Disillusioned w/ Steroids in Lifting

I apologize if this is a bit of a noob post, or if its a subject that frequently arises and I’m beating a dead horse posting this, but it’s really been bothering me lately and I wanted to get some info from people who know what’s really going on.

I haven’t been lifting for long at all but I’d like to think I’ve earned the the progress I’ve made even if I end up falling short down the line. I work pretty damn hard and am pretty driven when i take an interest in something, and I take pride in that. The thrill of competition and progression in anything is awesome and keeps me going strong.

I’ve been watching a lot of clips of lifting competitions and reading a lot lately. I was pretty ignorant re: steroids, I understood the basics but wasn’t knowledgeable overall and took a lot for granted. I read up more lately and I’m bothered by a lot of this stuff.

People gaining 30 pounds of muscle in 2 months that would take me up to 2 years of consistent training, ridiculous potential for strength gains, etc is pretty unreal. I’m not very familiar with the powerlifting divisions and organizations and understand steroid usage runs rampant, but it only dawned on me recently what a gigantic edge steroids are for someone like an Olympic athlete.

I find it hard to believe that these guys training their entire life just for that couple of shots at the gold they might not even get at a medal aren’t going to take advantage of such incredibly powerful compounds, when the difference between a medal and non medal placement can be a few kilos of weight, and the strength progression is so slow at the top levels.

So, what’s the deal here: do all of the top level athletes juice? Is this just a part of the sub culture of these sports that is hidden from the public whenever possible to protect the “integrity” of the sport?

I have a vast amount of respect for any top athlete regardless of whether they take performance enhancing drugs, but it’s disheartening to watch Suleymangolu or Dimas perform some amazing feat and realize that even though they are they incredibly gifted, driven individuals, they still probably had to resort to drugs just to gain more of an edge and stay competitive.

For all I know, safe performance enhancing steroids will be mainstream in sports in the future, and even now maybe that’s just a part of the sport, a part of being willing to sacrifice for a dream, I don’t know, but it sucks.

-Jeff

Yes. Yes they do.

Yes…and santa claus doesn’t exist and the easter bunny is pure fiction. sorry but you’re old enough to learn these things now.

seriously, don’t sweat it dude. Just stick to your own principles and don’t worry what the next guy is doing

Everybody uses everything they can get away with. Now, that’s hyperbole, sure, but not much. Even guess that aren’t juiced use the best food, supplements, training, everything. I don’t really see the difference. Should we level everybody out by only allowing one training, nutrition, diet schedule? I say just pick a federation that tests or not as you see fit and has the level of competition you want.

If you’re not competitive, just train hard and don’t worry about it.

[quote]Hanley wrote:
Yes. Yes they do.[/quote]

True.

[quote]robo1 wrote:
Yes…and santa claus doesn’t exist and the easter bunny is pure fiction. sorry but you’re old enough to learn these things now.

seriously, don’t sweat it dude. Just stick to your own principles and don’t worry what the next guy is doing[/quote]

Also true.

[quote]conorh wrote:
Everybody uses everything they can get away with. Now, that’s hyperbole, sure, but not much. Even guess that aren’t juiced use the best food, supplements, training, everything. I don’t really see the difference. Should we level everybody out by only allowing one training, nutrition, diet schedule? I say just pick a federation that tests or not as you see fit and has the level of competition you want.

If you’re not competitive, just train hard and don’t worry about it.[/quote]

And also true again. Just don’t sweat it and lift. You want to use, use. You don’t want to, don’t use. The only way I worry or get annoyed at steroids is for users to try to cheat in feds that don’t allow it ( and they do. Not every USAPL lifter or IPF lifter is clean) or drug free guys that get all preachy because they’re so much purer.

Do your own thing.

[quote]tom63 wrote:
The only way I worry or get annoyed at steroids is for users to try to cheat in feds that don’t allow it ( and they do. Not every USAPL lifter or IPF lifter is clean) or drug free guys that get all preachy because they’re so much purer.

[/quote]

True.

I remember when I realized that everyone does steroids. It may as well be regulated…

[quote]MasterfulStroke wrote:
I remember when I realized that everyone does steroids. It may as well be regulated…[/quote]

It makes more sense than banning them. “Ok guys, for this competition you can only cycle X mg of X a maximum of 4 times!”

[quote]ab_power wrote:
MasterfulStroke wrote:
I remember when I realized that everyone does steroids. It may as well be regulated…

It makes more sense than banning them. “Ok guys, for this competition you can only cycle X mg of X a maximum of 4 times!”[/quote]

And I’m sure they’d listen to. Just like how they listen to “no drugs”!!

