Body Building question

[Mr. Lennon]

So today I just picked up a bottle of this:

http://www.americell-labs.com/trenxtreme.html

I'm starting to second guess my decision in purchasing it. I have been working out for about 10 months now. When I started I weighed 130, now I'm at 148 lbs with a max bench of 175. For the past 4 months I have been stuck at this weight. My diet is good, and I'm not skimping at the gym. My friend that works at the nutrition store told me one bottle of this should put me over the barrier. He also said that when I'm done that I will need to grab a estrogen reducer.

Basically the only thing holding me back from trying this stuff is just the sole reason that is not really a "natural" way to gain muscle. Plus I have read some stories about reduced libido and increase in acne. I know theres some body builders somewhere on this forum so if you have any information/opinion about this product, please let me know.

 

[tomywishbone]

Linky

Here's some info from a very popular bodybuilding site.

IMO, the effectiveness of OTC testosterone boosters is very questionable. Some guys do feel a nice little boost when on certain sups, but most clinical work indicates an extremely small increase, in free serum testosterone.

That price does seem a bit high. If you notice an improvement and want to continue, you might want to shop around a bit to find the best price.

Q: How old are you?

There may be some products that cost substantially less, that you may wish to try.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Thanks for the reply tomy. I'm 22 years old. The product only cost me $50 bucks so its not that bad. Most of what I read and heard says this product is the best. The main reason for making the thread is just because I'm worried about the side effects and maybe someone here might know some alternative methods to breaking the weight barrier that I'm at.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

 

[MyThirdEye]

I don't know if I would go all the way and take steroids. I would just increase your foot intake, and take protein supplements, if you already don't.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

lol I dont want to get insanely ripped. My goal is to weigh 180 and look decently buff.

 

[sash1]

protein shakes?

 

[Special K]

It's hard to say what exactly that product contains since they don't show the label ingrediants. Some of them, like tribulus terrestrius, are just mixtures of herbs and have studies showing they do NOT increase testosterone levels in young, otherwise healthy males. I can post the pubmed studies if you like.

Other products are so-called "designer steroids", and are very active compounds. I have tried a couple of the popular ones and was disappointed with the results. If you want I can elaborate on the experience. Send me a PM or something.

From reading your post, this part jumped out at me:

For the past 4 months I have been stuck at this weight. My diet is good, and I'm not skimping at the gym.

If you have been stuck at a particular weight, then you aren't eating enough, plain and simple. Your diet may be good, but if you aren't eating enough, then you won't gain any weight no matter how good your routine is. It actually makes sense now that you would need to eat more than before - it is very calorically expensive for your body to hang onto muscle, and building new muscle requires even more calories.

Are you actually tracking what you eat each day? Do you know how many calories you are consuming? I would start with that before veturing down the path of "chemical enhancement".

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: amjohns5
I don't know if I would go all the way and take steroids. I would just increase your foot intake, and take protein supplements, if you already don't.

:laugh: I was kidding. I'd never advocate taking steroids...nor increasing your foot intake.

 

[FP]

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

lol I dont want to get insanely ripped. My goal is to weigh 180 and look decently buff.

You want to pack on 50 pounds of muscle? How tall are you?

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

lol I dont want to get insanely ripped. My goal is to weigh 180 and look decently buff.

You want to pack on 50 pounds of muscle? How tall are you?

6 foot

Special K - I have never taken the time to write it all down, but that could be the problem. I have 2 protein shakes a day plus 3 meals. I'm pretty sure after the day is all said and done that I am over 150g of protein.

 

[sash1]

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

lol I dont want to get insanely ripped. My goal is to weigh 180 and look decently buff.

You want to pack on 50 pounds of muscle? How tall are you?

6 foot

Special K - I have never taken the time to write it all down, but that could be the problem. I have 2 protein shakes a day plus 3 meals. I'm pretty sure after the day is all said and done that I am over 150g of protein.

it's not all about protein intake. if you wanna gain weight, you gotta eat. and by eat, i mean like ~5 meals per day and around 3000+ calories per day. and not junk food, eat healthy, eat right, eat big if you want to get big.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: Zeppelin2282

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

lol I dont want to get insanely ripped. My goal is to weigh 180 and look decently buff.

You want to pack on 50 pounds of muscle? How tall are you?

6 foot

Special K - I have never taken the time to write it all down, but that could be the problem. I have 2 protein shakes a day plus 3 meals. I'm pretty sure after the day is all said and done that I am over 150g of protein.

You need to be concerned with total calories. Getting x grams of protein per day isn't going to cut it if your total calories are not high enough. You might want to start tracking what you eat here:

Fitday

If you are not gaining weight, add 200 cals to your daily total until you are. Weigh yourself first thing each morning. An average gain of about 0.5-1 lb/week would be a good target to aim for.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Your 6' and weigh 148? You have a thyroid problem my friend.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Your 6' and weigh 148? You have a thyroid problem my friend.

