Drugs - The illusionary Edge - By David Sedunary

Most (90%) of the bodybuilders we see whether on Google, television or in the magazines are chemical users. Even in my local Gym there are chemical users who try to fool all observers, “yes, they say I done it the natural way. What utter bullshit who are they trying to fool, not me as I have been natural for 55 years never touched drugs of any kind and never will. Believe it or not most of our influence and information on training is coming from the drug users. No one I have noticed does not want to listen to the people who have done it the hard natural way, built 180 to 190 pounds of muscle on 5 feet 10-inch frame, with a medium to small bone frame with a 7-inch wrist.

Gee you should be bench pressing more David than 260 pounds for a set of 6, and you only squat 355 for 6 reps, or 280 pounds 20 times and deadlift only 375 pounds for 15 reps. That was said to me when I was 38 years of age some 33 years ago, one could never do it now. It was all done naturally which I am proud of and are still under the iron. As mentioned earlier I have been training in weight training and bodybuilding for 55 years and have outlived many of our chemical contemporaries.

Look at the Olympic games most of us have become aware of the rampant use of drugs in athletes. The use of “Sports Drugs” is not new, and I am not all surprised. One can go back as far to the test results of even the 1983 games. Some track and field records had never been broken for 20 years, yet recently we have seen Olympic athletes shatter long – standing records. Was the results of superior athletes or training methods? I think not, this is the result of the use of sports drugs.

These athletes both men and women will never admit to their use? of course not. That is why so many athletes are disqualified all over the world either by the actual test or by not consenting to the test. This is the same as drug users who attend the workplace quitting their job because they will not pass the drug test. Simply stating it is quite clear they are using illegal drugs if they wont consent to a drug test. Where did it all begin and what is so bad about using these drugs. A well-developed physique has always been associated with health and strength since time and in the early years of bodybuilding. 

Soon men began to search for short cuts to the hard work and the time it took to develop a strong, healthy, and prize-winning physique. So, in their search they discovered there were certain chemicals which could be inserted into their bodies that could temporarily change the body chemistry and alter their physical appearance. This would give the body builder the artificial effect or the plastic effect which I call it, causing their muscles to appear, and much quicker than doing it the natural way. What a wicked web we weave when we practice to deceive.

There was only one drawback, the chemicals had an everlasting damaging effect upon the body and as a result, the drug using athletes jeopardized their health. This use did and now does even more cause irreversible damage to the internal organs, the main targets being the liver and the kidneys. These pumped-up New Breed chemical users want to win at all costs, with little thought given to health and wellbeing.

With the winning of all the trophies came the damaged livers, shriveled kidneys, triple bypass operations, cancers of all types, and death. Even as far back as the 60’s one well known Mr. Olympia developed prostate cancer took him out of competition and 10 years to recover. For physical perfection, the chemical athlete is looking at an early death, and huge amounts of suffering.

Epidemic of Dying Athletes Since Covid Jab Rollout.

I may be getting off the subject, but what disturbs and angers me is the Epidemic of Dying Athletes since the Covid jab rollout, were these athletes using chemical assistance along with the Covid jab, who knows. 

Fitness enthusiast, author and bodybuilding champion Doug Brignole died suddenly on 13th October after offering to be a test case for the safety of experimental COVID 19 gene – based. In the comment thread of one of his own Facebook posts, in which he promoted uptake of the controversial injections, the former Mr. America and Mr. Universe wrote “Those of you who think the vaccine kills people can use me as a test. If I die, you were right. If I do not die, and have no ill effects, you were wrong, and should admit it (at least to yourself). 

According to multiple reports the 62-year-old Brignole was scheduled to appear at the Amateur Athletic union Mr. Universe competition in Las Vegas on 22 October indicating his death was sudden and unexpected. In April, One American Network reported more than 769 athletes had collapsed on the field during a game between March 2021 and March 2022. The average age of these athletes was 23.

In Australia, the jab known as the clot shot – ending up causing irreversible adverse events for thousands of people. Australia has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world it never did stop transmission of COVID. How many people will have died by the time there is a widespread acknowledgement and anger over what was done with in the name of protecting us from a virus with a 99.73 per cent survivability rate.

Benefits from regular vigorous natural exercise.

Nevertheless, I am all for all-natural bodybuilding and weightlifting and exercise.

 It will:

Lower triglyceride levels, Lower blood pressure, Lower cholesterol levels, increase level of coronary arteries, Prevent premature aging, Fat reduction in the overweight, Increase energy and stamina, Better general health, Better personal mental image, Increase physical strength, Added personal confidence, Improve mental and physical relaxation and Better oxygen utilization, and many more.

It may take more time to get a good physique the natural way, but you will have the consolation of knowing that this is real muscle, and it was earned with honest hard work, and it will not go away when you stop taking injections. 

