Looking back. Was it really worth it? The health, money, time you spent in this game.

[Bio]

No regrets at all.

I think I'm better off having learned more about discipline, perseverance, and a hunger for constant improvement than I ever would have understood without proper bodybuilding.

I emphasis proper as to get good in the game you need to have your ducks in a row and be consistent. Most don't, and you certainly won't learn from that.

@OuchThatHurts @LATS @b-boy @Big Dave Smith

YES! Thank you hawkmoon!

I certainly understand being as healthy as you can and be in the bodybuilding lifestyle, I preach it too, but I'm tired of this board turning into the whiney muscle forum! Young guys coming up are now AFRAID to use anything more than TRT, members trying to blame their shortcomings on AAS or bodybuilding. What a cop out!

If all you're interested in is TRT then go to the sub forum here or go to a TRT forum!! I'm not referring to the older members who at the TRT stage, I'm referring to the younger guys because this is a bodybuilding forum that's been hijacked by the underwear model gang and the poor me gang!

 

[Fit2Serve]

So fat or sedentary people are very deep and excellent human beings?

That's bullshit Yes, there are many in this world of bodybuilding who are of no use as people, but they are not the ones who hammer the lifestyle for 30 years.

lol u went all the way to saying fat sedentary people lol
this is still pro muscle brah
my most out of shape will be 12% bf and capped delts
i havent totally gone off my rocker

 

[buck]

61 training since 12. Woulda coulda shoulda is a waste of time for me. No plan i made every went exactly as i planned. So to think if i made different choices that they would go the way i hoped would be absurd. Always tried to do things so they weren't to detrimental. Ate healthy, trained to heavy, didn't rest enough. 20 years doing cycles, although when you don't come off for long i don't know if that is a cycle. No health issues at all. Some things aren't as perfect as i would like but few people can say they are. Joints are a little wrecked. But every guy i know my age has complaints but i enjoyed my journey.

 

[goback2013]

Especially with internet dating now. When I got divorced there was days when I was hooking up with 5-7 different women on a weekend

Yes. Internet dating made it much easier to link up with various females.
I have a type and I prefer the art of conversation. So I'd rather meet up the old fashion way. Grocery stores, clubs, just out and about.
But yeah. When lazy I'll get online and see what's out there. Respect

 

[Bio]

Yes. Internet dating made it much easier to link up with various females.
I have a type and I prefer the art of conversation. So I'd rather meet up the old fashion way. Grocery stores, clubs, just out and about.
But yeah. When lazy I'll get online and see what's out there. Respect

Okay, let's not turn steer this into an internet dating thread. There's a sub forum for that.

 

[johnjuanb1]

Hindsight is always 20/20. With the knowledge I have now if I could go back 35 years I’d do many things differently in my life, but hell, let me see the future right now and I’ll do many things differently today, tomorrow, and the next day too.
THINGS I’D CHANGE BODYBUILDING-WISE:
1. Less protein shakes and more solid foods.
2. No insanely heavy ego lifting which led to my spine, knee and rotator cuff injuries.
3. No narcotic use, i.e., pain killers to lift heavier, and stimulants to train harder.
4. I’d still blast the AAS no doubt because I’m a dumb-ass like that. I love dbol, adrol, tbol, orals and inject bases/suspensions for a preworkout. I love Cialis as a preworkout but a decade of constant use has made my wiener dependent on it. My inject doses would most likely never go above a gram except while cutting for a show. I’m sure I’d push 3.5 grams precontest but never 6 grams like I once did.

Honestly, my biggest regret is getting old. I should have had the foresight to just stay 25 forever. Remember that! Stay 25! 53 hurts!

 

[Dugbet]

61 training since 12. Woulda coulda shoulda is a waste of time for me. No plan i made every went exactly as i planned. So to think if i made different choices that they would go the way i hoped would be absurd. Always tried to do things so they weren't to detrimental. Ate healthy, trained to heavy, didn't rest enough. 20 years doing cycles, although when you don't come off for long i don't know if that is a cycle. No health issues at all. Some things aren't as perfect as i would like but few people can say they are. Joints are a little wrecked. But every guy i know my age has complaints but i enjoyed my journey.

