Has anyone else noticed something about the EF Members' pictures section?

[super_rice]

Well, I don't post here that often anymore, so things sort of changed? I took a look at the EF members' pictures section, and is it just me or has the standards of bodybuilders have dropped to nil? When I got here, I was still on that thin line of... bodybuilding.. hmm, I wouldn't mind doing that - and that section of the board wasn't bad! Members were giving good comments and of course, good bros with the "stay off the juice" comments. Good thing I shed myself of that "bodybuilder" crap early.

However, now I looked at about 5 posts, and all of them are of some guy that is going to do "another cycle" of AAS, that "has reached his genetic potential" while they do not look like they've trained a day in their lives? (albeit, with a lot of knowledge of juice that is waaay over my head). Sorry my grammar is repulsive. I mean, I'd LOVE to provide some links, but I'm sure you all could find some without much difficulty. My training has not included a curl, shrug, leg extension, or swiss ball side lying leg lunges complexed with 45 degree hip thrusts and at this point, it seems like there is no end in sight - the gains will keep coming at an alarming weight.

Madcow and the world was right. I have had to fight the bodyweight off.

But that's not the worst thing. Some 15 year old kid that wants to start a cycle at 132lbs use to get grade A advice. Now, there are actually people giving advice on how to make the cycle better? Did you look at the guy's photos? Did you read his stats? It went on for 10 posts, and no one made any comment that this guy had obviously never done a backsquat in his life and wanted to start AAS - so I came to make this post.

I feel terrible for all the people my age because a lot of them may fall into this AAS bullshit. Thank god for proper training, at least I will be one that will always save my cash on crap chemicals.

Sorry, I'm going around in circles.

 

[Madcow2]

Members and board quality come and go. I remember EF from 2001ish, the info quality for steroids was fairly high, training forum was really bad. This is a pretty large and long running board so I imagine it will ebb and flow like the tide.

So where are you posting now anyway if you are even still posting anywhere? I'm curious as to how your Korte program is going. I haven't seen an update in a while either here or in your topic with Rodey at the other board. PM if you want.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Yeah Korte updates would be great. I plan on running it in a month.

As far as the pictures section goes, coincidentally I was talking to some guy at the gym when I was going for my heavy dead last week and he told me half the gym was on AAS.

Some obvious guys who were pretty big but some other guys he named that surprised me (including him!).

 

[anthrax]

When a "hardcore" website (EF around Y2K) becomes popular it inevitably gets more mainstream

 

[BOOEY]

I predicted it back in 2004, and will say it again. Once the ban on prohormones went through, all those kids that were getting 1-test and 1-ad from GNC have now switched over to steroids. It's ashame really, but there's no point getting worked up over it. We've all been that age before and know how easy it is to be pressured into doing something that's essentially counter-productive. It's a lot harder these days when basically the entire world of athletes are being exposed as juice users. When you're 17, and you look up to someone like Barry Bonds, the chances are quite high that you'll foolishly think juice is the way to go.

 

[super_rice]

Korte's is going well, I opted not to do an additional deloading phase and am doing it as written. I can say without a doubt, I am as strong as ever. The 245 for 14 sets of 3 was my 5RM not to long ago. I was slated for 2 singles at 265 yesterday for my first unloading squat workout, but I ended up doing that and two sets plus 275 for two singles. good thing I did not get overzealous and load for a fifth week (that same idea came up during my last 5x5.. interesting trend ) as I was feeling pretty busted up CNS wise - shit was heavy.

I'm planning to pretty much go the next four weeks by feel on the max attempts, attempting a couple of singles at just a bit under near max (again, by feel). I am expecting huge results at the conclusion of this cycle. I did not bust my ass off 100x harder than in 5x5 in order to lift sub-par weights.

booey: I'm 17, so no bashing! Oh wait, I just turned 18. R-Rated movies, here I come. Totally unrelated: When I was 17, they asked me for ID everytime, but now that I actually want them to ask, they never do!

