Apparently the whole town is having Internet issues. I was going to post for Justin, but my connection sucks, too, so I”m going mobile. Sorry, guys.
It has been a month since I did the steroid primer post. I have spent the last several weeks gathering facts and talking to current and former steroid users about the ins and outs of supplementation. I should have something pretty good for you by next week.
So, in addition to your normal PR Friday posts, ask me any questions you want answered about steroids and I”ll try to cover it next week.
In the meantime, check the trailer for BSF.
109 thoughts on “PR Friday, Steroid Preview, etc.”
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@kincain
Some friendly discourse eh? Excellent!
Well, I”ll play devil”s advocate. Using the logic presented, testosterone is also a substance that naturally occurs in the body. Also, there are sports that are inherently risk and present great physical danger (football, fighting, auto racing, etc.).
Also, elite level athletes may display awesome levels of physical prowess but I would hardly consider their lifestyle “healthy”. The training stress on the body, consuming massive calories, the mental/emotional strain brought on by the need to excel and win.
@Justin_C
thanks for the reply :D, I think you are right on the spot it was the same thing I was thinking about. I”m no expert on why certain substances are prohibited or allowed. But the argument that I always hear that those substances are banned because it has a health risk attached to it then as I stated earlier water should be prohibited too. Drinking it will enhance your performance and drinking too much can kill you. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication). And as you stated elite level athletes aren”t that “healthy”. A friend of mine is silver medalist lightweight sculler (rowing)and methods in order to get to that weight borders somewhat to malnutrition.
Maybe my real question would rather be why are these substances prohibited? Because we don”t want and like competitions were people can take shortcuts? Whether it would be a health risk could be debatable.
ok I did some looking around. In the Netherlands. The anti-doping agency states that substances are placed on the list if 2 of the three statements apply on the substance
1. (possibly) performance enhancing
2. (possible) health risk
3. it is not in line with the ”spirit of sport”. this means the values that are present with sports, like fair play
BS 3x5x335
DL 1x5x420
SP 3x5x145
BP 3x5x233
P.Snatch 175x5x3
P.Clean 245x5x3
Bodweight 223. Will be past 230 for the Starting Strength Seminar later this month….
Only PR is on Pullups- went 13,10,8 Today. Eating is awesome.
Another PR is in the Dookie Category. I won”t gross anyone out, but lets just say the added fiber was beneficial.
Pb”s for the week:
High bar Back squat 152.5kg x3
High bar Back squat 137.5kgx3x5
Power clean 107.5kg
No specific eating pb”s but a whole load of food.
Weight PR- 163 lbs
Squat- 280 3 x 5 (going for 285 today)
@kincain
No problem at all! I think there is an element of people genuinley wanting a “level playing field”. This, in my opinion, is a pipe dream though. Not everybody can afford elite coaching, the best facilities, the best nutrition, or even the time dedicated to train to reach a competitive level. Am I saying, “Just let everybody take whatever the F— they want!”? I”m starting to sound that way I guess, although that wasn”t my intent. *shrugs*
That being said (without getting to philosophical), I think humans are very tribal by nature. By that I mean we all have a tendency to project our personal morals/opinions/ethos/etc onto others. This ranges from politics and religion, to sports ethics and tastes in music. Maybe we just want others to see through the same lens we do? Shit I dunno man. Been a long week at work…
@Justin_C
Then we”ll leave it for next week, with some enlightment of Gant :D
@ Ryan..I thought Rip said not to come to the SSS unless you were>240, you better get eating. Bummer I won”t be able to go with you.
PRs
Shirt pr
pants pr twice
BS-380x5x3
SP-180x5x3
BP-260x5x3
Slow week…
BW PR: 220 @ 5”6
Wait, I”m only 5”5, whoops.
Nazis and commies used roids, therefore steroids are evil.
@kincain
Roger. I”m looking forward to the next article!
PR”s: 415 3×5 Squat, 405×9 DL (gotta love weird 5/3/1 “PRs”)
Roids – don”t use ”em. Interesting stuff, but unless my livelihood depended on it, I don”t see the point of even considering them. Oddly enough, I would consider “natural” testosterone enhancers if such things existed, because I do feel like mine is probably lower than average. For now, I rely on squats.
