Fitness coach Jeff Nippard is exploring whether someone can look enhanced without ever touching steroids. In a recent YouTube video shared on July 13, 2025, he discussed which features to improve to look like you’re using performance-enhancers.
Jeff Nippard is a natural bodybuilder and powerlifter with years of experience helping individuals build muscle and maximize their fitness. He integrates science-based methods into training and workout demonstrations, identifying how to build physiques and common pitfalls to avoid during training.
Some tell-tale features can give off the illusion of steroid use. Below, Nippard lays out how and why these body parts are important to grow if you want to sport a physique that blurs the line between enhanced and all-natural.
Top Features to Make It Look Like You’re On Steroids
These are the top features Jeff Nippard believes lead to the most steroid accusations, as presented in his YouTube video:
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- Shoulders
- Biceps
- Upper Pecs
- Traps
- Leanness
Shoulders
Nippard pointed out that shoulders made the top of the list for body parts most often associated with suspected steroid use. He recommended growing the shoulders with multiple sets of side lateral raises per week.
“If you’re chasing that naturally enhanced look, building a wide set of delts is absolutely crucial. The real key is the side delts.
I do lateral raises at least twice a week, but when I was early on in my bodybuilding journey, there were periods where I did lateral raises at the end of every workout. If you’re struggling to grow them, try training them more often.”
Biceps
Biceps were second on the list, and Nippard says to grow them using the Bayesian curl.
“The second naturally enhanced feature people pointed to was actually the biceps,” he shared. “My biceps aren’t really a strong point for me, but I did manage to grow them over the last year, and I owe a lot of those gains to this exercise right here, Bayesian curls.”
Upper Pecs
He explained that a bigger chest is another body part that can make people’s steroid radar go off. To grow the pecs, Nippard said to stick with an incline press and fly.
“Everyone I see who has a big bench has a big chest. Now, when it comes to the upper pecs in particular, it’s pretty clear the incline bench will grow that area a bit better. For the best total pec development, make sure you include some kind of incline press and incline fly as well.”
Traps
Traps are a top indicator of potential steroid use since the muscles carry a higher androgen receptor density than other parts of the body.
“Science does suggest that having massive traps can be an indicator that you’re on some special supplements. That’s because your upper traps have a higher androgen receptor density than other muscles.”
“I did manage to bring them up the best my genetics would allow. Obviously, shrugs are a staple, but a good tip is to use a slightly wider grip and to think about shrugging up and in; that way, you hit the trap fibers along their fiber orientation much better.”
Leanness
While it’s not a body part, leanness is a huge factor that can make someone look like they use PEDs.
“When you’re leaner, you’re going to look much more jacked,” he explains. “That’s the illusion of bodybuilding. A big part of creating that enhanced look is just getting leaner.”
Above all else, Nippard argued that genetics, hard training, and dedicated nutrition can make a natural lifter look enhanced.
“Studies show that as long as you’re within the normal, healthy range, testosterone doesn’t do nearly as much for muscle growth as people seem to think. It isn’t until you start injecting testosterone and you get to those super physiological levels that it really packs on the size.”
“I think the most plausible scientific explanation is that when you combine years of really hard training with dedicated nutrition and the right parents, the results can be super impressive,” he said.
Nippard has examined the differences steroids can make when it comes to building a top-caliber physique, and notes:
“Every natural lifter doing most things right will experience a similar growth curve, with faster growth at the beginning and slower growth as they approach their so-called natural genetic ceiling.”
Nippard’s demonstration can help others realize what is possible without the use of steroids. He is adamant that quality diet, training, and genetics are the biggest needle-movers when it comes to building an elite physique.
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Watch the full video from the Jeff Nippard YouTube channel below:
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