Wrestling and Performance Enhancing Drugs

[SuperKick36]

I put this specifically in the WWE thread because of the established issues in the past with the company, and the "drug testing" that they claim to use today.

I just want to get it off my chest that, for some reason, tons of wrestling fans (see the comments on the article "Wrestling Physics and the PED" by Kevin Kelly on the main page) seem to believe that alot of wrestlers use PEDs and "no one can get that big just by working out."

False.

You can get that big, you CAN be that jacked, you CAN BE THAT STRONG without steroids, testosterone, meth, whatever you want to call a performance enhancing drug. I know plent of people that are powerlifters, bodybuilders, and athletes that don't use anything like that. I, myself, before getting a desk job, was build like an animal.

THAT BEING SAID...

I am not denying that none of the WWE guys use PEDs. No way... as a matter of fact, with the road schedule, it's almost impossible to be that built year-round without them, because of the wear and tear on the body and lack of recovery time. Plus, I just don't buy into the fact that Batista was built like that. As he was on the road from when he first started, his body gradually changed... just look at it. The same goes for guys like John Cena. When Cena came back at the RR as the #30, you could tell a definate difference in his size from when he left. That DOES NOT MEAN that all of these guys who are built like a Greek God are using. I'm also not claiming that Cena or Batista use.

I honestly believe that there are some guys who are able to sustain a large size and musculature that others are not. I really cannot understand why people don't think the Rock can be built like that without using. Says who? Gradually, over time, he has become more and more built. Compare pictures of him when he first came into the WWE, to a few years later, and a few after that, and so on. Who says he didn't EARN that size?

Everyone compares these "roided up freaks" to guys like CM Punk, Dolph Ziggler, Brodus Clay, etc etc etc, and say that there's no way they can be built like that.

People say Ryback is on PEDs... and maybe he is. However, one thing that we constantly hear about him is how much he eats. RULE #1 about Bodybuilding and Strength Training is to maintain a PROPER DIET and consumption of enough calories and nutrients to recover. There used to be a website up of Ryan Reeves' "official webpage" and he had his workout listed. It was pretty freakin' intense. NOW... if he's on the road as much as he is, and doing as much physical work in the ring as he has been, working out intensely is much harder, because you cannot recover. It is far more taxing on the body.

With supplements today (not DRUGS, supplements), there is a much more healthy alternative to recovery. Hell, there are even testosterone supplements (yes, SUPPLEMENTS) that anyone can get their hands on; they don't unnaturally give you more "juice" or "mojo" but rather ENHANCE your body's ability to produce it's own

To be honest, I am not denying that guys in the WWE are using because I think many of them are, particularly some of the top guys who are on the road all the time... but with the same token, I hate that many wrestling fans assume that all the big guys are using PEDs, and much of the time they point out that "their build is way to muscular" when I'd put money on the fact that most of those fans are fat guys sitting at home or at work on a computer all day and never touched a dumbell in their life, or understand fitness at all.

So, I'd like to see some opinions on this; I didn't go into specific "sciencey" details, but maybe someone can substantiate the idea of the muscle-bound, roided up freak?

 

[dukes07]

I guess I am not really sure what you are getting at. You don't need Roids to be big and that is true. But there are plenty of other substances, some that are legal and some that are not: such as the antler stuff, which I believe is legal.

But many wrestlers retain their huge physiques into their 50s. I cannot believe that Steiner or Hogan or HHH or the Rock is au naturale. Cena was said to be really skinny in high school. Quad tears and knee injuries are common with PED usage.

Football players clearly use them. That is partially why the game has become more violent. If you ban them then there will be less injuries. But wrestlers have to maintain that physique or they could lose their spot and/or job. Then there are the painkillers and this can lead to a vicious cycle.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I moved this thread specifically to the General Wrestling Discussion section because, despite the propaganda, performance enhancing drugs has been a problem in ALL of wrestling, not just WWE. As far as I'm aware, WWE is the only wrestling promotion that has a Wellness Policy and tests its wrestlers.

Also the "drug testing" WWE does use is legitimate. As a publicly traded company, it's not as if WWE can say that they have a Wellness Policy if they truly don't. Such knowledge can affect whether or not someone wishes to purchase or sell stock in the company, so fudging around with information like that is a violation of numerous laws. I can't say for certain that there are wrestlers in WWE who are or aren't using. Until someone shows me proof they are, it's just people shooting their mouths off. Several big WWE stars have failed drug tests in the past, most recently Randy Orton, so all the various ideas of WWE trying to protect top stars in the company or having a different set of rules for the top guys doesn't hold any water.

