Old timers, if you could do one thing over

[Dakota]

So now we have lots..... and LOTS of perspective in some cases. We look back at our lives and we are the few that are still cranking iron even though it has wrecked our backs, wrists, knees, elbows.... name it. I wouldn't change a thing about that. My morning agony is still a badge of pride. Plus I look good!

My son saw a class picture from from my reunion and asked "if that is your class, why are you so much younger than everybody?" Nice!

Back to the point. If you could have a redo in your BBing PLing career, what would you do differently? Would you avoid the heavy weights that haunt you today? Been more serious? PLed if you are a BBer or BB if you are a PLer? Add a marathon or triathlon to your list of accomplishments? Physically what would you do differently.

For me I look back with little regret but I do wish I would have competed more. Not really for the pride, ego thing but just for myself. I would have liked to know what I could have accomplished if I would have taking BBing to the next level. I competed just once as a natural novice and placed 2nd. It was a regional with just a couple of handfuls of competitors.

When I started using some gear it was ultra conservative. I still made great gains but I wasn't enough to get huge. I didn't reach my top weight and condition until I was in my mid to late 30s. I was a little over 220 but struggled with that much mass.

I would like to know what would have happened if I would have used my late 20s to really go all in and become a "real" BBer. My genetics don't promise a pro card but I would have liked to see a snap shot of my life as an all out balls to the walls BBer for 5 years, focused on competing rather than just looking like a BBer.

I guess maybe that's why I briefly flirted with competing once more at this ripe old age. But when I got my head back on straight I thought of my all in or all out personality and I could not do that to my wife. To get married and then abandon the marriage for an all consuming lifestyle would not be fair. That on top of increasing my gear and risking health to get there, just didn't seem worth it.

Let's hear it. Magic wands are allowed.

 

[Dawgpound_Hank]

I wish I would have tried gear much younger - around 21 - to see how I could have fared in bb. Might be in worse shape now bcoz if it though, so a 2 edge sword. I'd still do it though.

 

[j8296]

So now we have lots..... and LOTS of perspective in some cases. We look back at our lives and we are the few that are still cranking iron even though it has wrecked our backs, wrists, knees, elbows.... name it. I wouldn't change a thing about that. My morning agony is still a badge of pride. Plus I look good!

My son saw a class picture from from my reunion and asked "if that is your class, why are you so much younger than everybody?" Nice!

Back to the point. If you could have a redo in your BBing PLing career, what would you do differently? Would you avoid the heavy weights that haunt you today? Been more serious? PLed if you are a BBer or BB if you are a PLer? Add a marathon or triathlon to your list of accomplishments? Physically what would you do differently.

For me I look back with little regret but I do wish I would have competed more. Not really for the pride, ego thing but just for myself. I would have liked to know what I could have accomplished if I would have taking BBing to the next level. I competed just once as a natural novice and placed 2nd. It was a regional with just a couple of handfuls of competitors.

When I started using some gear it was ultra conservative. I still made great gains but I wasn't enough to get huge. I didn't reach my top weight and condition until I was in my mid to late 30s. I was a little over 220 but struggled with that much mass.

I would like to know what would have happened if I would have used my late 20s to really go all in and become a "real" BBer. My genetics don't promise a pro card but I would have liked to see a snap shot of my life as an all out balls to the walls BBer for 5 years, focused on competing rather than just looking like a BBer.

I guess maybe that's why I briefly flirted with competing once more at this ripe old age. But when I got my head back on straight I thought of my all in or all out personality and I could not do that to my wife. To get married and then abandon the marriage for an all consuming lifestyle would not be fair. That on top of increasing my gear and risking health to get there, just didn't seem worth it.

Let's hear it. Magic wands are allowed.

I like this topic. I?m a young man (early 20?s) so I can easily learn a few things from the experiences you?ve shared along with others.

