I Want to Believe

note: This long ramble is just to find what T-Nation is all about.

Back in the early 90s, I was hardcore into nutrition/diet and training in the gym. Recreational Bodybuilding was a blast. Muscle Media 2000 was a GREAT mag back then. They didn’t shy from steroids but still had more USEFULL info, for a natural bodybuilder, than any other mag. They even tested ALL supplements advertised to ensure they contained the listed amounts of the ingredients. Eventually, they even started their own line of supplements, EAS. I had hardcore info for real workouts and a source of info about quality supplements. In `94 I was even one of the Met-RX/Muscle Media Best Shape of your life finalists and was in the oct/nov '94 issue of Muscle Media 2000. I put on 8lbs of muscle and took off 8 lbs of fat in 8weeks. Not astounding compared to the rest of the world… but damned good for a paraplegic. I even trained with free weights without a training partner. Those gains ALL came from the upper row of abs up. I still don’t know how I didn’t win the bodybuilder cruise but some chic in a wheelchair was a BSOYL champ about a year later. I kicked her ass… sigh

Anyway, ever since, BB has been on again, off again. From '94-97 chronic shoulder problems reared their ugly heads. Then… well, let’s just say life has been FULL of surprises that knocked me out of the gym many times. Plus, my ass was lazy many times too.

That way of living was put to rest about 2 weeks ago. I’m back in the gym (again). I have restructured my sleep and recreational schedules to accommodate the BB lifestyle that I WILL get back. Also, certain types of food have now been banned and others brought back.

This where T-Nation enters the story. I’m looking for a source of info comparable to the glory days of MM2K. Also, I’m looking for some good supplements. TONS of ppl sell supplements and many of them are junk. That is why I’m apprehensive of T-Nation and Biotest. I want to believe its all legit. However, I read about Carbolin and it’s like sections of the original Met-Rx write-ups have been copy and pasted. References to proprietary formulas that can’t be copied sound just like Met-RX ads. Maybe it’s because it’s true. Maybe it’s fancy marketing. Plus, medical studies are mentioned to draw comparisons to Anavar. However, the studies were done completely separate. There is no info to tell if the conditions of the studies were the same. Unless the conditions of the two studies are identical, a comparison means nothing. To be fair, I may have missed the answer to the above. Twenty-four pages of replies is a lot to sift through. The info about Grow! and its comparisons/superiority to Met-Rx also concern me. Met-Rx is also supposedly a formula that can’t be copied. The Grow! info mentions Met-Rx has changed. Admittedly, I never kept up with what happened to Met-Rx or why Met-Rx and MM2K had such a HUGE falling out. MM2K would not even print the name “Met-Rx” after that. I’m totally ignorant to what became of Met-Rx since '94 but I know back then, it was FANTASTIC.

Bottom line - I want to believe. I want T-Nation and Biotest to be just what I’m trying to find. However, some reassurance about the validity of both would be great. Who backs you? What is your history? What is Biotest’s assurance of quality…etc.

I apologize if this seems like some sort of attack. Money and time are 2 things that nobody wants to throw away.

Thanks in advance.

4est:

I’m only one man but I can tell you that at the age of 49 I am still making gains. I attribute these gains in part to what I have learned here on this site and to proper diet and T-Nation supplementation.

While nothing can compete with eating fresh natural foods you do need a good protien supplement if you are going to gain muscle. I think GROW! is the single finest protein supplement that money can buy!

Why do I say that? It’s because I have tried them all in the 30+ years I have been training. Some taste like dried exhaust fumes, others smell so bad you can’t even get to the tasting part. Still others are made from inferior ingredients.

Buy a can of Grow! and find out for yourself! It is the best tasting protein powder that you will ever try. In addition to that it is made from both whey and something called “micellar casein” protein. Micellar casein protein is the undenatured form of casen found in raw milk!

