Natural bodybuilding shows are a joke now. Most are on TRT and did at least one cycle... And studies have shown one cycle and you get residual benefits for life
It's the same with all those natty influencers, who suddenly after years put on 10 pounds of muscle and cut down to 10-12% bf.
The whole fitness industry is a joke.
You're overly cynical. We've seen many ex-natural bodybuilders, who looked amazing before, blow up once they actually hopped on. Most of these folks have been training consistently for at least a decade.
Agree..once you've done PEDs you are never natural
Depends on the cycle and how long you've been on.
There's something called omeostasis and even tho you can actually gain 30lbs of muscle with a single cycle (I've personally seen a guy on 300mg test get around 38lbs of weight nearly all muscle in 16 weeks) your body will get back to it's ''normal'' form because it takes time for it to adapt to all that muscle tissue that you achieved.
So yes you will probably retain some but most people who only do a small cycle and get 10/15lbs of muscle will probably lose most of it when they get off especially if it's a 6-8 weeks cycle.
Your body takes time to set himself with that amount of muscle and hypertrophy is something that our body does not want since it implies more calories to retain and a higher metabolism/cardiovascular power output and we have now reached a level where food is not a problem but it has been for hundreds of thousand years and it has been just 60/70y that we can all afford to eat more than we actually need because of wealth and health parameters in our new society (after second world war).
If your body knew that you're lifting something just to be more fit and pleasant to the eyes on the beach it would never grow, it does because in our genes we must adapt in order to survive but the body doesn't know you're benching, it only recognize stress and then knows that the next time you need more muscle to push/pull something and not die.
@@Lemmiwings who is that in your profile picture ?????? I see so many people with same profile picture
Some of these guys coming up with formulas just makes me laugh lol. Height and centimetres -100 equals your weight in kilograms at five or 6% body fat. I’m 168 cm tall -100 is 68 kg. So about 150 pounds is the max I could weigh. I certainly think that most people think that a guy at my house can get up to 150 pounds or more natural if they have good genetics
I'm 167cm and 66.75kg. There is NO WAY I'm 6% bf. Not even close. I assume I'm more like 15%, despite lifting for years and eating clean.
Greg is steve hall on steroids ??
@@danielsreal5426how would gregg know
The thing about building muscle naturally is that the process of building it is SO beneficial to all aspects of your health. It will decrease your risk of heart disease/failure, it will decrease your chance of osteoporosis, it will increase your libido, it will increase your vitality, and so on and so forth. There is no "end goal." It never ends. Just keep building. So you can comfortably take your time.
Building muscle most certainly does not reduce heart disease. Hypertrophy training does not provide healthy stimulation of the heart; for this you need cardio… this has been known for decades. In fact excessive lean mass sought by so many is counterproductive to heart health even if achieved naturally. The rest of your claim is true.
@marcdaniels9079 of course building muscle is good for the heart, the heart is a muscle.
Steve Reeves was natural. He's written multiple books on the subject and claimed natural throughout his life in an era where steroids weren't illegal or as stigmatized as today. Also, the form of testosterone available in the late 1940s was hepatotoxic and wouldn't be in use for long by anyone (if they could even get it), and the safer forms didn't exist until the 1950s when he had retired from bodybuilding and downsized for the movies.
The main reasons people think he wasn't natural are his proportions (since his waist was so small relative to his frame) and some inflated measurements online (like how he supposedly had a 52" chest when it was 48" at the 1947 Mr. America).
At the 1947 Mr. America, his arms were 17.5" and his waist was 31" (not 29"), and he got bigger in the offseason. He was never below 11-12% bodyfat, you don't see detail and vascularity like you do amongst today's natural pros.
Steve has claimed his arms were up to 18.5" which I can certainly believe if he weren't in contest condition. Guys in that era prioritized arm training. If you look at Steve objectively, his back and chest were underdeveloped by today's standards. His shoulders were pretty good, but there are naturals today with much better shoulders (esp side and rear delts). In regards to lower body, Steve also had no glutes or hams, he was mostly quad and calves.