 

[j8296]

I wish I would have tried gear much younger - around 21 - to see how I could have fared in bb. Might be in worse shape now bcoz if it though, so a 2 edge sword. I'd still do it though.

Hmmmm... Makes me wonder.

 

[Dawgpound_Hank]

Hmmmm... Makes me wonder.

Hey don't let me sway you haha! I was hitting the iron since 14, got big af, won a few shows natty as a teen & early 20's. But back then I was told gear was taboo by too many guys, so avoided it. Hence, couldn't go but so far natty. Didn't venture to the dark side until 40, so yeah.

 

[j8296]

Hey don't let me sway you haha! I was hitting the iron since 14, got big af, won a few shows natty as a teen & early 20's. But back then I was told gear was taboo by too many guys, so avoided it. Hence, couldn't go but so far natty. Didn't venture to the dark side until 40, so yeah.

I think building a foundation like you did is crucial first before touching gear. I?m glad I build a solid base of strength and muscle before I started using. Otherwise, it?s never really known what can truly be achieved without assistance. Plus, I think it helps to learn which forms of training work best. I haven?t really went balls to the walls on a cycle yet though. I?ve done a number, but nothing really high dosed yet. How many times did you compete in total? I really don?t want to ever come off now though since I?ve started. Seeing improvements and keeping a condition oneself has never achieved before becomes addicting.

 

[j8296]

Hey don't let me sway you haha! I was hitting the iron since 14, got big af, won a few shows natty as a teen & early 20's. But back then I was told gear was taboo by too many guys, so avoided it. Hence, couldn't go but so far natty. Didn't venture to the dark side until 40, so yeah.

You?ve paid your dues before using the ole ?ace card,? as I?ve seen Dave Tate call it.

 

[Dawgpound_Hank]

I think building a foundation like you did is crucial first before touching gear. I?m glad I build a solid base of strength and muscle before I started using. Otherwise, it?s never really known what can truly be achieved without assistance. Plus, I think it helps to learn which forms of training work best. I haven?t really went balls to the walls on a cycle yet though. I?ve done a number, but nothing really high dosed yet. How many times did you compete in total? I really don?t want to ever come off now though since I?ve started. Seeing improvements and keeping a condition oneself has never achieved before becomes addicting.

Man everything is relative. Are you seriously built with a talent for bb or whatever sport you are in? If so, that's one thing. If NOT, and no offense, it is stupid to stay on being in your early 20's. Fukk yeah it's addicting amigo - NOBODY wants to come off, but it's a matter of being realistic and responsible with your own health. Too many damn gym bros wanna stay on all the time. It's a risk vs reward thing man, if you got what it takes to be elite in a field then at least ya have a reason ya know. Gotta be real youngblood.

 

[j8296]

Man everything is relative. Are you seriously built with a talent for bb or whatever sport you are in? If so, that's one thing. If NOT, and no offense, it is stupid to stay on being in your early 20's. Fukk yeah it's addicting amigo - NOBODY wants to come off, but it's a matter of being realistic and responsible with your own health. Too many damn gym bros wanna stay on all the time. It's a risk vs reward thing man, if you got what it takes to be elite in a field then at least ya have a reason ya know. Gotta be real youngblood. [/QUOTE
I?ve been told I have what it takes by a few longtime recreational and competitive bodybuilders. One of my issues is I keep trying to compare myself to the likes of top IFBB professionals who have been doing this for longer than I have, genetically are superior to myself, and have mostly everything else dialed in. Yes, everything is relative. No offense taken: I?m totally with you on trying to live a long and healthy life. I need to get my ass moving and actually compete so I can know what to expect. It?s a fact my lats and traps need some improvement before I step on stage. One of these days I?ll have to post a few pictures in the member photos section for a bit of feedback. Thanks for your guidance.

