Breaking the Myth: If I Lift Heavy I'll Look Like A Man!

Rosie Chee talks about another myth - If I lift Heavy I'll end up looking like a man! Rosie explains the facts about resistance training.

You hear it time and again from females in and out of the gym, when it is suggested to them that they either a) lift weights, or b) increase the weight that they are lifting. “I don't want to do that, because I don't want to look like a man.” Many people, males included, have come to believe that for a female to lift weights means that she will somehow transform into the stereotype image of the female bodybuilder. This is simply NOT the reality of females and resistance training. This article will discuss and compare the physiology, the hormonal adaptations to resistance training, and the role of diet in gaining muscle, in both males and females.

Whilst males and females are structurally similar, there are many physiological differences that affect the sexes' ability to gain muscle mass.
Hormones

The primary reason that females cannot gain muscle mass as fast or to the extent as males is the difference in hormone status.

Testosterone is one of the androgenic hormones responsible for anabolism in the body. It is testosterone that is responsible for masculine traits (i.e. excess hair (especially facial), deepening of voice, increase in muscle mass). Both males and females produce testosterone, as it is necessary for hormonal balance and body function. However, males have much HIGHER levels of testosterone than females, with the ‘normal’ range of total testosterone (in the bloodstream) being 0.95-4.3 pg/dl, compared to the 0.7-3.6 pg/dl of females. However, it is not so much the total amount of testosterone that an individual has that determines their potential/ability for muscle growth, since most of the testosterone in the body is bound to either sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) or other non-specific proteins such as albumin, but their levels of FREE testosterone (i.e. the amount of testosterone that is NOT bound in the body). In males 0.3-5% (with an average of 2%) of their total testosterone if free, with their free testosterone normal values being 270-1100 ng/dl, compared to only 6-86 ng/dl of free testosterone available to females.

The female ‘equivalent’ of testosterone is estrogen. Whilst estrogen may increase Growth Hormone (GH), it also increases a) SHBG, which decreases the amount of free testosterone in the body; and b) cortisol, which reduces muscle mass.
Muscle Fibres and Types

There is a similar distribution of the percentage of Type I, Type IIa, and Type IIb muscle fibres in both males and females. However, females have ~60-80% of the muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and whole muscle anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) than that of males. Therefore, despite the potential for muscle hypertrophy in a relatively short period of time, similar percentage increases in either muscle mass or volume as a result of resistance training, results in smaller total overall gains in CSA and ACSA in females than in males.
Resistance Training and Hormonal Adaptations

Studies have shown that resistance training acutely increases total testosterone in males; whereas there is NO change in females. However, free testosterone HAS been shown to be elevated up to 25% in females after resistance training. Yet, because females have less free testosterone than males at rest, any increase is not significant enough to allow for muscle hypertrophy to the extent of a male. Therefore, it has been suggested that other anabolic hormones, such as GH may be responsible for hypertrophy in females.
Role of Diet in Gaining Muscle

Diet is an important component of gaining muscle mass. To gain muscle mass one needs to be eating MORE than Maintenance calories. Because females are generally smaller than males (i.e. smaller bone size and mass, less muscle mass, etc.), they generally require (and eat) LESS than males. If a female ate the amount that a male ate to gain mass, they would most likely end up gaining a lot of unwanted bodyfat along with muscle hypertrophy. Females are also generally more prone to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, etc. that are detrimental to muscle hypertrophy, and cause muscle loss.
Conclusion

Masculinization in females does not occur as a result of [heavy] weight training, but rather because of the excess of androgenic hormones (i.e. testosterone) coupled with the correct stimulus for muscle growth (i.e. chronic resistance training AND diet directed at muscle growth). The stereotype image of the female bodybuilder in the media is a result of said females chronically using androgenic compounds (i.e. steroids) in order to increase their muscle mass and size. For the female who is NOT doing this, they can lift as hard and as heavy as they want, and will come nowhere close to “looking like a man?".

Striking the Balance – Femininity, Muscle, and Symmetry

An Interview with IFBB Pro Women's Bodybuilder Shannon Courtney


 For a woman, especially a young woman entering a sport that many say is on its way out, that's an important milestone. There's a segment of Women's Bodybuilders, the pragmatists if you will, that see the writing on the wall and they've started jumping ship. Some will choose retirement, meanwhile others will opt to join the ranks of Women's Physique, Figure, or maybe even Bikini. But then there's the women that do bodybuilding because they love it. They're the women that will go down with the proverbial ship. That is, if they can't steer that ship to safe waters by way of striking a balance – delivering a perfect combination of femininity, muscle, and symmetry. Shannon Courtney, like a small handful of others, just may save the sport of Women's Bodybuilding.


