Anabolic Steroids Cycles for a Basic Training Program

Want to accelerate results with steroid use? What sort of cycles go best?


An obvious advantage of 8-week cycles is that there will be a lot of gratification acquired quickly. If we compared with 2-week on, 4-week off cycles, it would typically take 14 weeks to get results similar to what could be achieved in 8 weeks straight.

But on the other hand, with the two-week cycles, progress would continue straight on from there, whereas with the eight-week cycles, there will be a 16 week gap before being able to continue again! This is if making an equal comparison where steroids are being used 1/3 of the time, where there are two “off” weeks to each week of use. It also works the same way in any equal comparison.

So which is “better” is not so obvious as at first glance. Your choice will depend on personal preference.

However, in general the two week cycles are very suited to basic progressive training, where there is no real pattern to training weeks. This is because such a program is really helped by the shorter “off” periods, and there’s very good carryover from the gains of the “on” weeks to the “off” weeks.

If taking the advice on 2-week cycles, I would however suggest putting at least a little bit of pattern onto the training weeks though. The “on” weeks should preferably be with relatively heavier weight, such as allowing only 5-8 reps, and training volume should be say 30% greater than in most of the “off” weeks.

If choosing the 8-week cycle route, the increased volume consideration would still apply. Your training during “off” weeks could still remain similar, but the optimal training volume will be less than while assisted.

Anavar for Women

As the bird is to the sky, as the dog is to the bone, as up is to down, so is the relationship between Anavar and women. In the world of anabolic steroids, as testosterone is for men, so is Anavar for women, as it is the primary anabolic steroid for all female use. Unlike the vast majority of anabolic steroids, the Oxandrolone hormone that is Anavar can be used very safely without virilizing effects. Make no mistake, virilization symptoms can occur, but the odds are in your favor. With responsible use, Anavar for women can make all the difference in the world. It can be the difference between a poor finish and a win in a physique contest; it can be the difference in getting the modeling contract you want or looking at the magazines from the other side, and more importantly, it can be the difference between being confident with yourself or feeling like a fat out of shape slob.

Regardless of your goals, building new mass, leaning out just a little or becoming ripped to the bone, the Oxandrolone hormone has something for every woman. Of course, you're going to need to know how to use it if you are to maximize your results; not to mention remain safe. Before we begin understand this truth; with responsible use, you will be safe, but as we are all unique individuals, even with responsible use some will have problems. This applies to all things we put in our body. Most of us can take Aspirin if we take the proper amount; if we take too much we get sick. Then there are a few of us who can't take the first Aspirin pill without getting sick. This is crucial to remember, as we are all unique everything affects all of us a little differently. Nevertheless, with responsible use most women will be fine. If you supplement responsibly and you find you are one of the unlucky ones, as soon as symptoms begin to show discontinue use immediately. If you do so, the symptoms will fade away quickly. If you ignore them, the phrase Anavar for Women will become a permanent nightmare!

What can you expect? Anavar for women will do just about anything and everything a female athlete or gym rat could ever desire. It can promote muscle growth with a solid plan to promote it in place. Oxandrolone can significantly promote strength, as it is intrinsic to its nature. However, the greatest attribute it possesses revolves around leaning out.

Anavar will greatly preserve lean tissue when dieting as well as strength; this is welcomed for two reasons. First and foremost, tissue and strength are often lost when we diet, and while some may still be lost with Oxandrolone use, we will maintain more of it than we would without. Further, by maintaining mass, we ensure our metabolic rate is all it can be; the more muscle you carry, the more lean tissue, the greater your metabolism will fire. All-in-all, this means we burn more fat. Of course, and this is extremely important to physique athletes, or anyone looking for a fitness model type look; the Oxandrolone hormone will significantly harden your physique. How hard you get, will depend on how lean you get. Don't worry, if you don't want to be a granite statue you won't be, but if you do this is available and attainable, if you diet hard enough.

Testosterone in Women

Testosterone is largely known as the dominant male hormone however, as the dominant female hormone estrogen is also found in males testosterone in women is also a reality. Both sexes need testosterone, both sexes naturally produce the hormone, however, the production of testosterone in women is to a far lesser degree than in men. The majority of women only produce approximately one tenth of the amount produced by men and for this reason a common myth and misunderstanding is that women do not need the hormone; nothing could be further from the truth. While it is true, its imperative nature is far from the degree it resides men but it still has an important role to play for both sexes and it is testosterone in women and its effects we want to discuss today.
Testosterone in Women Positive Effects:

While testosterone in women can share some of the same positive effects it provides in men the larger and more important ones revolving around the female sex do not revolve around muscle performance to the same degree due to increased levels leading to many problems (we will discuss as we go along.) One of the primary roles testosterone in women plays is however one of its primary roles it plays in men and it revolves around libido. Women with insufficient testosterone production will find their libidos greatly decreased and in many cases a desire for sexual activity an idea from the past. Women who suffer from decreased libido issues are highly advised to seek out testosterone replacement therapy options in order to improve this aspect of their lives.

As greatly an effect testosterone can have on sexual desire the role of testosterone in women has two important factors that must not be ignored. Women who suffer from low or inadequate levels open themselves up to osteoporosis and depression to a far greater degree than women who have adequate levels. Testosterone when produced in proper amounts will greatly strengthen a womans bone structure and as women are far more prone to osteoporosis than men this is an invaluable trait. As it is imperative to bone health it is equally imperative to mental health as well. Adequate levels of testosterone in women will largely be responsible for their general well-being in-terms of their overall state of mind; therefore, women who suffer from low levels will greatly see their quality of life improved once therapy is implemented.

Increased Testosterone in Women:

While this hormone is important, when testosterone in women reaches excess levels a host of problems can be found and if you are a women you will find the most prominent ones to be nothing short of horrible. Excess levels of testosterone in women can greatly cause a host of masculine effects and largely take away from femininity. For those who have high levels common effects may include:

    Deepening of the Vocal Chords
    Facial Hair Growth
    Body Hair Growth
    Hair Loss (Baldness)
    Acne
    Clitoral Enlargement

These possible effects brought on by increased levels of the hormone are effects most no woman would ever desire. While very few women will reach levels of a nature that can cause these symptoms naturally, the most common method is due to synthetic administration of testosterone.

