im overly frustrated right now... ive been lifting weights for a year and a half, im getting stronger but not looking as muscular as id like, still cant gain weight. when i wasnt working i was able to put on 18 pounds this winter and turn it into mostly muscle. im 6'1" 200 pounds. i feel i should be about 220 pounds. i do tree removal for a living, and work really hard at it so my muscles never get the rest they deserve to heal and grow.

sure, ive gotten way stronger... i couldnt even bench press 225 a year and a half ago i was so out of shape, now i can do 315X2 on a good day. but its crunch time now... im sick of worrying about it, and a buddy of mine just got back into lifting and id go insane if he gets bigger than me.....

he mentioned anabolics. a certain brand called "on-off" made by Fizogen. im going to do some research on my own, but i wanted to know if any of you have first hand experience with anabolics. any side effect my g/f wont like??? will it make me a short tempered person- like when people go into "roid rages"

also, if this "on-off" isnt a good way to go, any suggestions?

i take 2-3 protien shakes daily. i take creatine on my lifting days which i might get off of soon. i eat more then my dad and brother put together- up to 8 MEALS a day... yes meals not snacks.... when i worked a temporary job this last winter id go through a pound of turkey, almost a loaf of wheat bread, and a full box of Kraft macaroni and cheese before i left work, go home, eat a meal, go to the gym to lift weights, come home and eat again.

so i want to hear your suggestions, experiences and warnings about anabolics. thanks alot

( p.s. sorry i always have to come here for lifting advice but other forums are worthless compared to my friends at FTE )

 

Well...I can't tell you about the 'roids, unfortunatly. I would suggest talking to your doctor, or a personal trainer.

BUT, I know when I really started to get muscles after lifting was when I really cut down on my work. I'd run every day, and that never changed, but I made SURE to only lift every other day, and still rotate upper and lower groups, so each muscle had a full two days of rest before a workout. That and watching the diet, which you obviously do. Getting the food your muscles need is vital..

When I lifted every day, like you, I got stronger, but not bigger. But when I started into my rest cycle, my muscles grew fast enough that I got stretchmarks. Yuck.

Although.....I think a company called Anabolic makes some movies..maybe some here have seen 'em....

 

Yes!, rest does matter (though not necessarily for our Ford Trucks...). I've heard about a technique called zero-effort principle which means working out the most reps with the heaviest weight possible until the muscle gives up, as opposed to many sets with many reps with average weight. As for steroids I'd never recommend them, let alone they're illegal, I've heard a lot of horror stories about them. They could get the job done faster but side effects ain't worth it...! It would almost be as if you ran your truck on NOx everyday until the engine blows! Cybergenics products, on the other hand, have worked pretty good for me, not that I can always afford them...

 

Forgot to mention, your body's constitution may very with a tendency to either be fat, athletic or thin, thus it is harder, say for the thin type to gain muscle mass and require certain products like heavy weight gainers (milkshakes usually) and a diet. Protein intake is key and cutting down on starch foods is a must. When lifting, do it slowly and all the way with the most weight you can handle, breathe right and always make sure to stretch before and after. Bodybuilding can be frustrating 'cause it takes a lot of patience, dedication but most of all you need to be a regular, sometimes results will only be noticeable in 6 mos. or even a year but by then you'll be so happy you'll keep going (no way around that...)

 

Yes, I have seen them . . . don't know where they came up with that name either because it's not at all related.

ON/OFF cycle is not an anabolic, the company just likes to make it sound like a steroid. They're way over priced and over hyped, believe me . . . I sell them. In terms of natural supplements the most reliable and effective are creatine, NO2, and glutamine. I didn't mention protein because I consider it a food supplement, not a muscle building supplement. There are some very good pro-hormones out there too which will mimic the effects of certain anabolic steroids without the side effects. Keep in mind that NO supplement is magic and guarantees results, not even anabolics. They are just tools that help your body utilize protein more effeciently.

In order to make the most of your training you need to make sure you're getting in plenty of protein. Typical rule of thumb is a gram per pound of bodyweight (200 grams a day for you). Few people are anywhere close to this. I've trained some competitive bodybuilders and worked with some top trainers as well and one thing I've found will make a big difference is to increase the protein. If you're a hard gainer try doubling that to 400 grams per day. I did this last year and put on some massive size and strength in a short amount of time. You'll also notice that recovery is a lot faster with increased protein.

Lastly, remember that genetics have the final say when it comes to what our bodies will do. Some people are just not designed to be big. I'm not saying this is the case with you but keep it in mind. Many people get frusterated because they can't acheive their ideal body type. Sometimes it's just not meant to be.

 

You mentioned you are already on creatine. So obviously, you know the advantages of using creatine. I don't know your full workout history, or how long you have been using creatine, but you should know this.

I took creatine. I got "bloated" or retained water. Sure, I looked pumped, but it was mostly water retention. As soon as you get off the creatine, you should notice yourself getting a bit more "cut."

What I did with creatine was I bought a bottle about 12 oz, in powder form. I mixed it in grape juice from a frozen can. You're probably with me up to this point. What some people do is supplement with creatine when they reach a plateau. When they can't make progress. So they use the creatine to help push past the plateau, and start up the hill again. Once they broke the barrier, they went off creatine until they needed it again. That's what I did.