That is a sign of wisdom, so many people regretting their decisions, what a waste of time and energy.

 

[btails]

If I died tomorrow I wouldn't regret a fucking thing. I lived my life the way I wanted to live it. AAS definitely increased my quality of life.

 

[SOUR DIESEL]

@OuchThatHurts @LATS @b-boy @Big Dave Smith

YES! Thank you hawkmoon!

I certainly understand being as healthy as you can and be in the bodybuilding lifestyle, I preach it too, but I'm tired of this board turning into the whiney muscle forum! Young guys coming up are now AFRAID to use anything more than TRT, trying to blame their shortcomings on AAS or bodybuilding. What a cop out!

If all you're interested in is TRT then go to the sub forum here or go to a TRT forum!! I'm not referring to the older members who at the TRT stage, I'm referring to the younger guys because this is a bodybuilding forum that's been hijacked by the underwear model gang and the poor me gang!

^^^GREAT POST!!!!!

"do ..or do not ..there is no try" -Yoda

..some of these guys think they'r gonna "re-invent the wheel"

..then when they just end up making a "hormonal mess" of themselves ..there's no accountability ..& of course it's not their fault


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



►started when i was 23 ..i'm closer to 50 than 45 now

NO REGRETS what-so-ever

quite honestly i don't think i would have had the gas/stamina/endurance to achieve some of what i have in my life ..career/business etc without the bolstering help/affects of AAS

hey look, no one here gets out alive ..1000 ways to die, choose one

^^^you can't get away from choosing "something" in life ..if you don't ..it simply chooses you ..eventually ◄this breeds "regret"
..so don't be oblivious .."put your hands on the wheel" ..& get what you want
..get away from blaming "others" for your lot in life
..& realize that regardless if you choose your course in life, or not ..it all has a "cost"

..what ever it is "Millennial" or "New AGE"?? ..it has some people thinking that you can get something for nothing
^^^this is one of the biggest ..& most crippling delusions, IMO

with regards to this thread; ..there is a price to pay for being being "better-than-average" ..or "great"
..a price in time ..a price in pain/discomfort ..a price in longevity ..etc etc etc
..the harder you step on the gas ..the higher the price you pay ◄there are very few legitimate exceptions to this ..& this rule seems to be universal in that it doesn't just apply to BB

▲▲▲what the wisest of us try to do now is ride the FINE LINE between "the COST" & "the BENEFIT"
..in a way that's acceptable to us ..bc where this "line" is can be different for everyone

..but we understand & don't try to deny that there is a "COST" ◄we'r "OK" with this bc we understand & REAP the benefits
..& we'd much rather be "strong to the finish" even if it costs us a few years
..then withering & falling apart ..feeble ..impotent ..needing assistance/having to rely on others
(..in other words; we happily accept these "consequences" bc the rewards/benefits are worth it ..& we realize that "longevity" is not guaranteed anyway)

SO "..is the reward worth the sacrifice?" ◄this is the "million-dollar" question you have to ask yourself ..& again, this does not just apply to BB

WARNING: ..don't get caught living somebody else's dream ..or ideal ◄the punishment for this can be very stiff

be true to yourself ..decide what you want ..make it noble ..garnish the discipline & means to achieve it
▲▲▲in the end, you will not "regret" this

otherwise you run the risk of driving yourself mad sooner or later in life ..having conversations with Mr. Could'v ..Would'v ..Should'v

^^^to this type of person the "grass was always greener" on the other side
..they never realize that had they been on that "other side" they would still be saying the same thing
..they never realized that there was a cost no matter which road they decided to take


SO, TO THE OP: i don't think that your mistake was deciding to use hormones
..but maybe that you decided to use them "casually"
..thinking that they did not have consequences
..every decision is life has "consequences" ..action/reaction

^^^i think this happened bc it really was never really what you wanted, but rather, it was more of a "fantasy" as your original post suggests ..JMO


.

