Great genetics don’t mean shit when your in your 70’s. Every other top bodybuilder, had great genetics and when they went off steroids, whether they kept training or not, they all shrink, and look like any other old guy of a similar age.
What you think is great genetics is actually PED’s.
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I think you are right. It is likely just a generous HRT program with Test and HGH. The difference between that and natty is a lot bigger than people think, and that is my perspective as a 32 y/o. I think as a 74 y/o, having better hormones than a 18 y/o is a huge huge advantage.
Well RR is definitely not the size he used to be. Not even close.
And also he practically lives in the gym. He is still totally dedicated to the lifestyle.
I mean you will never know for sure if he is on PEDs or not though. But I will say this. If he was not taking anything and looks like that, giving the lifestyle he lives, I would believe it.
Equally believable would be that he is a lying sack of shit and hasn’t been truthful.
Believe it or not there are legit freaks out there and pro body builders, especially the hall of fame variety, well they tend to be the freaks.
Now if you wanna talk about RR and actual bullshit. You should talk about the crazy shit he posts on his IG and his anti sickle cell anemia supplement line. Now thats probably total bullshit.
What about this guy. Not a pro BB but avid weight lifter I saw this on YouTube years ago. This was back when he was 70. Looks just as good if not better than RR at 74 and I doubt this guy has ever touch a steroid.
True, he says he’s been off for gear since retiring, and that he takes no gear
Yes all the legends were genetic freaks, but none of them at the age of 70 are going to naturally be producing testosterone anything like they were in their 20’s. Even in their 20’s they were all taking steroids anyway, and used for 20-50 years. If you have been using for so long(even conservative cycles), your body’s natural ability to produce testosterone is going to be compromised to some extent, due to testicular atrophy. The best you can hope for is low normal for your age group, in comparison to what it might have been if you had never touched steroids.
Sonny looks great. Some flags to me are the fact that he started training in his 40’s. Its much easier to develop natural mass when you are in your teens or 20’s than in your 40’s when your natural testosterone is on the wane. Sarcopenia is certainly taking a toll by the time you are in your 70’s, even if you are a genetic freak.
Its amazing what a little exogenous testosterone, and or hgh can do for a man in that age bracket(70ish), they can physically function like a healthy 40 something, if their joints haven’t already been destroyed.
Why would someone in that age bracket not use available medical science to maximise or improve their condition, when it can be done safely? There are plenty of guys doing that and most still don’t look anywhere near as good as Robby or Sonny.
After seeing how the phenom, Little Hercules turned out after he stopped his training routines(chubby and not in the slightest like a genetically superior athlete). The media and the guys themselves mythologise, their ability. They actually believe their own bullshit. Without the drugs they still might have been good, better than the majority of other guys. They just wouldn’t have come anywhere near the size or freakiness that comes with gear.
There are just too many examples of people wanting to believe someone doesn’t take PED’s. I had many conversations with people about Lance Armstrong. He never tested positive but was able to beat everyone else including those that had tested positive.
I just said that it would be virtually impossible to do that, the more logical explanation was that they were taking PED’s too. We all know how that one turned out.
So I don’t care if he takes anything or not. I was more drawn to this conversation because my impression is that you believe that it is not feasible for someone to look like RR does today naturally under any circumstances. Which is such an extreme viewpoint to me.
Yeah but that kid is not RR. And it honestly in all the follow ups of the kid it was very clear he was not training after his father got locked up.
RR is 100% dedicated to the lifestyle. Its very clear he is in love with it just as much as when he was younger. So if a 70 + year old man dedicates 100 % of his life to BB and diet oh and he used be massive in his years past so he has a solid foundation. I think its believable. The risk of completely shutting down your HPA axis is significantly over exaggerated.
The human body can bounce back from such things.
For example. Women’s HPA gets shut down every month. Literally their ova produce estrogen which shuts down their gondatropin production until the negative feedback of the estrogen on the anterior pituitary becomes disinhibited and then their is the LH/FSH spike they ovulate and then gonadotropins continue to be suppressed but by progesterone rising this time. They don’t get pregnant menstruate and cycle starts again.
Obviously men are not women. I only use it as point to illustrate how amazingly resilient the body is. How capable it is of recovering on its own.
He could be taking other things that don’t necessarily raise his test though.
Fun conversation though. I am usually a bit optimistic about what the human body is capable of given the right amount dedication and will power.
Never worked out and didn’t know anything… 11 months later places well at first show.
Damn you genetics
Talking about Sonny?
Yeah what a great story.
Look at this guy Jim Arrington. 88 years old and still getting after it.
He has a lot loose skin and I know he is 88 but I honestly think he spent way too much time in the southern California sun and that probably did a number on him. He was way tighter at 80. Anyways 88, fit, good muscle size, cognitively all there. Proof that you don’t have to became a total invalid as you sail off into your twilight years.
The body is resilient, especially when young, but not so much in a 70 year old man. There are also plenty of guys that use for a long time, and even when still young end up with low T. They just don’t recover to pre use levels. Even when healthy and still relatively young it can take 2 years for you to stabilise at decent levels, especially when using highly suppressive drugs like Deca.
The Anabolic Doc(can’t think of his actual name), from his experience reckons older guys that are always on, or trt and go off won’t recover properly even with HCG therapy.
Old guys like Bill pearl, Vince Gironda, Reg Park went from looking good well into middle age, but end up wearing baggy sweat clothes when they can no longer look as good as they did.
None of them looked anything like RR at 74, despite still training. Vince probably never took gear, Reg probably did and Bill didn’t after he retired.
Watch some of Ric Draisins old interviews of BB greats. Most of them still train as hard and as often as they can. Many including Ric openly talked about their steroid use in their prime, and if they were doing TRT. Even those that did TRT, most didn’t look like RR. They still looked good for their age though. Most of the guys just look like any other old guy that was never a natural bodybuilding champ, let alone a steroid chomping champion.
Take a look at any of the UFC fighters that have been involved with testing postive or admitting steroid use eg Vitor Belfort. When he first started was a real specimen, both in performance and physique. When he was older, and admitted to doing TRT when it was allowed he didn’t look a patch on his younger self(still fought pretty well). When TRT was banned his fighting and physique dramatically deteriorated compared with his older self. He was still a professional athlete, trained hard but didn’t get anywhere near the same results, with his physique or his performance. He was only in his forties, not 74.
I stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago.
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Jim looks good for his age. He actually looks like how I envisage a healthy old guy that still trains. He probably isn’t on trt, but who knows maybe he is?
I agree, but there aren’t many 88 year olds in as good shape as Jim. He has great genes for an old guy.
Yeah I don’t think you give the human body enough credit. Even at 70 the body is capable of amazing things. You can still gain muscle mass with weight training at any age.
But fair enough. No point flogging a dead horse. You don’t think RR physique is possible naturally.
I think you give the aging human body too much credit.Naturally nothing improves after you’ve hit your genetic peak. The body by itself stops producing much hgh, testosterone steadily declines year after year, resulting in sacropenia. Wear and tear, on joints, organs. Recovery from injury/hard training is longer, and sometimes lingers for a very long time. Reduction of flexibility and range of motion.
Add some exogenous hormones, and hey presto old people are much more capable, and impressive.
Right you are, ken!
Yes Karen, I am right.
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You are a bit of a twat aren’t you? I was obviously trying to cheekily bow out the conversation.
Maybe work on that and while you are doing that also familiarise yourself with Most Extreme Elimination Challenge.
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Lol! You threw the first insult. Why are you surprised when I return the gesture?
I did enjoy your videos though, thanks.