Removing a post,and becoming a somewhat less angry Bodybuilding fan.

I removed a post recently were I ripped into a woman who's husband runs a bodybuilding site.
She was trying to be 'one of the boys',and used a slur against women to make a point about weakness.The old woman = contemptible weakness .( It's more complicated than that )
I posted it a few years ago,and kind of forgot about it.
I got a negative comment on it.(surprised anyone read it at all) Thought about it...and removed it.
Basically I used her as the target for some things I was aggravated about in the bodybuilding world.
She has posted a few things over the years that I didn't have much respect for.
But I posted angry.
Too angry,and too personal.
And I've had to rethink some of the emphasis regarding how we're looking at the issues of weakness,and strength in society now.
Yes I can now see there is a massive problem of hysterical victim hood.
I didn't realize the depth of the ideological manipulation going on a few years ago.
It's only getting worse...unfortunately.

But that's another matter.
Maybe I'll get into it.

The thing that's important to me is learning.I'm opinionated about some things.But I don't want to be an uncompromising ass about everything.

Regarding being angry about things.I've realized sometimes you just have to get out of the neighborhood.
Some sites,and people are more about instigating and stirring up shit than sharing anything of value.

1980's Bodybuilding star Dona Oliveira dies at the age of 58.

Dona Oliveira

It was reported this week that bodybuilder Dona Oliveira died at the age of 58.
Here's the news shared by Lonnie Teper on the Evolution of Bodybuilding site.Dona Oliveira passes away.
No word on cause of death. 
I remember her well from the early days of women's bodybuilding.She could be described as being from the second wave of 80's female bodybuilders.She was riding on the inspiration of the late 70's-to early 80's birth of modern women's bodybuilding.
She was genuinely beautiful.At 5'1 and 120'slbs weight she had amazing quality in a small package.
Fantastic arms,and shoulders.A tiny tight waist and lovely legs.She also had the requisite poofy 80's hair do.
I wouldn't be exaggerating by much if I called her great.She was a very fine bodybuilder.
She competed in several Ms Olympia contests,and placed as high as 6th.
She also won a few big contests including the 85' NPC USA,85' IFBB World Games,and the 88' IFBB Pro World Championships.
She retired in 1990.Then remarkably,she came back in her 50's to compete a few more times in Physique.
She was from Massachusetts,and you could sure hear it in her classic accent.
She had a long career as a hospital nurse as well.

Here's video of several news stories done on her from 1988.
I vividly recall the CNN story.I know I watched it.Hell,I probably taped it too.
It's the third story at about 5:20 in the video.

She featured regularly in the popular bodybuilding magazines as well.
She always seemed to be so bright,full,and robust.And very much like she was enjoying her time in the sport.
She said she retired because the level in women's bodybuilding changed too much.She's right.The muscularity,and conditioning did change a lot quickly.

Here's an early video from a popular American morning show with Dona,and Kris Alexander.
This is a good example of what the mid eighties female bodybuilder looked like.Very fit,yes.But they're similar to the appearance of CrossFit athletes now.Not really bulky,or hard.
(To address the question that always comes up,I wouldn't be surprised if both were natural at this time.Alexander doesn't look like she's taken anabolics.I doubt Oliveira had taken any,or much.I would say she did use PEDS at the height of her career.)
These women look very healthy.And you can see the why there was a growing interest in female bodybuilders at this time.

Here's a mix of images from her career.

An interview with Dave Palumbo of RxMuscle from her 2014 comeback.
Extraordinary condition in a 53 year old woman!

She seemed like a really terrific person.I've heard a lot of people in bodybuilding paying their sincere respects,and saying how much they liked her.
She kept training,and loved the life of a lifter.
You really can't say enough good things about the people who dedicate their lives to nursing either.

Deep condolences to her family,and friends.
She'll be missed.

Alina Popa winning the Rising Phoenix and the current state of Women's open class bodybuilding.

 

Alina Popa in 2008

Alina Popa finally won the top championship in women's bodybuilding, the Rising Phoenix title.
I'm happy for her.She deserves to be a champion.She's one of the best female bodybuilders in the last twenty years.I'm glad she won the money,and prizes.She's worked a long time for them.
Here's a link to coverage of the show with pictures of all competitors.
Rising Phoenix 2018

Alina suffered a couple of injuries a few years ago.In late 2014 she tore her left Achilles tendon during a sprint workout.During her recovery after surgery she fell due to the cast on her leg,and the effects of the drugs she was taking for pain.She tore her right bicep trying to catch herself.
It took about a year to a year and half to recover.She came in second at the 2017 contest.

She has incredible genetics.It's always crucial for a bodybuilder to pick the right parents.
She's been an athlete most her life.I believe it was mostly track,and field in her native Romania.She moved to Switzerland,and then to the USA.
She's worked for many years on her extraordinary physique.I started watching her years ago before she even started competing at the highest level.
It takes many top bodybuilders years to come close to reaching their potential.She's 40,and the recent Mr Olympia champion Shawn Rhoden is 43.

