When to start?

[wallcrawler]

Hi everyone. I'm 38 yo, 5'11", 200 lb., maybe 20% bf. I've lifted on and off for several years. Never seriously. This year I'm going to start being serious about it. This site is great and I plan to take the next year and read up. I also bought several of the books available which I will read.
My question is when does a person know they are ready for a little "extra help" with bulking and cutting?
If I wanted the best results possible in the shortest time possible, why would I not be ready to try steroids from the get go? Why would I not go ahead and go on Alavar(?) or some other cutting supplement to lose more body fat right from the start? I know I'll probably get flamed for being ignorant. I've read some other posts by newbies who were told that they "weren't ready" for steroids. I just want to understand why if steroids give the results they supposedly do, why not start cycling right away? And how does one know when they ARE ready?
Thanks,
Ski

 

[mikebzt]

First off you have been lifting on and off. How about lifting consistantly for a year before you consider it. During that year continue to research. Besides that 20%bf is a rather high number to even think of starting your first cycle. You will want to be below 15%. I would suggest a bottle of T-Rex to start off with for your training to help lose the weight. You need to remember that Diet is going to be the key factor while you are on or off steroids. What you are looking for is a magic pill to get the best results possible in the shortest period of time and steroids do not work that way.

 

[nydj66]

At 38 you won't get flamed nearly as bad as a 17-year-old who wants to start AAS. You're old enough to make your own decisions.

The fact of the matter is that diet and training are the two most important factors and if you don't have them down you'll waste a lot of money on AAS.

In theory you could make the most gains in the least amount of time by starting off with AAS. However, that's only if you already know what diet and training regimine works best for you. Most people just want a magic pill and don't realize that if you want maximum gains you actually have to work harder on AAS. The AAS allow you to stress your body more without over-training and they help your muscles recover faster.

The other thing to keep in mind is that there are side effects from AAS. These can be minimized but with so many different combinations and everyone reacting differently to different compounds you either need the help of an expert or become an expert yourself to avoid the "sides".

Most of us are here trying to become experts but that takes time. As you said, you plan on spending the next year reading up.

Lastly, when you first start a fitness program, it's possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. At that point there's really no need for AAS. But at some point (maybe 6 months) you'll lose that ability. Sadly, the older you are the higher the percentage in body fat that will happen. That's where AAS, especially testosterone can help.

You mentioned alavar; I think you mean anavar. That is a relatively mild AAS with few side effects so beginners are often directed to start there. I personally started with d-bol (at 37-years-old) and when I got up the nerve to inject myself I moved to testosterone and deca.

For me in my late 30's, testosterone could easily become addictive. It makes me feel 19 again. It also makes me as anxious and irritable as I was at 19.

What ever you do, research, research, and research some more first. Keep the stacks simple and the dosages low until you see how your body responds to different gear. That way you won't end up back on the board asking how to get rid of gyno or stop all your hair from falling out.

 

[Paulo]

You need a minimum 45 years of uninterrupted natural training before you even think about using steroids.




Ok, I'm being a smartass.

Anyways, sure, you could go out and juice up, get big, etc. It will happen in spite of shitty training and diet. However, it's having the skills and experience of lifting and maintaining a healthy diet for a few years, that will ensure you keep those gains over the long haul. Being that you are 38 years old, it would be wise of you to get a comprehensive blood workup, make sure it includes a good hormone panel, Free test, total test, estrogen, prolactin, fsh, lh, etc. There's some good threads about all that around here somewhere.

What I am trying to say, is that you need to prove to yourself that you can maintain a steady regimine of sane nutrition and training before you'll be able to take full advantage of aas.

 

[wallcrawler]

Hey, thanks everyone. I wasn't planning on juicing right away but I was just curious as to why someone WOULDN"T if they wre so inclined. I'm committing to a year of lifting regularly, eating relatively clean, and reading, reading, reading. I'll post from time to time if I can't find what I'm looking for on the boards. I HAVE stayed on a regular lifting and diet schedule for the better part of a year a couple of times. My problem is I see some results but not enough to keep me from getting discouraged. I also thought that steroids might give me more energy (which I seriously lack in the gym) while working out and in general. Is this the case? I am not one of those people who love to live for hours everyday in the gym. In fact, between my son and my school schedule its hard for me to get to the gym for an hour. I'm buying a smith machine and a dumbbell set next week so I can lift at home. I don't want to compete. I just want to know what it feels like to have a physique like Stallone or Van Damme. Not HUGE but big enough and not SHREDDED but at least be able to clearly display a six pack.
Thanks again for the valuable advice! I've taken it to heart!
Ski

 

[Stacemranger]

Hey, thanks everyone. I wasn't planning on juicing right away but I was just curious as to why someone WOULDN"T if they wre so inclined. I'm committing to a year of lifting regularly, eating relatively clean, and reading, reading, reading. I'll post from time to time if I can't find what I'm looking for on the boards. I HAVE stayed on a regular lifting and diet schedule for the better part of a year a couple of times. My problem is I see some results but not enough to keep me from getting discouraged. I also thought that steroids might give me more energy (which I seriously lack in the gym) while working out and in general. Is this the case? I am not one of those people who love to live for hours everyday in the gym. In fact, between my son and my school schedule its hard for me to get to the gym for an hour. I'm buying a smith machine and a dumbbell set next week so I can lift at home. I don't want to compete. I just want to know what it feels like to have a physique like Stallone or Van Damme. Not HUGE but big enough and not SHREDDED but at least be able to clearly display a six pack.
Thanks again for the valuable advice! I've taken it to heart!
Ski

I would also think about the way you feel at the gym. I love lifting. I look forward to it every time I go and I sometimes hate to leave(even if I'm worn out). Diet was the hardest thing for me to get down. It's taken me almost a year now and I still don't have it all the way. It's tough. I've done a dbol only cycle and got some good gains, but I see now that if I had waited just a little longer and understood my diet a bit better, i could of gotten even better results. Oh well, you live and you learn.

 

[Ulter]

The reason you wouldn't is because you don't have any matural muscle mass to build on. If you add AS to underdeveloped muscles you will get bigger, but not thicker, and you won't keep what you gain. This is typically the biggest mistake people make with AS. They assume that the AS will be a short cut. Their set point is so far below their genetic limit that the AS DOES do all the work. But when you stop taking it you go back closer to where you started than where you finished.

 

[wallcrawler]

First off you have been lifting on and off. How about lifting consistantly for a year before you consider it. During that year continue to research. Besides that 20%bf is a rather high number to even think of starting your first cycle. You will want to be below 15%. I would suggest a bottle of T-Rex to start off with for your training to help lose the weight. You need to remember that Diet is going to be the key factor while you are on or off steroids. What you are looking for is a magic pill to get the best results possible in the shortest period of time and steroids do not work that way.

Thanks, Mike. Where can I get Trex? I did a search and all I could find was that it worked great and had no ephedra (I have high blood pressure so was glad to hear that) but couldn't find info on manufacturer. Called GNC and they don't have it. Where can I get some?

 

[djgaler]

AF store bud....