If it became impossible to get gear.....would you still train?

[jozifp103]

I'm stealing this question from a member on another forum. I found it interesting and would like to hear different opinions.

As the title states....if something happened (use your imagination) and it became impossible to acquire anabolic steroids.....would you continue to train like you do? Knowing that despite your best efforts you will regress back to a natural physique and plateau there with no chance of real progression?

We all do this to see results and be better than we were the year before. Anabolics continue to make this possible once we surpass what we can achieve naturally. If they are taken away....do we continue to bust our asses?

 

[Roush]

I'd revert to training more for real life needs, and sports.. probably do more cardio, hiking, running, and a lot more full body compound moves in the gym, ***8230; rather then isolation and training for hypertrophy.

basically I'd train for over-all conditioning rather then physique or looks.

(which I'm doing more these days anyways getting older,, having lost about 20 pounds of muscle,,not running any blasts or big cycles,, I feel healthier at this weight, golf game is better, sleep is better, feel more active, blood pressure etc. is all better.. If I want to add on 20-30 pounds,, I know which compounds to use and how to go about it and get it done,, but just don't really see the point anymore. better being overall healthy and more active)

 

[Havasu]

I've trained without gear 99.99999999% since I started training a little before the age of 15. I train, because I like training, not because gear is accessible.

 

[jozifp103]

I trained without gear 99.99999999% of my life. I train, because I like training, not because gear is accessible.

Right....but you continued to progress....then you resorted to gear to continue to progress once it was no longer possible naturally. Would you still train even if you knew you were not going to get anywhere without gear? Bust ass just to stay the same?

This post is directed to those who have used gear...and all of a sudden get cut off. Knowing they will shrink down no matter what they do. Then once they have regressed back to a natural size....they will continue to bust ass to see little to no results.

 

[sqidd]

Yes...........................

 

[Bloody Q]

Right....but you continued to progress....then you resorted to gear to continue to progress once it was no longer possible naturally. Would you still train even if you knew you were not going to get anywhere without gear? Bust ass just to stay the same?

This post is directed to those who have used gear...and all of a sudden get cut off. Knowing they will shrink down no matter what they do. Then once they have regressed back to a natural size....they will continue to bust ass to see little to no results.

I think they wont.

 

[Havasu]

Right....but you continued to progress....then you resorted to gear to continue to progress once it was no longer possible naturally. Would you still train even if you knew you were not going to get anywhere without gear? Bust ass just to stay the same?

Yes. I can still progress without gear. I think my body isn't highly efficient with calories naturally. I wasn't genetically blessed in that way. However, at the same time, I'm an ectomorph/hard-gainer. In the last 1.5 years I've been getting my hormones right. I had a mildly hypo-thyroid. Not much, but I wanted it optimized, and I was at the low end of normal on the T scale. Again, I didn't want to be eh, I wanted to be optimized. So I went on TRT at 37 (prescribed, also thyroid meds prescribed). Now I've been able to get leaner than ever before (Even though I wasn't fat to begin with) with my metabolism working better with my thyroid optimized, and my T at the high end of normal I've also re-comped some during that process by building some new muscle. So, I'm absolutely positive I could progress right now without gear. Even though I way less than I did a year ago, I've had so many people tell me....man you're getting bigger....re-comp

And to answer your question directly. Let's say for some reason, or another, I was told definitively I would not progress at all from where I'm at for the rest of my life, no matter what I did, no matter how hard I trained.....I would still do it. I enjoy the act of training....most days haha.... I like the way it makes me feel, I like that it keeps me in good health, and that it keeps me mobile, and active. I want to be able to get around, wipe my own ass, and feed myself until I die. I believe training, staying in shape, and eating healthy will help increase the odds of that happening. Even though there's always the chance of a freak accident, or other health issues arising no matter how hard you try to keep yourself healthy, you can't control that. I'm doing what I can do within my control to raise my odds of being healthy and mobile until the end.

 

[luckypaul]

I don't think you could continue to train the same. Recovery would be longer and in the dooms day senario I'm thinking food is starchy and with low quality protein. I like to stay positive though and I imagine we will always be able to find gear, it may cost more though.

I'd still be busting my ass hanging and banging though.