So here's the thing.She should have won years ago.Now...she's past her prime,been injured,and spoiled her exemplary lines with breast implants.Otherwise known as plastic bags of goo.
I don't know why they kept placing her second to women who just simply didn't look as impressive,and exciting as Alina.She was banging her head against the wall of X frames for years.They had the frames,and mass,but not really that extra something to be winning over Alina if you ask me.Is it merely beauty? It's that yes...and more.It's the thrill of seeing a fully realized muscular physique.It's the Oh My God! moment.It's visceral,and instinctual.It makes you feel awe struck.It's like seeing a super hero come to life.Every muscle group developed and brought to round fulfillment.It's why we watch bodybuilding.It's why it hooks us in the first place.
Alina made me feel that way.
There aren't many female bodybuilders at this point that I can say I genuinely envy their physiques.But her..I do.

I wasn't alone in my appreciation.She's very popular.
And she knows it.I never blame any bodybuilder for knowing it.They have to be self aware, self sculptors.
She did a lot of video.Some of it the usual silly soft short of porn.Bills to pay.The female bodybuilders have to make a living and this is the easiest way to do it and have time to train. Easiest in the short term.In the long term it probably stains their reputation as serious athletes.

Her physique strengths and weaknesses.There aren't many weaknesses.
Great shoulders.Great back.
Her calves were never spectacular.But the judges are usually willing to allow for that.They wouldn't have kept her from winning.But the left calf has never looked completely healed after she ruptured her Achilles tendon.That's significant damage.I think I do notice it.It's atrophied.It just doesn't look healed even though she seems to try to hide it.Every time she has a choice she poses with her left leg pushed far back,and cocked to the side.It certainly looks like an attempt to disguise the calf problem. But you really can't hide anything on stage.
Her bicep seems to have healed enough to not be a noticeable weakness.
The upper body has always been her extraordinary gift.Huge shoulders tapering to a pleasing waist.
The quads are no disappointment either.Her calves were...OK.
But it's the way her upper body dominates that really catches your eye.The classic yoked shoulders.
She has a remarkably striking face too.And a playful sparkle to her eyes.

Sigh.So here's the big one.She finally broke down and gave in.She got the damn bags.
She had said she didn't intend to get implants in the past.Silly me thinking people mean what they say.I should have known the pressure to conform never stops.
The smell of money always wins.Don't tell me the damn judges don't get to these women.
I think they always say,or imply,"hey hon,if you just add massive fake jugs...we'd let you win"
Let you.
So they finally let her win..but only when she got the fakes.

The implants she got are pretty awful.Big skin stretching blister bubbles.
What a lovely image.Blammo!
Great job cosmetic surgeons! You've worked your horror movie magic again.All this completely unnecessary surgery on healthy body parts.Great for business lads.
Oh I can just say they knock her physique off balance.Well yes they do.
The clearly unnatural round balloons make a bodybuilder top heavy.
You can't see the damn Pec muscles either.Don't you think that's kind of important judges? huh?
All other forms of implants are barred.
Breast balloons should be too.
So your boobs deflate? Stop taking testosterone,and getting gritty ripped if you can't live with it.
Because that's what going to happen inevitably.
Maybe it's just a failure to accept reality here.People want all the features increased to an extreme.But it doesn't work like that.Muscles swell,fatty breast tissue shrinks.

I then wondered when was the last time a woman with real breasts won the women's top bodybuilding contest,Ms Olympia to Rising Phoenix?
It might be Valentina Chepiga in 2000? I can't be certain.She got large implants later.
During the 80's to 90's at least some of the implants were smaller.I wasn't always sure in a few cases if they were fake or not.Particularly with the higher body fat during the off season.

I stopped following Popa when I saw what she had done.It was so tiresome,and disappointing.You too? Looking just like all the others.

If she had of won years ago I would have been really happy about it.Now I only heard about it after the fact.Yesterday's news.That's what women's bodybuilding has become.
The attention has shifted to the healthier looking more streamlined physique,and fitness competitors.
In a way The IFBB has shot itself in the foot by it's actions.

International Federation of Bodybuilders....bodybuilders...unless that's hard to sell then we'll redefine the bodies into whatever we can market.
So they dumped women's bodybuilding onto the off ramp.
It's becoming clear to me that it is probably a dying category unless they address the fundamental issues.
Females,drugs,and marketability.It's a hard question.
They need to open up a discussion about where bodybuilding is going,and they don't want to do it.
The athletes have little to no power with the sports owners.
It's the owners/sponsors who unilaterally decide the judging standards by all accounts.

