Who are the guys on gear? What relationship do they have in the world of Fitness? We are always up to date with curious things and social phenomena. Learn the meaning of this word and all that it entails. If you don't go to the gym, you can also stay to read. Maybe you will be surprised and learn something new today!
Who are the guys on gear and their meaning?
The word gear is used a lot in discos, beaches, gyms and in certain areas of the internet. Who has not ever come across the mythical steroid cycles posts in Bodybuilding.com? Whether you move in the world of gyms or not, this word has been able to reach you several times.
Steroid cycle meaning: This means a person has used anabolic steroids to increase the size and definition of their muscles. Although anabolic substances can also be used to enhance athletic performance, in almost all cases we will refer to a dude on gear as someone who has used steroids for cosmetic purposes. In Latin America, the word chuzado is used to refer to these people.
Why is the word cycle used? The reason is curious and you will understand it right away. When a person uses anabolic substances to change his body or improve his performance, he is said to be on a steroid cycle. These substances are consumed in a cyclical way. They are known to be dangerous and have unpleasant side effects (which must be countered). For this reason, anabolics are taken for several months, to then do a post-cycle and a rest period. During rest, the body recovers the organs and hormones, which have been damaged by external substances. This would be a steroid cycle.
If they tell you "you are on a cycle", it means that you have significant muscle development that could make you think that you are taking anabolics.
*Note: Being on a steroid cycle is also known as using chemicals.
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| Steroids cycling group. |
Why do people take a steroid cycle and what are the types of guys on juice?
To talk about why anabolic cycles became fashionable, it would be necessary to briefly review the history of anabolic steroids. We are not going to dwell too long here, as this would lead to another long topic. You must know that steroids were discovered in the 1930s. In principle, they were used for medical purposes. However, it would later be discovered that these substances could cause skeletal muscle to grow and improve athletic performance. In the 1950s, as a result of the high rivalry between various countries, some governments approved its use in athletes to create supermen. Strength athletes were the first to consume anabolics.
Since then, steroid cycles have been used in various disciplines such as bodybuilding, athletics, rugby, boxing, weightlifting... One of the sports where its effects are most noticeable and visible is bodybuilding. Thanks to anabolics, athletes have a large amount of muscle mass that otherwise could not be achieved.
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| Chris Bumstead. |
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the forerunner of gym roids cycles
Before, the bodybuilding cycle was a thing for elite or professional athletes. Ordinary people had no interest in consuming the substances. Why did normal people become interested in anabolic substances? The truth is that something happened in the decade of the 80s. For the first time, some actors began to show bodies with supernatural musculature in the movies. Perhaps Arnold Schwarzenegger was the first person to "export muscle to the world" through film. Later, other Hollywood actors on juice followed: Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren... The anabolic cycles consumers were here to stay...
Viewers were so impressed with the physiques they saw in the movies that many decided to start training in the gym. Also at the time, Fitness magazines, training programs and diets to gain muscle mass and lose fat began to become popular. For the first time, these things were aimed at all audiences and not just high performance athletes. A new canon of beauty had been established for men.
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| To get superhero muscles, it takes genetics, dedication and some substances... |
Since the 1980s, people of all walks of life have been using steroids primarily to increase their sex appeal. Remember that these substances also improve performance. For example, they can increase strength, power, concentration and endurance. Thus, others use them to pass oppositions or physical tests. Today, it is common for cycles to be used even by actors to prepare for movie roles that require a certain physical appearance.
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| Arnold was the father of the dudes on gear in the cinema. Others like Van Damme and Stallone followed. |
Types of gym dudes on gear or juice
We classify the steroid users according to the purposes for which they use the anabolic fitness cycle. Some men use the cycle to compete in certain sports. Others simply want to be more physically attractive to women. Let's look at the most popular categories.
The steroid cycle consumer for Bodybuilding
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| Men Physique and classic bodybuilding competitors use anabolic cycles. |
Really, that's how it all started, in competitive sport. You should know that not all bodybuilding categories are the same. The size of the athletes varies according to the categories, as these are organized by size and weight. A bodybuilding cycle for a heavy athlete is not the same as for a light athlete. The amount of substances that heavier bodybuilders take is truly alarming.
The lighter bodybuilding categories are, for example, Classic and Men's Physique. Here it is normal for a competitor to weigh between 80 and 100 kg. In the Open category there is no weight limit, so athletes of 110, 120 or even 130 kg of defined muscle participate.
Large and massive steroid cycle users
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| The Open category brings together the giants of muscle mass in the most anticipated competition of the year: Mister Olympia. |
In the Bodybuilding Open, the most gigantic and massive men on juice to ever walk the planet compete. The most important competition is the Mister Olympia. These anabolic users are simply from another world.
