Should some of you really be using AAS?

[Phemomena]

My question in all of this is: Do you think that the compulsion to get bigger is a "cousin" of the compulsion to get smaller (aka anorexia)?

Both are rooted in a dissatisfaction with the body that genetics handed you and an (almost) "at whatever cost necessary" to change it. And more importantly, both are rooted in the need for CONTROL. Controlling the body, conquering its desires to eat (or DROP the thing that is heavy enough to make you cry and/or puke).

All that is healthy to a point. But with AS and courting injury and the boasting about crying/fainting/puking after a lift (I am DEFINITELY guilty of that) ... I wonder if it's just a different strain of the same "virus" that is anorexia.

*It's not really "boasting" as much as it is proving we're not wimps and we can belong among a group of women on a site called "Elite."

control is a good word, dissatisfaction is probably not... i'm not dissatisfied at all with my body, but i do love the fact that i've discovered how to shape and mold my body into a work of art... its not to control my size though... i'm small, i've never said i want to be huge, it's not going to happen... i just want muscles.. i believe that i can be small, feminine and muscular... and i am but that's just me personally i can't speak for others...

as for injuries, they happen... i think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who has trained hard and for a number of years and hasn't had some sort of injury... its how you deal with them that determines your success or failure in this game... you need to know and understand your body and its signals... and know when to back off or stay away from the gym...

again, on a personal note, my injury issues are unique, when you pull a stabalizer muscle, you may only feel it at certain times, when it first started bugging me (nagging aches not a strong pain) i would say well i'll see just how much i can work through this, but what happens is that other muscles (that wouldn't normally be handling the load) end up compensating... then your entire muscular structure is thrown for a loop so to speak... i believe i was lucky... my minor ache quickly became a severe pain (this happened outside of the gym)... it wasn't a serious tear/pull, but it was a real awakening for me... suddenly i couldn't sit up or lie down by myself...

had i not tore the muscle, i would have probably ended up pulling a lot of other muscles... i spent a few weeks in athletic therapy and physio and according to one of my therapists, "my body was really on the verge of doing some nasty things to me"... so i personally took that whole ordeal as a sign...

i would NEVER do anything at "whatever cost" i have my priorities and my reasoning... both have been well thought out...

 

[buksoon]

Spatterson: Indeed I am quite sure it is NOT for me! Which is why I'm not on it.

Phem: I didn't mean to imply that you had "issues." (I don't perceive that as the case.) I just got a sense of "dissatisfaction" from when you said that your body, without AS, would never be where you wanted it to be.

It's just: If my younger sister (of whom I am very protective) said she wanted to start AS, I'd beg her to reconsider. Even if she was as shrewd and emphatic in its defense as you ladies are. I would tell her:

"Why artificially produce testerone? You're perfect right now! And I'll kick your ass if you put yourself at risk for all the myriad health problems that will emerge at a later point!"

(The same way that I kick her ass when she lights a cigarette. And the same way I'd throw out an AS dose if it was offered to me, no matter how tempting.)

If I am wrong about the health risk, I'd love to learn about it. Spats, you called AS "preventative medicine." Really? How??

 

[MS]

All I want to add to this enlivened discussion is that, medically speaking, AAS use in bodybuilders leads to a disproportionate increase in muscle strength compared to tendon, ligament and overall joint strength. Any attempt at justifiying AAS use based on previous non-muscular injuries is misguided IMHO (possible exception is Deca which is great for men who don't produce any naturally occuring progestenic steroids). And as always I have to add that if the majority of AAS using females on this board applied the same dedication to training and eating but without the AAS I can assure you that you would all imprees yourselves beyond your wildest dreams. To me it feels like AAS use in America is becoming an 'excuse' for non-professional bodybuilding females to eat more and train harder. What if you just decided to eat more and train harder without the motivation of AAS use???? Scary thought I know, but what if.........

 

[Phemomena]

Phem: I didn't mean to imply that you had "issues." (I don't perceive that as the case.) I just got a sense of "dissatisfaction" from when you said that your body, without AS, would never be where you wanted it to be.

not true... never said that...

i said maybe i could have gotten where i have w/o AS, i don't know. I've personally taken my injuries and plateauing as a sign that my body has reached its natural potential... did i bow out too easy? i don't know, but this is the choice i've made... no regrets here, not dissatisfied... i think i'm a hottie ... there's always room for improvement, but that's motivation to me, not a reason to be dissatisfied...

