Have you asked yourself if it is time to take steroids? In this video I am going to cover the thought process that goes on when someone decides to consider the use of steroids and other PEDs and whether or not it is a viable discussion to have.
In this iteration of AX Jeff, we have a question submitted by ATHLEAN-X’s own Jesse Laico. Jesse asks the question of whether or not it is time he should consider the use of steroids to help his training. Noting that he has made significant progress in his strength and physique, he feels left behind. He notes that people he sees at the gym and on social media making “more” progress than him and that these people are showcasing a “greater” physique or strength levels. Jesse even notes that if he could achieve even a fraction of the progress they’ve made, he would be happy.
Now, this line of thinking is not isolated to Jesse. There are many people out there, especially younger than him and with less training history under the belt that consider the use of steroids and PEDs. Where do these thoughts come from? Well, it certainly has a lot to do with the use of social media. There are many out there who abuse steroids and showcase their accomplishments on social media and they are leaving an impression on thousands of people that I think is negative.
Some people might accuse me of virtue-signaling a natural status and consider that a negative. I will gladly wear that badge as I believe that the more you can achieve on your own with the assistance of performance enhancing drugs, the more self accomplishment you will have. Maybe you won’t look as big and as lean as who you see on social media, or maybe you won’t be as strong, but there is something to say about being able to achieve what you can without assistance.
I think it’s a bad idea to compare yourself to those you see on social media because often, they have a different starting point than you. If you take a look at someone like Larry Wheels, he likely didn’t start at the same place that Jesse did. His mass, strength, and even bone structure is, at a baseline, higher than Jesse’s. Even if he were a natural lifter, he likely would have a greater advantage at growing than someone who started with Jesse’s baseline.
Does that mean you are doomed? Absolutely not! When it comes to building muscle and gaining strength, I think that it is important to understand that the progress you make naturally is more impressive than what you can do with the assistance of steroids and other PEDs. If you can build muscle naturally, then you can attribute all of your success to the hard work you’ve applied to not only your training, but your recovery and your nutrition.
If someone were to start taking steroids, especially early in their training, how much of their success can they attribute to their own hard work? Was it them training hard, dialing in their nutrition, and prioritizing their recovery? Or was it the “extra help” that they received? I think that if you stave off that desire, you will be more proud of the accomplishments you have made naturally.
When you are trying to build muscle, you don’t need to look at what others have achieved in order to gauge your own success. There are plenty of people on the internet that have said Jesse’s progress is nothing to showcase, that they can achieve the same amount of progress he has in a fraction of the time. These people themselves have been influenced by what they see on social media and are likely showcasing their own insecurities.
You have to consider the health ramifications that come along with the use of sterodis and not just physically, but mentally as well. Jesse has been public about his struggles with depression and anxiety and we know that the use of steroids can affect this further negatively. There are also the physical health considerations that you have to take note of. This personal decision can have lasting interpersonal consequences. If something were to happen to you, you would not only be affecting yourself, but those that love and care about you.
So, before you consider taking steroids, there are some things you need to consider when it comes to your health as well as your own sense of accomplishments. There is nothing wrong with being a natural lifter and I would argue that it makes the progress you’ve made even more impressive.
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11 июл 2024