Also, I made Gant”s CFS last night and am now inspired to submit another recipe article over the weekend.
@Brent,
I said over 230. And 240 is over 230. Im trying not to limit myself, so Im leaving the topside open. 250 is also over 230…
AAS- I guess once you are old enough that natural levels have leveled out, I do not see anything wrong with healthy and educated use. Athletes or users in general are still limited by genetic potential (until gene doping is more popular). 10 years of perfect training could be accomplished in 2 or 3 with anabolic support. Medicinally there is a typical range, who is to say that I shouldn”t be able to be towards the top of that range?
Just hit a new size PR – had to get a new suit, jacket size went from 44 to 46.
Strep and sinusitis Sick PR? will be back hopefully on sat.
Steroids: I dont like them. I dont really know why actually. Guess it was just how i was brought up. I understand why pple use them and dont think any different of them. I do think when you start to reach the upper facets of what the body can do naturally, after working your ass off, and you want to keep improving I dont think its wrong.
Ill personally never use them. Ive only heard bad health rumors and my job doesn”t depend on it. I think ill be sufficient with just eating and lifting.
O and someone referred to me as “Squat Joe” today. Good thing?
Gant, I”m interested in hearing about what professional athletes might be taking i.e. weight class athletes might be taking something that won”t lead to weight gain, females might take something else, and a bodybuilder might be doing something else.
Some examples of what kind of cycles that athletes might be taking and the reasons for it as well as the trade offs of some substances, such as cramping, bloating, getting out of breath easy, etc.
I”ve never taken steroids and there is an ethical component to the Olympics and supposedly clean events, where the athletes should not be using out of fairness.
However, the average lifespan of an NFL player is 52. Its a commercial sport, and I would separate from the Olympics in that although there is endorsement deals and such at stake, every football player is making a good living at it.
If I played a sport where I was pretty much getting my ass kicked for a living, I would be taking steroids for my own well being.
Additionally, there is the liberty component; If I want supranormal levels of serum testerone in my blood, its my body and should be allowed to do with it as I please. The same goes for choosing to smoke dope, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, eat McDonalds and drink cokes. People need to mind their own business, and a grown individual should have the liberty to do with their bodies as they please.
Still on linear progression.
Body weight PR 93kgs :) (205lbs)
Back squat PR 110kgs 3X5
Deadlift PR 175kgs 3X5
Powerclean PR 95kgs 3X5
Have a good weekend fellas.
More PRs from today!
Squat: 237x4x2
@kincaid
Just looked at the criteria for banning something in the Netherlands. Guess we better rule out barbell training eh (hits two of the three). It”s performance enhancing, and can possibly bad for your health (risk of injury for instance). I love being a smartass :P
I was sitting at my desk, feeling sorry for myself about the shitty week I had, both personal and in the gym, when I came upon this little gem on a MTB forum I frequent. “LL Cool J said the difference between people like himself (the fits) and others (the fats) is the willingness to work out when you don”t feel like it.”
I don”t know if he ever said that, but it was enough to get me off my self-loathing ass and out of the office. I had skipped breakfast and lunch (when I get stressed, I don”t eat), so I got up, drove to Chik-fil-a, ate two chicken sandwiches, went to the gym and proceed to set PRs in Squat (225x3x5), Bench (150x3x5), and Deadlift (285x1x5). No one in the gym seemed nearly as excited as I was to complete the deadlift with an overhand hook grip. (I failed to hold on to 275 last week). They all stared at me as I cussed at the bar after dropping it to the ground after the final rep.
Those are my PRs this week. I failed miserably at PC and SP earlier in the week, but next week will be here in 3 days.
Press 132.5x5x3
Bench 197.5x5x3 PR
F$&#ing snowstorm is getting in the way of my gym time. At least throwing snow off the shovel resembles the sheaf toss for Highland Games.
Bodywieght @ 196 – really have dropped the ball on eating, but still getting bigger.
Pulled 415 for a DL 1RM.
Time to work on my bench and squatz.
BW: 180
Squat PR: 315x3x5 (going for 320 tonight).