For too long, those of us that support the women have had to point to the past champions (e.g. Corey and Lenda) and/or past sell-out crowds. Shannon Courtney is the present and the future. Here's to Shannon and Women's Bodybuilding!

Q: Shannon, please take a moment to introduce yourself to the audience (full name, age, include IFBB Pro status, where you're from and if possible what gym you train at).
A: Shannon Courtney, 22 years old, IFBB Pro Bodybuilder, from Oakdale, California, Inshape and Fitness Evolution.


Q: You initially got started with Physique, talk to us about transitioning from that division to Bodybuilding and do you ever see yourself competing in both?
A: At first I started with Figure (2 shows) and never did well, I was always too muscular and too lean, judges told me to switch to bodybuilding. I never wanted to compete as a bodybuilder, though. I hated the image it had. I didn't want to be a part of it. Then when I heard about the new division Physique I thought it was perfect for someone like me.  So I entered a Physique show thinking I would do very well. Turns out they placed me close to last because again I was too muscular and too lean. Judges and others advised me to either tone down my legs and back to fit the category or transition into Bodybuilding. I wasn't positive on switching to Bodybuilding, but I also didn't want to stop training the way I liked and, of course, eating how I want. It took a while for me to decide, but I thought why do I need to become the stereotypical women's bodybuilder? I just need to stay true to myself, keep doing exactly what I'm doing. So… I switched.


Q: You placed 3rd in your class at the 2012 USA's and then returned a year later win your class and the Overall, turning Pro. I've always believed that the USA is the gold standard for turning Pro, followed by Nationals, the North Americans, and Team Universe, respectively. Was this contest the only show you had your heart set on winning to turn Pro? And what changes did you make to your training, diet, and/or supplementation from 2012 to 2013?
A: I agree with you with the order of national shows. I believe USAs is the most competitive and the best Pros come from that show. I was set on winning USAs, but I did have in mind doing Nationals if I didn't achieve my pro card that July. The first changes I made for prep of USAs was switching coaches. The best decision I could've made. Last USAs I was on a starvation diet and hours of cardio (which screwed me up big time after the show), so this past USAs was completely different – I had a cheat meal every week up to two weeks out! Sometimes even two cheat meals! Best prep I ever went through. I sailed through it.


Q:What are some immediate and long-term goals that you've set for yourself as a Pro Women's Bodybuilder? Is it possible for a woman to still make a living in the supplement/bodybuilding industry without delving into obscure, perhaps risqué employment?
A: I would love to qualify for the Olympia. That is a goal I'm setting for myself next year. We’ll see what happens! Honestly, I don't think 95% of women bodybuilders are promotable. I get that and understand why. I'm hoping I will bring a new look to the division and change some opinions on female bodybuilding. I do have a couple sponsors, so I am lucky with that and very, very grateful.


Q: Aside from having a beautiful physique, you're a beautiful woman. What are the fans like at contests, online, and/or in person? Did you set boundaries early on, or was it a learning process?
A: I’ve been gaining a following very quickly… on Facebook, Instagram, other places on the web I don't even know about and randomly find out. It’s pretty cool and motivating for me.
But as I gain more fans I gain more haters. Sometimes it's hurtful but I’ve learned more and more just to ignore and keep doing my thing. And of course there are the ones with the weird fetishes that I completely ignore!


Q: Let's talk about the future of Women's Bodybuilding. If, heaven forbid, the Ms. Olympia went the way of the Ms. International, would you stop training, would you stop improving yourself? I guess the real question is, even without the shows, would you stop being a woman bodybuilder?
A: This year there was a lot of talk of the end of Women’s Bodybuilding and it did make me reconsider what division I wanted to continue with. I was considering Physique again, stopped training for 5 weeks, cut my proteins way down, upped my cardio and I was depressed... I hated it, it just wasn't me. Then I received the schedule for next year’s shows and saw that there were actually shows added this year for Women’s Bodybuilding and Olympia was scheduled again. I was excited and talked with my coach and realized if this sport really isn't about money why am I doing something that's making me unhappy? So I'm back to bodybuilding and will not stop until it does end. If it does, I think I will take a break and have another baby, this might force me to get smaller if I need to transition to Physique.