The choice is yours.

Editors Note: Great information David! I can't get enough steroid bashing articles.

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Five Life Changing Effects Of Steroids Showing Why You Should NEVER Use Them - By James Athanasiou

With Steroid use becoming all the more widespread, the probability for both lifters and non-lifters to experience the effects of these substances is skyrocketing as well.

On the surface, using these drugs would seem a no brainer. Almost double the energy you currently have, enhanced strength & muscle building potential, 2-3 times less the recovery time needed after sessions, as well as bonus benefits like increased libido. But if it were all sunshine and rainbows, everyone would rush to their pharmacist to start their first cycle.

In fact, this post is intended to shed light on the 5 major highly neglected yet extremely critical side effects most users experience from Anabolic Steroids. And if you're still willing to inject TRT or any other drug in your blood after reading the following, I'm truly sorry for you.

1. The Need For Constant Medical Examinations

Getting yourself on steroids is like adding a Turbocharger on your car. Regardless of how well structured and tied together the build is, you still have to go through all the daily maintenance and constantly risk something breaking down.

Same goes for your body on Steroids. Blood exams on a weekly basis become a necessity, if you don't want to experience sudden irreplaceable damage to your health. And even then, something can always go wrong. It's like always living on the edge, praying that nothing you didn't take into account can mess you up to the point of no return. 

2. Your Body Is Never The Same Again

Alright, fair enough. You might have gotten off these drugs and maintained a relatively healthy build, even better than your first truly natural frame. Even still, there are both internal and extrernal consequences that ought to be addressed.

Your body isn't used to this much testosterone production, and this hormonal imbalance is bound to bring a whole lot of mess. On the obvious side effects, infertility is one of the most common, even making you totally sterile. Certain others include indigestion, spots appearing all over your body, osteoporosis, eating disorders and even eye conditions like glaucoma.

Your body also ceases the natural production of testosterone when blasting steroids, so it'll take months of you having less testosterone than a female once you get off them before you get to recover – if you're ever fully recovered. Stop thinking about getting off these drugs at some point: you're much better off never taking up cycles in the first place.

3. The Mental Aspect

With all these raging hormones and constant changes to your body, it's only expected that your mental health will also start to diminish. Many users report severe cases of insomnia, losing quality sleep or not getting any sleep at all for many days in a week.

Not only that, the abrupt spark in testosterone once you get back on cycles can cause emotional breakdowns, short tempers and violent outbursts for a long time. It is not uncommon to see cases of depression caused by perceived body dysmorphia or mind-function shifts due to the hormonal imbalance. And here come the septic shocks and heart failures.

4. Intense Stress & Anxiety

With all that going on, it's only natural that most people using these drugs will experience daily and intolerable amounts of stress. Very few things function normally, you can't keep a steady mood, all the while losing sleep due to hormones raging. Not to mention constantly worrying about whether you'll be healthy enough to see another sunrise.

I don't know if that sounds appealing, but I think that's too high a price to pay just to look good & perform better. Which brings me to my next and final point:

5. The Illusion Of Improvement

While there's no doubt you'll become stronger, bigger and draw more attention than most people in your gym, but is that really all you're risking your life for?

A natural lifter can stay in the game longer, make a higher effort to achieve his training goals, all the while being able to enjoy a much better quality of life outside the gym.

I've seen countless doped Bodybuilders and strength athletes who got into using these drugs just to fill their insecurities by getting bigger. Now, they're obsessed with their looks and preserving their performance, unable to function normally outside of their safe zone (which will always remain the gym). Other than that, your social life gets worse, your relationships with others and yourself becomes lacking and you can't focus on any other areas of life. To me, that's a very poor way to live.

The tragic thing about this tale is that they're usually unable to fix the insecurities that resulted in them living this way in the first place. Most of them lack the confidence to put all that muscle into practical use or to defend themselves, so they just cover up in it, praying that nobody gets to disrupt this seemingly tough and monstrous image.

On The Side Effects:

Here's a quick summary of the potential – and very likely – side effects of taking these drugs. Starting with your internals, kidney problems / failure, a weakened immune system, liver damage, an enlarged heart accompanied by high blood pressure and constant fluctuations between cholesterol and blood sugar levels are some of the sweet gifts when opening the "Pandora's box".

If you happen to avoid the strokes and heart attacks from all that, the list still goes on. Genital damage even leading to infertility, as well as an irritated skin that produces bleeding acne is shared amongst more than 90% of users. Pair that with a highly irritable and unstable emotional condition, resulting in insomnia and –quite often– depression.

There's a fine line between working out to improve physically and mentally – and taking it to an unnatural level that is bound to backfire. If you don't learn to struggle to get what you want for yourself, don't expect to be fulfilled by getting it by vicious means. In this case, you either get your engine to run at its best performance through controlled acceleration, allowing it to run for its full lifespan – or you put some "boosters" on and constantly track its stats to make sure it gets to run another day. Being bigger, lean and outlifting everybody in the gym, while constantly battling hormonal and medical issues just to sustain their ego.