What some other people do is cycle on and off for 2 weeks at a time. 3 times a day for 2 weeks. No matter what. I tried this way too, but not to the same benefit as what I wrote above.

As for using steroids, I can't really form an opinion. I'm against it, but I wouldn't hold it against someone.

Good luck.

 

sorry guys, i didnt mean i was looking for steroids. i just mean do anabolics have the same effect that steroids do when you get angry? or are anabolics a form of 'roids in disguise? my friends brother was having his bachelor party when the best man flew into a roid rage and beat up everyone at the party... the wedding pics didnt turn out good. i dont want to be that guy.

to put on weight im going to start making ice-cream milk shakes once a day to add to my protien shake, for extra calories.

oh yeah someone asked my friend at the bar last night if i "juiced" meaning if im on roids... that isnt cool cause i dont want people thinking that.

 

Your questions are confusing me a little. Steroids (as in the kind that build muscle) are anabolics. There are two kinds of steroids, those that build tissue (anabolic steroids) and those that break it down (corticosteroids, like cotrisone). When the ON/OFF cycle claims to be anabolic it merely means it's designed to build muscle. It is not an acutal anabolic. Also, after years of working with bodybuilders including many professional bodybuilders, guys who are competing at 260+ pounds, I've got to tell you that there's no such thing as "roid rage". People like to use steroids as an excuse to be an idiot but that's about it. They won't make you fly off the handle and start beating people. That's a sterotype. As such the prohormones won't cause that effect either.

Oh, one last thought. If someone asks you if you're on steroids or accuses you of using don't be insulted . . . take it as a compliment. That means you look better than the rest. If you don't believe me ask the guys at bodybuilding.com . . . infact buy the shirt and save yourself some trouble.

 

To get muscle definition you need to do high weight and less repetitions. When it comes to anabolic steroids I would not recommend you using them. One of the reactions to using anabolic steroids is weight increase and unnatural body growth, such as breast growth in men.

 

Ok, you guys beat me into making my first post... Mr bling King has the most accurate info on here, Trust him. ToughF250.. you need a lot of time, that is what we all forget.. It takes time. 10 years ago, I couldnt bench 135, I just hit 420 on the bench on a very bad day in a powerlifting contest, I also pulled 551 ( dead lift) 2nd meet in the Dl I train with very strong guys, that dedicate their lives to lifting. Sometimes we will take 2 years to break a pr in a lift, sometimes they come easy. Even though I only hit 420 in contest the week before, I had 524 in training, and it is all a matter of time.. Keep being dedicated, eat a lot, and train with people stronger than you, and always remember form over weight. Btw my numbers are posted on Wabdl.org.

Keep liftin and wrenchin!

JA

 

WABDL World's are coming up soon here aren't they Johnny?

 

YUP!!!! ( My lower back is urting thinking about it), I am going in the 220's, gonna compete against this freak who barely missed 750# bench at 214, and pulled over 600.
At the worlds I am thinking of opening at 424, bench, and 580ish, deadlift. If things go good, Ill finally break the 501 barrier in the bench, and poss a 633, in the dl. Ill be down there with a lot of good guys, and there will be a few guys benching close to, or over 800# in the bench. Btw.. whats your website for supplements.. I am getting into BSN... No xplode, Nitrix, and a good'ol 10 pound bag of optimum protien. ( for my morning shake, 3 daily between meals shakes, and my bedtime, post Dl recovery. I have just hit my high volume part of the season, pre worlds, and looking to get to 230 or so, before I go heavy with the pig iron.

Have a gooder!

JA

 

i guess i really needed someone to specify the differences / similarities of anabolics and steriods so i could understand them a little bit better.

the funny part about the guy who asked my buddy if i "juiced" was that you could tell he lifts, but he tried looking good by telling a chick next to him that "hes not so big " ( he was reffering to me ) but my buddy heard him and just as a joke my buddy told the guy "yeah, rob ( me ) doesnt even lift weights" LOL!!! i guess the guys eyes doubled in size and his jaw dropped. he shouldnt talk about my size cause i towered over him, i think he was just running his mouth.

 

I don't have a site for supps, I manage the GNC stores in my region. There are tons of supplements on the market but most aren't worth the money. It amazes me though how many people will spend hundreds of $$ on supps but can't tell me how many grams of protein they consume a day.

I do a little work with USAPL. You might have heard of my sister, Priscilla Ribic. I train at the same gym as Brent Mikesell. There's a few powerlifters around this area.

 

You know Brent.. youv'e probabilly met his Brother too, Brent is a real friendly type, hope he heals up., You are right most supplements are pure crap, people dont take the time to lift or eat. They are too consumed with "Image" I guess thats the diff between bodybuilders and powerlifters.
*** Mr F250... you gotta focus onn the basic lifts and save the chrome machines for the pretty ladies.. Squat to paralell, bench.. and deadlift.. nobody is gonna argue with youre size when you have a 20 inch neck. all I use to train is a power rack, 3 bars.. a texas Dl bar, a bench bar, and a garbage bar, a bench, a highpull/low pull machine, and a dragging sled. pure power is built from the core, not around it.

Go heavy and eat lots of animals..

Ja