(To go off on the hinky feeling about the judging a bit.
The problem with this niche judged sport.Even if they're trying to be fair,you don't feel like you can completely trust the process.
And the larger question is are the judges being controlled by the owners of the shows?
How could they not be? At the least by tightly stating the judging criteria for it to be inevitable for suspicions to arise.That's bad enough.
I think there's good evidence they did manipulate the placings during the time the Weiders were running the sport.There's a strong story they made sure Bev Francis wouldn't be allowed to win the Ms Olympia.
The strange combination of tacit approval of drug use while downplaying it in the public eye,and implants is a continually weird element in bodybuilding.
I wish they would at least try to get their stuff together and be less hypocritical about it.
There are a lot of issues to unpack about all this.But I was writing off the top of my head.
So we'll see if I want to organize my thoughts more about it in the future.)

Some notes on the rest of the field.
One of the most noticeable aspects about the field is the increasing age of the competitors.Female bodybuilders are an aging lot.Muscle maturity does take time.And it can be a long process to bring up lagging body parts,and create a fully developed physique.But there is a natural law of diminishing returns as aging progresses.The bodies start looking rather slack.The skin has gone through many rounds of weight gain,and loss.And it bears the appearance of it.You start seeing the signs of looser skin around the abdomen etc..and it's harder to bring out sharpness in the low back,and glutes.
I looked through images of the field,and saw this with many of the older competitors.
It's one of the reasons why I think women's bodybuilding is declining.Even with drugs it's hard for women to put on the muscle mass to bring on stage looking huge,and striated.The genetically gifted have a massive advantage.The question is would they go into the bodybuilding category now?
The competitors in women's bodybuilding in the past tended to be younger.
Mainly because they were judging for shape,and attractiveness rather than size.The size and conditioning increase has been marching along,and has left the more conventionally aesthetic considerations in the lighter categories.

Margie Martin came in second after missing last years contest.She's a two time past champion and  still has the development and frame.She did look fully prepared to make a run for another title.
I think her implants are a problem.Too large,round,and hard looking.The absolute opposite of breasts is hard looking.So in bodybuilding...hard everything.
She also has the problem of a noticeable c-section scar,and tattooing on her lower abdomen.
She might try wearing a custom made suit to cover her lower abdomen.I think that should be allowed.I don't know how much judges take scaring into account.
She's an impressive bodybuilder.We'll see if she keeps competing.

Sheila Bleck came in third.I would have awarded her the top prize.There's nothing missing with her.She is lighter than the two top placers.They may want to see more mass on her.But she's a classic well proportioned bodybuilder.No implants.No massive tats,or scars.Great poser.It would be nice to see her win some day.

Helle Trevino,last year's champion,came in 5th.It's surprising they dropped her down this low.She still has the mass.Did they think her conditioning was off? It's probably what cost her.She looked a little flat,and wasn't showing the striations that pop out to the judges.

Virginia Sanchez placed 7th,and carries very dense muscle in her upper body.In comparison her legs don't look as impressive.It's not that they're bad.Her upper body just visually over powers her legs.She's 47 so she's probably reached her level.
She also shows some of the serious issues with women's bodybuilding.
Of course she's been taking Androgenic Anabolic Steroids for years.She's probably also taken estrogen suppressors.So in fact her breast tissue has deflated.She has such low body fat that there's not much to pad her body at all.Her look is maximum hardness.
She shaves her head,and wears a wig.Possibly suffering hair loss due to the androgens she's taking.
And the years of high drug usage,and dieting show on her face.
This is the situation with the older women bodybuilders and what the judges have to work with.
There you have it.

At the end of the view on this.It took me awhile to write it.It's hard to look at now.I remember the old days when there were so many attractive,and compelling athletes.It was a real competition,and people could improve and have something to look forward too. I remember looking forward to getting the magazines.Reading articles about the competitions,And interviews with the athletes.
It's sad it's ground down to this point.And the corporate fools at the IFBB don't seem to know how to rescue it.
They'd have to make some hard changes.They'd have to behave like intelligent mature rational individuals and set some parameters of harm reduction and judging standards that would be very controversial.
There is a real and notable division between what sells to the hard core ( and often fetishistic so-called shmoe ) fan of women's bodybuilding and even a general bodybuilding physique fan base.
At this point it looks like they've sent women's bodybuilding out to pasture to die.

To address my repeated references to breast implants.
It would almost seem like I have a bug up my butt about them.
I do.
They look fake as hell.
Creepy plastic bags straining under the skin...and they're too damn big now.They're gross.
I didn't grow up seeing this much fake hardness when I was a kid.There was a lot more emphasis on  looking healthy,and somewhat relatable.
Most of the bodybuilders still looked beautiful,and graceful.They allowed them to keep a little subcutaneous fat,and they weren't forced to become the size of farm animals to have a chance to win.
I know I'm not alone in wanting to see more classic beauty in bodybuilding.It's a growing movement.

At the end of the day,as they say...
Female Bodybuilders can do what they want.
The organizations can do what they want.
The sponsors can do what they want.
The fans can watch it,or care,or not.