 

[goback2013]

this lifestyle saved me and has made me more disciplined, courageous, motivated , etc which has applied to other areas of life . Everything about bodybuilding has helped me through life and emotional pain. I use my body as a way of control and aim to improve each day by manipulating various factors . I love the training and the euphoria of it. Yeah, we all start bodybuilding thinking it’s just to “look” good but we all know it becomes more than that. It becomes another reason why we get up in the am. I want to build a physique that continues getting better with time... for a long time , if I was forced to stop , I’d never talk badly about bodybuilding.

my question to you , op: Did you start for simple reasons without actually developing a love for training, diet, etc? Taking it to the extreme for a short term goal knowing you would stop? Because if you did truly love the lifestyle , you wouldn’t have left it. And I don’t mean aas either. There’s more to it than aas...

I got sucked in while reading a muscle media article on ephedra. Written by Dan Duchaine.
I was playing college ball at the time, and remember my first practice taking some gurana and ephedra pills. I remember that day. I could jump much higher. Run faster and my reaction time was that much quicker. Total focus and well being. Nothing like that first taste. Then came the increased libido. Virgin receptors didn't know what do with all that stimulation.
That was my first step into the PED world.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

@OuchThatHurts @LATS @b-boy @Big Dave Smith

YES! Thank you hawkmoon!

I certainly understand being as healthy as you can and be in the bodybuilding lifestyle, I preach it too, but I'm tired of this board turning into the whiney muscle forum! Young guys coming up are now AFRAID to use anything more than TRT, trying to blame their shortcomings on AAS or bodybuilding. What a cop out!

If all you're interested in is TRT then go to the sub forum here or go to a TRT forum!! I'm not referring to the older members who at the TRT stage, I'm referring to the younger guys because this is a bodybuilding forum that's been hijacked by the underwear model gang and the poor me gang!

Also LOL'ing @ "Looking back"! "Like Sands through the Hourglass..." The only thing I think looking back is that I wish I could do it all over again! But I'm not even looking back, I'm still looking forward. Fitness, strength, power, discipline improved every facet of my life. I was a bad kid. Always in trouble. Athletics took me away from most of that. I love my muscle, I love the feeling of power. I've been off gear for years and I'm still a pretty big boy. And after my winter bulkup, I'll come off again. I'm not chemically castrated yet. I love training, I love the food, I love the scheduling, the timing, the discipline of it all. I love being big. I don't need all 8 abs visible 12 months a year. No regrets at all. To the OP, good luck in your endeavors.

 

[buck]

Being sorry for how things have gone and wishing you had done them different but still wanting the same knowledge. would be like me wishing i had all the money and security i do without ever having went to work one day in my life, experience doesn't work that way.

For me training was always way more fun and cool then how i looked. But the little things along the way just make it much better. A professional strong man asked me for some advise one day about lifting, while that is nothing big, or having a pro BB'er walk over to BS or ask for a spot is way cool for me.

In bodybuilding i learned to read, learn and apply. And to see what the successful people do and follow the common thread if i want t be like them. I took that philosophy and applied it to work and making money. Retired in my 50's and should never have a care in the world again about money and i was just a blue collar guy with a blue collar job. BBing taught me discipline and how to apply myself. I never found AS to be all that expensive. It is cheaper them supplements. Now a butt load of GH is a different matter but i never went that route. You can put on a lot of muscle without it costing much. Food is the most expensive part but quite doable. Unless you are picky and only eat and drink what you want to. But succeeding is about doing what works not what you want to of what feels good at the moment.

 

[b-boy]

@OuchThatHurts @LATS @b-boy @Big Dave Smith

YES! Thank you hawkmoon!

I certainly understand being as healthy as you can and be in the bodybuilding lifestyle, I preach it too, but I'm tired of this board turning into the whiney muscle forum! Young guys coming up are now AFRAID to use anything more than TRT, members trying to blame their shortcomings on AAS or bodybuilding. What a cop out!