 

[Glycomann]

Probably I would have stayed natural. I think they accelerated my joint issues. I also lost my hair, got some gyno, had bouts of sexual dysfunction and now I am stuck with TRT and still doing mini cycles in my late 50s in the lat spring and summer months. Now when on AAS my stamina sucks. When off it gets better so I have to chose so if I want to be more athletic its off and hypogonadal or low TRT or on some mini cycle and put on 20 lbs and be jacked. If I stayed natural I would most likely not have to deal with any of that or at least a lot less of the negative BS. Plus people calling me out for steroids in public bothers me. My last cycle I was on 400-450 mg. That's 100 mg test and 300-350 mg of an anabolic and I was being called out. Frankl, I just look like a muscular guy at 5'8" 210 lbs. If I had stayed natural I probably would have been 195 - 200 lbs lean. That's where I was after being off for 10 years. Lucky then my system recovered. Stupid me, when I started feeling the middle age at 47 I went back to AAS and added in other stuff.

 

[Roughrydr]

Maybe not what you're asking but my only regret is not being at home to raise my sons and to have impacted their lives more. I was always either in the gym, out taking care of business, or in prison.
As far as specifics about PL/BBing, I would have wrapped my knees, wrists and elbows instead of going completely raw.
But over all my body as far as looks and strength is way below my age and better than most 20 or 30 year olds I see in the gym.
I cant do anything about the grey hair.

 

[j8296]

Probably I would have stayed natural. I think they accelerated my joint issues. I also lost my hair, got some gyno, had bouts of sexual dysfunction and now I am stuck with TRT and still doing mini cycles in my late 50s in the lat spring and summer months. Now when on AAS my stamina sucks. When off it gets better so I have to chose so if I want to be more athletic its off and hypogonadal or low TRT or on some mini cycle and put on 20 lbs and be jacked. If I stayed natural I would most likely not have to deal with any of that or at least a lot less of the negative BS. Plus people calling me out for steroids in public bothers me. My last cycle I was on 400-450 mg. That's 100 mg test and 300-350 mg of an anabolic and I was being called out. Frankl, I just look like a muscular guy at 5'8" 210 lbs. If I had stayed natural I probably would have been 195 - 200 lbs lean. That's where I was after being off for 10 years. Lucky then my system recovered. Stupid me, when I started feeling the middle age at 47 I went back to AAS and added in other stuff.

How young did you start? Yeah, I already have the gyno issue. It?s been reduced, but I feel as if it?s irreversible at this point. That?s my fault, though. My first ever cycle I stacked D-Bol and Test without an AI. You could say I didn?t do enough research at this point. I?ve always kept my test around 200-250 per cycle, until now (600). Do you like running test around a high TRT point such as 100 and allow other compounds to be the main builders? Yeah, getting called out in public sucks. My union rep said I was ?all juiced up? while getting ready for a meeting. ?All juiced up on coffee, of course.? happened to be his added statement. Right now I?m 5?6? and weighing 195. I?m probably the leanest I?ve been now. My arms and shoulders are well developed, but I?m lacking within traps, legs, and lats. Sorry, this is all over the place, but I have dealt with the ED issues at one point. My doctor ended up prescribing Viagra. Do you know how embarrassing it is to ask for sildenafil citrate 100mg tabs at the pharmacy, while being 22? I don?t really need them most times, but they?re nice to have on hand.

 

[j8296]

Maybe not what you're asking but my only regret is not being at home to raise my sons and to have impacted their lives more. I was always either in the gym, out taking care of business, or in prison.
As far as specifics about PL/BBing, I would have wrapped my knees, wrists and elbows instead of going completely raw.
But over all my body as far as looks and strength is way below my age and better than most 20 or 30 year olds I see in the gym.
I cant do anything about the grey hair.

It still applies to the thread?s question, I?m sure. Do you have a relationship with your kids nowadays? They say hindsight is 20/20. I wish I would?ve never partied at a super young age myself. The grey hair just shows you?ve been there and done that. Hahaha. Do you have joint issues from your years of powerlifting?

