Deca 101: Everything you ever wanted to know about Nandrolone Decanoate
Deca, every time I hear that word out of someone’s mouth it brings tingles to my body!!!!! Well not exactly like that, but I will say that Deca is a pretty great compound lol. For starters, it bangs one hell of a punch in a very small amount! On just 100 mg a week you will see some nice recovery and tendon healing benefits, as well as a nice increase in strength that a lot of other compounds will not give you.
One huge benefit of Deca is the long chain ester that it is attached to, allows for a much lower injection frequency compared to a lot of other compounds. With a half life around 9 or so days, a once a week injection frequency is the most common among users. Now if you are getting the dosage up to around 600 mg or so, then you may want to increase the injection frequency, but anything 400 mg or lower a once a week injection works well!!!
Now I have used Deca a handful of times over the years and it is one of the most side effect friendly steroids one can use. It has very little in terms of estrogen conversion and is low on the Androgenic scale, meaning acne and other notable side effects are often minimized. Now that does not mean that this steroid is side effect free, it just means that estrogen and androgenic side effects are often times not of a concern. But the one difference between Deca and a lot of other compounds is it does have a fairly high rate of Prolactin conversion. For me, this was a concern and one of the big reasons that I no longer run Deca. Prolactin will cause many of the same side effects that estrogen will, as well as a few that are unique. Gyno, acne, mood swings, lethargy and the like are still common with higher levels of Prolactin. For me personally, Gyno was an issue, especially when my dosage was taken a little bit higher. Now everyone is different, and I know plenty of guys who have no issues with Prolactin induced side effects while running Deca, I was just not one of them. Now most of this can be remedied by the use of Cabergoline, which prevents Prolactin from forming in the bloodstream. Typically a dose of 0.5 mg twice a week will be all one needs. Another common side effect you hear about is the dreaded “Deca Dick” which is essentially a limp pecker lol. When Prolactin levels get too elevated it will be very difficult or damn near impossible to get an erection no matter how hard you try. Keeping your Testosterone dosage neck and neck or slightly higher than the Deca dose can often prevent this. So if the Deca dose is 400 mg, 500 mg of Testosterone will often times be used as an offset for Prolactin induced side effects.
In terms of cycle length, I would recommend 12 weeks as a minimum, with 16 being far more common. This is due to the longer ester attached to Deca, which causes peak blood concentrations to be reached around the 8-10 week mark. Deca is best suited as an off-season builder, do to the fact that it is not going to have much leaning out or hardening properties. One can see a pretty high level of size gain in a fairly short amount of time with Deca. The strength increase is also quite a bit higher than many other compounds, so much so that one may need to really focus on keeping the weight lighter and training in the higher rep range to keep one from getting injured. One big issue with some compounds is that because we get so strong so fast, we essentially outgrow the tendons and ligaments. This is where a lot of strains and tears come from, essentially the body has not adapted to the increase in strength because it was so rapid. But, by modifying things and being smart, we can remain in this game for the long haul. Always remember there is no finish line with bodybuilding!!!!!!
Sample Growth Phase Cycle
Weeks 1-16 500 mg a week Testosterone Cypionate
Weeks 1-16 400 mg a week Deca Durabolin
Weeks 1-4 25 mg a day Dianabol
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!
Why Hunger is the Most important marker for physique progress.
When it comes to fat loss and muscle building, hunger is a tall tail sign that what you are doing is working. Let me give you a little insight about hunger, and why it is so important. Well first off, hunger is your bodies way of telling you that it needs more food. In a diet phase this is a great thing because it shows your body is burning through the food you are giving it and it is in need of more. Hunger shows that your metabolism is firing on all cylinders is and primed and if your goal is weight loss or building muscle that is what we want.
One thing I hear and see all the time are guys saying “I am not hungry when I am dieting and this is awesome!!! I have no cravings and I really don’t feel like eating much, if at all.” The problem with that thought process is that if your not hungry there is a pretty good chance that your body is not using food as efficiently as it should, and that is a BIG problem. This is your body telling you that it does not need any fuel and what it is getting is being stored.
Have you ever wondered why no matter how hard you diet you just cant seem to drop fat? You have no hunger and even though you are eating less and less you start moving in the wrong direction. This my friends has all the bit to do with your metabolism, or lack there of. Hunger will tell you everything that you need to know about how well your body is using food. It is pretty simple, the hungrier your are the more your body is burning through its calories. Now you still need to be in a deficit here, but keeping hunger high as you increase the defecit slightly week to week will ensure that fat loss remains high. The same can be said for gaining new tissue. Being hungry shows that all the increased calories that you are consuming, or should be consuming lol, are being used for growth and your body is in dire need for more.
So, here my friends is a quick explanation as to why and how hunger will give you a very good picture of what is going on with your body. If you are not hungry, then it is about time to analyze what you are going to ensure that you get back on track and get the ball rolling again for long term progress.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!!
The Big Benefits of Cialis for Bodybuilding
Cialis is by far one of the most beneficial health supplements that any bodybuilder, especially the aging male, should include in their overall stack. Cialis works by relaxing all of the smooth muscle in the body, allowing for a greater blood flow effect that is NOT just reserved to your penis lol. It affects all tissues of the body and that is incredibly important to us as bodybuilders in many different ways.
