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When going natural, are you disappointed?
- Thread starter LoneTree
- Start date
Silvertide
New member
Gear is pretty much unnecessary unless you are striving to be a competitive professional athlete, strongman, powerlifter, or bodybuilder. For normal people, there's just no need. It's not like women find overly massive individuals attractive anyway.
Personally, all I need are food, rest, and iron. Healthier that way too.
Personally, all I need are food, rest, and iron. Healthier that way too.
Guinness5.0
New member
Pretty soon I'll be stronger in all my lifts than the last time I was on, so I feel no disappointment whatsoever. It's amazing what you can do naturally when you do it right.
Guinness5.0 said:
That's the crux of it. People jump on juice primarily because they are dissatisfied with their gains. If you want to stop the drug use from proliferating, put good training info out there (rather than send the message that all Pro Baseball players use juice or some such and you can't compete without it - way to go Congress). It's a lot easier for kids and people in general to resist the temptation if they are making solid consistent progress. Most have very reasonable goals. They might not be moving at warp speed but consistent good progression empowers them and makes them confident in their ability to achieve their goals. That doesn't mean no one will use, but there will be a lot fewer 150lbs kids who can't squat 185 to parallel on the anabolic board.
blut wump
New member
I think a lot of the attraction of juice is seeing people stronger than oneself and knowing that you could accelerate your development by a year or more by using. It's at that stage that I stop myself and think that in a year's time I'll be a year's-worth stronger and bigger anyway.
I can only extrapolate from my own use of creatine and limited use of prohormones but the thought of having that extra recovery ability and extra sense of wellbeing is also very atttractive. Is it worth coming back down, though?
I can only extrapolate from my own use of creatine and limited use of prohormones but the thought of having that extra recovery ability and extra sense of wellbeing is also very atttractive. Is it worth coming back down, though?
bas4lizzife
New member
I enjoy training naturally. Dont get me wrong, its fun as hell to get stronger every single week when "on" but theres another element when im clean, thats just not there when on the juice. Its like my training has to be that much more meticulous and well-planned out, and it really feels good when I make gains and see my efforts and planning pay off while clean. And its rewarding to hit new PRs and goals before getting back on a cycle.
I still haven't done my first cycle but will say that being natural and busting your ass daily , seldomly seeing results then seeing someone on blow up within months is enough to make anyone depressed. When going naturally you will have to accumulate much more fat to see the gains you want muscle wise. (this has been my experience as my diets have always been ultra clean). On aas the majority of people I see do it with the right training and diets whether their diets are shit(wendys) or not always gain good size and little to no fat, matter of fact most end up losing fat.
Silvertide
New member
Neo22 said:
Well I guess it's that much more of an accomplishment to be natural then. It's really not incredibly difficult to get up to around 200 and 10% bodyfat over the course of 3 years or so, regardless of genetics, given the right training and diet.
Go ahead and ruin your kidneys and liver, lose your hair, and shrink your balls all for a little more muscle that you could have gained naturally. I would say the vast majority of gear users are NOWHERE near their genetic potential, so don't even try to bring that argument up.
Dieselgoku23
New member
I have trained natural pretty much all my life till last jan when I did my first cycle, before I even started to juice I was already way over 200lbs, actually 234lbs to be exact and benching 365lbs one rep max I personally think you need a good base before you even think about juicing!!. If you are 150lbs dont bother about using It cracks me up when I see an ripped skinny guy in the gym maybe about 180lbs soaked and wet talking about how much shit he is using etc...... and cant even put up 275lbs lol. Training naturally correctly can get you there once you reach a plateu I suggest you can start to cycle! you should have at least 5 years of training under your belt and decent size before you even beggin to juice also make sure you have blood test before and after the cycle and you over 22 at least just my .02 cents
See this is what confuses me. You just don't know who in the gym is actually not natural. I'm 16, and bust my ass off a ton, but I didn't start a month earlier for my cut like I should have, and I'm seeing all these beasts at the beach walking around. I bet money that alot of them are roid users but its depressing you know? So much hard work just to see that.