I just don't get why everyone thinks he's sus. I think it's just a lack of standards in modern natural bodybuilding and ideas put forth by young, inexperienced lifters who aren't physically mature or have never been around athletic people. It seems the black pill crowd thinks anyone who is the least bit muscular and dominant looking is on gear.
Testosterone propionate, an injectable form of testosterone still used today, which is not hepatotoxic, was first commercialised in 1937.
1940s guys were likely the first fake natties. Grimek, Reeves, all of them.
Yeah, I also think Reeves was natural. The possibility of him having access to usable anabolic steroids is much less likely, than people realize. His arms were his genetic strongpoint, and like you said, his training included a lot of arm stuff.
Small traps were the style back then, it was thought that big traps would make your head look too small. He also was the "man with no ass" as big glutes were not considered aesthetic at the time either. His programming indeed had tons of arm volume, when I emulated his program for several months that was when my arms suddenly blew up in size.
Agreed his mother was a nutritionist as well. Testosterone was available at the time but wasn't widely accessible and not very effective. It wasn't until Nilevar that we started to see enhanced body builders in the late 50s.. Bill pearl (after he retired from competing) is a good example.
It's always the case ain't it. The most ignorant are the loudest. And most certain. The internet is their megaphone.
Staying natural and figuring it out yourself is the best thing. That is why I will always stay natural.
"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."
- Socrates
* pops steroid
@@quercusroburx that's not what your body is capable of, it's what concentrated hormones of steroids can.
@@Atomic_Pinneaple i disagree. Bodies respond to steroids differently, therefore, achieving something, even with the assistance of anabolic steroids, is still what your body is capable of.
that is not the actual quote
Socrates had sex with young boys.
Basement bodybuilding only has a 1 sec appearance in this video and his airpod falls out as always 😭😭
something that got phased out of showing off the body from the olden times is muscle control. it wasnt the static posing they went for, but dynamically tensing and flexing muscles. It looks really cool
2:35 those are some unimpressive results for steroids, he doesn't look any bigger than a typical natty would get in the same amount of time.
In the words of Phillion “either you’re natty or get your money back” lol
so true, im only 20 years old at the moment, very happy with my physique, advance level strength, but there is so many areas in my physique that can be improved (arms, calfs, halmstrings, neck, forearms, hands, specific muscles on my back, upper chest. I find it hard to believe I will ever not have somewhere I can make more gains, and even if there comes a point where I cant build more muscle, I will most definitely be able to learn new skills, to be stronger and make my muscles more efficient even without more growth
Amazing video bro, so easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need to take steriods/sarms/peds in general because of social media and videos like this keep me wanting to work harder naturally
Might be my new favorite fitness video of all time. Amazing job Josh!!
I remember seeing a adolescent kid with a myostatin deficiency and he was ripped; had visible abs and clear muscle separation and he was younger than 9 so genetics really are the key factor as you’ve mentioned
Started lifting seriously (5 days/week, 45 intense minutes per workout) at the age of 20 in 1989. Standing 178cm tall I started at a body weight of 76kg. By age 23 I was at 93kg while still being lean enough to have a six-pack. So I had put on 17kg of muscle in three years, completely transforming my body. And that was with no juice, very average genetics and a broke student diet. Most people would be very surprised at what they can accomplish if they just try.
Did roughly the same when I went to Uni. By third year and over 30 lbs of muscle it was time to quit as I was getting too big to play other sports and that was taking summers and Christmas holidays off. Always wondered what the limit would have been naturally.
I’m 36 years old, been training for 16 years, always been natural. I started in 2008 at 125-130 lbs, in 2 years I got to 170, I’m 5’9’’. As the years passed, I started eating better, getting better sleep, train smarter, stopped drinking and now I’m at 160 and honestly I look way better then I did at 22 at 170 lbs. so yeah even though you stop gaining weight and mass, you keep improving. I love the grind, I’m addicted to it, can’t wait to see what 40-50-60 years old will look like for me 💪🏼
Hi I'm on the internet
I'm 5'9, 175 lbs, 42 years old and natural. I'm not a bodybuilder but I enjoy lifting. I am mostly an ultraendurance athlete. Most of my gains were made while working (either guide in hiking, swimming and canoing) or Christmas tree cutting (lifting 20 tons a day for a month giving +5 lbs each year.)