 

[j8296]

One thing I wish I would’ve done when I first started training at age 16 is actually practice healthy eating habits. I allowed myself to get brainwashed into the whole “more calories is better” bulking shit where oneself treats most days like all you can eat buffet of processed foods.

 

[Glycomann]

How young did you start? Yeah, I already have the gyno issue. It?s been reduced, but I feel as if it?s irreversible at this point. That?s my fault, though. My first ever cycle I stacked D-Bol and Test without an AI. You could say I didn?t do enough research at this point. I?ve always kept my test around 200-250 per cycle, until now (600). Do you like running test around a high TRT point such as 100 and allow other compounds to be the main builders? Yeah, getting called out in public sucks. My union rep said I was ?all juiced up? while getting ready for a meeting. ?All juiced up on coffee, of course.? happened to be his added statement. Right now I?m 5?6? and weighing 195. I?m probably the leanest I?ve been now. My arms and shoulders are well developed, but I?m lacking within traps, legs, and lats. Sorry, this is all over the place, but I have dealt with the ED issues at one point. My doctor ended up prescribing Viagra. Do you know how embarrassing it is to ask for sildenafil citrate 100mg tabs at the pharmacy, while being 22? I don?t really need them most times, but they?re nice to have on hand.

I started lifting on my 12th birthday and stayed natural until 27. I always took at least 3 months or more off between cycles until well into my 50s. I've taken long periods off AAS.. 1.5 years, 3 years and 10 years but never stopped working out. A lot of guys, or most of the guys, from my era that stayed on for a long time eventually had to come off for health reasons. AS time progressed more guys just stayed on and some of those guys died from heart or kidney disease. You might last longer if you go off and PCT between cycles with a good 3 months on 3 months off cycle. Otherwise, chances are, if you blast and cruise at your age you will never have a recoverable HPTA and possibly after 5-10 years have some health issues.

The guys I knew over the years that had the genetics for national level or pro bodybuilding grew like crazy naturally and or responded to AAS so dramatically that they had 19-20 inch arms within a year or so and had most body parts to match not long after. Unless you're like that, in my opinion, PED use should be pretty mild to moderate. We all got or get carried away sometimes with PEDs. It' the nature of the beast but the ones that last catch themselves before all the damage gets done.. mostly. I think we lost close to 1/2 a dozen somewhat known BBErs in the last month, mostly heart related.

 

[Massive G]

3 things.

1. I would have used higher dosages and cycles early on. AVG cycle was 200 mg test a week.

2. Not training so goddamn heavy on bench dead and squats and presses.

3. Dieted down and competed more to increase growth - got stuck in the "not disturbing the growth cycle" when the best gains you will ever make is after a contest for several months when your body is sopping up everything after being stressed through contest dieting and training and cardio. I won several contests but it wasn't anything other than a brief pause in life that lead to dusty trophies.

 

[j8296]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. It’s been quite insightful. My mind has been wondering what I should do. This winter I should really take time off cycle to allow my HPTA to fully recover (hopefully). Another thing I should do is stick to mild compounds (DHB, Proviron, Mast, etc.) during usage. I’ve given up some bad habits and replaced them with training and AAS use.

 

[MR. BMJ]

I started young, at 17 years old, did a lot, used large doses for long periods, but so far, no health concerns outside of 2 hernia repairs and a cholecystectomy. After doing all that, I realized I didn't have top genetics....say to go pro. I was in my late 20's when I realized that out. I may have been able to compete and be competitive, maybe at a National show, but I went to college and it took too much of my time. That's probably a good thing, for many reasons. I never focused 100% in any 1 direction. I never put 100% into school when it was needed, despite graduating with ease...but not a very good GPA because mostly worrying about cycles, the way I looked, or even what my lifts would be....well, and girls and liquor. I could have done much better in school...but I graduated. That also goes the other way in anything else I did. For the gym, I put in a great deal, probably close to 100% from a teenager to when I was 22 years old, but that year I moved to college, and after that, I never was able to put 100% into it again. I see guys ruin their careers in education or jobs because they are chasing bodybuilding dreams, it's psychologically addicting. If you have top genetics, you will know within a year or two, and that makes things a little easier for them because they can half-ass a lot of things as long as they stay somewhat consistent in eating, training, and AAS use. Maybe not that simple, but much easier than most of us here.