I'm just kind of shaking my head,and shrugging is all.I'm not trying to sound as angry as I do.I am bothered by it.But that's the way it goes.There's nothing I can do about it.We all have faded passions.I can move on.I have many interests.
As sorry as I am to lose former favorites...that's the breaks.
I love muscle...but this is about too much else now.
I'll keep lifting.I still love the fundamental iron culture.
But the onstage version of the ripped circus? I take a look at it when I feel like it now.
It's past it's prime,and entered it's decadent phase now.
Oh well.

The Olympia 2018

Shawn Rhoden

Well I never write anything in a timely manner.So this is the week after,give or take, the 2018 Olympia weekend.The yearly grandiose thumping flesh on parade show.
I didn't sit glued to the stream.Which I understand is just as well since it was on a site I've never heard of, ( iherb ), and it was down much of the first day.That's the IFBB isn't it?
I suppose they make money....somehow.
The big story;The same guy didn't win again! Dear sweet jumpin' Jebus!
The same guy always wins in the open class year,after year,until the average gymbro fan is crying into his protein shake about how bloody boring it is.Well...it kinda is.It's not really much of an actual contest if it turns into a yearly coronation.
So last year Phil Heath wins his seventh title in a row.2011-2017 all his.And last year he was battling a gut injury that required surgery soon after the show.He still managed to take the title.But there was grumbling about his gut.There's quite a lot of grumbling about distended turtle bellies in bodybuilding in general in the last few years.It's a real problem.
Phil's belly was reasonable this year.But he was not as big,and tight as in the past.He's a mass of round on round.H shaped,and packed with beef every inch.Lacking nothing.He's a damn impressive bodybuilder.He does deserve to be a champion.
But he's not loved by all.He can come off as prideful,touchy,and defensive.He glowers on stage,and pulls his mean muggin' face.
Bad impressions? Maybe a little.Are people being unfair to him? Probably they are.
He's not a villain.Some fans just got tired of him.That's the way it goes.He has a right to be proud of his run.He's one of the elites.We'll see if he comes back next year.His wife blew off some steam after the show,and said he was going to quit.An emotional over reaction in the heat of the moment.He'll probably be back.
The bigger deal is the man who won,Shawn Rhoden.
He's been climbing the Olympia mountain for years.He has a lot of fans.His physique is a modern mass version of a real X frame.It just flat out looks like an Olympia champion should.
He paid his dues,and deserves it.His win produced some genuine happiness in the bodybuilding world.It felt like a breath of fresh air.It felt a little like coming home to something close to the classic lines that so many fans yearn for.I wonder if the IFBB executives,and judges are getting the message? I'm starting to believe it's possible.The general public doesn't like the mega bulk freak look.But that's the average Joe.When there's a feeling that the real gym Joe is turned off, they start listening.The bulk freak beast still has fans.But it's unmarketable to many.It makes bodybuilding look like the circus sideshow rather than the beautiful muscular ideal most who fall in love with bodybuilding dream of.I don't think most people prefer the mass over the class.It's possible the constant exposure on social media has an effect on this.So many people look at so many muscular bodies.Most people are drawn to beauty.It has to be reflected in the sport.That's why they added so many divisions.They're basically aesthetic weight classes.
Gym members following physique heroes on Instagram,and YouTube buy supplements.They may buy tickets,and t-shirts,and support the future of bodybuilding too.
But whatever the long term on this...I'm glad he won.

Flex Lewis

Flex Lewis won his seventh 212 division title,and retired after wards.
Damn look at that back!
He's a great bodybuilder.I don't think we'll see a short man winning the open class but he would at least have a shot.I don't know if he's given any indication of wanting to step up to open.So this is probably it for him.
He's soldiered on and got it done for years.I always liked him winning more than Heath in open every year.
So next year the 212 will be a new winner.Maybe Derek Lunsford? We'll see.

I paid a little attention to the other divisions.
Breon Ansley won his second Classic title.He looks great, and healthy.Nothing bad to say about that.
Chris Bumstead may be the future winner.He's very impressive.His stomach vacuum could scare a Hoover.
(But I wish he'd get that arm obliterating tattoo removed.It's a giant glop wiping out his forearm)
There are rumors that they may allow them to change from the black boxers next year.Here's hoping.

The Women's Physique winner, Shanique Grant...is pretty.And she has a nice physique.Good for her.
I prefer Natalia Abraham Coelho.Very sharp,and statuesque.Great lines.
And no implants...yet.I'll like her as long as she doesn't install the bags of goo.
It looks like they're reining in the women's muscle mass too.They look more stream lined,and lighter this year.This has been going on for some time.The athletes get bigger,they get pulled back.
Of course.

Natalia Abraham Coelho

The rest of the events...congrats to the winners.
See I'm trying to be nice and not mention the dumb board shorts in Men's physique,or the fact that all the Bikini girls look the same (implants) and stick their butts in the air.