Really? I don't feel that skinny. Heres a pic from Halloween.

I'm on the left in the boyscout shirt.

http://a78.ac-images.myspacecd...2da78da460295afd7d.jpg

 

[tomywishbone]

OK. We've got a young man who's 22 yrs old. 22! My man, your natural testosterone levels are most likely right next to Ben Franklin's kite... sky high.

The hardest thing any pro bodybuilder ever learned, is how to eat like a pro bodybuilder. Not how to train, not pharmacology, not supplementation... how to eat like a pro bodybuilder. Now I realize you're not trying to be a pro bodybuilder, but we can certainly use the same principles & methods.

Let's start easy:

* 1 gram of protein, for each pound of bodyweight, every single day (it takes time to get there, don't worry).
* Your three supplements will be protein, creatine & glutamine.
* Join a good gym.
* Your BMR (base metabolic rate) is in the stratosphere. If you're trying to gain size, you may have to limit your non-weight training activities.

T-

PS. The two guys in that pic are giving different signs. One of you guys ain't no real Boy Scout! Police!!


I almost forgot; don't worry about any side effects from your current sups. Take them at the rx'ed dosage and you won't have any problems. The "estrogen reducer" won't be required.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

Because Lance doesn't do steroids right?

 

[CKent]

How do your calorie & supplement intake look? Have you tried increasing calorie intake and the "basic" supplements (protein, creatine, multivit, fish oil)? Have you tried switching up your workout, doing different movements, different weights, different days? Even if that junk you linked does work - something I would bet against - it won't do much for you if you're being held back by the stuff I mentioned above.

tomywishbone said it in his post, and I'll reiterate - most guys are held back by caloric intake, not genetics. Yes, if you reach a certain size you'll realize you don't have Arnold's genes, but at 6' and <150 it seems pretty clear you're not eating enough.

 

[TheNinja]

You've been working out 10 whole months and you're going to test boosters already?!?

Chill out man. If you workout hardcore for a couple of years and hit some plateaus then maybe look at some test boosters. Until then you haven't even come close to your natural genetic potential. Also, there are far safer things for a 22 year old than a test booster, especially if you are looking at needing anti-extrogen and possibly some liver support.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Steroids are the best way to a muscular body. Stop wasting your time on that namby pamby bullshit.

Seriously though, I'd rather look like Lance Armstrong than some roid head "professional" wrestler who'll be dead at the age of 38. YMMV.

Because Lance doesn't do steroids right?

What? There's no link between steroid use and testicular cancer!




Let me reiterate what's already been said here 10 times over: diet, diet, DIET. The difference between looking like Lance and looking like Hulk Hogan is diet.

My advice to the OP is protein and creatine supplements, along with a healthy and well-balanced high calorie diet. Be careful not to overdo it though.

edit: oh yeah, and stay the hell away from steroids or anything else claiming to boost testosterone, natural or not.

 

[Cstefan]

You should concider losing supplements besides a good protien powder and eat very well to naturally supplement your workouts. Creatine? RED MEAT BABY!!

 

[TheNinja]

Let me state that I'm not anti supplements. I just don't think that after 10 months you should look at anything too harsh.

I would suggest:
Protein
A good Multi-Vitamin (I like AST's 32x)
Creatine
Fish Oils

Next Level:
BCAA - Branch Chained Amino Acids
Beta-Alanine
Citrulline Malate (500 grams)
Preworkout Nitric Oxide booster perhaps
Glutamine? - Some love it, others say it's a huge waste of money and is worthless. Personally I wouldn't spend the money on it

Anything beyond that and you better know what you are getting into

BTW : NutraPlanet has the best price and selection for most supps other than protein imo. Vitacost is also a great site.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: TheNinja
Let me state that I'm not anti supplements. I just don't think that after 10 months you should look at anything too harsh.

I would suggest:
Protein
A good Multi-Vitamin (I like AST's 32x)
Creatine
Fish Oils

Next Level:
BCAA - Branch Chained Amino Acids
Beta-Alanine
Citrulline Malate (500 grams)
Preworkout Nitric Oxide booster perhaps
Glutamine? - Some love it, others say it's a huge waste of money and is worthless. Personally I wouldn't spend the money on it

Anything beyond that and you better know what you are getting into

BTW : NutraPlanet has the best price and selection for most supps other than protein imo. Vitacost is also a great site.

I'll also add the following supplement sites:

Vitaglo - cheapest price for 10 lbs. of ON 100% whey, and free shipping on orders over $50

DPS Nutrition - overall low prices, although no free shipping

1fast400 (aka Bulk Nutrition) - overall low prices, but no free shipping

 

[Alistar7]

HGH FTW....

 

[Cstefan]

Oh and the average male over 18 has a max bench of 135