# Could you achieve this without steroids ?



## The-Big-One (Apr 11, 2010)

I want to become a no8 for my rugby team and hopefully become semi pro. So i googled "best rugby no8" and this came up on wiki. His name is pierre spies.

Spies power cleans 135kg. He dead lifts 240kg. He bench presses 165kg. Only mildly impressed? Wait, here are some more. He is able to do pull-ups with a 50kg weight between his legs. He can launch his 108kg body 1.4m onto a raised platform, sprints for 835m before slowing on a repeated sprint-ability test and has a body-fat percentage of 6.5.

Could you really achieve this without steroids, if so what did he use thats legal in rugby?


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

i think its possible without


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## CoffeeFiend (Aug 31, 2010)

Any pics of him mate?


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## The-Big-One (Apr 11, 2010)




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## Guest (Jan 9, 2011)

I googled him..for sure he is gifted genetically, I think it can be achieved without steroids but will take a long, long time!


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## Medermit (Oct 14, 2010)

*sceptical*


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## CoffeeFiend (Aug 31, 2010)

The-Big-One said:


>


Looks very strong and powerful but also hes pretty lean, you said approx 6% bodyfat thats probally how he can do all that running and jumping he has a nice balance of speed/agility/dexterity etc but also with raw power. I reckon he could get this without steroids like Bizzle said just a lot of work and good diet etc.


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## Ninja (Apr 28, 2010)

Well i can bench 160kgx1, deadlift 220x3 at 95kg and i'm natty so i think it's really possible to do. Just dedication and knowledge of what yr doing.

Ninja


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## Nidge (Jan 22, 2007)

I'd say so with a good diet and loads of rest you'll get close to where he is.

Swerving off the subject a little, there's a black guy who I know and he's never lifted a weight in his life. When he strips off he's shredded with decent sized biceps.


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## CJ (Apr 24, 2006)

He's a beast as are all No8's who play at the highest level, and Spies certainly does for South Africa.

Size / strength alone wont get you to Semi pro level, It will obv help in some positions.

No8 is one of the key positions on the field are usually large mobile players with a very good rugby brain.

Zinzann brooke was the best of all time. his all round game was unreal. Dallagalio was also a monster.


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## CoffeeFiend (Aug 31, 2010)

Nidge said:


> I'd say so with a good diet and loads of rest you'll get close to where he is.
> 
> Swerving off the subject a little, there's a black guy who I know and he's never lifted a weight in his life. When he strips off he's shredded with decent sized biceps.


Genetically gifted [email protected] lol, theres always some who will be like that without any work


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## CJ (Apr 24, 2006)

In answer to your question, its achievable if you genetics allow


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## LittleChris (Jan 17, 2009)

Guessing you are fairly young, you concentrate on the basics of the game and improving those. If you can master that then the strength and conditioning can be worked on.


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

CoffeeFiend said:


> Looks very strong and powerful but also hes pretty lean, you said approx 6% bodyfat thats probally how he can do all that running and jumping he has a nice balance of speed/agility/dexterity etc but also with raw power. I reckon he could get this without steroids like Bizzle said just a lot of work and good diet etc.


i think people under estimate what can be achieved naturally

although nothing happens over night


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## smartin (Aug 28, 2010)

Maybe check out dutch scott,s prodige, leon benidict?


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## PHMG (Jun 15, 2010)

The-Big-One said:


> *I want to become a no8 for my rugby team* and hopefully become semi pro. So i googled "best rugby no8" and this came up on wiki. His name is pierre spies.
> 
> Spies power cleans 135kg. He dead lifts 240kg. He bench presses 165kg. Only mildly impressed? Wait, here are some more. He is able to do pull-ups with a 50kg weight between his legs. He can launch his 108kg body 1.4m onto a raised platform, sprints for 835m before slowing on a repeated sprint-ability test and has a body-fat percentage of 6.5.
> 
> Could you really achieve this without steroids, if so what did he use thats legal in rugby?


You want to be a nob for your rugby team?? Just call everyone a c.unt!


