Paying your dues.

[RodgerThat]

Not to me and not to anyone else on the board, that's not what this is. This is my story and hopefully some of your guys story of how you got into this and how hard you have had to work and push in both physical and mental. What I want out of this is for people interested in PEDs to see what it really takes.

*disclaimer* very long post ahead, you have been forewarned.

So here's my story, feel free to glaze over and just put your own up as I'm not that remarkable but I have had some adversity to push threw.

Started training at the age of 13 guided by 3 different trainers 1 being a conditioning coach 1 being a sports specific trainer and the other being a strength coach all working together to build better athletes. I continued with this until the age of 17, 4 days a week with them 1 day a week I would run and the other 2 I would practice my sport by myself. I was scouted for many different collages and got a full ride scholarship and bright future for becoming a pro athlete but more due to skill and talent and not my actual physical aspects as I was no amazing creature standing 5'8 160 at the time it was my 3rd period heart and push that set me apart as I could endure the discomfort to play. I was injured badly and went to critical care for a while when the scouts were watching, I lost my scholarships due to the inability to play freshman year and it was a good call because I was scared and was no longer the player I once at all.

At 18 exactly 1 year after the injury my body was good but the only training I had done was rehab for that year I set my goals now on doing an ironman (3.8km swim 180km bike and 42km run or for the boys in the USA 2.4mile swim 112mile bike and 26.2mile run) you are given a total of 17hours to complete it and I completed mine in 12hours 36minutes I was 19 5'8 and 142lb

20 I got 3 compression features in my spine T5,6 and 8 mountain biking so here we go with rehab again 3 month rehab and I was discharged with a stable back but it hurt to run and get jostled about biking. Met a guy whom had also had a similar issue and he said strengthening the muscles would give you pain relief and make you able to run better and stand with better posture.

20-22 I worked out 5days a week first year in a brosplit arms&tabs/chest&back/legs&shoulder/ rest repeat went from 142-163
Started to become infatuated with deadlifts and squats so I then started my first strength program at 21 being stronglifts 5x5 went from 163-185 and topped out with a 385 deadlift 305 squat and 255 bench

22 i dipped into the ol performance enhancing drug and the world of powerlifting. Wish I hadn't had started PEDs back then and wish I had started powerlifting early. If I knew then what I know now I would have had so so much more progression to be had naturally and althought i wouldn't be were I am now which I'm happy with, I would have had a better base and each cycle would have been exponentially better. But like a catch 22 (funny cause that how old I was) I couldn't know what I know now unless I started because it was me getting engulfed in meso when I had an issue with gyno that gave me all the knowledge I have now.

Fast forward two years, I tore my quad and displacement my knee, re broke my back, shattered my hand but I knew how to train around it and each time I came back became better very quickly. 4 cycles later my biggest ever was 205 at 15-16%bf my leanest was 178lb at 9%bf and my best gym lifts are 455 squat 315 paused bench and 525 deadlift at 186lb only weighing 1lb more then when I started my very first cycle but added 150lb to my squat 140lb to my deadlift and 60+lb to my bench after all those injuries.

So long read and if you've made it this far congratz that's the story of what made rodgerthat into the wee powerlifting bear I am today. I am happy with all my results but I will never be satisfied and that is why I continue to use AAS not because I can't achieve results without it (new maxes were set off cycle 1.5 months after pct was finished, but because I wish to push beyond the boundaries and maybe even find a way to snuggle up to a 1500lb total in the 183lb catagory. Oh also PEDs help me be better faster and stronger for my job and that in turn saves lives so I guess you could say AAS is saving lives through me lol. So for myself I believe I have paid my dues to justify to myself this life.

Well that's it I know it's long winded but hopefully I can hear your guys stories and if you post one equally as long I promise I will read it all word for word!

 

[bill9799]

Damn bro, you've seen your share of injuries. To be moving weight like you do despite everything...my hats off to you! Strong work brother.

