Steroids have been a part of western culture for many years, evolving from a habit that was once confined to professional bodybuilding and sports to a regular high school recreational activity used to improve speed, strength, and muscle mass beyond natural levels. As with any substance that offers external results, since the enhancements are visually apparent, those using steroids are easily convinced that they are healthier than before, yet temporary positive appearance changes are frequently not synonymous with what is occurring within.
In addition to sports enthusiasts who wish to enhance performance, many thin bodybuilders are interested in the fastest method to enhance muscle gain, and when they see professional bodybuilders using large quantities of drugs to produce 100+ pounds of additional lean body size, they feel as if this must be the road to achieve what they define as success. Yet, what many forget is that muscle building, a lifestyle that has constantly associated itself with healthy living, transforms into a very dangerous, potentially life threatening path when steroids or growth hormone become valid options.
There are two distinct groups that seem to have mistaken notions of what can and cannot be produced naturally; one extreme believes that the massively muscled bodies of professional bodybuilders on the cover of muscle magazines can be produced without steroid use, or with some bodybuilding supplement that substitutes for drugs, when in fact this is a completely false notion. To those who follow the muscle building industry closely, professional bodybuilders are known for their rampant, rather stunning level of drug abuse, and they would carry significantly less muscle mass if they were training naturally, even when using every legally available supplement. Another vast misconception claims the opposite, which is that no bodybuilder can gain substantial muscle mass without using steroids, which is just as misleading. Although the muscle size of professional steroid using bodybuilders cannot be achieved without embracing the same dangerous drug habits, incredible improvements in muscle mass and density are possible without ever touching a steroid, growth hormone, or any other performance enhancing drug.
Both groups need to become realistic, but in different ways; those who feel professional bodybuilding results can be achieved naturally must realize that this is not so, and change their goals to match what is both healthy and possible, but they will also benefit from learning the second lesson for the opposing group, which is that by eating and training a certain way, the muscles can grow significantly, and a dramatic transformation can occur without the use of steroids. The reason many are searching for solutions is that the muscle building industry is plagued with misconceptions and false promises, therefore steroids seemingly become the only viable solution to substantial physical appearance change, when in fact, most add very small amounts of muscle not due to lack of steroids, but as a direct consequence of poorly constructed training and diet routines. When the variables that control muscle mass (the workout and eating techniques) are rectified, progress should be gratifying and considered impressive for any reasonable individual, and the risks of steroid use are averted in the process.
I started my weight training career at a weight of 130 pounds, and being quite tall (6'2"), my thin body was the spark behind my own weight training pursuits. Thankfully, by the grace of God I never used steroids, growth hormone, or any other such drug, despite having the same desire to build muscle as any other weight lifter, yet knew that doing so within a natural framework was the only safe and therefore legitimate option to pursue. I then maximized my weight training and diet routine through many years of trial and error, gaining more than 60 pounds of muscle mass; many of those same individuals who are confused about how to achieve muscle building results accuse me of steroid use, but I can highlight my own results as proof to show that building large muscles is possible naturally, without any chemical crutch. I also realize that with steroid use, I could gain another 50 pounds or more of muscle mass, but does this frustrate me? No, not in the least, as I feel that protecting my gift of good health by remaining natural is far more important than any level of additional muscle gain, and I hope all reading this article adjusts their muscle building ethics so they can also feel as I do.
Francesco Castano authors the  www.MuscleNOW.com web site, which is a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for building muscle mass without supplements or drugs. He also owns the www.IncrediBody.com online fitness superstore, selling fitness equipment at guaranteed lowest prices.
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