Natural Bodybuilding: Muscle building without dopingNatural Bodybuilding is muscle building in the most original sense – completely without anabolic steroids and other doping preparations. A bodybuilder takes a look behind the scenes for us.
Natural bodybuilding emerged as a countermovement to conventional bodybuilding. A return to what the body is naturally capable of doing.
Natural Bodybuilding does not do without weights, aids are allowed – muscle mass is desired after all. However, all performance-enhancing substances are taboo.
What is Natural Bodybuilding?
From the perspective of bodybuilder and personal trainer Simone Bohrmann: "For me, 'Natural Bodybuilding' follows a holistic approach. It's not simply about training to build muscle, perform or look good.
The goal is to move and shape one's body in a healthy and natural way – as a preventive measure, as a balance to everyday life and, for me one of the most important points, for mental fitness."
The sport puts Simone in a kind of meditative state every time she does it.
"Others sit down and meditate, I like to exercise in the morning. Bodybuilding helps me to deal better with problems in everyday life, to be more focused and resilient – both physically and mentally."
The prerequisite for this is, of course, a balanced and healthy diet.
Recognizing the natural limits of the body
Before discovering natural bodybuilding for herself, Simone was overweight, trapped in an environment that was not good for her and had a job that did not fulfill her.
"Training has shown me my true life," explains the Saarland native.
Today, Simone knows what she wants in life, what her goals are and where her limits lie.
On the one hand, quite clearly on the subject of doping – as the state representative of the German Natural Bodybuilding& Fitness Federation e.V. (GNFB), she clearly speaks out against steroid and hormone preparations that are supposed to stimulate muscle building and make it more efficient. Visually, of course, Simone has an ideal image of herself. Want to be better today than yesterday. But there is nothing like role models to spur the athlete on. It stays completely with itself and accepts the natural performance limits of its body.
Doping in bodybuilding: dangers and side effects
Due to genetic predispositions, there are limits to muscle growth that every athlete sooner or later encounters. This is where it ends – even with the most intense training. Perfectly balanced nutrition – the growth of muscle mass.
But some bodybuilders don't want to settle for that and then turn to aids to continue building muscle mass.
To get closer to their training goals, they resort to the chemical club:
– testosterone – anabolic steroids – growth hormones – pro-hormones – stimulants – dehydrators
Steroid and hormone preparations in particular mean drastic interventions in the balance of the body chemistry and sometimes bring severe side effects with them.
Cancers, heart attacks and psychological problems are very likely to occur if high doses of externally ingested testosterone are ingested. According to scientific studies, competition bodybuilders who use anabolic steroids have a four to five times higher risk of dying young than the normal population.
Healthy attitude to life through Natural Bodybuilding
Natural Bodybuilding has helped Simone to gain a healthy attitude towards herself and life.
"The social media world often features mirage images of athletes, which young people in particular chase without questioning them."This is exactly where the personal trainer comes in, clarifies and imparts background knowledge.
Aim to deal consciously with your body. "The optics is a nice side effect, but has no priority. Not every Natural Bodybuilder wants to go on stage after all." This is such a myth, says Simone, who hardly differs from "non-bodybuilders" in everyday life.
Simone Bohrmann describes her whole story and further background in her book "The Philosophy of a Natural Bodybuilder".
What is the German Natural Bodybuilding Federation?
The German Natural Bodybuilding& Fitness Federation e.V. (GNFB) consciously distinguishes itself from the conventional bodybuilding scene. At the GNFB, bodybuilders want to show that it can be done without anabolic steroids and extra testosterone.