Despite popular belief, you can't simply look at someone and tell if they're using steroids or not. Aside from a proper diet & exercise program, there's one fundamental that's especially important in bodybuilding: genetics. Simply put, no matter how much some people might exercise or push themselves, some people just aren't genetically predisposed to being muscular freaks like Ryback in WWE or Rob Terry in TNA.

All that being said, there's still a lot of controversy surrounding many of these supplements since many experts claim that many of them are simply steroids repackaged and marketed differently. I don't know all that much about it and, frankly, I don't really care. In some ways, in my opinion, the whole steroid thing has been blown far out of proportion. Lance Armstrong juiced up during his career and he's being crucified for it as if he went on a shooting rampage. As far as WWE testing for steroids, I understand why they're doing it. Sure it's to watch out for the safety of their wrestlers but it's also to cover their own ass. Following the Chris Benoit debacle, members of Congress were considering stepping in, launching full scale investigations and even regulating WWE. Basically, Congress put the fear of God into Vince.

 

[dukes07]

I moved this thread specifically to the General Wrestling Discussion section because, despite the propaganda, performance enhancing drugs has been a problem in ALL of wrestling, not just WWE. As far as I'm aware, WWE is the only wrestling promotion that has a Wellness Policy and tests its wrestlers.

Also the "drug testing" WWE does use is legitimate. As a publicly traded company, it's not as if WWE can say that they have a Wellness Policy if they truly don't. Such knowledge can affect whether or not someone wishes to purchase or sell stock in the company, so fudging around with information like that is a violation of numerous laws. I can't say for certain that there are wrestlers in WWE who are or aren't using. Until someone shows me proof they are, it's just people shooting their mouths off. Several big WWE stars have failed drug tests in the past, most recently Randy Orton, so all the various ideas of WWE trying to protect top stars in the company or having a different set of rules for the top guys doesn't hold any water.

Despite popular belief, you can't simply look at someone and tell if they're using steroids or not. Aside from a proper diet & exercise program, there's one fundamental that's especially important in bodybuilding: genetics. Simply put, no matter how much some people might exercise or push themselves, some people just aren't genetically predisposed to being muscular freaks like Ryback in WWE or Rob Terry in TNA.

All that being said, there's still a lot of controversy surrounding many of these supplements since many experts claim that many of them are simply steroids repackaged and marketed differently. I don't know all that much about it and, frankly, I don't really care. In some ways, in my opinion, the whole steroid thing has been blown far out of proportion. Lance Armstrong juiced up during his career and he's being crucified for it as if he went on a shooting rampage. As far as WWE testing for steroids, I understand why they're doing it. Sure it's to watch out for the safety of their wrestlers but it's also to cover their own ass. Following the Chris Benoit debacle, members of Congress were considering stepping in, launching full scale investigations and even regulating WWE. Basically, Congress put the fear of God into Vince.

Also, the dangers of Steroids are not fully accounted for. Many believe that they are safe and that propaganda stifled that newer types of HGH are perfectly fine. Bigger, Faster, Stronger did a good job on studying it but then the guy died, the brother, who wanted to be a wrestler. So it seems to be ambiguous to me. If anything they need to be studied.

WCW had little to no testing policy. TNA as far as I know has none. WWE at least makes an attempt to regulate. Does it fully work, no, but then again at least they are trying. After all no system is full proof.

 

[harrythem]

I'd say, judging from the attitude era (and beyond) visible back acne was a way to tell who was "enhancing" their physique with legal (or otherwise) substances...Snitsky's, for example, was terrible and I would say that entirely "his fault" (boom boom).

There is no way to tell who is or isn't using stuff to enhance their bodies in wrestling since WWE's policy is in house and, in my opinion, isn't fully inclusive on who it tests (I don't see Vince/Rock and the like being subject to tests) but it has done a great job of dealing with the steroid/supplement issues that present/past talent have. It's resulted in a load of older guys looking like deflating bouncy castles, but if that helps them live longer, then top draw.

Coincidentally, for all the bad they do, have you notice how the wrestling audience swells massively when juiced up supermen are THE guys and then shrinks when the smaller guys are on top...goes to show that the freak show aspect is alive and well!