How to train

Supersets, giant sets, stutter-reps, negatives, triple drops, up the rack, down the rack, and one hundred and one Weider principles. What does it all mean? What really works?

Getting down to the actual type of workout I recommend, I find it necessary to touch on my theory for sets and reps. Keeping on line with our heavy training program, you can probably guess that I recommend doing a lot of low rep sets. I consider low reps in the area of 4 to 8. If you do not stimulate the bulk of the fast twitch muscle fibers in the area you are working by rep 6, believe me you are not going to hit it. As far as the number of sets per body part, it varies according to the size of that group. Legs are going to need around 20 sets; shoulders will do fine with about 12 sets. I recommend that a good 3 to 5 minutes be taken between each set. The goal is to put out maximum explosive effort on each rep of each set; you can't do that if you are still breathing hard from the prior set, or if the muscle is still burning. Experienced and well trained lifters can get as much of a pump from a heavy set of 6 reps on a lift as others might get from pushing the weight 40 times. I don't think that high rep sets do anything to build or even harden muscles. I get an excellent leg pump
from riding the stationary bike, but that pump does not have anything to do with muscle overload.

At the beginning of each workout there is a warm-up of a few sets. These are high-rep sets designed to get the blood flowing in the muscle, You will see, that on the exercises where I go up to quite heavy lifts, I do so gradually. Because we are training heavy, injury is certainly possible. By the time I get to the heaviest part of my bench workout for example, I have been lifting for about 25 minutes. This is very important to remember; do not rush into the heavy weights. It takes time to warm up the muscle and surrounding joints. 

ALWAYS WARM UP VERY THOROUGHLY BEFORE LIFTING HEAVY!  

I also wrap my wrists and elbows for heavy upper body lifts, and my knees for squats. Perfect form cannot be maintained for all heavy lifts, but an effort should be made. A little chinjecting can be a good thing; total disregard for form just to lift the weight can seriously injure you. Going heavy might mean lifting 500 Ibs. or 200 Ibs. for you personally, What ever the weight is, heavy is determined by your strength. Always push your strength, but remember it will take time to build it up. Forced reps are a good way to get used to weight that is out of your range. Doing a few forced reps on maximum lifts can help build strength.

An example of the workout I favor is as follows:

