How many started AS prior to reaching their genetic limit?

I always thought for someone to use AS they either wanted to make gains quicker, break through their natural barrier or REACH that barrier quicker. Seems like some of the feedback I've read recently about my own cycle focuses on that I should have waited until I reached that genetic barrier naturally - THEN used AS to break through.

This doesn't make much sense to me (but then again I am a newb to it all and as ignorant as most were their first run at it). If it takes me 3yrs to reach a barrier naturally, and only 1yr using AS - why not use AS? I mean who truly waits until they just can't get any further with what they're doing before using it? It's like running to work with a car following beside you - you run until you can't run anymore, then get in the car and get taken to work faster. Why not just get in the car to begin with???

So I'm curious to see (poll) how many actually waited until they hit that genetic barrier prior to doing their first cycle.

Slyp

I started before... I don't regret it... I was depressed from stregnth and size loss from surgery and once back to what i was I hit the sauce... Helped me make great gains and got my mind back in the game. This is just my opinion though...

Glad to know I'm not the only one... ;)

I think I may have started before i hit my genetic limit. I went from 135-200, back down to 185, then hit the sauce and bounced over 200. Now Im cutting and floating around 185-190 and Im starting to feel ripped.

I don't think to many of us waited to reach our genetic potential before we started but I think it is important to get a solid base both physically and mentally. There are certain things you can only learn about by working out and that goes double for nutrition. Everyone reacts so differently that no matter how much you read you will never get the knowledge that you gain from living the lifestyle for a while.

5 years under my belt before i even started this dianabol only cycle, leading into deca and t-eth. was pressin 315 at the start, now 375!!
i started out pressin 175 at 171lb body weight!!

I don't necessarily believe in the whole genetic potential thing. How do you actually know when you have hit your so-called genetic potential? Does a siren go off or something? j/k.. I personally hit a plateau a few years back but I just adjusted my training and I have seen a new set of gains since then. I could have easily said that I hit my "genetic potential". I am not denying the existence of it, I am just saying that I have never personally seen evidence that shows it as being valid. I would love for somebody to prove me wrong though, so if anybody has any case studies they would like to post I would love to see them.

But you see.... it's not just a genetic barrier.

It's not like your body says "OK, that's it... no more muscle!"

It comes down to a combination of lifestyle, training, diet, and genetics.

When I started taking AS, I'd hit my plateau and wasn't able to gain any more muscle without making changes to my lifestyle, diet, and to some degree my training. These were changes I wasn't willing to make, so I turned to the good stuff!

I agree completely!!

I hear alot of people say that you shouldn't take AS until you have hit your genetic potential. Which (in my opinion) doesn't make sense because like GG said, there is no real definitive genetic barrier. Muscles just simply adapt. If I ever decide to cycle, it would be simply because I want to get to my goals faster! People hit plateau's all the time.

i dont think there is a such thing as a genetic barrier, if u train and train and eat rite u can pretty much get to any size or any look u want, i think most people confuse genetic barriers with training plateaus, im sure u guys might disagree, JMO

I agree with Rickson and the others - more than the "genetic limits" of oneself, which everyone obviously does have (not everyone has the chemstry, or mutated myo-statin gene :D , to get to a Flex Wheeler stature - "all natrural") - I think it is most important to put in your QUALITY time under a less than favorable environment to see what training/lifestyle gets you the best results. And then when anabolic hormones are added - you get the best, solid results from minimal use... and keep your gains.

There is no way a new bodybuilder could blow up to 200lbs and keep it without knowing how a 200lbs athlete should eat, train, sleep, recover, keep off injuries ... live.

Plain and simple, people are impatient little buggers!!! :lol: Just like me!

I trained for 3 years before I started. I had hit a training plateau, felt week, less motivated. If anything, steroids have given me more confidence and energy and a special NEED to workout. I don't do it cuz it's "cool" or "popular" or because I think by taking steroids i'll become a HUGE mofo in one cycle (cause steroids aint no magic potion). So it's a lot more complex then many believe!!!

I started before I peaked, no regrets

....before training 3 years and not seeing much of a difference for 2 years. Then last summer my friend breaks up w/ his girl....gets test and dbol....jumps back in the gym and looks great.

But if there is a genetic barrier I hit it. I took a EQ only cycle and I'm finishing a Test only cycle. Haven't really gained anything. Will probably wait until May and hit Test only at like 1250mgs a week and see if that packs on some muscle. I still need to do my bodyfat check to see if that has changed....I see a few extra veins...but no crazy pumps (besides lower back), bench didn't go up, arms didn't gain in size.....but I did loose 3 inches off my waist so I guess it helped a little.

Anyway....wish I'd have juiced from the beginning.

I agree with those who say theres no such thing as a genetic barrier.. it dosne't make sense... eat right and train right and rest right and you'll grow now matter what your genitics are...

Trained for 9 years O'natural before getting jacked...I had definatelly hit my plateau at 27...still got to 225lbs at 6'1" O'natural from 150lbs when i started training...not to bad i guess. But now I'm much heavier and stronger. :D

I started way before I peaked. But It changed my life forever...................

God bless the chemicals.........

I believe that I was pretty much at my genetic limit before I took the plunge. I was training from 18 years old to 25, for 7 years before crossing over to the dark side. I went up naturally from 167lb to 210lb at 5'11''-6'. My last year and a half going natural was a real frustration, I tried changing my diet, and training and never could get past the plateau. A couple of times I got to 215lb, but all the extra gains were in the form of fat. Honestly, if I sacraficed my whole lifestyle, and bodybuilding was my sole endeavour perhaps I could have gained a little more, but with my lifestyle THAT was the genetic limit. When I finally hit my first cycle I gained between 32-35lb and once the water retention wore off I was stuck with a happy 25lb gain. My workouts took upon a whole new life, and I've reached goals never before imaginable. Chemical enhancement makes a world of difference.

I seem to be in between on this issue. I don't think there is a definitive limit for everyone but i also don't think it's as simple as long as your training and diet are spot on you'll keep growing. Even on AS there is a point where the human body will no longer put on muscle mass. If this was so easily obtainable without the us of AS than why would it basically be a requirement to be competitive in any form of bodybuilding or powerlifting. Eventually the body will not want to add any muscle with the measly levels of test it produces anturally, so what do we do, pump it so full of the **** it can't help but grow. BTW, i didn't hit my "limit" before starting.

Steroids aren't needed to reach genetic limit