Bodybuilder and fitness star Chuck “Kali Muscle” Kirkendall plans to never look back after quitting performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). In a recent YouTube video, Kali Muscle recapped his bodybuilding career and experiences with steroids. After becoming addicted to these compounds, Kali Muscle is now speaking out against them.
While he started his fitness journey as an impressionable teenager, Muscle has grown leaps and bounds since. Following a prison stint at 19, Kali refused to let the circumstances dictate the rest of his life. He worked hard to improve his situation but admits he’s made some unhealthy choices along the way.
Kali Muscle is a popular YouTube personality known for his eccentric behavior, personality, and content. He boasts a ripped physique and has garnered headlines for his controversial and outspoken nature. Muscle has also been a victim to considerable health issues, like a heart attack back in 2021.
Having carved out a following in bodybuilding, Kali Muscle began arguing against steroid use. He became vocal about the topic after years of watching bodybuilders die too young, like Shawn Rhoden, George Peterson, and Cedric McMillan. Since retiring from the sport and its practices, Kali Muscle hasn’t shied away from showing off his downsized physique. And now, he’s back to share another cautionary tale about steroids.
“Steroids Is A Waste of Time” – Kali Muscle Recounts Struggles w/ Bodybuilding Career & Health
Before diving into his own personal struggles, Kali Muscle went over the dangers of some popular anabolic compounds.
“Just for educational purposes, I just had to do this video, I had this stuff [gear] laying around and I got mad. Trenbolone, it gets you strong, right? It also gets them arteries hard and strong, it causes high blood pressure, water retention, which we all know, water retention is bad for all your organs in your body. It raises your estrogen, right? It’s the most harmful roid, juice PED.”
“Some Test cyp, I don’t know why it’s orange. All the test I’ve ever had wasn’t orange. That’s test cyp right there. We all know what that do, it raises your estrogen and of course, it boosts your testosterone level which all of us want a high testosterone level but it causes water retention.”
“Primobolan, supposed to be a nice one right? When you get ready for a show it keeps you lean, less water retention, and all that. It’s all trash man. I don’t need them no more.”
Kali Muscle revealed his first cycle consisted of 1,000 grams of testosterone and 600 grams of Trenbolone. Eventually, Kali Muscle became addicted to the way the steroids made him feel during workouts.
“I felt I got addicted to the feeling of being stronger than everybody, my muscles just got full and so I remember Diego, ‘Boy, you need to do a show.’ I started looking at bodybuilding shows to do, my first one was the Orange County Classic in 2009. Went in there, didn’t know what I was doing, at that point I was on about 1,000 grams of test, maybe 600 grams of tren, I didn’t know what I was doing, I was reading on the internet what to take for shows.”
“I came in there and won it,” added Kali Muscle. “Every day I would study what chemicals, I bought all the books, I was experimenting on myself, it was foolish.”
According to Muscle, there came a point in his career where he knew he’d have to kill himself with drugs if he wanted to bring up the conditioning in his legs.
“I was getting big 255, 260, you guys can see the documentary I did. The Kali Muscle Story, I was 260 in that video just juiced to the gills. 1,000 migs of test, 800 migs of tren, you know all that stuff that’s tearing up those insides man.”
“It wasn’t for me, bodybuilding wasn’t for me because I would have to kill myself literally to become Pro. I knew I’d have to take a lot of GH, IGF-1, Insulin to really get my legs how they’re supposed to be. I knew I didn’t have that in me. I knew it would cost a lot of money. I decided to focus on social media. I tapered the roids down. I was doing 500 migs of test a week. I would do Tren here and there.”
Unlike years prior, Kali Muscle feels healthier today and claims he’s all-natural.
“The muscles… if I had the muscles are not, if that was the case now – I’m reaching more people in my eyes being fit and preaching a healthy message. Steroids is a waste of time, bro. If you started, okay, you feel good. You look good. But, you got to take anti-estrogen to keep your estrogen and most of y’all don’t even have medical.”
“I was happy natural like I am now. It’s not necessary. You can do it like this, natural. Kudos to all the natural guys out there but you still got to think if you natural, natural guys, they want to gain weight. So you go eat a lot of the wrong foods. What you’re eating and how you’re eating, what you’re consuming. Even me right now, they saw my test level now is down to 280.”
Lastly, he highlighted that steroids ‘are not needed until 35’ for most people.
“Roids are not needed until 35 on up. But I wouldn’t recommend it until your testosterone levels drop below 600. Been off everything. I’m a natty right now. So that’s why my testosterone level is 280, it was 281. I feel good.”
This wasn’t the first time Kali Muscle opened up honestly about steroid use. In May, he took part in a candid interview where he disclosed that he didn’t stop taking gear until his heart attack nearly killed him. Months ago, Kali mentioned that he was still taking a ‘small dose’ of steroids to maintain his physique.
In light of his health troubles, Kali has warned popular talents in the Men’s Open class about heart problems. Last October, Kali said athletes Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker were at risk of these issues, and stressed that he ‘felt sorry’ for them.
Kali Muscle hopes his story serves as a warning for the younger generation. While he admits he suffers from low testosterone, Muscle hasn’t stopped working out and remains focused on longevity.
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