I can't say i have a great nutrition but i'm lean.
I devoted my life to sport.
Thanks you reader, i don't have much more to say.😅
I spit my drink when you said "most people underestimate how lean they are" 😂😂😂 you did that guy dirty 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for curing my body dysmorphia. I wish I could watch this channel during my teenage years
8:13 it's worth mentioning that WNBF pros get tested, polygraphed and are subject to random tests with only 10 hours notice up to 5 times per year. It's practically impossible to do a cycle under these circumstances.
"Most people are fortunate enough to have average genetics"
Another informative and in-depth video as usual. Excellent work Brett!
I thin the sky is the limit with natural bodybuilding. We have lots of U.K. guys who are yoked without any steroids such as Simeon Panda, Mike Thurston and Matt does Fitness. I think it’s safe to say the next generation will be bigger still !
Dude !!!! WTF. These guys are all saucy as hell 😅😅
This is a great video. I'm surprised it doesn't have millions of views.
Dr Mike with hair is such a whiplash every time I see it
been training for over a decade. im still getting stronger. Dont belive natty limit. Just work harder than last time
by now you should have a 400kg deadlift right?
@@Jafmanz i dont dead lift because i broke my back a few years ago. also the rate of strentgh gain slows down exponentially over time. Im fighting for my life every year to go 5kg heavier at this point. I really should do a proper bulk
So how much stronger are you compare to same time last year?
@@grasshopper3918 miniscule amounts maybe 10-30 lbs on most lifts. lower for accessories isolation. Then again I'm getting to the point where I question if I need to get bigger. Also I work on getting reps up on ever increment gained before moving up.
When you train for so long you really are fighting for every lb added
So that should mean you're still getting bigger? How much muscle mass did you gain the last year?
I trained from my teens and reached my natural limit my my late 20's. (im 46 now as per my pic and smaller with more body fat) But back then I made most of my significant gains when I was around 22-23 then had another spurt around 26. Newbie gains were good but they were not the most significant gains i made in my journey in terms of my overall physique.
I also learned during that time most people dramatically underestimate just how big you can get naturally if willing to put the work and effort in
Totally depends on your genetics
@marcdaniels9079 absolutely, but from what ive seen 99% of people still sell themselves short with their own training and underestimate just how big they can get naturally and as a result dont move too far past their newbie gains
Your videos are so good that they deserve to be watched on a 65" TV while eating popcorn! Your quality is mindblowing, Josh!
(There's just one thing I want to point out, Alex's surname is Leonidas, not Leonadis 😅)
Top tier editing and jornalism, congrats mate!
I was 21 years old when I left for my deployment as a soldier. I was 6ft 152lb. While in country there wasn’t much to do in between missions so I started working out. I gained 20lbs in 7 months. And another 5 lb before leaving for home a month or so afterward.
I turned 35 this year and I had my T levels checked. I found that I am in the top 90th percentile. At 740 for my age that is impressive. I don’t have time for the gym but I am a coal miner. Labor intensive work. I’m still lean and weigh 164lb. N still have a six pac abs.
Genetics are important but motivation is key. Your discipline will be the difference between whether you’re healthy and strong.. or regretful.
This is very motivational man, thanks for making this video as I have body dismorphia but no way will I ever use steroids. This puts my mind at ease a bit knowing that with enough time and effort I can still look good ❤ love bro 👌🏻
Great Video! After 5 years of constant training with ever switching/improving technique and taking care of my nutrition i am starting to reach a physique that outshines at least 95% of the people in my gym. Apart from creatine i am 100% natural, however i am starting to get the feeling that the others think i am on stuff. I dont know what to think about it yet or how to react. If i could i would like to tell them all about training technique, nutrition etc. so they could reach that goal too, but you can tell they don't want to hear that. They seem to feel more comfortable about themselves putting you into the unnatural category whilst they themselves are far from unlocking their true potential. It is frustrating but also complimenting in a way. I am just gonna stick to my workout and have fun as i always did. Just wanted to share this experience of mine.
