Steroids and DOMS

**thephoenix25** · 01-04-2014, 10:58 PM

Hi,
So, I am not on any cycle yet and after a rather grueling session in the gym yesterday working abs and core which is something I often neglect to directly work out and as a result I am sat here with an acute case of DOMS. Now, I'm no stranger to this feeling and often use it to gauge how well my last workout went and whether I'm hitting the correct muscles, but this got me thinking:

If I start a cycle and am making great strength gains and tearing up my muscles, what can I expect to feel in the way of DOMS?

I understand that the primary reason for using steroids is that the recovery/repair period is greatly reduced, but in that statement there is no mention about DOMS and general recovery pain.

Don't get me wrong I'm not a wussy and have grown to have a healthy respect for DOMS, but I'd still like to be able to function as a normal human outside of my training and cycle.

If anyone could shed some light on this topic I'd be grateful.

**Igifuno** · 01-04-2014, 11:04 PM

Your muscles should adapt somewhat after repeated breakdown, and should not hinder your ability to train. How long have you been training?

This is another reason you want to organize a training split to help ensure each muscle group is getting 100% on the days you're working them.

**ickythump** · 01-04-2014, 11:15 PM

I've found doms adaption to be very specific, some people appear to give full effort and never get sore, some people seem crippled after a workout but are well trained...off cycle it has a lot to do with what you eat and how you sleep which dictates recovery, you shouldn't be useless after a workout, but damn if I can hardly squat to grab my kids toys off the floor after leg day lol I currently get very mildly sore if I workout hard enough, but don't notice doms where a fee weeks ago I did (completing 5th week of 12 week test only first cycle)

**thephoenix25** · 01-04-2014, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Igifuno

Your muscles should adapt somewhat after repeated breakdown, and should not hinder your ability to train. How long have you been training?

This is another reason you want to organize a training split to help ensure each muscle group is getting 100% on the days you're working them.

I've been training for about 18 months, just rarely do direct abs work, this is why my DOMS is so aggressive today. I currently train a 3 way split :

Day 1
Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
Day 2
Back and Biceps
Day 3
Legs

I tagged Abs, Serratus and Obliques onto Leg day yesterday to complete the picture.

Originally Posted by ickythump

I've found doms adaption to be very specific, some people appear to give full effort and never get sore, some people seem crippled after a workout but are well trained...off cycle it has a lot to do with what you eat and how you sleep which dictates recovery, you shouldn't be useless after a workout, but damn if I can hardly squat to grab my kids toys off the floor after leg day lol I currently get very mildly sore if I workout hard enough, but don't notice doms where a fee weeks ago I did (completing 5th week of 12 week test only first cycle)

I see, so I can assume that if I eat right, sleep right and have a good foundation and routine in place already, my body should absorb the onslaught produced by the steroids . I just wasn't sure if the amplification of strength would be matched by an amplification of recovery type symptoms.

Thanks for your answers

**ickythump** · 01-04-2014, 11:46 PM

Steroids won't do any onslaught, you'll do the onslaught lol but it will help you recover (plus all the other benefits) is that you in your pic? If so you seem to have a solid foundation started, what are your stats? Goals?

**ickythump** · 01-04-2014, 11:47 PM

Remember, steroids are for muscles not connective tissue, that's why you want a solid foundation, so you don't get hurt with the strength increases

**thephoenix25** · 01-05-2014, 02:33 AM

Oops, yea, wrote that a bit wrong lol.

Yes that is me in my avatar, stats are :
37yo
6ft
172lb
~12-15% bf

Goals
Not looking to get enormous but much more developed than "average Joe" on the beach
I also don't want to be maintaining such a low bf that food dominates my life.
Somewhere in between.
My guess (which is all it is) would be about ~200lb at 12%bf
For me it's not about how much weight I can lift, it's about the aesthetics in the mirror.

Don't think I'm ready to cycle just yet as I'm still make gains (albeit slowly) but I do see it on the horizon (maybe 6 -12 months) and I like to be prepared.

**sensaispike** · 01-05-2014, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by thephoenix25

Oops, yea, wrote that a bit wrong lol.

