natural potential

[xXthehulkXx]

i would like to earn my pro card one day, first of all. i'm running into a problem with everyone in my life telling me i should wait to reach natural limit before considering steroids. i got another show in june and if i don't like the gains or the way i look, compared to last show, i was going to use steroids. my friend says that my natural limit is probably 230lbs with no more than 15%bf. currently i'm 192lbs at 14%bf, 5'5'', and 24 years old. my question is what do you guys think a person with my height and good genes (according to most guys at gym) would be the peak potential?

[Lfs2shrt2bsml]

any pics bro

[xXthehulkXx]

i got some pics from the show i did in april, no recent ones. how do i post pics?

[Bossman]

That's pretty big for 5'5". I think 230 lbs at 5'5" would make you a supernatural freak! Even at 15%.

What weight did you compete at last? And yes, pics would help.

[xXthehulkXx]

i dropped 63lbs and weighed in at 167lbs. i believe that i lost alot of muscle in prep of this show. i was 230lbs 22%-25% before i started dieting for the show. and, i don't think anybody really knows when someone will reach their natural limits. it could possibly be in the 40's. if you go to md website you can look under contest, npc, ronnie coleman classic, i was in novice middleweight 6th place.

[FireGuy]

Thers is NOBODY who has ever reached their natural potential. You got some quality muscle on you and have obviously put in your time. Could have been a little leaner/tighter but you can say that to just about anyone on stage. Good luck on whatever decision you make.

[xXthehulkXx]

thanks fireguy. i think i messed up on the water and should have done more cardio. but, yea i don't think anyone will ever reach real natural potential.

[quarry206]

i think when it comes to the question when should u start taking juice, or when u have hit your limits.. a base line, very un-scientific formula could be used..

total goal= rate of growth a year (times) years till goal

if u feel u can match the rate of growth naturally then you don't need juice. if you can't match it, then you will.. but i think 230 at 15 percent body fat if you are 192 now is not hard to do naturally if you are using realistic goals of maybe 18months to 24months.. not if you want that a year from now then ya u need juice..

i am in your same boat, i do powerlifting not bodybuilding tho.. i am trying to push my body until i'm not gaining anymore before i juice. i look at it like this.. i'm 26 months shy of 27. by the time i'm 30 i'd like to have a raw total of 1650-1700 at 220lb. i feel without injury i can get there naturally, not easy, but can be done. but i think to ever hit 1800 i'd have to have extra help...

you know your body, and besides a medical doctor that ran lots of test on you. only u can know your limits. u have built an amazing natural body. so now u just need to look at your training, look at your goals, and look at your time frame.. and from all that u will be able to know what your limits are. i highly doubt somebody can tell you what your body can do.. tho i will say i feel ur goal is alittle low. 35-40pounds of muscle while carrying 15%BF is not too hard to do (as long as you are working hard, which by your pictures you do).

[xXthehulkXx]

thanks quarry you have put my dilema in a new prospective. i guess i should stick to my original plan and wait till 27-28 to start. like you said without injury i should reach my goal in 3-4 years too.

[Jakt]

your crazy, be happy, nothing against juice but keep at it, only 26 yrs old dude! you can't fake quality muscle..... by the time your 30 you'll be even better...
i think it all has to do with new lifting approaches, diet, and of course rest...
i know how tuff it is, i feel like that too at times and would like to be 185 shredded... but i don't know if i can reach that.... i'm 190 right now, but then i begin to wathc myself as i can still see my abs, any more weight then i feel fat..
you look great man, sick legs, def could have came in a lil tighter... good luck and keep us posted on next show... do you really want to be 200 lbs shredded at 5'5"??? one of my good friends was, (it looked retarted in a bad way)
but to each their own, good luck in what you decide brotha!

[Bossman]

You look very good for a natural competitor!

As a natural competitor you have to work harder at keeping your muscle while you prep as you have found out. The reason I started using AAS, at the age of 42, was because I was disgusted losing my mass while I dieted down for competition. I believe it was Chad Nichols who said in an article, natural competitors lose a lb of lean mass for every lb of fat lost during contest prep. Although there are many variables, you get the point.

[T_Own]

i think thats some pretty good cutting for someone not on steroids. i think its great you want to keep going naturally, but i think since you're getting out of your prime years (low-mid 20s) you also start to lose the ability to gain as well, and even to hold as much muscle when you cut. so it might be harder and harder to keep changing weight so drastically, and even harder to work back up naturally

[Deltasaurus]

How'd you drop the 63lbs thats a butt load of weight? u use anything besides diet and cardio?

[xXthehulkXx]

i personally would like to get as big as lee priest, with a fuller chest though. i also believe that as a natural i do lose alot of muscle when it's prep time, and will be harder as i get older to maintain during cutting and even harder to gain when bulking. and since my ambition is to go pro status i will eventualy use gear. as far as using anything to lose 63lbs, i only did cardio, diet, and hydroxycut (didn't feel that helped any). i will do a show in june and will post pics to show any improvement, if any. thanks again for all the compliments.

[Jakt]

i personally would like to get as big as lee priest, with a fuller chest though. i also believe that as a natural i do lose alot of muscle when it's prep time, and will be harder as i get older to maintain during cutting and even harder to gain when bulking. and since my ambition is to go pro status i will eventualy use gear. as far as using anything to lose 63lbs, i only did cardio, diet, and hydroxycut (didn't feel that helped any). i will do a show in june and will post pics to show any improvement, if any. thanks again for all the compliments.

sick, i hear ya on the loosing muscle when dieting, it sux!!!

[xXthehulkXx]

i'm not sure how much muscle i lost but if i had to guess that out of the 63lbs i lost maybe 13lbs of muscle, or more.

[Brown Ninja]

Congrats you look great. I think it's a great idea and shows a ton of maturity to come in here and ask for advice. The guys in here are amazing and truly have some excellent advice, I can't even begin to tell you how much they have helped me. Best of luck