Powerlifters and other strength athletes
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| Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Eddie Hall, world renowned elite strength athletes, have used anabolic cycles. |
Outside of bodybuilding, steroid cycles are used to push performance beyond what is naturally possible. Yes, weight lifters such as powerlifters, weightlifters, and Strongman competitors do cycles too. These guys don't care much if they look pretty on stage; they want to be massive in order to lift as many kilograms as possible in their competitions.
Consumers of anabolic cycles in other sports
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| In sports such as boxing or wrestling, anabolic substances are also used. John Cena displays a muscular and otherworldly physique. |
If you thought that only gym and strength athletes used anabolic cycles, you are wrong. These substances are very popular in sports that you didn't even imagine. They are used by runners, wrestlers and boxers and even basketball players and cyclists. Do you really think that Usain Bolt ran the 100 meters in less than 10 seconds without resorting to ergogenic aids? All elite athletes are on juice.
Guys on gear from the gym, beach and disco
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| Anabolic cycle users love to show off on the beach. Jeff Said (left). | Zyzz was the forerunner of the "Aesthetics" culture and had a huge following on social media. |
This is the most common consumer on foot. Normally, he is a young man looking to get a muscular physique to flirt with women. This gym roids cycle consumer can be seen in settings like the beach or the nightclub. Sometimes he doesn't exactly use substances derived from testosterone (steroids), but some other compound that helps you shed fat while keeping your muscles lean. For example, you can consume clenbuterol.
Some people turn to anabolics because of complexes they carry over from childhood, such as being bullied or being skinny. For many young people, being on juice is linked to a lifestyle. This is known as the "Aesthetics" style, which consists of having a defined and muscular body, attracting attention at parties, traveling and living on social media.
The roids cycle users of Instagram and other social media
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Many take advantage of anabolic cycles to show off on Instagram. They get recognition, followers, money and customers. |
Unfortunately, we live in the age where image and artificial appearance are everything. There are not a few who resort to the gym and steroid cycles to obtain a physique that impresses on social media. Some even touch up their photos in editing programs to make them more attractive. Instagram roids consumers are already a reality. Doping substances are a trap, a shortcut that gives them a hypermasculinized physique to attract girls or earn money.
Steroid cycles in youtubers and personal trainers
Not all of them use cycles exclusively to flirt. Some seek to make their muscular physique a means of earning a living. One thing is certain: an artificial physique achieved through substances will always attract more attention than a natural body. This is a reality. Youtubers and trainers use anabolic substances to achieve impossible physiques, gain thousands of followers and make lots and lots of money. Not to mention the sponsorships they get at a competitive level.
Models, go-go dancers and others
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| Yes. Even for these model physiques, in most cases, you have to take anabolic drugs or substances that help you achieve incredible muscle definition. The drugs help to make the muscle look harder, rockier and leaner. |
If you thought that the typical bodies of the models were only a matter of genetics and dedication, let us clarify the reality for you. The photography models and dancers of the nightlife also use anabolics. They may not use the same amounts as a bodybuilder, but enough to give you that striking, defined look with pumped up muscles. As you can see, a lot of people make a living from being a roids user.
Hollywood actors on steroid cycles or juice
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| Chris Hemsworth got supernatural muscles to play the god Thor. |
You only have to see what the heroes of old movies looked like to realize that something has happened over the years. The protagonists of the cinema are getting bigger, muscular and defined. According to the canons of beauty, now you can't shoot a movie scene without a shirt being just skinny. It is necessary, at minimum, to have a "six-pack", strong arms and pronounced deltoids.
We've seen some extreme cases of actors going from skinny to full-blown Greek gods. Building natural muscle takes time. It may take several years. So how do the actors do it? Well, it's very easy, with anabolic cycles. By exigencies of the script, simply, a contract is signed where the actor has to submit to consume certain substances. Of course, these things are done under strict medical supervision. The cases of actors on juice are more and more numerous. They make people confuse reality with respect to the artificial.
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| Hugh Jackman ("Wolverine") before and after. Hollywood actors on steroid cycles. |
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| The actor Zac Efron after doing a good cycle. Before and after. |
How to learn to recognize dudes on juice vs naturals?
We already know that today the use of doping substances to change the body is widespread. So, comes a frequent question that arises from the curiosity of many: is it possible to differentiate guys on juice vs naturals? Yes, there are some parameters that you can look at. It is not always possible to zoom in, although it is perhaps more than 90% of the cases. The gym cycles consumers has a certain "look" that sets it apart from natural athletes.
