My 2 cents - the cycle is fine for a first go. I would not fool with the AI at all though, there’s a reason that every guy at a comp has a goatee or beard. Your joints will thank you.
Brass tacks though. You’re short for heavyweight. I was short at 6’-0. You should NOT lose any weight, unless you plan to cut to lightweight (I made it an dehydration alone from 250 a couple of times). You’ll need to be on a bigger dose (not a lot bigger though) and you will probably need to just be on permanently if you want to take a serious run at pro. I am not saying that to discourage you, at all. Go get 'em.
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#genetics
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If you really feel the need to gain an edge and win this contest, then yes, steroids will do something there. But, the cycle you have planned is not going to make a big difference long term for you. Not that I recommend this, but if you said you want to start cycling now and never come off, well, that’s how you would start getting a long term benefit. But doing this cycle you have planned and coming off after the competition is not the way to go in terms of long term strategy. It would be totally short-sighted and just to win the comp.
Brutally honest opinion, a young guy like you shouldn’t be taking steroids because they feel pressure to win a local or low-level strongman contest. Keep training naturally and maybe someday you will be in a position where you know for a fact that even just a little boost from the roids will put you on that next level.
EDIT: want to make it clear that I’m not against gear just because someone isn’t competing. My thoughts are about someone young taking gear specifically for the purpose of competing.
I appreciate the honesty. Just to clarify, I wouldn’t even be considering this if it was to win a local show. I already know that if I had to use things like this to win a local show I wouldn’t have a chance in hell at higher levels. If anything, this cycle would be used as a way to come into 2020 nationals (yes I know its still a ways away) as strong as possible, and earn a Arnold amateur spot. Also, I do realize that to seriously climb the ranks I would have to never come off, and if I get to that bridge I will eventually have to make a decision. However, as I have never used anything besides the typical supplements (BCAAs, Pre-workout, etc) before going down the never coming off path I would like to know how my body is going to react and what, if any, side effects there will be.
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Hi @lifter_14 I’d say you look pretty fucking good for 21 congrats on the effort so far.
But you do have a little bit of body fat to dump. Are you ready for the next step?
Can you clean up your diet and get serious if you decide to run a cycle?
A 12 week T only cycle might really help you with your cut. No more cheats (Mc’ds, pizza or beer)
Your diet is as important as your workouts. From your picts I think you know what you are doing at the gym its diet you are missing.
Can you afford a pre cycle blood test?
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A test like this will give you a baseline and give you a target to work towards in your PTC. Which is recovering from your cycle.
I disagree. Even if you are starting from a local level, like I am, there is nothing wrong with going down the gear route. This is why I blast and cruise since I will be competing often. If he is serious about competing long term and he does his research, blasting and crusing is not such a bad option.
I agree @weightliftingwithoutlimits but it would be nice to see his natty numbers. What if this guys natty numbers are pumping out a TT of 900? a cycle would be a waste of funds. His natty number truly will determine what is the best course moving forward.
I dont think I was bashing gear at a local level. I was bashing doing that at his age
Getting cut would actually be counter-productive to his goals. The fat helps in Strongman, a lot actually. Not Glenn Ross fat, but where he’s at is probably about right. The handful of really cut guys that have done well are using incredible quantities of drugs to do it, it’s actually healthier to carry some fat than to take the other route. Not ripping anyone, just talking from direct experience. I was a national level competitor and did a lot of Pro-Ams and Nationals as an amateur and completely natural.
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This ones for fighting
This ones for fun
I stand corrected. Thanks Marine
We did not sing such cadences in the USAF 
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what comp? please say texas strongest, lol.
that’s ridiculous. How long has it been since you were a national level competitor? You don’t see guys on the fatter side winning shit at that level, until you get up to heavyweights and super heavyweights. The best middleweight guys (230) are generally in great condition. Look at guys like anthony fuhrman, Terry Rady, etc. 5-10 years ago this wasn’t the case, but it certainly is now.