I'd go back and put 100% into my college to kind of set me up in a better position in life. I did okay, but I got by half-assing things, up until the final few years, mainly because it was easy for me when I needed to do well.

I still have the gym/AAS bug like everybody else, like I said it's addicting. I pretty much know how every compound effected me from an early age....but now that io'm 43, it's changed some.

 

[Dawgpound_Hank]

I started young, at 17 years old, did a lot, used large doses for long periods, but so far, no health concerns outside of 2 hernia repairs and a cholecystectomy. After doing all that, I realized I didn't have top genetics....say to go pro. I was in my late 20's when I realized that out. I may have been able to compete and be competitive, maybe at a National show, but I went to college and it took too much of my time. That's probably a good thing, for many reasons. I never focused 100% in any 1 direction. I never put 100% into school when it was needed, despite graduating with ease...but not a very good GPA because mostly worrying about cycles, the way I looked, or even what my lifts would be....well, and girls and liquor. I could have done much better in school...but I graduated. That also goes the other way in anything else I did. For the gym, I put in a great deal, probably close to 100% from a teenager to when I was 22 years old, but that year I moved to college, and after that, I never was able to put 100% into it again. I see guys ruin their careers in education or jobs because they are chasing bodybuilding dreams, it's psychologically addicting. If you have top genetics, you will know within a year or two, and that makes things a little easier for them because they can half-ass a lot of things as long as they stay somewhat consistent in eating, training, and AAS use. Maybe not that simple, but much easier than most of us here.

I'd go back and put 100% into my college to kind of set me up in a better position in life. I did okay, but I got by half-assing things, up until the final few years, mainly because it was easy for me when I needed to do well.

I still have the gym/AAS bug like everybody else, like I said it's addicting. I pretty much know how every compound effected me from an early age....but now that io'm 43, it's changed some.

Yeah 17 is young, but guess you being out in Cali, it was in vogue eh?

What age did you start lifting homie? Please don't tell me you started dbol as you did your first set of benches.

 

[MR. BMJ]

Yeah 17 is young, but guess you being out in Cali, it was in vogue eh?

What age did you start lifting homie? Please don't tell me you started dbol as you did your first set of benches.

I started lifting after junior high (8th grade) before heading into high school as a freshman. So I was maybe 14'ish. I couldn't play football because they misdiagnosed my back as having spina bifida, so that is what got me into training....hoping i'd be able to play football. I was in all other sports like basketball, soccer, track, and shit. Wish I would have done wrestling and MMA, etc....but oh well. I got tired of all those sports, and just concentrated on the weight room.

Got to my Senior year and everybody in sports were doing AAS....mostly Mexican stuff, but a few who had veterinarian hook-ups. I was one of the stronger and bigger kids (though slender built), and was still natty while others were smaller and juicing. I'm not gonna count guys who were built like offensive lineman....they were bigger of course, but most were not as strong....but yea, I was not built like that.

Anyway...a few guys got under my skin that they were passing me up my junior and senior year. I used to think they were cheaters. Likewise, I was always reading the mags at the time, and of course, everybody in those mags stated they were natty, and I believed them, and that with time, I could be like them.

2 things happened over my junior and senior year...

1) While a junior, and some of my senior years in school, a lot of the older guys (already graduated but playing junior college football) would tell me all the time that at some point I would have to use them to repass the guys that were growing like weeds. I brushed it off until my senior year.