First and foremost, this will dramatically lead to a decrease in blood pressure because now that blood doesn’t have to work as hard to transport blood throughout the body. And as we know, overtime blood pressure can potentially rise due to the use of Anabolic and overall lifestyle. Secondly is prostate health, and I can tell you that Cialis can really benefit prostate. With a relaxation in the smooth muscle of the prostate, this can help protect the prostate from potential enlargement that often occurs due to Anabolic use.
Lastly, in a performance enhancement sense, Cialis can really help with muscle pumps in the gym. I can tell you that there is nothing that will give you better pumps than Cialis. Now since it has a long half-life. 7.5 mg a day is really all you need to do the job. You can get by with even 5 mg being an effective dose, but I believe that 7.5 is the best dose.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!!
How to make a physique transformation
Transformation, that is a word that everyone dreams of hearing about themselves, yet very few actually end up going through and accomplishing it!!! Now why is that? Well my friends I am going to tell you, because it HARD, and requires quite a bit of work and consistency that very few people have!!!! You see, this shit requires work and quite a bit of it and people are just inherently lazy!!! Most people just want the easy way out and the fast result. They want the results without putting in any of the work or taking any of the steps necessary to reach said goal. But before we can even begin a transformation journey we must first understand what is actually required in the first place.
Number 1 is understanding where it is that you even want. This goes way beyond just saying I want to lose fat. How much fat, where on your body, what is the timeline and why do want this/why is this goal important to you? We must first be able to answer these basic questions before we can even begin. I recommend writing these things out ion a sheet of paper and taping it to your fridge or the mirror in the bathroom that way you have to look at it everyday to serve as a reminder of what YOU committed to. If you don’t follow through with this its on YOU!!!!!! YOU failed yourself and nobody else!! Next we must have a plan set in place. What are you going to do, what is your game plan? How are you going to get there? Having a layed out plan of attack is imperative? If you don’t you will fail!!!!!! Hire a fucking trainer if you don’t know where to go! Leave the ego at the door and admit that you need professional help. Let them take the guess work out of the equation and make things easier for you. This will ensure that you are taking the right steps toward progress, and this is even more important if you have tried in the past and failed!!!!!! Don’t think even for a minute that if you do the same thing you did last time that you will get a different result, nope you won’t! You will get the same result and that is likely failing at reaching your goal!! So put the ego aside, get a plan of attack put together and get to work.
Lastly we have consistency. Listen you can’t half ass this shit. You have to stay consistent if you want results. You have to stay with the plan, no matter how you feel. Trust me, motivation will dip and if you aren’t strong enough you will fail and nobody wants to be a FAILURE DO THEY. I sure as hell don’t, and neither should you. There will be days that you don’t want to go to the gym or eat your meals. WHO THE FUCK CARES!!! Do it, stay disciplined and tell that voice in your head to shut the fuck up there is work to be done. And what you will realize that as you stack more and more of these days together you will see how much control that you have over your results. You and only you are in control and nobody can take that away from you.
So there you have it when it comes to 3 things you need in order to really make a transformation this year. Make this the year that you stick to it and follow through with what you set out to do. You will never regret the results that you go with the work that you put in. But you first need to have what it is you want to accomplish written out. You then need to have a detailed plan as to what you are going to do. Make it specific, not go to the gym. Yea no shit but what are you going to do in the gym. What does the diet look like, supplementation and rest/recovery. Be as specific as possible. And last but not least stay consistent and understand that this shit takes time and is a long term journey. There will be days your not motivated or feeling your best and you still need to execute just as much as the good days. Stack each day and watch your body change week to week and month to month.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!
Masteron 101: Everything you ever wanted to know about Drostanolone
Masteron, the absolute king of adding the finishing touches of an already polished physique. Masteron is not what we would consider a mass gain steroid, as it has very little, if any muscle building properties. But one thing that this compound does better than almost any other is giving your body a harder and more defined look that no other steroid can duplicate. Now I will say that if you are not already in single digit body fat this compound is pretty much useless. But for those already in a very lean state looking to add a little extra to their physique, this compound works wonders.
Masteron is a DHT derivative, which means that it has very strong Androgenic activity. With that, Masteron has the ability to directly burn body fat, as well as acting as an anti-estrogen in the body. Because of the anti-estrogen effect, Masteron will provide the lean physique with a harder look as well as a drying effect due to lower estrogen levels leading to a dryer and harder look. Then comes the strength boost and I will say that Masteron will provide the user with a pretty decent increase in strength, that is even more impressive when you consider that you will most likely be in a caloric deficit while using the compound. It is very important to keep the reps on the higher side, to avoid getting hurt lol. Remember that you are depleted, so your bodies ability to recover is compromised.
Now in terms of side effects, Masteron is pretty moderate compared to many of the other compounds on the market. Since this steroid does not aromatize, there is no concern for water retention or gyno. Now since Masteron is a pretty strong androgen, side effects like acne, slightly enlarged prostate and in the case of Masteron, male pattern baldness, are definitely a concern. This is why finasteride is often times used with any DHT derived steroid. But again, much of this is dose and individual specific. What affects one person may not affect another.
In terms of cycle dosing, 300 mg a week is the typical sweet spot dose, with a Monday, Wednesday and Friday injection schedule. Typically this is an add on to an already put together cutting cycle and used toward the end of the fat lose phase to add the finishing touches to the physique.
