# Straight Talk from Lee Labrada: Controversy - Does He or Doesn't He?



## Arnold (Sep 9, 2011)

*Straight Talk from Lee Labrada: Controversy - Does He or Doesn't He?*
_by Lee Labrada_ source







Recently, I shared some photos from my bodybuilding competition shape “comeback” on Facebook to inspire my fans. After physically being out of the bodybuilding limelight for over 15 years, I decided to get into the best condition I could, at the age of 51. Not for the posing podium, this time, but for the lens of physique photography greats Mike Neveux of Ironman magazine and Alex Ardenti of Muscle Mag/REPS magazines.

I posted a sneak preview (picture shown on the right) of what you’ll soon see in the pages of these magazines. My goal was to hit a personal best and being over 50, to see if I still measured up to my former competition shape from my 30’s. What I didn’t count on when I posted the pics was the controversial buzz it created on some bodybuilding forums.

All but a few of the comments on Facebook were positive. I want to thank all of my fans who rushed to my defense when certain disgruntled individuals made inferences about whether I am a “natural” bodybuilder or not. Here are some facts that I will share with you guys.

*1.)* I’ve never hidden the fact that back in my bodybuilding competition days I used anabolics; the irony is that they actually made me look more bloated. My competition weight then was 185-190 pounds. Today I weigh 175, so the question is, did they really help that much?

*2.)* In 1990, I passed an IOC drug test to compete in the IFBB Mr.Olympia. Incidentally, that also was the year that I beat then-Mr.Olympia Lee Haney in the pre-judging, the only man to ever do so since Haney’s first O win in 1984. I placed 2nd that year, narrowly missing winning the title. My bodyweight? 180 pounds.

*3.)* Currently, my testosterone levels are within normal physiological levels; I do not use GH, insulin, anti-estrogens or any other drugs. Just good nutrition, supplementation, and hard training. This is what you are seeing in my current photos– and to my few detractors, sorry, you’re just going to have to live with that. I say this in humility, but to the point: Sometimes it’s difficult for certain individuals to see someone throw a 100 mph fastball or run a 4.3s 40 yd sprint, and realize that no matter how many performance enhancing drugs they take, they’ll never measure up. I thank God for my great genetics, as I have been blessed.

*4.)* I am a big proponent of drug testing in bodybuilding, and am crusading to bring IOC testing back to the IFBB Professional ranks. It will be an uphill battle, but it will be good for our sport in the long run. It will create a more positive view of bodybuilding, and give more young men and women the motivation to compete.

*5.)* Lastly, I am always honest with people. You can count on me to provide accurate, truthful information along with sports nutrition products that can be trusted. My mission in life now is to help others get into the best shape they can, and to achieve good health.

I hope that clears everything up and we can get on with pumping iron and improving our bodies! As always, I am here to help those that come to me with genuine hearts and open minds. It is an honor to be your Lean Body Coach.


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## SwoleZilla (Sep 9, 2011)

interesting


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## Arnold (Sep 9, 2011)

superior genetics.


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## Imosted (Sep 9, 2011)

Sorry guys but i call bullshit!!! age of 51 and that physique?

Ps i guess we all know cutler is natural too.


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## inthetrenches (Sep 9, 2011)

hard to believe. but i have seen crazier things


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## smaj210 (Sep 9, 2011)

the only problem i have with this is that some of these guys say ban gear after they have used and competed, it feels as if they are trying to stop new/younger guys overreaching their potential


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## IronAddict (Sep 9, 2011)

Go for it!


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## Samay (Sep 10, 2011)

Prince said:


> *Straight Talk from Lee Labrada: Controversy - Does He or Doesn't He?*
> _by Lee Labrada_ source
> 
> 
> ...


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## mario_ps2 (Sep 10, 2011)

Imosted said:


> Sorry guys but i call bullshit!!! age of 51 and that physique?
> 
> Ps i guess we all know cutler is natural too.




Exactly!!! Bullshit..this guy is still on roids.. come on guys don't be that naive...

are you that fooled?


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## gearin up (Sep 10, 2011)

170 lbs. ? how tall is he?