Most people have a very limited understanding of what can be done. And they won't expand that understanding until they see for themselves, which won't happen because of that barrier they put in place. Most won't believe you, but some will. So if someone asks, it's worth trying. There needs to be more pushing of what's possible naturally, to expand perspectives. To inspire those guys who would otherwise join the crowd and assume they have to use drugs to feel good about how they look. I know you know, just adding some thoughts.
Lifetime natural here. I'm 44 and I weigh around 211 and my height is 5"10. Currently on a cutting stage. When I was 30 I started gaining 2.5 lbs a week. I started doing squats consistently for the first time and I was drinking whey protein. I was eating every time my pregnant wife at the time was eating. A friend of mine asked if I was on gear. I told him no, and he didn't believe me.
Great video ! You have a real talent for editing/storytelling, and the perfect voice. Keep it up.
Such a well put together video Josh! Honoured to have been included. I hope this gives people the motivation to find out what they can do for themselves :)
You ain't 100% natural, you need to quit tellin lies
Amazing editing on this one. Bravo
Your diction and cadence are at once calming and engaging. Always a pleasure. Cheers.
I love GVS's stuff. One of the best forces for good in this mad fitness industry.
you forgot Hersovyac, one of the best natties rn
Badass amazing video keep up bro
9:14 Eric Helms is not a lifetime natty. He openly admits to taking Superdrol in the past, but identifies as a natty anyway, and competes in natural bodybuilding because it's not against the rules of the competition.
Excellent research and documentation. It put alot into perspective
I've been training, somewhat on and off, for the last 25 years. I recently went on TRT, as treatment for a series of longstanding health issues unrelated to lifting. It's "NHS TRT", which means it amounts to 75 to 100mgs of Test a week, not the mini cycles we hear about from some clinics. The gains I've been making are unbelievable. Now, this could be because I've introduced a biological stimulus that is novel, but that I am equipped to handle, or it could be that I'm recovering faster, including appetite, so am able to train more (and that could be psychological), or it could be that I'm a "hyper responder" or whatever. Of course, the gains will eventually level out. All I know is, two people at the gym asked if I was "on steroids", to which I had to answer "yes... kinda".
I don’t understand why people take performance enhancing drugs. You can look really good natural 💪
because not everyone has good genetics, to look like those naturals. And most people don't want to put the work and time in it, they want it now.
@Alexis_Customs Even bad genetics people can look above average
If you are not Michael B Jordan or Chris Hemsworth, don't take PEDs
Some people are just impatient ie the 19 year olds doing 6-12 month transformations where they get super jacked unrealistically fast. People want things now and doing it natty takes fukn years and years.
And another thing is people just wanting to reach a level that is unobtainable naturally. You know, wanting to be Sam Sulek sized or some shit. We really gotta ask ourselves with that shit, why? Why would I need that unrealistic body that doesn’t even exist in nature.
@@6393dude ive seen so many people look terrible for years. some people just dont get it
awesome video right here! Helps me stay motivated to keep going and learning naturally
Great video, Josh! Production quality, interesting topic and informative. Keep it up!
thank you so much for mentioning Geoffrey Schofield! I feel like just looking at him should give all of us natty bodybuilders hope!
I started at 62kg (136lbs) and 21 years later I'm at 112kg (247lbs) and 100% natural. That was from 18 years old to 39 but I am 15%-17% bodyfat and when I started I was 12-13%.
To gain muscle without being 5% ripped isn't as much of a challenge as keeping that low BF% as your body is always trying to fight against being that low with Test levels dropping 'naturally' due to that very low BF%.
