Steroids debate

[Guest guest]

Continuing with our discussion about the use and ability of steroids

as a performance enhancer it seems that you have missed a point or

two about what I said. A little flashback to our earlier discussion.

I wrote earlier:

<Secondly steroids isn't the magic bullet everyone believes them to

be. Yes they can play a part in helping one reach the top but only a

part. Genetics, neurogenic strength (basically the Power of the

Mind), training system, diet, injury prevention, all need to be in

order for steroids to work. I live in India the land where everything

is expensive thanks to a high cost of living except Drugs. I can go

to any pharmacy and purchase Stanazolol for Rupees 16 (approx 25

cents) without any medical prescription. Recombinant hGH? No problem!

But I haven't done so simply because I recognize that my steroids is

the very last aspect any lifter needs to bother about. Firstly one

has to have 3 years of lifting experience under ones belt and a very

sound training and diet in order for steroids to work.

I have seen many lifters who have taken massive amounts of steroids

and unfortunately the mythical gains steroids supposedly bestow have

eluded them. Yet some experienced lifters know the uses and risks of

steroids have employed their use in a very judicious manner and are

now at the top level in Powerlifting.>

To which Dr Siff said:

<<Nobody has ever claimed that the inexpert use of large amounts of any

drugs is automatically going to create a champion. Indeed, one also

needs certain physical and mental attributes, plus a good knowledge of how

to supplement efficiently and safely with drugs.>>

**** Looks to me that you have agreed with me 100%. The whole point of

my article was that:

1. Steroids work but in the right environment (genetics diet training,

injury prevention taken care of).

2. Athletes at all levels have used them as a method of making gains.

3. All countries have athletes who use them but Americans are very

naïve and still believe that their athletes are clean scrubbed heroes

who reached where they are with just handwork and food. The whole

point they miss is that America is the champion doper and if the

Eastern Bloc countries have comprehensively been champions in the

Iron Game for the past 40 years its not because they have cheated

while the Americans played fair.

To cut back to our earlier discussion:

I wrote:

<India has an uncontrolled drug market and yet not a Single Olympic

Gold in any individual event. .

With the amounts of drugs some Indian athletes consume some one

should have lifted over 500 kilos in the Superheavy category by now.

India lacks the facilities that athletes in the West have. Be it top

professional doctors and trainers, video to analyse technique

sponsors to take care of an expensive diet and also ensure that a

lifter doesn't have to work 10 hours a day to make ends meet and can

put in every minute into training eating and recovering. It's obvious

that steroids aren't the only piece in the puzzle.>

Dr Siff:

<<Your remark also suggests that, despite its huge population of some 4

times that of the former USSR and over 90 times larger than that of

Bulgaria or Eastern Germany, India has not yet found a single athlete

with natural genetics to be able to achieve Olympic greatness, with

or without drugs. This surely must tell you something about the

entire training, talent identification and sporting development

process in your country. Something must really be gravely amiss if

this is what is to be inferred from your remarks.>>

****I firmly believe that India has the potential to be the World's

greatest weightlifting country. We have some incredible talent who

put in all the hand work that is needed. What they lack is a good

nutritional setup, sponsors to back them (food and supplements cost a

packet) and ensure that they can forget about working to make a

living and concentrate on the sport. We haven't had many coaches who

train athletes like their life depends on it. Overtraining is an

epidemic here. Most athletes here think that the only reason they are

not progressing is because they only squat 3 times a week with

massive volume and high intensity. They feel they need 4-5 times

weekly squat sessions.

If any of you ever come to Bombay please visit the gym I train in.

The address is

Bandra Physical Culture Association

Opposite Bandra Talao,

Bandra West,

Mumbai 400 054

When you are here you will be amazed when you see the kind of diets

that the top state level lifters have and manage to do the things

they do. Its quite amazing how these guys train 5 times a week for 3

hours each session and manage to draw sustenance from less than 100

grams of protein a day. The intensity they employ is frighteningly

high and food is lacking.

Consider this statistic.

A dozen chicken eggs cost Rupees. 20 in India. The mean salary of

these lifters is 4000-6000 Rupees a month. 1 Dozen eggs is between

1/200th to 1/300th of their monthly salary.

I am guessing that a dozen eggs cost about 2 dollars in the US. And

an average American makes $2000-3000 a month. Isn't that 1/1000th to

1/1500th of his salary? No wonder our lifters buy eggs as a

supplement!

I personally know the Number 1 ranked female 100 metres athlete in

India and her personal diet and training isn't given the kind of

state backing that top athletes had in the Eastern Bloc and

definitely she doesn't have the backing that say a had n

while she was just a National Champ in the US.

I also know a top 5 ranked cyclist and we ate together a few days ago

and the kind of food that we ate wouldn't be touched by a 12 foot

barge pole by an cyclist from the US or other top ranked nations. And

when you see that his training is all trial and error based and

without an iota of scientific backing by a sports doctor, top cycling

coaches or nutritionists it's a miracle that he is putting in times

that would shame your cyclists in the West with immense money power.

The State Record holder in weightlifting manges to eat eggs only 2

times a week cause they are cant be afforded as he has 2 younger

brothers to educate.

Give them a fraction of the funding any Bulgarian or Greek lifter

gets and the Dimases and Chemerkins of the World will be from India.

Just too bad our blind government doesn't see the potential we have

and the people think sports is just a secondary passing hobby.

[some of us would love to help our Indian colleagues to achieve their

great potential - what a pity we all live so far apart! Anyway, our

Supertraining list may be a start and personal contact between

some of us may well follow in the future. Arjun, your obvious

passion in this regard may well serve as a valuable catalyst in

this process. Mel Siff]

Regards,

Arjun Kalbag

Mumbai India