Weeks 1-12 300 mg Test Prop/week
weeks 6-12 300 mg Tren Ace/week
weeks 6-12 300 mg Masteron/week
weeks weeks 8-12 50 mg Winstrol/day
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!!!
Dbol 101: All you ever wanted to know about Dianabol
Right here is one of, if not, the oldest and most well known steroids known to man and this is good ol’ Dbol tabs. Dbol (Dianabol) has been around since the dawn of time and was a favorite among the golden era bodybuilders, in part because its effective and rarely faked. Dbol is one of those steroids where work weights soon become warm-up weights and everything just feels lighter in your hands. You just feel like a strong ox, and the results come on FAST. Now the only issue here is the results fade away just as fast as they come on once the cycle is discontinued and that is why Dbol is often front loaded as part of a longer ester cycle.
You typically see Dbol ran the first 4-6 weeks as part of a cycle, often called front loading, in order to get some faster results while the longer chained compounds (most often test and Deca) are building up in your body. A modest dose of 25-30 mg a day for 4-6 weeks tops should provide some solid size and strength, while keeping side effects more on the moderate side. It’s not uncommon to gain 5-10 lbs in 3-4 weeks, with a good majority being water retention, while using Dbol.
With that being said its very important to fully understand what the purpose of the compound is and how to use it properly. Dbol has the ability to provide a good amount of volumization in the form of water retention. This allows for much greater strength and nutrient transport, which is important for overall progress. Dbol is very good at increasing carb uptake in the muscle as well, which is why one common side effect is high then low blood sugars. This can be advantageous during a growth phase because the user will be able to get more carbs and nutrients into the muscle, allowing for an increase in strength and muscle tissue breakdown. Even though most of the weight gained is due to this water and carb retention, if you are training and eating effectively, you will be able to take advantage of the strength and vlumization to help with enhanced muscle tissue breakdown and allow for greater gains once the longer chained esters of the cycle start to kick in.
Now, this is no side effect free steroid, and is one that I no longer use!!! First off is the liver toxicity! Dbol is liver toxic and more so that most steroids. You often feel ill and run down, at least I did, while running Dbol and this is due to the fact your body is in full blown repair mode. Next we have the estrogen conversion and the potential for gynecomastia. Dbol converts to estrogen at a high level and it is imperative that one has Arimidex in the mix. 1 mg 2-3 times a week should suffice, but a lot of this is very individual. Next we have the elevated cholesterol and blood pressure and just added strain on the body because of the increase in water and carb retention. Now this can be controlled with the AI but it is very important to ensure that you are eating clean and keeping a good amount of cardio in the mix (which you should anyway no matter if you are bulking or cutting!!!!!!!). High blood sugars are pretty common with Dbol use and that is why limiting use is very important to keep you from crossing into pre-diabetic territory. Lastly we have acne and the effects on the skin, due to the increase in estrogen. Again the AI should help with this, but it is not a bad idea to shower 2-3 times a day and use an exfoliating body wash to keep the skin as clear as possible.
Dbol is a very effective steroid, but I am at the point now where I am more focused on feeling good and taking compounds that are more of a long and steady gain, and not something that just throws a bunch of shit weight on me. But for someone who is newer to cycling that wants to really GAIN on cycle then I think Dbol is a great addition and provide a quality look if everything is in place!!!
Weeks 1-12 Test Cypionate 500 mg/week
weeks 1-12 Deca Durabolin 300 mg/week
weeks 1-4 Dbol 30 mg/day
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!
Tren 101: Everything you need to know about Trenbolone!!!!!!
Tren, Tren and more Tren. Trenbolone is by far the most talked about steroid in the game and it has been for quite some time. First and foremost, there is no steroid on the market that is as cost effective as Trenbolone and that is a fact. For the cost, the results that you get are nothing short of remarkable and this steroid packs an insane punch mg per mg in a very small amount. The strength gains that you will see are absolutely insane and the muscle building effects are crazy. This is also one of the only steroids that has direct fat loss properties, meaning that it burns fat on its own!!! So you essentially build muscle and lose fat at the same time with a huge boost in strength. This is due to the fact that Trenbolone has an Anabolic:Androgenic rating of 500:500, with Testosterone being 100:100!!!! So Tren is 5 times stronger mg per mg than Testosterone, and as many know Testosterone is a very Anabolic hormone. So this is some powerful stuff we have here and needs to not be taken lightly.
Tren is commonly seen in 2 different formats, Tren Acetate and Tren Enanthate. Tren Ace (Acetate) is more common in a contest prep or cutting cycle where as Tren E (Enanthate) is more commonly found is a muscle building phase, due to is long half life. But you can use either during both phases will phenomenal results!! But, I will say these results come with a host of side effects that can make it a very tough Anabolic to manage. I myself no longer use Tren because of how it made me feel and act, and I am at a point where I would prefer to pay a little more money to feel good and less shitty on a cycle, which is why my go to’s now are EQ, Primo, NPP and DHB!!!!