4:41 did he come straight from the set of The Last Of Us?
The message here is basically:
"don't worry too much about your genetics... Worry about the effort you put into it. Consistency and good healthy habbits.
Regardless of peds because you still GOT TO put in the work".
So the good old basics essentially. All equally important.
1. Resistance training
2. quality food
3. sleep
Bonus -
4. lifestyle & happiness (i think it matters alot and contributes to a major part of it)
Josh. NEVER stop producing the quality content you put out.
Your content should be used in lectures for people in general.
I think the most realistic is looking at boxers pre-PEDS because they are not trying to be professional bodybuilders their body is a by-product of what they do. Back then they also had a layer of fat to be burnt off in the fight to give more stamina. Giving even more realistic goals and the answer there is not just can you look great. Boxers like Primo Canera put most steriod users today, to shame 260 - 290lbs all muscle and had the stamina for 10 - 15 rounds.
8:00 cap. I didn't grow up rich at all. We had plenty of people around us poor like making 400 a week max that were on gear. Gear is not hardcto get
Great work Josh!
At 2:05 he is not REG PARK he is Richard Baldwin and he is 80 years old alive now he was a golden era bodybuilder. Now I have to see your videos with a grain of salt. REG PARK was the guy who Inspired ARNOLD
To me, the *Bronze Era* bodybuilders are the most inspiring, because they built a very impressive physique (even by today's standards) using the knowledge of the time, no PEDs whatsoever and single digit bodyfat. Imagine if they had 15-20% bodyfat, they'd be larger than a fridge. The Silver Era is basically like this, but sadly they will always remain sus, because PEDs started to emerge in the 1940s and you can never be sure.
I agree, imagine Bobby pandour at 15% body fat, he would look unreal
I'm 58, have worked out since I was like 13 . I can make gains at a ridiculous rate when I want and maintain easily with just a few modest workouts a week. I'm just lucky that I got my maternal grandfathers genetics . He was built like an ape and constantly won bets doing feats of strength . I actually get asked if I am taking steroids often, but never have . I would consider it (through s doctor) if my quality of life was suffering but so far so good. My motivation is to feel great , and have FUN . I'm currently trying to see how defined I can get with lighter weights and calisthenics . In the winter I like to lift heavy and eat a lot and get big . "Something is Everything " is my favorite model . Just get in the habit , don't compare yourself to others and keep it fun . Longevity is the ultimate win .
If you are chasing longevity you are doing just about everything wrong.
Josh always has the best essays! You rock man
I have naturally prominent Pectorals and triceps and used to be asked frequently if I took steroids.
I was under 125 pours at 5'3 in my early 20s and am now at 45 yo around 140 (with more fat but I cut down from 150 in the past tree months.)
I beat that if get back to the same body fat I had, people would doubt me again. It's all about looks.
That South Park edit towards the end was an excellent choice 😎🤣loved the video, bud. Shoutout to Jack LaLanne 💪
Jack LaLanne Lived to be 96
Richard Simmons Lived to be 76
They BOTH DIED TOO Young .
😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
7:45 This guy seems to forget that Kai did porn (reason why it was impossible for him to ever win Mr. Olympia) to fund his bodybuilding and its also possible to use steroids for free.
We're all gonna make it brahs
👍
Alex, NH, Geoffrey, and Bald Chadman let's gooooo
Excellent content! Really good stuff.
"Cows, Dogs, Rats, and Eddie Hall" 🤣
Bros the next SunnyV2 Keep going bro these are awesome
Steve Reeves Is The Greatest Bodybuilder Of All Time.
Awesome video!
I've always been a really hard gainer, but I did improve when I discovered the best way to train was not going at it every day, doing the same exercises over and over. Discovering breathing squats helped me immensely.