Q: Let's talk about training. It seems everyone in this game has a nutritionist, a training guru, a massage therapist, a publicist, and if possible someone to train for them (kidding on that last one!). Is your Team a Team of 1 or do you have people that help you along the way?
A: I have an amazing coach – IFBB Pro Lisa Aukland. She has coached me through this past USAs, the Tampa Pro show, and now this off season. I will continue with her this next year. She is there for me every steshaCourtneyp of the way, I cannot thank her enough!


Q: In terms of training and diet, what's your take on women having an off-season and/or bulking up? I think that women (from Bikini to Bodybuilding) shouldn't add a ton of weight (like the men do) because it's a lot harder for women to lose it later. What's your take, what's worked (or not worked) for you?
A: I think women should NEVER bulk, absolutely no reason… unless you are trying to step into Bodybuilding and need to put on a good amount of size. Even then bulking doesn't mean eat whatever you want when you want. It seems to me that's an excuse to get fat. Throughout the off season women (and men) should be on a consistent program to either maintaining or adding lean muscle – still need to eat clean foods.


Q: How important is femininity to building muscle for a woman? Why do you suppose some men and some women attack muscular women? Envy, jealousy, ignorance?
A: I think the majority are just so unfamiliar with what the human body is capable of, they want to shout 'STEROIDS!' any time they see a muscular women. I'm not saying most female bodybuilders don't go overboard, that's why it has a bad name. I’m saying it is possible to gain a great amount of size not drugged up. Staying feminine in this division is so important. After all, it is called “Women’s” Bodybuilding.  I understand some don't like the muscular look, but those are also the ones that can’t appreciate it – the ones that have no idea how much hard work is put into it. To those people I don't even waste my time on.


Q: Let's talk about the 2013 Ms. Olympia. Are you happy with the placings? I'd love if you could share your Top 5 for that contest.
A: I hate to say it... because I do like Iris Kyle but honestly she isn't a good image for the sport. It makes me upset that the judging isn't going toward the feminine look, they're setting it up for failure. In my opinion I think Alina Popa should've received the 1st place and Debi Laszewski 2nd.

How Women Build Muscle

There are more myths and misconceptions about strength training than any other area of fitness. While research continues to uncover more and more reasons why working out with weights is good for you, many women continue to avoid resistance training for fear of developing muscles of Herculean proportions.

Other women have tried it and been less than thrilled with the results. “Don’t worry,” people say. “Women can’t build muscle like men. They don’t have enough testosterone.” This is, in fact, only partly true.

Many women, believing they wouldn’t build muscle, hit the gym with a vengeance and then wondered why, after several weeks of resistance training, their clothes didn’t fit and they had gained muscle weight.

The truth is, not everyone responds to training in quite the same way. While testosterone plays an important role in muscle development, the answer to why some men and women increase in muscle size and others don’t lies within our DNA.

We are predisposed to respond to exercise in a particular way, in large part because of our genetics. Our genetic makeup determines what types of muscle fibers we have and where they are distributed. It determines our ratio of testosterone to estrogen and where we store body fat. And it also determines our body type.

A Question of Body Type

All women fall under one of three body classifications, or are a combination of types. Mesomorphs tend to be muscular, endomorphs are more rounded and voluptuous and ectomorphs are slim or linear in shape. Mesomorphs respond to strength training by building muscle mass much faster than their ectomorphic counterparts, even though they may be following identical training regimens.

Endomorphs generally need to lose body fat in order to see a change in size or shape as a result of strength training. Ectomorphs are less likely to build muscle mass but will become stronger as a result of resistance training.

Building Just Your Heart Muscle

One of the fundamental principles of strength training is that if you overload a muscle, you will increase its size. With aerobic training, the overload is typically your body weight. Activities such as step training or stair climbing result in changes in the size and shape of the muscles of the lower body. Increasing the height of the step or adding power movements increases the overload.

For those concerned about building muscle, it would be better to reduce the step height or lower the impact of the movements. While this may reduce the aerobic value of the workout, it also will decrease the amount of overload on the muscles, making it less likely that you will build more muscle.