Extreme definition with good muscle size
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| The extreme definition of the Fitness model Lazar Angelov can only be achieved with doping substances. |
Those of us who have trained for a long time as natural athletes know one thing: it is not possible (or almost impossible) to achieve great muscle size and low fat levels at the same time. Normally, having more muscle mass entails the sacrifice of gaining a little fat, inevitably. When we want to see defined muscles, we lose a few kilos of fat; however, we also lose some muscle. If we lose fat, we often look smaller, tired and without energy.
The human body is a sophisticated work of art with thousands of years of evolution behind it. When there is a caloric restriction, the body tends to economize. In other words, you sacrifice muscle mass when you are lacking in fat. This natural physiological action can only be reversed with doping substances. A person with great muscle definition and size should make you suspicious. What's more, weigh the centimeters in height with good muscle definition is already an achievement that requires years of work being natural. For example, measuring 170 cm and weighing 70 kg with well-defined muscles.
Pumped up, round muscles and a PhotoShop look
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| These round muscles and sculpted look can only be achieved through anabolics. |
This is another feature that "smells like a cycle". When a person has very round and pumped muscles, or when his physique appears artificial (as if it had been edited with a PhotoShop-type program), it is almost safe to say that he has used substances. Abdominals with high relief and pronounced grooves (as if they appear to be made of plastic) are a dead giveaway.
It is normal for our muscles to be pumped when we finish training them in the gym. However, this pumping effect wears off within an hour. Cycle consumers manage to look pumped even when they're not working out.
Look at the shoulders and the trapezius
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| 3D steroid deltoids and mountain shaped traps. Derek, youtuber from the More Plates More Dates channel. |
Steroids bind to androgen receptors in our body. The deltoids and trapezius are muscles where we have a large number of androgen receptors. This is why when you are on steroid cycles, those areas tend to overdevelop compared to other parts of the body.
Have you seen a person with extremely round and developed shoulders? He may have used steroids. Looking like you've put on shoulder pads is an indication of anabolic use. Also, look at the trapeziuss. If these have acquired a strange shape, as if they had the peak of a mountain, it means that the androgen receptors are assimilating the steroids.
This is known as the 3D deltoid (fully round) appearance and mountain-shaped traps.
Acne, strong masculine features, sweating and other signs
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| Acne on the pectoral as a consequence of substances derived from testosterone. |
The cycle brings with it some other changes to the body. The person begins to have acne in areas such as the back, chest and forehead. After adolescence, it is very rare to suffer from acne. In addition, the face may turn red and the amount of sweat and odor increase.
The face tends to become masculinized with the use of substances derived from testosterone. In some cases, the amount of facial and body hair increases (more hair grows on the shoulders, back and chest). The cheekbones are also more marked and the jaw is squared.
Baldness is also an effect of consuming testosterone derivatives. In people who are prone to alopecia, hair loss accelerates after taking doping substances. Also, the voice gets deeper.
Gynecomastia in steroid users
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| Gynecomastia or male breasts, a side effect. |
This side effect is very common. As we have explained, steroids are substances derived from testosterone. When external testosterone is introduced into your body, the body tries to balance this male hormone by producing more of the female hormone (estrogen). Because of this, some users start to develop breasts similar to those of a woman. This is called gynecomastia. Not all men who suffer from gynecomastia have used doping substances, but it is one of the effects of steroids. Notice if a very muscular person has nipples in the shape of a female breast.
Big gains in a short time
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| The before and after of a steroids cycle. |
Sometimes a user is not suspected of using steroids because of his physique, but rather because he has missed the deadlines to get it. Let's face it, a good muscular physique requires training for quite some time naturally. We are talking about several years of training. If someone was very skinny or overweight and suddenly has gotten a very muscular and striking physique in a short time (a few months), he becomes suspicious.
This is very clear in the actors, who have to get a very muscular body for a movie role and they get it right away. In many cases, they have used anabolic cycles to prepare in record time.
An exaggerated strength achieved in a very short time
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| David Laid, on juice, had incredible strength at a very young age. |
One effect of steroids is that they significantly increase strength. It's highly suspicious that someone would go from bench pressing 130 lbs to 300 lbs in a few months. We're not saying you can't be strong naturally, but gaining strength takes years of training. Today, YouTube and social media are saturated with very young guys, in their twenties, capable of lifting more than 200 kg in a squat or 150 kg in a bench press. These are spectacular marks that, a few years ago, only a few people were able to achieve thanks to a lot of training and dedication. There are cases of people with very good genetics at an early age. However, we are facing an epidemic of young guys with strength records like these.