Granted, as these problems can be far from desirable, testosterone in women can be increased beyond normal levels in-order to provide a means to reach a certain end and done so effectively and safely. As testosterone will promote muscle growth and preservation of existing tissue in men it will do the same in women. The difference here is the possible negative effects of such amounts; men do not have to worry about feminine effects if they take too much of the hormone. However if a woman desires to dramatically increase muscle mass, if they use very low doses of the hormone for far shorter durations than men, many times they can avoid these side-effects; however, just as many times they cannot. It is truly a role of the dice and impossible to predict. Most women who are looking for a solid performance enhancing boost are advised to stick to other anabolic steroids other than testosterone; most women will find steroids such as Anavar to be far safer and very effective.

When Does a Steroid Cycle Really End?

For anabolic steroid cycle planning, when it should be considered a cycle to have ended? At the end of the last week of steroids, or when the steroids have cleared?

Any system can be used if the thinking is consistent, but I prefer figuring cycle length according to how long anabolic steroid levels are suppressive.

For example, suppose someone is considering using testosterone cypionate at 2000 mg/week. Perhaps some may think it an unrealistic case, but depending on the individual case this amount may be entirely suitable. And suppose the user is health-conscious and wishes to have a quick recovery. This also can be realistic: many users at this level are quite careful in what they do.

This person knows that recovery after a well-planned 10 week cycle is usually fairly quick, and as cycles become longer than this, typically so do the recoveries. So a 10 week cycle is what he wants.

Well, figuring it as 10 weeks of injections, recovery would not go as he hoped!

Let’s make things simple and round the half-life of testosterone cypionate up to exactly one week, even though it’s probably a little shorter than this.

Then, at the end of week 11, his levels of injected testosterone would still be as high as if he’d been injecting testosterone at 1000 mg/week! Levels will be far too high to allow any recovery. And most likely, the reason he planned his cycle at 2000 mg/week is that he knows he wouldn’t achieve a new best at 1000 mg/week, let alone do so after peaking from 10 weeks at 2000 mg/week. So week 11 gives him neither further gains nor any recovery.

By the end of week 12, levels will still be as high as if he’d been injecting testosterone at 500 mg/week. Still no recovery, and with no further gains to show for it.

Even by the end of week 13, levels will be too high for recovery! Still another week would be lost.

Only by somewhere around week 14 could levels be low enough for recovery to even have a chance. But now, after this many weeks of inhibition, recovery will be slow or very slow for him.

This wasn’t what he was looking for. He’d have rather have had the quick recovery associated with only 10 weeks of inhibition, after having 10 weeks of strong gains.

But this situation is what can happen when figuring by weeks of injection rather than weeks of inhibition.

By planning according to weeks of inhibition, he’ll most likely have a fast recovery. He’d adjust the steroid cycle where transition will be fairly fast from the 2000 mg/week level to a level low enough to allow recovery, such as the 100-200 mg/week level.

This is done by taking advantage of short acting esters, suspension, and/or orals towards the end of the cycle, in place of long acting esters.

Differences Between Male and Female Anabolic Steroid Cycle Protocols

1. Testosterone is not necessary for use in female steroid cycles: The male physiological levels of endogenously manufactured Testosterone are not necessary for the survival or well-being of females. As mentioned prior, this is one of the several guidelines that can be circumvented by female users, and can essentially ‘get away with’, whereas men cannot. It should be common knowledge that the female body does not manufacture anywhere near the amount that the male human body does, and females therefore only require very minor amounts of Testosterone necessary for vital proper physiological function. Female endogenous production of Testosterone is approximately that of 1/10th of a male human body’s endogenous production. Testosterone in females is manufactured primarily by the adrenal glands, rather than the testes (organs that females do not possess).

It is not only unnecessary for females to utilize Testosterone but it is also in fact highly advised that female anabolic steroid users abstain from the use of Testosterone due to its very strong androgenic strength rating, which would provide pronounced virilization issues. However, there are female anabolic steroid users that do wish to engage in the use of stronger androgens such as Testosterone or Trenbolone, and this may be the result of the female not caring as to whether or not they experience virilization as a result. In such a case, it is a personal decision based upon personal values and goals. However, for the average female that does not wish to transform into a male, it is advised to stay away from the strong androgens such as Testosterone.

2. There is no post cycle therapy (PCT) required following a female steroid cycle. Once again, the purpose of a PCT is that of the restoration of natural function of endogenous Testosterone production and HPTA function in males. This is unnecessary in female anabolic steroid users. Females do not possess testicles, and therefore are not necessary for vital female physiological function. PCT as a result is unnecessary, whereas for male users it is absolutely vital for the proper restoration of endogenous natural hormonal function.

3. Cycle lengths must be kept very short so as to avoid virilization symptoms. Just as how female users should avoid very strong androgenic anabolic steroids, cycle lengths must not exceed particular lengths due to the fact that as duration of use increases, the potential and severity of virilization and masculinizing effects so too increases. Ideally, female steroid cycle lengths should be no longer than 4 weeks at a time. Should any female anabolic steroid users experience the beginnings of any virilization symptoms prior to the 4 week mark (cracking/deepening of the voice, growth of bodily/facial hair, etc.) all administration of anabolic steroids should be halted immediately.

4. Anabolic steroid stacks and combinations must be avoided at all costs unless absolutely necessary. This is mostly self-explanatory, as the combination and stacking of two or more anabolic steroids will result in a compounding of androgenic effects, leading to rapid onset of virilization, and more severe virilization symptoms. Unless absolutely necessary, such as the case of female competitive bodybuilders, stacking should be avoided at all costs unless deemed absolutely necessary.