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## Cam93 (May 20, 2010)

loads of rugby players use,

loads of people in every sport use, but thats not to say their not talentent or gifted in the first place.


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## engllishboy (Nov 1, 2007)

In addition to all the above, he's probably been playing rugby since a young age. So chances are, his coaches have had him in the gym from a relatively young age too. So i'm guessing he's had well over 10 years of weights behind him too.


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## BillC (Jun 11, 2009)

bizzlewood said:


> i think people under estimate what can be achieved naturally
> 
> although nothing happens over night


Bollox. I'm calling him out. No way that lean that size that strength. You can't have it all. to stay that lean whilst that size. Traps are a dead give away There someone has tha balls to call it, get your heads out the clouds. Rugby training and nutrition has come on but not that much from say Bill Beaumonts day.

About as believable as Linford Christie in I'm a celebrity saying he didn't - lol.


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## Medermit (Oct 14, 2010)

This has nothing to do with the rugby player mentioned in this thread.

Lots of elite players get away with taking stuff, and with this i mean top flight rugby.


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## 8103 (May 5, 2008)

Who knows

All I will say is I think that is achievable without gear, years of experience and you can get those numbers fine, add in top nutritionists and top coaching and thats what you end up with.

Though it is very possible he is using, as a lot of sportsmen are. We will never know!


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## Mitch. (Jul 26, 2011)

As engllishboy said, Spies has played rugby throughout his whole life. Being from SA as well, rugby over there is almost a way of life itself. He will have had top flight training from a very young age as I am sure he was a talent from when he started. That isn't to say your average joe can't be like that too. Genetics plays a huge part IMO but with a spot on diet, consistent training and a healthy lifestyle topped with plenty of rest it is doable. Train like a pro rugby player and you will adapt the physical traits top flight players have. Spies is a raw machine though. He also runs 100m in 10.7s. He is just a genetic freak.


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## Matt Beasley (Feb 2, 2010)

BillC said:


> Bollox. I'm calling him out. No way that lean that size that strength. You can't have it all. to stay that lean whilst that size. Traps are a dead give away There someone has tha balls to call it, get your heads out the clouds. Rugby training and nutrition has come on but not that much from say Bill Beaumonts day.
> 
> About as believable as Linford Christie in I'm a celebrity saying he didn't - lol.


I disagree, at least to the idea rather than on this person. For starter's, he's not that lean (in terms of aesthetics you see on bodybuilders and such)- as this pic shows.








Granted, not a fatty either, but doesn't have the aesthetics you'd expect from steroids or other drugs.

As for the strength, I've seen videos of people doing similar lifts that are natty, and some don't even look physically impressive. As someone else mentioned, he's (apparently) been doing it since he was a kid, so he's got a lifetime of experience and learning how to use his body for raw power, which is what a lot of lifting is about as well. How often have you heard the term 'find what's right for you' thrown about?

Not that Pierre isn't actually on/ hasn't ever used them, but I think that his physique is achievable with enough time, although it'll take even longer to get those lifts as well, particularly the bench. Difficult, but achievable.

EDIT: also, having just done some reading and watching on this guy, I doubt that the blood clots were a cover story for steroids. He was almost cleared to play again but the doctor's got a third opinion that said he was unfit to play, and his dad died at just 51, making a lot of people worried it was a hereditary condition. Not impossible that he took steroids, but this particular case makes it seem the blood clot and general health issue was legit.


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## bayman (Feb 27, 2010)

Spies is just a genetic freak. That size isn't ott given his height, and as mentioned he's had access to top coaching, training and nutrition since he was identified as a rugby talent.

His gym numbers aren't off the scale either, lots of natty's hitting those sort of levels.

I wouldn't completely rule out gear use, but I doubt it.


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## bayman (Feb 27, 2010)

And he's nowhere near 6.5% BF either.