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OFF
This is the exact program I have one of my clients on. Weights are given merely to illustrate the kind of weight increases made when using progressive sets and relative static poundage. Of course, each person lifts different amounts and should set up their program accordingly. Different people also like different exercises for each body part; some are restricted by injury and obviously must avoid certain exercises. Thus, the actual program each person follows is often very different than the one here. A program like this one follows a 5 and 2 pattern, if you like to give your workout a number. I feel it is a superior way to build muscle strength and mass. Each body part is blasted one time a week. I believe in going all out, each rep of every set. This is the fastest and best way to build muscle. Many bodybuilders feel that working each body part only once a week could not possibly be enough training to get maximum growth, in actuality it is. Each muscle group gets full attention on the day it is trained; this allows you to get alt your energy into blasting that specific pan. This enables you to better focus mentally on that task as well. Other benefits of this program are that each muscle group fully recovery before you train it again and that you get two days off consecutively which allows your entire body to rest.
This training program should be supplemented with aerobic exercise three days a week. This could be accomplished by riding a stationary bike every other day for 30 minutes. This aerobic exercise should be of low intensity; if you are riding the bike, you should not have it on high enough tension that your legs burn. Too intense aerobic work can slow muscle growth. Just the right amount of aerobic work, will keep your heart healthy, burn body fat, and keep your metabolism high. Many lifters wilt change their program around when they go on a steroid cycle. In fact, I know more than a few guys who only train seriously or at all when they are on drugs, This is unwise because studies have shown that anabolic steroids work best on what was defined as 'well trained muscles.' Lifters who train hard all the time obviously have the best conditioned muscles. Another mistake some steroid users make is that since recovery rime is improved while on a cycle, this means to train more often. That is a logical assumption, but it may very well be incorrect. When a steroid cycle is working, the lifter will store more glycogen in the muscle, lift more aggressively, and be able to lift heavier weights. All this combined would clearly overload the muscle each workout than it would in an off cycle workout. So even though steroids improve recuperation abilities, lifters must still allow ample dine between workouts in consideration that extra recovery must take place. What conclusion I am getting at here is that I firmly believe in this schedule whether a person is on a cycle or not. A thought on steroids and training involves a theory I find quite sound. This theory ties a great deal of the muscle gains a person makes during a steroid cycle to how much strength they build during it. It is well established that steroids work best when a muscle is in a catabolic state. This catabolic state is arrived at by damaging the muscle cell by weight training. The greater the damage, the more the cell will grow after the recovery period. It is a fact that muscles get used to the level of stress you inflict upon them so that after awhile, even the most effective workouts hardly even affect the muscle cell. What can happen on a steroid cycle, is that a lifter will often experience a sudden increase in strength; often Just a few days after beginning the cycle. This is due to an increase in myofibrillar density caused by the additional fluids steroids cause the muscle cell to hold. The result is increased contractile strength. This allows for the lifting of progressively heavier weight. Since the muscle is lifting more than it is used to, it gets damaged more, thus allowing the main metabolic reactions of anabolic steroids to work even better. This is a seldom discussed advantage from taking steroids, but I feel it is the major reason why some people grow a lot while on a cycle and some don't grow at all. There you have it; my basic views on weight training to gain muscle. Of course there are exceptions to every rule; there are some lifters who grow
by lifting light weights. This is because they are deemed genetically to react to any muscle stimulation. I would venture to say that 98 out of 100 people are not that way. Clearly, the odds are you are going to have to get strong if you want to get big. Many of you out there who have been training for awhile and can snap out 400 lb bench presses, know what I am talking about. Many others do not have that kind of strength and must remember to keep going for heavier lifts all the time. It does take a while to build a massive, muscular physique, but if your strength is going up, you can be assured you are on your way. 

Never forget, HEAVY WEIGHTS BUILD BIG MUSCLES!

Injecting steroids

1. What to look for before injecting:

- Check the expiry dates of every product.
- Make sure that the vial or ampoule contains the right drug in the right strength.
- During the whole preparation procedure, material should be kept sterile.
- Wash your hands before starting to prepare the injection.
- Disinfect the skin over the injection site.
- Make sure that there are no air bubbles left in the syringe.
-Once the protective cover of the needle is removed extra care is needed.
- Do not touch anything with the unprotected needle.
- Once the injection has been given take care not to prick yourself or somebody else.

1) Always use a new needle and syringe for each injection.

2) Steroids are injected into a muscle - normally the buttock or thigh. Never inject steroids into a vein.

3) Never share needles, syringes or multi-use vials.

4) Don’t inject more than 2mls of fluid into one muscle area at a time.

5) Dispose of used needles and syringes in a sharps bin and return them to your needle exchange.

6) Only insert the needle three quarters (3/4) of the way into the muscle so it can be removed easier if it snaps. If you don’t insert the needle far enough into the muscle and then inject a steroid you could cause an abscess!

7) If you feel a hard lump in a muscle where you inject - use another site.  

Step by step for vials
- Wash your hands.
- Disinfect the top of the vial.
- Use a syringe with a volume of twice the required amount of liquid or solution and add the needle.
- Suck up as much air as the amount of solution needed to aspirate.
- Insert needle into (top of) vial and turn upside down.
- Pump air into vial (creating pressure).
- Aspirate the required amount of solution and 0.1 ml extra. Make sure the tip of the needle is below the fluid surface.
- Pull the needle out of the vial.
- Remove possible air from the syringe.
- Clean up; dispose of waste safely; wash your hands.


Step by step for ampoules
- Wash your hands.
- Put the needle on the syringe.
- Remove the liquid from the neck of the ampoule by flicking it or swinging it fast in a downward spiraling movement.
- File around the neck of the ampoule.
- Protect your fingers with gauze if ampoule is made of glass.
- Carefully break off the top of the ampoule (for a plastic ampoule twist the top).
- Aspirate the fluid from the ampoule.
- Remove any air from the syringe.
- Clean up; dispose of working needle safely; wash your hands.


