The Truth About Steroids: Why They’re Holding You Back
Steroids have long been marketed as a quick and easy solution to gaining size, strength, and muscle mass. They promise fast results and the ability to outperform others, but what they don’t advertise is the toll they take on your body, mind, and overall well-being.
For years, I was a victim of the steroid culture—like many men, I thought bigger was better. But after abusing steroids for over a decade, I realized the truth: while they may temporarily enhance your physique, they destroy your long-term health, performance, and even your masculinity.
In this article, I’ll share my personal journey with steroids and explain why they’re holding you back from achieving true strength, health, and a fighter’s mindset.
The Allure of Steroids: Bigger, Faster, Stronger
At 17, I was a naturally smaller guy, insecure and struggling with confidence. Like many young men, I turned to weightlifting in hopes of gaining muscle, size, and respect. I gained a little, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted more, and that’s when I was introduced to anabolic steroids.
Steroids promised me fast gains—bigger muscles, greater strength, and an edge in the gym. At first, the results were incredible. I packed on muscle, became stronger, and finally started to feel like I could compete with the bigger, more developed guys. But this was only the beginning of my downfall.
The Hidden Costs: High Blood Pressure and Kidney Damage
As the years went by, I pushed my body further and further with steroid use. I didn’t think much about the consequences—I just wanted more size, more strength, more power. But what I didn’t realize was that steroids were slowly destroying my health.
By the time I was 26, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. It wasn’t just high—it was dangerously high. I was suffering from kidney failure multiple times, and my body was constantly overheating, sweating profusely for no reason. I felt on edge all the time, with heightened aggression and anger that I couldn’t control.
Steroids can wreak havoc on your internal organs. They increase your blood pressure, damage your kidneys, and disrupt hormonal balance. What I thought was helping me become a better athlete was actually setting me up for long-term health issues.
The Struggles in Combat Sports: When Size Isn’t Enough
I thought steroids would make me a better athlete. I dreamed of competing in MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), believing my size and strength would give me an edge. However, when I finally stepped into the gym and onto the mats, the reality hit me hard.
Despite my massive size, my cardio was horrendous. In BJJ, I would gas out after just a few minutes, feeling completely drained and nauseous. During my time in Muay Thai, I was knocked out by an 18-year-old kid, despite being much bigger and stronger. My steroid-induced size had a massive cost—I couldn’t perform under the physical demands of combat sports. My cardiovascular fitness was shot, and I couldn’t last in the ring or on the mats.
Steroids don’t just harm your internal organs—they also make your body less efficient. Your cardiovascular system struggles to keep up, your endurance plummets, and your overall athleticism diminishes. In combat sports, where technique, agility, and stamina are key, steroids are more of a hindrance than a help.
The Wake-Up Call: Infertility and a Wake-Up Call to Change
One of the hardest moments of my life came when I learned I was infertile. After trying for years to have children with my wife, I discovered that I was firing blanks. I knew in my heart that the steroids I’d been abusing were the cause.
This was a massive wake-up call for me. I realized that my pursuit of bigger muscles had cost me more than just my health—it had cost me my ability to have a family. I had pushed my body too far, and the consequences were irreversible.
Reversing the Damage: Going Down to a Healthier Frame
The aftermath of years of steroid abuse left me feeling lost and confused. My body was smaller, my mind was unsettled, and I no longer felt like the man I had once been. But I knew I had to change.
I decided to reverse the damage. I slowly stopped using steroids and began focusing on rebuilding my body in a healthier way. I shifted my mindset from chasing size and strength at any cost to focusing on building functional, real-world strength.
Through this process, I embraced the Lean Fighter principles. I started training in a way that prioritized strength, endurance, and technique—just as combat athletes do. I adapted my weight training to build real, functional strength instead of just chasing the pump. I focused on improving my cardio and conditioning, which had been severely neglected during my years of steroid use.
The Lean Fighter Mindset: True Strength Through Health
The Lean Fighter mindset isn’t about taking shortcuts—it’s about adopting a holistic approach to strength, health, and fitness. It’s about building a body that’s strong, resilient, and capable, not one that’s artificially inflated with steroids or unhealthy practices.
I’ve learned the hard way that true strength comes from within. It’s about taking care of your body, improving your cardiovascular fitness, and developing mental toughness through challenges like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA.
My blood pressure has stabilized, my fertility has returned, and my overall health has dramatically improved since I gave up steroids. I’m lifting more than I ever did on steroids, and I’m finally in a place where I feel truly strong—inside and out.
Why Steroids Are Holding You Back
Steroids promise quick results, but they come at a steep cost. They damage your heart, kidneys, and cardiovascular system, making it harder for you to perform in combat sports and in everyday life. They don’t just mess with your body—they mess with your mind, making you feel invincible one day and exhausted the next.
If you want to be truly strong, you need to embrace the Lean Fighter principles. Focus on building strength through real, functional training. Prioritize your health and conditioning. Work on developing the mindset of a fighter—resilient, disciplined, and ready for anything.
Steroids aren’t the answer. The answer is the Lean Fighter mindset. Embrace it, and you’ll discover that you can achieve more—far more—without sacrificing your health, longevity, or performance.
Are you ready to ditch the steroid culture and embrace a healthier, more powerful version of yourself? Start your journey with the Lean Fighter mindset today.