By the way, stats are (as of just after xmas)
Age: 16
Weight: 175
Bench: 275
Squat: 330
Deadlift: 350
By the way, stats are (as of just after xmas)
Age: 16
Weight: 175
Bench: 275
Squat: 330
Deadlift: 350
Guinness5.0
New member
Dz_7 said:
It's normal to feel that way but the best thing to do is remember that you are competing with yourself (juice or no). You do yourself an injustice when you compare yourself to others because who knows how long they've been at it, what they looked like when they started, and what drugs/doses they may have used. Just progress as best you can and be glad that you improve.
Exercise and nutrition are the foundation of superior health.
And superior health is the real goal.
You can build a very impressive physique "naturally" with the confidence you
did not trigger the beginnings of cancer or stroke. And you have nothing to hide.
And superior health is the real goal.
You can build a very impressive physique "naturally" with the confidence you
did not trigger the beginnings of cancer or stroke. And you have nothing to hide.
Silvertide said:
Actually it is incredibly difficult to get to 200 at 10% or less. If you think otherwise you are probably making shit up because you arn't basing that on height and how everyone is different. How is someone to know if they are near their genetic potential? Is there a users manual? I have gotten as much too as 194lbs taking in 5000 calories a day and training intensely not missing anything. Your body WILL accumulate fat to grow when not ON.
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
Am I disappointed? I guess I could put it this way - yes and no.
I started lifting in 1996 but had never lifted before that. I was skinny and little - all I did was run and eat soup. I think I weighed 100lbs and had like 25% BF with no lean muscle to fat ratio. I lifted for 3 years and ate a clean diet and slowly grew. I wanted to compete in a BB show. I didn't take any AAS until 1999 - and then only a little. I never really put on that much muscle though, because I was still calorically deficient. I competed in many shows through the years, but still wasn't that muscular or sizeable. When I added about 1500 addt'l cals to my diet, and more AAS - I got up to 150lbs at 10%. I then went on to compete in the Pittsburgh and then the Jr Nat'ls in 2003. After that I retired from BB and stopped taking AAS to try to decrease the sides and started Powerlifting.
Man - did I go through a year long period of mental & physical hell.
Slowly feeling your body normalize (or find its true place) is a hard thing to watch. The pain, the unfelt injuries introduce themselves, the (after) side effects, the emotions...but I was never sorry that I did it. AAS helped me get to a place where I did things I wanted to do. I might not be powerlifting now had I never BB or used AAS.
I am stronger now in some lifts/exercises and weaker in others. I don't get the "nice guns" comments, etc. like I used to, but I don't get any freak stares either. I am healthier now and more feminine.
Others have said you can't compare yourself to others. That is the most important comment in all of this. The hardest obstacle I had to overcome is NOT comparing myself to others or to myself....my former AAS supplemented self.
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
I started lifting in 1996 but had never lifted before that. I was skinny and little - all I did was run and eat soup. I think I weighed 100lbs and had like 25% BF with no lean muscle to fat ratio. I lifted for 3 years and ate a clean diet and slowly grew. I wanted to compete in a BB show. I didn't take any AAS until 1999 - and then only a little. I never really put on that much muscle though, because I was still calorically deficient. I competed in many shows through the years, but still wasn't that muscular or sizeable. When I added about 1500 addt'l cals to my diet, and more AAS - I got up to 150lbs at 10%. I then went on to compete in the Pittsburgh and then the Jr Nat'ls in 2003. After that I retired from BB and stopped taking AAS to try to decrease the sides and started Powerlifting.
Man - did I go through a year long period of mental & physical hell.
Slowly feeling your body normalize (or find its true place) is a hard thing to watch. The pain, the unfelt injuries introduce themselves, the (after) side effects, the emotions...but I was never sorry that I did it. AAS helped me get to a place where I did things I wanted to do. I might not be powerlifting now had I never BB or used AAS.
I am stronger now in some lifts/exercises and weaker in others. I don't get the "nice guns" comments, etc. like I used to, but I don't get any freak stares either. I am healthier now and more feminine.
Others have said you can't compare yourself to others. That is the most important comment in all of this. The hardest obstacle I had to overcome is NOT comparing myself to others or to myself....my former AAS supplemented self.
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
Tweakle
New member
200 at 10% might be attainable for an average height man with a few years hard training.. but not maintainable
thats a bonafide 10%, not an internet '10%' (12-15%) bf
roids should support training and diet, not the other way round.. I could care less why people use but the 175lb A&F guys doing a gram a week to go shirtless club are not my bredrin.
natural takes a lot of dedication.. to those who can stick with it you have my respect..
thats a bonafide 10%, not an internet '10%' (12-15%) bf
roids should support training and diet, not the other way round.. I could care less why people use but the 175lb A&F guys doing a gram a week to go shirtless club are not my bredrin.
natural takes a lot of dedication.. to those who can stick with it you have my respect..
