Is It Possible to Build Muscle Without Anabolic Steroids?

My answer is a definite yes - it is indeed possible to build muscle without using steroids. The undeniable proof lies in the significant increase in muscle mass and strength experienced by all beginner bodybuilders.

However, it is important to address a few "but" factors that come into play when building muscles without steroids. Let's delve deeper into this topic.

To begin, I won't say that someone is inherently more genetically predisposed to heavy sports, although genetics do play a role. Instead, I will discuss the remarkable adaptability of the human body, as well as plateau and progression without steroids.

As well, I'd like to clarify that I have personal experience in competitive bodybuilding from 1999 to 2009. However, it's important to note that I neither promote nor discourage the use of anabolic steroids. This decision is a personal one that should be carefully considered, weighing all the pros and cons.

In my opinion, if someone uses steroids without earning a living from fitness or bodybuilding, or without participating in competitions, it becomes an unjustifiable choice. What then is the motivation? Is it solely to boost one's ego? To conform to societal standards of beauty imposed by the media and the fitness industry, driven by billions of dollars in profit from that? We are likely influenced by such factors. However, the underlying reason is often our inability to accept ourselves as we are. But that's a topic for a separate post.

Reasons People May Believe That Building Muscle Without Steroids Is Not Possible

I often come across the notion that building muscle without the use of steroids is impossible. However, such beliefs are often held by individuals who seek to justify their own laziness, avoiding the commitment and effort required to transform their bodies.

Furthermore, this perspective may arise from individuals who have only been engaged in gym workouts for a short period, possibly following incorrect training methods and lacking proper nutrition. When they fail to see the rapid development of their "big biceps", they draw the conclusion that muscle growth is impossible without steroids.

Similarly, individuals who have trained for a certain duration without achieving their desired results may turn to anabolic steroids as a solution. As a result, they experience a rapid increase in muscle mass and strength.

Lastly, some people may simply be reluctant to delve deeper into the intricacies of bodybuilding, preferring not to explore the hidden aspects and complexities that lie beyond the surface.

But it is important to approach these claims with critical thinking and consider a wide range of perspectives before forming conclusions about the possibilities of muscle growth without the use of steroids.

The Human Body's Adaptability and Potential

I firmly assert that it is indeed possible to build muscle without the use of anabolic steroids for anybody. This belief stems from my unwavering faith in the perfection of the human body and from my own experience. Our bodies are perfectly designed to adapt and respond to various stimuli, even the slightest ones, and it does the job very well.

Therefore, we should not underestimate our capacity for adaptation, even in the face of the demanding challenges presented by bodybuilding. Our body naturally responds to consistent and rigorous training by increasing muscle mass and strength. It is an inherent process where the body has no alternative but to adapt and cope with the imposed loads better and easier.

As I have mentioned, beginner bodybuilders are direct proof of that. Many years ago, I was a beginner and a natural bodybuilder. Before I embarked on professional bodybuilding, which involves the use of anabolic steroids, I achieved a body weight of 82 kg while maintaining highly defined muscles with a low percentage of body fat. Additionally, I reached 125 kg (275.5 pounds) for one repetition on the bench press. These results were attained through six years of natural bodybuilding.

Novice bodybuilders often experience significant gains in muscle and strength due to several factors:

• Firstly, their bodies are not accustomed to the demands of resistance training, making them more responsive to stimuli. This phenomenon, known as the "beginner's advantage," allows them to make rapid progress as their muscles adapt and grow in response to the new training stimulus.
  
  
• Secondly, beginners tend to have untapped potential in terms of muscle mass, as their bodies have not yet reached their genetic limits. Their hormonal system works well and produces the required amount of hormones with ease because even the heavy training of a novice bodybuilder is within the range of the system's capabilities and the adaptive capabilities of their body as a whole. This provides ample room for growth and development.
  
  
• Lastly, novice bodybuilders typically exhibit high levels of motivation and enthusiasm, which translates into consistent training and adherence to proper nutrition and recovery practices.

The combination of these factors sets the stage for impressive results in muscle and strength gains during the initial stages of their bodybuilding journey.

But another crucial factor to consider is the body's inherent capabilities and limitations when it comes to hormone production, muscle recovery, and hypertrophy. It is undeniable that the human body does have its limits.