5. While male anabolic steroid users must ensure proper time-off (break time, or time away from anabolic steroids) in between cycles that consists of time spent on the previous cycle and PCT length (for example, an 8 week cycle followed by a 4 week PCT would mean that time-off afterwards before the next cycle would be 3 – 4 months), females do not necessarily require this.  Female anabolic steroid users may be able to take shorter breaks and time-off in between cycles, although it is advised that at least 4 – 8 weeks of sufficient time off in between cycles is adequate to ensure proper normalization of the body’s internal systems following hormone augmentation that would result in the disruption of said systems. While males must ensure proper and adequate endogenous Testosterone and HPTA recovery, females do not need to be concerned with this.

Women and Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids have been around for more than 70 years. The predominant users of these steroids have been men but over the past 30 years, women have also started to abuse these drugs. In fact, it is widely believed that many female athletes from the Eastern bloc countries in the 70s and 80s were loaded with anabolic steroids during sporting events. In North America, use of anabolic steroids is common but not often reported. Since the screening has become more rigid, many women are discreet about their usage patterns.

It is estimated that about 7% of high school girls have tried anabolic steroids and this number increases slightly over time. In sports, the number of women who take anabolic steroids is not really known but is believed to be quite high. Many women now seem to be taking anabolic steroids at a younger age. Once the body is built they enter professional sports where they only need maintenance treatments to keep up their physique.

The Problem
All the available anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of the male sex hormone, testosterone.  These drugs posses both anabolic and androgenic properties. Men take anabolic steroids to build muscle. Females take anabolic steroids for many more reasons.

Like men, women use anabolic steroid to build their body and also be competitive in the field of sports. There is also one important fact which all females have to know- the side effects and complications of anabolic steroids are much worse in females than in males.

Availability of anabolic steroids

Over the years, countless anabolic steroids have been developed and many have been discontinued by the pharmaceutical companies. Today, the majority of anabolic steroids are available only for hospital use to treat certain medical disorders.

Anabolic steroids for personal use are only available through illegal means. Some women get their steroids from foreign countries like Mexico, Thailand, Europe or over the internet. In each and every case, the quality and purity of these illegally acquired anabolic steroids remains questionable. Plus, many of the illegally acquired anabolic steroids have contaminants and fake products are also common.

The most popular anabolic steroids used by women include:
     
    Winstrol
    Depo testosterone
    Halotestin
    Anadriol
    Stanozolol
    Equipose
    Oxandrin

Most women usually start off with the low doses and generally take the drugs for a few months. Unlike men, the dose in women does not have to be high to produce the anabolic effects. When the dose is increased, many of the anabolic steroids have undesirable side effects which are not always reversible. Women who take these steroids see a noticeable effect in their body after about 3-4 weeks. The initial weight gain is usually from water retention and then the muscle mass build up follows. A female must exercise in order to build the body. Taking anabolic steroids without any formal exercise program only leads to obesity.

Most women who take anabolic steroids develop increased protein mass and reduced body fat. Women who have used anabolic steroids in the past claim that these drugs create a positive euphoria and increased awareness. Besides developing a sexy and trim body, these women also notice the obvious increase in strength. Unlike men, women experience a heightened sexual arousal when taking anabolic steroids.
Dose

Unlike men, the amount of anabolic steroid required to build the body is significantly much less in women. Women also tend to build the body faster then men. The key for all women who take anabolic steroids is to start low. The low doses mean fewer chances of side effects and minimal complications.
Side effects

Like all drugs, side effects also occur with anabolic steroids. The most common side effects seen in women who take these drugs include the following:

These side effects do not occur in all women nor do they all occur at the same time. Estimates indicate that about 1-5% of women suffer from some type of side effect. However, with long term use, a high proportion of women do develop mental issues which often never reverse. When the drugs are discontinued, unfortunately, not all the side effects are reversible.
Why women take anabolic steroids

Unlike men, women take anabolic steroids for several reasons. Some women have a body dysmorphic disorder- meaning they look at themselves in the mirror and are unhappy at what they see. Other women who take anabolic steroid to get bigger and stronger so that they can protect themselves. Others take the steroids to become competitive in sports.
Steroid abuse

The exact data on steroid abuse in women are unknown; every now and then a female athlete is caught with steroids in the body. Because of stringent screening criteria, the numbers of users are down but by no means eliminated. Many women take these steroids during the off season or while away on vacation.
Final point

Anabolic steroid use is common among women. Even though women are new to the body building scene they do know what it takes to build a body faster. There are some researchers who now indicate that women should abstain from use of anabolic steroids. Proper exercise and nutrition should be encouraged because the long term mental problems lead to disturbances in lifestyle.

Overall, most women who have taken steroids in the past now claim that the use of anabolic steroids never enhanced their competitive potential, but made a big difference in their sexuality.

Side Effects of Steroids for Women

Steroids are synthetic versions of the hormone testosterone. Doctors prescribe steroids to treat medical conditions, such as delayed puberty and wasting diseases. Steroids are also used illegally for improved athletic abilities and physical appearance. Though steroid abuse was once popular primarily among bodybuilders, it has grown increasingly common among males and females of various walks of life, according to the United States Department of Justice. Steroids may cause numerous side effects in women.

Menstrual Abnormalities and Infertility
Male and female bodies produce testosterone. In women's bodies, testosterone is stored in the ovaries and other tissues throughout the reproductive system. Since steroids replicate testosterone, steroid use may trigger hormonal shifts. As a result, women may experience menstrual abnormalities my occur. Women may experience fewer periods, lighter or heavier menstrual flow, erratic periods or unusual premenstrual symptoms. If a woman stops menstruating , a condition called amenhorrea, it may indicate infertility--another potential side effect of steroid use according to the United States Department of Justice.

Masculine Effects
The term androgenic refers to changes males encounter during puberty. Due to the androgenic properties of steroids, women may experience side effects similar to symptoms males experience during pubescent years, such as a deeper voice and increased body or facial hair. According to the Mayo Clinic, steroid use may also cause unusual clitoris growth and baldness. Women's breasts may reduce in size and some effects, such as voice changes, may be permanent.

