Amidst PMMA debates in bodybuilding, Victor Martinez reveals that he has used the substance to enhance his physique in the past
Generation Iron Podcast host Victor Martinez makes a shocking admission about using synthetic substances during his bodybuilding career while discussing Natalia Coelho’s PMMA allegations. He also discusses natural bodybuilding, Hadi Choopan’s Olympia visa issues, and Svein Falzon’s rapid transformation.
Here’s a brief overview of the topics discussed in this week’s episode:
- Victor Martinez makes shocking reveal that he has used synthetic oils in an attempt to improve his physique during his pro career
- Natalia Coelho PMMA allegations return to the spotlight just weeks before the 2026 Olympia – what is Victor Martinez’s take?
- Victor gives advice to a natural bodybuilder who wants to qualify and compete in the Mr. Olympia
- An in-depth exploration of Hadi Choopan’s latest visa troubles – and what his future may hold
- “Genetic Anomoly” Svein Falzon’s Rapid Transformation Raises Questions for Victor
You can watch the full episode of the Generation Iron Podcast above. Keep reading for a more detailed recap of the podcast discussion. Let’s dive in!
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Victor Martinez Reveals Past Synthetic Oil Use – But Did It Help?
The latest episode covered several controversial topics surrounding professional bodybuilding. However, the most revealing discussion came when the hosts examined allegations of synthetic oil and PMMA use in bodybuilding.
During the conversation, Victor Martinez made a surprising personal revelation. The former elite IFBB Pro admitted that he had used a synthetic substance during his own bodybuilding career to improve his physique. While Victor did not specify whether the substance was PMMA, synthol oil, or another type of synthetic product, he openly acknowledged that he had used something.
“I’ve used. What are you going to do about it?” Victor stated.
The admission came during a discussion about Natalia Coelho and renewed allegations that she used PMMA. Victor emphasized that allegations alone do not constitute proof and questioned how bodybuilding could realistically police the use of synthetic substances in athletes.
Natalia Coelho, Victor, PMMA, and the challenge of policing synthetic substances
The discussion surrounding Natalia Coelho and PMMA quickly became much more personal when Victor revealed that he had experimented with synthetic substances during his career.
Victor deliberately did not reveal when he used the product. Instead, he challenged fans to look back through his competitive career and determine which competition showed evidence of synthetic oil being used in his physique.
The revelation is particularly notable because Victor also explained that the year in which he used the substance ended up being one of the worst years of his career from a physique standpoint. Rather than improving his appearance, Victor believes the substance ultimately made his physique worse.
His experience reinforces one of his primary arguments: synthetic site-enhancement products are not a guaranteed shortcut to a better bodybuilding physique.
Victor believes the bodybuilding public may also underestimate how widespread these practices are among competitive athletes. He argued that if the sport could somehow effectively police synthetic substances, the consequences could be enormous.
In Victor’s view, eliminating every athlete who has experimented with these substances could dramatically change professional bodybuilding, potentially removing more than half of the recognizable competitors in the sport.
Victor also questioned whether judges actually care about synthetic substance use when evaluating physiques. If an athlete presents a winning physique, he suggested, the presence or absence of synthetic substances may not necessarily influence judging.
Natural Bodybuilding Requires Patience and Precision
The synthetic oil conversation came shortly after Victor Martinez addressed a fan question from a natural Classic Physique competitor who hopes to win the Ben Weider Naturals and eventually compete at the Olympia.
The athlete explained that he turned pro naturally in 2022 and had competed in both tested and untested competitions while remaining natural. He noticed a significant difference in muscle density between himself and enhanced competitors. After increasing his offseason bodyweight from approximately 200 to 225–230 pounds, he hopes to eventually compete around his 192-pound Classic Physique weight limit.
Victor encouraged him to remain natural for as long as possible.
Rather than obsessing over competitors using PEDs, Victor advised the athlete to focus on improving his own physique. Comparing himself constantly to enhanced athletes could create unnecessary psychological pressure and distract him from his own development.
Victor stressed that bodybuilding ultimately comes down to competing against yourself. The goal is to improve upon your previous best physique, whether you are natural or enhanced.
For a natural athlete, however, Victor believes every pound of muscle becomes even more important. Without PEDs assisting recovery and muscle growth, the athlete has to be extremely precise with training, nutrition, recovery, and overall preparation.
Rest is especially important. Victor explained that a natural bodybuilder may need more recovery time than someone using PEDs because they do not have drugs assisting the recovery process.
He also encouraged the athlete to train with enhanced bodybuilders if possible, using the experience as motivation rather than allowing the difference in muscle development to become discouraging.
Victor would not rule out a natural athlete eventually becoming competitive at the Olympia. He simply acknowledged that accomplishing that goal would require an extraordinary amount of work.
RELATED: Five Natural Recovery Tips To Help You Build Muscle Faster
Hadi Choopan’s Olympia Visa Problems Explained
The podcast also examined why Hadi Choopan will miss the 2026 Mr. Olympia because of visa complications despite fellow Iranian bodybuilder Behrouz Tabani successfully obtaining a U.S. visa.
Ehsan Farahi provided context based on his relationship with both athletes and his understanding of the situation.
Although both men are Iranian citizens, their circumstances are different. Behrouz lives in Dubai, allowing him to visit the U.S. embassy there for his visa interview and verification process.
Hadi, meanwhile, remains in Iran. Due to travel restrictions connected to the conflict and political tensions between the United States and Iran, he was unable to travel to Dubai for the necessary embassy appointment.
According to Ehsan, Hadi’s visa appeared to have already been approved, but he could not complete the required verification process. As a result, a former Mr. Olympia champion and one of the sport’s most elite competitors will miss the biggest bodybuilding competition of the year because of what essentially became a technicality.
Ehsan also explained that the situation created significant emotional stress for Hadi, who had already faced criticism earlier in the year surrounding the political situation in Iran.
Svein Falzon’s Rapid Transformation Raises Questions
Finally, the hosts discussed Svein Falzon after his dramatic transformation from a skinny teenager into a massive bodybuilding figure sparked debate among fans, including questions about whether he is vegan.
Victor was skeptical of the transformation after watching footage of Falzon. He suggested that the rate at which Falzon added muscle would not be possible naturally and speculated about the use of powerful PEDs, including Deca.
Victor’s comments reflected the broader theme of the episode: bodybuilding physiques can change dramatically, but fans should be careful about assuming that every transformation happens through conventional training and nutrition alone.
Wrap Up
The latest Generation Iron Podcast episode covered everything from natural bodybuilding and Olympia aspirations to Hadi Choopan’s visa problems and allegations involving synthetic substances.
Yet Victor Martinez’s admission about using synthetic oil during his career was easily the most unexpected revelation. His willingness to acknowledge his own experience also added another layer to the discussion about how widespread site-enhancement substances may be within professional bodybuilding.
For Victor, the larger message is that bodybuilding is rarely as simple as what fans see onstage. Behind every physique are decisions involving training, recovery, nutrition, PEDs, genetics, and, in some cases, substances that remain controversial even within the bodybuilding community.