2) My senior year, I started picking up then MM2K mags. Those opened my eyes.

My senior year, I started using...I was 2-3 months from turning 18 years old. I took 1 Primoteston amp, and a weeks later I took half a sustanon. LOL. Even with those 2 injects, my strength shot up, and my clothes got a little tighter. A few months later I took Anadrol tabs....like 1/4, 1/2, 1 whole tab...pyramided scheme. At the time, Anadrol was the shit...the shit everybody wanted to get big and crazy. It was the drug touted the most to make the most changes if taken....but everybody mentioned how they would turn crazy and want to fight, so hence the small doses. I took those 1-2 months before graduating, and was able to hit a 365 bench at maybe 205#, squat was down, maybe 400'ish. My traps and arms would grow like weeds, and I have kind of a wide look.

Anyway, when I bought the Anadrol from a guy selling it, I was just as big as him, and he was nervous to sell me any because he thought because I was already carrying a lot of lean size, that I would stick out and be noticeable to others as a user. He charged my ass $8 a pill Yea, talk about getting ripped off! I didn't know it at the time, but I had enough to do my pyramided run for a few weeks.

The last few months of high school and the rest of the next few years after that, I was going down to TJ weekly. The rest is history.

 

[MR. BMJ]

But yea....it was a dime a dozen with guys using in high school and all around the gyms here where I live. It was so common, you were kind of a loner if you didn't use. I had a lot of older guys help in the training department, but I read and experimented a lot of my own. The MM2K mags and the internet (95/96 onward) helped me out a lot. I knew that diet and training were what mattered most, I hammered that into me....but also wanted to use a lot of AAS and learn how they worked on me as well. A lot of the older guys I think I knew more than them to be honest....for them, it was just eat a lot and lift heavy and often...almost overtraining at times. Diet didn't matter, you just ate a lot. I don't dismiss that, especially for certain circumstances, but not to such an extreme.

You have to remember, that outside of maybe the fatter powerlifter guys, a "Big Guy" at the time was maybe between 225-250#. Now you see guys hitting way over those weights in size and it makes those guys back then seem tiny. I mean, there were big guys, solid size and lean, but now there are more of them in the gym.....actually, to clarify, just as many users, but I more guys wanting a beach body look. The BB physique is dying out imo. It wasn't until Met-rx/EAS came out that supplements really started to get anywhere. Now AAS cvan be obtained b y anybody with a I-phone or pc.

 

[Roughrydr]

It still applies to the thread?s question, I?m sure. Do you have a relationship with your kids nowadays? They say hindsight is 20/20. I wish I would?ve never partied at a super young age myself. The grey hair just shows you?ve been there and done that. Hahaha. Do you have joint issues from your years of powerlifting?

Yeah, we have a great relationship. But my oldest son, 36 this year, has followed me into the outlaw biker scene. He's a patched Outlaw too. He drinks excessively and smokes weed all day. But he's a hard worker, has his own business and is getting by. My youngest, 30, is divorced with 3 kids, no job, not straining himself to find one. Living with me, my wife and the girlfriend I'm trying to dump. And he smokes weed all day long. He does keep his kids while his ex and her new hubby work. But it still pisses me off.
As far as aches and pains, at 63 they are the only thing you can count on. I'm not debilitated like Ronnie Coleman. I can hit a 495 bench easily, but I cant squat or dead lift any more due to spinal compression between L5 and S1. And an old motorcycle accident that damaged my right knee cap and broke nearly every bone in my right foot and shattered the ankle give me fits, much more now than ever.
But for me sex and lifting weights are what keeps me young.

 

[inhibitor]

Been lifting for 15 yrs on AAS. What I should of done different:

1. Cycled on and Off instead of staying on.

2. Lean Bulked and kept my BF% down. I started lifting in the Ronnie Coleman and Lee Priest era where winter time you ate a lot and accumulated a lot of BF%. So that's what I did. It takes forever to drop that and you can lose some of those gains cutting down. Now I am a firm believer in adding on some fat while bulking but not too extreme. Easier to take off when you cut and you will keep just about all your new muscle that you have gained.