Emotional Effects
Steroids may also affect a woman's emotions. Potential emotional side effects include mood swings, mania, a false sense of invincibility, depression, anxiousness, irritability and hostility. Though emotional side effects of steroids can affect women and men, women may experience worsened moods during before menstruation. Women with history of mental illness, such as depression or anxiety, may risk relapses or greater need for psychological treatment. According to the Mayo Clinic, people may become dependent on steroids, resulting in heightened emotional problems during and after steroid use.

Physical Effects
In addition to appearance and menstrual changes, steroids may cause severe acne, water retention or bloating, liver disorders, sexual disorders and unhealthy cholesterol levels. High cholesterol caused by steroids may lead to cardiovascular conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Taking steroids during pregnancy may negatively affect fetal development.

HGH – Human Growth Hormone

HGH is a naturally occurring hormone in the human body that is produced by the pituitary gland. A release of HGHRH and SST by the hypothalamus coincide with the amount of HGH released by the pituitary gland. HGH is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction/regeneration. Being a stress hormone, it also raises the concentration of glucose and free fatty acids and, most importantly, stimulates the production of IGF-1 from the liver. The peptide has shown the ability to increase the sizes of cells and the rate of cell mitosis.

Enhancement of macro/micro nutrient absorption has also been proven with the use of HGH; specifically the conversion of material into protein. In studies, it has been found that HGH also alters the rate in which carbohydrates and fats are utilized. Studies indicate that the use of carbohydrates is decreased while the use of fats are increased. It is believed that, partially, the advantage of HGH and fat loss comes from such a mechanism. HGH is secreted in rhythmic pulse while one is sleeping due to the melodic release of HGHRH and SST, which control the gateway to the release. HGH also carries with it the ability to stimulate the production of cartilage, though secondarily. When HGH is released, it also causes a release of IGF through the liver in response. IGF is known for its cartilage growth and reproductive properties.

In recent years, HGH has been popularized as a vitality drug. Many TRT companies are providing prescribed legal HGH to their clients to promote an anabolic and age defying synergy with their trt doses. Studies indicate that a very low dosage of HGH will be enough for fat burning properties to take effect. Technically, 2iu of HGH should be enough for even the larger bodybuilder to see fat burning properties, but the gold standard in the bodybuilding community has been a minimum of 4iu (broken into two doses a day) for fat burning and above 6iu for its anabolic properties. The duration of cycle has been popularized at 6 months, though you will start to see results in as little as two months. Many bodybuilders will stack HGH with steroids and other compounds to cause a profound anabolic and fat burning effect. The use of HGH, testosterone, insulin, IGF-1, and thyroid hormones have become a staple in any pro bodybuilder’s regimen for contest prep.   The use of HGH does not come without risk. Two of the biggest risks that a user should be worried about are the fact that HGH makes everything grow, including cancer cells and the use of anabolics with HGH has been shown to cause an enlarging of the heart (cardiomegaly) which can lead to many serious complications. Doctors supervision is always recommended when using any compound.

A fair warning to all who wish to purchase HGH. One can pay as much as 2 dollars for one single iu of HGH on the black market. With the legal market being about five times as expensive its easy to see why people may choose to go this route. HGH is very popular in the black market, and for that reason its also highly counterfeited. When trying to purchase HGH on the black market, make sure you are relying on a trustable source. As always, going the legal route is the route that everyone should take. But the reality of the situation is that people will buy black market. Make sure to check reviews, don’t get scammed.

Basic steroid cycle info for women

Important to remember, steroids BUILD muscle, and are not for fat loss purposes. If losing some extra pounds and toning up is your goal, then there are many products out there, geared to losing weight, besides the obvious of making a change in diet and your exercise routine.

Steroids should be considered when you have worked out for at least two years or more and are at your ideal body weight. Then any gains made by the steriod use, will be pure muscle, and your hard earned money will not be wasted.

A great beginner cycle for women is Anavar. Anavar is one of the mildest anabolics out there, with low androgenic activity. It is known to increase strength and add quality muscle. Any women fearing side effects should definitely stick to Anavar. At a low dose of 5 mg everyday, most women see no ill side effects. A typical cycle should run from 6-8 weeks.

Primobolan is another mild steroid. It does not convert into estrogen, which is a plus, if water retention is a worry for you. Most women respond well to a dosage of 50-100mg per week. A typical time frame to run this would be 8-10 weeks. Some side effects to watch out for include oily skin, acne and a possible increase in facial/body hair. Primobolan will give a slow, steady increase in strength and builds quality muscle.

Winstrol can be taken orally or be injected. Winstrol should not be used for a beginner’s cycle. Most women either love winny or they hate it. It is a favorable drug to be used in a cutting cycle, when your diet is good. Winstrol builds mass and gives awesome strength gains. Side effects can occur, and things to watch out for include deepening of voice, enlarged or sensitive clitoris, and acne. Women usually take 5-10mg daily. Keeping this dose low will decrease chances of unwanted side effects. It is usually wise to split the dose up during the day, to keep blood levels on an even base. With the injection, usually 25mg every 3rd or 4th day is a normal dosing. Run this cycle for 8 weeks. Remember to take milk thistle, because this steroid is stressful on the liver.

Deca is a popular steriod among female competitors. Even though it is only slightly androgenic, sometimes virilization can be expected. Keeping the doses low and monitoring for sides can nip these unwanted sides early. Sides will include excess facial/body hair; some women on the other hand report cases of losing hair. Once again, low dosing is key. Deca is not a fast builder of muscle, but slow, gradual gainer of muscle and strength. Women should start at around 50mg per week. If virilization is at all a concern, then possibly trying the shorter acting nadrolone Durabolin might be a option.

If you must dabble in testosterone, then Test Prop should be the choice; only because it is in and out of your system fast. So if any unwanted sides appeared, all that you need to do is stop using, and it will be cleared from your system fast. It’s good to spread the injections out, generally using 25mg to 50mg per injection, every 5 to 7 days. This cycle should exceed 8 weeks. Sides to look for include clitoral enlargement; excess facial/body hair; deepening of voice; oily skin; acne; and increase sexual libido (not a bad side, really ) It is very important to monitor your self closely while using test.