Also pay attention to people who are able to lift a lot of weight while maintaining a physique with defined muscles. Normally, muscle definition and strength do not mix. Losing fat implies having no energy to train.
Excess of energy, aggressiveness
| Greek bodybuilder Giannis Magos loses a competition and beats up a judge. |
Steroids greatly increase performance in the gym. Obviously, this parameter is more difficult to consider. The energy level of users depends on genetic or external factors (such as diet). However, it should be clarified that a gym cycle user is capable of training heavier, with more intensity, for longer and recovering sooner.
In addition, introducing external testosterone through substances into the body enhances aggression. Steroid users are more irritable and prone to react aggressively to any trifle.
Very thin skin and veins
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| Gym anabolic consumers have papery-thin skin and prominent veins. This state can only be achieved with drugs. |
Anabolic users achieve impossible and extreme muscle definitions. The skin becomes very thin and is attached to the muscle. There is not an ounce of fat underneath. If you stretch the skin of the abdominals, it will be like an elastic (slingshot effect).
Veins are usually seen in people with little body fat, but in steroid users, the veins will be even larger and more pronounced. In addition, they will adopt unusual and serpentine shapes. The pipe-like veins of the biceps, for example, are indicative. Vasodilation is linked to anabolic substances.
Pay attention to all these features. The more factors a person collects, the better chance you have of guessing whether it is natural or on gear.
Have women started using roid cycles?
Yes indeed. Anabolic steroids are no longer just a guy thing. Women have also begun to use cycles. Even in the lighter competition categories, such as Bikini Fitness, anabolic cycles are used to go on stage with a better set-up.
There are also some clues to recognize girls on a roid cycle:
- • Great muscular development. This is not normal for most women.
- • Masculinization of facial features. Your jaw can be made squarer.
- • Deeper voice.
- • Thin skin and marked veins.
- • Growth of facial and body hair.
- • Alteration of the menstrual cycle.
- • Significant increase in strength.
- • Shrinkage of the breasts.
- • Enlargement of the clitoris.
- • Irritability and aggressiveness.
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| Megsquats is suspected of having used drugs. |
The side effects of doping substances in women are especially dangerous, since they are irreversible. Frequently, jaw augmentation and facial masculinization are irreversible even after stopping the steroid cycle. If the woman wants to regain the feminine features of her, she has to undergo surgery.
Some frequently asked questions about gym cycles
To finish, satisfy your curiosity about some questions that you have surely asked yourself.
Why are there so many steroid users in Valencia?
Valencia is a region of Spain famous for the number of dudes on steroids. It is the autonomous community of Fitness par excellence. Renowned TV celebrities and Fitness youtubers have done cycles: Rafa Mora, José Labrador, Andres Suita, Mistermarkinos, Kim Angel, Juan Faro, Joan Pradells and many others.
Valencia has that beach atmosphere that invites you to show off your physique. Perhaps for this reason, there are many cycle consumers in Valencia. Any western coastal area with a party atmosphere is full of dudes on juice. It occurs in more regions of the world; for example, in California, United States.
How much does a steroid cycle cost?
It is not cheap. The price depends on the substances that are going to be used. A basic beginner cycle can be worth €180 or €300. It must be taken into account that cycles usually include more than one substance. The advanced cycles are stronger and can cost €1,000 or €1,500.
The quality of the cycle also influences the price. Today, the sale of many substances is already prohibited in pharmacies and the black market has taken the lead. Useless compounds are added to black market cycles, often to drive down the price.
To the cycle, we must add the post-cycle. The latter is done with drugs that help alleviate the side effects of anabolics. You also have to pay the post-cycle. Many beginners venture into using anabolics without a post cycle. This is dangerous and can cost health.
Dangers of being on juice
Anabolics are not a game. These substances provide a film body in record time. They also change the way you think. They provide a false state of euphoria and self-confidence. However, everything is temporary. When the person comes off steroids, all the euphoria wears off and they may fall into severe depression.
- • Steroids are addictive.
- • They enlarge the organs.
- • They cause alopecia, gynecomastia and kidney problems.
- • They can make you aggressive and irritable.
- • When you have used them after a long time, your body may stop producing natural testosterone forever. This would force you to take testosterone replacement therapy for life.
- • They produce acne, increased heart rate and shrinkage of the testicles.
- • They can cause death.
Being on a roid cycle is not smart. Do not do it! The guys on gear are really shortening their lives. Although they may seem incredible on the outside, they have serious health problems. This article about the roid users and the meaning is merely informative and for you to learn what these expressions mean. Train natural, live a healthy life and have fun on your way to the physique you dream of.