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## ANIMALHAUS (Sep 11, 2011)

He is so fucking full of shit!  What a jerk off...


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## bdeljoose (Sep 11, 2011)

Liar


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## murf23 (Sep 11, 2011)

inthetrenches said:


> hard to believe. but i have seen crazier things


 
Really ???  This would prob be the craziest thing Ive ever seen ...Him not on any drugs lol please


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## chesty4 (Sep 11, 2011)

He did, he didn't....he does, he doesn't. Does it really matter? 

Frankly he's an adult, his his body and it's his choice so I don't care. He's still one of the best small guys ever. Labrada was always one of my favorites.


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## bigdtrain (Sep 11, 2011)

either he has better genetics than everyone alive and can look like that all natural or..... he is geared. what a sack of shit. obviously a shit ton more goes into it than gear. you dont just gear and look like that, tons and tons of sacrifice, dedication, and serious hard work, however chemical help was also involved for him to reach that physique.


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## bigdtrain (Sep 11, 2011)

this is what natural bbing looks like, got it guys


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## ANIMALHAUS (Sep 12, 2011)




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## KelJu (Sep 12, 2011)

I would wager my left nut that he is lying though his teeth.


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## Ahrnold (Sep 12, 2011)

he's 5'3?  5'5?


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## juggernaut (Sep 12, 2011)

I met Lee in person at a show. I towered over him. I'm 6'2". No joke-he's a short dude. Like _POSSIBLY _5'4", so he might _not _be lying. My buddy (Joe Franco) a natty IFPA competitor is on the short side and weighs in at 155/160-ish in the offseason (I think). 

Lee's probably one of the most symmetrical guys I've ever seen, aside from Shawn Ray-another lighter competitor.


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## .V. (Sep 12, 2011)

I was gonna ask the same question as a few others about his height.  THAT is a 170lb body?  He must be pretty short because I'm 6'0" and at 200lbs I'm way too  little.  Mrs.V. is 5'3" and at 150 she looks much better than I do...more muscular appearing on her frame too.

As to whether he uses anaboics?  I don't know, nor do I care.  I'd guess that a physique like that cannot be achieved naturally but hey if he can do it...more power to him and I applaud him.  If he's lying...oh well then I don't respect him because he lies.  But as to if he uses or not...It doesn't matter to me.  Duh...look what boards I frequent.


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## Joe Franco (Sep 12, 2011)

Why not beleive him?  
Is it for the fact he has a better physique then most?
I do know he is very intelligent and that is needed to make the gains natural or not at his age.

I dont know if he is clean or not, but genetics does play a huge roll. 
I have seen it first hand.


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## KelJu (Sep 12, 2011)

It isn't a jealousy thing. I have tremendous amounts of respect for anyone who can reach that level of bodybuilding perfection. However there are things the human body can do and things it can't, and I just do not believe the human body can develop that amount of mass and vascularity at that BF% at his age without little help.

In my opinion, roids do not change anything anyway. Natural lifters do not get more respect from me just because they choose to be natural. Actually, the opposite is usually true. It is the natural lifters that usually get on my nerves for being whinny bitches that complain about people who use steroids. 

Personally, I think Lee Labrada is using, and I don't understand why he says he isn't.


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## Arnold (Sep 12, 2011)

KelJu said:


> Personally, I think Lee Labrada is using, and I don't understand why he says he isn't.



maybe, but seriously you don't understand why he would lie about it? he is not a pro bodybuilder anymore he is a businessman and the head of his own company Labrada Nutrition, it probably would not look to good for his business if he said he was using AAS at this point.


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## CG (Sep 12, 2011)

Prince said:


> maybe, but seriously you don't understand why he would lie about it? he is not a pro bodybuilder anymore he is a businessman and the head of his own company Labrada Nutrition, it probably would not look to good for his business if he said he was using AAS at this point.



However, I credit him for not soap boxing this shit with the "blah blah labrada nutrition, blah blah all natural" bullshit. There is something to be said for someone in that good of shape owning a nutrition company, whether they use their physique to outright pimp their products or not.

