June 2, 2015
The Lowdown On Drugs Part 1
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray & Dorian Yates Speak Out
There have always been plenty of lies and misinformation about steroids and other PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs). Things took a turn for the worse as the Internet made it possible to disseminate bad information at a rate and scale previously unimagined. In recent years, we’ve seen a flood of self-proclaimed drug experts, many of whom post anonymously, hold court on which drugs to use, how to use them and in what amounts. More than a few gain credibility with their target audience by claiming to be current or former pro bodybuilders, or to be advisers to them, even going so far as to list in detail the drug regimens of top bodybuilders, past and present. Understandably, their ulterior motives typically entail soliciting their own consulting services as drug gurus, or in some cases actually selling drugs.
Getting the pros to talk about drug use, and particularly their own, is a tricky situation at best. First you have the legal ramifications of admitting to illegal drug use, as well as the damage to your public image (even though all of us who have been around the sport for any length of time are fully aware that drugs are part of the game). That’s why we went to these living legends of the sport, all of whom are long since retired, to get the real scoop on drugs: their opinions on them, their experience as users and more. Nothing was off limits, and the frankness of some answers will surprise you. Remember, this is not secondhand or thirdhand information— for once it’s directly from the champion’s mouths. (Originally published in the February 2015 edition of MD Magazine.)
How old were you when you did your first cycle of steroids? Do you feel you were old enough? What was the cycle, and what type of results did you experience?
SR: I had just turned 20 and was coming off my overall victory in the NPC Teenage National Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a time of trepidation for me. I knew this chemical aspect was present, however I just never wanted it to be a part of my economy as an athlete. Yet I also knew there were beneficial aspects to help growth, recovery and condition, and that these drugs were designed to aid and assist bodybuilders in their progress and competitive edge. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared, but like the majority of bodybuilders with any credible measure of success, I too would have to cross this bridge to get to the other side. I was on the verge of becoming my own person, making adult decisions, and this would for sure be one of them. I did a very light cycle of Anavar and Winstrol V for six weeks for that contest, and found myself in the victory circle again, a mere five months after becoming the best teenage bodybuilder in America. I was now the best junior champion in the world, at 20 years old.
What was strange to me about the introduction of steroids into my training regimen was that I had already believed in my “genetic potential” by winning all those teenage competitions over the past three years, but I came to doubt myself as I grew out of that division because I would be competing against older guys who were bigger and more mature than I was. I felt drugs would be a necessary addition at the next level of competition, based on the information I was constantly receiving from those who were more experienced in the game than I was. I felt like I trained a bit harder, with more purpose and hunger while using the drugs because I was told, “steroids don’t just work because you take them, you have to make them work for you by training harder than ever before and dieting harder than everyone else!” It seemed like a psychological mindfuck of sorts, but I also knew that I was desperately trying to dot the I’s and cross the T’s to be the best in the world, not simply be pretty good!
The bar was raised very high for me with each victory, and my purpose in the sport was constantly being put to the test in the form of my mentor, John Brown. He wouldn’t allow me to become complacent, and took my training to another level once I introduced steroids. We trained longer and harder than ever before, took naps necessary for complete recovery, and also increased calories for growth and recovery. These were things that were not a part of my teenage contest preps, because victory came easy to me in those years. Now that I had moved on to the next level of competition, victory would have to be earned because the landscape and playing field would be quite different! These were no longer other kids I would be up against, but grown men with many years more training than I had.
DY: It was 1985. I was 23 years old and had decided to enter my first competition after a year and a half of training, in which I had made excellent progress. I knew the others who would be competing would be using gear, and I wanted to even the playing field. It was a very deliberate decision that I didn’t take lightly, and I did as much reading as I could first. At 23, I feel I was old enough. At that age, you are fully matured physically, you’ve reached your full adult height, and so on. Even though I hadn’t been training terribly long, I had already managed to develop my physique to a decent level. Looking back, I may have been able to win that contest without using anything. I did one six-week “building” cycle of 20 milligrams of Dianabol a day, which took me from 215 at 5’11” to 235. Those were the most dramatic results I ever saw from steroids. I took six weeks off the gear, then at eight weeks out from my contest I began using 15 milligrams of Anavar per day, as well as one shot of Primobolan a week, which was 200 milligrams. I competed at around 210-215 and won that contest. EFBB [Britain’s equivalent of the NPC] officials were there and convinced me to represent the United Kingdom the following weekend as our heavyweight at the IFBB World Games. I placed seventh, and competed with men like Berry de Mey and Matt Mendenhall, both of whom were the top amateur heavyweights in their respective nations at that time.
KL: Like I said, I did my first cycle of steroids when I was 24 years old, almost 25, at six weeks out from my first contest. By then, I was a grown man and making all my own decisions in all aspects of life, since both of my parents had passed away. My cousin Chico came over to my house with a bottle of testosterone cypionate and a syringe, and said, “Here you go.” But I had no idea how to load the syringe and do the shot, so I asked him to please do that for me. I don’t even know how much he gave me, but I had one shot a week for six weeks. That was it. The first week, nothing happened. Another week went by, still nothing. I was starting to think steroids didn’t do anything, but in the third week I started getting stronger all of a sudden, and looking fuller. I was training at a little health club called National Fitness, but at that point I decided to join a Powerhouse near me in Linthicum, Maryland, where a lot of serious bodybuilders and powerlifters went. There were a lot of guys using gear in there … and a few guys there sold it, too. I didn’t know I was supposed to diet for the show. I was working in construction all day back then, so that burned up a lot of calories. My dinners would be a Double Whopper with cheese from Burger King, and ice cream from McDonald’s. Before that six-week cycle, I was 198 pounds. By the end, I was 206 and much harder looking. I won the heavyweight and overall. A year later, I did the same thing at the NPC Junior Nationals and then turned pro at the Nationals in the fall of ‘91 at 236 pounds.
Did you believe in taking time completely off drugs for portions of the year, or did you always “cruise” on a low dose?
SR: As soon as the Mr. Olympia concluded every September, I remained drug free until the new year, every year.