3. I had a 600lb deadlift which I done for 5 reps / Squat 550 ATG for 5 reps / and an ok bench at 410 for 5 reps. Like Ronnie use to say gotta lift heavy ass weight. I wish I would have just concentrated on mind muscle connection doing controlled reps and saving my joints. I have torn my pecs 3 times. The latest one I completely tore off one of the tendons from the muscle which unfortunately cannot be repaired. (It would be like sewing a tendon onto ground beef as I was told by the surgeon) Aside from that many other minor tweaks and such. I remember one time after a good deadlift session at the gym I got home and laid in bed for a while. Felt fine the WHOLE time. When it was time to get up I couldn't, I couldn't move ! I hade to roll my ass outta bed to the floor and slowly stretch myself out. I was stuck in the fetal position. I always watched my form and like I said felt great in the gym. IDK what happened after?!

4. I will prolly get shit for this but I wouldn't have deadlifted and squatted. I took these out a year ago from my routine and have made great progress especially in my legs. My back issues have all diminished and I feel and look a lot better. I am lookin at doing things for longevity now. I want to be able to go to the gym even when I am an old man. I ruptured my quad tendon over a year ago to which I had to endure 3 months out of the gym and I HATED that feeling. I went into a depression over it, I was miserable.

 

[mrhtbd]

Started lifting in 1979 with three steel bars I got from the scrap pile at the hydraulic shop. Trained under Dick Smith, Assistant Weight Lifting Coach of the US Olympic Team under Bob Hoffman from 1962 to 1986. He taught me power lifting and trained me at York barbell from 1981 to 1986. Also during that period, I received tutelage from Johnny Terpak, who competed in the Olympics four times over 20 years (1932-1952), John Grimek, who was one of the few to lifted overhead the Louis Cyr Dumbell (273 pounds), he also won Mr. America in 1945 and 1946 before Steve Reeves took the Crown in 1947. Trained for 2 years, at the Broad Street Gym in York, PA, under Jules Bacon, who won Mr. America in 1943. I learned a lot from Jules. He taught me safety and the benefits of Volume Training! Dick Smith started me on deadlifts and at 162lbs I dead-lifted 390 for one on the 12th set. I used to do 24 sets, 3 or 4 times a week because nobody told us we’re only supposed to do three sets of eight. Ha! Jules Bacon started out “with weak legs,” his words, but he became an “all-around lifter,” and under his help I got 27 pull-ups at 170 body weight and could squat five sets of six with 425 before I even knew how to spell steroid. Those were the days those were the ancient kings my only regret is that I didn’t ask more questions. John Grimek even let me use the York Barbell archives in 1998 to write a paper for my graduate degree in Sport Management. Super nice guy, everybody liked him! Yeah, should’ve asked more questions. They’re all gone now, even the Mighty-Might, Bob Mitchell, who took 8th overall in the 1932 Olympics. He used to shuffle around York Barbell dragging his knuckles from doing so many dead-lifts, power cleans and snatches; always a smile. Only got two injuries from weightlifting in 40 years; the first time I ever did incline presses, I picked 60 pound dumbbells because they had rounded bells and I thought it was cool. On my seventh rep I pinched my left shoulder. I tried to extend it out, holding the weight in the air and it completely dislocated. Fell right out of the socket. Luckily, I was smart enough to pop it back in and I rehabbed it by doing pull-ups superset with dips; 10x10 each, 3 days per week for three months. No problem since. The second injury was about seven years ago on a squat machine that had a strange safety catch pedal. I had to hold all the weight up with one leg while I pushed the pedal to bring out the safety catch. Well, when I came down I missed the safety catch and I was supporting 760 with my left leg. I tweaked my knee trying to slow down, luckily I caught the lower emergency safety as my knee was at 90?. Tweaked my outer knee because my toes were pointed 45? out. Yeah, all those years of volume training; heavy volume training, it was helpful and I owe it to those guys! Other than that I have no regrets, I would do it all over again and I’m better off for having lived it. First tried juice at 27, eight weeks of 3 blue deball a day and 1-2cc deca amp per week; the good all days, but before that I had done 200lb easy bar curl for six, lying French presses with 165 for six, Hanging leg raises toes to knuckles for six sets of 20 with no swinging, Straight leg deadlifts for 275 for 12 standing on the bench, front squats with 185 for six, lateral raises with 65’s for six, plus the dead-lifts and squats that I already mentioned. What year is it anyway? sometimes I forget to remember and sometimes I remember to forget! Lastly I’ll be 60 next month. For once I feel my life is in balance but there’s always more to be done! Thanks for the memories...