There are some influencers and "role models" out there promoting products and tips with the false promise that YOU will naturally look like they do, if you simply follow/buy what they have to offer. In an age full of deception, stay aware of what lies behind the beautiful image smashed into your face. 

Yes, it's true that some people's organisms are overall better suited for Steroid use. However, tackling at least one of these things with these drugs is a nearly inescapable fate. If putting your and your future children's health at constant risk is something you're conscious of, but don't bother bashing drugs  regardless, then I am deeply concerned for your cognitive health. I'd rather work harder and realize the potential given to me than pursue a false promise of glory and easy results, gradually poisoning my body and my mind. 

I hope you're with me on that, and thank you for reading till the end. It was an honor to be featured in NaturalStrength, the most genuine source for natural athletes to pursue their passion for Strength and excellence. All the best for a life full of progress and fulfillment.

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Say No To Steroids : My Top 5 Reasons - By Burt Gam

    Greetings to all and hopefully everyone is staying safe and healthy in these risk filled and stressful times with COVID.

I want to begin this article by stating it's purpose, to dissuade any new readers of NaturalStrength.com to think carefully before making the decision to try anabolic steroids. If that is anyone's intention then this column, as I am sure Bob would agree is not for you. So here goes my "Top 5" reasons not necessarily in any order of importance.

#5. It is bad for your body. Steroid use has been associated with damage to the various organs of the body. I am talking about impaired, heart, liver and kidney function. The heart for example is in reality another muscle. With excessive steroid use the heart becomes enlarged and the left ventricle thickens. This is not beneficial to the body because the heart is working harder dealing with feeding the extra body mass and fluid retention. The liver enzymes are affected, and kidney function is impaired. The endocrine system basically shuts down the production of testosterone naturally. High blood pressure, inflated LDL and triglyceride levels can result in arteriosclerosis. Steroid use has even been linked with cancer. Some effects are acute while others become chronic. There is more but I covered enough bases.

#4. It is bad for your mind. Steroid use has been linked to various mood disorders, paranoia, schizophrenia, and aggressive behaviors and other mental disorders. They are actually considered addictive, if not physically at least psychologically. A tragic example is a well known professional wrestlers who killed his entire family and then himself.

#3 It is dysfunctional. There is nothing functional about a steroid lifestyle. Muscles are meant to be stretched due to their elasticity as well as contract. In other words they must function properly to produce efficient movement. An athlete for example usually does not benefit by an increase in size unless it is accompanied by a corresponding increase in strength. With steroid use this co-development tends to develop our of proportion to each other. That is why NFL players are not just big but fast, powerful and agile. Excessive bulk is not even advantageous to most but the larger lineman if it has a negative effect on overall performance. In some cases the biomechanics of the muscle and it's angle of pull at the joint changes, not for the better. And there is nothing functional about spending your money so you can stick needles in your body, especially if you don't compete or can financially benefit in some way. Not too functional for family life or even being a normal well balanced individual. In a nutshell *one dimensional".

#2. It can shorten your life. Related to #1, steroids can put you in an early grave. The professional wrestling industry is loaded with examples of wrestlers who never saw age 50, 40, or even 30! And plenty of pro bodybuilders too. Never saw their kids grow up, have grandchildren or great grandchildren. Never retire, travel and live out their full natural lifespan.

#1. It is not sustainable. The biggest difference between a "natural" or a steroid fueled physique is in the long term the natural lifter can maintain their physique(as well as their health) throughout their lifetime. A natural hard trainer can maintain their physique well past age 60. If you look at some of the top pro bodybuilders and compare their physiques while they were using to after they stopped, they appear almost unrecognizable due to muscular atrophy and less favorable body composition. In some cases this difference is drastic. And if they had tried to sustain their usage they probably would not live to a ripe old age anyway.

    I would like to end this article with a story. "Little Frankie" as we used to call him was well, little. On a good day he might have been five foot 3. Frankie was very young, athletic and a hit with the ladies. But Franky started to change before our eyes. In a span of 6 months "Little Franky" blew up to cartoon character superhuman size. We all knew he was lifting, but his tiny frame just did not fit with the amount of bulk it was carrying. And then something strange happened. He started shrinking. ALOT. He claimed he had stopped lifting but something was off. Then he got big again. When he hit age 30 or so you could see the male pattern baldness forming in his once thick haired head. Then when Franky was in his 40s the word spread through the building like wildfire. Little Franky had been busted for distribution of steroids on federal property. He lost his job, his pension, his self respect and dignity, and probably his health. Don't be like Little Franky. Be like the bodybuilders of the past. They were strong, athletic, agile and flexible. They were the ultimate examples of good health and longevity. Reeves, Grimek, Eder, Hepburn... Always choose long term good health over a fools dream.