DY: As I said, I would intersperse two four-week periods between my three eight-week cycles in the off-season. Aside from that, I was consistently on, but my doses were moderate.
KL: About halfway through my pro career, I had become famous for how much time I took off gear. It would be a full six months out of the year that I didn’t use anything. People thought I was crazy or lazy for doing it that way, and not trying to be huge all the time. But once I saw how well I responded to the juice, I realized I didn’t need much of it, and I sure didn’t need to be on it all the time. I could start up at 12 weeks out from a contest, and put all my muscle back on and get ripped by the time the show came around.
We see steroid cycles of top pros, both past and present, posted online— always from an anonymous source that claims to have coached the athlete in question, trained with them or known someone who did one of those. Have you ever seen one that seemed accurate, or do you think they are all completely fabricated because most people will accept them as being legit?
SR: I have never seriously cared nor have I ever been interested in what other athletes take or do regarding drug use. I personally believe what they do is personal to them and of no concern to me. I liken this attitude to another person’s sex life. I mean, really … what business is it of ours anyway, and to whose benefit? It’s their life and their journey— let them live it as they please and do what they want, so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
DY: I can’t speak for all of them, though I have seen a few attributed to me that were absolutely fake. I saw one site that had the supposed cycles of everyone from Steve Reeves, Arnold to 50 Cent. Obviously most or all of them are made up. I talked in MD about what I used 20 years ago; I’m sure things have changed since then. But look, I’m retired now and I have the freedom to say what I want and be honest. Current athletes have pressure from sponsors and officials not to discuss their usage.
But back to the cycles I have seen posted that I supposedly did— they were all bullshit. Who knows what I used? Even my wife at the time didn’t. The only guys who did were my training partners at the time. Leroy Davis was my longtime training partner, and he typically used the same things I did. I can assure you he isn’t posting our cycles on the Internet.
KL: Unless the cycle came directly from the pro himself, like we are doing in this article, it’s almost certainly bullshit. People try to pass off so much crap as facts online, when it’s either something they came up with or just their opinion. I can’t imagine any top pro taking huge amounts of drugs for years without suffering serious health problems. It’s just satisfying for a lot of guys out there to see these crazy cycles that the champions supposedly do and say, “OK, that’s why he looks like that and won all those shows, he did tons and tons of drugs— that’s why I don’t look like him.”
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The Lowdown On Drugs Part 2
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray & Dorian Yates Speak Out
In bodybuilding there’s no more contentious issue than drug use exacerbated by the variety of conflicting advice being spread through the Internet. That’s why we went to these living legends of the sport, all of whom are long since retired, to get the real scoop on drugs: their opinions on them, their experience as users and more. Nothing was off limits, and the frankness of some answers will surprise you. Remember, this is not secondhand or thirdhand information— for once it’s directly from the champion’s mouths.
There is a lot of arguing about the amount of steroids the “average” pro uses these days. Some claim the total milligrams for gear each week ranges from 3,000 to 10,000. Do you believe some pros and top amateurs are using outrageous amounts? And if so, do they actually need that much or are they using far more than they need to?
SR: I defer to the previous answer I just gave you. Many of these pros take large doses of anabolics, HGH, insulin, alcohol, tobacco, food, supplements and so on. At the end of the day, as an individual with my own career, issues, personal life, family and business, do you really think I’d spend five minutes of my life wondering about what another bodybuilder is putting in his body? I can’t stop him, I more than likely don’t even know him …. so what’s the point of or the use of me having knowledge of what he is taking? I can’t use any information on drug use another person is doing and apply it to myself, as if we will achieve the exact same end result with two entirely different DNAs. I am Shawn Ray Productions, meaning my focus and energy goes into me and mine, and what works for me is a result of knowing my body— end of story. Yet there does seem to be a mistaken belief out there in the trenches that duplicating a specific person’s specific drug cycle will yield the exact same results in anyone, essentially giving you that person’s exact physique! That’s so off base it’s not even worth debating with anyone.
KL: I never knew what people used back in the day, and I don’t know what they use now either. I only know what I used and what worked for me. At some point, the receptors have to shut down. There has to be a point where only some of what is being taken is actually having an effect. You talk about guys allegedly using 10 grams of gear a week. Come on! That’s enough drugs for a 2,000-pound horse, not a 250-pound human. I don’t buy it. And if anyone really is using doses like that, they’re either not too bright, don’t care about their health one bit, or both.
Hold off on answering, Dorian, I want to add to that. One reason some have speculated that today’s bodybuilders use so much more is that the drugs now are often fake or terribly underdosed, whereas in the old days, gear was typically far more legitimate and potent. Do you agree or disagree?
DY: I do hear about very heavy doses being used nowadays. People come to me in the U.K. and Spain to be trained, and often they are on 5,000 milligrams a week or more of gear. That’s totally unnecessary. And I do believe the lower quality and potency of what’s around these days is part of it. In the ‘90s, everything we used was pharmaceutical grade. 250 milligrams of test was always 250 milligrams, and you didn’t have to worry that it was 200 or 100 milligrams. There was no black-market, underground gear yet. Now, it’s the total opposite. There is very little pharma-grade gear about; it’s almost all underground stuff made God-knows-where by God-knows-who. So how can you know what you’re really getting? Is it the drug it’s supposed to be? Is it the dose it claims to be on the label? I sincerely doubt it. There is far more profit to be made in substituting cheaper drugs and by underdosing products. I hear guys tell me they are on three of four grams of test a week. Bollocks! If you were really using that much test, your blood pressure would be through the roof and you would be retaining so much water you’d look like a blowfish.
SR: I personally think there is a lot of fake gear on the market, and the athletes fail to exercise their due diligence to test what they take to ensure the quality is accurate. However, I also know that the vast majority of bodybuilders today, both pro and amateur, start their careers using anabolic steroids without ever building a foundation or a firm base from which to build upon. Hence, if you start your bodybuilding off with the introduction of steroids, after the first phase of initial gains, you have nowhere to go as far as building upon “quality muscle” because it was all built synthetically. This leaves guys with bloat and swelling, but no real hardcore foundation of muscle that was built by the sweat of the brow! When we talk about the lack of muscle quality these days versus in days gone by, this factors in heavily.