Yes that is me in my avatar, stats are :
37yo
6ft
172lb
~12-15% bf

Goals
Not looking to get enormous but much more developed than "average Joe" on the beach
I also don't want to be maintaining such a low bf that food dominates my life.
Somewhere in between.
My guess (which is all it is) would be about ~200lb at 12%bf
For me it's not about how much weight I can lift, it's about the aesthetics in the mirror.

Don't think I'm ready to cycle just yet as I'm still make gains (albeit slowly) but I do see it on the horizon (maybe 6 -12 months) and I like to be prepared.

My goals were always similar to yours, I always said I would rather look like I could lift a house than actually be able to lift a house.... I am 5ft 6in and I thought that if I could just hit 200lbs I would be happy, (I started out at about 150lbs). However I have found that it is never enough, I always want more. I am currently 200lbs at about 13-15% but when I look in the mirror I still see myself as small and I want more..... do you find that you are experiencing the same thing? I think a lot of us end up this way....

Any way keep up the hard work....

P.S., if you still currently look like you avatar you are well under 15% IMO....

**thephoenix25** · 01-05-2014, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by sensaispike

My goals were always similar to yours, I always said I would rather look like I could lift a house than actually be able to lift a house.... I am 5ft 6in and I thought that if I could just hit 200lbs I would be happy, (I started out at about 150lbs). However I have found that it is never enough, I always want more. I am currently 200lbs at about 13-15% but when I look in the mirror I still see myself as small and I want more..... do you find that you are experiencing the same thing? I think a lot of us end up this way....

Any way keep up the hard work....

P.S., if you still currently look like you avatar you are well under 15% IMO....

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. I bet you look like a beast, great work

Yea, I do think that the mirror lies to us from time to time and I'm pretty sure I have a touch of body dysmorphic disorder lol. Then again I probably bring it on myself by browsing here and bb . com. I kinda become accustomed to seeing huge guys and unconsciously compare myself against them.

Yes my pic was taken a few days ago, I think closer to 12% but the body composition scales I used read 18% (hate them things) so I settled for somewhere inbetween lol

**ickythump** · 01-05-2014, 09:12 AM

Yea in that pic it's at most 12 right? Not everyone gets veins and stuff but that looks well under 12...on a side note, holy crap I would have guessed 25yrs old, lucky on the genetics lol

**sensaispike** · 01-05-2014, 09:22 AM

Yea the scales can be highly inaccurate as things like hydration level and sodium intake can have a large effect... If you can find a local college with a Bod-Pod you can usually set up an appointment get your BF% that way.... it should be fairly inexpensive and it is highly accurate..... The college near me only charges $12.50 for the assessment so that is money well spent.... If you cant do that you may try an experienced trainer, they can be pretty accurate with the 7 site skin fold.... But the skin fold can be just as inaccurate if not done properly.....

Keep pumping bro...

**thephoenix25** · 01-05-2014, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by ickythump

Yea in that pic it's at most 12 right? Not everyone gets veins and stuff but that looks well under 12...on a side note, holy crap I would have guessed 25yrs old, lucky on the genetics lol

Thanks man

**thephoenix25** · 01-05-2014, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by sensaispike

Yea the scales can be highly inaccurate as things like hydration level and sodium intake can have a large effect... If you can find a local college with a Bod-Pod you can usually set up an appointment get your BF% that way.... it should be fairly inexpensive and it is highly accurate..... The college near me only charges $12.50 for the assessment so that is money well spent.... If you cant do that you may try an experienced trainer, they can be pretty accurate with the 7 site skin fold.... But the skin fold can be just as inaccurate if not done properly.....

Keep pumping bro...

Yea I read not to trust the scales, though I was quite hurt when I saw the reading lol. I bought myself a set of calipers but I'm not experienced enough to get an accurate reading with them. Bod-pod isn't really an option for me as I am an English man living on a little island in Malaysia so the facilities here are quite limited so I'll just have to stick to guessing at the bf. At my level and size it's not too important to me to be super accurate with it.