Well it was an eventful show.We'll see how things play out from here as we continue to pretend that bodybuilding is an actual sport that matters.
Thanks for playing kids.

I'll bet Las Vegas was cleared out of doughnuts after the show too.😄🍩

Iron Info - September 21, 2018 - Charts that explain our mainstream dietary problems,Bodybuilders and CrossFit,Don't Tear a Pec,Alan Aragon is a Creep.

Another round up of recent stories that caught my interest.

↪
Here is an extensive explanation in chart form of how the flood of industrially produced processed foods have screwed our health.
The short version is whole foods have been increasingly replaced with flour,sugar,and vegetable oil.The burden of cheap, junk food in the form of carbs/sugars,and fats have broken people's backs.
This is a good way to see the problem displayed in visual form.
From Optimising Nutrition by Marty Kendall.

Why our food system is screwed (in charts)

⇏
Darren Mehling from Muscle Insider on the question of bodybuilders doing CrossFit.He would say no.I can see his point.It may be a fun challenge to a very fit person.But if you're dedicated to optimizing your physique for it's own sake,you may have to be cautious about performance fitness practises.But if you're not a competitor,you could enjoy some elements of it. ( just my opinion )

Should Bodybuilders do CrossFit?

⇢
From Starting Strength by Mark Barroso.Not a common occurrence in weightlifting,but it's a nasty problem when it strikes.

How Not to Tear a Pec While Bench Pressing

⇶
And this....Alan Aragon made a bad impression on me.Always seemed smug,and overly self assured.I noticed the way he engaged with people he disagreed with.He smirked,and shook his head.I thought of him as Alan Arrogant.
Turns out he's a vulgar lout.He's been repeatedly sexually harassing women.He'll blame the booze...of course.I'd blame the fact he's a jerk.
Yech!
Good riddance to smuggy pants.


How Celebrity Nutritionist Alan Aragon Used His Status To Prey On Young Women


I'll wrap it up with this.Yes even in the physical fitness world where the body may be very focused on;
You don't get a free ticket to attempt to use,and dehumanize someone because they look hot.
Character still counts.
Take care.

Iron Info September 7, 2018 - Stefansson's all meat diet,Doctors ignoring breast surgery patients,Dr Georgia Ede's on the Lancet's low carb scare,William Murray - first champ,Beef Jerky with Brad Leone.

I'm always finding interesting articles,and videos.Usually items posted to Twitter.I do re tweet them.But I thought I'd make the effort to share them in a more permanent manner here.
If I find something of particular interest I'll list it,and provide a brief description.

We all need to get better edumacated,or edumeatcated for us meat head lifters.(I'm kidding.Don't get your singlet in a wad.)

➲
Here's a fascinating article from Atlas Obscura about the Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson,and his experiment proving the safety of an all meat diet.
He had lived with the Inuit long enough to realize their diet was adequate,and healthy.
There is an aggressive modern pro plant based diet agenda that claims you can't get enough nutrients from meat.Factually that's not the case.Yes including vitamin C.
The Inuit,and Plains Indians didn't get scurvy.

The Arctic Explorer Who Pushed an All Meat Diet.


➣
This is a excruciating story about surgeons refusing to respect the wishes of women undergoing mastectomy to not have breast implants,or reconstruction.
They are often being arrogantly ignored because the surgeons think they know better.
They are causing some horrendous outcomes.It's also obvious that many surgeons performing plastic surgery on breasts are dangerously incompetent.
It's appalling that the boob butchering bastards seem to get away with it too.
American medical patients need a strong,and enforceable standard of legal rights.
The story from Cosmopolitan.Includes graphic images.

These Cancer Patients Wanted to Get Rid of Their Breasts for Good. Their Doctors Had Other Ideas. 


➔
Excellent take down of the recent Lancet report claiming that low carb diets are dangerous.
Many people don't understand how bias can be built into these reviews.
Dr. Georgia Edes of Diagnosis Diet explains it at Psychology Today.

Latest Low-Carb Study: All Politics, No Science

⟹
Conor Heffernan of Physical Culture Study on the first winner of a bodybuilding contest; William Murray ,Champion of Eugene Sandow's 1901 Great Competition held in London.

Bodybuilding’s First Champion: William Murray

William Murray

⇶
The entertaining goofball chef, Brad Leone showing how to make homemade beef jerky.
You'll need a dehydrator.Yeah,I know you're not going to do it.But if you wanted to, you can.
(and hopefully not add as much sugar as commercial brands)
Bon Appetit on YouTube.

I'll be back at ya soon.Always Lifting and Learning.

Steroid Seduction by Jeff Everson ( Planet Muscle 1999 )

[this article is from the magazine Planet Muscle, published 1999 ]

STEROID SEDUCTION
The Wonder Pill Dianabol Changed Bodybuilding Forever.
Guess What? The Siren Song of Steroids is Still Singing Seductively!

