When should you start using them? I’m just asking since T-mag’s stance on steroids is to wait until you’ve just about maxed your natural potential, at what training age should you start taking prohormones? Does it matter? Just something that crossed my mind.
I’m kind of a beginner I guess you could say, as I’m not the biggest guy nor have I been training “seriously”. But I was considering buying some Mag-10 after about 3 months of solid training, that is if I’m not seeing much progress in terms of size. I am playing hockey while I’m going to try training seriously so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to gain as much mass, so maybe Mag-10 will help out in that department. I’m not sure if I should use that or Methoxyl 7 or if that is just inferior to mag-10. What would anyone else use if they were me?
Screw that inching up to your max natural potential, get to that point and blow past it. I wouldn’t mess around waiting until you’ve reached your natural limit, that takes too damn long, get to your natural limit in a couple months with some help. You still need to have a good base though, just don’t wait too long to get huge if you don’t have to.
First off, the “pro” of prohormones and prosteroids should not obscure the fact that we’re dealing with STEROIDS, period. If these prohormones and prosteroids had been in use when anabolic steroids were banned, they’d becalled “anabolic steroids,” not “prohormones” or “prosteroids,” and the government would have banned them, too! Those of us who would like to use steroids without breaking the law are just fortunate that these substances weren’t around to be banned!! 8^P Although the “pro” originally referred to the fact that prohormones converted to testosterone (and estrogen, he he he!), I think the use of “pro” was convenient from a marketing standpoint to distinguish these substances from anabolic steroids, i.e. to avoid the stigma attending “real” anabolic steroids. Therefore, because MAG10 technically qualifies as an anabolic steroid (they are steroids that are anabolic), concerns about steroid use before one reaches genetic potential also apply to MAG10, Androsol and Nandrosol.
That said, from what I've read the primary reason it is recommended that one refrain from steroids until one reaches his genetic potential is that one doesn't want to have steroids become a crutch and a substitute for genuine skill and knowledge. From what I recall, the t-mag staff postings (I'm pretty sure it was TC that said this, though its probably been said by others) you want to learn good technique and how your body responds before using steroids because darn near anything will add muscle (and generaly quite a bit when compared to natrual training) when using anabolic steroids. Part of TC's concern was that too many newbies take steroids and get addicted to the easy gains and never develop the dietary and training discipline necessary for maximal gains and long term conditioning. Without "paying dues" with years of natural training, newbies get sucked into the trap where they cannot train effectively when off steroids. Furthermore, anabolic steroids have the potential to increase strength ahead of the supporting tendon and ligamental structures, which can lead to injury. The gradual increase in strength in natural training allows the connective tissue to improve enough to handle the strength increases associated with steroids. Going from a one rep maximum of 150 to 225 in 10 weeks for a total newbie is much harder on the connective tissue than going from 300 to 375 in 10 weeks for someone whose connective tissue has been conditioned by years of natural training. (I'm just guessing on realistic steroid-based improvements here. Feel free to set me straight, folks.)
So part of the answer is, "What are YOUR goals? Do you want to have long-term viability, i.e. minimize the chance of injury and be able to eke out that last bit of potential with superior technique and familiarity with your body, even if that takes decades? Or do you want to improve as quickly as possible because you're a professional or scholarship athlete or middle-aged person for whom long term viability and realizing that last bit of potential are lesser concerns?"
Does that sound about right to the old hands here?
Using Mag 10 after 3 months of training is really pointless. I for one gained 40 lbs my first 2 years of training. Others most likely gained less. My suggestion is that you train at least for 2-4 years before trying anything like that. This is entirely an individual thing, but remember the best thing about being a newbie are newbie gains 
Or…would the use of MAG-10 just make reaching that genetic limit that much faster? Instead of taking four years to add 40 pounds, you only take two years? Just an idea.
Tek I could see your point. But if you gain 40 lbs of muscle in 2 years on your own and then decide to use something like MAG 10. Chances are MAG 10 will be very effective on helping add on maybe an extra 20.
IF you decide to use MAG 10 right away and gain 20-30 lbs with it, the next time you use it it won’t be as effective.
Natural route: 40lbs + 30lbs from MAG 10… Assuming you keep the 30, you’re up 70lbs.
MAG 10 route: 30 lbs first use. 15 lbs second use. You’re up 45 lbs.
Now these don’t accurately represent real situations, but it helps explain why newbie gains are considered precious in bodybuilding
You’re first Roid/Pro-roid cycle is usually considered your best. So why not use it on an already decent frame? Take full advantage of your cycle.
But the first cycle is usually best because one is further from one’s absolute (that is, even steroidally enhanced) genetic limit. If each cycle moves one, say, a third of the way to one’s absolute limit, then of course the first cycle is most likely to be the best. A third of a newbie’s 100lbs from his limit is more than a third of 30lbs when he is at his natural limit. The one advantage I could see to training age here is that greater skill in recruting motor units might produce more stimulation for growth. If you can fire 80 per cent of your motor units at a time after 10 years of training, you get more stimulation for the steroids to capitalize on than if you can only fire 40 per cent of your motor units as a newbie. (I’m guessing on all these numbers, of course.) Your example compares 45lbs of gain for a newbie to 70lbs for someone who has trained two years. So in 32 week s(2 eight week cycles with 16 weeks off in between as per Bill Robersts 1:2 on:off ratio), newbie has more than someone has in 104 weeks. Assuming the more advanced trainer uses the same protocol, he will probably not make that 15lbs on HIS second cycle because he is that much closer to his absolute limit, so newbie will still be closing the gap (assuming all other factors are held constant). I’m not sure what makes newbie gains precious except they are easier to obtain and relatively inexpenisive financially. If I’m wrong, I’d be glad to know so feel free to blow my hypothesis away. If there really is some ultimate gain from holding off on steroids I’d like to know what it is beyond what I’ve already discussed.