Women do not need to taper on their cycles of steroids; once the cycle is over, then just discontinue use (one good benefit of not having balls).

A lot of side effects brought on by anabolic steriod use is irreversible for women. Make sure you have researched and read personal testimonies before choosing your drug.

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.”

What are the Best Steroids for Women?

What are the best anabolic steroid for women? Are Anavar and Primobolan the best bets to minimize masculinizing side effects?

It may seem surprising but Anadrol (oxymetholone) is a good choice for women who wish to be conservative yet have very effective results.

Medically, you’d be astonished at the doses women and even girls have taken with very low virilization rates. So anyway, contrary to what intuition might suggest, Anadrol is not one of the riskier choices for women.

That aside, 15 mg/day of Anavar (oxandrolone) will be virilizing in quite a few cases. Probably about 5 mg/day of oxandrolone is comparable to 25 mg/day Anadrol (divided doses) for risk.

Primobolan up to 50 mg/week, divided injections, is a common and reasonable choice, but has some risk: not a particularly high rate though.

I first learned of Anadrol for women from Dan Duchaine. In the earlier parts of Denise Rutkowski’s career, he had her on 25 mg/day Anadrol. I don’t think I’m disclosing a secret here because he also published this. She obviously did very well with it and at that point she was not virilized at all. So from him mentioning this to me, I looked further into it.

The medical doses are pretty astonishing. The reason that 50 mg is the tablet size is because that’s the standard minimal medical dose, including for women and children! It used to be used extensively for improving red blood cell count.

I’m sure I could find it again, and I’ve posted it before, but there’s at least one paper in the literature reporting doses used for quite a large number of women and reporting low incidence of any side effects. And these doses were often more than 50 mg/day. Sometimes much more.

And further, personally I’ve never seen 25 mg/day go wrong.

I’m not saying it can’t: you see some women developing hoarse voices and facial hair naturally with time, so there must be some women that are right on the edge. But generally speaking, this is a conservative dose, yet quite effective.

The mg amount that women can tolerate of Anadrol is markedly higher than any other anabolic steroid. However, that said, it’s also true that effect per mg is less, but not enough so to make up the safety difference IMO. I would put 25 mg/day Anadrol (in divided doses) up against 50 mg/week Primo any time for effectiveness and it’s at least equally conservative.

Another thing about Anadrol that’s remarkable is that other anabolic steroids are very easily disruptive of the menstrual cycle. Even dosages such as 2.5 mg oxandrolone 2x/day commonly raise issues. Anadrol however medically has shown often only moderate effect on the menstrual cycle at 50 mg/day, and in my too-limited experience with it (as I generally don’t work with women on steroid cycles) 25 mg/day only lightened and shortened the cycles slightly. Remarkably less disruptive.

As a rough rule of thumb: take a dosage that would be quite moderate for a man, nearly the minimum likely to be recommended that could still give reasonable results for a novice, then divide by 10 to have something that’s moderate but effective for a woman.

(I don’t mean effective in the women’s pro bodybuilding sense.)

For each individual steroid, my suggested mild-but-effective dosage range may differ from the above slightly, and of course the above also is only approximate because there will be diffferent opinions as to what would be moderate for a man. But if having nothing else to work with, if you see or are considering a dosage and want to do a quick “reality check,” the above can help. For example, say that someone is proposing EQ at 100 mg/week. Multiply by 10, and our comparison would be to 1000 mg/week of EQ for a man. That’s well above being a mild cycle. So we can see at a glance that this EQ dose is off, without having had to remember specific values for each steroid.
I’d also take Winstrol out of the equation, as it’s possible (I’m not certain) it has a somewhat worse benefits/risk ratio for women than most other anabolic steroids.

Also in general I’d forget stacking for women.

Returning to the stacks you asked about, and in general to anabolic steroids other than Anadrol for women:

I can’t say that it couldn’t possibly be that some stacking method might give better ratio of muscle gain to side effects, but as to whether we know what that is, that’s another question entirely. The best understood uses are single-drug, and single-drug works fine. Primo or Anadrol are my top two choices for bodybuilding and fitness; oxandrolone is also acceptable but must be lower dosed than those two; for quality of life enhancement, very very low dose testosterone works fine.

How to Start Bodybuilding for Women

Strength training seeks to make a stronger you, while bodybuilding kicks the goal up several notches - to make your body a visual statement of rippling muscle and taut sinew. You can become a female bodybuilder and still maintain your femininity and appeal, as demonstrated by bodybuilding icons such as Rachel McLish and Marissa Rivero, successful actresses and beautiful models. To get started, you need mainly to commit to an initial three months of dedicated work, as well as planning and tracking your progress.

Commit to the Weight Room
Two to three days a week, you need to hit the weight room for a date with your barbells. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are ideal. You can focus on the powerlifts - the deadlift, squat and bench - to build muscle and in the process, burn fat. Expect to warm up by lifting light weights and to spend about an hour per session. Women: Don’t forget to train hard, after your first month or so of getting acclimated. Push yourself as part of serious training designed to pack on 5 to 10 pounds of additional muscle, advises fitness author Stuart McRobert.

Ramp Up the Cardio Intensity
Pick your favorite form of cardio - spinning, outdoor biking, running, hill sprints, swimming - and hit it hard. Literally. Brian Lebo of the Athletic Performance Training Center in Ohio advises HIIT, high-intensity interval training, as your way to burn fat in a time-efficient manner. Lebo advises a 3-to-1 rest-to-work ratio. In practical terms, this means you can for example go hard as you can on a hill sprint for 30 seconds, walk or jog back down the slope for 90 seconds, and repeat four times for an intense 10-minute training session.

