Not really.
But after last night I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider it.
You see, last night I finally watched the documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster which is all about steroids. I’d heard about it for sometime but I didn’t get around to watching it until now.
If you haven’t seen it here is a brief synopsis from Wikipedia:
The documentary examines the steroid use of the director Christopher Bell and his two brothers, Mark and Mike Bell, who all grew up idolizing Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan, and Sylvester Stallone, and also features professional athletes, medical experts, fitness center members, and US Congressmen talking about the issue of anabolic steroids.
Beyond the basic issue of anabolic steroid use, Bigger, Stronger, Faster examines the lack of consistency in how America views drugs, cheating, and the lengths people go to achieve success.
The film looks beyond the steroid issue to such topics as Tiger Woods’ laser eye correction to 20/15 vision, professional musicians use of anxiety reducing drugs, or athletes’ dependence on cortisone shots, which are a legal steroid. It takes a skeptical view of the health risks of steroids and is critical of the legal health supplement industry.
Some very interesting points were viewed in the film.
The Dangers of Drug Use
Steroids aren’t as dangerous as they’re made out to be and with them being mostly illegal no long term studies will be conducted. ‘Roid rage is pretty much just a myth. Not that there isn’t any side effects. As with all drugs, pharmaceutical, recreational, and otherwise, too much, too often is always dangerous.
As the one fitness model said there are no side effects. Except, wait a sec, he got a case of bitch tits and had to have his nipple removed and put back on! To him a minor surgery (as if any surgery is minor) and no big deal. To me that alone makes me hands down never want to do them.
In our pill popping culture why wouldn’t someone who wants to get bigger take drugs to do it. After all, they take drugs to sleep better, when they get a headache, for heart troubles and to get an erection. But because steroids are illegal many won’t do it.
The Healthful Side of Steroids
Except they’re not completely illegal. You can get hormone replacement therapy done with doctor. Much of anti-aging medicine is about restoring the hormones to regular if not optimal levels. Sometimes this is done more naturally, sometimes not so much.
Where is the line between someone who is taking testosterone for their health and someone who is taking it to get the edge?
For me personally I’ve gotten big into natural Chinese tonic herbs. Many of these are used to get the hormones running right. One of the precepts for the superior class of herbs is that they can do no harm even if you are one them long term. That they have an overall healthful effects not harmful even taken all the time and in large doses.
Contrast this to drugs with their list of side effects. And as was pointed out to me by George Lamoureux of Jing Herbs all those potential side effects aren’t side effects. They are effects. They simply manifest themselves in some people but stay on an unnoticeable level in others, still wreaking havoc inside the body, yet not making symptoms occur.
By doing the proper training and eating correctly you’ll naturally optimize your hormones, get lean muscle mass and the youthful effects that brings. However no matter how well you do it, it won’t give you the same effects as injecting testosterone into yourself. It simply can’t be done.
The Drive to Win
So if you need to become bigger, stronger and more injury resistant what do you do? In order to be the best you have to beat the best. If all the others are on performance enhancing drugs what chance will you have unless you join them?
As is commonly known about bodybuilders all the guys at the top are on steroids. But so are the majority of powerlifters, strongmen, and Olympic athletes in just about every field. Louie Simmons makes it pretty clear in his gym Westside Barbell it’s almost a prerequisite to train there.
And you know what? It’s understandable.
I suppose it’s not fair if you pit a “natural” athlete against one on steroids. But what about when you pit a bunch of juiced athletes against each other? Doesn’t the win and title go to the person who still worked the hardest, has the commitment and does the best?
In a drive to get to the top it’s no wonder its so prevalent. While steroids may be a shortcut there is no real shortcut when you spend every single day and years of effort to become the best. For many sports you cannot go as far as you could if you don’t take steroids.
Why I Still Say No
Yet, I’m still not going to do them. Ever. Should I give up on my plans to become one of the strongest people out there? Not at all.
Look at the oldtime strongmen. Many had the greatest physiques ever. And certainly I believe most men would rather look like John Grimek than Jay Cutler. While most records have fallen time and time again some of the oldtime strongmen still hold world records not likely to be broken.
Even with all the pharmaceutical enhancement I haven’t seen anyone come close to Arthur Saxon’s bent press.
While I may not be able to compete with powerlifters I can do the things I do and become the best in them. Would steroids help? I’m sure they would in that I could train harder and recover faster. But do I need them? No.
Just look at my friend and business partner Bud Jeffries. Drug free his whole life. Squatted 1000 lbs. without a squats suit and even from the bottom of the rack. Many steroid users couldn’t even come close to that.
(By the way Bud is having a 25% off sale on everything at his site. It’s only for a few days longer so sprint on over there and check it out.)
I’m still looking for the edge in my training. Whether that comes from the best method of training, taking natural supplements, and using mental tactics.
For me I draw the line on steroid use.
Yet that line is hazy. As is shown in the film the Tour de France winner Floyd Landis and his atmospheric chamber. By sleeping in it he is able to produce more red blood cells which aid in endurance. The same thing goes on at the Olympic training center in Colorado with the high altitude. These are legal to do.
But blood doping (which is drawing out your own blood then reinjecting it the day before the event) or taking a drug which causes you to produce more red blood cells are not legal.
