Michael Ashley is a legend of natural bodybuilding. He has never, in his own words, taken anabolic steroids and was a staunch opponent of their use. After winning the world champion title, he left his professional bodybuilding career, realizing that competing with the new generation of steroid “mutants” was pointless. Below are excerpts from an interview with Michael Ashley, in which the athlete compares two eras: before and after steroids.
Main thoughts:
Michael Ashley’s statements about natural bodybuilding and steroids
About nutrition
“Being a natural bodybuilder was really tough when preparing for a competition (referring to the Arnold Classic in 1990). Following a diet and maintaining muscle mass is significantly harder.
On the eve of the competition, we became aggressive, as what we were doing was unnatural for the human body.
I came to the competition with a 3% body fat level. Today we know that this is an absolutely unrealistic figure. The norm is 6-10% for men. What I did was significantly below the norm. And believe me, for a natural athlete, it was really much harder.
I remember that I consumed an incredible amount of calories – about 5000 calories a day. That was a lot of food. I had to consume medium-chain triglycerides (from palm and coconut oils) just to meet my daily caloric needs when eating was already impossible. But I was absolutely happy that I was going the honest way.”
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“Following a diet and maintaining muscle mass is significantly more challenging when you are a natural bodybuilder“
About Training
“As for training, during my preparation for the Arnold Classic in 1990, there was nothing supernatural. I used a method called periodization. At that time, many athletes didn’t even know about it. I was fortunate to adopt it. Back then, I noticed how weightlifters trained, and it seemed to me that there was something to it.
The way bodybuilders trained was more instinct-based; there were no rules, they did what felt right. The same, by the way, happens even now among many professionals and amateurs.
During my training, I alternated cycles of strength training and hypertrophy. This allowed me to achieve a form that would have been impossible if I had used just one approach: first, you train muscle strength, then you work on their volume, which allows you to increase weights and, accordingly, muscle size.
Thus, my approach to training was that of a weightlifter who came into bodybuilding and used different cycles. I think this is what allowed me to achieve excellent shape and not be afraid to consume a significant amount of calories. Because at that time, most bodybuilders were too concerned about nutrition and were simply afraid to eat a lot.”
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To prepare for competitions, Michael Ashley used the weightlifters’ method called periodization: “first, you train muscle strength, then you work on their volume”
About Anabolic Steroids
“Have I ever been tempted to try steroids? Never.
It was simply exciting to compete without them, and I chose this path simply because I didn’t want to take risks.
From a certain perspective, there were few advantages to this. But because of my position to be natural, I was invited to various events and surrounded by a positive aura.
Today, there are still those who prefer the clean path, adherents of naturality (those who do not use steroids), but there were more of them before.
Today, there are practically no one who strongly objects to the use of steroids in bodybuilding. My personal position is that I never judge anyone for it. Every athlete who appears on a professional stage, regardless of what substances they use, has worked hard in the gym and deserves admiration for that. But while some push themselves, I do not. That is the difference.”
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About high-calorie diets
“Throughout history, there have always been bodybuilders who managed to achieve amazing results in their bodies without steroids and other substances. Although, as a rule, there were always those who doubted their naturalness.
Today, at 50, it is not a problem for me to achieve the same definition as the steroid guys. But I can confidently say that I will never reach their size. With my level of discipline and approach to nutrition, I can easily achieve the necessary shape.
What has made my persona widely discussed is that I was able not only to achieve excellent shape but also to maintain it. When I told colleagues that I eat 5000 calories a day (which was incredible for athletes with my parameters), they simply refused to do the same.
Today, everything has changed, and high-calorie diets have become popular. I was a pioneer in using a high-calorie diet. Today we know that it helps maintain muscle mass. This cannot be achieved with a caloric intake of 1800-2500 calories.”
“Throughout history, there have always been bodybuilders who managed to achieve amazing results in their bodies without steroids and other substances… I was a pioneer in using a high-calorie diet.”
“How I came to 5000 kcal. Once, when scientists studied me at the University of Arizona (the essence and conditions of the experiment are described in the material Michael Ashley: body drying program in natural bodybuilding on a super high-calorie diet), they estimated my resting metabolic rate at 60-70% of the total number of calories I consumed. This was about 2000 kcal. Then the professor said: “try to increase to 4000 kcal.” I did that. After a while, the researchers assessed the fat content by underwater weighing and found that I was able to maintain muscle mass and keep my fat levels normal, and they concluded that I should try to increase my caloric intake even more.”
“At that time, among my acquaintances was John Parillo from Ohio, he was a big fan of medium-chain triglycerides. We discussed with the professor the possibility of using them to increase the caloric intake to the recommended level. These are medium-chain fats and they have an effect similar to that of carbohydrates.”
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“On top of that, I trained significantly harder than most guys in the gym. I squatted 315 kg. I remember once in the 80s I participated in bodybuilding competitions, and two weeks later – in powerlifting. At that time, many said that if you went into bodybuilding, you didn’t have to be a weightlifter at all. Today there are really strong bodybuilders, like Chris Cormier.”
Why I left professional bodybuilding
“Why did I leave professional bodybuilding? There were two reasons for this. The first – I had to be realistic. I chose the path without anabolic steroids.
For me, bodybuilding was, on one hand, a hobby, and on the other – when I started participating in professional competitions – it became a source of income. Therefore, when I saw that testing for banned substances at professional shows was canceled, I had to be realistic, as money was only paid to those who made it to the top 5.
Some athletes manage to earn from contracts with well-known brands, I also had one with Weider, but it wasn’t enough. Additionally, I had a shoulder injury at that time. I still love this sport, I consider it one of the best, but when it comes to professional competitions – you have to be realistic.”
“Today bodybuilding belongs to mutants from comic books. I don’t judge them, but they are indeed huge. And it seems to me that society as a whole dictates its requirements to various spheres, including bodybuilding, and says: the bigger and more muscular you are, the better, rewarding with more applause and ovations.
It doesn’t matter how great an athlete you are, what matters is size. And since people pay money to see guys of incredible size, it encourages them to continue doing what they do and to seek methods to surpass others and receive more enthusiastic applause.
Honestly, it was much more interesting to compete before, now it’s just a different generation of bodybuilders.”
“Honestly, it was much more interesting to compete back then; now it’s just a different generation of bodybuilders.”
About the difference in bodybuilding then and now
– But what exactly has changed now compared to then? Have modern bodybuilders evolved genetically, have training methods changed, nutrition, applicable substances?
“I wouldn’t say the issue is genetics. But today, guys of this sort are more inclined to experiment. Also, I think the support from science has improved.
Twenty years ago, and even earlier, we relied more on what we thought would work.
Today, there is a huge number of studies on which training and nutrition programs are based, and many pharmacological substances have been developed.
I don’t want to say that only bodybuilding has become more medication-oriented; this is happening in all sports in general. And just because bodybuilders look different from other people, we tend to think that the reason is pharmacology.”
I don’t want to say that only bodybuilding has become more medication-oriented; this is happening in all sports in general.
– From your point of view, what aspect is the most important in professional competitive bodybuilding?
“Self-presentation. I don’t think athletes today know how to present themselves as well as they did back then.
We used to pay more attention to self-presentation. Today, many guys on stage are really odd: often they just come on stage, spread their arms, raise them, and wait for the audience’s reaction instead of showing themselves, flexing their muscles to the music, eliciting enthusiastic cheers of approval from the spectators.”