KL: steroids back then were higher quality. Fewer companies made them, and nearly all of them were major pharmaceutical companies. Syntex used to make Anadrol 2902 tabs that were 50 milligrams each and very strong. The stuff out there now can’t compare to it. The GH being used then was Humatrope by Eli Lilly, and it was the best. Now, people get it only from AIDS patients. Most guys use cheap Chinese crap that’s much weaker. The Winstrol V we used to use came in amps and would crystallize in the syringe. Now there are tons and tons of different drugs from so many underground labs I’ve never heard of. Guys try to ask me what I think of this or that drug, and rarely do I have any idea what they’re talking about. But I am sure the gear out there now is junk compared to what we had 20 years ago.
The prevailing attitude still seems to be that “more is better” when it comes to drugs among many of today’s bodybuilders. How much do you think an athlete actually needs, or is that a very individual, case-by-case issue? Do some guys require far less than others, while others legitimately need to use very large doses to make the same gains or hold the same size that others do?
SR: There is no question the old adage of “more is better” is applicable in today’s bodybuilding mentality, based on the size of the athletes. But make no mistake— in my era of the ‘90s, the bodybuilders were at an average all-time high as it relates to size and mass! There was no bigger era in the sport than the ‘90s, and I can honestly say I bet they were using a fraction of what today’s athletes are using overall. The proof is in the “muscle quality.” Just look at the detail and condition of the pros in the ‘90s by comparison, including the biggest guys, and you will see much more clarity, separation and density based on the hardcore foundation the guys built for themselves back then, and the longevity of their careers too. They knew it would be a marathon and not a sprint. How many of the guys today are here one year and gone the next?
DY: Speaking for myself, I took as little as possible to get the desired effects. If results were not satisfactory, I would increase only as needed, which is the logical way to go about it. If you can get good results on 1,000 milligrams, for example, why take 2,000? I knew powerlifters who would use as much as two grams of test cypionate a week in the ‘90s. That was crazy to us. I can’t comment on what the average amounts used or needed are. I only know what I did and what worked for me. Up until my first pro win at the 1991 Night of Champions, I always kept my total amount under 1,000 milligrams a week. Taking large amounts of test simply was not done in the ‘90s, from what conversations I did have with other guys. We would stack a moderate amount of test with either EQ [Equipoise] or Deca, and use orals with that. Now, with all the access to underground gear, it’s very common apparently for guys to use three to five grams of test alone before adding in other compounds. I really can’t tell you a whole lot about what my peers used, because I was isolated in Birmingham and not privy to what the boys over in the States were doing. Regardless, it wouldn’t have affected me. I did things my own way and could care less what others did.
KL: I think how much a person needs is probably a case-by-case basis. I mean, if you look at doses for many different prescription medications, the doses will vary for different people. One thing I never agreed with was the idea that as you went on, you needed to continue increasing your doses to keep seeing the same results. I never increased my amounts, though I did make small changes. My cycles went from six weeks to eight, and I added in Nolvadex as an anti-estrogen. Putting on size was never that hard for me. My off-season weight was about 278. At my first Mr. Olympia, I was 227 pounds, shredded to the bone. That was probably my best condition ever. I had been 233 winning the Night of Champions a few months before that. I competed many other times between 240 and 250, with my highest stage weight of 257. All that really changed was my training and my diet.
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The Lowdown on Drugs: Part 3
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray & Dorian Yates Speak Out
It’s hard to find a top amateur, much less a pro these days, who does not use growth hormone and insulin along with AAS (anabolic-androgenic steroids). Was it the same way when you competed? Do you feel they are both necessary for the look we see today at the highest levels?
SR: The sad thing is that so few of the upcoming generation even want to discuss or read about training and nutrition. They are obsessed with drugs, probably because that meshes with the “instant gratification” mentality of the world today.
DY: I used GH during my contest phases. The first times I used it were for the 1991 Night of Champions and Mr. Olympia shows. I used four IU a day while I was dieting, and I can’t say I noticed much difference adding it in. For my off-season in 1992, I doubled that to eight IU per day consistently, and saw better results. I had hit a plateau, and it helped kickstart me to the next level. I made very substantial gains that year, but unfortunately I overdieted for my first Mr. Olympia win (1992), so they were never seen. I knew I would be the biggest guy up there anyway since Haney was retired, so my concern was to be as shredded as possible.
For 1993, I did everything the same as I had the year before, including the gear and the GH, but wasn’t so overzealous with my prep. As a result, it appeared as if I had made a tremendous leap in size from the previous year. What you really saw were the gains I had made over two off-seasons.
As for insulin, I only used it in 1997 for the off-season leading up to my sixth and final Mr. Olympia win. I got bigger than ever, but it wasn’t quality muscle, and my midsection was distended. Some do believe you need to use all the things out there at your disposal. For me, insulin had a negative overall impact on my physique. It kept me from getting into my usual condition that I prided myself on. Raw mass is not the same thing as quality muscle tissue.I got a bit bigger, but at the expense of my separation, crispness and clear muscle separations. I see that same lack of separation constantly today with the guys, as well as the distended abs. I’m not sure what mechanisms are responsible. You could theorize the guts come from internal organ growth, but if that were the case, my belly would still be big.
KL: GH was still fairly new on the scene when I started competing as a pro. People made a big deal about it, and there was a lot of hype surrounding it. Now I need to clarify what I said about not changing anything about what I used, because I did try GH twice. When I won the Arnold Classic in 1996 at 257 pounds, I used it twice a day every day for the last four weeks right up to the show. I also used insulin for that show, two IU of Humulin R after my workout with a meal, and with one more meal later on. Out of convenience, that’s when I took my GH too. Those did help me add over 15 pounds of bodyweight, but it wasn’t quality muscle, just like what Dorian experienced. To me, I looked a little soft and watery even though I won. I used both again the next year for the Arnold, and that time it threw my condition off so badly that I placed eighth. That was the lowest I ever placed in any contest, and the only time I was ever out of the top six as a pro. So I said screw this stuff. I did the Mr. Olympia that year looking sharp as usual, and then hit seven Grand Prix shows in Europe. I won all of those except the one in Russia that Ronnie came out for. All of this told me that GH and insulin were detrimental to my physique. They blew out my midsection and blurred out my clear cuts. They will get you bigger, but not better. To me, better is better than bigger!