The fact is, this guy’s not even breaking a 700 lbs deadlift right now. At his bodyweight, that makes him essentially non-competitive at a high level of middleweight, and he’s 20 lbs above that weight cut-off! The best 181/175 guys all deadlift 600+.
Then there’s also the fact that he’s 5’8. I know very, very few quality strongmen competing above the 198 class at his height, and doing well. I’ve always thought of weight classes as height classes in disguise. There will come a point when he will get killed in events like stones because he’s simply too short to be competitive.
OP: my suggestion is to cut a lot of fat. Get yourself closer to 220 lbs, or even less. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice ANY strength doing that, and you’ll find yourself much more competitive. If eventually you want to move back up in weight classes, get there with more muscle, not fat.
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You can have two dudes, that train naturally, and one far exceeds the other. Then mix in the same amount of gear for both and the one that is far behind can pull in front of the other. Because you are good naturally doesn’t necessarily correlate to good on gear. To be clear, it usually has a pretty good correlation, but not always. I suppose that this would be true only for your first cycle. If you have been cycling for years to win local shows, probably not going to make it.
Kevin Leverone is a good example, not very impressive as a natty, absolute beast in 4 months on gear.
I am assuming he’s shooting for HW. The other classes are a different animal. It has been a while, admittedly, since I had to stop. Who is winning not withstanding, a little layer of fat helps a lot, but in LW or even MW you just can’t spare it and make weight. He didn’t mention trying to make weight for those classes, so getting super is an unnecessary complication for him. He will grow more and progress easier with it anyway, and that really has to be his priority atm. When he’s late 20’s and fully developed he can worry about that if he wants to be in a lower weight class.
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I hear what you’re saying, I just have 2 major qualms with that approach.
- If he stays this heavy, he will be non-competitive for a long time, and that can be very frustrating. I think that starting out heavy and just beating your head against the wall until you’re strong enough is a very, very tough task, particularly given where he is now. I get why guys who are like 300+ lbs never try to make a lower weight class, that task is too daunting at that point. But for someone who’s in the range of making a lower class with a reasonable diet, I think it’s worth doing. Success breeds success, and i’ve seen many guys work their way up through the weight classes, winning shows all along the way.
There’s also the height issue. In every show he does for the foreseeable future, if he stays in the HW class, he will likely take last, or close to it, on stones. Overhead throws will also be a huge issue, and we’re seeing more and more of those. There are a handful of carries, like Hussafel, where short arms are a distinct disadvantage. It’s very possible, honestly more likely than not, that he will never be able to overcome these genetic disadvantages as a heavyweight.
I appreciate the insight you’ve provided, and I see where you’re coming from. I just think this guy will have a better strongman career as a whole if he goes ahead and cuts to a more reasonable bodyfat level and tries some MW shows. I think the faster he can make a podium finish, regardless of weight class, the more likely he will be to stick to his goals overall.
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I do not disagree with you. I don’t think he’s carrying a ton of fat right now, or I would agree with the idea of cutting more. His height however, is a huge disdvantage. It was a huge disadvantage for me at HW at 6’-0. There’s not much he can do about that unfirtunately, and he will likely end up shooting for the lighter class as a result, but he is young and still splitting his attention with PL.
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I suggested he lose some body weight just to get layed. I know nothing about weight classes.
Our hobby of moving weights around should have some compromises like a steady stream of pussy and what it takes to keep that coming.
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Pardon me for being the old, practical guy here, but it is possible your growth plate won’t close until you are 25, so you might want to wait until then before you start cycling steroids…
Not likely. Most people are fused before 20.
My plates were fused at 15, (regarding ephysical plates in wrists and feet). I recall breaking my ankle in multiple places, the doctor looking surprised and stating “Have you by chance broken you’re ankle before?”
Me: “No”
Doctor: “huh, well you’re growth plates are fused”
Me at 5 ft 4: “Fuck”