Between cycles yes. Losing that few reps and energy in the gym for a few months between cycles tends to bum ya out. You get used to it after time.
When actually staying off for a long time (1 year or more) between cycles the first few months are the hardest. After that you start to get your groove back. You just have to work that much harder.
When actually staying off for a long time (1 year or more) between cycles the first few months are the hardest. After that you start to get your groove back. You just have to work that much harder.
i've been training since i was 12. i just always wanted to be as able as possible. so i'm near 34 now and have been off aas for 2 years. it's hard as hell some days, knowing you aren't going to be a world beater. but i do it for myself. Bill Kazmier said the biggest mistake people make is to train for others. i go in and try to be the best 34 y/o version of myself i can be. going off aas is way fucking hard, but if you love the way the weights make you feel, it's just another obstacle. you can go around it or right fucking thru it.
Theres always dissappointment. But when looking at what Ive done naturally, from where I started, there is some satisfaction. I Even on gear I could be disappointed though. Ive learned to be patient and have held out this long without gear (10 years). Having learned that I will be able to break 20 inch arms naturally (aside from supplements) and 50 plus inch chest gives me motivation. I was very close to these stats before injuring myself 5 months ago.
Theres always dissappointment. But when looking at what Ive done naturally, from where I started, there is some satisfaction. I was 105lbs-115lbs when I started and couldnt bench the bar unassisted. Even on gear I could be disappointed though. Ive learned to be patient and have held out this long without gear (10 years). Having learned that I will be able to break 20 inch arms naturally (aside from supplements) and 50 plus inch chest gives me motivation. I was very close to these stats before injuring myself 5 months ago. So at 24 I will try to hold out for a while and see what I can do naturally. Its been alot of work, and 10 years straight of this consuming my life, but it is possible. I dont like the term hardgainer. I see it as an excuse. But if such a thing exists I guess I could be called that. I gain very slowly and lose it very fast. Its not easy. Not many are willing to push themselves hard enough naturally to take it that far. It takes ALOT of patience. I may go on something eventually to give me a boost and help me bring my size up some more, but I havent found it necessary.
Silvertide said:
Took me alot longer then 3 years to reach 200lbs! haha My measurements are a good deal larger then my weight would indicate though. Strength has always been my strongest point. At 220-230 Id have 22-23 inch arms if the same pattern continued. Im more concerned with measurements then bodyweight.
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
view said:
No need for disappointment. The disappointment for me lies within myself when I have any dependence on AAS to make me 'something...' I might not have been. As you read through some of the posts - I think the best advice lies between the lines where those who have gone without have still found happieness and results. Many said strength was better after or off - such as I had. Sometimes only the look is different, but the strength may be better. It all depends on the person, their dedication, diet, training and mental fortitude. 20 weeks is a lengthy time and maybe a rest is a good thing. Take care.
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
Tatyana
Elite Mentor
I have always trained nattie, don't know any different.
Have absolutely no intention of ever doing gear.
I completely transformed my body in a year, and still getting bigger.
Learning to train smarter, eat better, use my natural hormone response.
I find this empowering, not taking performance enhancing drugs to do so.
People THINK I take steroids, I think that is a compliment
x
x
x
T
Have absolutely no intention of ever doing gear.
I completely transformed my body in a year, and still getting bigger.
Learning to train smarter, eat better, use my natural hormone response.
I find this empowering, not taking performance enhancing drugs to do so.
People THINK I take steroids, I think that is a compliment
x
x
x
T
Tytan
New member
Never used, don`t know that I ever will, I`m 38 years old, 6 feet tall, 216 lbs w/ about 14 percent bodyfat. I`m not very big and when I have a shirt on I proly look pretty regular. When I`m training though, guys assume I`m getting ready for a comp or something because I have good definition and I can move some heavy weight. I think genetics play a huge roll in this if you are using or not. I think if you can do it naturally, you might have a better understanding of your body and of your own personal capabilities. Juicing will get you faster results, but obviously at a price. Either way, you need to focus on your overall health and not just appearance. Dissapointment may come when you hit a plateau, but that`s when you learn alot about your ability to train at a higher level. You should find a new way to push through, change things up and reach new goals. It may take longer, but so what. I would love to acheive the look I want for my body overnight, but thats not reality.
blut wump
New member
I think that quite a few of us have been in this situation. One might even suggest that until those around you think that you're on gear then it's premature to be taking gear.I have always trained nattie, don't know any different.