What was a typical drug cycle for you in your competitive prime— let’s say pre-contest and off-season?
SR: There was never anything “typical” about my approach to competition. It was different every year, as I like change and variety. There was never a specific time or drug that interested me to the point where I had to watch the calendar as if it were a guide for contest training and preparation. I trained year-round for the Mr. Olympia, sometimes more intent than others. I had my rest periods and so on, but I never “charted” the time for which a cycle was going to take place as if it dictated my journey. I never counted calories, weighed my food, took measurements of my body parts or let the scale guide my progress. Nor did a cycle of drugs dictate when it was time for me to get ready for a show. I never had a “switch” that I had to click to get ready— I was always getting ready year-round.
The introduction of steroids would only come into play when I was in a process of trimming the fat while trying to retain the muscle. Different drugs were made for very different purposes, therefore there was never a “typical” drug cycle because I never needed or used the exact same drug for every aspect of my body-sculpting phase. A “car” analogy is useful here. A car is used to get from point A to point B. However, the individual buying the car has vastly different reasons for buying a “specific” car, i.e., size, looks, make, model, speed, interior space, etc. There are thousands of cars made to help give each individual who is interested in buying a car an option for the one that is suitable for him.
DY: Let me stress this is not a recommendation to anyone, only what I used. This would be the course I followed circa 1993 in the final 12 weeks before the Mr. O contest:
WEEKLY
test propionate – 300 milligrams
Parabolan (French trenbolone, came in 76 mg/ml ampoules) – 152 milligrams
Primobolan – 500 milligrams
DAILY
anavar – 50 milligrams
growth hormone – 8 IU
I typically also did three eight-week cycles in the off-season, and those would be made up of basics like Deca and D-bol. I would do four weeks at peak dosage, then taper down over the next four weeks before taking four weeks off and repeating. Here is the typical four-week peak off-season cycle:
WEEKLY
testosterone – 750 milligrams
Deca – 500 milligrams
DAILY
Dianabol – 50 milligrams
As I stated a couple of years back when I put those in my column, I’m sorry if these doses disappoint those of you who were expecting something more extreme.
KL: It was a simple progression. My very first cycle was just test cyp, one shot a week. I am guessing I was doing 400 milligrams per week. After I won my state show and decided I wanted to turn pro, which I did the following year, I bumped things up a bit. I took the test up to 600 milligrams a week, and added in 400 milligrams of Deca and two Anadrols a day, which is 100 milligrams per day or 700 milligrams per week. That was my off-season cycle where I put on 30 pounds between the 1990 and 1991 amateur shows. For my prep, I would add in two amps of Winstrol V, which came in 50-milligram amps, twice a week, so that’s 200 milligrams a week of Winny. At four weeks out from the show, I dropped the test, the Deca and the Anadrol. The test and Deca were long-acting, so they kept working for another couple of weeks I’m sure. At two weeks out from the show, I started taking 20 milligrams per day of Halotestin tabs. So I would go into the shows on Winstrol and Halo. The longest my cycles ever were was 12 weeks, and that was later on. They were usually eight weeks in the early years.
Dorian, you are well aware of the reaction that column got. People outright called you a liar and say you downplayed your doses to appear as if you didn’t rely on large amounts to look the way you did.
DY: Well look, that cycle I listed above for prep was from 1993, and it was roughly 1,500 milligrams total. I never said I didn’t increase it at times over the years that followed. I was very meticulous, and kept records of all my workouts, meals and drug regimens. At one point, I did use as much as 2,500 milligrams per week in my off-season, but I didn’t see any further benefits than I had with 1,500. Again, everything I had was real and potent. Parabolan came in 76-milligram ampoules, and it was very strong. Nobody I ever talked to used more than three of those a week. I hear about guys now using 1,000 milligrams a week of tren, which is outrageous. If you have gifted genetics, you really won’t need mega doses. I honestly believe Ronnie Coleman was truly natural when he turned pro in 1991 at 215 pounds.
The guys who come to me taking the highest dosages are typically frustrated amateurs who lack the genetics to become pros. They try to make up for it by using tons and tons of gear, but it doesn’t work that way. Drug dealers want you to believe anyone can be a pro bodybuilder, even compete in the Mr. Olympia, if only you are willing to take more and more drugs. It’s not true, and the guys who need to hear that are in denial and refuse to listen. It’s like you’re crushing their dreams, but meanwhile they are playing havoc with their health for what?
What were your favorite compounds for the off-season and pre-contest? Were there any drugs you personally never cared for?
SR: I won’t answer that, and here’s why. As a bodybuilder who loved the “purity” of bodybuilding, i.e., training, competition, posing, preparation and camaraderie, using and taking steroids was never an enjoyable aspect for me— either taking them or discussing them. I had a personal disdain for all forms of drugs in our sport, as I saw them as a necessary evil that coexisted with my first love. The last thing I want to do is rattle off things I used, as I feel that would only be seen as an endorsement for them and steroid use in general, and would encourage certain individuals out there to seek out various compounds because “that’s what Shawn Ray used. If it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me too!” No, I won’t play into that.
DY: I’ll answer. Equipoise or EQ was something I liked for any part of the training year. Good old D-bol was the first drug I ever used, and it’s still my sentimental favorite. All the guys in the USA loved Winstrol. I thought it sucked! The injection sites were always very painful for a while, and I just didn’t think it was anything special.
KL: Test cyp, Deca and Anadrol always worked well for me. Those were the basics, just like basic lifts— you couldn’t really go wrong with them. I can’t say I ever tried anything that I didn’t respond to or reacted badly to, for the simple fact that I didn’t try a whole lot of things.