Therefore, the question that arises is: to what extent can we push these limits?

The Role of Testosterone in Muscle Building

Once again, I maintain that the human body is truly perfect and freaking awesome. Consider what it is capable of when anabolic steroids are utilized. With their use, individuals can achieve impressive results regardless of training methods, exercises, or even suboptimal nutrition and recovery. As one scientist expressed about steroids, "Even the least genetically gifted individual, when using anabolic steroids, will surpass gifted and experienced athletes who do not take steroids, even with poor nutrition and inadequate recovery!" While this statement may sound exaggerated, it underscores the essence of the impact.

Testosterone is an anabolic steroid hormone that plays a crucial role in muscle building. It is a primary male sex hormone that impacts the body's ability to adapt to hard training by regulating various processes in the body that contribute to muscle growth and development. Here are the key points regarding the role of testosterone in muscle building:

• Protein Synthesis: Testosterone promotes protein synthesis, which is the process by which the body builds and repairs muscle tissue. It enhances the production of new proteins, leading to muscle hypertrophy (enlargement) and accelerating recovery.
  
  
• Increased Nitrogen Retention: Testosterone improves nitrogen balance in the body, allowing for greater retention of nitrogen in muscle tissues. Positive nitrogen balance is essential for anabolism, as it indicates that the body is in a state of muscle growth rather than muscle breakdown.
  
  
• Muscle Strength: Testosterone increases muscle strength by stimulating the growth of muscle fibers and improving muscle contraction. It enhances the development of fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosive power and strength.
  
  
• Increased Training Capacity: Testosterone enhances red blood cell production which increases endurance and training capacity. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen to the muscles, which is crucial for energy production during exercise. It enhances energy levels, motivation, and overall performance, allowing individuals to train harder and for longer durations. Testosterone facilitates faster recuperation and minimizes the risk of overtraining.
  
  
• Metabolism and Fat Loss: Testosterone influences metabolism, promoting the utilization of stored fat as an energy source. It promotes lipolysis, the breakdown of stored fat. This leads to favoring a more muscular physique, a body composition with a higher muscle-to-fat ratio.
  
  
• Bone Density and Strength: Testosterone plays a role in increasing bone mineral density and improving bone strength. This anabolic effect contributes to overall physical strength and reduces the risk of fractures and bone-related injuries.

The key points mentioned above are not isolated processes but rather interconnected components of the unified impact of testosterone on the human body, specifically on the muscles.

There are other anabolic but nonsteroid hormones that affect muscle growth such as growth hormone, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), but each of them needs a separate blog post. These hormones work together with testosterone to optimize muscle protein synthesis, increase muscle mass, and improve strength and performance during resistance training.

The human body maintains a constant production of hormones, synchronized with its biological rhythms and in response to various external and internal stimuli. Weight training serves as an external stimulus that triggers an increased release of testosterone and other hormones compared to the body's resting state.

However, it is important to note that the intensity and difficulty of training do not directly correlate with higher hormone production. The hormonal system has its limitations, and even with highly intense heavy training, it can only secrete a maximum amount of testosterone, typically around 35 nmol/L. Excessive and prolonged training sessions do not result in further hormone production and can actually be detrimental to the body.

This is precisely why professional athletes resort to steroids. They increase the amount of hormones in their bodies and go beyond the boundaries set by the "natural" capabilities of the human body. Steroids are utilized to expedite recovery and amplify muscle growth, pushing the limits of what the human body can achieve. Professional sports became a competition to test the limits of the human body and see who can extend them further.

The Plateau and Its Causes

It is an established fact that the majority of bodybuilders experience a point of stagnation in their progress, commonly referred to as a "plateau," after a certain time.

During the process of adapting to intense training, the body expends significant resources, and the hormonal system operates under stress. The more demanding the training and stress, the greater the need for hormones to facilitate adaptation and recovery. However, the hormonal system has its limits. I gave an example of testosterone production limits above, and this amount of testosterone can provide a certain rate of anabolic processes but no more. And the system can become depleted, necessitating rest.

