The Natural Athlete
Filed Under Natural Athlete |
My name is Scott “Old Navy” Hults. I am a retired US Navy Captain. I am also a natural pro athlete in a sport that, for the most part, is not natural.
I am a professional bodybuilder.
Bodybuilding, like major league baseball and several other pro sports, is going through the painful process of self-examination to determine how steroid use has affected an athlete’s performance. It’s not a pretty picture.
The major amateur bodybuilding organization, the National Physique Committee, NPC, does not condone the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, but neither does it test its athletes who are preparing to compete in NPC competitions.
The professional organization that accepts NPC athletes who have won their pro status at regional and national amateur competitions is the IFBB, International Federation of Bodybuilders. The IFBB runs the Arnold Classic and The Olympia Championships every year, featuring huge steroid-using athletes, to the delight of audiences that marvel at the size and amount of muscle these big men and women bring to the stage. The description, “freak,” is a badge of honor to these warriors.
The good news:
There is a quiet revolution going on in the world of bodybuilding, called Natural Federations.
During the past twenty years, several drug-free bodybuilding organizations have sprung up that offer tested competitions, which allow men and women bodybuilders and fitness competitors and women figure competitors to compete on a level playing field against like-minded drug-free athletes.
One of the leading organizations in this field is the World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO), which runs competitions in the United States, Canada, the UK, and other counties around the world. The shows, called FAME events, test their athletes before each competition and also give random drug tests to their athletes in the off season.
I am a “Proud FAME Athlete,” which is lettered on my FAME T-shirt. I have competed in seven FAME competitions and am the 2006 FAME Grand Master World Champion. After turning pro in this organization, I entered my first FAME pro show last November in Miami, Florida and am the 2007 FAME North American Grand Master Pro Champion. My next FAME event is the 2008 FAME World Championships in Toronto on June 14, where I will compete in the Grand Master Pro Class.
My goal here is to share my training and diet secrets as I train as a Natural Athlete for my upcoming competitions. I welcome your comments and suggestions.
I guess I should tell you one more thing: I will be 65 years-old in three months.
Scott “Old Navy” Hults
Comments
4 Comments so far
Bodybuilding, like major league baseball and several other pro sports, is going through the painful process of self-examination to determine how steroid use has affected an athlete’s performance. It’s not a pretty picture.
Hi Scott
I got to know that you are a professional bodybuilder and retired US Navy Captain, I’m proud to read your reviews on natural body building and thanks for sharing your good news.
Hi Scott - I’m new to body building for competition. However, I have been in the fitness field for over 16 years. I was really concernced whether I would be able to find “clean” competitions. thank you for your info - by the way I’m 52, any suggestions for female (grand)masters?
Thank you for your comments. I am going to respond in the order they were received:
Bodybuilding, like major league baseball and several other pro sports, is going through the painful process of self-examination to determine how steroid use has affected an athlete’s performance. It’s not a pretty picture.
No, it’s not a pretty picture. The good news is that there are several drug-free organizations in place that test their competitors prior to a competition. The testing is done by polygraph and urinalyses, looking for steroids use mainly. The major drug free bodybuilding, figure and fitness organizations include the World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO), the National Gym Association (NGA), International Natural Bodybuilding Federation (INBF) and Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders (OCB). All of these organizations offer contests around the US and some, like the WNSO run contests in Canada and Europe.
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Hi Scott
I got to know that you are a professional bodybuilder and retired US Navy Captain, I’m proud to read your reviews on natural body building and thanks for sharing your good news.
Thank you for you kind words. I hope to have some more good news when I compete in the 2008 FAME World Championships in Toronto on June 14. I am entered in the Grand Master Pro (55+ age class) in my 27th contest.
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Hi Scott - I’m new to body building for competition. However, I have been in the fitness field for over 16 years. I was really concernced whether I would be able to find “clean” competitions. thank you for your info - by the way I’m 52, any suggestions for female (grand)masters?
Congratulations on your goal to step up and compete. You will have the time of your life. I promise. Please read my post above. There are lots of drug free shows in the US. Tell me where you live and when you want to compete and I’ll find a show for you. As a famale grand master, I am inviting you to compete in the 2008 FAME World Championships in Toronto on June 14th. I am Vice President of Senior Athletics for FAME and I can offer you the opportunity to compete in this show. If you are interested, let me know:
oldnavycapt@aol.com And, visit my website: www.BodyBuildingSenior.com and look for a story I wrote that’s posted there called, “Training for Your First Bodybuilding Competition as Any Age.” It should be helpful to you.
Regards, All
Scott “Old Navy”