Jeff M. Everson
92 Masters Bodybuilding Champion
Author of The Steroid Supermen

Several years ago, adventure writer, Jack London ( The Call of The Wild ), wrote "Man's chief purpose is to live,not to exist.I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.I shall use my time."
Well, when it comes to mass and cuts, bodybuilders have taken Jack London literally,  more concerned with reaching a 60 inch chest girth, rather than actually living to age 60.But you know, in spite of skyrocketing dosages (approaching 500mg. per day), and even though at least one recent survey suggested some kids as young as 10 are using steroids, the heyday of oral steroids has passed as most drug companies don't even produce steroids any more.
Indeed, today's human gluteal pin cushions, in order to progressively up their total tissue saturation, concentrate on injectable steroids.Inadvertently, while reducing some health risks, use of steroid injections make athletes much more likely to fail drug tests.Oral steroids also are associated with with some uniquely ugly health risks, separate and perhaps worse than those associated with injected steroids.

THE DOCTOR ZIGGED WITHOUT DRIVING A CADDY!
Prior to 1960, there was some spotty medical use of testosterone and its various extracts, but not much even though there are plenty of unverified rumors of wonderful, miraculous male-potentiating stuff with athletes (even before Hot Stuff and Horny Stuff) [1]
However, for the most part, prior to Designer Protein,Super wraps, Freddy Ortiz and Harold Poole, legendary bodybuilders, such as John Grimek,[2] Vince Gironda, Leroy Colbert, Marvin Eder, Vern Weaver, Hugo Labra, George Eiferman, Armand Tanny, Reg Park, and Steeve Reeves were hefting ponderous weights  (and equally ponderous food plates). They did it au' natural, developing ponderous bodies with good old cow's milk (lots of casein and glutamine) liver tablets and eggs.
Nonetheless, by 1958, Dr. John Ziegler, consultant to the York Barbell lifters, suspected that the rapidly rising Russkies were ingesting more than borscht and Stolichnaya vodka.Sure enough, after bellying up to the bar with the Soviet team physician, Ziegler (always the patriot) managed to finagle from the Russian MD that his troops were washing down methyl testosterone tablets with their vodka.
Ziegler (ever the chemist too) went to work and, with some important chemical modifications to testosterone, the Doctor that zigged came up with Dianabol, an oral steroid with an unparalleled powerful effect.Complete rights were retained by Ciba pharmaceuticals (who long ago discontinued the drug).[3]
Weight lifters of the day, such as Bill March (and even York guru daddy Robert Hoffman), experimented with Dianabol, and all made great gains, over that induced through the one-day-on one-day-off York Swing Bell System and Energol.[4] Steroid use mushroomed  with weight lifters , as much as mushroom use mushroomed with Frisko pot heads! In the 1963-1970 years, certain bodybuilders started  to stand tall, head and shoulders above the rest, and it had nothing to do with shoe lifts.
It was needless to ask if the rather sudden growth changes were due to Rheo Blair's Protein [5], York Functional Isometrics [6], or Joe Weider's Super Pro 101. While these things helped no doubt, Dianabol was rapidly becoming The under cover Breakfast of Champions.

MY EXPERIENCES WITH D-BOL
Why was Dianabol in particular,  and steroids in general, so seductive? Some personal insight.I started training in 1962, at age 11. No John Grimek naturally, at the end of seventh grade I weighed all of 105 pounds. After some 15 years of regular training, I was able to get my lifts up to a 420 bench press and a 370 clean and jerk all naturally. Progress was slow, as it is biologically ordained to be.
To put this in perspective, it took me 4 years to go from a 300 high school senior bench press at 195 lbs weight, to a 400 college senior bench press , at 255 pounds body weight, naturally. And then, because I didn't gain any weight (in fact, I lost a bit of what I considered water weight) from about age 21 to age 27, my bench press went up all of 20 pounds, to 420, (over six years of painstakingly hard work).
Then, after watching lifters I used to trounce start passing me by, I did a 6 week cycle of Dianabol.The first three weeks, I used 10 mg. a day. The second three weeks I used 15 mg. per day.My bench press moved to from 420 to 460 pounds in that 6 week period. My body weight increased 5 pounds. I stayed off the drugs for 7 weeks and then I began a second cycle which lasted 7 weeks. The first 4 weeks, I used 15 mg. a day and the last three weeks I used 25 mg. a day. My bench press leapt from 460 to 500 pounds.
Can you say seductive? On two short cycles, I went from 420 to 500 lbs. I could identify no side effects except being in a much better mood, having more energy, transient liver enzyme changes, bigger armpit striae, better recovery and growing out of my shirts. So, in a space of four years, training on pancakes and filet, and gaining some 60 pounds body weight, I put 100 pounds on my bench press. Then, over a six year period, without any weight gain, I moved my bench press up 20 pounds, showing how increases in strength after a while is most dependent upon body weight increases (do you now understand the popularity of creatine?).[7]
Comparably, on two short cycles of minimal Dianabol use, in effect, over 13 weeks, my bench press went up 80 pounds! Eleven years of training natural moved me from a 300lbs. to a 420lbs. bench press.Thirteen weeks on Dianabol moved me from 420lbs. to 500lbs. My friends, that's an addictive seduction to a man desperately seeking the Susan of strength![8]
Look at it another way. I ultimately bench pressed 580 pounds in the gym (and 556 pounds earlier in competition) at 280 pounds body weight. In my last workout preparing for a contest 600 pound bench attempt, I unfortunately (or fortunately as the case may be) tore my right pectoral badly, ending my bench press insanity. That was back in 1987, at age 35.
I figure it this way, at the same body weight, if  I had NEVER used steroids, I would have probably bench pressed about 460 pounds. So, steroids gave me 20% plus, over my active life of use. This is significant. Just a 10% improvement in a skill activity, makes a 64 foot shotput sail to 70 feet. At 20%, a 2000 pound natural power lifting total becomes 2400 pounds total, and an 18"hard natural biceps becomes 21.6"!
Seduction can be a terrible (or wonderful) thing.

