Your "spiritually" based quotes from the bible and some 'eastern religion made easy for westerners' book are not helpful----I thought these boards were to be of use......

First of all I will not bash you on this, but I have questions first.

1. How old are you
2. How long have you been working out?
3. What's your program
4. What is your diet? (Cals P/C&F ratios)
5. Height/Weight?
6. Have you had your Testosterone levels checked lately?
7. What are you planning on running?

I won't help out untill I get these things answered. AAS can be run safely as it's the male hormone testosterone and won't hurt unless you abuse it....much likle alcohol!

-- Edited by Ironman at 13:35, 2007-05-02

Hey Ironman! How good to see you! Sounds  like you know more about this issue than I do. I do know that you have to be careful because like any hormone, too much can cause irritability, and I have to assume that anything that causes too much mental stress makes you vulnerable to making bad choices. Kind of like, I found myself particularly vulnerable during different times in my cycle. Are you being seen by a doctor to help you monitor the steroids? My husband's late wife had a kidney transplant. She had to take steroids, and I guess it caused some incredible mood swings and impulsive actions. It also contributed, I believe, in accelerating her cancer, but she had no choice but to take them.
Did a post get deleted regarding religion? I'm confused. Anywho, if I am going to put something into my body, I'd want medical monitoring just to be safe. My addictive personality says "if this much works, what will more do?", so please be cautious. just my two cents.. Chris

Thanks Wren...good to be back:

I have been building my body for about 2 years seriously, and have takes supplements (legal) that boost Testosterone.  Tribulis is a good way to go. It helps the testies make testosterone naturally, so it's not synthetic and will not shut down production or cause liver damage.

Most people think steroids think ...."Roid Rage".  This is simply untrue most of the time.  Yes mood swings can occur, but not more than any other times. 

My Testosterone is low at 356 (scale (250-899) so in a few years I will use Androgel which is a testosterone cream prescribed by doctors. 

Males today have increasing amounts of estrogen and less testosterone.  It has to do with our world environment and plastic packaging and soy.

Alcohol decreases testosterone and abuse really damages the production over time.

Anyway, I don't condone AAS, but I don't bash it either as it is a useful drug for many medical conditions.  The biggest problem is people do not cycle it (go on then off) and keep using until their own body stops producing it...then you are in big trouble and need test prescribed for the rest of your life to feel normal.

Wren wrote:

---

Hey Ironman, well judging from those pictures---Wow. Okay, now I know with women and any type of hormonal supplementation, doctors dont like to put us on any type of hormone replacement therapy if we are smokers because of the increased risk of heart attack or blood clots (aneurism). Does this also hold true with men and the program you're on, or may be on in the future with testosterone enhancement?

Not to get too far off track, but how are things going for you?  hug, Chris

---

Yes, smoking is more dangerous with Replacement therapy and estrogen, not so much test. 

I'm doing good, got 6 months in last week!

I've got a new sponsor, and am on step 9....which is hardest to me.  I figure this is the step where people don't follow through, and it's liberating to be able to do ammends.

Thanks for asking!

THIS MAY HELP YOU.  Something I wrote.....kind of my story.

 

Ive always considered myself one of the unlucky ones when it came to building a muscular physique.  Through High School I was always small, short and skinny.  I wasnt the smallest kid on the football team, but lets say I was always in the front row in team pictures, you know the 5-7 or less crowd.

 

I was also on the wrestling team and was in the 135 weight class.  All the guys would spit in cups all day and not eat in hopes to make weight.  Id sit back and gulp down my burritos, bagel dogs, chips and soda without a worry and still have a few pounds to spare.  No matter what I did I always seemed to never break 140.  I even took some notable spots on the weight room wall of fame for my lifting numbers.  My strength to weight ratio was the best on the team!  But I could not get biggerno matter how hard I worked out!

 

After High School I went off to college, living on my own with fellow roommatesthe basic college gig.  I worked part time and my parents made sure I ate and had the rent paid.  Everything else was on me for the next 4 (which turned into 5) years of life.  I joined a gym and continued to work out.  I watched my roommate drink these shakes every day that I could not afford, and I passed it off as nothing.  I saw him eating special meals.  I saw him grow.  He definitely had better genetics I thought.

 

I continued the college diet, and ate anything I wanted.  I probably ate 2-3k calories a day, but I did not understand nutrients and rest.  I made it to the gym with a partner 3-4 times a week and we crawled out of that place sometimes, working out to failure.  My partner grew, had 16 inch biceps and was 160 lbs.  I had 13 biceps and 140 lbs. Sure I was strong and ripped, but I still looked weak.  I saw cross country runners more ripped and sizable that I.  I passed this off and used it as an excuse to bring in my bad genetics.  I told everyone else Id never be fat.

 

I got a steady woman, moved in with her my Junior year, and quit going to the gym.

 

Fast forward 14 years.  135lbs, skinny weak, 33 years old. Pizza, Mexican and beer were the main staples in my diet, yet I did not put on weight.  I started to get a small beer belly, but the scales remained steady 140-145.  I felt awful, and had no energy to even do chores or play with the kids.but I could sure take my beer.

 

I decided I wanted what I had before.  Besides I was ripped with a nice body before I thought.  But this time, this time I would do research.  

