Maybe they trained harder and smarter, knew more about nutrition, had better genetics, or have been bodybuilding longer. Find out what they did better than you and beat them next time. Because of differences in genetic potential, natural hormonal levels, training methods, nutritional habits, and others, natural bodybuilders grow at different rates. It is quite believable that the physique that took you ten years to build could get demolished on stage by someone who has just been training for two. 6. The benefits of steroids and other drugs do not last forever.
Most natural contests require competitors to be drug free for at least one year.
Most experts believe the benefits of the drugs have disappeared by the end of that time. Instead of criticizing those who have once used drugs, applaud them for their efforts to compete without them. Lifelong natural bodybuilders actually have a mental advantage because of not knowing how much easier it is to get in contest shape with drugs. Most successful bodybuilders who try to go drug-free have a hard time dealing with the fact that they will be weaker, have to diet more strictly and for a longer period of time, will not get as ripped, and will have smaller muscle size. Many do not even get off the starting block.