Training by the Rules

When it comes to strength training, the old rule still applies: To get stronger, work with heavier weights and perform fewer repetitions. To promote endurance, use lighter weights and complete more repetitions.

It’s encouraging to note that just like men, most women will experience a 20 to 40% increase in muscular strength after several months of resistance training.

Understanding your body type and how you might respond to exercise can help you set realistic goals and expectations. Avoid comparisons to others you see, at the gym or elsewhere, and remember that no two people are alike.

Focus on how good exercise makes you feel rather than how you would like to look. Accepting our bodies for what they are is a great way to get rid of the guilt or pressure we often feel to look a certain way.

Secret World of Women's Bodybuilding

It is a subculture that involves bulging biceps, protruding veins and never-ending workouts.

And for many of the women who take up the sport, bodybuilding can involve being stared at, whispered about, and insulted to their faces.

"They look at you like you're from outer space or something," says bodybuilder Yvette Williams.

"I remember people sneering and making lewd comments," says another woman. "'What is that? A man or a woman?'"

In the world of female bodybuilding, not only do women spend grueling hours in the gym pumping iron, pushing genetics to the limit, but many pay an even higher price for their 60 seconds on stage: The toll on their bodies can be irreversible, and the subculture can be all-consuming, obsessive and dangerous.

A Consuming World

"It's a horrendous sacrifice to make," says Katie Arnoldi, a former bodybuilder, referring to the hundreds of women who start out with big dreams but end up so desperate to succeed they may turn to performance-enhancing drugs. "But they're doing it."

Arnoldi started bodybuilding when she was 33 to get back in shape after the birth of her second child. But what started out as an innocent exercise plan quickly turned into an obsession as she fell deeper and deeper into the bodybuilding subculture.

"It's the opposite of anorexia," says Arnoldi, who wrote a novel called Chemical Pink about the world she left behind when she quit bodybuilding. "It's a compulsion. It's an obsession. And there is no satisfying that."

"Somehow it becomes an addiction," says Mimi D'Attomo, a former bodybuilder. "It's like an alcoholic."

Drugs That Transform

D'Attomo, who started bodybuilding when she was in her late 20s, became fanatical and her desire to win turned her to drugs. She started mixing chemical cocktails of steroids and diuretics after competing for three years.

"You can train as hard as you can," she says, "but realistically, it's almost impossible to make gains without anabolic steroids, because anabolic steroids help you recuperate so you never really feel the aches and pain."

Many women, she says, mix potentially harmful combinations of insulin, diuretics, human growth hormone, beta blockers, and anti-wasting HIV drugs.

"I feel to be a professional bodybuilder," she says, "you have to be a chemist. You have to know what to mix, what not to mix, or it could kill you."

Women can pay a devastating price for the advantages drugs offer them. The testosterone, for example, can cause disturbing male characteristics.

"They grow facial hair, their vocal chords thicken, their voices drop, they get hair on their chest and back, a woman's clitoris will grow into a male-like appendage," explains Arnoldi. "These bodies become what is normal to you. And then the real world is almost invisible."

D'Attomo knows all too well how that can happen.

"I didn't think I looked weird," she recalls. "It was normal for me … up until I went outside the gym and socialized outside with other people. Then I realized how different I looked. I said, 'Whoa, I'm freaky. I'm a freak.'"

Fortunately for D'Attomo, she stopped using anabolic steroids before the side effects became irreversible, but it took her three years to recover. The hormonal withdrawal caused her to gain 40 pounds, her joints ached and she suffered from depression. But many women who take steroids for too long may never lose the facial hair or deep voice, and may have pregnancy difficulties.

 Arnoldi says industry insiders know what goes on, but the sport is reluctant to test bodybuilders more strictly for anabolic steroids because big bodies draw big bucks.

Sandy Ranalli of the National Physique Committee, an organization for the bodybuilding and fitness industry, also says drug testing can just be too expensive.

"To be honest with you, we're such a small sport, it's just not financially feasible," says Ranalli of testing the athletes for drugs. She says they do, however, try to do random testing occasionally.

Ranalli adds: "There's steroids in every sport … But to say you're not going to get to the competitive level … without anabolic steroids, that itself is false.

The Sexual Subculture

Arnoldi, who says she quit after two years rather than take drugs, says chemical abuse is not the only dark side to the sport. Even more sinister, perhaps, is the strange sexual subculture that exists.