Also, a physio told me I am the officially the Tightest Man in America. I guess that”s a PR. (She also told me I squat too much and that she wants me to do more “core” exercises. I guess my whole trunk holding 300+ pounds in isometric contraction during deep squats doesn”t count as core work. Who wudda thunk.)
Bodyweight: 178 lbs according to the bathroom scale…I doubt its accuracy, but I”ll take what I can get :)
This week”s PR:
Bench Press: 198.5lb x 3
M / 49 / 202lb / 6ft-1″
PR
BW: 155 (from 140 in Nov)
Squat 155x3x5
DB Bench 130×4
Deadlift 235×4
didn”t workout all week, left lower back still hurts, obviously not as much but i”m going to workout on monday and see how it goes, still foam rolling and icing. not sure if on monday i should do the starr rehab protocol or just work the weight up till a weight i can for 3×5.
obviously after my left lower back will be ok i”m going to add some extensions to help prevent these thing.
Not sure if you will be able to cover much about these questions, but touching on them would be very interesting.
First, steroids/designer steroids/pro-hormones have health risks that people are more aware of today than in past and thus post-cycle therapy is a rather hot topic (PCT, taking other supplements to help retain gains and get your normal hormone production back up and running). As far as I”m aware, this was not really given much thought back in the heyday of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Was there much concern about stopping a cycle of steroids and how prevalent were side effects such as gynecomastia and acne?
What do current steroid users think about pro-hormones? That they”re nearly equivalent, pointless and should stick to the real deal, or another useful tool for progress?
Yeah PR Friday! BW up to 185.
Squatted 355 for five singles, benched 220×5.
I also set a sort of PR in that I ran three trainees through their SS workout at once, and everything went smoothly. Now I just need to get them to eat.
PR”s
BW 156
Squat 270 1×5
Bench 205 1×5
Deadlift 315 1×5
Press 130 1×5
Squat: 420×3
Squat: 415x2x5
Bench: 247.5x5x3
BW: 205
BW: 182 (Up 4 pounds. I”m 5”7″)
Squat: 345×3
OHP: 160×5
DL: 375×3
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HT: 6”0
BW: 177
First week with linear progression. Working hard to put on some weight and get 70s big. Mmmm milk.
Squat: 280×5
Bench: 190×5
Deadlift: 405×5
@Justin_C
Hahaha, your right (although they are talking about substances, but I understand your point). We”re a strange little country, where legalization of drugs is not uncommon :)
Still making linear gain PR”s
1×5 DL – 295
3×5 Squat – 245
3×5 BP – 185
Next week I will be over 170 for the first time in my life.
PR
Push-pressed my brother-in-law overhead, from a fireman carry position.
Tried to do so again, but from the floor (like a strongman log press), but failed to get him into a good pressing position. Ripped my pants in the process.
Wife not happy that I ripped my only good pair of shorts that actually fit.
My training partner doesn”t really use the internet so I will post for him
Dylan: 6”2 about 240
Deadlift: 560×1
Wimpy, but improving:
Squat – 245×5/3
Bench – 225×5/3
Deads – 345×5
Power Clean – 145×3/5
Shoulder Press – 140×5/3
Hit 202lbs this week. Down to 198 today. Up 25lbs. in a little over five weeks.
Squat 315×5
Bench 180×5
Dead 375×5
Dead 435×1
Squat 355×1
Bench 200×1
Almost 1000lb total after 6 months of lifting :)
PR weight of 208lbs
Weight: 220
Shoulder Press: 175x3x5
Bench Press: 260x3x5
Deadlift: 420x5x1
Also found a good picture online that is very 70”s big:
http://www.houseofpain.com/wlsnews/images/Joe_Ladnier_low_res_3.jpg
Squatted 330 for 3×5.
Hit a weight PR of 214 (height: 5”9″).
Came THIS close to hitting a deadlift PR of 606. Next time.
OH Press: 165×3
Raw Back Squat: 430×2
Wife hit a PR raw deadlift of 360 @ ~135 BW and PR raw bench of 130×5. Yeah – she strong.
@ Rygor
holy crap your wife is strong
I”d like to learn about the long term side effects of steroids. Are they overblown or not? Do serum levels really drop after steroid use? I”d be interested in something scientific, so see whether it”s scare tactics or justified banning.