The Lowdown On Drugs Part 1
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray & Dorian Yates Speak Out
There have always been plenty of lies and misinformation about steroids and other PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs). Things took a turn for the worse as the Internet made it possible to disseminate bad information at a rate and scale previously unimagined. In recent years, we’ve seen a flood of self-proclaimed drug experts, many of whom post anonymously, hold court on which drugs to use, how to use them and in what amounts. More than a few gain credibility with their target audience by claiming to be current or former pro bodybuilders, or to be advisers to them, even going so far as to list in detail the drug regimens of top bodybuilders, past and present. Understandably, their ulterior motives typically entail soliciting their own consulting services as drug gurus, or in some cases actually selling drugs.
Getting the pros to talk about drug use, and particularly their own, is a tricky situation at best. First you have the legal ramifications of admitting to illegal drug use, as well as the damage to your public image (even though all of us who have been around the sport for any length of time are fully aware that drugs are part of the game). That’s why we went to these living legends of the sport, all of whom are long since retired, to get the real scoop on drugs: their opinions on them, their experience as users and more. Nothing was off limits, and the frankness of some answers will surprise you. Remember, this is not secondhand or thirdhand information— for once it’s directly from the champion’s mouths. (Originally published in the February 2015 edition of MD Magazine.)
How old were you when you did your first cycle of steroids? Do you feel you were old enough? What was the cycle, and what type of results did you experience?
SR: I had just turned 20 and was coming off my overall victory in the NPC Teenage National Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a time of trepidation for me. I knew this chemical aspect was present, however I just never wanted it to be a part of my economy as an athlete. Yet I also knew there were beneficial aspects to help growth, recovery and condition, and that these drugs were designed to aid and assist bodybuilders in their progress and competitive edge. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared, but like the majority of bodybuilders with any credible measure of success, I too would have to cross this bridge to get to the other side. I was on the verge of becoming my own person, making adult decisions, and this would for sure be one of them. I did a very light cycle of Anavar and Winstrol V for six weeks for that contest, and found myself in the victory circle again, a mere five months after becoming the best teenage bodybuilder in America. I was now the best junior champion in the world, at 20 years old.
What was strange to me about the introduction of steroids into my training regimen was that I had already believed in my “genetic potential” by winning all those teenage competitions over the past three years, but I came to doubt myself as I grew out of that division because I would be competing against older guys who were bigger and more mature than I was. I felt drugs would be a necessary addition at the next level of competition, based on the information I was constantly receiving from those who were more experienced in the game than I was. I felt like I trained a bit harder, with more purpose and hunger while using the drugs because I was told, “steroids don’t just work because you take them, you have to make them work for you by training harder than ever before and dieting harder than everyone else!” It seemed like a psychological mindfuck of sorts, but I also knew that I was desperately trying to dot the I’s and cross the T’s to be the best in the world, not simply be pretty good!
The bar was raised very high for me with each victory, and my purpose in the sport was constantly being put to the test in the form of my mentor, John Brown. He wouldn’t allow me to become complacent, and took my training to another level once I introduced steroids. We trained longer and harder than ever before, took naps necessary for complete recovery, and also increased calories for growth and recovery. These were things that were not a part of my teenage contest preps, because victory came easy to me in those years. Now that I had moved on to the next level of competition, victory would have to be earned because the landscape and playing field would be quite different! These were no longer other kids I would be up against, but grown men with many years more training than I had.
DY: It was 1985. I was 23 years old and had decided to enter my first competition after a year and a half of training, in which I had made excellent progress. I knew the others who would be competing would be using gear, and I wanted to even the playing field. It was a very deliberate decision that I didn’t take lightly, and I did as much reading as I could first. At 23, I feel I was old enough. At that age, you are fully matured physically, you’ve reached your full adult height, and so on. Even though I hadn’t been training terribly long, I had already managed to develop my physique to a decent level. Looking back, I may have been able to win that contest without using anything. I did one six-week “building” cycle of 20 milligrams of Dianabol a day, which took me from 215 at 5’11” to 235. Those were the most dramatic results I ever saw from steroids. I took six weeks off the gear, then at eight weeks out from my contest I began using 15 milligrams of Anavar per day, as well as one shot of Primobolan a week, which was 200 milligrams. I competed at around 210-215 and won that contest. EFBB [Britain’s equivalent of the NPC] officials were there and convinced me to represent the United Kingdom the following weekend as our heavyweight at the IFBB World Games. I placed seventh, and competed with men like Berry de Mey and Matt Mendenhall, both of whom were the top amateur heavyweights in their respective nations at that time.
KL: Like I said, I did my first cycle of steroids when I was 24 years old, almost 25, at six weeks out from my first contest. By then, I was a grown man and making all my own decisions in all aspects of life, since both of my parents had passed away. My cousin Chico came over to my house with a bottle of testosterone cypionate and a syringe, and said, “Here you go.” But I had no idea how to load the syringe and do the shot, so I asked him to please do that for me. I don’t even know how much he gave me, but I had one shot a week for six weeks. That was it. The first week, nothing happened. Another week went by, still nothing. I was starting to think steroids didn’t do anything, but in the third week I started getting stronger all of a sudden, and looking fuller. I was training at a little health club called National Fitness, but at that point I decided to join a Powerhouse near me in Linthicum, Maryland, where a lot of serious bodybuilders and powerlifters went. There were a lot of guys using gear in there … and a few guys there sold it, too. I didn’t know I was supposed to diet for the show. I was working in construction all day back then, so that burned up a lot of calories. My dinners would be a Double Whopper with cheese from Burger King, and ice cream from McDonald’s. Before that six-week cycle, I was 198 pounds. By the end, I was 206 and much harder looking. I won the heavyweight and overall. A year later, I did the same thing at the NPC Junior Nationals and then turned pro at the Nationals in the fall of ‘91 at 236 pounds.
Did you believe in taking time completely off drugs for portions of the year, or did you always “cruise” on a low dose?
SR: As soon as the Mr. Olympia concluded every September, I remained drug free until the new year, every year.