Injecting
- Wash your hands.
- Reassure yourself / patient's for procedure.
- Uncover the area to be injected (lateral upper quadrant major gluteal muscle, lateral side of upper leg, deltoid muscle).
- Disinfect the skin.
- Relax the muscle.
- Insert the needle swiftly at an angle of 90 degrees (watch depth!).
- Aspirate briefly; if blood appears, withdraw needle. Replace it with a new one.
- Inject slowly (less painful).
- Withdraw needle swiftly.
- Press sterile cotton wool onto the opening. Fix with adhesive tape.
- Check yourself / patient's reaction and give additional reassurance, if necessary.
- Clean up; dispose of waste safely; wash your hands.

1. Injecting procedure:

All oil based and water based anabolic steroids should be taken intramuscularly. This means the shot must penetrate the skin and subcutaneous tissue to enter the muscle itself. Intramuscular injections are used when prompt absorption is desired, when larger doses are needed than can be given cutaneously or when a drug is too irritating to be given subcutaneously. The common sites for in tramuscular injectons include the buttock, lateral side of the thigh, and the deltoid region of the arm. Muscles in these areas, especially the gluteal muscles in the buttock, are fairly thick. Because of the large number of muscle fibers and extensive fascia, (fascia is a type of connective tissue that surrounds and separates muscles) the drug has a large surface area for absorption. Absorption is further promoted by the extensive blood supply to muscles. Ideally, intramuscular injections should be given deep within the muscle and away from major nerves and blood vessels. The best site for steroid injections is in the gluteus medius muscle which is located in the upper outer quadrant of the buttock. The iliac crest serves as a landmark for this quadrant. The spot for an injection in an adult is usually to 7 1/2 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) below the iliac crest. The iliac crest is the top of the pelvic girdle on the posterior (back) side. You can find the iliac crest by feeling the uppermost bony area above each gluteal muscle. The upper outer quadrant is chosen because the muscle in this area is quite thick and has few nerves. The probability of injecting the drug into a blood vessel is remote in this area. Injecting here reduces the chance of injury to the sciatic nerve which runs through the lower and middle area of the buttock. It controls the posterior of each thigh and the entire leg from the knee down. If an injection is too close to this nerve or actually hits it, extreme pain and temporary paralysis can be felt in these areas. This is especially undesirable and warrants staying as far away from this area as possible.

INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS ARE SHOWN HERE.

If the gluteal region cannot be injected for some reason, the second choice would be the lateral portion of the thigh. Usually, intramuscular injections in the thigh are only indicated for infants and children. The vastus lateralis muscle is the only area of the thigh that should be injected intramuscularly. This site is determined by using the knee and the greater trochanter of the femur as landmarks. The greater trochanter is the bony area that you can feel where the femur joins the pelvic girdle. The mid portion of the muscle is located by measuring the handbreadth above the knee and the handbreadth below the greater trochanter. Injecting into the front of the thigh or inside of the thigh is extremely unwise. These areas contain nerves as well as a number of blood vessels.

WHAT TO USE FOR INJECTIONS

It is important to choose the proper syringe for the administration of injectable anabolic steroids. The principle components of a syringe include a cylindrical barrel to one end of which a hollow needle is attached, and a close fitting plunger. The most acceptable syringe for injecting anabolic steroids is a 22 gauge 1 1/2" or 23 gauge 1" apparatus with a 3 cc case. This length allows for penetration to reach deep inside the muscle tissue. Shorter needles, 5/8" or 1/2" are usually not sufficient for intramuscular injections and occasionally leave a portion of the Injection in a subcutaneous area which will cause a swell between the skin and muscle as well as impaired absorption. The gauge size of a syringe represents the needle quote s diameter. The lower the gauge number, the wider it is. A 27 gauge needle is very thin. An 18 gauge is quite wide; it is often referred to as a cannon. The 22 and 23 gauge needles are not so large that they are difficult to insert, yet are large enough for solutions to easily be propelled through them. The use of insulin needles is not acceptable; they are simply too small. Usually, insulin pins are 25 to 27 gauge and only a 1/2" long with a 1 cc case.