 

[T_verde77]

Keep it up bro. Thanks for sharing

 

[DedLift]

You've been through the ringer. I put myself through it with heroin and opiates. It was a vicious cycle, I'd get high, go to jail, sober up in jail and start training again. I'd get out, stay sober a few months and look biggish again, then relapse and repeat the process all over again. Did 2 years upstate and with nothing to do but read, eat and lift I learned a lot about nutrition, supplementation and my body. Got out, relapsed almost lost everything and should've went back upstate but my po went to bat for me and I managed to keep the best job I've ever had where I still work to this day almost 5 years later. What happened with my po and the court deciding to let me walk the rest of my time off instead of restarting it all and going back to prison was a miracle plain and simple. When I start to feel down about anything in life, I just try to remember where I could be right now. My family would've disowned me, I'd have lost my job and never would've kept the girl I'm still with. I probably never would've come back from that. After all is said and done, I am blessed. We all are. Most just don't realize it. I almost lost interest in lifting again but found aas which renewed my interest and drive in the gym. Not working out historically has found me back in the bad place in my head and I'm scared to death to go back there. Lifting literally has helped me save myself.

 

[RodgerThat]

You've been through the ringer. I put myself through it with heroin and opiates. It was a vicious cycle, I'd get high, go to jail, sober up in jail and start training again. I'd get out, stay sober a few months and look biggish again, then relapse and repeat the process all over again. Did 2 years upstate and with nothing to do but read, eat and lift I learned a lot about nutrition, supplementation and my body. Got out, relapsed almost lost everything and should've went back upstate but my po went to bat for me and I managed to keep the best job I've ever had where I still work to this day almost 5 years later. What happened with my po and the court deciding to let me walk the rest of my time off instead of restarting it all and going back to prison was a miracle plain and simple. When I start to feel down about anything in life, I just try to remember where I could be right now. My family would've disowned me, I'd have lost my job and never would've kept the girl I'm still with. I probably never would've come back from that. After all is said and done, I am blessed. We all are. Most just don't realize it. I almost lost interest in lifting again but found aas which renewed my interest and drive in the gym. Not working out historically has found me back in the bad place in my head and I'm scared to death to go back there. Lifting literally has helped me save myself.

Love to hear it man and I know a lot of guys here have similar stories and it makes me love the game more to know what it can do for you. I grew up in a rough neighbourhood and only hold a few friends from when I was young the others are in gangs or dead but I never got into that because the age they were starting drugs I got sighted for my skill in my sport and got a lot of effort put into me to go far even though it didn't turn out I wouldn't have it any other way as I believe my life is more meaningful and I do better for this world doing what I do now.

 

[jJjburton]

Do work! Lift the shit out of those weights!

 

[insaiyan93]

Jesus all those injuries! I've been lucky as far as that goes.

So basically I've lifted on and off ever since I was a wee lad cuz my old man has always been big into it, guys a fuckin monster, played football and basketball starting when I was like 8, excelled at both of them, idk if I ever would have gone pro, but had I been able to keep playing I probably could have gotten a scholarship at the very least.

Started smoking pot and cigarettes ocasionally in like 9th grade, no big deal, didnt affect me that much, had to stop playing after 10th grade, had to get a job to help out around the house and so I could buy my own things.

Starting dabbling in more shit then, adderal, coke, hallucinogens and alcohol, still stayed in decent shape, lifted alot and played basketball recreationally.

Graduated highschool with a 3.8gpa got my own place with my girlfriend, went through a bad breakup around nineteen and just let it all go, drinking like crazy, drugs ocasionally, eating like shit and not being active...Ended up getting a DUI, lost my job and couldn't keep up with fines and court costs so I didn't get it all finished in time and they threw me in County for a couple weeks.

I was doing bad, anything I could get my hands on I was taking, blow, lots of LSD (hallucinogens were a personal favorite because they completely take you away from reality), by this time I was about 20, started fucking around with meth, just snorting at first then I got into smoking it and I honestly don't remmeber a whole lot from between the drugs and the booze...shit was getting pretty bad for me...my pops was an over the road trucker and had moved to Washington to be with a chick he had met and invited me up to visit, was only supposed to stay a month but I've been here almost 2 years now.

So the first year I was here I didn't do.much but work and drink and eat like shit, put on alot of weight, probably was somewhere near 350 at my heaviest.