Change Your Eating Habits
Processed and fried foods will be going bye-bye as part of your bodybuilding program. You’ll need five or six small meals each day with lean protein to repair muscles, carbs to fuel your workouts and healthy fats to satisfy hunger. Lebo advises that you create meal plans for your week. Rest your muscles a full 48 hours before working the same muscle group and get plenty of sleep.

Meal Ideas for Beginners
You may need to restock your pantry with lots of tuna and whole grains. A mini-meal may consist of oats and cooked egg whites; sweet potato and tuna; brown rice, chicken and greens; or tilapia and a quarter of an avocado. Figure competitor Ashley Toms, who describes diet as 90 percent of success in bodybuilding, similarly combines chicken, green veggies and steel-cut oats; whey protein shakes and oats; and snacks such as protein shakes or a handful of nuts.

Female Steroid Cycles

Anabolic steroid use where females are concerned is a very seldom touched upon topic within the anabolic steroid using community. This is because the majority of anabolic steroid users land in the male gender category, as well as the fact that almost all of the clinical data in regards to anabolic steroid use in females is in reference to the medical applications, which in and of itself is very different from the use of anabolic steroids for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement. This particular section of this article is by no means designed to be a comprehensive guide to female anabolic steroid use. Instead, only the most immediate concerns and topics in regards to proper female steroid cycles will be covered.

The majority of the questions, concerns, and issues where female use is concerned will be explored upon in a later article. For the time being, the considerations as to the potential side effects in female anabolic steroid users can easily be accessed by reading a comprehensive article on anabolic steroid side effects in general, which would include the potential side effects for female users.

When female anabolic steroids cycles are considered, there are vast differences to be understood and considered in comparison to the average anabolic steroid cycle, which almost always is structured and designed for male users. The fact is that the majority of anabolic steroid use information, cycle protocols, PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) considerations, and many more common guidelines simply do not apply to female anabolic steroid users.

In summary, there are various advantages that female anabolic steroid users hold over male users, and there are various advantages that male users hold over female users. There also exist disadvantages that are different pertaining to both genders. These must be understood first.

Assuming the majority of preliminary considerations for all users have been noted (listed in the introduction of this article), the preliminary considerations for female anabolic steroid users is for the most part very straightforward and short in its explanation.

All female anabolic steroid users must understand the base fundamentals of what they are doing with their bodies: Anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic analogues and derivatives of the male hormone Testosterone (or simply Testosterone itself). As stated, this is the male sex hormone, and females engaging in anabolic steroid cycles are simply inserting Testosterone (or related analogues) into themselves  in an effort to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat levels. Using common sense, any female understanding this will realize the potential for the development of male secondary sex characteristics (properly known as virilization). Virilization effects can include the development of male secondary sex characteristics (deepening of the voice, growth of body and facial hair), clitoral enlargement, and menstrual irregularities. It is also strongly advised to abstain from anabolic steroid cycles during pregnancy, as this is a particularly important hormonal period for the development of a fetus, and the inclusion of supraphysiological levels of androgens have been linked to birth defects in newborn babies.

It is also necessary to gain a proper understanding of which anabolic steroids are suitable, which are less suitable, and which should be not used under any but the most essential circumstances. These details will be covered shortly.

Testosterone Propionate

Testosterone Propionate is an esterified form of the base steroid testosterone, much like enanthate, cypionate and sustanon 250. It's a superlipophillic, oil-based injectable that slows the release of the steroid into the blood stream. But compared to enanthate and cypionate, testosterone propionate is a very short ester and is still released quite fast. As such more frequent injections are needed. Levels will peak after 24-36 hours and begin tapering from there on out, making the longest possible time-span between injections, at least or proper results, about 3 days. Most athletes will opt to inject 50-100 mg every day to every other day.

It's not the most user-friendly steroid of them all. Frequent injections can be painful to begin with, to a point where users will begin scouting for different locations to stick the needle, in order to not aggravate the same spots all the time. To make matters worse, its not that pleasant to inject either. The injection-site can become irritated and swell, and sometimes give incredible itches or soreness when touched. All these factors combined, you can see that this is the best form of testosterone to start off on for most beginners. And still. As discussed with enanthate and cypionate, a long-acting ester requires some skill with ancillary drugs and familiarity with post-cycle protocol since simple discontinuation will not put a halt to all problems. In that aspect, for those who do not master ancillaries and post-cycle therapy, propionate is perhaps a better product to start off with. Levels of androgens and estrogens will drop within 2-4 days of discontinuation, effectively halting or reducing any occurring side-effects. Nonetheless, this is a testosterone with a high risk of side-effects (the characteristics of testosterone do not change despite the ester, which is just a carrier) so the use of Nolvadex/proviron/Arimidex and so forth is highly advised if you plan to see a cycle through.

What is of note with propionate, is that users have successfully incorporated it into cutting cycles as well. Especially people who tend to lose a lot of mass normally during extreme diet phases find this useful. By injecting every two or three days and using only 50-75 mg each time, no notable water builds up (or at least none that can't be fixed with proviron, arimidex or winstrol) and no fat is deposited, thus allowing a user to stay relatively lean. So this type of testosterone can be used to keep gaining or retaining mass until 2-3 weeks out of contest time with relatively little difficulty. Although most will choose to add Proviron (50-100 mg/day) out of precaution. Its best use is of course still in bulking phases to pack on mass. Testosterone is not the king of the hill of all mass-builders for nothing.

On the American black market propionate is not an extremely available item, its most popular in Europe, where its use is more wide-spread than that of the long-acting esters. Its nonetheless a desired item almost anywhere in the world because it's a very controllable form of what is no doubt the most powerful steroid ever. The cost is quite high too, easily running 2 to 3 times more for a weekly dose than enanthate, cypionate or sustanon 250.

Stacking and Use:

As a short-lived oil based injectable, most will want to opt for doses of 50-100 mg every day to every other day. Those of a lighter stature seeking to use it for cutting purposes may want to make that every 2nd or 3rd day, or add proviron as a precaution instead, 50-100 mg/day sufficing in most cases. The site of injection is best rotated each time, or problem can occur. The compound is irritative and the damage to the skin and underlying tissue can cause some cosmetic problems if it becomes repetitive. Subcutaneously , balls of fat or tissue can build up. In most cases these need to surgically removed. So rotating is wise.

