Having just looked through a bunch of pictures of late 19th to early 20th century strength athletes and wrestlers, this thought came to me again.
These guys have 3D delts, thick traps, MASSIVE arms and legs. Easily around 200lbs shredded, while being under 6’ tall. If some of these guys were on instagram today claiming natty, 100% everyone would laugh at them and call them out, with not a single person thinking they could be natural. They’re that big.
Nowadays, the talent pool in strength sports and bodybuilding is FAR bigger than it was in that time, due to the ubiquity of gyms and weight training. If a 100 times more people are doing it now than they were back then, of course we will see more (and crazier) genetic freaks appear. This is something that is often overlooked.
The science of training and nutrition has evolved massively.
Using just a bit of common sense, I would have to say this - as much as I don’t believe that Mike O’Hearn is natural (because he seems like a lying scumbag to me), I would think that it is entirely possible that another bodybuilder could exist today who is around his size. With no anabolic assistance.
The extremes of our genetics are far, far wider than many of us think. I might be wrong, but it seems clear as day to me.
I really need pictures to validate this claim.
Either that or alter my definition of “shredded.”
I have heard a number of non bodybuilders throw that word around when someone has a hint of an ab.
That guy who grew a 19-inch long pecker must’ve also been hard to believe for doctors. Or Robert Wadlow, who managed to grow several inches taller than the second tallest man. Can’t be possible.
I mean, there’s probably no amount of reasoning I could do to convince someone of the degree of variability in our genetic code, but knowing how huge it can be, I stand by my belief.
Give it 50 more years, and see a dude born with a natural test level of 1700, abnormally low levels of myostatin who grows into an absolute unit and hear everyone howling how he’s using stuff.
Keep in mind, the FFMI numbers look something like this:
Mike O’Hearn isn’t on this chart because most IFBB pros don’t have stats like he does. The difference is that no one ever accused IFBB pros of being natural.
Is it possible? Sure. In the same sense that me sprouting wings and flying is possible, but I don’t know of anything I could inject to let me grow wings… Red Bull maybe?
FWIW, I’d been called out for using steroids long before ever touching any. I’m saying NOW, as someone who is literally on steroids, that I doubt I could look like Mike O’Hearn without at least 10x my current dosage and additional compounds.
I don’t know dude, they don’t seem that big. Good shape, especially for the era but their size isn’t awe inspiring. Attainable without drugs for sure.
I really can’t believe this whole natty vs gear, fake natural call out thing is still going on. Is the lifting community ever going to be able to move past it?
Look, the pictures you posted are solid physiques, for sure. But comparing those to O’Hearn is bonkers. He’s SOOOO far beyond that. O’Hearn has weighed as much as 280, with relatively low bodyfat. He’s been shredded at 240ish.
I think it’s fair to say that a high percentage of dudes who look like the pictures you posted are, in fact, using steroids. Steroids would certainly help anyone attain that sort of physique. But ‘massive’ and ‘shredded’ aren’t really how I would describe them… and I certainly wouldn’t be calling that dude out, if he were around today, as a ‘fake natty’.
Maybe by middle aged obese people but not by anybody who knows anything about fitness.
You’re probably not wrong there but that would be such an anomaly. The thing about steroids is that they don’t make you ‘huge’ or ‘shredded’ on their own. Some guys are genetically gifted natruals akin to the ‘old school’ photos you posted. Then there are guys who respond amazingly to drugs. When you get somebody that drew the luck card and has both of these traits combined with a strong work ethic you may have your next pro card individual.
However, a good portion of people that partake in steroids, especially in moderate doses, never look anything close to any of the pictures you posted. For some reason the average joe thinks taking steroids will turn you into Dwayne Johnson in a couple weeks. It just doesnt work like that.
I can think of at least one log on this forum whose owner looks 100% definitively natural, and is blasting Tren, Test and dabbles with Deca on occasion.
The true number of folks on steroids is shocking… almost as shocking as the lack of results they’ve achieved with them.