   Editor's Note: Great Article Burt!

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Most Steroid Users Not All That Impressive - By Zac Davenport

In my experience from all the years I’ve been training in bodybuilding and strength training one of the biggest misconceptions is that anybody who happens to use steroids is impressively strong ... from what I’ve seen this is a myth I’ve seen this time and time again.

People will approach me saying look at the size of this guy every week in the gym I train in. Without fail the same people will say the same things about the local freaks but to the ignorant mind I suppose it can be excused as the youth of today haven't got a chance. While me and my friend train old school hard core we pick maybe four basic exercise such as the bench press squats barbell rows and some ab work then across the way some big guys who are obviously taking something are in the corner doing for instance if its Monday. Which for some reason seems to be international chest day their doing cable cross overs with weights my grandmother could do and she's been dead 15 years.

Bench press with terrible form normally with two 20kg plates only bouncing off their chests and letting the weight control them not the other way round. Along with dumbbell flyes with relatively lights weights I look over and see one of these not so impressive people watching our squatting poundages with eyes that look like they are going to pop out of their head if they are so strong with their drug induced physiques why would they be taking such a keen interest in our basic so called inferior workout. But another thing we also noticed and to our amusement they are actually big in the torso area. But and this is a big but have spindly legs like a sparrow so all this time they have been concentrating on their mirror muscles they have neglected their legs. Well if they do happen to train their little legs they must only use the machines. No squats. Like only the leg press lying leg curls or the leg extension.

This is the thing I can't understand because the drug using fraternity which is the bodybuilding elite of today have deluded the minds of young trainees who take steroids to use split routines and don't put the effort in to train natural and increase their workout poundages over time. It seems in terms of training knowledge we really do need to go back 50 to 100 years and learn about solid training ... more is not better ... more brief intense workouts is what its all about something I bet the drug users of today don't seem to understand. There they are in near enough every gym in the world posing in the mirrors on their phones and trying to look pretty if they happened to put that much effort in to their training and re-evaluated their training then perhaps they wouldn't have to take short cuts

That point I'm trying to make here my friends is that you can take all the drugs and take all the short cuts you want. But nothing can replace hard work on the basic compound exercises that the strength trainers of old built their impressive physiques on. Men such as Reg Park, Steve Reeves and not forgetting Eugene Sandow and what did all these men have in common? That's right they were all drug free and used basic exercises like the squat military press and deadlifts to build up their strength and physiques with hard work. At the end of the day folks its your choice if you wan't to use short cuts but if you wan't my advice just don't do it and have a bit of pride about yourself and take the natural route you might just surprise yourself.

Editors note: Your message is good. Steroids ALONE don't work. You still have to do the work. Most steroid users lack character or they wouldn't use drugs in the first place. This lack of character is also what makes many of them look for every short cut in training as well.

Web Strength Coach

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USA TODAY Column: Victor Conte says Melky Cabrera far from alone

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Victor Conte: "As much as half" of MLB using PEDs - By Dayn Perry - Baseball Blogger

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Why Do People Have to Be So Selfish? - By Kathy Roberts

Originally posted on the old NaturalStrength.com site on May 20, 1999

I would like to share some of my personal experiences in dealing with people who have used or are currently using steroids or other strength enhancing drugs. I was in a relationship with someone who has used anabolic steroids. In this relationship I saw this person hallucinate, talk to himself on occasion (as if someone were therefore), submit himself to self-inflicted pain, experience low self-esteem, have a very bad temper, and threaten to commit suicide. This situation was the very first situation that I have ever had to deal with on a personal basis. The relationship ended a little over a year and a half ago. In dealing with this situation, it caused me total stress, because I thought that I could fix this person's problem myself instead of leaving it in the hands of God. This situation put my health in jeopardy, both mentally, physically, and emotionally. I thank God that he gave me the strength to stand up and to see things in the way in which I had refused to see them.

This person never told to me that he was using steroids until people around me started suspecting it. When I asked him about it, he was in total denial about it. I continued to ask him about it and finally got an answer. The answer was "yes," he was using steroids.

I suppose I was lucky that I finally got the truth out of this individual. Even though I didn't have any control over the situation, at least I knew what he was doing and what the end result could be. There are people every day who lose people that they love due to steroid abuse, who never have a clue that their loved-one was using drugs. HOW CAN THESE USERS BE SO SELFISH?

I received a phone call from someone who was calling around, searching for answers. I called this individual back, not knowing where the call would lead. The caller asked me if I knew a certain individual. I thought about it and asked if he was a powerlifter. The caller said yes, he was a body builder and powerlifter. I asked her if he had attended a meet late last year, and she confirmed that he had. She then told me that her husband had died in March of this year. I was totally stunned. The doctors told her that he had a heart attack. When the autopsy was completed they asked her if her husband was a drug addict. She had no clue.

