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The Uncensored Truth About Drug-Free Bodybuilding Part 2

Tom Venuto, CSCS, CPT

An Interview With WNBF Natural Pro, Darin Steen: Part 2

“The Uncensored Truth About Drug Free Bodybuilding,” with WNBF natural pro, Darin Steen, continues in part 2 of this revealing, exclusive interview.

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Tom Venuto: Ok, let’s go back to nutrition. You’re one of the few bodybuilders I’ve seen write about the acid-alkaline issue in nutrition; I usually see this talked about more often in “alternative health” or “weight loss diet” circles than in the bodybuilding or strength training community. Why, I don’t know, I guess “ph balance” and “green drinks” don’t seem as interesting or appealing to hardcore bodybuilders as supersets and creatine. I’m curious about this myself because I’ve never focused on it too much since I assumed my diet was already so clean, with so many green vegetables and so on. Could you explain in simple terms what the whole acid alkaline thing is all about and do you think it’s relevant for bodybuilders who are already eating clean or is it only significant for the general population eating the standard American diet of fast food, coffee and soda pop?

Darin Steen: The reason I believe it’s important is because I experienced the difference. My blood was acidic and everything was more of a struggle. I had to abuse caffeine to get through the day. After making a few minor changes in diet and lifestyle, my ph level was 7.36 and I was off of all stimulants and felt physical improvements in many areas. The bottom line is when your insides are healthier, you will be a better competitive body-builder. Your body will assimilate and use more of the nutrition going in.

The quality of your life is based on the quality of your cells. To survive and prosper, cells have to have oxygen, water, nutrients – potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc among others – and the ability to eliminate their own wastes. Without these four things, which are dramatically affected by the quality of your blood, which I call your “River of Life,” your cells can’t survive. When any one of these four things are compromised, your cells can’t thrive.

When you break down your body’s cells to the smallest particles; atoms, protons, and neutrons, you find that each particle has a measurable electrical energy that keeps the particles in motion. When your atoms have high electrical energy, your energy is high, your cells can function optimally and your red blood cells don’t stick together. When your atom’s energy is very low, your cells can’t function optimally and your red blood cells stick together and move more slowly, and so do you. When your atoms have no electrical energy, neither do you, and you’re dead.

To give your cells the best chance of being completely healthy, your blood must have a precise chemical balance. Alkalinity and acidity is measured on a scale of 1-14, with 1 being pure acid, 7 being neutral and 14 pure alkaline. Your blood must maintain a slightly alkaline pH of 7.365. When there’s a disturbance to this balance, the red blood cells begin to clump together. When that happens, they can’t travel efficiently through the capillaries and feed the cells throughout the body. The pH stands for potential for hydrogen. The pH of your blood is along the same lines as the pH of your pool or your hot tub. When the balance is out of whack the water gets polluted. Same thing with your blood.

Everyone’s bodies are being pushed to their limits and are usually, to some extent, toxic and acidic. The fast paced modern “lifestyle” has brought so many things to the table that our bodies were not designed for. Our fight or flight stress hormones like cortisol are at an all time high. People are not slowing down to rest like they used to. With all the technology and the to-do lists, we’re stressed out more than ever. Put on top of that the highly possessed convenient foods for the masses with all the chemicals and preservatives and you have a severe problem.

When given the correct internal environment, the human body is an incredible self healing machine. The more acidic that our blood becomes, the less ability our body has to fight of infection, disease, and premature aging. It’s not difficult to lower acidity of the blood. I teach my clients a three point checklist of areas to focus on if they find their blood ph is below 7.36.

(1) Emotions – Anger, fear, overwhelm, frustration, inadequacy, and low self-esteem are all acidic emotions. These emotions induce more negative hormones like cortisol. We’ve all heard it before, but believe me, the mind is much stronger than we ever know. Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You absolutely will get what you focus on.

(2) Nutrition- Eliminate highly processed convenience foods that are full of chemicals and preservative, and replace them with foods that are fresh and organic. If it doesn’t spoil, don’t eat it. All food has an electrical energy. If you’re constantly eating foods that don’t give energy back, you become toxic and acidic. Some foods that have electrical energy include: most vegetable, cucumbers, most grasses (wheat), and almonds.

(3) Healthy life-style choices- Get plenty of rest, the right amount of exercise, and don’t use acidic addictions such as coffee, tobacco, and alcohol.

Another related issue is Candida albicans, which is quickly being found by holistic medical practitioners to be “the disease behind the other diseases.” Candida is a microbe known as yeast, and it’s a normal inhabitant of the body. For a variety of reasons, it can become a pathogen—a disease causing fungus that feeds on the body and weakens the immune system, which the medical community often views as the source of allergies, AIDS, chronic fatigue (Epstein-Barr), herpes, and many other illnesses.