Its cost 10k for a damn anti-drugs test, Would you pay ?

I think the problem with drugs in sports is the hypocrisy, not the drugs themselves.

I think powerlifting is on the right track in some ways. At least there are alternatives for competitors that are on the vitamin as well as those that do not wish to compete with enhanced lifters. This is not to say that everyone in USAPL or other tested feds is clean, but at least they are trying to create a semblance of drug-free sport.

The problem lies with sports where there are officially no opportunities for enhanced athelete to compete. I love weightlifting. But- unless I am interested in making a long term commitment to training with AAS, ephedrine, and even non-performance-enhancing recreational drugs, I can’t compete unless I want to cheat.

Weightlifting, track and field, football, wrestling, etc.- all are limited by IWF, NCAA, IOC and NFL rules. That leaves little choice for an enhanced athlete other than to cheat.

I think the correct approach to drugs in sport is to punish cheaters. But you also have to provide opportunities to not cheat. The current approach in sport is all stick and no carrot. That is why these sporting organizations have so miserably failed in the drug issue.

when you get to the point in your training career that you are going up against all these elite athletes, but untill then, does it really matter?

The shocking issue isn’t that they are used for competitive sports, but average joe’s use them to get ripped, models, actors are all using it.

You can’t tell anymore who is using (wrongly) and who is doing things right.

If your against it then make it your goal in lifting to get stronger and bigger then the guys using by not using.You want motivation then look to the old timers from the 20s through the 50s.Those guys didnt use they just lifted heavy as fuck and ate a ton and still managed to lift some impressive amounts of weight.They didnt have creatine or any BCAAs or protien supps back then,they had milk meat and alot of heart.Thats all you really need.

[quote]sawadeekrob wrote:
The shocking issue isn’t that they are used for competitive sports, but average joe’s use them to get ripped, models, actors are all using it.

You can’t tell anymore who is using (wrongly) and who is doing things right.[/quote]

Who cares why someone uses. Why is athletics sort of good, while aesthetics not? I really don’t care why people use. It’s sounds to me like bitchy girls who couldn’t afford breast implants.

When you get a little older, you normally don’t care why people do what they do as long as it doesn’t affect you in any way.

[quote]horsepuss wrote:
If your against it then make it your goal in lifting to get stronger and bigger then the guys using by not using.You want motivation then look to the old timers from the 20s through the 50s.Those guys didnt use they just lifted heavy as fuck and ate a ton and still managed to lift some impressive amounts of weight.They didnt have creatine or any BCAAs or protien supps back then,they had milk meat and alot of heart. Thats all you really need.[/quote]

That’s what I do man. I’ve always said I’d never do steroids, I am strong and driven and everything will fall into place for me if I push for it, that’s how I try to approach things in life- but all of this stuff is just real discouraging and makes me question myself.

I’m not competitive where I’d be in a position to worry about elite athletes juicing whooping my ass or anything, but I plan on being in the future and It’ll be an issue. I’m just thinking about the long haul and the implications of putting so much time and energy into a thing like this.

Maybe one of the reasons weightlifting and strength sports aren’t so mainstream nowadays is people getting discouraged about this kind of thing, instead of inspired

thx for the good responses all

I’m going to Iraq in January, and when I get back I’ll be looking for a job in law enforcement.
Now theres a dilemma for ya.

On the one hand, I’ve got more than enough reason to want that edge. For me its not about competitiveness, I just want to be as strong as possible to reduce the risks.
On the other hand, If I did get caught it would jeopardize my future in law enforcement.

Now I’ve heard that the military doesn’t test for that, but even so, I don’t know where to get it or have a mentor to show me how to use it so I guess I’m shit outta luck.

All things considered, I would if I could.

[quote]evansmi wrote:
I’m going to Iraq in January, and when I get back I’ll be looking for a job in law enforcement.
Now theres a dilemma for ya.
On the one hand, I’ve got more than enough reason to want that edge. For me its not about competitiveness, I just want to be as strong as possible to reduce the risks.
On the other hand, If I did get caught it would jeopardize my future in law enforcement.
Now I’ve heard that the military doesn’t test for that, but even so, I don’t know where to get it or have a mentor to show me how to use it so I guess I’m shit outta luck.

All things considered, I would if I could.[/quote]

Well your going to the right place to get juice,I have a bunch of buddies who have been there and are there and they all tell me its easy to get and everybody does it.All my buddies have juiced while over there so you should hit it hard while your there.