"There is this whole subset of men that would pay a lot of money to have a girl come over, get them in a headlock or wrestle with them," she says. "I've talked to these guys that are very excited by the idea of being overwhelmed by a strong female … by a big muscular female who can physically overpower them."

D'Attomo saw it, too. "I saw a lot of rich men sponsoring big women," she says. "They would pay for their everything in exchange for maybe a whipping."

But not all bodybuilders paint such a bleak picture of the sport.

For Lesa Lewis, a 33-year-old construction worker from Kansas City, bodybuilding is a challenge and a way to look and feel beautiful.

"I love the competitive part," says Lewis, who will vy in the prestigious Ms. Olympia competition this fall. "I love travel for the shows … I love looking in shape and looking fit."

Many women say it can be a liberating or empowering statement. But Arnoldi says despite the positives, the drawbacks remain.

"Nobody is making these girls do this," she says. "This is a choice … I don't see anything changing."

Women on Steroids

Women on steroids, to many those three little words sound ridiculous; for many the idea of women on steroids is nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen. However, when it comes to anabolic steroids we have a topic that is one of the most highly misunderstood and quite often spoken of in a highly disapproving light regardless of who such a discussion pertains to and in that light more often than not inaccurate assumptions are made of a highly inaccurate nature. Many will indeed be surprised to learn women do in-fact supplement with anabolic steroids; sure, we’re all familiar with those who do so of a highly extreme end, those who have sacrificed all femininity for mounds of muscle but the reality does not stop there.

Year after year, every single day many women supplement with anabolic steroids; many of the women highly admired for their beauty who possess a fit and healthy look supplement quite regularly; we’re not speaking of a small number, in-fact we’re speaking of a fairly large number. Many female athletes from all walks of like regularly take part in the anabolic game and for good reason, it works but it remains this is a fact most are not willing to accept. Make no mistake, women on steroids pales in comparison to men who supplement with anabolic hormones but the numbers of female users far extends past what most understand.

There is no doubt about it, anabolic androgenic steroid use can be very damaging to a female but when a woman is educated on the matter and responsible use is implored use can be very successful. For women on steroids the biggest risk is virilization by-which masculine traits are brought forth. For any female this is a horrific end as a large part of our personal identity is connected to our sex and the attributes associated with it; however, this horrific end can largely be avoided.

For years many myths and legends have existed regarding anabolic androgenic steroids and the use thereof but it’s important to remember myths and legends are just that, myths and legends, meaning they are absent of truth. While some of these myths may hold some truth to them in-part unless the full truth is explained the rest of the assumption is either a lie or simple ignorance. Such assumptions can be seen on a host of message boards that deal in the topic of anabolic androgenic steroids; for years many have gone to such message boards to obtain anabolic information and while there is good information on many of them there are often just as many half-truths and inaccurate assumptions. We have taken some of the most common myths and outright lies from some of the most popular message boards on the internet that deal in such discussion regarding women on steroids and left you with only the truth. While you’ll find there is still much more to learn hopefully you’ll find this to not only be an interesting starting point but one that urges you to seek the truth.

Myth: Masculine traits will occur in women on steroids and it’s largely unavoidable.
Truth: While many anabolic androgenic steroids will produce such an effect there are certain steroids that can be used both effectively and safely without such an effect occurring. Most notably is the steroid Oxandrolone or as it is more commonly known Anavar. Most women will find Anavar to not only be highly effective but to possess little to no side-effects whatsoever. Women on steroids who make Anavar a stable part of their plan will find they build a leaner and tighter physique that still possesses all the femininity they began with.

Myth: Women on steroids will gain massive amounts of weight and turn into gigantic piles of muscle.
Truth: For some women such an end is desired and if so then absolutely, it can be obtained. However, anabolic steroid use will not by itself produce this end in a woman any more than it will for a man. This is a common misconception regarding anabolic steroids as a whole but one that is often used to scare women away. In order to be big you have to eat big; steroids or not this is an inescapable fact. Women on steroids who do not follow a mass gaining diet will not blowup into behemoths by any stretch; sure, they may indeed possess more lean muscle tissue but lean muscle tissue is a good thing. Lean tissue not only lends to a healthier body but one that is more appealing; the amounts of such tissue will be highly regulated by the amounts of food you take in but the doses of the steroids will also play a role. Women who are looking for a nice athletic boost in-terms of function or appearance can reach this end through steroid use and take it as far as they want from very slight to very extreme and everywhere in-between.