We talked for a while and she told me that she never knew that her husband used any drugs. He sold supplements and was very health conscious. She said that they were devout Christians and that he was a good man. HOW COULD HE BE SO SELFISH? He has left a wife totally confused and alone. She will wonder all her life about why he never confided in her. She will wonder if she ever really knew the man she married.

I think that this is just one example of the lies and deceit that go along with drug use. The people who choose to use drugs are SELFISH, they are only concerned with the way they look, how big they get, and how strong they appear to be. They don't think of the circumstances. They don't think about their family and friends. They don't realize that in their quest to be super humans, that they will possibly ruin the lives of people who love and care for them. IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? DO YOU WANT TO DIE BECAUSE OF STEROIDS AND HAVE THE CORONER ASK YOUR HUSBAND, WIFE, OF PARENTS IF YOU WERE A DRUG USER?

You might think you look good on the outside, but you are ruining your insides. Your heart is growing to sizes unimaginable, your kidney and liver are being deprived. THIS IS NOT NORMAL.

I ask again, WHY DO HAVE TO BE SO SELFISH? THINK ABOUT IT!

I just wanted to add that not every athlete who dies of heart problems or some other health related problems are using drugs. People should not assume that they are. Those who are using the drugs know who they are and eventually the truth will come out.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write Kathy Roberts at P.O. Box 6605, Alexandria, VA 22306.

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Steroids, Supplements and the Decline of True Physical Culture - By Sean Toohey

Originally Posted on the old NaturalStrength.com site on May 16, 1999

A few months ago, there was a long discussion on one of the internet bodybuilding boards about the use of anabolic steroids. Most people, on reading that opening sentence are thinking, "So? That ain't a surprise!" They are right. It isn't a surprise. And that is a shame. The use of anabolic steroids has virtually destroyed what was once the greatest sport on earth! I'm talking about lifting weights here... not "bodybuilding" per se. Call the whole endeavor, "physical culture" and you are on the right track.

Way back when men decided that they wished to be bigger and stronger, the advice was relatively simple to get. The difficulty in learning the craft of physical culture wasn't so much in getting good advice as it was in finding someone who knew what lifting weights was! There wasn't this whole infrastructure of nonsense that there is today, and the crazy advice wasn't plastered on four out of five magazines on every newsstand. If someone went to a gym, and that gym happened to contain a few bodybuilders, the advice was readily available... whether the goal was to gain or lose weight. More importantly, the advice worked. Today, you can go just about any place in the world and find a gym. A gym full of pumpers and toners - and guys that take anabolic steroids because without them, they don't grow muscles.

I had a conversation with a 'roid boy once. Basically, I explained that not only were steroids unnecessary but they were something that was ruining the sport. He asked me to explain myself. I explained that you could get as big as you wished just by lifting properly and eating correctly. After all, that is what the old-timers did! He laughed in my face and said that no old timer would win contests today! I mentioned that Doug Hepburn would blow most guys out of the water with his strength feats. He wouldn't hear a word of it. But he had struck a chord and I realized that the truth behind much of what we are experiencing today (having to do with performance enhancement) was linked directly to the almighty dollar.

Athletes are marketable products. They are marketed for one reason only - they win medals or games, and that makes money. Nobody wants to pay money to see a mediocre performance, and advertisers certainly will not pay top dollar to attach their names to a loser. Unfortunately, with performance enhancing drugs, many athletes become losers when they refuse to start taking them. The end result? The athlete feels that he or she has no other option but to start using.

One of the major issues directly linked to steroid use is food supplementation. Not that long ago, Weider was taken to court over his claim that his Anabolic Mega Packs (nothing more than vitamins) were as potent as anabolic steroids. The link in this situation is quite clear... promise the results of drugs, without having to use. The problem once again, is that the use of drugs is driving a sale. More specifically in this case, it is the promise of the benefits of drugs without the terrible side-effects.

The horrific appearance of today's bodybuilder is freakishly absurd. In every single glossy magazine about bodybuilding, you are looking at people who's grossly unnatural development is a result of DRUGS, not training. The training that these guys do is so silly that most of the bodybuilders would grow better just leaving it out altogether. Those that actually DO train properly grow to such proportions that it renders them freaks for life, and takes a dastardly toll on their health. Read that again... most professional bodybuilders are actually so idiotic about their training, that it is a disadvantage. The drugs they take are more than enough to make up the difference!