First and foremost Tren will make you edgy, and I do not care who says what to defend it!!! Tren made me edgier than any steroid I have ever used, and it happened every single time that I ran it. I am talking 0 to 100 type edgy , wanting to strangle someone at any given moment type of edgy. Tren just made me a nasty and mean son of a bitch and I just did not like that side of me. Now we have the nasty and unpredictable mood swings. My mood was so up and down that it was not even funny. I would be happy, sad, angry back to happy in the span of 20 minutes!! My anxiety was horrible and the paranoia was insane. I would almost stop breathing because I would get panic attacks and I was just on edge all the time. But body looked great so it must be worth it right lol. Sleep went to absolute shit, and I think most can agree that Tren will wreck your sleep more than almost any steroid that you can run. I am talking 3-4 hours a night, mind constantly racing feeling like you just can’t relax. Prostate issues are extremely common and it just seemed that you had to take a piss every 5 minutes, to the point it was annoying. Others experience acne, blood pressure elevations and possible cholesterol issues depend on genetics. So you can clearly see that this stuff is pretty fucking toxic and powerful, but no one can deny the fact that Tren works and it works fast and very fucking well!!!!
Tren is suited as an add on to a stack or as an addition to Testosterone. Tren is also a steroid that I would limit to 8 weeks max!!!! Let me repeat that again. Tren is a steroid that I would limit to 8 weeks max!!!!!!!! Anything over that and you will see some issues with your health. I mean you will see issues regardless, but you will see many more if you stay on Tren long-term lol!!!!
Sample Tren cycle
weeks 1-16 300 mg Testosterone Prop a week
Weeks 1-8 600 mg EQ a week
weeks 8-16 300 mg Masteron a week
week 8-16 300 mg Tren Acetate a week
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!
Equipoise 101
This right here is the steroid I have personally used more than any other steroid!!!! Man I love EQ and will continue using it over and over again for quite a while. When something works well for your body and produces results you stick with it and for me EQ does just that.
For starters, EQ (Boldenone Undecylenate) does not convert to estrogen so bloating is not an issue. It is also the most versatile steroid in my opinion that one can run, do to the fact that is has a pretty good anabolic and nitrogen retention effect. EQ will put on muscle at a pretty steady rate, assuming that you are eating in a surplus and training with intensity. It will hold muscle well during a diet and keep your body in an anabolic state even while in a deficit. This will ensure that you do not lose muscle and keep your metabolism high during a fat loss phase. Now EQ is weaker in terms of overall growth mg per mg compared to Testosterone, but due to the fact that there is little to no estrogen conversion, everything gained on cycle will be true muscle tissue!!!!
Now with that being said, the proper dosage for EQ will need to be a bit higher compared to Testosterone. I would, at minimum, be using 600 mg/week with 800 being the upper sweet spot. Now due to the fact that EQ has a very long ester attached to it, I personally like to front load this with 800 mg the first 3 ot 4 weeks and then drop down to 600 mg per week for the remainder of the cycle. This will allow the hormone to reach a peak dose quicker and then you can drop back and maintain a more steady blood level following the front load. Now I would recommend 12 weeks minimum on EQ, with 16 truly being a very effective duration. This steroid is one of, if not the most side effect friendly steroid known to man , so a 16 week run should not knock you out all that much.
The most common side effects that one should experience is elevated hematocrit (due to the steroid having a very pronounced red blood cell elevation), a little anxiety, shut down of natural Testosterone production and some possible elevations in cholesterol. But due to the fact that this steroid has very little conversion to estrogen and is much weaker from an Androgenic point of view, the side effects should be pretty minimal and easy to control.
EQ cycle template (best used as a third cycle after Test only and Test with 1 other compound, most likely Dbol)
weeks 1-16 500 mg/week Test Cypionate
weeks 1-4 800 mg/week EQ
weeks 4-16 600 mg/week EQ
weeks 1-16 0.5 mg Arimidex 2 times a week
Cycle Hard!!!!!!
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!
Testosterone 101
Ok, now here we have the most basic and well know of all Anabolic steroids known to man, and that is basic testosterone. Now all Anabolic steroids are either Testosterone or Testosterone derivatives with slight variances between compounds. But overall Testosterone is the most basic and easiest to understand from a performance and physiology perspective.
Testosterone has an Anabolic and Androgenic rating of 100:100 meaning that for every Anabolic affect there will be an Androgenic affect. All steroids, in regards to strength and side effects, is usually measured along side Testosterone as a reference guide. Trenbolone for example has an Anabolic and Androgenic rating of 500:500 meaning it is 5 times more potent mg per mg than Testosterone. And that my friends is one of the many reasons that Trenbolone is such a popular steroid, part in due to the fact that it bangs a punch at a low amount, but that does not come without a vast array of side effects that I will go into in a future article.
Now speaking of side effects, I will say that the side effects of Testosterone are fairly mild and much of this will be dictated by the dosage used. Lower doses, generally under 500 mg/week, carries a much lower side effect profile that say 1000 mg/week, which is not at all uncommon. The most common side effects are a shut down of your own natural Testosterone production, potential prostate enlargement, possible acne, estrogen elevation, potential elevation in blood pressure, a little elevation in hematocrit, and a little elevation in cholesterol. Now again, as I mentioned before, this is all dose dependent, and will also be largely individualistic in regards to what side effects you may experience. For me, the biggest side effects were a little bit of acne, some blood pressure elevation (which I control with the use of Cialis), and a little estrogen elevation (again which I often control using an AI such as Arimidex). Now this is just me, and the results can vary greatly from person to person, with a lot of this being due to the dosage used.