Myth: Most of the women on steroids are competitive bodybuilders.
Truth: Most of the women on steroids are not competitive bodybuilders at all; however, physique sports do make up a large portion of the total users. Many and by many we mean a whole lot of figure, fitness and bikini competitors of the physique world supplement with anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Such use however by no means ends with physique competition but stretches to non-competitive fitness models to many of the celebrities the world loves and adores to some of the women you find attractive at your local super market who simply enjoy working out. There is a very good reason many women are able to hold onto a more youthful appeal and maintain a more well-rounded healthy look in far greater numbers and for far longer extended periods of time and it’s not some magical machine they step into; it is undisputedly performance enhancing drugs and anabolic steroids make up a large portion of this group.

Top 10 Reasons We Should All Take Steroids

Lets dispel some of the myths about anabolic steroids and its adverse effects on the human body, and encourage everyone to take a second look as to why or why not they should choose to cross over to the dark side. Things aren’t always as they appear to be and I want everyone to make an informed decision, otherwise we just remain ignorant sheeple.

Let’s start with the con’s.

1. D-bol is taxing on the liver

Let’s be honest. People are doing far more damage to their livers consuming alcohol at a Wisconsin frat party on any given Friday night. This damage is far more than a healthy bodybuilder who eats clean and exercises could possibly be doing with his recreational use of an oral based substance. Besides, the liver is the fastest repairing organ in the human body, so even if you did some minimal damage with an oral steroid, a little liver cleanse from your local GNC will have you good as new in no time.

2. Steroids will make my hair fall out

I actually see this as a bonus. Most bodybuilders are always shaving their heads for competition in the first place. The way I see it, this will save you money on razors in the long run. A tan, sexy bald guy with a goatee is always “in”, and with the increase in body hair production, increased testosterone can provide you will finally grow that full beard out instead of that patchy homeless man looking thing your friends are always teasing you about. It can also provide a nice warm furry coat for those cold winters.

3. Steroids will make my pee pee shrink

Ok now this is utterly false. It doesn’t make your penis shrink…..it makes your testicles shrink, so let’s get that straight. It’s called testicular atrophy not peniscular atrophy, and girls aren’t really interested in your balls anyway. I’ve never heard a circle of girls sitting around talking about how amazingly large their boyfriends…….you get the idea. Think of it as a form of birth control. Your sperm production will be in the crapper so having that illegitimate child you weren’t planning on should be out of the question.

4. I will have anger issues

Now throughout the history of the world there have been all kinds of dictators with all kinds of anger management issues, and not once has it been documented that any of these men were taking an anabolic of any kind. I mean for cryin’ out loud, there are all kinds of inner city gangs and biker gangs that have been dealing a million different kinds of drugs fighting over territories. These are the most violent criminals on the planet, and they do it without the use of anabolic steroids. I have never once seen a news cast talk about a corrupt group of roid ragers strolling into a town and taking over.

5. Anabolic Steroids are for cheaters

Cheating at what? Are you telling me that if I compete in a federation that doesn’t see the need to worry about the supplement choices of its competitors I am cheating someone? Let’s remember people, until the 80′s the american government hadn’t made them illegal, and until 1991 they were still legal in America’s favorite pastime. If the local gym rat wants to put on a little mass so his wife/girlfriend finds him slightly more attractive than I really don’t see the problem.

Now lets look at the pro’s.

6. My body already produces testosterone

This is a very true and accurate statement, so it would only stand to reason that if your body produces it naturally, then how could it possibly be harmful to inject some moar? The way I see it… the more the better. Testosterone increases protein synthesis in the human body, so in combination with a high protein diet, high levels of test can give you immediate results in the gym which quite frankly we are all looking for.

7. Will I see immediate results

Well to be honest you can only see immediate results from anabolic steroid use if you combine it with mass amounts of protein which I preluded to above. The use of anabolic steroids is not just a simple magic pill although it’s close. You need to provide it with the proper building blocks to create the perfect storm, in which you can become the true beast you seek to become. Without the large amounts of protein, your body can become catabolic and actually start to atrophy, and you can lose mass instead of gain it. So remember this, large amounts of test and large amounts of weight gainer 5000 equals a large you.

