Okay so i am a 18 y/o male, looking to become a professional bodybuilder or physique competitor. I want to make bodybuilding and fitness my career, I am already a personal trainer (my source of income). I am in love with bodybuilding as a sport, i love the science behind training. Its my passion, its what i want to do for the rest of my life.
So about steroids, I understand the optimal time to start a cycle would be after 21-25 y/o. And i understand the consequences of running cycles at the age of 18 y/o, as my endocrine system, growth, etc are developing and throwing steroids in can ruin/harm these things. But if i want to become a pro BB or someone big in the fitness industry i need to get a head start, i understand the consequences and i have come to terms that i would have to be on TRT for the rest of my life to have my body function normally. I understand if i am not taking TRT ill have heaps of problems like no libido, gyno, depression, etc. So i would be happy to be on TRT to keep me normal and functioning.
Obviously i am not going to jump on cycle tomorrow or in a week, I am taking my time and researching to understand everything i can before starting. If i was to hop on gear it would be moderate dosages to start with. Before starting ill be talking to an endocrinologist, i will be getting my heart function checked, as well as my blood pressure, cholesterol, testosterone and estrogen, etc. And ill be making regular trips to get these checked while on cycle, and compare them to baseline results before i was on cycle. I will be also donating blood, as steroids cause an increase in red blood cell production so i can minimize the risks. I will be doing daily cardio and i will not be touching any sort of party drugs while on cycle as that is a recipe for disaster.
Remember i am considering steroid usage for bodybuilding and my career, Not for body dysmorphia. I understand nutrition and training, obviously i am still learning but thats the joy of bodybuilding, there will always be new things to learn.
So let me hear your opinions and advice, I am very open.
So what exactly is the question? Whether it’s a good idea or not? No at 18 it’s not a good idea regardless of how you look at it, for the exact reasons you pointed out yourself. Spend the next few years learning about training and nutrition, do your research, learn what works and what doesnt for you. At 18 your simply too young to make a decision as big as this, even from a cycle standpoint, though you want to stay on for good, that’s a life changing decision. I understand you want to make it your career and aas will play a roll in that but get some more life experience and training/nutrition behind you then revisit this idea.
Your balls only dropped 5 years ago. You don’t even know what they are capable of doing yet.
You start cycling when your body can give no more and that’s usually about 35 YO.
Before that you are just doing recreational drugs and hea thats OK a lot of us have done it and a lot worse.
From the way you’ve phrased your entire post it’s clear that you’re not looking for advice (at least any advice you’re willing to follow) but rather permission. There are few here that will tell you it’s a good idea to hop on gear at your age. You say
but I don’t think you fully appreciate the magnitude of the situation.
My advice is to continue to train hard, manage your diet and rest and wait until you’ve matured a bit more before taking a decision that may impact the rest of your life.
Good luck to you.
It’s nearly impossible for you to understand the consequences at age 18. It’s not s knock on you, it’s simple biology. Your brain isn’t fully formed yet and you don’t know what consequences are because you’re not hard wired to get it quite yet. Want to know why, since the beginning of time, wars are fought by young guys? Because it’s a lot easier to get a young guy to charge that hill where certain death awaits him than it is to get a dude who’s 30 to do it. You may have some abstract thoughts on what the consequences are, but I assure you that you do not fully grasp them yet. It’s not your fault and you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s something that only time can give you and you cannot change that.
I am of the belief that the best physiques are built from years of training naturally first (then aas). If you can get freaky looking naturally, it means you are in it for the long haul. You know how to build muscle past the 20 lbs that comes in the first year. You know how to eat, sleep and train.
Don’t short change your self by getting on too soon.
You should be to the point where everyone thinks you are already cycling before you start aas. If that is not the case, you are either not ready, or you don’t have what it takes to be pro.
You’re still a baby, stay away from AAS until you’ve atleast matured enough to know what you’re doing with your life. I know you think you do but in three years who knows what may change?
You won’t listen because you don’t understand. Your mind and soul hasn’t matured enough to do so.
First put in the hard work after you have matured and can at least buy alcohol.
Your going to ruin your natural god given blessed body .
I would do the hard work and grow naturally until I plateau. At that point in time you will have either found a sense of clarity, a better career, or realize the decision your making is a huge massive decision.
Keep in mind that time flies. In no time you’ll be 20, then 30 and then 40 . It passes so fast. I just turned 40 and I feel like my 30s flashed by my eyes. You haven’t even experienced life yet friend.
Jay Cutler started training at 17. Within a year and a half he was winning bodybuilding shows in the heavyweight class. Ever heard of Lee Priest? Google what he looked like aged 14.
If you have those kind of genetics then best of luck. If not, you’ll be just another chump who took steroids too young and fucked himself up.
You already know it’s a stupid idea, but you’ve already made up your mind to do it, so best of luck.
Remember that the real freaks are already freaky by the time they’re 22. If you get to that age and look ok, but not freaky, then you don’t have the genetics to be a pro.
Are you aware of the potential for cardiac manifestations to develop? If you’re running doses on par with what a competitive IFBB pro would run, there’s a decent chance you’ll run into problems regarding cardiac size, structure and function.
Shouldn’t be touching party drugs on or off cycle, however I’m not here to judge, just stating that the typical “party” drugs (cocaine, MDMA, high dose amphetamines) have a relatively high risk for acute lethal toxicity (aside from MDMA, but even MDMA can trigger lethal arrythmias), and long term these agents have a high risk (even MDMA) for causing cardiovascular toxicity. Alcohol is also terrible for you, but I wouldn’t say it’s as bad as snorting coke or speed so long as common sense (moderation) is applied.
This isn’t the end all situation, if you drop you’re Ferratin too low from donating blood you end up with iron deficiency anaemia, which can be fairly unpleasant…
18 years old… how long do you think cycles will work? After a while your body just can’t handle more right? So starting at 18 your body might hate cycling at 25? Then TRT rest of life… surely one cannot cycle on and off steroids like a BB for decades. Talk about mental anguish and fatigue.
honestly man, that’s not really true. SOME people start that early, but it’s not everyone. There are plenty of pro bodybuilders and physique competitors who add in the drugs MUCH later.
what are your current stats? Height, weight, and some of your best lifts?
Alright, all of you have convinced me, I will start when i am 21-25. I want to prove to myself that i will be freaky and that i have the potential to compete in classic physique etc. Plus it will give me years to learn more about what i love and more about the information and chemistry behind steroids so i can be even safer when i decide to take them later in life. Thank you all so much, you’ve been great help. I appreciated the advice and took it all into consideration, Thanks for no negativity.
Good decision. Just out of curiosity, got any competition pictures of yourself so far? Would like to see how far you’ve come and how your genetics are, seeing as you would like to become pro.