Now, when a neophyte lifter tries to learn about lifting, where is the most readily available source of information? Well, either the largest guy in his gym (who is genetically blessed, using drugs, or both) or from the magazines. What does he learn? He learns that he must "pump up" performing enormous amounts of useless work. The incredible volume of this information is such that even a well founded and clear argument against such training tactics will fall on deaf ears. You can actually explain the sound and reasonable principles behind lifting weights to a pumper, and they will admit that it makes sense... but they will continue to "blast," "bomb," and "blitz" their way to "behemoth biceps." All according to the muscle comic books. Most of the young guys fail on routines like this. How bad is it? If one out of a hundred new gym members keeps their membership for more than two years I'd be surprised.

So why is the turnover so high? The information is BAD, plain and simple. But, you see, you don't need good information to grow muscles if you are taking enough drugs to cure the muscle wasting that is caused by having a nuclear warhead detonate right next to you! You just need the drugs. It is absolutely disgusting. AND, it is getting worse.

Those guys that refuse to take drugs can now take garbage that is close enough to a steroid that it only needs one slight change to make it one. People like Mark McGwire are touted as heroes even after publicly admitting to using "pro-hormones" to enhance their athleticism. What kind of message is THAT sending to kids? Sales of compounds that are not just useless, but dangerous is easy to do! So called, "fat burners" contain stimulants that have killed people who have an unknown sensitivity to them. It is beyond me why ANYONE would bother.

Basically, things have now gone over the edge. To the new trainees, you are either "toning" or you are a bodybuilder. And if you are a bodybuilder it is commonly believed that you must use both food supplements and drugs! The funny thing is, only in the last few years have bodybuilders become large to the point that they exceed what is capable without drugs. They are also dying in numbers that are far too high for their demographic. I have heard kids say, "I need to buff up man, I need some juice!" Believe me, they weren't talking about orange juice.

So what do you do? Well, for one you begin to train honestly. You do not succumb to the temptation offered by the false-fix of drugs. It isn't even a fast fix. Squatting hard, eating big and dieting off the fat will get you in shape faster than any super-program that requires drugs to make it work. Think of it this way. The muscle magazines say that a 10 pound gain of lean tissue per year is a phenomenal amount of progress for a bodybuilder (assumed to be using drugs). Well, by following a 20 rep breathing squat program, Dr. Randall Strossen put on 30 pounds of muscle in six weeks! Unfortunately for the world at large, supplement companies have been so dishonest that the public has been conditioned not to believe outrageous claims... even though in this case they are true!

And make no mistake! The companies that are selling supplements are directly linked to the drug industry. The supplements today are actually advertised as mimicking steroid-like gains! Consider this fact as well - it is not in the best interest of a bodybuilding product manufacturer for you to make gains. If you did, you would cease to purchase the miracle supplement that got you there. And if you don't take the supplement at all, but opt for steroids, the company will still gladly pay you to endorse the product.

How closely linked are these "bodybuilding" companies with other sports? Well, EAS has members of the National Football League endorsing products, as many other supplement companies do. And EAS is one of the companies that produces and distributes "pro-hormones" which are nothing more than "almost steroids." Essentially, the industry that claims to be providing instruction on strength, health, and well being, is pushing a series of events that are leading the world to either get no gains at all, take risky drug-like supplements, or opt for the drugs themselves. And the bottom line here is that the walking advertisements of this industry aren't even bothering with the first two options. THEY just shoot up syringes full of anabolic agents to the tune of nearly $50,000.00 per month and PRESTO! Instant gains.

So what kind of gains are these guys getting by doing the drugs? Are they that much better than the gains of the pre-drug, golden era of physical culture? No. They aren't. Bodybuilders today are ugly freaks. They looknothing like the well developed, incredibly strong people from the early years of this sport. Funny thing... the measurements haven't changed all that much. It is the appearance that is altered so significantly. Bloated, drug-engorged muscle is horrifying to look at, weak, and freakish. Weak? Yes weak! The lifter's of old could destroy today's crop of lifters in a contest! How is this possible? Let me explain...

Men from the golden age of strength didn't bother with drugs. They didn't bother will "isolation" work and "pumping up." They lifted weights in such a manner that they built incredible physical strength... and not just the ability to demonstrate strength either! They actually improved their body's capacity to tolerate exercise by working such things as their lungs, connective tissue, and stabilizing muscles. They applied themselves diligently and progressively... and the end result was a body that would not get injured, would not soften up and lose size if exercise was dropped for a few weeks, and they lived productive and healthy lives. Compare that with today's crop of athletes (if you can call them that). Today you have nothing but injuries, high blood pressure, weak stabilizers, tendon and ligament problems, heart conditions and early deaths. And that is among a group of people that are supposed to represent the HEALTHY benefits of training with weights!