Logically, bodybuilders understand that progress requires progressive overloads in training and sufficient time for recovery and muscle growth. They recognize the importance of only resuming training once full recovery has occurred. However, a significant challenge arises as many are unsure about the duration needed for complete recovery and muscle growth. 

This lack of clarity contributes to overload, depleting the hormonal system, perpetuates the plateau, and influences decisions to consider steroid use.

Here's how it all goes.

As athletes progress, they usually continue training with the same intensity, loads, and recovery time between workouts, as it promotes relatively stable strength and muscle growth.

However, as bodybuilders advance and attempt to lift heavier weights, the stress on their bodies increases while the recovery time between workouts remains unchanged. The hormonal system operates at its maximum capacity, facilitating rapid recovery and muscle growth. Eventually, at some point, progress begins to slow down or reach a plateau, because the hormonal system reaches its limit in producing growth-stimulating hormones and is capable of stimulating only a certain maximum rate of anabolic processes in the muscles.

For instance, let's consider a scenario where a bodybuilder used to train their biceps once a week, performing curls with a 50 kg barbell for 10 repetitions. At this point, their hormonal system was capable of stimulating muscle growth and facilitating recovery within a week, leading to increased muscle mass and strength in their biceps. However, as the bodybuilder's biceps grew bigger and stronger, they were able to handle a 60 kg barbell for 10 repetitions. Beyond this point, their progress significantly slowed down or completely halted because the rate at which their hormonal system could facilitate recovery was no longer sufficient to restore the larger and stronger biceps within a week.

Bodybuilders then seek solutions to overcome this plateau. They may resort to methods aimed at shocking their muscles and body as a whole to stimulate further progress, such as increasing training load, intensity, or volume. However, despite these efforts, desired results often remain elusive.

As a result, the hormonal system becomes overwhelmed. The body is unable to adequately compensate for the stress, leading to overtraining and a prolonged plateau.

Only a few athletes consider the option of taking a time-out to fully recover. Thoughts of using steroids become more prevalent, particularly when observing individuals in the gym who have surpassed their plateau through steroid use.

In my view, the key to delaying the onset of this plateau lies in proper training methods and allowing ample time for recovery, and providing the necessary nutrition. If any of these factors are neglected or fall short, it is unrealistic to expect significant results and the onset of the plateau may become more imminent.

If a bodybuilder hits a plateau, he should definitely take a break from training for at least two weeks and recover completely.

Progression Without Steroids

I believe that when a bodybuilder reaches the limits of their body's hormonal production and post-workout recovery rate, the only remaining tool for further progress without the use of steroids is to increase the duration of recovery and muscle growth between workouts.

If you used to train your biceps intensely once a week and get good results, but now you have reached a plateau, it is recommended to adjust your training frequency by prolonging recovery time between workouts. For instance, you can try training your biceps hard once every two weeks. The ideal recovery time after a plateau may vary for each individual, so it's important to find what works best for you.

Achieving consistent results without steroids relies on three crucial factors: proper training, nutrition, and adequate recovery time. These factors play a vital role because without using anabolic steroids the body becomes too sensitive to imbalances or deficiencies. For instance, excessively long workouts and excessive energy expenditure, or a calorie deficit, can impede or halt progress.

The body will not build additional muscle if it lacks the energy necessary for muscle development that it gets from food, if it does not receive enough sleep for rest and recovery, or if nutrition is insufficient.

The body's primary objective is survival, maintaining normal functionality, and supporting vital activities, but not muscle growth. It will only prioritize muscle growth when those primary objectives are met, and when sufficient resources and recovery time are available.

To train without relying on steroids, every aspect must work in order and in harmony, much like a Swiss watch.

Conclusion

Bodybuilding without steroids is possible! The only important factor is the time to achieve a certain result.

The human body is capable of incredible adaptation and muscle development. It responds to proper training, nutrition, and recovery. While steroids may offer a shortcut, they are not necessary to achieve significant results.

By understanding our body's potential, setting realistic expectations, and optimizing our training and lifestyle choices, we can build muscle and make progress in bodybuilding without resorting to anabolic steroids.

But if you are going to become a pro... Well... It's your decision, I only wish you good luck. 

Remember, the journey to a strong and muscular physique is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay dedicated, stay disciplined, and embrace the natural potential of your amazing body.