For bulking purposes one is best to stack testosterone with a base compound such as Deca-durabolin (nandrolone) or Equipoise (boldenone), and can addition Dianabol (methandrostenolone) or Anadrol (oxymetholone) for 5-6 weeks, at the beginning, to kickstart the gains a bit. Most will choose for a more user-friendly, longer-acting testosterone for bulking purposes however. For cutting, the best and primary addition is that of Proviron, which will reduce if not stop estrogen build-up, increase muscle hardness and strength and allow for a higher free testosterone level. But naturally other compounds lend themselves quite well too. Base compounds such as Equipoise or Primobolan (methenolone) making a good match for longer stacks, and towards contest time steroids such as Anavar (oxandrolone), finaplix (Trenbolone) or Winstrol (Stanazolol) make the best matches, as they too will help increase muscle hardness and decrease body-fat, while maintaining lean muscle mass. With testosterone, most any combination is possible. Because testosterone is always the stronger compound in a stack.

In terms of ancillaries, the use of anti-estrogens is advised. For cutting puposes one will want to run Proviron alongside the testosterone for the length of the stack, which will rarely make the use of other anti-estrogens a necessity. If no Proviron or arimidex is used, you may want to keep some Nolvadex handy. Should problems arise starting on 20-40 mg of Nolvadex until a while after problems subside should be sufficient for all intents and purposes. Testosterone, being a heavily aromatizing compound, is also quite suppressive of natural testosterone (most so, safe for nandrolone) so a post-cycle therapy with Nolva/Clomid and HCG is necessary. Usually one will start HCG the last week or two weeks of a stack and run it about 4 weeks. HCG shots of 1500-3000 IU given every 5th or 6th day. That means during the end of a cycle, one shot of HCG is given per two shots of testosterone. A user should also opt to wait on using clomid or Nolvadex until the androgen is cleared. For longer esters that was 1.5 to 2 weeks, obviously that time-frame should be reduced to 1 week or even half a week for propionate. One will then start on either 40-50 mg of Nolvadex or 150 mg of Clomid per day for a period of two weeks, and then follow it up with 20-25 mg of Nolvadex or 100 mg of Clomid per day for another two weeks. Post-cycle therapy will facilitate the return of natural testosterone and make it more likely for the user to retain most of the mass he gained while on the cycle.

Anavar and Sustained Weight Loss

One of the steroids that fit women well, Anavar (oxandrolone) is a drug that is mild on all fronts: mildly anabolic, mildly androgenic, mildly affects the hypothalamic-testicular-pituitary-axis (HTPA), and most important, mildly toxic to the liver compared to other steroids. These properties make this a popular, albeit expensive, anabolic drug, especially for top-level female athletes.

Originally made by Searle in the US but was discontinued after too much negative publicity, this drug is manufactured by companies like British Dragon Thailand and La Pharma Anavar Italy. It is currently marketed under trade names Oxandrin and Oxanabol. Anavar (slang name: var) is a class 1 steroid as it binds well with androgen-receptors (under the arbitrary classification system that is based on AR interaction).

While it is a strong AR agonist, the lack of non-receptor mediated mechanisms such as protein synthesis makes oxandrolone a weak anabolic steroid. Thus, it requires rather large doses for it to be effective; combating muscle-wasting in AIDS, for example, requires administration of Anavar in 20-80mgs doses. It is no wonder that male bodybuilders don't favor this drug well, as it is quite expensive and doesn't give much in return.

Another characteristic of Anavar, which is considered good especially by women, is its poor androgenic properties. It doesn't raise estrogen levels so the common side effects associated with AAS gynecomastia and water retention- are unheard of when using this drug. However, it may increase low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) and reduce high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) which can cause blood pressure problems. For women, masculinizing effects such as body/facial hair growth and deepening of voice are minute and are therefore not a concern when using Anavar.

Unlike other 17-alkylated steroids, liver toxicity is considered insignificant when using Anavar, unless administered in very large doses and used for prolonged periods. It doesn't pose as much hepatotoxic effects as Dianabol (methandrostenolone), another testosterone derivative that is altered at the 17th carbon atom (this alteration is usually done for orally-administered drugs to be able to survive the pass through the liver).

Anavar also shows minimal effect on the HTPA, particularly on low doses. Oxandrolone does not aromatize to estrogen, and suppression of the serum testosterone, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) is slight. Of course, like other anabolic steroids, the effect worsens as the dose increases..

One characteristic that sets Anavar apart is its unusual fat-burning ability. One study shows that the drug reduced abdominal and visceral fat on subjects with low/normal natural testosterone [1]. In another research, appendicular, total, and trunk lipids were lowered with 20mgs/day of Anavar, without any exercise [2]. In addition to its fat-burning properties, the drug also allows permanent muscle gains. The muscle you get when you use Anavar may not be much, but you got to keep it after you stop taking the drug, as shown by a study wherein the subjects maintained their weight six months after stopping Anavar medication.
With this mixture of interesting and exciting effects that impact health enthusiasts, it is no wonder that Anavar gained many adherents. This is especially true for women, as it seems that the drug suits them well in all aspects particularly with the relatively low dosage indicated for them. The fat-burning and weight-sustaining effects of Anavar are additional benefits that make the drug more attractive. 

Women's Bodybuilding Training - Bodybuilding Fat Loss Tips for Women

Everyone knows what to do to lose fat, right? Then how come so few reach their goals and achieve that lean look if it's so damn easy to get ripped?

I could tell you the very same things as everybody else does, but I definitely won't. It's not only about the perfect diet plan and the right amount of exercise, the best supplements and so on; the most important part of a fat-loss strategy is your mental approach to it.

That's what I'm going to tell you about. Basically, what you've got to do is stick to your plan. Period.

First, let's suppose you do the following things already:

    You do at least 6 cardio workouts of 40-60 minutes per week, preferably pre-breakfast.