DY: As I said, I would intersperse two four-week periods between my three eight-week cycles in the off-season. Aside from that, I was consistently on, but my doses were moderate.
KL: About halfway through my pro career, I had become famous for how much time I took off gear. It would be a full six months out of the year that I didn’t use anything. People thought I was crazy or lazy for doing it that way, and not trying to be huge all the time. But once I saw how well I responded to the juice, I realized I didn’t need much of it, and I sure didn’t need to be on it all the time. I could start up at 12 weeks out from a contest, and put all my muscle back on and get ripped by the time the show came around.
We see steroid cycles of top pros, both past and present, posted online— always from an anonymous source that claims to have coached the athlete in question, trained with them or known someone who did one of those. Have you ever seen one that seemed accurate, or do you think they are all completely fabricated because most people will accept them as being legit?
SR: I have never seriously cared nor have I ever been interested in what other athletes take or do regarding drug use. I personally believe what they do is personal to them and of no concern to me. I liken this attitude to another person’s sex life. I mean, really … what business is it of ours anyway, and to whose benefit? It’s their life and their journey— let them live it as they please and do what they want, so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
DY: I can’t speak for all of them, though I have seen a few attributed to me that were absolutely fake. I saw one site that had the supposed cycles of everyone from Steve Reeves, Arnold to 50 Cent. Obviously most or all of them are made up. I talked in MD about what I used 20 years ago; I’m sure things have changed since then. But look, I’m retired now and I have the freedom to say what I want and be honest. Current athletes have pressure from sponsors and officials not to discuss their usage.
But back to the cycles I have seen posted that I supposedly did— they were all bullshit. Who knows what I used? Even my wife at the time didn’t. The only guys who did were my training partners at the time. Leroy Davis was my longtime training partner, and he typically used the same things I did. I can assure you he isn’t posting our cycles on the Internet.
KL: Unless the cycle came directly from the pro himself, like we are doing in this article, it’s almost certainly bullshit. People try to pass off so much crap as facts online, when it’s either something they came up with or just their opinion. I can’t imagine any top pro taking huge amounts of drugs for years without suffering serious health problems. It’s just satisfying for a lot of guys out there to see these crazy cycles that the champions supposedly do and say, “OK, that’s why he looks like that and won all those shows, he did tons and tons of drugs— that’s why I don’t look like him.”
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The Lowdown On Drugs Part 2
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray & Dorian Yates Speak Out
In bodybuilding there’s no more contentious issue than drug use exacerbated by the variety of conflicting advice being spread through the Internet. That’s why we went to these living legends of the sport, all of whom are long since retired, to get the real scoop on drugs: their opinions on them, their experience as users and more. Nothing was off limits, and the frankness of some answers will surprise you. Remember, this is not secondhand or thirdhand information— for once it’s directly from the champion’s mouths.
There is a lot of arguing about the amount of steroids the “average” pro uses these days. Some claim the total milligrams for gear each week ranges from 3,000 to 10,000. Do you believe some pros and top amateurs are using outrageous amounts? And if so, do they actually need that much or are they using far more than they need to?
SR: I defer to the previous answer I just gave you. Many of these pros take large doses of anabolics, HGH, insulin, alcohol, tobacco, food, supplements and so on. At the end of the day, as an individual with my own career, issues, personal life, family and business, do you really think I’d spend five minutes of my life wondering about what another bodybuilder is putting in his body? I can’t stop him, I more than likely don’t even know him …. so what’s the point of or the use of me having knowledge of what he is taking? I can’t use any information on drug use another person is doing and apply it to myself, as if we will achieve the exact same end result with two entirely different DNAs. I am Shawn Ray Productions, meaning my focus and energy goes into me and mine, and what works for me is a result of knowing my body— end of story. Yet there does seem to be a mistaken belief out there in the trenches that duplicating a specific person’s specific drug cycle will yield the exact same results in anyone, essentially giving you that person’s exact physique! That’s so off base it’s not even worth debating with anyone.
KL: I never knew what people used back in the day, and I don’t know what they use now either. I only know what I used and what worked for me. At some point, the receptors have to shut down. There has to be a point where only some of what is being taken is actually having an effect. You talk about guys allegedly using 10 grams of gear a week. Come on! That’s enough drugs for a 2,000-pound horse, not a 250-pound human. I don’t buy it. And if anyone really is using doses like that, they’re either not too bright, don’t care about their health one bit, or both.
Hold off on answering, Dorian, I want to add to that. One reason some have speculated that today’s bodybuilders use so much more is that the drugs now are often fake or terribly underdosed, whereas in the old days, gear was typically far more legitimate and potent. Do you agree or disagree?
DY: I do hear about very heavy doses being used nowadays. People come to me in the U.K. and Spain to be trained, and often they are on 5,000 milligrams a week or more of gear. That’s totally unnecessary. And I do believe the lower quality and potency of what’s around these days is part of it. In the ‘90s, everything we used was pharmaceutical grade. 250 milligrams of test was always 250 milligrams, and you didn’t have to worry that it was 200 or 100 milligrams. There was no black-market, underground gear yet. Now, it’s the total opposite. There is very little pharma-grade gear about; it’s almost all underground stuff made God-knows-where by God-knows-who. So how can you know what you’re really getting? Is it the drug it’s supposed to be? Is it the dose it claims to be on the label? I sincerely doubt it. There is far more profit to be made in substituting cheaper drugs and by underdosing products. I hear guys tell me they are on three of four grams of test a week. Bollocks! If you were really using that much test, your blood pressure would be through the roof and you would be retaining so much water you’d look like a blowfish.
SR: I personally think there is a lot of fake gear on the market, and the athletes fail to exercise their due diligence to test what they take to ensure the quality is accurate. However, I also know that the vast majority of bodybuilders today, both pro and amateur, start their careers using anabolic steroids without ever building a foundation or a firm base from which to build upon. Hence, if you start your bodybuilding off with the introduction of steroids, after the first phase of initial gains, you have nowhere to go as far as building upon “quality muscle” because it was all built synthetically. This leaves guys with bloat and swelling, but no real hardcore foundation of muscle that was built by the sweat of the brow! When we talk about the lack of muscle quality these days versus in days gone by, this factors in heavily.