Now here's the point of my making this post: I only ever really gained as a result of a series of happy coincidences, when I was training properly while undergoing what we colloquially call "growth spurts". At 13 we have the initial puberty growth spurt, and I had just begun fooling around with weights in the eighth grade in high school. We also had weights at the local Boys Brigade HQ at our suburban Baptist Church. I was the absolute weakest boy going in, but not for long! In my ninth grade year, the high school built us an outdoor gym, in the hope that the guys would make use of it and so help themselves to play better football. But the tall poppy syndrome being what it is meant that nobody wanted to stand out and so they didn't go near the gym. I, however, feeling the need to become ever more bigger and stronger because I was a loner and school was an extremely violent place for someone like me, relished every moment I could spend at the outdoor gym. Pull-ups, parallel bar dips, going back and forth on the horizontal ladder every lunch time, then racing home after school to lift the weights I'd bought following year ten, I came back from school holidays looking noticeably bigger.
The next growth spurt occurs at age 17 - 18 years of age. I had discovered breathing squats just in time to really take advantage here and I gained 35 POUNDS of solid muscle in just four months, following a program I found in Iron Man Magazine. I followed Bradley J. Steiner's program to the letter and not only got huge, but unbelievably strong as well. I mean, I had been the strongest guy at school, including all the teachers, and my strength put the fear of God into anyone who foolishly picked a fight with me . . and believe me, my high school musta been full of fools!! . . by the time I was in my senior year. But by the time I finished that program I was a man to step aside for, even at just 18 years of age! After I finished that program I didn't know what to do next, so I just kept on training hard on the basics with almost nothing to show for it because the growth spurt was over. Keep in mind that I didn't have a clue growth spurts were even a thing back then. I put it down to sheer luck!
I may have gained a small increase in size and strength over the years between 18 and 24, but nothing to write home about. I tried my hand at bodybuilding, with limited success, even in the novice division, which I never got good enough to leave!!
Then I was approached by a guy at work who desperately wanted to become bigger and stronger. He came to my dungeonesque gym three afternoons each week for ten weeks and we trained together. We weighed ourselves at the beginning of the training cycle and again at its conclusion, but he just vanished without a trace mid cycle because he'd been sacked from work due to cutbacks. I weighed 90kg, and he weighed 65kg. We did breathing squats with maximum poundages, bench presses to failure, and bent over rows to failure, and that was it! Oh, and immediately after the breathing squats we did breathing pullovers. Then my wife came downstairs and counted the reps for me, and spotted me in the bench press. Mid-way through the training cycle I added seated triceps extensions and concentration curls, one set each, performed after the big three. Well, how did I go? At the end of the ten weeks I weighed 102kg! I was squatting 150kg for 20 reps in the full squat too! Now I wasn't concerned with definition because I had all but abandoned any thought of ever being lean again. I was so impressed at how wonderful I felt as a big dude with power to burn!
After a disastrous return to bodybuilding for one last tilt, at the urging of the guys at work, I was down to 80kg, and kinda-sorta defined, and I gave up for good at being a bodybuilder, and threw myself full speed ahead into Powerlifting . . which I shoulda done at age 18 when the fist big growth spurt had seen me grow so big and strong that I was keeping up with the powerlifters at the YMCA where I trained back then. But, I wouldn't be told that no one can be a successful bodybuilder unless they go on the gear big time.
I believe there was one last growth spurt that happened to me at age 31. I was fully into Powerlifting and wanted to get as big as possible, so I made one last attempt at using breathing squats, this time with a difference. I wanted to emulate my hero Joseph Curtis (J.C.) Hise, who used to do 20 reps with 400 pounds, 182.5kg. I began training for this with just 11 reps on 190kg, and worked my way up, one rep per week until I did 20 x 190 on New Years Eve 1984. A few of my powerlifting buddies came over (I trained at home and had coached all of them at one point or another in the preceding couple of years) to spur me on, and I was hugely motivated to succeed. I did 'em, and it nearly killed me!! I took almost 20 minutes to stop huffing and puffing after I racked the bar! I was weighing 102kg at that time. The breathing squats had produced nothing in the way of increased size. Why? because I was not undergoing a growth spurt, that's why.
