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Why do some women go out of their way to claim they are natural/not taking PEDs?
This has been touched on in other threads, if you're interested in reading/watching:
This has been touched on in other threads, if you're interested in reading/watching:
Interesting read. I think videos from Greg Doucette are less educational compared with someone like Coach Kolton though. I've started watching Kolton's videos and in my opinion he's better overall because he goes into the biochemical side of it. And the interviews we're now getting with numerous athletes and FBBs provide us with info that we would otherwise likely be ignorant of.
You're right, simply staying silent on the topic is an option everyone has, and doing so would at least avoid having to lie about it.
My best guess why so many actively choose to lie is narcissism and/or selling a product. When you're sponsored or selling a training plan, the best possible pitch is "you can look like me if you do x," with x being some product, plan, or w/e. Being ambiguous about PED usage or actively admitting to it isn't helpful in this regard, and some sponsors even stipulate that PED usage needs to be publicly denied.
For those that aren't selling something, it likely is plain narcissism. They'd feel diminished if they'd admit that their physique wasn't "all theirs," that they got "outside help," and so on. Being on social media for the sole purpose of showing off your body already has a narcissistic component to it, so it's not surprising that being truthful isn't very high up on everyone's agenda.
It might also be related to people refusing to admit they had help along the way and attribute their success exclusively to hard work. I don't know the details, but there was allegedly a sociological study done with Monopoly players where some people were set up in advantageous positions and occasionally received help as well. When those players won none of them admitted this and they instead attributed their win to having better skills.
Now obviously many sportspeople work very hard to achieve their goals, and we can't help but admire their dedication, but they should also avoid intentionally spreading misinformation.
There are no real consequences to lying anymore and there are still a lot of clowns (simps) who think any kind of physique is possible with "hard work" - so may as well keep the grift going. Anything to get ahead in a cutthroat world where getting eyes on your product is king.
Most cultures have the idea that "Steroids is cheating!" engrained in our culture. Anyone who is into lifting and strength sports will tell you that steroids are not a magic pill: you still need to have you diet, recovery and nutrition dialed down. Personally, I have known quite a few people who are on PEDs but look like shit because their training, diet or both suck. However, your average person doesn't know that. It takes a lot of hard work to be a fitness influencer/strength athlete/model, and I think there is a lot of concern that if they reveal that they are taking drugs, that their viewers would view them as "cheaters" or with "taking the easy way out." They don't want all their hard work disregarded, so they go out of their way to talk about being "natty".
The other reason is because a lot of fitness influencers are selling things like training programs, supplementation and diet plans. It's much easier to sell to the public when you imply that it's possible to get a physique like theirs if you get their training/coaching/diet programming and that you can do it without drugs.
I’m going to hold your hand while I say this— it is possible for her to be proud of her hard work and also feel demeaned when people immediately attribute it to steroids— typically it’s men jumping in their comments accusing of steroids. Perhaps she wants to show what is naturally possible for a woman to achieve and wants her hard work to be recognized instead of it being attributed simply to drugs.
I’m going to hold your hand while I say this— it is possible for her to be proud of her hard work and also feel demeaned when people immediately attribute it to steroids— typically it’s men jumping in their comments accusing of steroids. Perhaps she wants to show what is naturally possible for a woman to achieve and wants her hard work to be recognized instead of it being attributed simply to drugs.
I've said this before and I'll say it again.
No one who is TRULY natural goes out of their way to constantly insist they are natural. True naturals don't need to do that because, quite frankly, they have a physique where people are not going to be accusing them of PED use. That is especially true with how much "physique inflation" has impacted social media.
Most muscular women are completely natural. When the human body is trained and nourished properly, muscles grow. It's a normal thing. It doesn't require any special knowledge, talent, or skill. Any ignorant idiot can do bodybuilding; the human body is more or less the same for everyone. Sure, some people are already gifted and have more predisposed genetics than others, but in this case, it's not a reason to boast; rather, it's just luck and an added advantage over those who perhaps have to work harder and commit more to achieve results. In fact, I don't understand why those obsessive, gym-obsessed bodybuilders are so boastful and think they've achieved something. Also, certain types of female bodybuilders with certain presumptuous and vain attitudes are ridiculous and stupid and unpleasant. Any idiot can do bodybuilding and become athletic; it doesn't take any special talent, and you don't have to be a scientist or a professional instructor. Even a 4-year-old who can't even read or write can become athletic and muscular if he works out. So anyone who uses steroids and denies it is the biggest idiot of idiots because, there is no reason to do it. unless you want reach the top level of bodybuilder attitude and idiocy like many girls reached. Rather, the boastful, deficient and unpleasant attitude of many girls is worse than steroids.
Rather, the boastful, deficient and unpleasant attitude of many girls is worse tan steroids.
Yeah, you're right about that. I don't mind gear use per se. I watch and admire many athletes, both male and female, who use it. It's really more about the attitude.
I've said this before and I'll say it again.