Andre said, "Image is everything." Andre was wrong. The image of the drug bloated monster, the image of the lighting fast athlete, the image of the greatest football player, or the fastest runner - these things are often just fakes. REALITY is everything. And the reality is that you can do it without drugs. You can be bigger, stronger, faster and live longer and healthier without drugs. You can break records without drugs. You can make the industry thrive again. It is up to everyone on an individual level. And it is a choice you must make - to stay clean, and stay strong.

Your children are counting on you.

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Bodybuilders Flee Drug Testers - Event Canceled - Breitbart News

Bodybuilders Flee Drug Testers - Event Canceled

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Dr. Charles E. Yesalis - Bio

Professor of Health Policy and Administration, Exercise and Sport Science, The Pennsylvania State University

Research Interests

Anabolic steroids, chemical dependency, drug use, endocrinology, epidemiology, health promotion, hormones, performance enhancing drugs, sport injuries

Teaching Interests

Introduction to health care organization; principles of epidemiology; research methods; clinical outcomes

Bio Sketch

Dr. Yesalis received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health degrees from the University of Michigan and he was awarded his doctoral degree by the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in 1975. He then joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins for one year. Dr. Yesalis was a member of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa, College of Medicine from 1976-1986. Currently he is Professor of Health Policy and Administration and Exercise and Sport Science at The Pennsylvania State University.

For the past twenty-five years, much of Dr. Yesalis' research has been devoted to the non-medical use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AS) and other performance-enhancing drugs and dietary supplements. In 1988 he directed the first national study of AS use among adolescents and was the first to present evidence of psychological dependence on AS. In addition, he has studied the incidence of AS use among elite power lifters, collegiate athletes, and professional football players. In 1993, using nationwide data, he demonstrated the association between AS use and violent behavior as well as an association with the use of other illicit drugs and alcohol. He also presented an estimate of lifetime AS use in the U.S. population (over one million). A recent study conducted by Dr. Yesalis showed a significant increase in AS use among teenage girls and boys since 1990. In 1998 he wrote The Steroids Game which focuses on prevention, education, and intervention regarding AS use by adolescents. He is the editor of a medical reference text, Anabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise (2nd ed.) and co-editor of Performance Enhancing Substances in Sport and Exercise.

On three occasions he has been asked to testify before U.S. Congress on legislation related to the control of AS and growth hormone abuse. Dr. Yesalis has been a consultant to, among others, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, U.S. Senate Judiciary and Committees, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse: National Commission on Sports and Substance Abuse, the NFL Players Association, the U.S. Olympic Committee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Publications

BOOKS:

Bahrke, M. & Yesalis, C. (Eds.) Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sport and Exercise, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 2002.

Yesalis, C. & Bahrke, M. Current Comment from the American College of Sports Medicine: Anabolic Steroids, April, 1999. (Official position statement of the ACSM)

Yesalis, C. Medical, Legal, and Societal Implications of Androstenedione Use (invited editorial), Journal of the American Medical Association, 281(21): 2043-2044, 1999.

Yesalis, C., Bahrke, M., & Wright, J. Societal Alternatives to Anabolic Steroid Use, Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 10(1): 1-8, 2000.

Yesalis, C. & Bahrke, M. Doping Among Adolescents, Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 14,1:25-35, 2000.

Bahrke, M., Yesalis, C., Kopstein, A., & Stephens, J. Risk Factors for Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use Among Adolescents, Sports Medicine, 29, 6: 397-405, 2000.

CHAPTERS:

Yesalis, C. & Bahrke, M. The Epidemiology of Doping in Sport. In Biomedical Side Effects of Doping: Project of the European Union. Peters, Schulz & Michna (Eds.). Bundesinstitut fur Sportwissenschaft: Bonn Germany, 2001.

Yesalis, C. Difficulties in Estimating the Prevalence of Drug Use Among Athletes in Doping in Elite Sport, Wilson & Derse (Eds.), Human Kinetics, Champaign, ILL, 2001.

Bahrke, M. and Yesalis, C. Psychological\Behavioral Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids. In Singer, R. et al. (eds.), Handbook of Research on Sport Psychology, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1993.

Yesalis, C., Wright, J. and Lombardo, J. Anabolics in Athletes. In Kopera H. (ed.), Anabolic Steroids, Vienna: Bruder Hollinek, 1993.

Yesalis, C. An Unvarnished Look at Steroids. A Practical Guide to Practically Everything, Bernstein, P. and Ma, C. (eds.), New York: Random House, 1995.

Stuart, B. and Yesalis, C. The Iowa Pharmacy Capitation Experiment: Economic Incentives and Provider Performance. In Studies in Pharmaceutical Economics, Smith, M (ed.), New York: Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1996.

Yesalis, C. Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids. In Drug Abuse and Drug Abuse Research: the Fourth Triennial Report to Congress, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, 1996.