Unlike Whey protein which is absorbed more slowly casein is absorbed more slowly. You have the best of both worlds whey hits the system immediately for that quick shot of protein and then casein more slowly.

Great stuff for building muscle!

As far as the information on this site, I feel it’s the best that can be obtained on the Internet. Use the search engine and do some exploring for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!

(To all of the immature readers of this post who confuse someones appreciation for great products and free information for sucking up two words for you GROW UP!)

4est,

I came to the world of weights late in life; late 30s, in fact. I’d never been an athlete; my wife’s (apt) description of me in college was “scrawny bookworm.”

No one I know would describe me as scrawny now; I’m in better shape than anyone I know outside of the gym, and I’m giving all the credit to the knowledge I’ve gained from T-Nation’s writers and members, and their supplements. There’s also the matter of my own dedication and discipline, but even that is built on a foundation of the motivation and inspiration I’ve received from reading this site.

I stand firm behind Biotest products. I have experienced more gains with the supplements and training information obtained on this site that ANY other source.

When I was in late High School through College, I wasted TONS of money on bogus gimmick supplements (ok- not ALL were bogus, some were and some weren’t). My training, although intense, was DEFINITELY not optimal.
The training, diet, and nutrition information on this site is OUTSTANDING (Atomic Dogs and Shugart’s Blogs help with the mental health as well).

Even if you don’t use the supplements (and you are missing out if you don’t) the info and resources presented on this site are unmatched. Not only will the fellow T-Nation members respond to questions and try to help you out, but the contributing editors will personally answer you, as well. (example- I am trying to build a home gym and got a PM this morning from a contrib with suggestions after reading a thread that I had opened).

Give the supps a go. I haven’t been disappointed in a single supplement. I know that I can trust Biotest to deliver the highest quality ingredients in the products that I buy because of the results that I get from them (currently use Grow!, Surge, HOT-ROX, and ZMA).
Also feel free to PM me if you have any further questions about my experience with Biotest and T-Nation. I’ll be glad to help.

Well, you address two very different points…

First, the quality of the information speaks for itself. Read through the archives, find information on just about anything you need, and put it to the test.

Second, the quality of the products speaks for itself. Actually, a lot of us are quite willing to speak for them as well, but all you have to do is try them.

So, while people do respond differently or in fact qualify as non-responders in general, I’d say do your research, make sure you have your act together, then give things a try.

Most of us would be willing to bet that if you give things an honest try, that you’ll be damned glad that you did.

Quit searching for the truth and jump in, brother. You obviously must know what it takes in the gym. The reason I like Biotest’s stuff is because they appear (unless I’ve been completely naive over the course of the past 4 or 5 years) that they can relate to the common man…or should I say common lifter. TC, Patterson and the rest of the cronies…errr, I mean, authorities, here know that building a solid physique is a marathon…check that, an ultra-trail marathon, not a sprint.

You want to support deceptive marketing in the supplement industry? Give your cash to companies that use the synthol-pumped freaks to pimp their goods.

It works. Believe it.

And, You may have noticed that the guy that was involved with MM2K in its prime is now here, The one and only Atomic Dog- TC.

But wait! Theres more! Most of the worlds best, brightest and well educated Strength Coaches write the training and diet programs here, and even answer just about every question imaginable, promptly and courteously.

You can’t beat that, Can you?
Oh, Yes you can.
All the information is Free! Thats right Free!
[infomercial shill mode off]
The supps rule and the training programs kick ass. Hope you stick around!

[quote]mindeffer01 wrote:
It works. Believe it.

And, You may have noticed that the guy that was involved with MM2K in its prime is now here, The one and only Atomic Dog- TC.

But wait! Theres more! Most of the worlds best, brightest and well educated Strength Coaches write the training and diet programs here, and even answer just about every question imaginable, promptly and courteously.

