How to tell the difference between a chemist and a straight guy in the gym

fitness trainer

“A chemist is usually called a person who uses in his training drugs banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Russian National Anti-Doping Organization. A natural athlete trains on the body’s own resources without the use of prohibited pharmacology.”

Chemistry can include anabolic-androgenic steroid hormones and other hormonal drugs. These synthetic substances help grow muscle mass, increase strength and endurance. Many of them are related in structure to the male sex hormone, testosterone.

Important! Protein, gainer, creatine, BCAA, fat burners, joint preparations and other sports nutrition do not belong to chemistry.

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What we will tell you about

How do steroids affect muscle growth?

Many anabolics are designed to mimic the activity of testosterone. Testosterone is a male sex hormone that is produced mainly in the testicles in men. Women also have it, but it is produced in smaller amounts in the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Testosterone stimulates protein synthesis, which allows for faster and better muscle growth after a workout, as protein is the main building material for muscle.

Now imagine that steroid hormones can increase anabolic and recovery processes in the body dozens and even hundreds of times. This makes it possible to multiply the rate of muscle growth.

One study showed that steroids can grow muscle mass without strength training. Healthy men took 600 mg of testosterone per week for 20 weeks without working out in the gym. As a result, they gained 8 kg of muscle and lost 1.5 kg of fat during that time.

External distinguishing features of a “chemist” and a “natural” athlete

Some signs may indicate that a lifter is taking anabolic steroids. These signs may indicate that the athlete is a “chemist”, but there is no 100% guarantee, as there are genetically gifted people with great strength and muscle mass.

Rapid muscle mass gain. If a person rapidly gains muscle without a strong increase in fat layer, it may be a sign of a “chemist”. The rate of muscle gain is limited by physiology, but taking steroids increases protein synthesis, allowing for faster and more muscle gain.

One study compared how much muscle can be gained through exercise. Experienced athletes gained just over a kilogram of lean muscle mass in eight weeks of training, while beginners gained the same amount of muscle faster.

Large trapezius muscles. Often athletes on steroids have huge trapezius and neck muscles – the trapezius literally bulges out from behind the neck. It is believed that the muscles in the neck area have more androgen receptors, so they are more sensitive to anabolics.

Round shoulders. Athletes who take pharmacology have massive and round deltoid muscles. Sometimes they are even referred to as “3D shoulders.” This is probably due to the fact that the delts work in almost all exercises, receiving more stimulus for growth than any other muscle.

Constant Pump. Athletes on steroids have muscles that look fuller and bulkier even on rest days. In a natural athlete, the muscle visibly increases in size during a workout with the help of pumping, but on a rest day, the muscles don’t look as impressive.

Venousness. In “chemists” you can notice an increase in venousness on the body. This is influenced by several factors, such as a large amount of muscle mass with a low percentage of fat, which makes the veins on the skin more visible. There is also increased blood flow in the muscles and fluid retention in the body is stronger, which contributes to the increased visibility of veins.

Muscle mass. “Chemists” can have very large and expressive muscles with a low percentage of body fat. Our physiology has a definite limit to gaining muscle mass. There is a Fat Free Mass Index, or Fat Free Mass Index, that can indicate whether a person is using steroids.

One study of this index found that 157 natural athletes have a maximum index of about 25. So any of the athletes with an index of 25 could potentially be a “chemist,” but not always. Also, people who have an index of less than 25 are not guaranteed to be “naturals”.

Skin rashes. Steroids can produce side effects on the skin in the form of acne, blackheads, and pimples. This is especially noticeable on the shoulders, shoulder blades and back. Some people may have various medical conditions or the skin may be problematic on its own, but large muscle bulk and rashes may indicate that a person is using steroids.

Other external manifestations. High concentrations of steroid hormones can increase the size of breast glands in men and cause loss of hair on the head. A woman may be given off by the appearance of dark body hair, a low voice, and a rounder facial shape.

Status of anabolic steroids in Russia

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, illegal trafficking of anabolic steroids is criminalized under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Steroids are strictly prohibited in sports, as their use gives the athlete a clear advantage over other competitors. In addition, the use of anabolic steroids can lead to serious health problems.

In what cases are anabolic steroids taken?

Certain drugs are authorized and manufactured in the form of pills, gels, patches, and injection solutions to be used for medical reasons to treat many conditions and diseases, but only with a doctor’s approval. Taking anabolics may be prescribed if a person has:

Certain types of anemia;
Certain types of cancer;
Significant weight loss;
Certain chronic medical conditions;
Severe injuries and burns;
Insufficient production of your own sex hormones;
Delayed growth and puberty (in children).

Consequences of using anabolic androgenic steroids

Many athletes take steroids without medical indications, consulting with more experienced comrades. Of course, this is all done at their own risk and can cause irreversible health changes.

There is a whole industry of clandestine production of anabolics. These products are produced without quality control or safety standards, which can pose serious health risks.

These anabolics may contain harmful additives, contaminants and unknown ingredients that are dangerous to health and with serious side effects.

Heart and blood vessels. The drugs can raise blood pressure, impair heart function and increase the thickness of the heart muscle, leading to impaired function and an increased risk of heart attack, arterial damage, stroke and blood clots.

Liver. Steroid abuse can also have a negative impact on the liver, causing liver damage and dysfunction, which can lead to the development of liver failure, hepatitis, tumors and cysts.

Hormonal and reproductive systems. The use of anabolic steroids can disrupt the hormonal balance and reproductive system. There may be problems with conception due to decreased natural hormone production. Women may experience disrupted menstrual cycles.

Mental health. Prolonged use of steroids can cause psychological dependence and lead to the development of depression, mania, apathy and increased aggression.

How to swing a natural athlete?

Remember that an athlete on steroids will always be able to gain more muscle mass with a lower percentage of fat. There is a difference in muscle gaining potential between natural athletes and “chemists”.

Nevertheless, natural athletes can achieve impressive results, but it is a process that requires a slightly different approach. Here are some guidelines:

Training frequency. The optimal frequency of exercise is two to four times a week. We recommend combining strength and cardio training. For example, two to three strength training sessions and one to two moderately paced cardio sessions.
Exercise. Favor fullbody core exercises that engage several muscle groups at once. This allows you to train with significant weight and get more training stress. Incorporate squats, lunges, various presses, pull-ups, push-ups and pull-ups into your exercise program.
Load. Train with 70-75% of your single-rep max for 8-12 reps. It’s important that the last repetitions of the lift are close to failure, but not all the way to failure. Distribute the load so that each muscle group receives 12 to 20 reps per week.
Rest and sleep. The required time for muscle recovery is 48 to 72 hours. The lighter the load and smaller the muscle group, the shorter this period. It is also important to get enough sleep, because lack of sleep negatively affects protein synthesis and muscle growth.
Nutrition. For muscle gain and good recovery after training it is necessary to get an increased amount of energy with food. We recommend daily consumption of 1.6 to 2.2 g of protein per 1 kg of weight, and fats – from 0.8 to 1.5 g. Carbohydrates cover the rest of the calories, acting as the main source of energy.
Training process. If you want to see progress and avoid overtraining, then regularly adjust your training program. Plan your workouts ahead of time, replacing heavy workouts with medium and lighter workouts.

To ensure constant progress, you should vary the weight of the weights, the speed of the exercises, the number of repetitions, the training volume, the amplitude of the movements, and the rest time between approaches.