Serious question: what is wrong with simply hitting a wall and not getting stronger after awhile? I’m NOT trying to be negative, but I ask, isn’t that just part of life? I love the gym but now I just do an abbreviated routine three times per week with other activity out of the gym because of other priorities or even stuff I don’t want to miss out on (whereas the gym isn’t going anywhere), knowing full well Ill likely never look like a bodybuilder again, just as some guy who “takes care of himself”.
Perhaps you’re just hooked on and love getting stronger, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I think there’s just a point in which men might just benefit from accepting things just go into maintenance or even decline, rather than be in emotional turmoil.
Honestly, I’m not against PED use. Grown men should be allowed to make their own decisions.
The problem is the internet. The same angry kids who think @T3hPwnisher isn’t natty because of his jawline are the ones who are screaming the loudest about noobs turning into Pro bodybuilders from a couple of cycles. This doesn’t happen. They are also the ones who know everything about drugs and how you should train on drugs with two stupid studies and parroting nonsense written by online wannabe trainers trying to sell them fullbody programs despite never having used any before.
If you wanna use, get your info from people who HAVE used PEDs before making a decision.
I went on a couple of test cycles, the last one being 2 years ago.
No one ever told me about the fucking insane confidence that a test cycle brings. It’s superior to the gains in my humble opinion.
However, the last one was all over the place.
I was taking 800mg of T-400 a week. The first few weeks I felt like the Ultimate Warrior when he would run out to the ring. Almost psychotic confidence. Put on a fair bit of bulk as well.
The downside was that I became convinced that my prostate was growing. It felt like someone had rammed a pineapple up my arse. This along with the yearning to sire a chiild meant that I gave up the cycle about 6 weeks in. Fuck knows what i was thinking:joy:
I’m very close to my meaningless strength goals. It’s the physique side that messes with my head. I’ve been hanging around 220-225 lbs for years…actually over a decade. I’ve always wanted to hit 235 with the body fat I carry at 220 lbs but I’ve never been close. This year is my last charge to try to achieve that. I’m accepting more body fat than I’m comfortable with because staying in my comfort zone hasn’t worked.
If this doesn’t work, then it’s not in the cards for me. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want it. And I think that’s what pushing me closer and closer (albeit tiny steps) towards the idea of actually using PEDS. Would using allow me to actually add 10 lbs of lean mass while maintaining my body fat (or even improving it)? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know.
One thing I’m certain of is that I don’t take action when my answer is “I don’t know”. I’m sure I’ll continue to read and try to learn about the world of PEDs but I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to accept the possible sides. I don’t want to be on anything for the rest of my life. Will the decrease in natural test mess me up forever? Will I get addicted to the psychological benefits? Would I even be able to maintain and keep whatever gains I made on cycle when I came off?
Too many unknowns. I’m not reckless. I wouldn’t be crushed if a doc told me I had low T and I needed to go on TRT. If that ever happened (and I doubt it does) then I’d probably push the envelope a bit because I’d have a doctor in my corner to help me out. Even if they wouldn’t prescribe the increased use I’d be comfortable knowing they could check my blood levels and help keep me above ground.
In the meantime I’ll keep working with what I have. Hell, I’ve been 220-225 lbs since 2002. If I could live with it during the past 15+ years then I can live with it now. It’s just that nagging voice in the back of my head pushing me. I can’t even tell you how it would improve my quality of life! (answer: it wouldn’t)
@dt79 and @BrickHead, I appreciate you guys being the voice of reason. I believe you are being genuine in your responses. I just came over here to half heartedly throw out the confession of that nagging little voice in the back of my head.
@ChongLordUno, thank you for posting your experience! I needed a good laugh today
I had one buddy who was fully convinced on his first cycle that his heart was going to explode because of everything he read online about the dangers. Would constantly come up to me and be like check my pulse I think I’m close to a heart attack. Not surprisingly he was always within normal range.
Another guy I knew was borderline obsessed with gyno and was convinced that he would get it so he would constantly be pulling at his nipples. He’d then complain about how sore they were and say it was the gyno setting in.
Had a former roid user (who was on TRT, this convo made me think of him) come to my ER one time with an abscess on his delt (which was actually from injecting a B12 shot, go figure). After taking some time to get to know him, talk about training, and become a bit friendly (and gauge how likely he was to take a joke in the ER) I told him that on the bright side the abscess made his delt look super wide. Luckily he got a kick out of it.
I think I’m in the early stages of a sinus infection. My throat feels like it’s bleeding from the drainage. I’m on Sudafed and ibuprofen but the only thing that really soothes my throat is ice cold Busch Light. Consequently, I’m on my 6th one.
(I know, I know. This is hindering any progress I hope to make in the gym.)