The naturally occurring yeast resides in the gastrointestinal tract. The primary diet of the yeast and fungi that live in our bodies is sugar for energy and protein for development and growth. These yeast and fungi and their mycotoxins greatly contribute to the over-acidification of our systems, and that produces all kids of symptoms and diseases.

I believe that body-builders, even ones who are eating clean, need to learn this concept even more that the average American who is eating highly processed garbage. As competitive body-builders, we are pushing our systems to the limits. We are tearing our bodies, our muscles, as well as our nervous, hormonal, endocrine, elimination, and recovery systems down, daily. We are releasing incredible amounts of lactic acid into our systems, adding to the already acidic system.

Tom Venuto: Thanks for the detailed explanation. I think this is information that most bodybuilders have never even been exposed to, let alone apply it. That brings me right into the next topic. Something else I noticed about you is that you talk about health a lot more than most bodybuilders, rather than just about muscle development. Someone once said that health ends where competitive sports begins. Do you agree or disagree? Bodybuilding at the competition level can be pretty extreme. Do you think competitive bodybuilding can be healthy? How do we balance extreme physical development with good health?

Darin Steen: You’re right, I do emphasize health first and I do it for two reasons: The first is that I only have one kidney. One kidney was removed at the age of two years old. The second is that my average client is 42 years old. So naturally I have been talking to a lot to my clients about health and about aging gracefully.

If I compete once per year, I feel that I am incredibly balanced and healthy for 50 weeks out of the year; considerably more healthy than before my competitive body-building career. The week or two before a contest does get a little crazy, but I feel that comes from lack of confidence, experience, and knowledge. As I gain maturity and wisdom, my pre-contest prep gets better and better. I have seen some of the top WNBF competitors in the world that are very healthy right through the competition. Smart, mature, drug-free for life competitive body-building can be very healthy all the way through contest day. On the other hand, in the drug arena, the “more is better”, and the “do anything it takes” mentalities are rampant.

smart, mature, drug-free for life competitive bodybuilding can be very healthy

Tom Venuto: What role does staying drug free have to do with healthy bodybuilding? There are lots of websites today not only defending the safety of so-called “intelligent” steroid use, but also selling information to anyone with a credit card about where to get drugs and how to take them. Are steroids really that bad for you or is the decision to stay natural just a matter of morality, principle or personal preference more so than a health decision?

Darin Steen: I do not know. I have zero knowledge in that area. I knew that from day one I was not going to take the short cuts, so I hung around people that I wanted to be like. What I do know is that competitive drug-free for life body-building has turned me into a man that I am proud of.

I knew that from day one I was not going to take short cuts… drug-free for life body-building has turned me into a man that I am proud of….

Little did I know that as I was sculpting my physical body, I was also sculpting traits like perseverance, fortitude, honesty, persistence, passion, that would allow me to take on any challenge: To start a new business, to end a relationship, to start a new one, to be incredibly happy and fulfilled.

My gut feeling is that using drugs to build your body leads to taking short cuts in other areas. It also leads to lying. Once someone starts lying in one area in their life, it becomes easier to lie in other areas of their life. So even if safe levels of steroids are not unsafe for one physically, I believe that they are very unsafe for one on the mental and emotional level.

Using drugs to build your body leads to taking short cuts in other areas. It also leads to lying. Once someone starts lying in one area in their life, it becomes easier to lie in other areas of their life. So even if steroids are not unsafe for one physically, I believe that they are very unsafe for one on the mental and emotional level.

Tom Venuto: Very well said, and I agree with you, but the temptations for many naturals to cross over to the “dark side” are great. It looks to me that a guy like you has the potential to go pro and succeed in the untested federations. What made you choose to stay natural and go WNBF pro? Also, are you pleased with the WNBF drug testing policies and procedures and convinced that you have that level playing field you wanted?

Darin Steen: I’m very happy with the WNBF and their testing procedures. They do urinalysis and lie detector (a one hour interview by a veteran tester) at every show and out of season surprise urinalysis testing. It is not a perfect system, but it is the best they can do.

I’ve stayed a drug-free for life competitor in the WNBF because it’s the perfect avenue to help me fulfill my life’s mission. My mission is to show others how to live a higher quality life through fitness by leading by example. I believe any trainer, author, supplement company, or coach that advocates taking drugs is living a lie. I want no part of that. Be careful who you get your information from. I also love to mentor kids through speaking at schools. All the things that I love to do would not be possible if I went the other way. Plus I believe that the drug free for life physique looks more beautiful than the other guys. Bigger is not better!!