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## jw007 (Apr 12, 2007)

The-Big-One said:


> I want to become a no8 for my rugby team and hopefully become semi pro. So i googled "best rugby no8" and this came up on wiki. His name is pierre spies.
> 
> Spies power cleans 135kg. He dead lifts 240kg. He bench presses 165kg. Only mildly impressed? Wait, here are some more. He is able to do pull-ups with a 50kg weight between his legs. He can launch his 108kg body 1.4m onto a raised platform, sprints for 835m before slowing on a repeated sprint-ability test and has a body-fat percentage of 6.5.
> 
> Could you really achieve this without steroids, if so what did he use thats legal in rugby?


His gym lifts are decent, but easily achievable by most nattys I would expect given a leanish bodyweight of 108kg

His skill and athletisism are of the chart tho, and that is something steroids cant give you!!!

But they do make you Alpha


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## CJ (Apr 24, 2006)

Alpha indeed.

Most top flight rugby players fall into that category


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## Bulkamania (Feb 16, 2009)

Yeah, why not? His lifts are good but they're not unachievable. Baring that in mind, just because he plays rugby at a high level doesn't mean he's natural. A LOT of top rugby players juice.


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## jw007 (Apr 12, 2007)

joshnow said:


> what a lot of people arent getting is that this is his *job* and the fact he is in a highly competitive sport drives him to improve, what would be truly impressive is if he had those stats working a 9-5 job of manual labour.
> 
> also look in the natural powerlifting for some real top stats for the big 3, check out layne norton his lifts and then his physique he brought to the stage.


you mean "tested" feds or natural???

Big difference (well actually there is not)


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## Andrew Jacks (Sep 29, 2010)

joshnow said:


> what a lot of people arent getting is that this is his *job* and the fact he is in a highly competitive sport drives him to improve, what would be truly impressive is if he had those stats working a 9-5 job of manual labour.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

Geezer i work with is natty and an ex rugby player.

He's 93kg at 5ft 10 and 1 rep max benches 150kg, deads 270kg and squats 270kg and he's 29.

Very dedicated to his training and eats like a fvcking horse, i sh1t you not, i've never seen anything like it!


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## ausbuilt (Nov 22, 2010)

The-Big-One said:


>


he has "gear users" delts- can always tell guys on gear by the delts for a start.. also no way in hell you can maintain that training volume naturally...


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## Team1 (Apr 3, 2008)

obviously thats possible. Theres plenty people out there who aint ever set foot in a gym in their life who could stroll into a gym and deadlift over 200kg

Nothing terribly outstanding about all of his lifts tbh. Hard work over many many years with a sprinkle of genetic gift


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## PharmaSay (Jun 9, 2010)

I think he could have developed to this high standard without drug use. I know as a SA'er that training for rugby starts at around 7y and and a scary number of 13/14 y boys have very well developed legs shoulders for their age.

That said he may well use drugs in order to be able to cope with the strain of a competative season.


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## Ragingagain (Sep 4, 2010)

yes, but i doubt many would as youd need good genetics and a lot of dedication and knowledge.... not judging but i tink hes prob on gear considering hes not a bb hes rugby and requires a lot of fitness training i doubt thats possibel, maybe 1 in a few mllion :s


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## Pkant2002 (Nov 4, 2011)

Also just because your huge won't make you a rugby player. Rugby is a thinking man's game, you watch some of the best scrum halfs Mat Dawson key example not the most massive guy you will ever see but my god what a player.

I bet not many of you remember what happened before the world cup drop goal.

Two of the most gifted players combined. Dawson from the ruck dummies and gets to about the 22 Johnson the genious he is realised mat Dawson the scrum half with the sickest pass on the team is now at the bottom of the ruck. (watch the video he shouts mats at the bottom) grabs a player and picks the ball to move the ruck but secure it at the same time.

Mat is now free and the rest is history but those two players for me won us that drop goal chance and in my eyes are the very best. You need more than just strength in rugby you need to understand the game and predict what's going to happen plus you need sick hands.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk


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## ParaManiac (Mar 20, 2007)

I'm with ausbuilt,the shoulders/delts are always the giveaway


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