 

[big4life]

If what people say is true

I have to say that there are a lot of people out there, not just on Elite, who are using steroids to reach goals that they should be able to reach with the proper diet and routine. I cringe when I see or hear a teenager ask about steroids. If I see it on here I try to give them the advice to keep working torwards their goals without any "help." I hope that everyone would do the same.

I will say that I've never used steroids, or even been tempted, but I also have a wide frame and no problem gaining mass. My problem is getting my weight down, but I also know that my diet is the issue there, and I'm not looking for any short cuts. I'll just keep working at that part of it.

 

[anthrax]

On a side note now that smoking has a negative connotation, juicing is pretty *cool*

 

[hawaii50]

k to you super_rice

i agree with you completely. i don't look down upon juicing... i'll never do a cycle probably.. but i have no problem with older guys and people who have actually met their "genetic limit"... just the other day i was @ the gym and i saw some 13-14yr old looking kids handing a well known juicer cash... makes me sick

 

[Madcow2]

I love the classic:

QUOTE:
"I'm 18 years old, been training for 4 years but really got serious these last 8 months. I'm 6' 165lbs, diet and training are perfect. I bench 225. Would this be a good cycle for me?"

TRANSLATION:
"I can vote and in some places drink, I walked around the high school gym a few times but only realized my inferitory complex 8 months ago. I'm a beenpole, I am eating ultra clean but I don't consume enough calories so I can't gain weight, I obviously don't know shit about training as I have no results so I'm looking to buy my way out. I don't squat, dead, or row - when I put 225 on the bench I do a partial and then two guys haul it off me before I get hurt. Someone sell me drugs."

 

[anthrax]

Will clam-butter-oil make me huuuuuuuge ?

 

[hawaii50]

Re: If what people say is true

I will say that I've never used steroids, or even been tempted, but I also have a wide frame and no problem gaining mass. My problem is getting my weight down, but I also know that my diet is the issue there, and I'm not looking for any short cuts. I'll just keep working at that part of it.

same here... wide frame, can put on muscle by just walking... but damn its hard to keep the fat down

 

[Tweakle]

juice when used properly enables people who are already big and strong to get bigger and stronger.. their reasons for using are their own, but unless someone's 100% dedicated they shouldn't be fucking with hormones. It's not a shortcut to get what someone's too lazy to earn, proper roid use is a long term plan for taking your body & lifts to the next level

that said I am soooooo fucking sick of 150lb douches posting about their stupid fucking cycles..

 

[super_rice]

Yes, I agree, anabolics should be a tool - though I wish it wasn't. To tell you the truth, I think training information has gotten so diluted that even a lot of experienced people are getting shafted. You'd hear a lot of "i've trained 8 years and reached a plateau" type thing, but the more training I get, the less I believe that. I was "stuck" at 160, fluctuating down to 153-155 during volleyball seasons and such. I backsquatted, deadlifted, benched, chinned, and rowed my heart out to no avail. Madcow opened my eyes to the concept of loading lifts, and work capacity and such. Perhaps I was working hard enough, just not smart enough. Whatever the case, my first experience with proper loading put 20 pounds on me in two months (well, I ate like an animal too - not clean, not planned out 6 times a day like some, but... lets just leave it at "sandwiches").

Anyway, I've been cruising around 180-185. Struggling to keep the weight down, I really don't know what I want! I don't want to be 200+, especially since I want to start competing in OL in the 170s (well, not until my strength levels come up some more). I think staying at this weight impedes my strength gains, but then what use is a 405 oly squat if I weigh 200 - I'll get killed.


Hey, something interesting - I visited this posh "training facility" here and visited with them for a day. Man they have some sexy equipment, but the place looked like a hotel! And what's worse they have 10-15 hockey players my age that have been going there for 2-3 years, NOT ONE of them could take 70 kilos to parallel in olympic shoes. The one that did (3 year veteran btw, "training" longer than I have ) was quivering like a little bitch it was wonderful.


Tweakle - SO WHEN are we gonna hook up and you show me that 600+ pound deadlift? How's your back?

