Here are some excerpts transcribed from the infamous Lee Priest's video interview with Tom Platz in the 1990s sold as "Backstage Secrets of Professional Bodybuilders Revealed". His philosophy may have since changed since the interview is over 10 years old.
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TOM PLATZ: You mentioned you were competing 5 or 6 years before you took steroids. So how old were you when you first started taking steroids?
LEE PRIEST: I was 19.
TOM PLATZ: 19, since we're speaking about steroids at this point, what specific steroids do you find effective in your training?
LEE PRIEST: Well, I've always stuck to the basics like DECA (Deca-Durobolin) was the very first one I used, when I was 19. I put on 20 lbs. and I only did a 6-week coarse on it. I only used 2cc a week, I finally put on 20 lbs., I'm sure you carry some water weight with that. Even now I stick to the basics like DECA. PRIMOBOLAN, I don't like tests, I stay away from testosterone's, but just the basics like that. So I don't really deal with them ....you know how some guys like slacking6 or 7, I've always stuck to 2.
TOM PLATZ: Like in terms of some of the drugs you just mentioned, steroids you just mentioned, specific dosages, can you give us some specific dosages you use prior to show and how long you use these dosages.
LEE PRIEST: When I'm getting ready for a contest I'll start dialing 12 weeks out, so I'll siart with maybe like STANAZOL, which is the same as WINSTROL, I'll take like 2 cc's every 3 days, then sometimes I get sick of it and increase il to every 4 or 5 days, because I hate being a pin cushion
Then I was taking 1 ANADROL 50 a day cause they are one of the worst on your liver, so I hate using them but, yet keeping the size and strength their good for that, I take 1 of them. I was taking 2iu's of GROWTH HORMONE every day for the last 6 weeks, then just NOLVADEX to cut the fluid down a bit. That's about all getting ready for a contest.
TOM PLATZ: So how about in the off season, would you take?
LEE PRIEST: Offseason I don't take much I rely more on food and heavy training. I'd normally go maybe 5 months before I'd do another course in the offseason. Then I'd just take the basics like DECA, 2 cc's of DECA, 2 CC'S OF PR1MOBOLAN for 8 weeks then I'm off of it for 3 months before 1 do something else. I've never been a big believer in.. .people get the mentality that they need steroids to grow. You need steroid for this.. ..But, if you get that in your mentality then they can't train without. Where I might just use them for an assistance rather then rely on them. That's why at contest time I might use a little more, because I'm doing more training, I'm doing more cardio, so even like dieting you cut your food back, so recovery becomes a harder. So the drugs might help me for recovery more than anything..
TOM PLATZ: Is there an certain time during the year, you mentioned it was 4 week, 4 months prior to a show you start getting ready?
LEE PRIEST: Normally 3 to 4 months before a contest I start preparing, As soon as I start my diet, I start restricting my food, I start on one steroid like, STANAZOL, just the keep the size and strength if I'm cutting back calories. Then maybe like 6 weeks before the show I'll start the growth hormone. Then like 8 week I'll put the ANADROL in, 8 weeks before the show. I don't take them all at once from the beginning, I just slowly start on one and increase the other. Then as the show get nearer I Start tapering off again.
TOM PLATZ: That brings up a point, prior to the show do you stop taking steroids completely at the certain point or do you continue steroids throughout the show?
LEE PRIEST: Normally a week or two before the show I'll stop them, I'm just so sick of taking them anyway, cause I don't really feel, sometimes my stomach feel sick when I'm on them and I can't sleep sometimes. I always look forward to stop taking the needle so the sooner the better for me being the show comes close 1 just wait to gel off of them. You know like a week or two before I stop them all together.
TOM PLATZ: Depending upon the number of shows, I guess you enter per year would determine how long your on steroids for that, for that year. Is there any specific time you don't take steroids, number of months, weeks that you don't Lake steroids at all during the year?
LEE PRIEST: Normally if I do my contest, I try to group them all together so the shows are pretty close together. But like after a show, like a big, like the show I did last year, I didn't tough them again for like 7 months. I just went totally off of them, I had maybe a shot of DECA twice, because I had like sore elbows, then for the joints I took two shots a DECA, but that was about it for the whole 7 months.
TOM PLATZ: So your doses are actually quite low, compared to what I think people, think about?
LEE PRIEST: I have read magazines where you say guys use as much as professional use, these lies we sit down and laugh it, we you know, we spend $40,000 a year, $50,000 to get ready for the contest. It's like you know, body builders, people say we dumbbell, we not this stupid. But, it 's like, when your prize money is $10,000.00 who's going lo spend $50,000.00 to get ready for a contest.
TOM PLATZ: I think one of the guys 1 was talking to earlier mentioned that sometimes 15,000 on up to 50,000 even 100.000 dollars a year and that's... you don't do anything like that?
LEE PRIEST: I tell you from my past experience, the last show I did a big contest, I didn't spend anymore then 2,000.00 dollars and that's only because 1 started using a bit of GROWTH HORMONE, which I've never used, prior to two years ago. But before then I didn't spend anymore than 600.00 dollars to get ready for the show.
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TOM PLATZ: Based upon the fact you take small amounts, will this be a suggestion, not that we're in this particular video arc we making suggestions or recommendations for drug use ai all. we're merely confronting the issues. But, in terms of the viewers and the younger people coming up. younger guys coming up listening to this, your basic thoughts would be less is more?
LEE PRIEST: I've always found, that everyone I speak to I tell them that, but yeL some people have it set in their mind that they need large amounts cause, so many people tell them, you know, the pros take this much, the pros that much, but yet. the pros don't. Every amateur I've met takes twice the amount as a pro does but cause we're bigger then... I say their taking 1500 mgs and we're bigger their thinking well the pros taking 3,000 mgs but yet, like I said I take like 200 mgs of DECA, 200 mgs of PRIMABOLAN that's 400 mgs. a week. I get good results from that, so you don't need large amounts, it's like more is not better. It doesn't do anything, it's just a waste a money and then I'd rather spend a little bit on drugs which I'm going to use, then spend the rest of mine on food, cause you know the food is going to work. So just try it heavy on that. Bui, people want to get a quick fix right away, want to get huge overnight, but, building muscle takes years, So I recommend training 5 or 6 years before you ever start to use steroids. It's like one of those tilings where you have to build a foundation first then maybe if you want to experiment and try, then go ahead, but, don't go crazy, thinking your going to get big overnight and take large amount, cause your only going to end up sick or dead. You know, it's not going to make you any bigger taking a large quantity.