KL: steroids back then were higher quality. Fewer companies made them, and nearly all of them were major pharmaceutical companies. Syntex used to make Anadrol 2902 tabs that were 50 milligrams each and very strong. The stuff out there now can’t compare to it. The GH being used then was Humatrope by Eli Lilly, and it was the best. Now, people get it only from AIDS patients. Most guys use cheap Chinese crap that’s much weaker. The Winstrol V we used to use came in amps and would crystallize in the syringe. Now there are tons and tons of different drugs from so many underground labs I’ve never heard of. Guys try to ask me what I think of this or that drug, and rarely do I have any idea what they’re talking about. But I am sure the gear out there now is junk compared to what we had 20 years ago.
The prevailing attitude still seems to be that “more is better” when it comes to drugs among many of today’s bodybuilders. How much do you think an athlete actually needs, or is that a very individual, case-by-case issue? Do some guys require far less than others, while others legitimately need to use very large doses to make the same gains or hold the same size that others do?
SR: There is no question the old adage of “more is better” is applicable in today’s bodybuilding mentality, based on the size of the athletes. But make no mistake— in my era of the ‘90s, the bodybuilders were at an average all-time high as it relates to size and mass! There was no bigger era in the sport than the ‘90s, and I can honestly say I bet they were using a fraction of what today’s athletes are using overall. The proof is in the “muscle quality.” Just look at the detail and condition of the pros in the ‘90s by comparison, including the biggest guys, and you will see much more clarity, separation and density based on the hardcore foundation the guys built for themselves back then, and the longevity of their careers too. They knew it would be a marathon and not a sprint. How many of the guys today are here one year and gone the next?
DY: Speaking for myself, I took as little as possible to get the desired effects. If results were not satisfactory, I would increase only as needed, which is the logical way to go about it. If you can get good results on 1,000 milligrams, for example, why take 2,000? I knew powerlifters who would use as much as two grams of test cypionate a week in the ‘90s. That was crazy to us. I can’t comment on what the average amounts used or needed are. I only know what I did and what worked for me. Up until my first pro win at the 1991 Night of Champions, I always kept my total amount under 1,000 milligrams a week. Taking large amounts of test simply was not done in the ‘90s, from what conversations I did have with other guys. We would stack a moderate amount of test with either EQ [Equipoise] or Deca, and use orals with that. Now, with all the access to underground gear, it’s very common apparently for guys to use three to five grams of test alone before adding in other compounds. I really can’t tell you a whole lot about what my peers used, because I was isolated in Birmingham and not privy to what the boys over in the States were doing. Regardless, it wouldn’t have affected me. I did things my own way and could care less what others did.
KL: I think how much a person needs is probably a case-by-case basis. I mean, if you look at doses for many different prescription medications, the doses will vary for different people. One thing I never agreed with was the idea that as you went on, you needed to continue increasing your doses to keep seeing the same results. I never increased my amounts, though I did make small changes. My cycles went from six weeks to eight, and I added in Nolvadex as an anti-estrogen. Putting on size was never that hard for me. My off-season weight was about 278. At my first Mr. Olympia, I was 227 pounds, shredded to the bone. That was probably my best condition ever. I had been 233 winning the Night of Champions a few months before that. I competed many other times between 240 and 250, with my highest stage weight of 257. All that really changed was my training and my diet.
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The Lowdown on Drugs: Part 3
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray & Dorian Yates Speak Out
It’s hard to find a top amateur, much less a pro these days, who does not use growth hormone and insulin along with AAS (anabolic-androgenic steroids). Was it the same way when you competed? Do you feel they are both necessary for the look we see today at the highest levels?
SR: The sad thing is that so few of the upcoming generation even want to discuss or read about training and nutrition. They are obsessed with drugs, probably because that meshes with the “instant gratification” mentality of the world today.
DY: I used GH during my contest phases. The first times I used it were for the 1991 Night of Champions and Mr. Olympia shows. I used four IU a day while I was dieting, and I can’t say I noticed much difference adding it in. For my off-season in 1992, I doubled that to eight IU per day consistently, and saw better results. I had hit a plateau, and it helped kickstart me to the next level. I made very substantial gains that year, but unfortunately I overdieted for my first Mr. Olympia win (1992), so they were never seen. I knew I would be the biggest guy up there anyway since Haney was retired, so my concern was to be as shredded as possible.
For 1993, I did everything the same as I had the year before, including the gear and the GH, but wasn’t so overzealous with my prep. As a result, it appeared as if I had made a tremendous leap in size from the previous year. What you really saw were the gains I had made over two off-seasons.
As for insulin, I only used it in 1997 for the off-season leading up to my sixth and final Mr. Olympia win. I got bigger than ever, but it wasn’t quality muscle, and my midsection was distended. Some do believe you need to use all the things out there at your disposal. For me, insulin had a negative overall impact on my physique. It kept me from getting into my usual condition that I prided myself on. Raw mass is not the same thing as quality muscle tissue.I got a bit bigger, but at the expense of my separation, crispness and clear muscle separations. I see that same lack of separation constantly today with the guys, as well as the distended abs. I’m not sure what mechanisms are responsible. You could theorize the guts come from internal organ growth, but if that were the case, my belly would still be big.
KL: GH was still fairly new on the scene when I started competing as a pro. People made a big deal about it, and there was a lot of hype surrounding it. Now I need to clarify what I said about not changing anything about what I used, because I did try GH twice. When I won the Arnold Classic in 1996 at 257 pounds, I used it twice a day every day for the last four weeks right up to the show. I also used insulin for that show, two IU of Humulin R after my workout with a meal, and with one more meal later on. Out of convenience, that’s when I took my GH too. Those did help me add over 15 pounds of bodyweight, but it wasn’t quality muscle, just like what Dorian experienced. To me, I looked a little soft and watery even though I won. I used both again the next year for the Arnold, and that time it threw my condition off so badly that I placed eighth. That was the lowest I ever placed in any contest, and the only time I was ever out of the top six as a pro. So I said screw this stuff. I did the Mr. Olympia that year looking sharp as usual, and then hit seven Grand Prix shows in Europe. I won all of those except the one in Russia that Ronnie came out for. All of this told me that GH and insulin were detrimental to my physique. They blew out my midsection and blurred out my clear cuts. They will get you bigger, but not better. To me, better is better than bigger!