Sent from my SPH-M900 using Tapatalk


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## KelJu (Sep 12, 2011)

Prince said:


> maybe, but seriously you don't understand why he would lie about it? he is not a pro bodybuilder anymore he is a businessman and the head of his own company Labrada Nutrition, it probably would not look to good for his business if he said he was using AAS at this point.



You are probably right, and that all makes sense when you put it like that.


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## Arnold (Sep 12, 2011)

I met him and saw him guest pose in the early 90's, he is a small guy, maybe 5' 4" and when he was in street clothes it did not even look like he worked out, on stage it was a total illusion as he looked huge.


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## independent (Sep 12, 2011)

Prince said:


> maybe, but seriously you don't understand why he would lie about it? he is not a pro bodybuilder anymore he is a businessman and the head of his own company Labrada Nutrition, it probably would not look to good for his business if he said he was using AAS at this point.



This^^^

The guy looks freaking amazing though. One of the greats in bbing.


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## juggernaut (Sep 12, 2011)

Prince said it perfectly. Why lie? He'd surely lose a thriving fanbase of a LOT of customers as well as put a possible hole in profits because of his stupid little lie. That's why I'm kind of leaning on the side that he doesnt use.
Joe also said it right' genes-it's all about superior genes.


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## independent (Sep 12, 2011)

juggernaut said:


> Prince said it perfectly. Why lie? He'd surely lose a thriving fanbase of a LOT of customers as well as put a possible hole in profits because of his stupid little lie. That's why I'm kind of leaning on the side that he doesnt use.
> Joe also said it right' genes-it's all about superior genes.



I think you misunderstood Prince.


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## Ironman2001 (Sep 12, 2011)

Lee is one of my all time favorites and in the same realm as lee priest as far as height is concerned. However, great genes or not, he is not natural! I understand why he say's he's natural from a business standpoint. We all know that Jay Cutler didn't get his physique using strictly muscletech products! However, Your average skinny im getting sand kicked in my face newb actually believe that if you use these products they will get similar results! That would be a huge monetary loss for labrada nutrition if this portion of his sales were taken away!


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## bigbenj (Sep 12, 2011)

probably stopped a huge cycle 3 weeks before the shoot.....


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## bigbenj (Sep 12, 2011)

I think Ill claim natty status after every cycle....


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## Arnold (Sep 12, 2011)

I think its highly possible Lee is on TRT and does not want to admit it, but other than that he is not that big, its an illusion.


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## Halo (Sep 12, 2011)

He's full of shit and with the whole "I'm a proponent of testing" seriously with that shit it's an I got mine fuck the new guys.  I respect his hard work and how he looks but this line of bullshit is just like anyone else trying to make some more money it's still bullshit.


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## Joe Franco (Sep 13, 2011)

Couple things.

Why does you care if he uses or not? 

He most likely peaked for these photo's to look his best. 
And when someone can, they can look 10 x better when they are lean enough and now their body.  Something Lee is was and does. 

I know that most non users who are top are pro's get blamed most of the time.


Here I am peaked, and I looked about 15 pounds heavier. And I am and never would compare to Lee or anyone else.  Just driving a point that for a short period of time you can look much different.


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## BP2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

Yeah but look at his legs compared to your natural legs.  You can tell he uses.  We all understand why he say's he doesn't because he owns a nutrition company. We all know the pro's it's 90% drug's that make them look big.  

At the minimum he is on a high dose of TRT.  Cause at 51 no way your packing on any muscle like that.  I'm sure he uses other drug's that are not "anabolic's" that make him look like that as well.  But his nutrition company sure as hell don't sell them.  That is the biggest lie in the bb industry.  The supplement companies trying to sell you shit with a pic of huge dudes on roids.


They should have a disclaimer at the bottom:

Result's may vary.  The pictures shown here are not the result's from actual product shown.  Hell, the guy in that pic never took them to look like that! But we won't tell you that.  Why, we want to make some money!  That mofo in the pic is on dbol, test, deca, and some other shit.  peace


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## BP2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

bigdtrain said:


> this is what natural bbing looks like, got it guys



Yessir.  You don't have vein's popping out everywhere natural brotha.  Look at the WFBB world's that was last month.  NONE of those guy's was that vascular and there were 100's of natural competitor's there.  At they were at 4-5% bodyfat.