 

[Hannibal]

For me...this is from a male perspective...it is about Quality of Life. "Given a long enough timeline the survival rate of everyone drops to zero." We only have a certain amount of time on this earth with this body. Why not make the most of it. Gear will NEVER EVER replace hard work. But it might reduce the amount of time that it takes someone to reach their dreams. And as long as they can deal with the moral issues behind it...and are prepared for any side effects that MIGHT occur then I say live your life to the fullest. Having said that I have the uptmost in respect for anyone that has decided not to use. I only hope that they do so of their own judgement and have not had the judgement placed in their head. Do your own research and come to your own conclusion. You are the only one that has to look yourself in the mirror.

After reading that it might sound like I advocate the EASY way out. Couldn't be further from the truth. I would bank on the fact that I am in the top 1% of the people on this board when it comes to effort put forth in the gym. I am a competitive powerlifter and compete in non tested events...so I am not cheating anyone. I know that my view is a bit different from you ladies...but it still is about making the most of the little time that we have been alotted. And with careful planning and research, done in moderation...AAS use can increase the quality of life...without imparing the quantity of life.

Strength and Honor

 

[Phemomena]

exactly hannibal...

i think that the comments are basically being directed at me since i seem to be the only one with the testicular fortitude to post my reasoning... regardless of my reasons it was my decision... my body, my choice... i knew, in my mind and in my heart that i was ready to take things to another level... and i know fully what i'm getting into... i've done my research, i'm not taking the AS to recover from injuries or avoid other ones, it was just injuries and such that opened my eyes that things hadn't really been going anywhere for about 3-4 months... i waited until i was fully recovered and lifting to my pre-injury level prior to starting my cycle...

there are girls on here that saying i weigh 200lbs want to loose 50lbs, i walk for 30-40 min 3 times a week and started doing some pushups and squats (weightless).. should i take winny or anavar to speed the fat loss (and i'm seriously not exagerating, i can dig up the post if you want)... now, its these people who this post really should be directed at... i've done my research and stand by my reasoning..

lets look at the real issue on these boards... if someone goes a route they are going for a shortcut (not speaking of myself) to being stronger, that's really their decision, at least they have the right idea...we have girls on AS for the wrong reasons who are setting themselves up not only to loose their money, but also for some nasty sides that they probably haven't researched and won't even see coming...

but that's just my opinion...

 

[Hannibal]

but that's just my opinion...

I completely concur...I know that I have not posted on this board often. Looks like I have been missin out on some valuable information...as well as some wonderful people

Forgive my ignorance...but what are these injuries that you speak of Phem??!

 

[Phemomena]

I completely concur...I know that I have not posted on this board often. Looks like I have been missin out on some valuable information...as well as some wonderful people

Forgive my ignorance...but what are these injuries that you speak of Phem??!

minor details posted above....

in depth story... here it goes ya'll laugh at me now...

felt a slight pull in my ab area (thought it was an oblique, left side), just worked through it (you know one of those things, only hurt doing certain things....) this went on for about 2-3 weeks... no better, no worse... then it started to feel a bit better... for a couple weeks it was pretty much gone.. went on vacation... caught a cold... coughed a lot, which aggrivated it again... it was like that for another 1-2 weeks...

during this time i was getting aches and pains (knees, wrists which have always been bad, glutes, quads, lower back, shoulders... you name it, it all hurt to some degree and generally on the left side)... i took a couple weeks off during which everything else cleared up except for the pull..

then one day at work.. get this, i sneezed and bam, rip in my side like you would not believe... couldn't sit down, lie back... nada...
i'd ripped (and minorly, though the pain i was in was NOT minor) my transverse ab

weeks in physio and athletic therapy revealed that during the weeks of training through this pull i'd been stabilizing with muscles on my left side that weren't accustomed to doing this work and that it was causing imbalances and symetry problems... i didn't actually pull anything else, but had i carried on i may have... and it really could have been bad... i consider myself lucky...

 

[wilson6]

"W6, do you avoid answering my posts and PM's on purpose? "

No ladies, I exist only to address your threads. What ARE you talking about?

W6

 

[wilson6]

Not getting any PM's.

You're putting on muscle. As I said, you feel fat because of the water or simply the fact that you're not used to putting on weight (a mental thing).

Case in point. For those thinking about using AAS for fat loss. You'll feel fatter with AAS that cause water retention.

Not sure what you're getting at SPAT.

BTW, below is a pic of huge with freaky shoulders. If you're not this big, you're only huge in your own mind. You'll get over it. In fact, soon you'll see yourself as not big enough. Am I right New@?