New to Christchurch

[ALS_84]

Hay guys.

I'm new to Christchurch. Moved here from Liverpool in the UK for the re build after the earthquake. I haven't trained for a few weeks now so I've joined the new cityfitness and cant wait to get into it.

I'm medium build 5"9 and 65 kg's. A little down on weight since I left home so I'll be looking to re gain some mass as well as get my strength back. I have trained both naturally and with the aid of steroids. I don't know what the culture for steroid use is like in NZ but in the UK it has exploded over the last 10 years, and is very mainstream and out in the open.

Thats a bit about me, so thanks guys.

[Pseudonym]

Hi ALS_84. Welcome!

I think steroid use is definitely increasing here too, but I wouldn't say it's out in the open or mainstream just yet. If steroids are that common in the UK, how does the UK media treat them? Here, the media coverage all seems to say "Steroids? OMG! Bad, bad, bad! We have to DO something!" Is the UK media any different, if the public are more accepting?

[Bondy1987]

Gear in the UK has become really mainstream, good example from the gym I used to train at in England, if I wanted to I could have bought anything from 3-4 different guys in the gym. Some of the gear was total crap though as people have cottoned on that a lot of money could be made quite qucikly.

Regarding the media outlook - hardly a thing. In my eyes its as common in some places as taking a handy helping of different supplements to benefit from your training! Problem is, the guys selling it also sell it to guys that have only been training a while, tell them that it'll make them massive and thats it - no other advice. In that case its dangerous......

Hope that answers your question pseudonym,

Bondy

[Pseudonym]

Yeah, that's really interesting. Given the UK tabloids are renowned for digging the dirt and blowing stories out of all proportion, I'd have thought they'd be right into a steroid witch-hunt. Perhaps it's only the USA, Aussies and us that worry about such things. :-s

[Fitnation]

Interesting, I always thought the Brits got into Bodybuilding a bit later on than OZ and NZ. Do they have pro-hormones in the UK? In Australia it is becoming more mainstream especially with the internet. I wouldn't say people are out in the open about it unless they know you well or are in an environment where it is common practise, like the hardcore gyms where it is an underground business.

[Bondy1987]

Ye it really is mainstream now - even in commercial gyms like Les Mills over here it is commonly used. Quite scary how easy it is to get hold of them..... also reasonably cheap too. I picked up some test 400 (10ml vile),dbol (80 10mg tabs), pins and barrels for a friend who lives a few hundred miles away from where i lived for £85.00. From what i gather over here it seems to be double the price if not treble.

When you say the tabloids hit a fuss about it all how do you mean? Some fool behind a desk who doesn't understand how gear works or what it does rights negative remarks about it and the user?

My opinion if you want to take the 'juice' then fair enough - just need to know what you're doing..... and be guided by an 'expert' if you know what i mean, unfortunately like i said before that isnt always the case UK.

Bondy