Now lets talk about dosing for the beginning bodybuilder or anyone new to performance enhancement. I would recommend a starting dose of 250-300 mg a week for anyone who is a first time user. You will often read on forums that 500 mg/week is a beginner dose and I say bullshit to that. The goal of performance enhancement is and always will be getting the most from the least amount of compound used. For someone who has never used anything before a 8-10 week cycle of just a single CC (MG) a week of either a Testosterone Cypionate or Enanthate ester will yield some pretty great results, without leading you down a road of side effects. Now for a second or third cycle I would say that 500 mg/week is a great dose, but only after your body has experienced what the extra levels of Testosterone can do for you and you have a chance to see what side effects, if any, that you are prone to.
As you get more an more advanced you will usually see guys (myself included I will not lie) taking their test up to 750-1000 mg/ week and stacking it with other compounds. This is because it takes a larger amount and a vaster array of compounds to produce results the longer down the cycle road that you go. But in order to keep you in this game for the long haul, always start with the lowest and most simple amount of any compound to see how your body reacts. The thing about Anabolics is no single individual is the same. Where one individual can feel great on a certain amount or a certain compound, another can feel like downright shit. For me, Trenbolone is a compound I can no longer use. As great as the results are, I feel like a psychopath on it. My anxiety is sky high, I have night sweats and can’t sleep, my aggression is absolutely insane, I get paranoia and I just feel so out of my head that I struggle to function the way I want. Body looks great, feel like shit. Dbol jacks my blood sugar up and I feel run down and lethargic most of the day. High levels of Testosterone I feel great, EQ also works with my body pretty well.
Now before I wrap this up I want to talk about the different types of Testosterone that you often times see. There really is only 1 type of Testosterone and that is Testosterone lol. What you see is are different ester types that control the rate of release of the hormone into the blood stream. First we have Test Proprionate or Prop for short. This has a half life of 2-3 days and is something we usually want to inject Mon/Wed/Fri or every other day. Next we have Test Enanthate and Cypionate, which are essentially the exact same. Some will argue that one holds more water than the other, but I have never experienced this. Both have a half life of around 7-8 days and can be injected once or twice a week depending on dosage. When taking your dosage up to 750-1000 mg we usually want to inject 3-4 times a week, but for a first time user in the 250-300 range a once a week inject will do just fine. Lastly we have what is called Sustanon 250 or Sust for short. This is a blend of 4 different esters that helps control the rate of release into your blood stream. Usually a Sustanon blend contains 30 mg of Test Prop, 60 mg of Phenylproprionate, 60 mg of Isocaproate and 100 mg of Decanoate. Essentially this is a blend of some fast, moderate and long acting esters that allow for a lower injection frequency. I personally do not really like the Sustanon blends, but again that is just me and everyone has different opinions.
There you have it, a cliff notes guide to the most basic and popular Anabolic on earth. Don’t forget to pick up my Ebook, Underground Steroid Handbook for a real life guide on everything performance enhancement based on real life experience. Cycle hard!!!!
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!!
Anavar 101
Anavar (Oxandrolone) is hands down one of the most popular Anabolic steroids on the market right now, and for good reason. Now I will say I have used Anavar a handful of times in the past and the results were pretty solid, but you really need to understand how Anavar works and when to use it. The strength gains, especially during a diet, were very good and the ability to retain muscle while in a calorie deficit is likely one of the biggest reasons one would want to cycle with this compound. This is not something that I would recommend for someone looking to build off a cycle because Anavar is not going to do much for you in that department. But if you are looking to change your look, or refine as some would say, then I think Anavar is a great cycle addition to add to a testosterone base.
The favorable side effect profile of Anavar alone is a huge reason for its popularity in recent years. Things like acne, mood swings and aggression are mild to moderate at most on this compound. Now, don’t get me wrong you will still experience shutdown and some elevated liver enzymes, but this should return to normal range a few weeks after discontinuing the cycle. Now I will say that Anavar is one of a few compounds that I would recommend for a female dabbling in performance enhancement, mainly due to the side effect friendliness of the drug. Masculine side effects are limited, baring that you are not taking a high dose, and you should be able to obtain a very quality look as a female taking Anavar.
Anavar is typically a compound that I would recommend taking a minimum of 10-12 weeks at a lower amount, more as a recomp type of drug, stacking with a more Anabolic compound such as Test/Deca or Test/EQ. As far as dosing goes, for the male athlete, a dosage of 40-50 mg/day, typically split into 2-3 doses throughout the day is the perfect sweet spot for most men. Now I have personally gone higher, as high as 100 mg a day, but I just did not feel well on that dose. I constantly had an upset stomach and just fell ill, and at 40-50 mg a day I had no issues. Remember that Anavar really shines in a calorie defect and the cool thing about Anavar is that it is one of the only steroids that has a direct fat burning effect, due to the fact that it has a very high binding affinity for the androgen receptor.
Dosing for females will typically fall around 10-15 mg a week tops. Anything over that and you run the risk of developing some unwanted side effects such as virilization (development of male characteristics). Again I would run the cycle for 10-12 weeks and watch your physique change week to week, assuming that your diet and training are on point!!!!! Happy cycling!!!!!!!!
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!
The Importance of living in the NOW
I am back!!! I took a short hiatus away from the site and in all transparency was a little lost and was not feeling as present as I once was. Now, not saying that we should not worry about the future or think about the past. But you see I was spending way too much time in those areas where it was literally fucking me up. Anxiety came up and depression wanted to strike with a vengeance.