8. It can boost your career

Without the use of steroids you might as well give up on the idea of seeing yourself on the cover of a magazine or getting that elusive supplement contract that you have been searching for. No one wants to see some skinny runt on the cover of Flex telling him about how he does 20 reps for 20 sets to get his 15″ guns. We all know the bigger you are the more valid your advise becomes, and no supplement company is gonna front a guy who can’t gather a following on a social network. So remember kids….. anabolic steroids = contracts = big money = get the girls = happy you!

9. Steroids will make you king

This is true on so many levels. I’m not entirely sure were to start. When you go to the gym, when you walk down the street, when you go to the bar, when you simply are just you. Everywhere you go you will be the envy of everyone around you. Everyone will be asking you how you look so amazing.

What is your workout plan? What does your diet look like? How many chicks do you score each week? Quite honestly, everyone will want to be you, and the self fulfillment you feel inside will be amazing. People have said that steroid use is followed with depression but I couldn’t disagree more. The bigger you are the more you will look…act…and feel king. You will always remember that none of it would be possible without that stash of anabolic steroids in your closet and you will never want it to be any different.

10. The dark side has cookies

I cannot confirm or deny this but it’s a bonus if they do…….

None of the above statements or opinions are linked to muscleandbrawn or BTB check with your local authorities and a doctor before starting a workout regimen of any type.

Women Bodybuilding Tips For Taking Steroids Safely

The Mick Hart blog has always said that bodybuilding views should be expressed honestly, without prejudice and straight in-yer-face. SO, we would like to introduce a great friend of the “Bull” to you who WILL no doubt, like us, tell it straight and “like it is!” We give you……. Emma James – A memorable interview for women bodybuilding!!!
“I can’t really remember how it all started. I just started training when I was 13 years old and then found out very quickly that I had the genetics of my Grandmother so all I had to do was look at a weight and I instantly put on muscle.

I was competing in women bodybuilding by the time I was 16 years old and natural and continued until I was 22. I don’t remember getting any comments or problems from anyone, especially being from Northern Ireland where attitudes tend to be somewhat archaic. At 22 I went into powerlifting and began a really successful career, which resulted in finally winning the WPF World Championships in 2000 at Graz, Austria, and also won best overall female lifter.

Three years prior to this I had started taking anabolic steroids. I had taken long and painstaking efforts to research as many products as I could, talk to as many people as I could and read as much literature as I could get my hands on but still the information for women bodybuilders was virtually non existent. I can remember being put on Sustanon 250 by a well meaning person who hadn’t really thought about what it would do to a woman. One voice drop later and few extra hairs on my chin I came to realise that this substance was not for me!! And so the trial and error went on.

I noticed I kept getting called sir on the telephone and called sir from behind!! OK – time to worry. I really had to try and find someone who could help me with the steroid situation and how I should take steroids, as I knew that soon I was going to look facially like a man if I wasn’t careful and if I wanted to keep competing then I had to do something fast. I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice all my femininity and was going to have to work hard at the remaining amount I had left! At the end of the day if you want to be up there – you got to take the consequences.

I found that the Primabolan I had been taking, over an extended period of time and even with carefully spaced cycles was giving me side effects so I even came off that. It was then that a close and trusted friend of mine came up with the idea of trying a fast acting testosterone, something that doesn’t hang around in the system. I tried taking Virormone and found that I had no further side effects and then I also took Testex 250, one shot a week, when I went back into bodybuilding and the side effects have now stopped. I have adopted that strategy now for the last year and I have had no more voice drop, no more facial hair, no more clitoral enlargement (much to the disappointment of one person!) and now feel and look more feminine than I have in years. I’ll list for you what I tried and the side effects:

Deca Durabalon: instant voice drop and facial hair

Winstrol: Chronic water retention, mood swings, exceptionally aggressive (as in ‘I want to kill you now)
Sustanon 250: Chronic water retention, voice drop

Primobolan: After careful usage of about 1 year of cycles I had voice drop and facial hair.

Testex 250: Water retention after 24hrs subsiding within 72 hours – no other side effects. Real hard and full look with it and felt really good.

Virormone: No water retention, no other side effects.

Test Suspension: Oooohh didn’t like this at all! No side effects just huge aggression.

Ganabol: 2ml per week gave me outstanding results with minimal side effects. NB: hard to get the real thing.

The list could go on but these are the main ones I tried.”