Natural Competitions

[LisaRD23]

Not sure if I should post this question in here....but since it's AS related I think it might be the right place.

Now, I know that some fitness & figure girls (not all) do use AS in their contest prep. I read the entry form for the Mid-Atlantic that just took place a few weeks ago, and I see that fitness & figure girls are not drug tested.

If someone was looking to compete in a natural event, what guarantees would that person have they are not stepping on stage next to someone who chose to add in the “extra advantage”?

[GirlyMuscle]

There are no guarantees. Some natural shows polygraph all competitors. Some, like Team U, test only the top 3 winners. Some shows that claim to be natural only polygraph randomly.

Even so, some competitors will do natural shows even though they use. They'll drop whatever substance they are using several weeks prior to the event so it will clear their system in case of urine testing.

So to answer your question...you don't know if the person next to you is truly natural. There are no guarantees.

[Melissa]

GM's right...there are no guarantees. I can tell you this, the INBF polygraphs all their competitors and urine tests only the winners who receive their WNBF pro cards. The polygraph lasts all of 10 minutes, too short a time to detect any type of lying. And the urine test is unsupervised, so it could easily be altered. The only thing you have any control over is that you step on that stage in the best shape you can be.

[Bacon Boy]

Then there is the question of what is defined as natural, roid free? OTC natural (which can pop up as false positives) it frustrating for many including myself...

[Tatyana]

GM's right...there are no guarantees. I can tell you this, the INBF polygraphs all their competitors and urine tests only the winners who receive their WNBF pro cards. The polygraph lasts all of 10 minutes, too short a time to detect any type of lying. And the urine test is unsupervised, so it could easily be altered. The only thing you have any control over is that you step on that stage in the best shape you can be.

Unsupervised? Seriously?

Mind you, if they grab you right off the stage in your comp bikini, where are you going to be holding urine?

The urine containers also have a temperature sensor on them, so it has to be body temp otherwise it isn't accepted.

[sassy69]

This is the most ironic, and most unfortunate part of physique competition. Some federations urine test their competitors, e.g. OCB, NGA I believe, and NGA you need to be drug free for 7 yrs I think (pulling off the top of my head). Some of the details above, i.e. the specifics of the urine testing I didn't know about.. but the reality is that its more of a marketing point than anything else. It costs money to do thorough drug testing, and since physique is all about making money for the federations & promoters and little to do w/ quality of the sport, that's not where they're goin to put their money.

At the end of the day, just like you are more competing for yourself / against yourself than for a trophy, it is also up to you to maintain a degree of sportsmanship and integrity and not "cheat". You can get technical on if you meet the specific show's criteria, e.g. Team U - drug free for a year... but still... that's something between you and your conscience. Esp when there are non-tested options.

[LisaRD23]

:confused: That really sucks. There are only so many "natural" shows held by the NPC (from what I see in NJ). You would think that the few would really give natutal competitors a chance.

I know there are other federations out there, but obviously we choose where we want to compete for a reason.

I am new to the competing world, and I never really understood why some female athletes refuse to participate in competitions, but I could deff see this natural/non-natural issue being one of the resons.

Realistically, exactly how far can a natural girl go in the NPC? Would you allways have to wonder if the girls who allways beats you has an unfair advantage?

[Tre]

I just laugh when someone says they're a 'FAME Pro'. I didn't witness the incident myself, but a woman I trust implicitly told me she witnessed a FAME event organizer trash all the urine samples at a given event. This was after they'd collected some ridiculous amount of money from the athletes for testing...'to ensure the integrity of the event', no less.

Musclemania (and this may have happened when they teamed up with FAME) actually came up with something called the Physique Screening Panel, where a 'panel of experts' would look at you and determine whether you were natural or not. *classic*

It's all a big joke and as Sassy said, it's a marketing tool, nothing more.

[Melissa]

Unsupervised? Seriously?