I started lifting again, took a few weeks of test at the beginning just to kick me into gear because I was just lethargic and useless, no energy, no motivation, that was only for about 6 weeks, althea 8 months after that I trained naturally just building muscle and strength, put 100+lbs on my three main lifts, got down to 315 without really dieting or anything, now im in the process of cutting back down.

I am taking a small dose of test to help retain the muscle I've built, I feel guilty about it sometimes, but fear of losing what I had gained while I cut down got the better of me, im almost done and after I finish up my pct I don't plan on touching the stuff again for years.

But lifting really is the only thing that makes me happy anymore, it's all I do other than work and go.fishing sometimes, been.clean off drugs almost 2 years, hardly drink anymore, diet is cleaned up nicely and I'm the strongest I've ever been and I fuckin feel great.

Sorry for rambling haha

 

[RodgerThat]

Jesus all those injuries! I've been lucky as far as that goes.

So basically I've lifted on and off ever since I was a wee lad cuz my old man has always been big into it, guys a fuckin monster, played football and basketball starting when I was like 8, excelled at both of them, idk if I ever would have gone pro, but had I been able to keep playing I probably could have gotten a scholarship at the very least.

Started smoking pot and cigarettes ocasionally in like 9th grade, no big deal, didnt affect me that much, had to stop playing after 10th grade, had to get a job to help out around the house and so I could buy my own things.

Starting dabbling in more shit then, adderal, coke, hallucinogens and alcohol, still stayed in decent shape, lifted alot and played basketball recreationally.

Graduated highschool with a 3.8gpa got my own place with my girlfriend, went through a bad breakup around nineteen and just let it all go, drinking like crazy, drugs ocasionally, eating like shit and not being active...Ended up getting a DUI, lost my job and couldn't keep up with fines and court costs so I didn't get it all finished in time and they threw me in County for a couple weeks.

I was doing bad, anything I could get my hands on I was taking, blow, lots of LSD (hallucinogens were a personal favorite because they completely take you away from reality), by this time I was about 20, started fucking around with meth, just snorting at first then I got into smoking it and I honestly don't remmeber a whole lot from between the drugs and the booze...shit was getting pretty bad for me...my pops was an over the road trucker and had moved to Washington to be with a chick he had met and invited me up to visit, was only supposed to stay a month but I've been here almost 2 years now.

So the first year I was here I didn't do.much but work and drink and eat like shit, put on alot of weight, probably was somewhere near 350 at my heaviest.

I started lifting again, took a few weeks of test at the beginning just to kick me into gear because I was just lethargic and useless, no energy, no motivation, that was only for about 6 weeks, althea 8 months after that I trained naturally just building muscle and strength, put 100+lbs on my three main lifts, got down to 315 without really dieting or anything, now im in the process of cutting back down.

I am taking a small dose of test to help retain the muscle I've built, I feel guilty about it sometimes, but fear of losing what I had gained while I cut down got the better of me, im almost done and after I finish up my pct I don't plan on touching the stuff again for years.

But lifting really is the only thing that makes me happy anymore, it's all I do other than work and go.fishing sometimes, been.clean off drugs almost 2 years, hardly drink anymore, diet is cleaned up nicely and I'm the strongest I've ever been and I fuckin feel great.

Sorry for rambling haha

Man love to hear it following your training thread is awesome too your progression is great and your work ethic is totally there. Don't be caught saying you probably won't touch the stuff though cause AAS is better then lays chips and you know you can't just have one of those

 

[insaiyan93]

Man love to hear it following your training thread is awesome too your progression is great and your work ethic is totally there. Don't be caught saying you probably won't touch the stuff though cause AAS is better then lays chips and you know you can't just have one of those

Thanks bro, yeah it's great, I get a bigger high from.lifting heavy shit than I ever did from drugs, plus it's not killing me hahaha.

Now now, not saying I won't ever again, I'm just gonna try and take a couple more years to train naturally. Don't get me wrong, I love the feeling, I love being the rapid gains, but I just feel like I have a lot more to gain naturally.

Plus, I want to have a son at some point so I don't want to risk shutting down the old baby maker too early on haha.