You can’t beat that, Can you?
Oh, Yes you can.
All the information is Free! Thats right Free!
[infomercial shill mode off]
The supps rule and the training programs kick ass. Hope you stick around![/quote]

I “just” saw that TC was one of the writers. It didn’t even cross my mind that it could be Luoma. However, I clicked on his profile and saw it was the man. This is awesome. It’s like finding MM2K again back in the early 90s. It’s too bad that Dan Duchaine is no longer with us :frowning: This would be a great place for him.

T-Nation is gonna make a great new home.

[quote]4est wrote:
mindeffer01 wrote:
It works. Believe it.

And, You may have noticed that the guy that was involved with MM2K in its prime is now here, The one and only Atomic Dog- TC.

But wait! Theres more! Most of the worlds best, brightest and well educated Strength Coaches write the training and diet programs here, and even answer just about every question imaginable, promptly and courteously.

You can’t beat that, Can you?
Oh, Yes you can.
All the information is Free! Thats right Free!
[infomercial shill mode off]
The supps rule and the training programs kick ass. Hope you stick around!

I “just” saw that TC was one of the writers. It didn’t even cross my mind that it could be Louma. However, I clicked on his profile and saw it was the man. This is awesome. It’s like finding MM2K again back in the early 90s. It’s too bad that Dan Duchaine is no longer with us :frowning: This would be a great place for him.

T-Nation is gonna make a great new home.[/quote]

Welcome…your in for a great ride…this is not only my favorite site for the supps,training and diet info but the discussions on the boards and the articles by TC and Shugs are at worst good for a laugh and at best very insightful and extremely motivational…check out this article, for me it represents what it means to be a T-Man…its the article that got me “hooked”.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=BAEFC54E6AD747A4566D43F8152AC317.hydra?id=533977

All I can say is that Grow! is the first ever protein shake I actually enjoy to drink… and I’ve tried a lot of the products out there.

As far as the other supps, I guess you have to try to see if it works, what might do great for one can do less for another.

The information here is great, and they’re not afraid of giving totally (to us) awkward ideas/plans some publicity just to encourage critical thinking.

Once I figured out TC was Louma and that sooo many reputable figures stand behind this site, I took the dive. My first order should be here monday:

1 Carbolin 19, 60 Capsules, Nano-Dispersed Gel
1 Classic Grow! MRP Flavor: Vanilla
1 Grow! Protein Bars, 36 bars Flavor: ChocolateBrownie
1 Low-Carb Grow! MRP Flavor: Vanilla
1 Power Drive Pre-Workout Stimulant
1 ZMA Anabolic Mineral Support

I added the ZMA 'cause it was cheap and it ‘just’ boosted me over $150 to give free shipping :smiley:

It’s sad I didn’t find this site years ago.

Btw, has anyone compiled a list of recommended stacks for the various Biotest supps?

All I remember is the muscle media 2000 with a syringe of sostenon and I was hooked. That was the best thing. Remeber the fucking sixth addition of the fuckin Anabolic review? Damn I’m old.

I was reading Dan Duchanin’s Dirty Dieting Newsletter back in the day. Does that meke me old? They printed the fuckin thing in red so you couldn’t copy it! I need some chromium picolinate amd some vanadly sulfate to me make complet, is that weird? You know what, I dont care what you think I love chromium picolinate I’m fucking huge!

[quote]prock wrote:
All I remember is the muscle media 2000 with a syringe of sostenon and I was hooked. That was the best thing. Remeber the fucking sixth addition of the fuckin Anabolic review? Damn I’m old.

I was reading Dan Duchanin’s Dirty Dieting Newsletter back in the day. Does that meke me old? They printed the fuckin thing in red so you couldn’t copy it! I need some chromium picolinate amd some vanadly sulfate to me make complet, is that weird? You know what, I dont care what you think I love chromium picolinate I’m fucking huge![/quote]

Haha… I still have the Second edition of the Natural Supplement Review AND the 6th Issue of the Anabolic Reference Guide - both from 1991