INJECTION PROCEDURES

There are a number of steps that should be understood in order to complete a safe and proper intramuscular injection. First off, before handling any needles or vials, the user should take a thorough shower. Next, an alcohol swab should be used to clean the injection site and another alcohol swab should be used to clean the rubber stopper on top of the vial which will be drawn from. Then, take a brand new syringe out of its wrapper, remove its plastic top, draw about 2 ccs of air into it and insert it into the vial. Inject this air into the vial; this creates pressure within the vial and makes it easier to draw out oil based preparations. Then, turn the vial upside-down and slowly draw out the oil until you quote ve overdrawn at least 1/4 cc. For example, if someone was going to take a shot of 1 cc, they should pull out approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 ccs of liquid, then tap the side of the case to help get the air bubbles that were drawn into the syringe to come to the top. At that point, the excess 1/4 to 1/2 cc could be injected back into the vial and the needle removed. Then, hold the syringe needle-side-up and continue to tap it to encourage all the air bubbles to come to the top of the syringe. Now, take another clean syringe, remove it from its sterile package and unscrew the needle from the syringe. Exchange the brand new needle for the one that has just been injected into the stopper. By using two needles for every injection, you can take advantage of using the full sharpness of the pin. The needle does suffer some dulling when it is pushed through the firm rubber stopper on a vial. It is important not to touch this needle before the injection. It should not come into contact with a counter top, your fingers, nor should it be cleaned with alcohol. This needle is sterile and should not be touched. At this point, once again swab the injection site with alcohol, then press the stopper of the syringe holding it needle-side-up, until the slight air bubbles that are at the top are pressed out. Once a bead of oil has appeared at the top of the needle, allow it run down the surface of the needle which provides lubrication. At this time, take the syringe and hold it like a dart. Use the other hand to stretch the skin at the injection site and simply push the sharp clean needle in. After inserting it deep into the muscle, pull back on the stopper for a few seconds to make sure it does not fill up with blood which would indicate that the needle had been injected into a blood vessel. Providing there is no blood present in the syringe, slowly press the stopper down until all the oil is injected. Then, quickly pull the needle out and take another alcohol swab and press firmly on the injection site. This will minimize bleeding, if there is any, and by firmly pressing on the injection site and slightly massaging it, some of the soreness may be eliminated. It is important that the liquid is not injected too quickly as this causes more pain at the site during the injection and in the proceeding days. After this procedure has been completed, return the plastic caps to shield the needles and make sure they are discarded properly. To avoid discomfort and excessive scar tissue at the injection site, it is not wise to inject more than 2 ccs of solution per shot. It is also not prudent to use the same injection site more than twice a week (once a week is preferred)

Steroids side effects

These are some of the physical side effects associated with steroid use. As you can see these drugs can affect the body in a very negative way, however steroids can be used safely if followed by all dosage instructions. Despite all of these proven side effects people are still taking steroids. These side effects may not appear in all users at first. It is likely though with the long term usage of higher dosages that one or more of these side effects will occur in the user. These can be minor changes in the body and they can be extreme changes. It all depends on the dosage and duration of the usage. These are very good examples of why not to take extreme dosages. Doctors are still discovering new side effects today, and there are still a lot of unknown problems with the newer more advanced steroids that will turn up. The trouble is people are taking steroids to look better and get stronger, faster, and quicker with no effort and thus take too much at once. What they are actually getting is a body that is like a time bomb waiting to explode. These drugs may help you look good for a short period of time, but they are also destroying the users body. For a beginner, we strongly advise to read books such as Layman's Guides to get first-hand information on how to use steroids safely.

Physical side effects:

• Cancer...
• Liver Damage...
• Feminizing effects in males (growth of breast tissue)...
• Male attributes in females (deepening of voice, excessive hair growth)...
• Enlarged clitoris...
• Shrunken testicles...
• Limb loss...
• Heart disease/heart attacks...
• Physical addiction...
• HIV/AIDS from the sharing of needles...
• Reduced sperm count...
• Impotence...
• Infertility...
• Baldness...
• Pain and difficulty urinating...
• Enlarged prostate...
• Baldness...
• Smaller Breast in women...
• Menstrual cycle stops...
• Adolescents experience premature closure of the growth plates (stunted growth)...

