My view on BBing now vs 10 years ago

[Macdaddy]

Its funny reading everyones threads now and then thinking back to 10 years ago and remembering reading threads then. I was so into it back then. Now, I really could care less about cutting edge this and cutting edge that. I guess as I get older, I realize what is and isn't possible and also what really is important in life. I was willing to try anything back then. And I truely thought that this drug or that drug would make me Mr Olympia or atleast a national competitor. But now when I hear of some new thing that came out will make you this or that, I think to myself "bullshit". What makes you a national level or Pro competitor is HARD WORK and nutrition. Everything else just helps a little. Plus, with all the new stuff out there, you run a good chance of seriously messing yourself up for life!! I guess when we are young, we don't think about the rest of our lives. But in reality, BBing is just one part of life and a small part at that. Anyone who says otherwise, really doesn't know what living is all about. I guess the big issue I have with BBing these days is the risk vs reward scenario. Alot of ppl are taking huge risk for little to no reward. I mean, even out of the top pro's, how many are making any money? And I can't see any other reason anyone would want to take things to that extream other than for money. It sure as hell isn't for health, and it sure as hell isn't for love of the sport since any top level competitor will tell you that they would rather be smaller if they weren't competing.

I'm not trying to bash BBing here. I love the sport. But taking it to any extream is in the past for me. I only wish I came to that realization earlier on. It would have saved me alot of agony, and alot of money. Lets face the facts, this is a dead end sport at the top levels. Even if you are lucky enough to get to the top, you lose in the long run for health reasons.

My advise to any newbie getting into BBing would be to keep everything in perspective. Most will never be a top level competitor, so don't risk your health, money and relationships to attain a goal that very few ever acheive. Set some shorter term goals and go from there.

 

[upeccmi]

I agree. I remember late 80's when steroids were still not on the "schedule" list and you had guys in your gym with a box of Deca vials in their gym bag for sale for a couple dollars. I was competing back then (well into the 90's) and it got real hard to get stuff (pre internet). It just seems the government cracking down on steroids really made it very dangerous with the underground labs and sterility issues. Back then only national level competitors or pros could afford to take HGH, now everyone takes it. I just think the dosage amounts went way up and people are willing to take all kinds of risks now. I still take stuff, look good, but I keep my dosages low and don't do anything crazy.

 

[noname103]

You contradict yourself. You claim it is not worth the risk guys are taking. You say you took risk and got nowhere. But now you realise it is hard work and perseverance that gets results. Yet you then assume a lot of people are taking huge risk. But according to your own logic the top guys are probably just working harder not taking risk. Really a strange post you try to make it sound like a warning but it sounds like an excuse. I also find it hard to believe that you know everyones motivaion for their activities. Why is it a dead end sport? Does anyone even rememeber what a sport is? I assure you it has nothing to do wih attendence, money, and supplement contracts. You say no reward and then talk about money. Is that how we measure reward in sport?

 

[irish2003]

10 years ago I used to work for IFBB Quincy Roberts and he helped me out for my first show. He trained and had everyone diet like they were aas free and KISS principle with supps (remember the original Bulgarian Tribestan and PUMP Magazine) and diet. 10 years later I did the same thing and guess what? won my weightclass (however up from bntmwt to a heavy ltwt). The point is I was more motivated back then, then I am now to do everything the right way and to be honest in 96-97 aas free, I think I looked better then than now even though I am bigger and place higher.

 

[ironone1]

This thread reminds me of somebody I know who I just got into doing real cycles about a year ago. He thinks AAS is some miracle drug that's just gonna make you blow up and look like a pro. He asks me what he should expect as far as gains go after a few weeks into his cycle. I told him it depends on a number of things - training, diet, genetics, doses, and overtraining. I told him that a ton of guys are on them at our gym but nobody really looks freaky big or ripped. I even pointed to the fact about all the baseball players that are on them but few really look huge other than Canseco and McGuire. He thinks now that if he adds HGH its gonna take him to the next level and he'll look like a pro. I told him HGH is mainly for strengthing tendons and burning fat. He agreed that its the synergistic effect of taking both AAS and HGH that's the key. He still doesn't realize that the pros are doing major doses where you see the gut dissention, and he could never afford to do the doses that they do. I read once that Ronnie said he spent upwards of $100,000 a year for all his gear. Along with these high doses I told him that they also have the genetics, eat massive amounts of food every couple of hours, and are always training.

This is obvious a tall order for the average person to achieve pro status as mentioned before. I do it to maintain reasonable size and keep my libido strong, that's it. I don't expect to look like Jay Cutler as some of these fools think can be achieved. Your best bet is to cycle them or at least cruise when you do them. I usually come off but because of my age (43) I will probably just stay on test at a low dose and limit my cycles to a few months at a time.