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## BP2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

There should be a ban list of drug's at the pro level though.  Take out insulin and GH to start.  I mean look how much it helped PHil to beat Jay.  Just a few short year's Phil blew up on abusing slin.  Is that real muscle?  Not having a ban list promotes ABUSE of drug's.  There is a difference in keeping test levels a little elevated and abusing test by taking 4 gram's a week.  *We should be concerned for the Athletes health.  *


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## IronAddict (Sep 19, 2011)

bigdtrain said:


> this is what natural bbing looks like, got it guys



I'll even call BS on that one. Everyone knows these photo guys take Var or T bol before shoots, and just maintain till the next shoot.


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## Thunder46 (Sep 19, 2011)

On or not for 51 he looks great


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## IronAddict (Sep 19, 2011)

Thunder46 said:


> On or not for 51 he looks great



Absolutely, whatever he's doing at 51, besides pushing the shit out of those weights is working.


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## myCATpowerlifts (Sep 19, 2011)

Do I care if he's on or not? NO.
Does he look crazy shredded? YES.

Do I think he uses gear? OF COURSE STUPID.


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## IronAddict (Sep 19, 2011)

myCATpowerlifts said:


> Do I care if he's on or not? NO.
> Does he look crazy shredded? YES.
> 
> Do I think he uses gear? OF COURSE STUPID.





Hell yea, I aspire to look like this at 51.

even 60.


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## independent (Sep 19, 2011)

BP2000 said:


> There should be a ban list of drug's at the pro level though.  Take out insulin and GH to start.  I mean look how much it helped PHil to beat Jay.  Just a few short year's Phil blew up on abusing slin.  Is that real muscle?  Not having a ban list promotes ABUSE of drug's.  There is a difference in keeping test levels a little elevated and abusing test by taking 4 gram's a week.  *We should be concerned for the Athletes health.  *



The pro's arent athletes, not even close.


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## Cork (Sep 20, 2011)

I'm a natural competitor as well, so I don't know much about drug use... but doesn't muscle memory play a role here?  Whether he gained his lbs naturally or not, if he tries to get it back at a later age, it should be possible with peak nutrition and genetics.  Obviously the greats in the IFBB are genetically gifted, so you know he has that in his corner.  And I'm sure his nutrition is spot on.  

I agree his vascularity is sick, but if he gained it back during his geared days, why would he not still have it?  And hell, look at Levrone as another example.  Sure he is a bit younger, but I bet his hormones are just as F'd as Lee's at this point.  He has had a pretty good natural comeback in the last year or so, I forget when he actually started the Levrone Report.


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## BP2000 (Sep 20, 2011)

bro u can't build muscle like that at 50.  *Especially* if you have used steriods in your younger year's.  Your natty level's would be in the dump's.  He most likely is on TRT but doesn't say it.  So it's not straight talk. 

Straight talk would be him saying " I'm on a dose of test but not as high as I used when competing. This combined with hard work and proper nutrition got me back in good shape."

I don't care if he's on TRT.  Hell when I turn 50 I'll be on it too.


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## mike3g2000 (Sep 21, 2011)

I'm ordering all labrada products right now, who needs gear lmao


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## Calves of Steel (Oct 1, 2011)

Guy's on loads of gear, evident by ridiculous mass, conditioning, and vascularity, and the fact that he's 50 and used to use should be the nail in the coffin on that debate. 

My beef with this is that I love bodybuilding for the fact that it's the most hard core balls to the wall sacrifice oriented sport there is. If a guy wants to hit a goal so badly that he would put his body through absolute hell and put his life on the line this is the game he can do it in, and I absolutely love bodybuilding for that. FUCK everyone who's trying to take the freedom out of it. And if you've got good genetics you have even less of an excuse to judge how much shit everyone else is using. Nuff said!


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