What was a typical drug cycle for you in your competitive prime— let’s say pre-contest and off-season?
SR: There was never anything “typical” about my approach to competition. It was different every year, as I like change and variety. There was never a specific time or drug that interested me to the point where I had to watch the calendar as if it were a guide for contest training and preparation. I trained year-round for the Mr. Olympia, sometimes more intent than others. I had my rest periods and so on, but I never “charted” the time for which a cycle was going to take place as if it dictated my journey. I never counted calories, weighed my food, took measurements of my body parts or let the scale guide my progress. Nor did a cycle of drugs dictate when it was time for me to get ready for a show. I never had a “switch” that I had to click to get ready— I was always getting ready year-round.
The introduction of steroids would only come into play when I was in a process of trimming the fat while trying to retain the muscle. Different drugs were made for very different purposes, therefore there was never a “typical” drug cycle because I never needed or used the exact same drug for every aspect of my body-sculpting phase. A “car” analogy is useful here. A car is used to get from point A to point B. However, the individual buying the car has vastly different reasons for buying a “specific” car, i.e., size, looks, make, model, speed, interior space, etc. There are thousands of cars made to help give each individual who is interested in buying a car an option for the one that is suitable for him.
DY: Let me stress this is not a recommendation to anyone, only what I used. This would be the course I followed circa 1993 in the final 12 weeks before the Mr. O contest:
WEEKLY
test propionate – 300 milligrams
Parabolan (French trenbolone, came in 76 mg/ml ampoules) – 152 milligrams
Primobolan – 500 milligrams
DAILY
anavar – 50 milligrams
growth hormone – 8 IU
I typically also did three eight-week cycles in the off-season, and those would be made up of basics like Deca and D-bol. I would do four weeks at peak dosage, then taper down over the next four weeks before taking four weeks off and repeating. Here is the typical four-week peak off-season cycle:
WEEKLY
testosterone – 750 milligrams
Deca – 500 milligrams
DAILY
Dianabol – 50 milligrams
As I stated a couple of years back when I put those in my column, I’m sorry if these doses disappoint those of you who were expecting something more extreme.
KL: It was a simple progression. My very first cycle was just test cyp, one shot a week. I am guessing I was doing 400 milligrams per week. After I won my state show and decided I wanted to turn pro, which I did the following year, I bumped things up a bit. I took the test up to 600 milligrams a week, and added in 400 milligrams of Deca and two Anadrols a day, which is 100 milligrams per day or 700 milligrams per week. That was my off-season cycle where I put on 30 pounds between the 1990 and 1991 amateur shows. For my prep, I would add in two amps of Winstrol V, which came in 50-milligram amps, twice a week, so that’s 200 milligrams a week of Winny. At four weeks out from the show, I dropped the test, the Deca and the Anadrol. The test and Deca were long-acting, so they kept working for another couple of weeks I’m sure. At two weeks out from the show, I started taking 20 milligrams per day of Halotestin tabs. So I would go into the shows on Winstrol and Halo. The longest my cycles ever were was 12 weeks, and that was later on. They were usually eight weeks in the early years.
Dorian, you are well aware of the reaction that column got. People outright called you a liar and say you downplayed your doses to appear as if you didn’t rely on large amounts to look the way you did.
DY: Well look, that cycle I listed above for prep was from 1993, and it was roughly 1,500 milligrams total. I never said I didn’t increase it at times over the years that followed. I was very meticulous, and kept records of all my workouts, meals and drug regimens. At one point, I did use as much as 2,500 milligrams per week in my off-season, but I didn’t see any further benefits than I had with 1,500. Again, everything I had was real and potent. Parabolan came in 76-milligram ampoules, and it was very strong. Nobody I ever talked to used more than three of those a week. I hear about guys now using 1,000 milligrams a week of tren, which is outrageous. If you have gifted genetics, you really won’t need mega doses. I honestly believe Ronnie Coleman was truly natural when he turned pro in 1991 at 215 pounds.
The guys who come to me taking the highest dosages are typically frustrated amateurs who lack the genetics to become pros. They try to make up for it by using tons and tons of gear, but it doesn’t work that way. Drug dealers want you to believe anyone can be a pro bodybuilder, even compete in the Mr. Olympia, if only you are willing to take more and more drugs. It’s not true, and the guys who need to hear that are in denial and refuse to listen. It’s like you’re crushing their dreams, but meanwhile they are playing havoc with their health for what?
What were your favorite compounds for the off-season and pre-contest? Were there any drugs you personally never cared for?
SR: I won’t answer that, and here’s why. As a bodybuilder who loved the “purity” of bodybuilding, i.e., training, competition, posing, preparation and camaraderie, using and taking steroids was never an enjoyable aspect for me— either taking them or discussing them. I had a personal disdain for all forms of drugs in our sport, as I saw them as a necessary evil that coexisted with my first love. The last thing I want to do is rattle off things I used, as I feel that would only be seen as an endorsement for them and steroid use in general, and would encourage certain individuals out there to seek out various compounds because “that’s what Shawn Ray used. If it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me too!” No, I won’t play into that.
DY: I’ll answer. Equipoise or EQ was something I liked for any part of the training year. Good old D-bol was the first drug I ever used, and it’s still my sentimental favorite. All the guys in the USA loved Winstrol. I thought it sucked! The injection sites were always very painful for a while, and I just didn’t think it was anything special.
KL: Test cyp, Deca and Anadrol always worked well for me. Those were the basics, just like basic lifts— you couldn’t really go wrong with them. I can’t say I ever tried anything that I didn’t respond to or reacted badly to, for the simple fact that I didn’t try a whole lot of things.