 

[Massive G]

Been lifting for 15 yrs on AAS. What I should of done different:

1. Cycled on and Off instead of staying on.

2. Lean Bulked and kept my BF% down. I started lifting in the Ronnie Coleman and Lee Priest era where winter time you ate a lot and accumulated a lot of BF%. So that's what I did. It takes forever to drop that and you can lose some of those gains cutting down. Now I am a firm believer in adding on some fat while bulking but not too extreme. Easier to take off when you cut and you will keep just about all your new muscle that you have gained.

3. I had a 600lb deadlift which I done for 5 reps / Squat 550 ATG for 5 reps / and an ok bench at 410 for 5 reps. Like Ronnie use to say gotta lift heavy ass weight. I wish I would have just concentrated on mind muscle connection doing controlled reps and saving my joints. I have torn my pecs 3 times. The latest one I completely tore off one of the tendons from the muscle which unfortunately cannot be repaired. (It would be like sewing a tendon onto ground beef as I was told by the surgeon) Aside from that many other minor tweaks and such. I remember one time after a good deadlift session at the gym I got home and laid in bed for a while. Felt fine the WHOLE time. When it was time to get up I couldn't, I couldn't move ! I hade to roll my ass outta bed to the floor and slowly stretch myself out. I was stuck in the fetal position. I always watched my form and like I said felt great in the gym. IDK what happened after?!

4. I will prolly get shit for this but I wouldn't have deadlifted and squatted. I took these out a year ago from my routine and have made great progress especially in my legs. My back issues have all diminished and I feel and look a lot better. I am lookin at doing things for longevity now. I want to be able to go to the gym even when I am an old man. I ruptured my quad tendon over a year ago to which I had to endure 3 months out of the gym and I HATED that feeling. I went into a depression over it, I was miserable.

I am in the same boat never had an injury in the gym other than - what I believed was a very deep but small tear in my rotator cuff doing close grips with 365. Never got an MRI or went to the doc, just tried to work through it with DMSO ibuprofen ice heat self massage
ART with a tennis ball etc.

It just wouldn't heal so I did 1 arm presses of all types on the smith -BP Inc BP Military's PBN and to my amazement the left side never atrophied. Only after several months did it finally heal...but to this day still can't get it behind my head to squat which is a good thing I guess..since heavy squats wrecked my back and neck.

I tore my patella over a decade ago slipping off some stairs and it ended my competition career, I too went off the deep end sitting and sleeping in a recliner for almost 20 weeks and then and other 8 weeks PT, the injury actually healed to fast so the body laid down bone around the tendon - which was my fault using GH and bromelain et all to speed healing. It was stronger than my left but there is some deformation around the knee and a long scar, so no go on getting back on stage.

These days I do very well with light front smith squats and one legged and very very deep 2 legged leg presses with very slow tempo.
I will not lie I miss the shit out of free weight deads and squats and heavy benches and delt presses, but realize I can never do those again.