Natural bodybuilding is described by Wikipedia as participation or practice within a bodybuilding competition without using any performance enhancing substances that have been banned. These include substances such as human growth hormone, anabolic steroids, and even exotic plant extracts.
So you want to start bodybuilding? Why would you want to do it naturally? First off, it is entirely possible to build a strong and stunning physique for yourself without the help of anabolic steroids. Regardless of what anyone else has to say, natural bodybuilding is the best way to go.
The Health Effects:
The number one reason why most people decide to start bodybuilding without drugs is simply because of the negative health effects.
The negative health effects that your body is subjected to when taking anabolic steroids is always going to depend on how long you take it and the dosage that you take. There is a strong possibility that the effects of anabolic steroids and other similar substances are not nearly as dangerous as the media portrays them to be.
There are actually a lot of people that actually do use these types of substances without experiencing any of the negative health effects. Personally, I choose not to use steroids simply because I don’t think that they are essential for bodybuilding.
Personal Accomplishment:
For many, myself included, bodybuilding naturally is all about personal accomplishment. I choose to bodybuild naturally simply because it fulfills my personal need to succeed. I want to be able to take my body to the max, without using any type of artificial substance that enhances strength.
I want to be able to take my muscles to the max knowing that I did it all naturally so at the end of the day I can feel true accomplishment. Taking an artificial substance will most likely make you stronger, but at the end of the day I will never know if it was my own personal willpower or the substance that made my muscles grow.
It takes true work ethic to get to somewhere that you want to be in life. If you cannot grow stronger while obtaining a beautiful physique without using artificial substances, at the end of the day you haven’t really accomplished anything inside. I live for the feeling that I get inside after I have lifted that heavy weight knowing that I got there naturally.
Anabolic Steroid Downsides:
In the event that you do decide to take this type of substance there are a few downsides that you should be aware of. Depression and mania are two mood disturbances that you can end up with as a result of taking steroids.
You will also be at risk for psychosis, in other words you just might lose your mind. Steroids also cause aggressiveness which can lead to insane acts that you would have never performed otherwise. You will also be at risk for increased liver disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Among these side affects you might also end up going bald, developing acne, bad breath, and aching joints. The list of negative side effects for steroids is virtually endless.
Conclusion:
After reading a few of the negatives associated with taking steroids you should have a good idea why I do not use them. Why would anyone want to put their body at risk for all of these horrible conditions when there is absolutely no need to in the first place? As with anything else in life there is never an “easy” button.
If you want something bad enough, you need to work hard for it. Bodybuilding is no different than anything else in life. If you want strong muscles and a beautiful physique, then you need to work for it. The sense of accomplishment that you will obtain along the way is worth more than you could ever believe.