 

[Havasu]

I don't think you could continue to train the same. Recovery would be longer and in the dooms day senario I'm thinking food is starchy and with low quality protein. I like to stay positive though and I imagine we will always be able to find gear, it may cost more though.

I'd still be busting my ass hanging and banging though.

In a dooms day scenario training would be the least of your concerns, and not a high priority. Survival would be your training.

 

[bigben66]

I don't know anything different...

Trained for 17 years drug-free - and now 11 years cycling, yes, the drugs are nice, and make an amazing difference, but I could never go back to being an ectomorph.

My physique (clean) at the age of 34, was better than the majority of physiques I see on here full of gear.

So YES, I'd carry on regardless.

I fell in love with the iron, loooooong before I fell in love with gear.

 

[Bloody Q]

I don't know anything different...

Trained for 17 years drug-free - and now 11 years cycling, yes, the drugs are nice, and make an amazing difference, but I could never go back to being an ectomorph.

My physique (clean) at the age of 34, was better than the majority of physiques I see on here full of gear.

So YES, I'd carry on regardless.

I fell in love with the iron, loooooong before I fell in love with gear.

Is that you on your avatar?

 

[bigben66]

Is that you on your avatar?

Yes, aged 45 (Last May)

 

[halfwit]

Does this include TRT being impossible to maintain? If so, I'd whither down to nothing as I've seen first hand how terrible hypogonadism can wreck your body.

If just UGL stuff, I'd probably do what Roush suggests and change gears to more of a fitness approach instead of size. It would be one very difficult transition; but the gym is my church, psychiatrist, and confidant all rolled into one. I don't think I could stop going even if I wanted to.

 

[CPL_SAiKO]

i'd continue to lift. I started lifting when I was deployed as a form of stress relief. even to this day it is the greatest stress relief. I was 19 175-180ish 6' when I started and by the time I had been lifting for 7 months I was able to bench 315 at 195lbs, naturally. now I weigh in as heavy as 258lbs at ~14% (peak of my bulk this year, morning weight) age 25 but cutting down at the moment. I love how you can change your body and how good lifting feels mentally and physically. it's truly an escape from the daily hell that all of us have been through.

 

[Hypnotix]

It would be hard for me to justify training for any other reason than to stay heart-healthy and physically capable of defending myself.

If I regressed to where I was before.. I'd be sooooo below average that I wouldn't attempt to do anything outrageous (get huge, incredibly strong, or be competitive in sports) but rather shoot for goals like : physical endurance, flexibility, agility, and technical fighting.

These things I don't think would be hindered to such an extent as muscle size and strength would be by being low T forever. Bodybuilding would just seem like beating a dead horse.. I know it's not going to lead to much.. so why not focus my efforts in a different direction. In martial arts, you can go a long way within a weight class with just technique and experience and that would immediately draw me in if I knew this scenario was inevitable.

So, I guess my answer is yes, I'd continue training. It would be different, but it wouldn't stop me from trying other things

 

[appleton111]

It would sure separate the men from the boys.

 

[Charles Bronson]

It would take me days to recover.. id not be able tp progress

TRT or id just fall apart, i would rather settle some scores then blow my fucking brains out instead of sitting aournd feeling like I'm 150 fucking years old no libido no strength no appetite no fucking antyihg.. like a a geriatric


hrt saved my life boys, without any doubt.

 

[jozifp103]

This is good stuff guys. It's nice to see that most would continue to train. I'd have to agree. Even if I'd be regressing and maintaining a natural physique.....I enjoy lifting. It's all I know and it defines me. The gains and looks are the best part....but lifting itself is very therapeutic and I couldn't see myself living without it, gear or no gear.

 

[CPL_SAiKO]

This is good stuff guys. It's nice to see that most would continue to train. I'd have to agree. Even if I'd be regressing and maintaining a natural physique.....I enjoy lifting. It's all I know and it defines me. The gains and looks are the best part....but lifting itself is very therapeutic and I couldn't see myself living without it, gear or no gear.

couldn't agree more!

 

[Teutonic]

Yes.
No other way to live for me literally. Both my job, my mental health and VANITY would not allow me to not go; I would however have to accept 185 ish as an inevitability w my 12 yr old s metabolism.
Watching the strength drop would be sobering as though I m nowhere near where I was, it d still suck bad.
I d have to go back to the basic 3, a few ancillaries and lot s of rest.