Physiological side effects

• ROID RAGE (extreme uncontrollable aggression due to high levels of testosterone)
• Irritability..
• Aggressiveness...
• Depression...
• Mood swings...
• Altered libido...
• Psychosis...
• Mental addiction...

These are the psychological side effects associated with steroid use. The use of steroids can lead to a persons whole personality changing. The users testosterone levels are at amazingly high levels-so high that they become a danger to themselves and others. Users of steroids have been known to pick fights for no reason and attack people. With the roid rages, changes in moods, depression, and psychosis users are mentally unstable. They can harm or kill themselves, and people around them with extreme dosages and prolonged periods of usage. There have been many cases of suicide and homicide related to the use of steroids. These are the side effects that should concern people the most because this no longer just involves the users, but also the people around him.

Common mistakes and misconceptions about steroids

One of the biggest problems in today's society is that people are always looking for the quick fix. We are all influenced by television and magazine adds that's why they are there. Everyone should keep in mind the old saying "If it sounds too good, it is probably a lie." The fact is: there is no miracle pill or drug that you can take to change your body composition overnight (or in a few weeks for that matter). If you aren't satisfied with yourself and want to make a change, the ONLY way is to work at it. You must keep a healthy lifestyle!!!

Only after you have a healthy diet, workout, sleep schedule, and the ability to keep it consistent, will supplements help you. This goes for steroids as well. Of course, some supplements, like andro products, creatine, and protein meal replacements, will be of some benefit to someone who may not have everything in place but, they are still not going to help to their full capacity. You have to help them help you. You have to feed your body well, so they can be used to their full potential.

Steroids will only be a true benefit to a person who has paid the price of time and hard work in the gym. A person who hasn't, will certainly see gains after using a steroid correctly, however, the chance of them being quality gains is very low and the person will certainly loose the bulk of them. In short, nothing, not even steroids, can change the way you look in the long run without hard work and discipline.

1. Using Excessive Dosages

When taking steroids, the more you take is not always the best way to go. Taking excessive dosages has become a huge problem with steroids today. It isn't only dangerous, but studies have shown it to be ineffective. The body can only use a limited amount of the steroid so the extra is turned into estrogen by the body.

2. Staying On Steroids Too Long

In several cases, steroid users avoid warning signs telling them not to go on a cycle more than 8 to 12 weeks without an off period. If an off period is not taken, there is a higher chance for the negative effects of steroids to occur. If there is no off period the body does not have a chance to recover from the steroids, so more damage is done. This also is terrible for the kidneys and liver.

3. Eating Poorly

Many people ignore magazines and educators that explain eating as being an important asset to growing, but the truth is, eating healthy has a big effect on the body. When on steroids the user must consume at least 4000+ calories per day to gain muscle. The diet must be high in calories, protein, and carbohydrates.

4. Training Incorrectly

When on steroids the training must be intense and difficult. Instead of the usual weight that suits you, you must do excess weight and strenuous work for the best gains. The workout should involve the maximum weight possible, and make progress each time.

5. Not Getting Regular Blood Tests

Steroids are very dangerous and can cause great problems. Blood tests should be done often and regularly. When steroids are first taken many tests become elevated but will return to normal with in a few weeks. During the off period tests should also be done to make sure the body is recovering properly. If there is a problem with the Blood test, consult a doctor that you can trust.

6. Using The Wrong Steroids

Many athletes will increase their chances of getting negative effects when they take the wrong steroids. The strongest steroids that build more muscle mass, have the most side effects. These drugs should be avoided if possible, unless there is a reason to have an unbelievable gain. But these drugs are very toxic and I would recommend not taking them.

7. Using Counterfeits

Counterfeit steroids are a bigger problem than you would believe; there are more counterfeit steroids in the market than you would think. These steroids offer no positive gains, and some give the side effects of real steroids. Taking counterfeit steroids is like injecting poison into your body, bad effects nothing positive.