No one who is TRULY natural goes out of their way to constantly insist they are natural. True naturals don't need to do that because, quite frankly, they have a physique where people are not going to be accusing them of PED use. That is especially true with how much "physique inflation" has impacted social media.
Note that most people who see any woman with an ounce of muscle immediately think steroids because they have no idea about women in fitness. So yeah, I’d say they’re justified in cracking down on if they’re natural or not. A woman with even a little muscle on the internet will get hate.
Other than legal risk, it's trying to keep their online brand clean. If they sell coaching and diet plans, they need customers to think The Plan + Discipline = Results Like I Got. That's why you see so many captions like "hard work" and "discipline", etc. Who would purchase a diet plan with an asterisk that says "*PED use required for similar gains" ?
Before you beat up on the models for this, note that people actually WANT to believe the results are all natural. They WANT to believe they can go out and do the same thing with some hard work alone (... or fantasize they will find an all natural fitness girl who carries extra lean msucle all the time).
If they sell coaching and diet plans, they need customers to think The Plan + Discipline = Results Like I Got.
Yeah, there's that too. I just wish there were more women like Sam Sulek or Larry Wheels, i.e. people who care less about social media quibbles and instead focus on educating people and promoting sportsmanship. This actually goes both for men and women, but for obvious reasons I have more women in mind here.
I think engagement is a big reason on social media. Algorithms reward comments on posts and these girls know that claiming to be natty will generate a ton of activity. If you look at a lot of the “natty” girls comment sections it tends to be one of two things - “amazing work, ignore the haters! They’re just jealous” or “this girl is clearly juicing.”
It’s pretty sad/shameful because once you know what to look for it’s obvious most of them are juicing. A lot of these girls will actual admit to taking substances when asked specifically about it, all while still claiming to be natty. Usually some nonsense like “it’s natural test.”
Yeah, there's that too. I just wish there were more women like Sam Sulek or Larry Wheels, i.e. people who care less about social media quibbles and instead focus on educating people and promoting sportsmanship. This actually goes both for men and women, but for obvious reasons I have more women in mind here.
Larry Wheels and Sam Sulek are very obviously on PEDs. While I am sure there are some out there who are gullible enough to believe that they are natty if they said that, they have clearly enhanced physiques so it's more of a "well, duh" feeling when they say they are PEDs.
Something else that hasn't been touched on, however, is that PED use is a lot more taboo when women use them versus men. It's a lot more socially acceptable to see a very muscular and roided out man versus a very muscular and roided out woman.
I think engagement is a big reason on social media. Algorithms reward comments on posts and these girls know that claiming to be natty will generate a ton of activity. If you look at a lot of the “natty” girls comment sections it tends to be one of two things - “amazing work, ignore the haters! They’re just jealous” or “this girl is clearly juicing.”
That's why I stopped following Kat Merchant. She repeatedly kept making reels and posts "calling out" dudes who would say that that she wasn't natty. It became less calling out, and more for the engagement.
Larry Wheels and Sam Sulek are very obviously on PEDs.
I know. But one thing I like about them is that they don't pretend that they're not on something. Wheels is outspoken about being on TRT and his use of PEDs. Sulek has mostly stayed silent on the subject despite the controversy about him in 2023, but he has since then alluded to the fact that his physique was not attained naturally. And both of these guys are doing a relatively good job at exploring and promoting strength-oriented sports. Sulek doesn't have flashy edits in his videos like many short-form fitness influencers, he simply records gym vlogs that perfectly capture the mundane part of weightlifting.
Something else that hasn't been touched on, however, is that PED use is a lot more taboo when women use them versus men. It's a lot more socially acceptable to see a very muscular and roided out man versus a very muscular and roided out woman.
Yup, completely true. It's easy to get into a bubble and think other people think like us. Then when I try to get my friends' opinions on muscular women I get a nice reminder that very few people actually share my likings lol.
Almost all of us are aware that PEDs are used by many female athletes to achieve their goals in sport. But while using social media I've seen a lot of muscular women who insist that they're natural.
I think we can forgive them if it happens once or twice during a random interview, like when Theresa Ivancik was confronted by Jesse James West and told him she was natural.
But what I sincerely don't understand is women who go out of their way to claim they're natural and even make videos about it. Why do they do that? There are much better ways to handle this subject. You can either stay silent about it but imply here and there that you're on something or you can admit openly that you are using PEDs. Sam Sulek is a good example of the first case and Larry Wheels of the second.
And guess what? Doing it this way doesn't set up unrealistic standards for the audience because the athlete/influencer doesn't claim to be natty.
Now, I know that not everyone has the liberty to admit this kind of thing. German bodybuilders, for example, are in a difficult spot with this since the government is quite strict about such things. But again, they don't have to lie. They can just not say anything about the topic.
Btw this question best applies to those women who show distinct signs of PEDs use - virilization, ruthless training regimens, large amount of progress in a short span of time, etc.