Selected Journal Articles

Yesalis, C. & Bahrke, M. History of Doping in Sport. International Sports Studies. 24,(1):42-76,2003

Bahrke, M. & Yesalis, C. The Future of Performance-Enhancing Substances in Sport. Physician and Sportsmedicine, 30,11:51-53, 2002

Yesalis, C. & Bahrke, M. Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids and Related Substances. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 4:246-252, 2002

Yesalis, C. Use of Steroids for Self-Enhancement: An Epidemiologic/Societal Perspective. The AIDS Reader, Vol. 11, No. 3, 157-160, 2001.

Selected Presentations

Yesalis, C. "What's wrong with Youth and Amateur Sports?" Sessions Chair, The summit on sports Refrom: Assessing the Past, Planning the Future. National Institute for Sports Reform, Lake George, New York November 7 - 9, 2003.

Yesalis, C. "An Individual Journey to Sports Reform" Keynote Presentation. Summit on Sports Reform: Assessing the Past, Planning the Future. National Institute for Sports Reform, Lake George, New York November 7 - 9, 2003.

Yesalis, C. & Bahrke, M. History of Doping in Sport. Keynote Address to the 6th European Congress of the European Committee for the History of Sport, Gottingen, Germany, September 26-30, 2001.

Yesalis, C. The Epidemiology of Doping. Presented at the European Union Symposium ADoping: Biomedical Side Effects@, German Sport University Cologne, July 23 2001.

Consultant

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy 2000, 2003
National Institute for Sports Reform - Advisory Board 2002
Center for Science in the Public Interest 2001
Committee on Science, U.S. House of Representatives 2001
Drug Enforcement Administration, 1992 -
World Book Science Year
USA Track and Field
U. Of Iowa Sports Medicine Department

Other Activities and Interests

Military History
Harley Davidson Motorcycles & Corvettes
Racquetball
Weightlifting
Running
Education

Sc.D., 1975, Medical Care Organization, Johns Hopkins University

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The Steroid Curse - By Bradley J. Steiner

WE have been involved in both the physical training and the martial arts fields for more than half a century. We have been in love with martial arts and with serious weight-training (“bodybuilding”), and we have been greatly saddened by being witness to the decline of both these wonderful fields. Steroid drugs, coupled with idiotic ideas about size being everything, and with the emphasis given to bodybuilding as a competitive sport, rather than as a marvelous system of personalized physical education and the road to lifetime strength and fitness, resulted in that combination of stupid standards and the absolutely INSANE use of steroid drugs by fools who accepted the widespread standards and norms of a braindead subcultural “movement”.

Prior to 1970, the word bodybuilding meant sensible physical culture that had as its aim the development of a good physique, superior health, excellent fitness and strength levels, and personal discipline — for everyone who wished to participate. The bodybuilding “scene” today is disgraceful, atrocious, abominable, and UNHEALTHY. The few of us who remain dedicated to genuine physical culture are a kind of “underground”, with lunacy reigning supreme in the mainstream.

Now it has struck the martial arts.

Once you accept an insane and preposterous objective and standard, insane and preposterous means by which such objectives and standards may be reached become “acceptable”. The insane and preposterous objectives and standards that arose in the field of bodybuilding resulted in the stupidity of accepting death-dealing drugs as an “okay adjunct” to training. Well, the insane and preposterous objectives and standards that now pollute the martial arts world (epitomized by the SHAMEFUL CRAP [in our personal opinion] of such phenomena as the UFC, MMA, “challenge events”, ad nauseum) has now made steroid drugs “acceptable” to the thimblewits who — as knuckle-dragging, tatooed, scowling, aggressive, chip-on-the-shoulder “toughguys” — bray like the asses they are about their “toughness” and their readiness to “fight anyone”, etc. Bringing shame and disgrace to the warrior’s spirit and art, these muscle-pumping, brawling morons, look for fights, like to brawl, and enjoy the persona that they have earned, as aggressive PUNKS and troublemakers. Now (quite logically) these morons have begun to use steroids. After all, it gives ‘em their edge, doesn’t it? They’re toughguys, damn it! Yeah!

We have been teaching combat arts (and physical training) for well over 40 years. As a plea to anyone reading our material here or elsewhere, and looking for sound advice on how to train and develop and live, we have this to say: DO NOT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT B.S. ANYONE GIVES YOU ABOUT IT BEING “SAFE” OR “OKAY”, OR WHATEVER-THE-HELL THEY TELL YOU, DO NOT, NOT, NOT, NOT, NOT EVER TOUCH STEROID DRUGS! They are life-threatening and can cause terribly serious illnesses and irregularities. Please . . . we know that of which we speak. When we tell you anything about physical training or close combat and self-defense we know what we are talking about.

DO NOT EVER USE OR EVEN TRY STEROID DRUGS!


Brad Steiner's Site - American Combato

Article Written by By Bradley J. Steiner



Physical Culture Books.com

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