THE ORALS AND THEIR DANGERS!
While I may not have suffered any immediate side effects from Dianabol (at least that I was aware of), others have not been so fortunate, Oral steroids do not survive the first liver pass as do injected drugs. Medicine modified the basic testosterone compound into Dianabol, so it could be absorbed orally, and this means the oral drugs are concentrated more heavily in the biliary and hepatic systems. Thus, their potential for liver damage and kidney damage is high. Despite stomach degradation, for most users, oral steroids, on a mg. per mg. base, always seemed more effective than injections too.
Oral steroids are in and out of the system quickly.Thus, believe it or not, for women, controlling unwanted side effects is easier with oral steroids. Taking 20 mg. of an oral daily, one could lower or discontinue the total dose, for example, if a voice change started appearing. However, if one has administered an injection (or injections) and this side effect begins to show , you are screwed because you can not discontinue the dose and injections do hang around for a lot longer time exerting their effect. This is the reason a reasonable (considered safer) steroid like nandrolone, can produce Deca-delts and a Deca-voice with women!
Orals are removed from your system so much quicker  it makes drug test detection harder. In experiments I conducted years ago with an IOC-accredited laboratory, I could take 25mg. of Dianabol each day for four weeks and test negative at day seven (seven days off). A slightly less dose of Anavar actually cleared out of my system in 4-5 days. However, the two 100 mg. injections of nandrolone I took were still testing positive at 11 months post use. You could verify that with Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale since he and I were communicating about the unique retrospection of one of the three metabolites of nandrolone at the time.
In years past, the most common oral steroids were rated ambiguously (for good reason. hardly any legitimate MD ever studied this kind of stuff) for producing size and strength as follows; Dianabol, Anadrol, Halotestin, Equipoise, Anavar, Methyl Testosterone, Primobolan, Winstrol and Maxibolan.
Anadrol and Halotestin were considered the worst for bad side effects, with Methyl Testosterone and Dianabol right behind. Winstrol and Maxibolan were used more by women (because of lower androgen) potential and, frankly seemed to do little for strength for most men.
Because HIV/AIDS causes depressed immune function and a general gradual muscle loss at some point in the disease progression, many medical professional are rediscovering the nitrogen retention characteristics of oral steroids, nandrolone decanoate and testosterone. Legitimate, real Winstrol is still around and, supposedly, Anadrol may be coming back again. Dianabol and Primobolan are still made in foreign countries like Mexico, Russia and Greece. Most oral steroids around today are probably counterfeits and presumably less than 100% effective.
To reiterate and review the potential dangers of oral steroids , side effects include elevations in triglycerides and low density lipoproteins, with a with a corresponding drop in high density fractions (HDL) and possibly total cholesterol (although this is more likely with testosterone than oral steroids), acne vulgaris, water retention, testicle shrinkage, prostate irritability or hypertrophy, fat deposition in the breast of the male,clitoral growth and sensitivity increase in the female, male pattern baldness in both sexes, increased body hair in females, deepening of the voice in females, immediate libido increase followed by a gradual loss of libido in males, lower sperm counts and motility/viability in males, disturbed electrolytes, loss or gain in appetite, headaches, anxiety, increase in blood pressure, heightened aggression (so-called roid rage), jaundice and bloody liver cysts and elevations in enzyme markers for liver (SGPT,AST) and kidney stress (BUN and creatinine) or damage.

