By Christian Duque
Countless competitors and mainstream clients are up in arms over the fact that they’re getting duped by UGL’s, by some shady “clinics” throughout the bodybuilding world, and even by their coaches. I plan on addressing each situation individually in this article.
While the problem has been getting worse since the summer, very few bodybuilding news sites would dare cover it. Everyone seems to love name-dropping compounds and speculating as to stacks and potential results, but very few want to address the 10,000lb elephant in the room. Why is the public outcry over fake gear becoming so loud, now?
Well I can answer that question quickly. We’re at the tail end of the season and many competitors are at the end of their road. They now have the luxury of looking back at what they accomplished in the 2022 competitive season. WIth hindsight being 20/20 they can look at their physiques from show to show and take into account many competitive athletes keep diaries. They don’t just log their calories or keep videos of their posing practices, but they talk about how the various compounds hit.
Many competitors are too in the game to see what’s going on during the season. If they’re not gaining size or if they’re not coming in ripped enough, they simply believe they need to work harder. The really committed athletes won’t question their plans. They won’t question their coaches. When a competitor is that involved it’s like their whole lives can pass them by and they haven’t the faintest clue. This is also why so many athletes break-up during prep. They just don’t have the time or interest to care. I know that sounds incredibly harsh, but if I’m lying, I’m dying.
Once the shows stop and the season is over, it’s right around this time in December. When there’s no improvement in the shots and when video paints an even clearer picture, then and only then, do athletes start to question. The main culprit isn’t hard work, it’s not diet, and it’s not training. The training logs show that everything was done according to plan. The same with the diet and the same with the OTC supps. And yes folks, OTC supps do a play role but of course nowhere near as important as PED’s, diuretics, and SARM’s. Most athletes know what does what and when – this is why there’s such an outcry. I’m getting the DM’s, texts, and emails, wanting me to publicly roast coaches, UGL’s and even “clinics.” Why do I put clinics in quotes? Because many of these clinics don’t exist. They’re websites with no physical address, let alone a doctor on staff. There are no medical professionals and A HUGE RED FLAG is anytime prescription drugs or therapies are sent without a blood panel conducted. Aside from it being illegal, it’s shady as fuck. Please don’t fall for the stamped labels and double-sealed vials, either. Any bozo with access to a computer and photoshop can replicate just about any label. In fact, they don’t even need photoshop, they can use GIMP and do it for free.
The fact is if there’s no clinic, there’s no labs, and if there’s no doctors, you are being played. You can’t expect results if what you’re getting is salad dressing and worst yet you could easily develop all sorts of unpleasant side effects. A bad stage look can be the least of your problems, but when it comes to competitors looking to nationally qualify, earn pro cards, and go beyond, placings are a huge priority. These folks don’t cut corners. They spend whatever needs to be spent to have access to the most powerful PED’s possible.
While not winning a bodybuilding show may not mean much to most people, it’s why countless competitors get out of bed in the morning. They know their time to get the card is running out. So many people know it only gets harder the longer they have to wait.
One strong tip I can give is a common sense one. Don’t go to clinics that are not on the up and up. No blood draw – red flag. No doctor – red flag. No history, real testimonials, or the ability to work with your own specific health issues and concerns – red flag. Picking the shady wannabe clinics from the real mccoy is actually pretty simple. A lot of folks who do business with shady sites should know better! Sorry if I’m not sympathetic, but it’s usually pretty obvious.
The same can be said for folks who order from UGL’s. Underground labs don’t hold themselves out as clinics. They also don’t do much to appear above board. Many times they will have silly disclaimers like “not for human consumption” or “for research purposes only.” Anyone who buys supplements – whether marketed as OTC or otherwise – that have the picture of a rat on them or any of these legally bunk disclaimers, should know better. They are telling you that what you’re ordering belongs in a chemistry set, but yet you’re going to put that in your body? Some will argue that that language is just code to protect the companies for legal issues and/or liability. It does not protect them from legal scrutiny and it also doesn’t give them any relief from liability. All it is silly language from silly people, but competitors should never ever go to these sites or outfits and use what they sell or make. This amounts to playing Russian roulette with your health and well-being.
The one group that does earn my sympathy and who my heart really does go out to are the folks duped by their coaches. While most coaches take pride in their work and have a great deal of respect for the bond that’s formed between coach and client there are others who only see dollar signs. They will line their pockets with the trust their clients put into them. They will sell them fake gear, stolen meal plans, and blame them for any bumps along the way. There are clients who are convinced they’re not trying hard enough, even though the real blame rests squarely on their coach’s shoulders.
Whereas with shady clinics and UGL’s, consumers should know better, what can you say about coaches? Also, what can you say when the coach knows his/her business when it comes to training, diet, and OTC supps? What if the coach also has vetted knowledge when it comes to past successes insofar as prepping their clients with PED’s? Then it’s really hard to tell if they say they dupe their clients for one prep or with one of many other compounds. When a competitor is dealing with a coach who dupes them here or there, without any consistency, then it’s anyone’s guess if and when the competitor catches on.
The fact is, if you’re having doubts, err on the side of YOUR health. Stop getting whatever you’re getting from your coach and go to a reputable clinic if at all possible. A good coach won’t get angry, but if they do, that might be the red flag you need to move on.
Coaches are paid for their expertise in training, diet, and supps. If they expect to be your connection for meals or if they feel entitled to send you to a specific gym to train or if they must be the one to sell you whey or others supps, then you need to make the break. Why? Because all income streams lead to them. That puts you, the client, in a really bad spot. All you are to the coach is money and sooner or later your best interests will be relegated to the backburner. Greed will eventually take over. But this will only be the case where coaches’ greed gives them away. In many cases, they go undetected for quite a while.
I’m sure many competitors will break with coaches in December and January. Some breaks will be justified and others may come down to baseless paranoia, but tis the season to change coaches – for some not all. It happens every year like clockwork.
To every competitor reading this all I have to say is BE CAREFUL, DO YOUR RESEARCH, AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON YOUR OWN WELL-BEING!