I believe any trainer, author, supplement company, or coach that advocates taking drugs is living a lie. I want no part of that.

Tom Venuto: I agree and I think most other people agree as well – just survey 100 men and women off the street by showing them a picture of a 290 pound mass monster and a 190 pound top natural bodybuilder and ask them which physique they would rather have or which they find more attractive.

I also want to mention to everyone who hasn’t noticed already, just how much your integrity really stands out. I watched a video tape once of an IFBB pro – all 275 ripped pounds of him (and everything that entails) – who gave a so called “motivational talk” at a high school. Of course, it was inevitable, one of the students asked if he took steroids. The bodybuilder completely dodged the question and said something to the effect of, “Steroids don’t make a champion.” All I can say Darin, is that I hope that the real role models like you are the only ones giving these talks to kids in the future!!!

Ok, let me change the subject and ask you, how much of bodybuilding success do you think is genetics and how much is nutrition, training and hard work?

Darin Steen: Obviously to some extent having good genetics for bodybuilding at the professional level is important, but it pales in comparison to how important nutrition, training, and working smarter, not harder are. I have poor genetics for body-building, a thick waist, thick joints, a higher body-fat % set point, only one kidney and an abdominal wall that was damaged by the surgery.

After my football career was over and I announced that I wanted to go into body-building, I can still remember the guys in the gym laughing. If I would have focused on the false conclusion that genetics is the most important factor in professional body-building, then I would have limited myself in obtaining knowledge. I would not be a professional trainer, speaker, author, and coach. I would be stuck in a dead end job feeling miserable.

Tom Venuto: I think you’re the only bodybuilder since Frank Zane that I’ve seen write about meditation. How would meditation benefit a bodybuilder?

Darin Steen: After an intense work-out, our nervous systems are jacked up. We immediately dive head first into that to-do list that is ever-growing. We have families, businesses, clients, cell phones, e-mails, etc., that never go away. WE ARE STRESSED! In order to grow we need to rest and recover. The more we relax and decompress, the more we will grow from the intense work-outs.

Tom Venuto: How important are the mind and mental attitude in bodybuilding?

Darin Steen: It blows everything else away. I highly recommend the readers of this interview to stay open minded and to continue to stay connected with mentors like yourself, Tom. You will turn into who you hang around and I guarantee you that anyone who has ever accomplished something great, and is leading a life of fulfillment already knows the answer to this question.

You will turn into who you hang around and I guarantee you that anyone who has ever accomplished something great, and is leading a life of fulfillment already knows this

Right now, I’m writing columns for three local newspapers and am working on getting my column syndicated. In my column, I tell the readers that bodybuilding is life-building. As vain as it may sound, your waistline determines your attitude, your attitude determines your altitude. “CHANGE YOUR WAISTLINE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE.”

My column is broken down into three topics, if you want a better body you have to work on these three areas:

1. THE FOODS THAT YOU EAT – 10% of your time and focus
2. THE EXERCISE THAT YOU GET – 10 % of your time and focus
3. THE THOUGHTS THAT YOU THINK – 80% of your time and focus

So to answer your question, to reach your true potential in bodybuilding, focus on these three areas with the right amount of time and focus, and 80% of your time should be focused on the mind.

Tom Venuto: Darin, there are a so many aspects of your bodybuilding, your personal and your business philosophies that really impressed me. Leading by example as your #1 goal was one, and I couldn’t agree more about the importance of that. Another that stood out like a sore thumb was your concept of “being genuine” and “doing the right thing.” God knows there’s not enough of that going around in the fitness and bodybuilding industries these days. Would you share with us what you mean by being genuine as a fitness professional?

Darin Steen: Absolutely. It has been one of the major keys to my success. Bottom line is that I love to help everyone that I meet to live a higher quality life through fitness with no focus on what’s in it for me. I am not worried about my income at all. When I do a consultation with a new client, I set them up on the program that is the best program for them, I don’t blow smoke at them. I get them in great shape in a short amount of time and set them up for success without me.

Tom Venuto: Most of the people reading this site are competitive or recreational bodybuilders, but I do know that quite a few trainers and fitness professionals also will be reading this interview and I think they might be interested in your www.darinsteen.com website and the services you offer to other personal trainers. Would you tell us a little bit about your site and how you help other trainers succeed and become better trainers?