Have absolutely no intention of ever doing gear.
I completely transformed my body in a year, and still getting bigger.
Learning to train smarter, eat better, use my natural hormone response.
I find this empowering, not taking performance enhancing drugs to do so.
People THINK I take steroids, I think that is a compliment
x
x
x
T
Of course, the rules change as one gets older and gear simply helps one to continue to feel human.
This is an old thread. I guess someone bumped it by voting.
Due to serious health issues over the last few years, my doctor has suggested and monitors my AAS use.
It doesn't do miracles.
In the Summer of 2007 I was on and struggled with a 500 lb deadlift. I could not do a 220 lb log press..after doing a 340 previously.
Against my Dr's suggestions I went clean in August and since then I have hit a deadlift PR, Stone PR, Log PR (342 lbs) as well as a bodyweight PR of 291 (I was under 240 last year, and was forced feeding to keep it).
That being said...I have spent the day in the hospital and came home tonight for peace of mind. I'm going back in tomorrow, though, since I've been sick since Saturday.
At this point...the difference is health. It does help to keep me healthy, be a good father to my son and husband to my wife.
It doesn't do miracles.
In the Summer of 2007 I was on and struggled with a 500 lb deadlift. I could not do a 220 lb log press..after doing a 340 previously.
Against my Dr's suggestions I went clean in August and since then I have hit a deadlift PR, Stone PR, Log PR (342 lbs) as well as a bodyweight PR of 291 (I was under 240 last year, and was forced feeding to keep it).
That being said...I have spent the day in the hospital and came home tonight for peace of mind. I'm going back in tomorrow, though, since I've been sick since Saturday.
At this point...the difference is health. It does help to keep me healthy, be a good father to my son and husband to my wife.
MsBeverlyHills
New member
I have always trained/competed natty...but i admit in the last 2 competitions- the gals using did look amazing!! Its very tempting becuase i know the results would have me place higher in competitions.. but im not really up for the downsides, even tho there are fewer natural (drug tested)competitons on the schedule 
Last edited:
MsBeverlyHills
New member
hey Nathan- good post! so this gal @ my gym is using winstrol & basically tells me if i "buy" it from her- I'll be more shredded @ my next comp!! LOL its so tempting, but I'll prob pass! she wil prob kick my ass at the next figure show! lol
Nathan
New member
I will also say this:
People have been emulating what Schwarzenegger and those dudes started over 30 years ago for a while. But people generally ignore the fact that what made them successful in the first place was that what they were doing was *new*. People hadn't seen it before, hence their fascination and why they found it entertaining. Time for something new. And I don't know about the rest of you but I just don't see a future in chasing after the dream of being a 300lb bodybuilder @ 4% bf. I really hope those who are doing it can make it happen cause they are busting their fucking asses and I respect the shit out of that. But I also would like to see appealing alternatives for those who don't want that but still love fitness.
Thirty years ago or whatever, if you saw a magazine cover from say five feet away, you could tell who the bodybuilder was from his physique without even needing to see his face. Nowadays, even if you show me the dude's face I still have no clue who the fuck he is.
People have been emulating what Schwarzenegger and those dudes started over 30 years ago for a while. But people generally ignore the fact that what made them successful in the first place was that what they were doing was *new*. People hadn't seen it before, hence their fascination and why they found it entertaining. Time for something new. And I don't know about the rest of you but I just don't see a future in chasing after the dream of being a 300lb bodybuilder @ 4% bf. I really hope those who are doing it can make it happen cause they are busting their fucking asses and I respect the shit out of that. But I also would like to see appealing alternatives for those who don't want that but still love fitness.
Thirty years ago or whatever, if you saw a magazine cover from say five feet away, you could tell who the bodybuilder was from his physique without even needing to see his face. Nowadays, even if you show me the dude's face I still have no clue who the fuck he is.
If your happiness and success are dependent on how others look and perform, you will never be satisfied.
I stopped my HRT a month ago...doing great!
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