Charles Glass recently spoke on the uncertainty of certain PEDs out there.
Charles Glass is one of the pioneers of bodybuilding. In retirement, he has built a reputation as an elite bodybuilding coach because of his intense workout programs and attention to detail. Glass always brings different insights and wisdom to his workouts and recently, he did the same regarding PED use.
Glass took some time to discuss the angers of PEDs and it is not what many others have said. It is clear that steroid use has negatively impacted athletes and their bodies over the years. There has been a recent string of deaths that has hit the world hard. This includes Shawn Rhoden and George Peterson at the end of 2021. Recently, Cedric McMillan passed away suddenly.
The effect that PEDs have on internal organs is clear but Glass continued to explain how athletes might not even know what they are putting in their bodies. He explains that it is important to be able to correctly identify a product. This has become more and more difficult.
“There’s more counterfeit drugs out. There’s more fake drugs out. You think you’re taking this, and you’re not taking that. You’re taking something totally different that’s going to mess you up,” Charles Glass said.
Charles Glass goes over the process that athletes take to find the right PEDs. In some cases, bodybuilders will opt for a cheaper version of the drug, even if they do not exactly know what is in it. When it is cheap, Glass explains that it comes from underground labs that are interested in making money.
“Why would you take it, you don’t know what’s in there but if you by testosterone for $30, and this guy sells it for $50, who you going to buy it from? The $30 person because it’s cheaper. It doesn’t mean it’s good, but it’s cheaper.”
The sport of bodybuilding is now judging which competitors can come in with the most size and mass while remaining conditioned. The Men’s Open competitors are larger than life in today’s era and this is because they want to put on as much size as possible.
Charles Glass believes that building size on the body over time is healthier than those who want to get the fastest result possible.
“Take your time, build slow, let it happen. You gotta understand I was a gymnast in college. I was already strong. I wasn’t even taking no drugs and I was able to lift heavy. Well, considering how much I weigh, heavy.
The thing of it is, I would say about thirty or mid to late thirties is when you start seeing performance because when I got in, I could bench 425 lbs without anything. But it went to 500 (lbs) when I was taking it you know, that’s the difference. Yeah, but I weighed a 138 lbs and I could lift 425 (lbs) easy but people told me you got to gain weight, you got to gain weight. So, in my mind, well if I can get to 155 lbs I’ll be better. I got to 155 (lbs) and my strength went up.”
This recent string of deaths in bodybuilding has made others speak out on the issues as well. This has become a problem and one that many believe must be fixed, whether it is safer practices or better recognition of the drugs. Charles Glass believes it starts with where the drugs come from.
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