To me that makes sense. But I suppose each person will have to decide for themselves where that line is at. For some the legality is the only issue. For others their own morals don’t necessarily coincide with the law. The fact that steroids are illegal or not doesn’t effect my decision.
For me the funniest part of the film was the performance enhancing drugs used by musicians to calm themselves down. Legal and generally excepted by the whole group.
Each person will have to draw their own line on what is acceptable.
If you haven’t seen it I encourage you to check out the documentary. It’ll open your eyes to the brainwashing that most people have regarding the issue. From there you can make up your own mind.
If you have seen it I’d love to get your input below.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Comments
NICE to hear you be so honest about your views on this. I’m a very conservative person, but I have often thought that the arguments used against steroids are just illogical or plain uninformed. I do not do steroids currently, but did take Test. (small doses, 1 ml weekly) for awhile in my 30’s when I realized my Test. is low. Now my doctor says I’m ‘borderline’ and I don’t push the issue, but if I could easily acquire Test. or HGH to get to a ‘normal’ level (and no, not way high, just within the range of most guys), I would.
I do feel that working out and eating better (whey, protein, nuts, etc.) has helped, and I am definitely gaining some lean muscle mass and strength while working out over the last year.
If you ever do a post on the Chinese herbs, please publish it, I’d love to read it!
I’m not a competitor in any sport, so I can’t speak for those who compete for the top, but artificial steroids for the average person are an unhealthy decision. I am convinced that the same short term effects you could gain from supplementation could be just as easily gained through a consistent long term exercise program. Great questions to ask aspiring juicers: why can’t you wait for your gains? Are you already training exercises that maximize natural HGH production (hill sprints, k-bell snatches, heavy deadlifts, etc.)? Are you unable or unwilling to make further progress in your program? Have you tried changing your program to focus on new compound movements and break plateaus?
Every long term program can be refined to reach goals. It just might take longer than the impatient are willing to accept.
This was a very eye opening documentary for me too. You know I used to watch pro wrestling and admire the older guys like Hogan and the older bodybuilders like Arnold and the new ones like Jay Cutler. I no longer hold any of these men in high regard because of the fact that they took steriods just to be champions. Arnold said he would take them again to ensure the same success if he had to start over. I used to read the bodybuilding magazines and buy the supplements, but no more. Pure natural is the way to go. Thank God I stumbled upon this website and others that chronicle the lives and feats of the oldtime strongmen, who achieved feats of strength that I don’t know of any roiders today could duplicate. Putting chemicals in your body is always a gamble, one that I will no longer take. Great post Logan!
Nice blog on the subject. I watched the doc when it first came out (with bemusement, especially when I saw several of my friends in the background at the Arnold). Being a lifetime drug-free powerlifter, I’ve been exposed to the steroid lifestyle and mindset for many years. Other competitors have been respectful of my choice to stay drug free, and so I always try to afford others that same level of respect and reserve judgment of them and their choices. But I will call “BS” when I hear it.
I’ve had a world-record breaking bench-presser tell me with a straight face that steroids didn’t really help a competitor “that much.” Bull$4!t. And I said so at the time.
I began to compete only in federations that had an amateur drug-free division. That way, I wouldn’t have to compete against anyone who was juiced. As for the federations who claim to be the only “legit drug-free federation,” again. Bull$4!t. Newsflash – those feds are full of juicers and illegitimate drug-free records. I know this for a fact.
I also have a close friend who receives hormone replacement, at a somewhat elevated dose. He obviously uses it for more than just health benefits.
As for roid rage being a myth? Complete and utter Bull$4!t. I’ve seen far too many good and decent people turn into complete and utter a$$401e$ at the drop of a hat. I’ve seen the effects of long term use on a former close friend. Note I said former. I’ve seen a complete change in his personality over several years. he’s gone from one of the funniest, greatest guys I knew, into someone I avoid at all costs.
People who take them, whatever. Take the quick fix and buy into the “gym culture” of a few misguided people. Do what you want. But don’t lie to people and most of all don’t lie to yourself – it will change you, and you are a physically strong person, but I would suggest that you have made an emotionally weak decision, that could be an indication of your character. People will judge you accordingly.
Logan, you’re spot on with the fact that there are plenty of natural alternatives. Good article.
I understand why people want to use PEDs at a young age… it’s because they quickly want freak show strength at an early age. This comes at the cost of eventual organ failure, changes to facial structure, connective tissue injury, and decreased life expectancy. PED users don’t seem to maintain strength the entire life span. Plus, the nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones, blood and air circulation aren’t really THAT strong in comparison to their muscles anyways… hence the injury rates amongst those using these Frankenstein “restoratives”. It seems the quicker that they get it, the quicker they lose it.
However, have you ever seen someone in their 60s that has been training for decades and it shows? I’m sure that they started out a 95lbs weakling, having sand kicked in their face, and that progress was much slower than they wanted, but they were patient, played the long game(sometimes training high volume, sometimes training low volume, but always remained consistent in training)… and these people are now senior citizens, have spent much of their lives training, and now they are one BAMF! YEAH I WANT THAT OLD MAN STRENGTH!
Let’s make “old man strength” a movement and stamp PEDs out of our tradition before we are entirely discredited because of it.