    You eat 5-8 small meals per day, emphasizing proteins, healthy fats and vegetables.

    You don't skip on the carbs post-workout. (Take in 0.5 gram per pound of bodyweight)

    You get at least 6 hours of sleep almost every night.

If those are in order, you can get better results using the following tips:

Fat Loss Tip #1: Getting Through The Hardest Of Times
Some days are tougher than others, especially when it's about dieting. I'm talking about those annoying moments when you ask yourself over and over again why you're doing all the cardio and for what?! You feel so sorry for yourself, thinking everyone else is better off, you're watching all 'normal' people eating ice cream every other hour, and you wish so much you were one of those lucky souls. What you must do is to motivate yourself to stick to your plan with whatever means you can use. The photo at the right is what motivates me.

Most chicks would kill for a gorgeous, fit body like this, but they believe a walk in the park will do the trick. Even if you told them it's a bit harder, they wouldn't believe you, since they don't want to face the truth.

Fat Loss Tip #2: You Never Diet, You Follow A Perfect Diet Plan
When I need to drop a couple of pounds, I never say I'm dieting; the mere word 'dieting' gives me the worst cravings imaginable! I just want to run to the supermarket, buying chocolate, fish sticks and other fattening stuff. I tell myself that I'm allowed to eat whatever I like, including ice cream and candy. And lots of it too. But, I must stand the consequences if I'm going to eat like a starving horse. I know that by falling for the temptation will make me fat and puts me farther away from my dream body. Then, I also take into account how satisfied I will be after eating the chocolate and fish sticks. I know it won't be for long, maybe only for a couple of hours before I start to regret it. And then it's already too late; I have just annihilated ten hours of cardio for what; a bit of chocolate?

Fat Loss Tip #3: Show It Off
There's nothing as pleasant as watching your muscles pump up during a workout session, so don't always wear your whole wardrobe at the same time; let yourself see the pay off in the gym's mirrors and you'll feel so much stronger.

Don't care about jealous people who blame you for just showing off. If they cannot stand perceiving a great physique, they probably have some major psychological problems to solve. You must get used to those pessimistic people who hate everybody who more resembles their ideal physique than they do themselves.

Fat Loss Tip #4: How To Get Through The Boring Cardio
Ok, there you go again...Sick and tired of the stairmaster already? Hey, you've only done it 40 times this month! Do a list on topics you can think about when working out. This is my list:

    First, I repeat to myself why I'm doing this boring chore. I mean, it's not always a lot of fun, mounting the step machine at 4:30 a.m., and I must not forget why it's of such great importance that I do it anyway.

    I tell myself this is the very last workout I have to do for my whole life. If I get this one done, I will always look good, always be fit and happy. (Yes, I know it's a lie, but my psyche is so easily duped!)

    I promise myself that I can eat a whole chocolate bar (the biggest one of course!) for breakfast if I only do the cardio. This is a big lie once again, but it doesn't matter since when I'm done, it would be so unnecessary eating something that makes my efforts meaningless.

    I visualize my ripped physique, every comments on my lines and how impressed people will be once I enter the stage.

    Listen to the very best cardio music; Irish folk music! I promise you will get totally energized!

    Visualize what the perfect feature of you in a major muscle mag like Flex or MuscleMag would be like. What questions would they ask you? What kind of pictures? What would the article lead to concerning sponsors, feedback, and model contracts?


Why Is It Critical To Visualize Your Success?
Well, as you're the one who's in charge of your goals and dreams, you cannot let yourself wonder about whether you've got what it takes or not. Who's to judge that? Well, you and you only.

Don't listen to those telling you it's impossible. They don't know, they just think they do. Of course, hear people out, but be careful about what they tell you, and what you tell yourself. Remember, you are what you believe you are! 

Myths of Women's Weight Training and Female Bodybuilding

The myths about women's weight training and female bodybuilding do not ever seem to go away. With this article, I'd like to share the facts regarding weight training and female bodybuilding.

Women's Weight Training Myth #1 -Weight training makes you bulky and masculine.
Due to the fact that women do not, and cannot, naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass by merely touching some weights. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, unfortunately, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity. In addition, most also have good genetics coupled with an unbelievable work ethic that enable them to gain muscle quickly when they spend hours in the gym lifting very heavy weights. Believe me when I say that they do not look like that by accident. Women who conduct weight training without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure shows these days.

Women's Weight Training Myth #2 - Exercise increases your chest size.
Sorry girls. Women’s breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat, your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants.

Women's Weight Training Myth #3 - Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound.
If you perform all exercises through their full range of motion, flexibility will increase. Exercises like flyes, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase.

Women's Weight Training Myth #4 - If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat.
This is like saying that gold can turn into brass. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subject’s muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.

Women's Weight Training Myth #5 - Weight training turns fat into muscle.
More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don't we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very different types of tissue. We cannot turn one into the other.

Women's Weight Training Myth #6 - As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want.
How I wish this were true also! However, this could not be further from the truth. Our individual metabolism determines how many calories we burn at rest and while we exercise. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either remains stable or goes down. If you are confused about nutrition, please read Nutrition Basics.

Women's Weight Training Myth #7 - Women only need to do cardio and if they decide to lift weights, they should be very light.
First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change.

Women Should Train Hard
I have trained with girls that train as hard as I do and they look nothing but feminine. If you want to look great, don't be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard! 

Breaking The Female Myth: "If I Lift Heavy I’ll Look Like A Man"

Does lifting turn women into muscle bound freaks? Of course not! Find out the physiological and hormonal reasons why women can't get as big as men.

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 when it comes to females and resistance training.

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 (Marieb, 2004). 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 (Wheeler, 1995), 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.
    b) Cortisol, which reduces muscle mass.

Muscle Fibers and Types

There is a similar distribution of the percentage of Type I, Type IIa, and Type IIb muscle fibers 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-level calories. Because females are generally smaller than males (i.e. smaller bone size and mass, less muscle mass, etc.), they usually 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.


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”.