One thing that I was guilty of for a very long time in my life was not living in the present moment and living too much in the past or thinking about the future too much. This prevented me from enjoying life as it came and that my friends is a big problem. We often times get caught up in everyday bullshit that we forget all the things that are currently in front of us. I am guilty as charged and this creates stress and a lack of life satisfaction that can linger into every area of our lives.
One that I started doing on the regular was hiking or just doing a walk outdoors. You see, being connected with nature and feeling the sun, wind and elements reconnects us to the outside world that we can sometimes lose sight of. We stop being present with what we are doing and getting engaged in the actual process and that fucks us. We then try to do more and more and more until we realize that we are not actually enjoying what it is that we are doing.
Meditation is another thing that has really helped me. Sitting silently with our thoughts and focusing on our breathe is a very good way to reconnect with ourselves and the outside world around us. Let the thoughts pass and focus on just one thing, which is often our breath or a certain smell in the room. This focuses us to be present in the current moment, regardless of the shit that is happening around us.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING
Should you do a PCT or Blast/Cruise??
This question right here is one that I have gotten more than any other during my decade plus training and coaching career and it is one that is truly a life changing decision and one that needs to be talked about. Now let me first preface by saying “I am not a doctor, even know I am extremely knowledgeable. Everything I talk about is for educational purposes only and it is up to you to make an informed decision!” Well now that's out of the way lets get down to the nitty gritty.
Let’s first talk about what the difference is between a PCT and a cruise. A PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) protocol is when you discontinue a traditional cycle and utilize female hormones, typically Clomid, Nolvadex or HCG, to restart your bodies own natural testosterone production. You would run a mix of these compounds depending on the cycle for 4-6 weeks before going completely off everything until your next cycle. Essentially you shut yourself down, re stimulate it and possibly shut it down again if you end up doing another cycle (Which most people do!!!!!) Now I think initially this is a great approach and most appropriate for any beginner or anyone new to the game. It’s the safest and allows your body or try and regain a sense of normalcy. Now as you go further and further down the anabolic road that is where this second method may and should come into play.
The good ol’ cruise or bridge method, essentially is taking a TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) dose of test only during the off period between cycles. This is where you will sometimes here the phrase blasting and cruising, meaning undergoing a traditional cycle then reverting to TRT only (usually 150-200 mg a week) for anywhere between 8-16 weeks between blasts. Now I will say with 100 percent certainty this is what a vast majority of your favorite “influencer” and professional bodybuilders are doing. Once you reach a certain level of experience and cycling you can no longer afford to go off and have the big up and down fluctuations in your hormone levels as your body tries to re-balance itself out. It just will not work and you would be doing yourself a pretty big disservice to even try. This is where the rapid mood swings between cycles and the shitty skin come from, the up and down of your hormone levels as it tries hard to balance itself back out.
Now, again the question was which is right for you. Well if you plan to be a lifelong cycler and are someone who competes on a fairly high level or you are someone who is heavily involved in this lifestyle I will say the cruise method is most likely the smartest approach. If you are someone who is young, has no idea where they are going in life (because lets face it this lifestyle requires commitment and is expensive) then I would say PCT without a doubt. The last thing you want is to permenatly shut your body down with no means to TRT and not the financial means to keep up with the revolving expense that this lifestyle can bring. Things like support supplements, lab work, blood donation, checkups and diet are just a few of the expenses that are revolving.
So there you have it guys. Again do your own research and it is up to YOU to make this informed decision for yourself. I am just here as a guide and if you really want to have an insider guide to what you should do or how to do it safely, pick up my Ebook “Underground bodybuilding Handbook” as a reference guide that can help steer you in the right direction.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUIDLING!!!!!
Why you should be doing your cardio outdoors!!!!!
So I am going to give you my personal take on why I believe doing your cardio outdoors is the way to go. Now I want to start off by saying that cardio indoors is better than no cardio at all, but if you have the option to do it outdoors, than by all means do it!!!
Lets be honest, cardio in a climate controlled environment is much easier. You don’t have to deal with the elements of the heat, cold or wind and that in and of itself will lead to a stronger mind. And as bodybuilders, this game is all a power of the mind. There is no ac when its hot out, there is no heater when its cold and there is nothing protecting you against the wind. It is just you vs you and that’s how I like it.
Now the second part to the equation is the mental benefits and emotional benefits that being outside gives you. There have been many studies showing just how much of an impact that the outdoors plays on both our mood and how we feel about ourselves. Being out in nature, being present, smelling the world, hearing the birds and just being outside has such a calming effect, that it is pretty hard to feel down once we get back. Seeing others out being active has a very positive impact on our mood, and the more we can be around positive things the better we will feel on a day to day basis.
Again, I will always say that any cardio is better than none, but I just wanted to give my take on why I think that outdoors is the way to go if you have the option. I am here to have the best quality of life possible and I know that outdoor cardio will accomplish just that. This type of cardio will enhance your life in and out of the gym!!
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!
Only YOU have the power to change your life!!!!!