 

[Madcow2]

I am expecting huge results at the conclusion of this cycle. I did not bust my ass off 100x harder than in 5x5 in order to lift sub-par weights.

LOL - I told you it was hard. Even the 5x5 is fairly scaled back from what it can be. Korte lays out the percents though so there's less room although even he guides the number of sets and gives some leeway. You are really lucky you didn't run it with just the pure comp lifts 3x per week (try it sometime). There is nothing worse that having to pull heavy deads for a lot of volume at the end of every workout. It's really a kick in the balls even for someone who usually enjoys pulling.

 

[super_rice]

MADCOW what the hell are you talking about bro!!!

I squatted, deadlifted, and benched 3x a week, 8 sets in each exercise, and I went nuts in the last two weeks and increased the intensity by close to 10%!!!

Believe me, I KNOW what you are talking about. The deadlifts just waiting for you at the end of your squats... I remember my last session in week four:

close grip bench 185, 8x6 (my previous 5x5 was 175)
oly squats 245 14x3 (!!!!!)
DL standing on 4" platform 275 8x5

I didn't enjoy pulling... even though I normally do

 

[Jim Ouini]

I can't wait to try this.

 

[Madcow2]

MADCOW what the hell are you talking about bro!!!

I squatted, deadlifted, and benched 3x a week, 8 sets in each exercise, and I went nuts in the last two weeks and increased the intensity by close to 10%!!!

Believe me, I KNOW what you are talking about. The deadlifts just waiting for you at the end of your squats... I remember my last session in week four:

close grip bench 185, 8x6 (my previous 5x5 was 175)
oly squats 245 14x3 (!!!!!)
DL standing on 4" platform 275 8x5

I didn't enjoy pulling... even though I normally do

LOL

Monday: Close Grip Bench | Regular Backsquat | Deadlift Off 6" Platform
Wednesday: Regular Grip Bench | Rest Pause Backsquat | Conventional Deadlift
Friday: Wide Grip Bench | Regular Backsquat | Stiff Legged Deadlift

Stiff legged doesn't count. You'll have to run it again for credit.


-man I am laughing my ass off right now.



EDIT- nothing like telling someone it didn't count especially on a prolonged bastard of a program. Now I see why people enjoy trolling forums. Got to sleep now, thanks for the laugh man. Long day and night - I needed that.

 

[blut wump]

I first found this board while looking for info on steroids. This was just seven or eight months ago and, even then, anyone looking for advice on their first cycle would be told "Don't". I guess the guys saying that got tired and no-one has yet stepped in to take their place.

I was lucky enough to spot madcow's workout and recognize it for the gem it is and I was into my third or fourth week already when the main 5x5 thread appeared. I might yet run AAS but now I have clear proof that training gets results and that juice is the icing on the cake. I blame creatine: it was the start of the rocky road.

Jim, it looks like we're kind of running parallel at the moment. I'm taking a couple or three weeks between programs and thinking ever more seriously of starting the Korte 3x3 very soon.

Since I bench and deadlift raw, I was planning to bump my percentages by 5%. For the squats, I'm unsure whether to take my raw weight and do the same or take my weight with wraps and use the normal percentages. The problem with the latter is that I don't go ATF in wraps and would through the volume phase. Maybe I could mix and match. I was also thinking of alternating Sumo and Conventional deads but the prospect of being told it doesn't count might put me off.

MC I hope you get your ass re-affixed.

SR what were you thinking? Red lights all around.

 

[super_rice]

MC, common man, I only did that on the second week, plus I dropped it per Rodney Wood's advice. Plus, I think doing the paused squats made up 10x for the slight alteration in pulling style. It's not like I went from conventional to stiff legged or something.

How did I bastardize the program then?

 

[Jim Ouini]

Jim, it looks like we're kind of running parallel at the moment. I'm taking a couple or three weeks between programs and thinking ever more seriously of starting the Korte 3x3 very soon.