Mind you, if they grab you right off the stage in your comp bikini, where are you going to be holding urine?

The urine containers also have a temperature sensor on them, so it has to be body temp otherwise it isn't accepted.

Let's just say that with my job, I've caught women with someone else's urine, ummm hidden, in different "storage containers" so to speak.

When you win your pro card, they do grab you pretty much as you're walking off stage, but when they urine test you prior to the pro shows (all WNBF pros have unsupervised urine tests), there's little done to control possible tampering with the test.

[Melissa]

:confused: That really sucks. There are only so many "natural" shows held by the NPC (from what I see in NJ). You would think that the few would really give natutal competitors a chance.

I know there are other federations out there, but obviously we choose where we want to compete for a reason.

I am new to the competing world, and I never really understood why some female athletes refuse to participate in competitions, but I could deff see this natural/non-natural issue being one of the resons.

Realistically, exactly how far can a natural girl go in the NPC? Would you allways have to wonder if the girls who allways beats you has an unfair advantage?

As far as figure in the NPC goes, I would almost say that using AAS could actually be a disadvantage since they are looking for a softer, less muscular package. Sure, there are girls that use it, but I don't think that a natural figure competitor should be deterred from doing an untested show for fear of being beaten by another figure girl that's on gear. I competed in figure shows as a natural and made it to the national level stage, so it's possible to be relatively successful in figure in untested shows even when you're not taking AAS.

[sassy69]

....:) ....

[LuckyDog]

Let's just say that with my job, I've caught women with someone else's urine, ummm hidden, in different "storage containers" so to speak.

When you win your pro card, they do grab you pretty much as you're walking off stage, but when they urine test you prior to the pro shows (all WNBF pros have unsupervised urine tests), there's little done to control possible tampering with the test.

I've never had an unsupervised test with the WNBF. I'm not saying its always the case just in my experience which is decently extensive and in multiple locations across the country.

[Tatyana]

:confused: That really sucks. There are only so many "natural" shows held by the NPC (from what I see in NJ). You would think that the few would really give natutal competitors a chance.

I know there are other federations out there, but obviously we choose where we want to compete for a reason.

I am new to the competing world, and I never really understood why some female athletes refuse to participate in competitions, but I could deff see this natural/non-natural issue being one of the resons.

Realistically, exactly how far can a natural girl go in the NPC? Would you allways have to wonder if the girls who allways beats you has an unfair advantage?





There are some amazing naturals and there are some really rubbish physiques on those that use performance enhancing drugs.


It is all relative.

[Melissa]

I've never had an unsupervised test with the WNBF. I'm not saying its always the case just in my experience which is decently extensive and in multiple locations across the country.

You're probably right. And since my experience is not extensive at all (I only competed once with the WNBF), that may have been the one exception. But when I won my pro card, that urine test was unsupervised also. Maybe they're randomly supervised?

[LuckyDog]

You're probably right. And since my experience is not extensive at all (I only competed once with the WNBF), that may have been the one exception. But when I won my pro card, that urine test was unsupervised also. Maybe they're randomly supervised?

I'm sure it was a staffing issue @ the show or something that allowed them to be disorganized. I've had the chairman (male) shuffle his feet uncomfortably surpervising me peeing in a cup :D

Lisa - there are good natural organization representation in NJ & NY between INBF and OCB you can sample other organizations as well as the NPC and get a chance to see what fits your competitive goals. I had a ball competing with the NPC before I got my pro card (I typically just have fun when I compete) and the nice thing is the natural organizations are looking for very different physiques for figure then the NPC so you can also pick your organization based on your physique goals versus theirs.

[LisaRD23]

Well, I guess I'll just take it as it comes. I did have fun at my 1st competition, and I met my goal of placing top 5. That's what it's all about anyway right, meeting your own personal goals. When I made the choice to start changing my body I was very happy with all the goals I set...and met over the past couple of years. So I think I will take it in stride.

Thanks for all the replies everyone!