WHAT THE MEDICAL LITERATURE DEMONSTRATES
Rumors of serious side effects related to steroid use, and particularly oral steroids, in otherwise healthy individuals began in the early seventies. However, the bulk of actual data revolves around hospitalized patients. In a landmark literature review in 1975, researchers reported 12 cases of cancer development associated  with steroids. Again, the caveat was that these subjects were already hospital patients, compromised in some medical manner and subsequently treated with steroids.
For example researcher Johnson reported a case of Fanconi Anemia where a 20 year old male received 10 months of treatment with Anadrol. The patient developed liver cancer with bloody cysts and died. One patient Dr. Johnson reviewed, developed leukemia after being treated with with 300 mg. per day of Anadrol (ouch) for a nine month period. A different patient with a case of undescended testicles was treated with Methyl testosterone and developed primary cancer which then spread. Doctors have also noticed that liver tumors often shrink and disappear with cessation of steroid administration.
In the mid-eighties, the athletic world was shocked by the development of serious liver problems by a few healthy athletes, without any personal or family history of liver problems. Bob Goldman DO. first reported in FLEX magazine, and his own book, DEATH IN THE LOCKER ROOM, the case of Daniel Baroudi, a serious bodybuilder, who had self-prescribed a series of different anabolic steroids over a 5-7 year period. Baroudi developed a primary liver cancer and his doctors concluded that it was his heavy use of oral steroids which had induced his cancer. Baroudi died in 1984.
In 1985, another serious recreational  bodybuilder, William Loomis, was hospitalized with a cancerous tumor of his liver. Mr. Loomis had been using (with a Doctor's prescription) Anadrol, non-stop, for almost two years. It was not a high dose, but Anadrol is a notorious liver-unfriendly, oral steroid. Mr. Loomis did have periodic blood exams, which often does not detect the presence of a tumor, which was the case here.
When his tumor was discovered, it was operated upon immediately and found to be encapsulated without metastasis. Two thirds of his liver was removed and his story also ran in FLEX magazine years ago. The last I had heard, he was alive and recovering. I hope this is still the case.
Oral steroids: like Dianabol, there's not too many around anymore, and if you ever come across some, I strongly suggest you do NOT use them!

Here is Dr. Johnson's original list of the oral anabolic steroids, doses and time length of use, associated with side effects of a serious nature in hospitalized patients:
Steroid                      Dose                        Time                       Side Effects
Anadrol                    10 to 250mg/day     10-51 months          liver cysts,tumor,leukemia
Methyl testosterone  20 to 50mg/day       1-165 months          liver tumors
Winstrol                    2.5 to 15 mg/day     18 months               liver tumors
Dianabol                   20-150 mg/day        12-18 months          liver tumors
Halostestin                15 to 80 mg/day      4-16 months            bloody cysts
Nilevar                      20 to 30 mg/day      2-9 months              bloody cysts

Editor's note: Anabolic steroids are illegal and most Doctors don't prescribe them in any situation.
They're potentially dangerous drugs. However, there are some medical conditions where they may be used. Additionally, more researchers are looking into the use of testosterone and growth hormone as an adjunct to stave off some effects of aging related to gradual hormone loss. PLANET MUSCLE, in presenting this historical and personal review, does not recommend, advocate or encourage steroid use, in any situation.

PLANET MUSCLE Editor-in chief: Jeff Everson won the 1992 NPC National Masters Bodybuilding Championships. He has a fitness cable show on E! called Everfit [9]
Jeff says his main claim to fame was that he used to sleep with Cory Everson on a regular basis. 

Notes;
1. Hot Stuff and Horny Stuff were supplements available in the 1990's touted as testosterone,and
    libido boosters.Subsequently banned.
2.John Grimek was reported to have used steroids.He was associated with the York Barbell.
   For reference see; "Muscletown USA" by John D. Fair
3.It's probably not likely John Bosley Ziegler had anything to do with developing Dianabol himself.
   Most sources say it was created by Chemists at Ciba Pharmaceuticals, and Ziegler was merely
   a distributor of the company's drugs.
   See this Slate article for a story about him The Man Behind the Juice. ( it does credit him with
   involvement in development of the drug )
   See this article that says he had no involvement and credits the Ciba scientists.
   This is a commercial site so be warned before you click. The Creation of Dianabol and the Myth of Dr. John Ziegler.
 4. Energol was a wheat germ oil supplement.
 5.A popular early protein supplement powder
 6.Isometrics are essentially static 'lifts' to increase muscle strength.The technique was heavily
    promoted by Hoffman's York lifters. See this article by Bill Star for details. Isometrics
    It was known to insiders that although isometric training could be helpful, the real reason the
    York lifters were making great gains at the time was far more due to steroids.
 7.Creatine can cause mild water retention,and therefore weight gain.
 8.Desperately Seeking Susan was a 1985 comedy movie.
 9.The show was aired as paid programming in the early morning for a few years.A few segments
    are archived on YouTube.It was a mix of instruction,and advertising.

Jeff Everson

Jeff Everson was a Weightlifter,Power lifter,Bodybuilder,and long time writer,editor,and publisher in the iron world.His magazine Planet Muscle went out of publication in 2014.
I haven't heard what he's been up to lately.

I'm posting this article for historical interest only.
If any copyright holder wants it removed, please ask.