New Member - Natural Limits

[wannabeme]

Hey guys,

First post. 41 years young. Been checking out the forum because I had no idea how far the AAS methods and knowledge have developed, and find it very interesting. I don't think I am ready to take the plunge and perhaps never will be unless or until the technology gets just a bit better or I feel I have hit my "genetic peak" and really really want that extra mass. For me the risk/reward profile just isn't quite there yet.

That being said, I am curious to get others' opinion on the limits of natural training. I have been training off and on for 4 years now. I have at times taken as much as 2-3 months completely off (not good), but when I'm "on" I'm in the gym hitting each muscle group 1x a week. When I started I felt quite fat around the gut and needed some lean mass - my stats were:

5'11"
192 lbs
26% body fat
142 lbs LBM

After the 8 months of the old "3 sets of 10" method hitting each muscle 1x/week practically never missing a week, 45 mins cardio a week, along with a somewhat deficient diet of 129g protein, 140g carbs, 50g fat (and yes, cheating sometimes with a little fatty food but very little of my favorite cheat - beer), I was able to reach my peak fitness 3 years ago of:

178 lbs
16% body fat
151 lbs LBM

So I guess to other "hardgainers" like me, the positive note is that in the beginning, even with less than the recommended protein intake and very basic lifting, I was able to simultaneously add about 1 lb of muscle per month for 8-9 months, while dropping 21 lbs of fat. Since then, I have yo-yo'd a bit and now I'm at:

181 lbs
19% body fat
146 lbs LBM

This is primarily due to lack of good diet and too much time off. I have started back at the gym so even these stats are better than what I had degraded to with slacking. Now I am starting to vary my routines for better results (super sets, different concentric/eccentric times, different rests between sets, higher and lower reps, etc), as well as using EAA and whey supplements a little better to maximize the gym effort results. I feel I am on my way to breaking the old peak and should be looking good (enough) by next summer.

My question is, although I realize many folks here would use *some* form of AAS to simply accelerate the process (which I have to admit is tempting but not sure it's quite worth it for me personally), how many of you felt like you had hit your "genetic peak" - or at least was close to it - before diving in to AAS? To me, if I can lose half my natural gains by not staying focused, it only seems logical I would lose unnatural gains just as easily thus making even less sense for me to go that route.

What would some of you consider your natural peak vs. when you had zero training? +20 pounds LBM? +30? More? I know this is subjective but getting some kind of idea of height and LBM and what you think is/was your natural peak would be good to know, even if anecdotal.

Thanks for reading!

[MickeyKnox]

Welcome.

Tons of information for you. Post this in the appropriate forums for better results.

Hard Gainers - Gaining Weight

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...!#.UISXU2fX_ft

Nutritional Forum

http://forums.steroid.com/forumdispl...M#.UHNufa7X_fs

Anabolic Q&A Forum.

http://forums.steroid.com/forumdispl...S#.UIDcDq7X_fs

Educational Threads

http://forums.steroid.com/forumdispl...S#.TzgpVFF3k34

[wannabeme]

Ah, OK, well I forgot to mention I'm over 40 (just edited the post), and specifically looking for other over 40 yr olds for responses. I don't feel a 20-something's input is as valuable to me because obviously they are going to put on way more LBM naturally than guys like me, all other factors being equal. Open to suggestions on exactly where this should go, though. Thanks for the response!

[MickeyKnox]

Im 47.

[oldnsedentary]

This is primarily due to lack of good diet and too much time off.

Well, the problem is identified, and the solution is simple!

As for natural gains, you do not say how tall you are, but 20 or 30 pounds is not unrealistic. I am 45 and about 200 pounds with visible abs. I am slowly slipping, however, from where I was when in my twenties and thirties, which is why I started supplementing hormone levels. Even after three cycles I am not as strong as I was at 32, natural.

[John Andrew]

I am 57, Have used for 7 years, started due to injuries. I was state power lifting champion before using. Have since had multiple fractures to the leg, 7 fractures to skull. 2 hernia ops.

I am stronger now than I ever was and intend to become stronger. I trained 26 years naturally.

I recover faster, am stronger, have better sex drive. Where I live the gear is legal and I will not move to any repressive nation that expouses the virtue of alcohol and lies about steroids. Not being the best you can be is insane!

Regards, john