Wanting a fast car and a muscular body often seem to go together. I remember a post on here before I joined where an aspiring BB was put off by people who claimed you had to take steroids to get big. Well here's the truth and some good advice...

 

I have done weights on and off since I was about 16 (I'm now 32). For years I would train a little then lose interest etc..I made some gains but nothing too visible..ie. I never looked big or like a bodybuilder and I had serious flaws like skinny legs and flat chest. 1.5 yrs ago I decided to really make an effort to see what my potential was and to train properly (I joined a gym for the 1st time) before I was too old. I went from a little over 12 stone to 14 stone within less than a year and made gains I never thought possible. I HAVE NEVER TAKEN STEROIDS and a couple of times others in the gym asked me if I was on any gear(Steroids) and I had to convince them I wasn't !! I am not a natural but I have a decent body and seem to gain muscle reasonably well (you need to use your head as much as your body).

 

The bottom line is that I believe many gym-goers make excuses for laziness by claiming you only make significant gains by taking steroids. Sure, most if not all pro's probably take/took steroids to compete and it gives them the edge, but you cannot get big by JUST taking steroids. Taking steroids is a bit like modifying a car in an unbalanced way - when you raise engine power you put greater stress on many engine components and if any of them is not up to the job, it will fail. Steroids will find the weak point in your system because they hype your body and this can have dangerous or highly undesirable consequences. Think of it like NOS - would you put NOS in a stock engine ?! You only use it sparingly in a strong modified engine. An unmodified engine is not designed to cope with NOS, like your body is not designed to cope with artificial steroids.

 

I train hard (only once or twice a week) and used to take creatine(legal and natural substance found in meat and fish) and food and vitamin supplements but not in huge amounts. The important thing for me was to always allow plenty of time for recuperation between workouts, vary exeercise regularly and take occasional lay-offs to allow my body to have a rest from heavy training and the demands this places on your body. Also, free weights are the best for packing on muscle mass especially early on in your training. Machines help to shape and provide variety. I also found i didn't need many sets of any exercise to get my muscles trained-slightly sore next day.

 

I have been offered steroids but always refused as I do want a strong body but not at the expense of my health !! Instead of thinking about steroids, focus your mind and train hard (progressively-just do ENOUGH each workout) and you will embarass all those other gym-goers who are just going thru the motions.

 

Part of the key is to only do enough -more sets than necessary only mean you will take longer to recover. You 'tear' the muscle at the microscopic level so that it grows back and hopefully adds a little muscle in the process. 'Tear' it too mcuh and you'll take many days to recover and risk getting colds and flu in the process as you will be run down. Yuo have to learn by experience amd remember everyone's body is different.

yep marczxt thats the routine i've been doin for about the last 5 yrs or so... i take a light/easy week @ week 4 and I mean light and easy... train 3 more weeks full intense workouts. week 4 off... this allows every thing to repair and grow...

not one to brag but five foot eight 130kgs body weight 12% body fat as off 1.7.2002 & dieting down for my holls... no gear for about 7 years... makes sence...

Well at 40yrs, I have the car, a bit late to start on the body though.

Hi Roy,

 

 

I'm no doctor and I can't pass a medical judgement on why these guys, who were British Champs in the 70's/80's dropped dead. It just seems to be an extremely big coincidence and I have drawn my own conclusion, they are not stories.

 

I know lots of Olympians who are friends who take gear, medically administered and monitored,but to me the risk is too great.

I think it is a personal decision that you have to decide upon.

 

I think gear has a much greater effect than the 5% you talk about.

 

Mark

Originally posted by senna:

Might I suggest the Vodka, Whisky and Lucky Strike diet, you wont put on muscle or weight, but you wont give a shit either.

 

 

 

 

ROFLMFAO

 

My body is a temple, I maintain a highly tuned six pack...of beer every night!

 

I recommend a good Ruby Murray as a rest from hard training at the weekend! This cleans out any fat and also enables you to practice sprinting too and from the Thomas Crapper.

 

Arnie had a heart attack didn't he? Years ago and has pigs heart valves or summat I believe.

 

My logic works like this, gravity pulling you towards the centre of the rotating Earth is what makes the body age! More exercise you do the more end time you are effectively taking off your longevity.

 

Think about it, which is usually the fitter? A 25 year old classic car with only a few thousand genuine miles on the clock or the same car, same age but has covered 200,000 miles!

 

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[This message has been edited by Timmy_Turbo (edited 03-07-2002).]

I like your logic Tim....you've convinced me m8. I take it that your 'lifestyle' video will hit the shelves soon!

 

On the issue of drugs.......anyone remember 'Flo Jo'....alarming physical development, stunning increase in her performance...world records, gold medals....and wooden box...all by the time she was 39.

Officially she was 'drug-free'....right. Unsurprisingly this is not a view held by most people associated with athletics that I have spoken too.

My point is this - she was certainly what one would have described as 'physically fit'and at the time of her death there was open speculation that it was as a result of drug abuse. If it will do that to an Olympic champion what the hell will it do (and when will it do it?)to a 'less comitted' athlete/body-builder?

Would she have (allegedly)used them if she KNEW it would kill her at 39? You know, a sort of Faustian trade-off....you sell your soul to the Devil...only he gets to have it much earlier!!