bruceleebuild 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2012 Great read, thanks, its been a good eye opener Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alice_starr 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2012 Great read Optimass...considering starting a new cycle here in NZ. Very interesting to read your stuff Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 thanks - everyone will have their own take - I think its important to field as many opinions as you can and take from each what applies to you and your goals/desires and circumstances. Important thing is not to be in a hurry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ohjoshua 19 Report post Posted September 1, 2012 Yeah cool story.But you didnt really finish it. You told us how big and strong you got with out gear.But you didnt really tell us how big and strong you got with it.if you did 240kg bench natty you could do what 300kg after years on the gear?surely you couldnt just get 10% extra? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futech 1 Report post Posted December 1, 2012 A good read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomsammce 56 Report post Posted December 1, 2012 I strongly echo the theme of what Optimass is saying here;I trained for 15 years naturally before my first AAS cycle.The gear has only added 10% transformation to my physique and is no quick fix for real hard work and determinationWhy wait 15 years. I don't see the point or benefit.Work ethic and determination have nothing to do with patience whatsoever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted December 9, 2012 Yeah cool story.But you didnt really finish it. You told us how big and strong you got with out gear.But you didnt really tell us how big and strong you got with it.if you did 240kg bench natty you could do what 300kg after years on the gear?surely you couldnt just get 10% extra?Strength is relative to time under bar (technique, training discpline and nutrition) - if test was the magic bullet you'd have a lot of guys fronting up to strength events after a year or so breaking records that have been in place for years. @ 112kg (7 years ago) I was benching 200kg for reps. under recomp now and having been off for sometime I was doing 180kg as a 1RM at the same weight (or just a bit lighter). I'm not sure how to factor the age gap into it but I do know the older I get the harder it is for me to maintain intensity in my workouts at heavier weights. Just get gassed a lot quicker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted December 10, 2012 I strongly echo the theme of what Optimass is saying here;I trained for 15 years naturally before my first AAS cycle.The gear has only added 10% transformation to my physique and is no quick fix for real hard work and determinationWhy wait 15 years. I don't see the point or benefit.Work ethic and determination have nothing to do with patience whatsoever.You are missing the point (why not wait 30 years?) - make a judgement call based on your own comfort levels - but make it after exploring as much information as you can is more the theme of the tread. If you only took a year or 6 months great - hopefully you wont hurt yourself and/or have an unreal expectation of what might be achievable at the risk of using something that will change your physique permanently. And I guess after a period of time you will get the knowledge you need through experience either way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomsammce 56 Report post Posted December 10, 2012 Must be a slow reader then lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jpayer 1 Report post Posted January 6, 2013 Coming from UK forums, I have to say that was actually a good read.Nice to see that the OP (original Poster) has some wisdom and sense and issuing warnings for others. Good post Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted January 7, 2013 Coming from UK forums, I have to say that was actually a good read.Nice to see that the OP (original Poster) has some wisdom and sense and issuing warnings for others. Good postThanks bro - just keeping it real lol welcome! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ALS_84 0 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 Excellent read opti, honest and informative mate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pseudonym 1337 Report post Posted November 28, 2014 Setting up the pinned topics again on the new site, I just reread this one. There's a reason it was pinned... quality! And right now seems like a good time to give it a bump. ;-) 2 Optimass and Cameron_R reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
energised05 0 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 Nice read Opti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FellowshipOfTheRon 428 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 wow 28 years of use and you're still alive. that plus your dealers are in hiding i think they dealing you fake stuff and running with ur cash, everyone knows real steroid make u die within 5-10yrs tops Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GyzzBrah 217 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 Honestly love reading some of the members here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bang_bang 215 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 You benched 240x5 naturally? Lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rizza 1 Report post Posted October 30, 2015 That was awesome Optimass!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted June 24, 2016 On 3/05/2015 at 8:21 PM, bang_bang said: You benched 240x5 naturally? Lol Yes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PETN 650 Report post Posted June 25, 2016 Why's is so much less now on gear? True or not it definitely sounds like a load of shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wookie 563 Report post Posted June 25, 2016 6 minutes ago, PETN said: Why's is so much less now on gear? True or not it definitely sounds like a load of shit. In defence of Opti, he did say he had spotter help on reps 4 and 5. And unlike most guys, the point of bringing up his lifts wasn't to toot his own horn, but encourage hard training, not just hop on gear asap. When I tell people a guy in NZ benched 275 raw while drug free weighing 150kg, I usually get the same reaction. 2 kingersman and Optimass reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted June 25, 2016 Thanks @Wookie - @PETN I have damaged the tendons in my left shoulder 3 times now (reasonably serious tears). These don't heal back the same as muscle. Each time it's happened I lose a little more tightness in my ROM (and approx 10kg of comfort with weight on bar). Last year at the Arnolds I benched 215kg and had 225kg on my 3rd. My subscapularis gave out at the bottom of the bench and caused a minor tear I the sleeve of my pec. Fortunately the spotters were on point. The injury is also compounded at the moment because I potentially tore my biceps tendon after an incident squatting. I know I can bench 500lb but training weights are difficult because the tendon can only handle short bursts of training before pain sets in. So basically I have no way of getting enough progression to redevelop the strength. some things you can correct - aging is one you can influence but not overcome based on historical injuries. But idelly the strength is still there. 1 PETN reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PETN 650 Report post Posted June 25, 2016 39 minutes ago, Optimass said: That makes sense. Cheers for reply. Did you ever bench more than 240x5 after starting gear but before fucking up your shoulder tendons? Or did you f*ck them while still natural? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimass 91 Report post Posted June 28, 2016 On 26/06/2016 at 11:35 AM, PETN said: That makes sense. Cheers for reply. Did you ever bench more than 240x5 after starting gear but before fucking up your shoulder tendons? Or did you f*ck them while still natural? Right after I did that set I went for a single at 265kg ... blew out my rotator .. took 16 months to come right :P I have gone to 240kg with a kiwistrength destroyer band ... and benched 245kg in a shirt though. Weight is uncomfortable even idle above that. 1 PETN reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites