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Dana Linn & Steroids
The bodybuilding sport has evolved tremendously over the years. Gone are the days when comical strongmen and circus freaks with gigantic dumbbells tearing phone books and bending bars.
In today’s era, bodybuilding is taken much more seriously, and rightfully so. We’re talking about a sport that contributes to hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars annually. The sale of supplements has sky-rocketed, and sponsorship deals are incredibly lucrative to athletes.
The bodybuilding fan base has grown significantly, and enthusiasts are interested in more attractions apart from the IFBB (big boys club). Slightly over a decade ago, the Olympia was the primary fascination in the bodybuilding world. What’s more, people were only interested in the main event (the likes of Ronnie Coleman vs. Jay Clutter among others). The lower divisions didn’t get much following and were considered merely an afterthought.
Surprisingly, the bodybuilding community is interested in all the divisions nowadays. Arguably, the fans are more drawn to the lower divisions than to the main event.
Thanks to Frank Lewis, the 212 Olympia grew considerably popular, and with the likes of Ryan Terry, Calum Monger and Jeremy Buendia all stirring up waves on social media, it is easy to see why the division becomes significantly famed.
However, it’s not just the men who get all the attention. Female bodybuilding is also developing at a rapid rate, thanks to categories such as Figure and Bikini. One female bodybuilder who has drummed up a lot of attention in recent years is Dana Linn.
However, there is one question that lingers in the minds of avid fans and casuals too. Is Dana Linn on steroids?
Let’s find out.
Before we can continue, you should know that this content is purely speculative, and there’s no definitive way to tell whether the athlete in question is using or has used performance-enhancing drugs.
Who is Dana Linn?
Dana Linn Bailey is one of the most respected competitors in the scene of competitive bodybuilding, male and females considered. You’ve probably come across her name if you’ve taken a keen interest in competitive bodybuilding. If not her, then you may have come across his husband’s name, Rob Bailey, also a renowned bodybuilder.
Dana was born on 30th May 1983 in Pennsylvania in the United States.
Since her childhood, she was highly active and loved to take part in sports. She took part in swimming, and when she joined school, she took part in basketball and soccer. Eventually, she joined Westchester University, where she played soccer and helped her team get to the playoffs and the NCAAs as well.
Her fitness, strength, speed and overall athleticism turned a lot of heads, and to stay fit, she’d exercise a lot, mainly strength and conditioning.
After Dana left college and stopped playing soccer, she embarked on lifting weights more seriously, and as time went by, she began adding some considerable lean mass to her comparatively small frame. Eventually, she found her way into professional bodybuilding.
Today, Dana is an IFBB professional women’s bodybuilder who is well decorated with several bodybuilding accolades over the years. Besides, she has also graced numerous fitness documentaries and publications over the years.
Dana is a legit fan favorite at bodybuilding expos and conventions and has landed highly lucrative endorsement deals with apparel and supplement manufacturers.
In 2013, Dana Linn competed in the female physique category and appeared at the Olympia, and was fortunate enough to win the crown.
Due to her remarkable condition and wild antics (some would consider them infantine), both on and off the screen, not to mention a significant online presence, she quickly rose in popularity and has even surpassed most of the male IFBB professional bodybuilders.
At the moment, Dana is currently on an extended break from professional bodybuilding. She and her husband are taking the time to focus on their businesses. However, when she competes, she stands at 5ft 4inches and weighs in at approximately 120 pounds. During the offseason, her walking weight is said to be roughly 140 pounds.
She is 36 years old, and if she decided to return to the bodybuilding scene, she’d probably still have time on her side.
Due to her ‘freaky’ frame, she has been accused of taking steroids, which she has denied adamantly.
Steroid Accusations
Dana Linn is a very well-built woman, and despite her alluring feminine traits, some would contend that she has masculine characteristics too. As a result, she is often targeted by online trolls and strongly opinionated individuals accusing her of taking steroids. In response, the athlete has appeared on several occasions to deny the accusations vehemently.
One can only help but wonder whether there are any truths to the said accusations.
Well, here are some pieces of evidence that may shed light further on whether Dana Linn is on steroids.
Dana Linn’s Size
For starters, if you saw Dana Linn in her prime, you’d probably understand why someone may accuse her of juicing. This babe was walking around with considerable muscle mass, on a relatively small frame. Besides, she looked more prominent than the typical male gym rats you see clanging iron at the gym.
As a result, some argued that the muscle mass was too much to be natural. Even if she was not on Androgenic Anabolic Steroids, at least, she was using legal steroids.
Rounded Deltoids
According to certified bodybuilding experts, one of the best ways of telling whether or not someone is on steroids is by checking out their deltoid muscles. Steroid users, both male and females, tend to have prominent deltoids (delts) and over-developed trapezius muscles (traps).
Human anatomy has it that the delts and traps have a higher concentration of androgen receptors, considering that they are a primary aspect of male secondary sexual characteristics. As a rule of thumb, the more androgen receptors, the more muscle you’ll build in that region. Steroids, being androgenic, bind to their target receptors and instruct them to make more muscle proteins.
During her bodybuilding prime, Dana had significantly rounded deltoids that some would argue were an absolute telltale of steroid use.
Dana Linn’s Condition
Not only is the female athlete considerably big, but she is also very lean and dry. This is a genetic anomaly. Typically, women have more fat than men and find it hard to lose. The hormone balance in their bodies always ensures that there is a significant amount of fat in their systems at all times, making it almost impossible for a woman to have such lean and dry gains.
You’ll find that female bodybuilder participate with a higher body fat percentage compared to their male counterparts. On the contrary, Dana competed on stage with a completely shredded physique.
In 2013 when Dana won Ms. Olympia, her physique was unbelievable. While it is possible to acquire a similar proportion of body fat naturally, it is almost impossible to do it with the amount of muscle mass that she had.
Dana Linn Claims Natty
When asked about steroid use, most bodybuilders will shut down faster than a politician does when asked about expenses. That is to be expected considering that the subject could harm their credibility, careers, sponsorships, among many other aspects.
In Dana’s case, she confronted the situation and has gone on record severally, claiming to be natural. The athlete has taken to various online platforms and stated that she has and will never take steroids for fear of its repercussions on her form. Besides, she claims to love the thrill associated with toiling for her gains.
She has also been backed by her trainer George Farah who claims that the athlete is so devoted to training naturally that she won’t even use aspirin to help with pain management.
While anybody can claim to be natural, wouldn’t it be smarter to lay low and not stir up any attention on the topic if she was really on steroids?
Dana’s Masculine Jawline
Another side effect of steroid use on women is often a square jawline. If you’re keen, you’ll notice that the athlete’s jawline has been changing over the years, causing her to develop a more masculine jawline.
Steroids and the Female Form
Some women believe that they can have Dana’s physique going natty. Sorry to burst their bubble, but this is not an achievable feat. Women, by design, are not meant to be that lean and muscular.
Testosterone, the male sex hormone is the primary growth factor that determines the size and strength of one’s muscular potential. Females do not produce as much testosterone as men. Consequently, it is far-fetched for a woman to be as lean as Dana Linn without using something to upset her hormonal balance.
Given that steroids have androgenic effects on both males and females, the impact of steroids on women are more evident in female athletes. Despite the virilizing properties of steroids, female athletes persist in using steroids because they’d never get that lean without some form of synthetic help.
Final Thoughts
Back to our question. Is Dana Linn on steroids? Well, objectively, based on her appearance now, and when she competed, coupled with our knowledge on steroid use, it suffices to say that Dana Linn is on steroids.
But hey, don’t hate the player, hate the game. Or so they say.