As I am sitting here writing this I am in the depths of change. You see changing my body has always been easy for me, but there was something that, for the longest time, I felt was lacking. I chased external factors for YEARS, over abused caffeine and other stimulants, in hopes that if I was just a little more successful, had a little more money, had a better body, or was more successful externally I would finally fill this void I had in my heart. And to no surprise IT DID NOT WORK. So what did I do with my alpha wired brain is I tried harder and did more. Again to no avail and further digging myself deeper and deeper in the hole.
One thing I wondered was how can someone so strong in the gym be so weak in this area? Well my friends that is because I had not accepted that I needed to change, in its full sense, and understanding that only I have the power to do it. Let me say that again. Only YOU have the power to change!!!! Its in your capacity and yours only. Now that does not mean it will be easy, I mean shit if it was everyone would be able to do it. But you do have this capability. The first step here is acceptance, and acknowledging that you no longer want to feel for be a certain way.
The acknowledgement for me was the fact to fully accept myself and slow down enough to see myself where I am at, and life in full alignment with who I have set out to be. And I can tell you that seeking external courses and chasing the never ending horizon was not the life I was meant to live. So I encourage you to ask yourself. Am I happy with where I am at with my life? Is there more for me out there? Am I constantly stressed and worried to the point that it has negatively impacted my life? Do I feel truly happy and feel I am living a purposeful life? If you answered no to these questions only YOU have the power to change that. It is in YOUR power and your power only. So lets get moving!!!!
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!!
What does your body say about you!!!!!
What does your body say about you?? Well it says an awful lot about you and how you go about your life. Your body is something that is taken with you everywhere, and is something that everybody see’s. If you are a fat slob, everyone will see that and it will say a lot about you. Now I am not saying that everyone has to have a good physique, but I am saying that you should take pride in your appearance and really try to be your best.
Building a quality body will show what type of work ethic you have and how you can handle struggle. Because lets face it, building a quality physique is hard!!!! It is something that takes effort, discipline and consistency. It is something that not a lot of people can do, because again it is HARD!!!!! \
So never forget that your body is something that you take around with you 24/7. It is a direct reflection of you and says a lot about your character. How do you want others to think of you? Building a quality body will determine a lot of those thoughts.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!
What to do when you hit rock bottom!!!
This post right here is without a doubt the most real post I have ever written in terms of life. This post may not resonate with everyone, and that is OK!!! And if I am being completely honest I hope most people do not experience the point I have been myself because let me tell you it sucks!!!!! If you were to ask me 10 years ago if I would’ve thought I would be writing an article on how to get out of rock bottom I would’ve laughed. Not me, I was invincible. I was 22, just moved to LA and life was good. Well my friend this is just the beginning of a real life downfall that would culminate with me moving back with family members at 32 years old and questioning life’s purpose. A few bad decisions, coupled with life really trying to test you put me in this spot.
Now the question is when you are deep with the sharks how the fuck do you even begin to get yourself out. The first and honestly hardest step is this ACCEPTANCE. Accepting that you are where you are. Accepting that you are down. Accepting that you are starting over or that things didn’t work out. Now don’t get this confused. Accepting does not mean doing nothing. It means accepting the reality and coming up with a plan to start moving forward one step at a time.
The second step here is to really think about the things that you do enjoy in life, and start doing those things in small amounts everyday. Remember part of the process is feeling happy in spurts and feeling a sense of empowerment. And every time you do activities that you enjoy, remember that it’s a building block to the bigger picture. For me, getting outside and doing my cardio outdoors has been big. This is my time to think and feel more empowered and feel a sense of happiness with being outside.
Third, think about anything that is holding you back from being happy or moving ahead and look to eliminate it. Maybe this is a living situation, job you are in, people you are around or things that have become vices temporarily. I know this is hard, and maybe you only eliminate 1 each month and tackle this slowly. What you will find as things get eliminated is that you start to feel a little better over time. There are less and less roadblocks that are preventing you from happiness and overall having a better quality of life in the future. One of the most important and hardest things to remember is that this is YOUR LIFE, and nobody can live it for you. Everyone seems to want to give advice on what is best for you, but in reality only YOU know what’s best. You know what makes you feel good, what brings you internal joy and what steps you really would need to take to move forward and start anew.
Lastly, give yourself a break and understand that truly strong people will go through this. Now I am not here to preach or push my beliefs on anyone. But I do believe that the universe gives more challenges to certain people who are mentally tougher and who really need to go through the process that really see a much better life on the other side. Remember that this will not last forever and the more aggressive you can tackle the steps the faster you will get out and start on the up and up in life. Stay strong and remember that YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!
Why you should focus on your digestion!!!
Out of all areas of health and physical fitness I can without a doubt say this is an area that is greatly underrated, and I am going to explain why. I do not care what your fitness goal is; gain muscle, lose fat, feel better, perform better, etc, you all have 1 big thing in common and that is YOU ALL EAT FOOD. And if you eat food, your body needs to digest it and extract the available nutrients for energy and recovery.