Since I bench and deadlift raw, I was planning to bump my percentages by 5%. For the squats, I'm unsure whether to take my raw weight and do the same or take my weight with wraps and use the normal percentages. The problem with the latter is that I don't go ATF in wraps and would through the volume phase. Maybe I could mix and match. I was also thinking of alternating Sumo and Conventional deads but the prospect of being told it doesn't count might put me off.

I'm thinking of bastardizing it too lol. I'd like to do some kind of overhead pressing. And I sure wish I could powershrug and BB row. Maybe I should just stick to 5 x 5, heh.

Or maybe I'll just call the bastardized, no-credit version 'The Rice 3 x 3'

Seriously though I would like to push press at least once a week. We'll see as I lay it out.

For dead I think I'm going to warmup with conventional (my weaker) then switch to sumo for my worksets, or something like that. Probably sneak in a conventional workset when I can.

As far as the weights, I'm determined to learn do ATF back squats (without knee pain). I don't care if I have to start with the bar (or a broomstick). So the next few weeks is perfecting form and doing some assistance.

I have some of those mini-plates that should let me get to the exact percentages I need. Still deciding if bring them to the gym is more trouble than they're worth.

 

[Madcow2]

MC, common man, I only did that on the second week, plus I dropped it per Rodney Wood's advice. Plus, I think doing the paused squats made up 10x for the slight alteration in pulling style. It's not like I went from conventional to stiff legged or something.

How did I bastardize the program then?

I'm only screwing with you which is probably unkind after you busted your ass that hard on this program.

I'm interested to see your max lift results at the end and see what kind of progress you made and how much past your original goals it took you.

 

[blut wump]

I'm thinking of bastardizing it too lol. I'd like to do some kind of overhead pressing. And I sure wish I could powershrug and BB row. Maybe I should just stick to 5 x 5, heh.

Or maybe I'll just call the bastardized, no-credit version 'The Rice 3 x 3'

Seriously though I would like to push press at least once a week. We'll see as I lay it out.

For dead I think I'm going to warmup with conventional (my weaker) then switch to sumo for my worksets, or something like that. Probably sneak in a conventional workset when I can.

As far as the weights, I'm determined to learn do ATF back squats (without knee pain). I don't care if I have to start with the bar (or a broomstick). So the next few weeks is perfecting form and doing some assistance.

I have some of those mini-plates that should let me get to the exact percentages I need. Still deciding if bring them to the gym is more trouble than they're worth.

I guess you've tried the whole gamut of foot spacings and angles. Have you tried streching out your calves before squating. I hurt one of my calves recently and it cost me some ankle flexibility while it was sore. Just a thought.

I'm a little concerned too about losing skills while spending over two months doing just the big three. I'm even doing biceps two or three times a week during this lull since I felt I'd lost too much doing cleans over rows. I was overdue for some biceps work, anyway.

I don't mind losing the push-press. I enjoy the lift but I find that I suck at it if I've particularly exerted myself just before. It's been almost a guide as to how hard I've done the deadlifts.

The thing with the percentages in the Korte is that they're based off supposed 1RMs in full gear. As such, the percentages can only be rough guestimates for a raw lifter. SuperRice has mentionewd adding 10% in the later part of his volume phase. Since it seems like he got fried (as well as roasted), I was thinking of stepping in at +5%. maybe it'd take a couple of runs to home in on good loading. It's probably more about getting pot-loads of practice in on the first run.

 

[Tweakle]

back is fine bro, it's my hamstring/glute that's still fucked altho slowly healing (I hope)

since I still can't squat my deadlift's are all stiff leg now, I pulled 545 for 4 on monday.. but the sucky thing is my size and strength are slowly slipping away. Squats really are the key to holding things together

hopefully sometime in august.. if you can make it down the 401 then I'd rather train at 365 than bally

 

[super_rice]

Tweakle, do you participate in any other recreational or competitive sports? I've always found that injuries, although luckily for me they have all been very minor, seem to go away like magic after some pickup volleyball, basktball, or hockey.