If all you're interested in is TRT then go to the sub forum here or go to a TRT forum!! I'm not referring to the older members who at the TRT stage, I'm referring to the younger guys because this is a bodybuilding forum that's been hijacked by the underwear model gang and the poor me gang!

 

[hawkmoon]

@OuchThatHurts @LATS @b-boy @Big Dave Smith

YES! Thank you hawkmoon!

I certainly understand being as healthy as you can and be in the bodybuilding lifestyle, I preach it too, but I'm tired of this board turning into the whiney muscle forum! Young guys coming up are now AFRAID to use anything more than TRT, members trying to blame their shortcomings on AAS or bodybuilding. What a cop out!

If all you're interested in is TRT then go to the sub forum here or go to a TRT forum!! I'm not referring to the older members who at the TRT stage, I'm referring to the younger guys because this is a bodybuilding forum that's been hijacked by the underwear model gang and the poor me gang!

I think we are experiencing a bit of a rebound in light of the years of AAS abuse by people who have no business using (reddit kids taking 1g of tren and barely training, etc) compounded with some recent unfortunate losses.

I don't intend to overly minimize risks, and we should all be aware, but I don't think any of us on PM are the abusive idiots referenced above. This board is for bodybuilders, and more that are true competitors than elsewhere. This last part creates a lot of value for me personally.

Everything in life is risk vs rewards; no risk no reward. Just make sure you know what you are doing, and your goals are realistic and measured.

Regret's only purpose is to teach you a lesson when you make mistakes; anything more and it will consume you and make you doubt yourself unnecessarily.

 

[beast405]

I’ve def spent a lot of money on this lifestyle lol. I feel aas has increased my quality of life in many ways. I feel you get more respect when you have a good physique and are bigger than most guys (more confidence). The only thing I regret is starting so young I wish I would’ve waited just a couple years longer.

 

[BIGMURPH]

THINGS I’D CHANGE BODYBUILDING-WISE:
1. Less protein shakes and more solid foods.
2. No insanely heavy ego lifting which led to my spine, knee and rotator cuff injuries.
3. No narcotic use, i.e., pain killers to lift heavier, and stimulants to train harder.

Excellent list brother

 

[Big A]

I am 38 and started lifting in 1998 around when Ronnie won his first Mr O. All my childhood I wanted to look like my WWF (now WWE) wrestling superstars with their cartoonish muscles and envied them because the girls chased them.

I was more of a flex magazine kind of guy until I picked up my first Muscular Development and couldn’t wait to get started on gear. Back then in the early 2000s we had a mindset that these are extremely safe compounds have been demonized by politicians and older guys like Arnold are still kicking ass so keep using as much as you like.

Now at 38 I am very lucky I did not get any severe health issues but I will be on cholesterol and blood pressure meds for the rest of my life along with small doses of testosterone since I won’t ever make a legitimate amount of testosterone naturally ever again.

I look back and I made great memories. I also spent an insane amount of money on drugs, food, supplements and luckily did not run into legal issues.

Now I look very much like a balding, fat, 38 year old man but I am much better off financially, drive a much nicer car, have a much nicer paid off house, have much better credit and I think in general even females want me for more than just a piece of meat to fuck like back in the days.

So looking back I ask myself was it really worth it and I’m not sure if the answer is such a huge YES like I would want it to be?

Do any of you gentlemen feel the same way?

Fuck yes it was worth it! It created who I am today and I love who I am!

 

[Big A]

If I died tomorrow I wouldn't regret a fucking thing. I lived my life the way I wanted to live it. AAS definitely increased my quality of life.

THIS!

 

[b-boy]

Fuck yes it was worth it! It created who I am today and I love who I am!

EXACTLY ^^^^

 

[BALDNAZI]

Definitely not the way I went about it. Major mistakes made and plenty of time that I can never get back. Should have chose a different path. That being said there was 10 year span where I was I was an absolute maniacal beast, those were some good times. But overall was it worth it? Nope