Now, with modern day America and just the overall lifestyle we live with convenient foods, excessive stress, too much screen time and just overall bad habits, one thing tends to get out of balance and that is, believe it or not, your digestive tract. And one surprising thing about the digestive tract is it regulates neurotransmitters in the brain that helps us function optimally on a day to day basis. All of this is regulated within the gut microbiome and that is also where most of the body’s digestive process takes place (large intestine)
Now how does this relate to the gym. Well, when this gets out of balance it becomes harder for your body to breakdown food and get the nutrients it needs throughout your body. Without this you cannot maximize growth and recovery and furthermore your metabolism will be short changed leading to less and less fat breakdown over time. So below is a list of supplements that are must have’s if you are serious about your digestion and results
Greens Powder
Probiotics
L-tyrosine
Magnesium
Calcium and Vitamin D3
How to play to your level in physique development
OK, so this post may hurt some feelings but this is something that needs to be said to get a full understanding as to what is attainable and realistic and the limiting factor when it truly comes to physique development. Baring everything such as training intensity, consistency and diet are in place, there will come a point where money will come into play and let me explain what I mean by this. There will come a point where you will really need to invest some money into this to reach another level of size and strength. The grocery bill will become steeper and steeper as you get bigger and bigger. You will likely need to start engaging in PEDs if you want to advance past your genetic limit and let me tell you, that shit is not cheap.
You mine as well be financing a BMW with the amount of money it really takes to have a high level physique that stands out. Now I am not saying that you cannot have a good, quality physique. I am saying that as you become more and more advanced you will really need to invest more and more into this in terms of finances if you want to continue making long term progress past where you are currently at. The food bill will really add up as your meal frequency increases over time. The supplement bill will go up as you need to add more and more in to really progress past a certain point. As you train harder and harder things like message therapy, chiropractor visits and any other recovery modalities that you engage in will need to be favored in as well. If you are serious about progress these things are non negotiable.
Now I am not saying this to discourage anyone, I am saying this to paint a realistic picture of the reality of the game. Instead of getting discouraged think of ways that you can play to a higher level. Maybe you find a side hustle, go for a promotion at work, sell off some junk around the house or any another way you want to go about this because its a lifestyle and you want to continue to play the game. Remember we are in this for the long haul and sometimes we can do everything possible to move ahead and there are limiting factors slightly beyond our control. You have more control of these things than you think.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!
Stop using supplements as a crutch to get your ass to the gym
This post may hurt some feelings and offend some people, but I really do not care. You are not even part of my circle anyway so here we go. Now I will start off by saying that I have fallen guilty to this as well and I am by no means perfect. But I do believe that the vast majority of the population falls victim to this trap of not being able to “get started or get to the gym” and rely’s too much on supplements and steroids to get real results.
You see back when I first started training a decade ago, I knew nothing about pre-workout, BCAAs, fat burners or really even steroids. All I knew is that you had to bust your ass in the gym and eat good, quality food over and over again for a long period of time if you wanted results. Somewhere over the past ten or so years things have drastically changed. You can’t go to the gym unless you have the newest preworkout on the marker. You can’t eat a good, quality diet and instead rely on a protein shakes. You turn right to gear after only being in the gym a month and hope you will magically see results without fully understanding how these compounds work. The only problem here Jack is that results are based on 2 things and 2 things only; Hard work and the consistency of the hard work. That is it, and nothing more.
Now I am not saying that those things do not help, because I would be lying if I did. But you have to understand that the grind and consistency is what you have to have in order to see long-term success . So if you don’t have protein powder available, still eat a solid meal plan and bust your ass like your life depended on it. Don’t have the perfect pre-workout? Drink a plain cup of black coffee or tea and still bust ass and make it happen. Hard work and killing it is what leads to results, so stop being a soft little bitch and relying on everyone else but your own work ethic to get it done. Shut the fuck up and get to work.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING!!!!!
Why carbohydrates are the most important macro-nutrient for muscle building!!!
Protein, protein and more protein. That is all we seem to hear when it comes to muscle growth and overall physique development. Now, don’t get me wrong, protein is important when it comes to muscle growth. But I will say carbohydrates are truly superior when it comes to it all, and I am going to explain why. You see the 1 thing that carbs do that is so powerful is they signal your pancreas to make insulin, which is without a doubt the most anabolic hormone in the human body. Insulin is what shuttles proteins and fats to muscle cells after all, and without it muscle growth will be hard to come by and fat loss (if that is your goal) will stall dead in its tracks.
Think of carbs are a grenade launcher and protein more like a handgun. Both can do lots of damage, and in the sense of the physique minded bodybuilder, both can help with overall development. But, carbs will play a much bigger role in the process and will allow the protein to do its job much more effectively. And its not the carbs as a whole that is really doing the trick, it’s what your body does in response to the carb consumption that makes the difference. The insulin spike, which will take the fats and proteins present in the blood stream to the correct place, whether that be muscle cells or fat cells.
Now in terms of timing, this is a key point to consider that will take your nutrition to an even greater level. Pre and post workout I would stick to higher glycemic index foods, aka foods higher in sugar. The reason for this is because you will see an even greater blood sugar spike due to higher index foods spiking sugar levels to a much greater degree. You want to have higher insulin levels around training times because your body needs the nutrients more readily for growth and recovery, as well as overall gym performance. This is why with my clients I go for cream of rice pre workout and some form of faster acting carbs post workout, such as sugary cereal or a bagel. Now the only reason for this is to spike blood sugar prior to having a full meal post-workout of chicken and rice or the like. Again, creating an anabolic environment is key here and this is a very strategic way of doing it.
So the moral of the story here is DO NOT skip your carbs guys!!! Trust me they will not make you fat if you truly understand how to utilize them! If you don’t, I am here to help.
BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING