Diet and Safety - Must for Muscle Building

Many ignore the importance of diet in muscle building. A good diet is equally important to building 

muscle as is one's exercise plan. Thus, it is important that you follow a diet plan according to your exercise regime; for simple exercises like walking with light-weight training, go for a diet with less amount of fat. But serious muscle building requires some serious dietary changes.

To get an athletic body with clear cut muscles and a six-pack, you need to have a proper workout routine which you should strictly follow. In addition, your diet should be high in proteins, low in fat content and rich in specific vitamins and minerals which will help to build strong muscles.
Your first step towards muscle building should not be to hit the gym and lift heavy weights, you should visit your doctor to make sure you are physically fit to do any kind of bodybuilding workouts. Being physically unfit and working out vigorously can do some serious long-term damage to your body. Also, your doctor can recommend you the right diet plan which will work best for your muscle building workout.
After your visit to your doctor to make sure you are healthy, join a gym. Joining a gym is safest way to ensure that you get positive results from your workout. Such gyms provide you with personal trainers, who are professionally trained to ensure your good health, safety and, most important of all, correct muscle building. There have been many cases where people have opted to workout without personal trainers and have torn their muscles and incurred some serious life-long damage to their muscles. This has mainly been due to ignorance towards safety precautions and limited knowledge of basic muscle building techniques. So, workout with a personal trainer, he/she will help you build muscle the slowly and the right way.
Working out can lead to injuries; even professional bodybuilders sometimes have gym accidents. So, in case you get injured during your workout, seek medical attention immediately; there is no toughness in ignoring an injury. Exercising too vigorously even after an injury, can damage your muscles permanently. Be cautious of yourself while working out.
Now let's talking about diet. Your muscles are basically protein. So to build muscle you need a diet which is high in protein, something like fish. A high intake of protein will not only repair worn out muscles fast, but also build muscle rapidly. Fats and sugar make muscles weak. So, in order to get strong, well-defined muscles, lower your fat and sugar intake to as minimum as possible.
At the end, eat proteins, workout with professional trainers, and don't be shy from medical assistance. So, enjoy building muscle and get ripped!

For any specific questions on exercises or on my workout routine feel free to my contact : jobgeek00@gmail.com or www.job-geek.blogspot.com

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The Truth About Muscle Confusion Training

The Truth About Muscle Confusion Training
by Tom Venuto


The muscle confusion theory says that by changing your workouts constantly, your body can’t adapt to the workouts or that the new exercises will “shock” your muscles into new growth. This concept has been back in the spotlight recently largely because an infomercial fitness trainer, Tony Horton, has been promoting it as the basis for his wildly popular exercise program called P90X. As a result, I’ve been getting tons of questions about this “new” muscle confusion technique.


But muscle confusion isn’t a new idea – it goes back decades in the bodybuilding world.
I have bodybuilding books by Joe Weider from the early 1980s that discuss the muscle confusion training principle.

Weider, the former Muscle and Fitness Magazine publisher and bodybuilding promoter, was famous for cataloguing (and putting his name on) every weight training technique in the book. He called it the Weider System, and his “Weider principles,” including the muscle confusion principle, date as far back as far as the 1960′s.

Controversy over the Muscle Confusion Principle

I’ve seen all kind of criticisms of muscle confusion – articles calling it a myth, forum posts dismissing it as “bull” and even video parodies on you tube. I’ve heard respected trainers and exercise physiologists saying things like, “a muscle doesn’t have a brain so saying that it can get confused is idiotic.”

In fact, I’ve heard pretty much nothing BUT criticism lately.
The critics continue by saying that the best results come from sticking with a routine, not hopping from one program to the next.

In addressing these criticisms, I should first agree that “muscle confusion” is not a scientific term and I’ll also concede to the ambiguous nature of the phrase, leaving it open to misinterpretation.
There’s no doubt that consistency and progressive overload are important components of a strength training program, especially for beginners who haven’t built a foundation yet.
Furthermore, the idea that simply changing your workout alone is enough to stimulate muscle growth, greater strength or an increase in fitness is not true in all cases. What if you change your workout to something that’s substantially less intense or less of a physical challenge than what you’re doing now? That’s a step backwards isn’t it?

Change alone usually isn’t enough. There are certain thresholds that must be crossed before you can stimulate strength and muscular growth and not only that, it must be approached in a progressive and systematic fashion.

However, I think it’s unwise to dismiss the muscle confusion concept outright without taking a closer look at what it really means and clearing up some of the semantics and definitions.

Support for the Muscle Confusion principle

Even though there are some valid criticisms (depending largely on how you define it), muscle confusion is not only a legitimate technique, it’s a foundational principle of all effective training programs.

Consistency in training is important, but think about this: should your leg workouts consist of nothing but barbell back squats forever, never changing the exercise, and never changing the rep ranges; the only thing you ever do is try to slap more weight on the bar? Is this lack of variety really an intelligent approach?
I don’t know any trainer worth his salt who wouldn’t say that changing some program variables – at least every so many weeks – would improve the results. This is called periodization, also known as cycle training.
Numerous studies published in exercise science, sports conditioning and physiology journals have found that the pre-planned variation of acute program variables is more effective at producing strength and lean body mass improvements than non periodized programs.
The periodization concept is based on Selye’s general adaptation syndrome which states that systems will adapt to any stresses they experience in an attempt to better meet those demands in the future. Training is a stress and at first it’s a shock to the body. The body adapts by becoming stronger and more muscular.

But after a certain amount of exposure to a stress, your neuromuscular system adapts and there’s no further improvement unless a greater stress is applied. This usually means increasing the amount of weight lifted, but a change in exercise selection, number of repetitions or other program variables can also represent a new stressor and trigger new adaptations.
The difference between periodization and muscle confusion is that periodization implies planned variation, where the workouts change when the time is right, sometimes frequently, but the changes are meticulously planned in advance.

Muscle confusion implies random variation, where you might go into the gym with no plan and just do something different every time – whatever you feel like doing. This goes hand in hand with “Instinctive training” (another controversial principle which could be the subject of a separate article).

Change – the only constant?

When you look at program change as a planned and organized process, designed to “outsmart” the body’s adaptive nature, you can realize that there’s nothing controversial about it – continuous change is a critical part of program design. The real questions are:
1. Should all changes be pre planned as part of a long term strategy, or is it beneficial to make frequent program changes at random?
2. How often should you change your exercises and acute training variables?
With traditional training protocols, you might change your workouts every 4, 6, 8, or 12 weeks. With muscle confusion, you might change training variables more often – even at every workout.
Muscle confusion often implies that the changes are done randomly and that all the exercises may change. The downside of random variation is that if you change your workouts every session haphazardly, you may lose the progression element that’s so important for those early foundational gains. Your workouts need to have some kind of continuity where each workout builds on the last one.

On the other hand, your plan has to be flexible at times. Let’s suppose you go to the gym and you feel a little twinge in your lower back. You might decide you want to change your plan for heavy back squats and make it a lighter squat day, or you might do leg presses instead, just to play it safe. That’s a spur of the moment program change and you could call that instinctive training. This is an intelligent use of “instinct”, not some bodybuilding myth.
I actually find it very funny that certain groups of training experts criticize the decades-old bodybuilding terminology like muscle confusion and say the concept is “a bunch of bull,” and yet they use amazingly complex periodization programs where the workouts vary all the time! The changes are simply very well planned.

These same highly analytical people may also criticize the bodybuilding term, “instinctive training principle” yet they use a technique called “cybernetic periodization.” That’s a fancy way of saying if you go to the gym and something feels “off” you change your workout spontaneously. Excuse me, but isn’t that instinctive training?
Alas, these “sophisticated” science-minded trainees don’t want to use bodybuilding lingo so they coin a proper scientific term for the same thing bodybuilders were already doing.

Frequency of program change

It’s standard practice and highly beneficial to change workout programs at least every few months or even as often as every 4 weeks. After weeks or months on the same exercise, you will often plateau in strength, muscle development and interest/motivation. At that point, a change alone can often stimulate new progress.

For example, you might switch from back squats to front squats, leg presses or lunges. On changing the exercise, you may notice a renewed spurt of muscle development, and a progression cycle is introduced once again on the new exercise, whereas you were flat-lined on the old exercise.

If your goal is to keep back squatting and adding weight to the bar at every workout, you’ll soon be frustrated to discover that you can’t add weight forever, you always plateau eventually.
It’s counter-productive to get stuck on the idea that the only thing you need to do is basic exercises with heavy weight and lift more weight forever. That’s an attitude among certain training factions that will eventually lead its followers to plateaus, burnout and injuries, especially as you get older.

When you’re 20 years old, you can hit it hard and heavy all the time, it seems, with no repercussions. Do that for 20 more years and see what your joints feel like. Take my word for it – your body can’t take a non stop pounding.

At some point, after you’ve established a nice foundation of strength and muscle size, your training approach has to mature as you mature. You need to find other ways to apply progressive overload than just progressive resistance.

Progressive resistance vs progressive overload

The need for progressive overload is an indisputable principle. However, most people don’t realize that progressive resistance (ie, adding weight) is not the only way to do it. The idea behind muscle confusion is that a change in your workout can actually be a form of overload or at least it can optimize the effectiveness of overload by developing different aspects of the muscular and nervous systems and by improving recovery.

The beginner needs to build their foundation on the basics and that means sticking with the basic exercises and progressive resistance longer before making a change to a new routine. Changing the workouts every day is not necessary for beginners. The more years you’ve been training, the more advanced you are and the closer you get to your genetic potential, the faster you adapt and the more you’ll benefit from periodization and frequent training changes (aka muscle confusion).

In fact, if someone has been training for many years, the frequency of change and the complexity of the workouts needs to increase dramatically to continue to make gains. The linear periodization model just doesn’t work well anymore. Advanced trainees can adapt to an exercise in as few as 3-4 exposures. After that, something needs to change. It doesn’t have to be the entire workout, but at least part of the workout must change.

Which training variables should you change?

Variation doesn’t just mean changing exercises. In fact, most strength coaches agree that you’ll adapt to the repetition range faster than you’ll adapt to the exercise.
For example, it’s wise to spend a lot of time working on squats, but why do 8-12 reps at every squat workout? Why not do workout A which might be 6-10 reps and then workout B that’s 15-20 reps? You might even use three repetition brackets – heavy, medium and light. From a muscle building and bodybuilding point of view, I’ll place my bet on the workout which has variation in rep ranges over a single rep range every time.

The research says that daily changes are better for strength increases too. A study out of Arizona State University published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that making program alterations on a daily basis was more effective at producing strength gains than making changes every 4 weeks. The exercises stayed the same but the repetition ranges and intensity rotated at every workout. This method is known as undulating periodization.
Another application of this concept might have you staying on the same exercise, but changing how you perform it: switch the grip, hand position, foot position, stance width, type of bar/attachment, tempo, mechanical advantage, number of sets or range of motion. You might utilize techniques such as extended sets, supersets or drop sets. The list is endless.

Random change (aka “confusion”) – good or bad idea?

Now that we’re clear about the importance of change and the difference between random change and planned change, here’s the last big question: Is there any benefit to random change at every workout, which is “muscle confusion” in the truest sense of the term?
Progressive overload and continuity are important in any training program. However, you could make a strong argument that an advanced trainee who adapts very quickly to any workout, especially a bodybuilder who wants to develop every aspect of his physique, would benefit greatly from frequent change to the point of daily variation.

If you do something different that you’ve never done before, you could certainly achieve new muscular development from that, provided there was enough tension and resistance on the muscle. You could say that the fact that you’ve never done it before is actually a form of overload itself (a “shock” to the body, as muscle confusion implies).

However, ideally, program changes aren’t made randomly. It’s a bad idea to go into the gym without knowing what you’ll be doing when you get there. Even if you’re an advanced trainee changing some of your training variables at every workout, those changes should be planned in advance. This lets you mentally prepare yourself and have a goal for when you walk into the gym.

Conclusion

Changing exercises, rep ranges and other acute training variables on a regular basis, sometimes even daily – is an accepted part of periodization and training science. Using a wide variety of exercises is especially important for bodybuilders who need to develop every aspect of their physiques. Frequent change of training variables is even more important as your training age increases and your body adapts faster.

Staying with entirely the same exercises and training variables for months and years on end, using only progressive poundage as the sole method of overload is almost a guaranteed way for you to hit a plateau and eventually get injured.

And let’s not forget that other benefit of mixing it up: Avoiding boredom. If you’re bored to death with your workout, it’s likely that you won’t perform at your maximum capacity.

It’s understandable why muscle confusion has been controversial and even made fun of. But I think the debate has been caused by misunderstandings about the accepted definition of the principle. You might not choose to call it “muscle confusion,” you might call it “undulating periodization” or “planned variation.” But by all means, mix it up and change your workouts regularly for best results, simply do it in a planned and intelligent fashion – never wing it.
The TNB training program uses planned variation and periodization in all the weight training programs. This workout system is included with the Holy Grail Body Transformation program as part of an integrated nutrition and training system. Visit the holy grail home page to learn more.
P.S. By the way, no offense to people who love P90X, but “muscle confusion” or workout variation has absolutely ZERO to do with getting ripped. If you want to get super lean, it’s about the calorie deficit and dialing in your nutrition

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Steroid Injection Guide

Steroid Injection Guide
by Mike Arnold

I. Injection Types.
II. Injection Methods.
III. Injection Techniques.
IV. Aspiration: what is it and why is it important?
V. Why are there so many kinds of syringes?
VI. What kind of syringe should I use?
Part #1: Standard syringe specifications.
Part #2: Gauge numbers.
Part #3: Needle length.
Part #4: cc’s & ml’s.
VII. Where do I Inject?
VIII. How many cc’s can I inject into each muscle at one time?
IX. Rotating injection sites.
X. Sterilization.
XI. Loading a syringe.
XII. Disposal of used syringes.
XIII. The injection.
XIV. Subcutaneous AAS injections.
XV. How often do I inject?
XVI. Q & A Section.


I. Injection Types

• AAS (androgenic-anabolic steroids)
• Peptides (GH, Insulin, IGF-1, etc)
There are two predominant classes of injectable drugs used for performance enhancement, which are steroids (AAS) and peptides. Steroids are anabolic &androgenic compounds which have been synthesized by making modifications to the testosterone molecule, including testosterone itself. Examples include drugs such as testosterone, Deca, Dianabol, and Winstrol. 
Peptides include a vast array of different substances, responsible for inducing numerous different effects in the body. Not all peptides used in sports performance are employed for muscle-building or strength increasing purposes. Some examples of peptides include: GH, IGF-1, Insulin, Melanotan, etc. 
In this reference guide, due to the large amount of information required to cover the injection practices of both AAS & the various peptides, we will be focusing solely on AAS in this volume. The injections practices of peptides will be covered in their own reference guide.

II. Injection Methods

• Intramuscular injection: An injection into muscle tissue.
• Subcutaneous injection: An injection into the region between the skin and the muscle, also known as a “Sub-Q” injection. 
AS far as performance enhancement is concerned, there are two primary injection methods. These are the intramuscular injection method and the subcutaneous injection method. An intramuscular injection is exactly as it sounds; it is an injection given directly into a muscle. A subcutaneous injection is an injection which is placed between the skin and the muscle. Which method is utilized will depend on the drug being administered and the goals & preferences of the user. 
The overwhelming majority of individuals choose to administer their AAS by way of I.M. (intramuscular) injection, although they can be injected subcutaneously, if desired.

III. Injection Techniques

• Z-track technique: A technique utilized to prevent leakage of the injected substance post-injection.
• Air bubble technique: A technique utilized to prevent leakage of the injected substance post-injection.
The purpose of the above injection techniques is to seal the injected compound deep within the muscle, by allowing no exit path back into the subcutaneous area and skin. While using these techniques is not essential to performing a proper injection, they will allow the user to minimize oil loss due to seepage. 
The first technique we will look at is the Z-track method. The Z-track method requires temporarily displacing the skin & subcutaneous tissue prior to injection and immediately releasing the tissue post-injection. In order to perform the Z-track method, prepare your syringe and be ready to inject. Once the syringe is in hand, use your free hand to pull the skin at the injection site ½-1 inch away from its original location. While continuing to hold the skin in this stretched position, administer the injection into the original location. Immediately after removing the syringe from the injection site, release the skin which was being held in place. The Z-track method works best at locations where there is a greater amount of lose skin. Utilizing locations with taught skin will be more difficult.
The air bubble technique involves injecting a small amount of air at the end of an injection. In order to perform this technique prepare your syringe and be ready to inject. When the syringe is in hand, pull ½ cc of air into the syringe. Just prior to and throughout the injection, make sure the needle is pointing down, so that the air floats to the top of the barrel (near the plunger) and is the last thing to be injected into the muscle, as it is this small air bubble which will help to seal off the opening and prevent leakage.

IV. Aspiration: What is it and why is it important?

The act as aspirating is performed as safety measure, to prevent one from accidentally injecting directly into a blood vessel. The act of aspiration should be performed before “every” I.M inject. In order to perform this simple procedure, one must have fully inserted the needle into the injection site. Once the needle has been fully inserted, but before depressing the plunger, gently draw back on the plunger by a few millimeters. If no blood enters the barrel, you are safe to proceed with the injection. If blood pours back into the barrel, you have entered a blood vessel and need to relocate the syringe.

Seeing traces or specks of blood is not indicative that you have entered a blood vessel. Typically, when a vein (blood vessel) has been threaded, blood will pour into the barrel when pulling back the plunger. If you do thread a blood vessel, you do not necessarily have to completely remove the syringe and start over again. First, try pulling the needle out 1/4-1/2 inch and then try aspirating again. If blood does not pour into the barrel after this 2nd attempt, then you have exited the blood vessel and are safe to proceed. If blood does continue to enter the barrel, you will have to remove the needle and find a new injection site. 
Aspiration is not necessary when doing subcutaneous injection, only I.M injections.

V. Why are there so many kinds of syringes?

For a beginner, the many different types of syringes and their associated terminology can be confusing. Let us look at these differences which define the various types of syringes. Generally, syringes are defined by the following 3 things: Gauge size, how many CC’s a syringe can hold, and needle length. By learning what these things mean, you will have no problem selecting the appropriate syringe for your needs.

You may have heard of a syringe type known as an “insulin syringe”. Regardless of whether a syringe is classified as an insulin syringe or not, ALL syringes, including insulin syringes, are categorized by the 3 variables listed above. Insulin syringes are named as such due to the original purpose for which they were produced, which was to administer insulin to diabetics. Because diabetics will often need to perform multiple daily injections into the Sub-Q region, a smaller & shorter needed was needed, in order to increase patient compliance through more tolerable and relatively painless injections.

Let’s look specifically at the 3 variables below:

• Gauge: The gauge of the syringe refers only to the thickness of the needle itself. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the needle. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the needle. 
• CC: A CC refers only to how much volume a syringe can hold. The average syringe will hold anywhere between 1-3 CC’s. The more CC’s a syringe holds, the larger the barrel will be. 
• Needle length: Needle length refers to just that…the length of the needle. This is not a measure of the entire syringe, but only the needle itself. The average needle will measure between 5/16th’s of an inch and 1.5 inches in length.

Typically, the syringes normally used for injecting AAS (non-insulin syringes) come individually wrapped and can be purchased one at a time. Insulin syringes come in a clear plastic bag in packs of #10.

VI. What kind of syringe should I use? 

Part #1: Standard syringe specifications.
Part #2: Gauge numbers.
Part #3: Standard needle lengths for injection.
Part #4: CC’s & ML’s.

“Standard Syringe Specifications”

Most common syringe specs for steroid injections: 23-25 gauge…1/2 to 1.5 inch needle length…3 cc syringe.
Most common syringe specs for peptide injections: 28-31 gauge…5/16th to ½ inch needle length…1 cc syringe.

“Gauge Numbers”

As an individual attempting to gain size and/or strength, you will likely only need to concern yourself with the injection of AAS and peptides. Since AAS is the most basic category of performance enhancing drugs, we will begin there.

Most of the steroid products on the market are oil-based. As an “oil-based” steroid, the steroid molecule has been suspended in oil, with the oil being used as a carrier. Since AAS are measured in mg amounts and are a solid in their natural form, they require a carrier if they are to be effectively delivered into the body by injection. Since oil is significantly more resistant to bacteria proliferation than water and is also inexpensive, it is a logical choice. However, oil also has a higher viscosity than water, which means it will resist flow under applied force to a greater degree than water. The higher the viscosity of an injectable product, the thicker the needle will need to be in order to be able push the fluid through the needle.

When talking about needle “thickness”, which one of the three previously mentioned variables am I referring to? If you thought “gauge”, you thought correctly. The “gauge” of a syringe pertains solely to the thickness of the needle. Choosing the correct gauge is the most important factor in needle selection because if you choose a gauge number which is too high, the oil will not fit through…and if you choose a gauge number which is too low, you will be piercing your tissue with an unnecessarily thick needle. The most basic rule to follow when it comes to gauge selection is to choose the highest gauge number possible, but which will still allow the oil to flow through the needle. This will make the injection nominally invasive, while reducing discomfort and minimizing scar tissue build-up. There is no machismo in using a needle which is thicker than necessary, only idiocy.

Today, almost all steroids will fit through a 25 gauge syringe, so this gauge size should be your automatic go-to choice when the viscosity of a steroid is unknown. This gauge is relatively thin in comparison to the syringes used back in the day. Not too long ago the viscosity of many oil-based steroids was much higher than it is today, requiring the use of 21-22 g. needle for basically every injection…and in some cases, such as when injecting crude forms of Testosterone suspension or injectable Winstrol, an 18 g. syringe would be required just to be able to fit the steroid crystals through the needle without clogging it. For those of you who are trying to mentally picture an 18 g. needle without a reference point, it is more like a small nail than a needle. Today, things are much easier.

While AAS as a whole are rather straightforward in their application and demonstrate uniformity within the class, peptides are a completely different story. The word “peptide” is just a general term used to define numerous different categories of drugs, many of which often require different size syringes and injection methods. For this reason, peptides will be given their own article.

“Standard Needle Lengths for Injection” 

Glutes: 1-1.5 inch.
Delts: 1 inch.
Quads: 1 inch (some individuals can use as small as a ½ inch needle when injecting into the quads, depending on how lean they are).
Biceps: ½-1 inch.
Triceps: ½-1 inch.
Calves: ½ inch.
Traps: ½- 1 inch
Lats: 1 inch.
The above recommendations are the “average” needle lengths used for each bodypart listed. 23-25 g. syringes can be purchased with needle lengths between ½ to 1.5 inches in length. Simply choose whatever needle length you will need based on the bodypart(s) you will be injecting into.

“CC’s & ML’s”

The term “cc” stands for cubic centimeters and is a unit of measurement for determining injection volume. It is important to note that the term “cc” and “ml” (milliliter) are identical and interchangeable with each other. 1 cc= 1 ml.

While syringes will indicate measurement in cc’s, steroid products (vials/bottles/ampules) will almost always use ml’s as their unit of measurement. So, if your steroid product says it contains 10 ml per bottle at 250 mg/ml, you know it also contains 10 cc’s per bottle at 250 mg/cc. Therefore, if you wanted to inject 500 mg of that steroid, you would need to inject 2cc’s (2 ml’s) of that product.

Most 23-25 g. syringes hold 3 cc’s, although some will occasionally hold less, so you when ordering you should always specify exactly what you want to purchase. Since 3 cc syringes are no more costly than their smaller counterparts and being that many steroid users will often inject more than 1 cc at a time, it makes sense to strictly purchase 3 cc syringes for steroid injections. 
Note on water-based injectables: Fewer and fewer steroids today use water as a carrier, due to water’s greater propensity to form bacteria compared to oil-based steroids. Still, water-based injectables make up a small segment of the market, primarily in the form of various brands of Testosterone suspension and injectable Winstrol preparations. While the variables of needle length and “cc” count transfer over from oil-based to water-based injectables, gauge number can be all over the place depending on brand.

Fortunately, most manufacturers today are moving towards ultra-micronized versions of these products. When a water-based product is ultra-micronized, it means that the steroid particles within the water are very fine and can through a higher gauge number. Products which are not ultra-micronized contain particles which are much thicker and therefore, they require a lower gauge number in order for the particles to fit through the needle. Suspension products can require a gauge size which ranges anywhere from 18 g. (typically with very crude, older products; these don’t exist much today) to 25 g. or above.

VII. Where do I inject?

Inevitably, one of the first questions many individuals will ask themselves shortly before their 1st injection is “where do I inject?” While there is no right or wrong answer, the most commonly injected muscles among first time users are the glutes and delts. Both muscle groups are relatively painless (potentially), do not have any major veins/arteries near the surface, and contain a lower density of nerves. Quads are another popular bodypart used for injections, although one does need to be a bit more careful when injecting in this area, as there are more nerves, veins, an arteries in the area.

Basically, any muscle can be injected into, although larger, thicker muscles are typically superior to small, shallow muscle groups. An example of a bodypart which falls into the latter category would be the forearms. This body part is rarely ever injected into and is a poor choice all the way around, so avoid them. Never inject into the hands, feet, or neck 
Just as important as what muscle you decide to inject into is the location chosen within that muscle. In general, when deciding where to place your injection, gravitate towards the thickest, meatiest part of the target muscle. However, this advice will not always lead you in the right direction, so here are some basic pointers for the most common muscle groups (delts, glutes, and quads). When injecting into the delts, all 3 heads are suitable, although the side & rear heads are a bit more comfortable, on average. Injecting anywhere on the glutes is fine, but avoid injecting too far out to the side of the glutes, as the sciatic nerve (a major nerve which runs all the way down the glute and leg) resides in that area. When injecting into the quads it is a bit trickier. Never inject into the inner-thighs…only inject into the actual quadriceps muscles themselves, particularly the vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris. The vastus medialis (teardrop) can also be injected into, although it is not a preferred area for a beginner. 
As you advance you will develop your own preferences regarding injection site selection and

VIII. How many cc’s can I inject into each muscle at one time?

Primary injection sites
Glutes: 3 cc limit
Delts: 2 cc limit (3 cc’s is doable in the delts if using a 1 inch needle, but it’s preferable to use the quads or glutes for injection volumes above 2 cc’s).
Quads: 3 cc limit (when injecting more than 2 cc’s into the quads, you should use a 1 inch needle. With injection volumes under 2 cc’s, a ½ inch needle is fine, assuming you are lean).
Secondary injection sites
Biceps: 1.5 cc limit.
Triceps: 1.5 cc limit.
Calves: 1.5 cc limit.
Traps: 2 cc limit.
Lats: 2 cc’s.
It is recommended that beginner’s stick with the primary injection sites until technique is developed and the user becomes proficient at the injection process. Secondary injection sites have a higher margin of error (more nerves, more blood vessels, and sometimes smaller muscle bellies) and can be more painful, as well. 
Often times, advanced users will begin utilizing these secondary injection sites due to a frequent
Injection schedule and/or because they have previously administered a large amount of injections
into the primary injection sites. Frequently injecting into the same area(s) and/or having administered
a large total number of injections into the same area(s) can cause excess scar tissue build-up.

IX. Rotating injection sites

One issue which may eventually arise if the individual continues injecting AAS long enough is the issue of scar tissue build-up. Scar tissue is a dense, fibrous, connective tissue which forms over a wound or cut, either external or internal. In the case of injection, the scar tissue formed is internal. Scar tissue can impede contraction (make the muscle weaker), impair local muscle growth, decrease flexibility, and increase the possibility of re-injury.

Some scar tissue formation is unavoidable, as every time an injection is administered, scar tissue is formed. The bottom line is that excess & problematic scar tissue is not something you want to have to deal with at any point. Fortunately, we can take steps to minimize the appearance of scar tissue through rotating injection sites. Scar tissue is much more likely to form to a greater degree if you repeatedly and frequently use the same injection site. For this reason, it is a good idea to start a “rotation”, in which injections sites are routinely transferred from one site to the next in a systematic fashion. Typically, the individual will select at least 3 body parts to include in this rotation, while also altering the sites within each bodypart, in order to decrease the number of times the same area is injected into per rotation.

The following is an example of an effective injection site rotation:

Injection #1: Upper-left glute
Injection #2: Upper-right glute
Injection #3: Upper-right delt
Injection #4: Upper-left delt
Injection#5: Upper-right quad
Injection #6: Upper-left quad.
Injection #7: Lower-right glute.
Injection #8: Lower-left glute.
Injection #9: Lower-right delt.
Injection #10: Lower-left delt.
Injection#11: Lower-right quad.
Injection #12: lower-left quad.
Injection #13: Repeat.

This particular 12-site rotation utilizes several of the most common & safest injection sites. This is just one example of how you might want to structure you injection rotation, depending on personal preference. The number of potential injection sites is extremely large, as even small needle placement adjustments are effective for minimizing excess scar tissue build-up. The type pattern followed is not what’s important. What matters is that you change your injection sites frequently.

Aside from the previously mentioned consequences associated with excess scar tissue build up, repetitive injections into a singular location significantly increases the risk of abscess and infection. In the event of a severe infection and/or abscess, surgery can become a potential requirement. In cases where surgery is required, lean tissue removal may be necessary (the removal of infected muscle tissue). This may result in external visual deformation of the muscle, permanently damaging its appearance. The implementation of proper injection practices can drastically reduce the likelihood of these health problems occurring.

X. Sterilization

Sterilization is a critically important part of the injection process, as unsanitary injection practices pose the greatest risk in terms of acquiring serious infections & abscesses. As described above, these are health problems you want to avoid at all costs and investing a little extra time and consideration into this aspect of your program can go a long way towards ensuring you remain problem free.

There are 3 key components you have control over and which need to remain sterile at all times. They are the needle(s) being used, the injection site(s), and the rubber stopper(s) of each vial you will be drawing from. It is your job to make sure these components do not come in contact with anything other than the intended object. When it comes to ensuring sterility, alcohol is your weapon of choice. Alcohol kills more germs & bacteria safely, than any other household product. 
Sterilizing an injection site or object is a simple process. Prior to sterilization, clean the area of any debris so that it appears visually clean. Afterwards, wet a cotton swab with alcohol and wipe the intended area. After the area/object has been sterilized, it should not come in contact with any other unsterilized object.

According to the medical establishment, an injection site should be covered with an appropriate bandage post-injection. While this will help further ensure that bacteria does not enter the injection site and cause infection, this practice is rarely employed among AAS users, typically with little to no negative consequences.

XI. Loading a syringe

The term “loading a syringe” or “loading a pin” refers to filling the syringe with the steroid prior to injection. In order to properly perform this part of the injection process correctly, it will require 2 different syringes or more specifically, two different needle heads. One needle head will be required for drawing the steroid into the barrel, while the other needle head will be used to inject the steroid.

The primary reason for using two different needle heads is due to the delicacy of needles, in general. Pushing a needle through a rubber stopper or into muscle tissue just a single time will dull the needle considerably. In fact, when viewing enhanced images of needles which have already pierced human muscle tissue, the viewer can clearly see that the tip of the needle has been bent. The act of injecting is already an invasive process and in order to minimize both discomfort, as well as scar tissue build-up, a fresh needle head should be used every time when doing an I.M. injection.

A secondary reason for using one needle to draw with and another to inject is that it can take a long time to draw a few cc’s of oil through a 25g. syringe or smaller. By using a lower gauge number to draw with (usually 21-.22g.), it cuts down on the amount of time required to draw the oil into the barrel. The reason I recommend using no smaller than a 21-22 g. pin to draw with is because bigger pins can damage the rubber stopper after repeated uses, potentially allowing little pieces of rubber to break away from the rubber stopper and fall into the vial. A 21-22g. pin is sufficient for quick drawing and will more thoroughly maintain the integrity of the rubber stopper.

So, in step by step order, here is how one would load their pin. Begin by holding the vial in one hand in an upside down position, while holding the 21-22g. syringe in the other. Directly inset the needle into the rubber stopper until it enters the oil. While continuing to hold the vial and syringe in this position, draw back on the plunger until the predetermined amount of oil has filled the barrel. At this point remove the needle from the vial, set the vial down on a flat surface, and replace the plastic needle cover back over the syringe in its original position. While still holding the syringe upright, twist off the 21-22g. needle head and replace it with the needle you will use for injection. Your syringe is now properly loaded and ready for injection.

A note on re-using the drawing needle: While some may choose to use a new drawing and injection needle for each injection, if the drawing needle is kept sterile, it can be re-used multiple times before needing to be discarded. Unlike the needle head used for injection, the drawing needle should not be coming in contact with human tissue or any unsterilized objects. When proper loading procedures are adhered to, the drawing needle should never come in contact with any object other than the rubber stopper, which should be sterilized prior to each draw. If you will be re-using the drawing pin, it would be wise to store in it in something such as a small plastic bag after each use, so that dust or other small remnants do not enter the bottom of the needle head while being stored.

XII. Disposal of used syringes

When disposing of used syringes, it is of primary importance that the original protective covering be placed back on the syringe prior to discarding. This will prevent anyone from accidentally coming in contact with the syringe and accidentally piercing their skin. No one wants to be pulling a used needle out of their hand because the user was negligent in his responsibilities.

In addition, many individuals will place their used syringes in a bag or similar storage container designated only for syringes, in order to minimize the occurrence of someone coming into contact with a stray needle. I have seen people use empty plastic milk containers, juice containers, etc, for disposal of their used syringes. Regardless of which method you employ, consideration of others should be your guiding principle.

XIII. The injection

The injection process itself is relatively straight forward. Perhaps nothing causes more anxiety for AAS users than their 1st injection. This fear is far more psychological than physical, as the act of performing an injection, especially when utilizing proper technique and the correct pin size, can be relatively painless. Some muscle groups are more prone to causing discomfort than others and the possibility of hitting a nerve, scar tissue, or a sore spot is a reality, but in general, an injection should not be considered a “painful” experience. With the information presented in this document, you have been presented with everything you need to know in order to properly perform an injection. For an abbreviated step by step walk through, see below. 
After one has prepared for the injection by choosing the proper syringe, loading the pin, and completing the sterilization process, the individual is ready to begin. Place the point of the needle on the center of the injection site and slowly press the needle straight down into the muscle. Do not press the needle in at an angle. After reaching the required depth, make sure to aspirate (see the section on aspiration above). After aspirating, hold the needle steady and begin slowly depressing the plunger until all the contents of the barrel have entered the muscle. Afterwards, slowly remove the needle from the injection site and replace the plastic protective covering back over the needle.

Once the needle has been removed, the individual may or may not experience bleeding at the injection. The quantity of blood expelled can be anywhere from a single small drop to a light stream which temporarily runs down the bodypart. This is a normal part of the injection process. Post-injection, it is optional whether or not one wishes to place a bandage over the injection site.
In this step by step walk-through, I did not include one of the injection techniques (Z-track, Air Bubble method, as explained in Section III), as they’re both optional and which one is employed is up to the personal preference of the individual.

XIV. Subcutaneous AAS injections

While intramuscular injection is the most popular method of AAS administration, subcutaneous injection provides a viable alternative and in some limited cases, may even be the preferable method of administration. Whether or not an individual is likely to find benefit in performing subcutaneous injections with AAS will depend on the half-live of the steroid being administered. 
Long acting steroids, such as Testosterone cypionate, Nandrolone Decanoate, or Boldenone Undecyclenate are long acting steroids demanding only a twice weekly injection schedule, although they can be injected more frequently if desired. These steroids are more suited to I.M. injections, as a twice weekly injection schedule necessitates a larger volume of oil per inject, in order for the user to deliver the full amount of steroid into the system each week. Since the holding capacity of insulin syringes is limited to about 1 cc, these steroids would likely require a daily injection schedule in order to deliver the full weekly dose. In addition, even if insulin syringes did hold more than 1 cc, injecting larger volumes of oil into the subcutaneous region can be uncomfortable and result in the formation of lumps. Therefore, when using longer acting AAS most users choose the I.M. route of administration, rather than daily subcutaneous injections throughout the entire duration of the cycle.

In the case of short acting steroids, such as Trenbolone acetate, Testosterone base, or Winstrol suspension, these steroids have a much shorter half-life in the body, often times requiring a daily injection schedule if even blood levels are to be maintained. This makes them more suitable for subcutaneous injection compared to their longer-acting counterparts. Administering daily I.M injects can become irritating, to say the least, especially when stretching over the length of an entire cycle. For this reason, few individuals will use these drugs long-term. Since these short-acting steroids already require a daily injection schedule, regardless of injection method, the implementation of subcutaneous injections offers multiple benefits. For one, scar tissue build-up is minimized. Secondly, a subcutaneous injection is generally considered to be very mild in nature, making a daily injection schedule more tolerable and therefore, more likely to be adhered to a long-term basis.

Whether or not subcutaneous injections are utilized is purely up to the individual. They are not an inferior form of delivering a steroid into the body and as shown above, can have tangible benefits under certain conditions.

XV. How often should I inject?

How often a particular steroid should be administered will depend on a few factors, with injection frequency being governed primarily by the half-life of each steroid. Obviously, longer-acting AAS will require a less frequent injection schedule, while the opposite holds true for shorter acting versions. With injectable steroids, the length of time it will stay active in the body depends on the type of ester which has been attached to the steroid. Esters are molecular modifications to a steroid hormone, which have been added solely to extend the life of the drug within the body. 
So, when attempting to determine the injection frequency of a particular steroid, examine the ester and you will have your answer. While there is some dispute regarding the proper injection frequency required among the various esters, the differences in opinion are minimal.
Below is a list of some of the used esters today, along with the most commonly recommended injection frequencies for each one:

• Acetate: Daily to 3X weekly.
• Propionate: EOD to 3X weekly.
• Phenylpropionate: EOD to 3X weekly.
• Caproate: 3X weekly.
• Isocaproate: 3X weekly.
• Enanthate: 3Xx to 2X weekly.
• Cypionate: 3X to 2X weekly.
• Decanoate: 2X weekly.
• Undecanoate: 2X weekly.
• Undecyclenate: 2X weekly.

Some injectable AAS have no ester, such as the various suspensions & bases, such as Winstrol suspension or Testosterone base. These drugs need to be injected on a daily basis in order to obtain best results. While an EOD injection schedule can be utilized, it is not ideal and should be avoided.

It is important to note that there are some circumstances in which esterless steroids can be used at a reduced frequency or on an “as needed” basis. The most common of these would be testosterone. Testosterone in its suspension or base form is sometimes administered immediately prior to training, before a lifting competition, prior to a sanctioned fight, or at any other time a burst of testosterone might be found useful.

XVI. Common Q & A Section
Q: “How do I open ampules?”

A: Ampules can be opened by scoring (some ampules come pre-scored), using an ampule opener, or by using the tape method. Scoring is a process in which in a fine line is ground away around the neck of the ampule. Scoring makes it much easier to snap the top of the ampule off without breaking the vial and spilling the oil. Normally, a scoring tool is used for this process, although sometimes knives or other objects can be used.

An amp opener can also be used, which is the fastest and the least time consuming of the 3 methods.

Lastly, the tape-method can be employed, as well. The tape method involves taping the entire vial all the way up to the neck line. Several layers of tape should surround the vial, so that it is properly secured. The point of taping the vial is two-fold. One purpose is to prevent the contents of the ampule from spilling, should the ampule break somewhere other than the neckline. The other purpose is to reinforce the ampule, so that it is more likely to break at the neckline. One can combine both the tape method and the scoring method, which is the best way to ensure that the oil contained in the ampule will not be spilled.

Q: “Is it dangerous if there are small air bubbles inside the syringe prior to injecting?”

A: No, a small amount of air will do no harm. Air bubbles injected into muscle tissue is of no concern. Even if the individual were to thread a vein and inject the entire contents of the syringe into the vein, the small air bubbles contained within it would be the least of that person’s worries. In reality, several cc’s of air would have to be injected directly into a vein all at once, in order to cause cardiac arrest. Even injecting 2-3 cc’s of air directly into a muscle would be largely inconsequential. Of course, such an action is not recommended, but you get the point.

Q: “My gear crashed…how do I fix it?” 
  
A: Gear can crash due to storing the product in colder than recommended temperatures…or because the ratio of AAS to oil is out of balance (this can be either a manufacturer error or a personal error if home brewing). This does not damage the steroid. In order to correct the problem, simply run the vial under warm water until the products reverts back to its normal state.

Q: “My gear has particles floating in it…what should I do?”

A: You can choose to either dispose of the product or you can re-filter it by using a Whatman filter. While opinions will differ on this subject, I am of the opinion that re-filtering is a suitable solution in many cases, assuming the product is not badly polluted. In cases where it is apparent that the product is very poor quality and contains a large amount of foreign material, it would be wise to dispose of the product. This should not occur with reputable UGL’s and will never occur with Pharm-grade versions, although an occasional speck may occur with UGL products here and there and is usually not a big deal.

Q: “Can I re-use syringes?”

A: Absolutely not. You should never take a needle which has entered the body and re-insert it back into a steroid product, as this can result in bacteria build-up and cause potential future infections. It is possible to re-use your “drawing” pin, so long as that pin never penetrates the skin and is kept sterile.

Q: “How fast should I inject the steroid into the injection site?”

A: Until you are familiar with the brand & type of steroid you are injecting, depress the plunger slowly. Some steroid products, depending on the carrier used, can cause varying degrees of pain while injecting…and the faster the oil/solvents enters the muscle, the more pain it can potentially cause. Other steroid products are completely painless. So, until you have experience injecting a particular brand & type of AAS, inject slowly.

Q: “Is it normal to bleed after an injection?”

A: Yes, it is common to occasionally nick a vein close to the surface of the injection site, which will cause blood to leak from the surface. The amount of blood which can seep from an injection site can be anywhere from a drop or two, to a very light stream which slowly flows down that bodypart. Even in the event a larger vein is hit when doing an injection, this type of bleeding is relatively easy to stop and will not pose any harm to the individual.

Fortunately there are no major arteries close to the surface at any of the common injection sites. Even when taking into consideration the entire body, there are very few arteries close to the surface, so hitting an artery during an injection is very unlikely, especially when sticking to the recommended injection sites.

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