Darin Steen: I believe that some of the best trainers are drug-free for life competitive body-builders – for obvious reasons: We lead by example. I believe the best teachers walk the walk. I also believe that when you can earn your income with you passion, you will never “work” a day in your life. I really hope that the majority of drug-free for life competitors who read this interview will read my upcoming article in the August issue of Natural Body-building and Fitness magazine. It absolutely could change your life.

I believe the best teachers walk the walk

Tom Venuto: If someone is interested in training with you in the Chicago area, are you available for taking new in-person clients, do you do long distance coaching or training as well and how can our readers get in touch with you?

Darin Steen: Yes to both. E-mail is best way to reach me at elitephysique@comcast.net

Tom Venuto: I understand you have even taken up motivational speaking. I think that is phenomenal. How can we find out about when and where you will be speaking next or where someone can book you to for a speaking engagement?

Darin Steen: Yes I have. My clients have turned me into a motivational speaker. We as trainers are constantly telling our clients “you can do it.” Every where I go I end up motivating people, so it was a natural transition. If you are interested in my speaking schedule go to www.darinsteen.com and click on the “Motivational Speaking” link on the top left side of the front page. I will consider speaking to anyone on any topic. My favorite seminars are:

1.) Train the Trainers- To empower trainers to change more lives and make more money
2.) Get Your Best Body/Life- To empower anyone how to lose fat and gain muscle and a new life in a time efficient manner through fitness.
3.) Increase sales for sales staff’s- I train sales staffs how to master people skills to elevate their sales
4.) Drug Free Life-Style- I love to mentor kids. I’ve performed at schools for assemblies. Impressing the children with my physique then letting them know how important it is to stay away from alcohol and tobacco.

Tom Venuto: Is there anything else you want to mention or anything else you wished I had asked you that I didn’t ask?

Darin Steen: On the topic of nutrition; A big problem today is that everyone is so busy and we need to eat small meals often. I am going to share with you my secret weapon. With being one of the world’s busiest trainers with well over 18,000 client hours under my belt, I’ve been forced out of necessity to be incredibly time efficient in every area of my life including my diet. One meal that I lean on very hard out of necessity is meal #1 in my precise nutritional program design system.

It’s a top quality whey protein, uncooked organic oatmeal, and small amount of sliced almonds/sesame seeds/pistachio meats, and or ground flax seed all packed together dry in a shaker. When it is time to eat, pour water in shake and drink/chew. The benefits are:

1.) You can be precise with macronutrient totals, (I generally take in 35-40 grams of whey protein, 50-80 grams of carbs, and 15-20 grams of unsaturated fat and fiber. These vary depending on what type of day it is relating to exercise and how fast my metabolic rate is revving.

2.) It’s fast to prepare, fast to consume, and tastes great. I can’t tell you how many benefits I have seen with my clients once they start using this meal 1-3 times per day. Blood sugar levels stabilize (especially helpful for diabetics), hunger pains subside, elimination system improves, feeling empowered because of knowing where the next meal is coming from, and so on.

I have been through the gamut of supplements since the age of 16 (that’s 25 years). Trust me when I tell you that “Exercise is the drug of choice.” The only supplements that I recommend for the majority of my clients are a top quality multi-vitamin, and a top quality whey protein. That is all I use. If you are interested in finding out more about my athletic nutrition plan I use you can go to my site www.darinsteen.com and click on the appropriate link.

I have been through the gamut of supplements since the age of 16 (that’s 25 years). Trust me when I tell you that “exercise is the drug of choice.”

Tom Venuto: That’s a great tip for busy people and I think it’s a great idea to make your own home made meal replacement with whole food ingredients. It’s also refreshing to hear you say that about supplements, especially coming from someone with an amazing drug-free physique in an industry where we are bombarded with messages that you have to take drugs or take a ton of supplements to reach your goals, which is just not true.

Well, this has been great and your success in business and on the competitive body building stage are not at all surprising based on your answers to these questions and from everything else I’ve read written about you and written by you. Your intelligence, business success and ability to communicate definitely break every negative stereotype about bodybuilders, and I know I speak for all my readers when I say we hope you keep doing what you’re doing for a long time because the bodybuilding community needs a lot more role models like you. I wish you continued success, I thank you for your time and I hope we can connect again sometime in the near future.

Darin Steen: Well thank you very much. At the risk of sounding politically correct, I feel exactly the same about you Tom. Out of all the mentors that I have ever had including Bill Phillips, Tony Robbins, Paul Chek, Arnold, I believe you have more to offer in helping the average person. I’m very excited to continue to grow and expand. I feel as though I have a long way to go. I would be very excited to do anything with or for you in the future. Good Bye and God Bless!