But a few weeks later I noticed myself growing bigger once more and by late February of the year I turned 31, I was weighing 112kg. Amazing! And considering I hadn't been training for the Powerlifts due to my working on the 20 x 190, I was astonished at how well I did at a local meet in February, with PRs in every lift! That was the best year of my life since when I turned 18. I squatted 300kg in my home gym, and totalled 700kg in competition weighing 110kg on August 31st 1985. I'll make mention of the fact that I was doing a physically demanding job as a truck driver and warehouse man from age 28 through to age 43. I competed all through the 1980s, the latter half of which, in the newly-formed Australian Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation, in which I held the committee position of coaching and refereeing coordinator, elected unopposed, because I'd already helped so many lifters anyway before Drug-Free had been a thing. I wrote the federation's rule book as well, again with the unanimous support of the members.
So, after taking far too long to get to the point of this comment, I just wanna say thank God for growth spurts!!
Long ………………
Love the quality > quantity approach, i hope its maintainable.
Nice videos bro...keep em coming 😊
Great content as always
1:05 This misconception has actually been disputed by David Bolton in his book "The Lost Secret to a Great Body", which goes in-depth into the light dumbbell system and how it can be used to build muscle. Both Sandow and his teacher, Professor Attila, claimed that Sandow built the base of his physique with this system. Of course, his heavy weightlifting for strongman shows certainly contributed to his physique as well
Is it lbs or kg? At 3:44 the narrator states pounds when in fact the book states. Kilos. Bit of a difference, isn't it?
It suggests that the subject can gain 5x as much muscle compared to the bone in their body, eg. 5kg muscle for every kg of bone. It doesn't make a difference how you measure the mass of the bone or muscle, therefore there is no difference between how the narrator stated it and how the author stated it other than personal preference.
No there is a difference, physically the units are not the same and thus the ratio will never be the same but you can make the arguement that the muscle is 5 times the bone mass @@ember3527
Fist pump for the Lui Marco mention. Even tho it wasn't exactly flattering, ha. Lui is a terrific example of a guy who has committed to building his body naturally. He makes natty bb seem like the only logical choice. It's great.
0:13 can look like that naturally, but even the natural shows guys are on gear low amount. Its not hard to pass the test
Great video thanks, really informative. Also, I've never seen Dr. Mike with Hair before!!
Bronze era bodybuilders are in my opinion the most aesthetic and functional looking physiques of all the different bodybuilding eras. Totally achievable naturally with nothing but hard work and sweat
To put the term "natural" in perspective, don't forget there is genetic outliers, including genetical anomalies that allow to trigger easily muscular hypertrophy. It's also not the same thing at all to have started as a teenager vs at 30 years old.
@Glazenbol-uo2ni it's not about the time left, it's about the natural level of growth hormons
@Glazenbol-uo2ni again, your ability to do that depends of your age.
@Glazenbol-uo2ni yes but 35 isn't 20 either. I started 2 years ago, so i'm in the "first couple years", and I didnt build much.
It's about process, not product. Discipline and consistency is the secret sauce. Most people who say they have bad, or even average, genetics have never figured out the optimal diet and workout routine and applied themselves for a long enough period of time to know what their genetic potential is. You have to find value and joy in the process or you'll never get the product. Eventually, you'll get to a point, like I have, where the reward is getting to work out. Lifting for 2 hours a day might seem like a chore to many people, but it's a privilege to me.
I love the name Max Sick and that he was a bodybuilder makes it even better.
Great perspective and presentation! At peak I was close to 196lb at 180cm and ~10-12% body fat. At the time I didn't think this was anything special. Now I'm focused more on performance and weighing 172lb at similar body fat %. Way happier, healthier, and more athletic. No complaints on how I look and healthy natural level of testosterone.
All the old natural big guys are short. Shorter bone lengths make the muscles look thicker.
"My Test comes from natural horses, therefor I too am Natty" 🤣
Some people simply build muscle quicker than others. Hard work and good nutrition works. I’m 60 got back into gym year ago. Making good gains and burning fat. But I’ve always had good frame.