 

I applied a few things and I blew up 30 lbs in less than 6 months, mostly muscle.

 

1.      THE BUILDING MATERIALS CALLED FOOD:

 

I learned finally that this time I needed to approach training as if I was building a house.  I needed drive (Labor), materials (food) and rest.  I always thought I ate enough, but I was eating the wrong things and at the wrong times.  In order to build my house I needed materials and the right kinds.  I never realized it was the meats and dairy I needed to actually build size.  I never tracked carbs to protein, nor did I really know what foods were which!!!  I sure paid attention in Health class didnt I?

 

WOWPROTEIN!  The key to my failures surely! I needed it often and at the right time.  Eating 1,500 calories 2x a day was not going to cut it.  I had to have some kind protein in my body at all times.  I made it a point to eat 30-40 grams every 2-3 hours.  Through this method I did not have to count calories so much as protein.  I added Milk and high calorie milk/protein shakes at least 3x per day. This way I did not have to scarf large amounts of meat.  I could and easily ate 5,000 calories a day.

 

I used an MRP with 40Protein/40Carbs upon awakening, had a breakfast at 10am, lunch at 12, shake at 3 (GYM) then Dinner at 7, and a mega milk/ice cream, berries, yogurt and banana before bed at 10pm.

 

I kept a food log tracking daily protein, calories and morning scale weight.  I usually met my calories through enough protein (1 gram per pound of bodyweight), so I soon stopped counting calories.  Keeping this log kept me honest and it should be a staple in anyones process if you are serious about putting on some mass.  Knowing when and how much you eat is critical and a mental confirmation that you are getting the right materials to build your house.

 

Supplements like Creatine, Fish Oil and Mutivitamins are a good thing to have as staples.

 

THIS eating process more than anything contributed to my growth.  I believe food has 70% importance overall! The remaining 30% is the workout program and rest. Supplements should be just that.  Never rely on them to do your work with eating  food for you.

 

2.       THE PROGRAM: Keep it Simple Stupid!

The second thing I discovered was less volume and heavier weight.  When I began I tested all my max efforts for:

 

Bench

Military Press

Lat Pull Downs/Rows

Deadlift (I did not due to back issues)

Squats (I did not due to back issues)

Curls

 

I took 75% of that max, used it in a 4x6-8 routine.  The first sets were 8, and the last were about 6.  I found my strength and size responded IMMEDIATELY with the proper building materials (food) combined with heavy weights.  I also learned that less is more.  I didnt have to follow some complicated rotating regimen. 

 

I took on a 2 day split like this:

 

Day 1 Monday: Chest, Triceps, Legs 75% of max.

 

-Bench 4x8

-Dips 4x 10

-Tri-Extensions or Skull Crushers 4x8

-Squat or Lunge 4x8

-Calf Raises- 3x20

 

Day 2 Tuesday: Back, Traps, Biceps, Shoulders.

 

-Pull ups or Seated Rows / Bentover Rows.  4x8 (Sometimes I did 2)

-Barbell Shrugs 4x8

-Curls 4x10 (I like more volume here)

-Sitting Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4x8

 

 

Day 3 Wednesday (Rest)

 

 

Day 4 Thurs. (Same as Mon)

 

 

Day 5 Fri. (Same as Tues)

 

 

Weekends off.

 

The program was simple and low volume, but I made it a point to go to or close to failure on all sets, since we are in the 6-8 rep range of max efforts.  If I felt I could do any more than 8, then I raised the weight accordingly.  I did not do 3-4 movements for each muscle group.  If I doubled up movements they were on chest and back only.  I found this split to allow for 2 full days of rest and 3 on weekends.  It made it simple.  I had no charts to follow or sheets to track.  Just balls-to-the-wall heavy, exhaustive lifting WITH GOOD FORM.

 

Recently I changed this up, but came back as it worked the best for me and still does.

 

3.      ATTITUDE

The mind is an amazing thing.  My attitude went from I cant gain no matter what I do to If I do these things, I do and will grow.  Keep a good attitude and dont make excuses for anything!  Know that the nightly protein intake IS fueling growth as you doze off when resting.

 

4.      REST

Getting rest is critical.  If you want to party and stay up, you wont do yourself any good.  The body needs to rest to build.  If you do drugs or drink, your body will not absorb nutrients and will not grow like it could if it did not have to deal with toxins. 

 

 

 

So, if you are a beginner, keep it simple and approach this as if you were building a house.  The materials are very important.  As important and in this case I believe more important that your contractor (Program).

 

You CAN build the brick shithouse.  Its a lot of work, dedication, mental toughness etc., but it is also very simple. To Recap:

 

1.      Building Materials are the Essential.  You cant build a stable and sturdy house with paper.  You need the right foods at the right time, many times a day.  Use MRPs like Metabolic Drive to simplify the process.  Keep that food and wiegth log.

2.      Keep Your Program Simple.  Avoid the paralysis by analysis syndrome many fall into.  Lift heavy and do compound, classic lifts.  No swissballs needed here. 

3.      Have a Positive Attitude.  Knowing you are growing through the food log and training will produce results.

4.       Rest.  Need I say more, get your sleep and fuel up beforehand.

 

Its simple.  These are the simple things I have personally found to work for me.  I hope the beginner can find something useful.  Its time I shared some of what Ive gained here in simple terms.