I. Always Cycle off of AS for at least 6 weeks.
The rule of thumb regarding how to cycle on and off of steroids is that one should cycle off of the AS for the same amount of time that they were on.

Most of us cheat at times though and do not stay off of the juice for the recommended time each time that we cycle.

Sometimes a goal is trying to be met which will require a quick return to the AS in order to not lose gains. At times like this, I strongly recommend that one stay off of the juice for at least 6 weeks in order to give the pituitary-axis a chance to rest and to restore the cholesterol levels somewhat to normal.

During these shorter rests I always use an additional herbal supplement to aggressively detoxify my system. One such detox would be the use of ESSIAC tea and Milk Thistle.

Amazing things can be done in the body with these two together in just 4-6 weeks. Additionally, I use the clomid, nolvadex, and hcg therapy for 4 weeks, and then continue with Tribulus/DHEA stack of 1250mg/day for the next two weeks, along with Saw Palmetto.

I have yet to have problems with my natural test after 6 weeks of such therapy and cleansing. The cleansing, however, is mostly in order to keep my liver, kidneys, spleen, etc healthy.

If one must stay on something, then many have had good test recovery while still using 100-200mg of Primobolan/week while simultaneously doing a recovery cycle like the one
mentioned above.

II. Always Rotate Injection Sites
Many of us find a favorite spot to "go into" and then we tend to just use that for quite awhile. I saw one guy who had a huge area of scar tissue on his hip due to injecting over and over again in the same area.

Using the same spot can cause abscesses, and at the very least excessive scar tissue which makes it hard to inject into and hard for the oil to disperse from.

Also, most oils can be drawn up in a 22 gauge needle and typically a one inch length is sufficient. When using a watery substance such as Winstrol, Sten, Test Suspension, or the like, one can easily use a 23-25 gauge needle and save themselves some pain. Multi-use vials of Winstrol usually require a 23 gauge but the Zambon can be utilized with a 25 gauge.

Another important rule is to not inject more than 2ml into the deltoids or other smaller muscles. For amounts in excess of 2ml the glutes are recommended. And remember to inject at the rate of 1ml per ten seconds and leave the syringe in for 10 seconds when finished.

This will help the oil to disperse somewhat and will minimize how much of the oil "follows" the syringe out of the injection site when pulling it out.

III. Do Not Talk Loosely About Your AS Usage
I know a guy in the gym who goes around talking to it seems like everyone about his AS usage. One day he began to tell me about his cycle and I had to tell him that there was a State Policeman working out well within earshot of us. The cop was in his workout clothes and this guy had no idea.

Now that I see what kind of person he is (big mouth) I always tell him that I am off of everything and going natural for a while. The reason is this... You can be sure that if he tells others about his own usage then he would have no conviction about telling people about my usage.

We live in a time that is especially sensitive to illegal activity it seems and the "ears" are out there. The last time I wired money with Western Union the lady was kind of suspicious about it and said that many of the rules have changed with regard to wiring money since 9/11.

It was the first time that I ever had to tell the clerk what I did for an occupation. Bodybuilders cannot be too careful right now. A recent bust of an AS supplier in Boston revealed in the newspaper article that local police had noticed his increased muscularity prior to the bust.

Apparently this had increased their interest and suspicion as he began to match a certain profile of an Anabolic Steroid user. If anything I try to play my life around AS's down, and I don't ever keep them where they can be found or " happened" on by anybody in my life.

Another interesting point that I feel compelled to make is the thought that although I believe that our significant others need to know about our AS use to better understand mood swings and libido changes, one should first evaluate very carefully what kind of person that they are involved with. There are women (and men) out there who will turn you in to the authorities for vengeance when they are jilted.

IV. Don't Lose Sight of Long-Term Goals
There have been times when I wanted to throw reason to the wind and just juice my ass off. At just the right moment though I would remember that I have two children who I adore and who need me around for awhile.

Or, I would remember that our health is precious and fragile, and that although the body is an incredible and resilient machine, it does have it's limitations.

When we are tempted to sacrifice all for this hobby of bodybuilding, we need to remind ourselves that to truly master something we need to be in control of it rather than it to be in control of us.

I have so far been lucky to have bodybuilding and AS in my life as an enhancement to my life and relationships, and as a springboard to other successes. I work hard to keep it that way and hope that I never have to suffer unmanageability as a result of lopsided values in this sport and from supplementation.

I continue to explore bodybuilding and the juice as a way to life. If one of your long-term goals is to be a professional bodybuilder, then at least balance it out with the thought that you will still want to retire with your health someday even if you do achieve the pro card.

V. Help the Younger Generation Use Up Their Natural Genetics First
Part of what will help this sport stay honorable is if the veteran players in the game help the younger bodybuilders stay clean from AS until they are at least over 25.

I have had young guys ask me if I knew about AS or could I help them get some AS. I always tell them "no" and feel somewhat sad that they feel the need at such a young age to use the juice.

Help them explore their natural genetics and use those up first. Until one is really good at "instinct training" the whole realm of AS use and advance bodybuilding that comes with it is a dangerous playground.

Unfortunately, there is a whole group of young people right now who don't even want to train if they cannot do a cycle. These youth are greatly endangering themselves and it is important that the law enforcement community sees us veterans collectively as an opposing agency to such foolishness and risk.

We are not just a bunch of "meat heads" with no compassion or concern for our youth. Let's not be ashamed to do what is right when the time comes.

The image and sport of bodybuilding depends largely on what the seasoned veterans do with the knowledge that they have.

VI. Do Not Skimp on Doctor's Visits
We spend hundreds and thousands on cycles in order to look and feel great. Let's not forget to maintain our inner health and spend to necessary money for health insurance and the necessary exams/bloodwork.

It seems that a lot of bodybuilders skimp in this department and leave much to chance or to be discovered at the level of it becoming a serious illness.

The old adage that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is appropriate here.

VII. Remember the Three Components of Fitness
The times when I have gotten the most out of my AS usage is when I am balanced in the three areas of fitness: Cardio-vascular health; muscular strength/endurance; and, flexibility.

Keeping up with serious cardio and doing plenty of stretching will greatly aid in the overall health of an AS user.

Our cholesterol levels will be more manageable with the increased cardio, and the flexibility of frequent stretching will greatly aid with circulation as well as assist with injury prevention.

I have found that even when my cholesterol levels are temporarily high after a cycle, they are very readily brought back to normal with proper nutrition and aggressive cardio workouts. Staying with lean, more expensive cuts of meat and fish at all times also greatly helps in this department.

With regard to flexibility, I recommend to my clients that they stretch at least three times/week for 20 minutes each time. Also, it is important to hold any given stretch for at least 20 seconds at a time as durations less than that only serve to make the muscle contract and tighten up, thus being counterproductive to flexiblity and injury prevention.

When one holds a stretch steadily for over 20 seconds they will feel a slow release and stretching of the muscle begin to happen. This is true stretching at its best and is what we should aim for.

VIII. Do Not Train Lazy or Become Disorganized In Your Training
Anabolic Steroids are only part of the answer to getting big, looking good, and feeling great.

I have seen guys who had an incredible cycle of goodies but they were just not getting that look that you would expect.

Upon exploration I would find out that they were not taking in enough of the right calories or the right amount of calories; were not sleeping enough; were not drinking enough water (a huge part of your body is made up of good ole H2O); or, were just not training their ass off.

They wanted to make the AS do all the work. Also, many had done little or no research about training with AS. This is lazy training and will rob you of potential gains.