What i'm saying is that i've got good arms that get looks in and out of the gym based on years of intense hard work. By no means am i anti-drug but to have to resort to high levels that can throw your metabolism off-for what exactly?
Unless the point is contests, arms can be more than big enough through natural training-throw in moderate drug use to take it further, if there's a good reason. As i see it now after decades of training and good results, the drug part is really only necessary for competitions, there's no practical advantage outside of that. The general public will not care for that extra 2". To then go even farther into high doses is going too far with no real upsides, unless competing for a serious contest, IMO.
I realize that this would be highly controversial here, it's just my 2 cents. Would I say the same thing in the mid-1970s after a few years of training? No, i'd be entirely pro-drugs. It also matters what your work ethic and genetics are, i'm factoring in the highest work ethic that i've applied coupled with average genetics.
For starters, I agree with you completely on the fact that nothing can replace years of good hard training. Something I've said for years is that the point of AAS use is not to replace hard training but rather to take what you already do well and to do it just a little bit better.
You're also right, the general public could care less if you have an extra 2" on your arms...the same can be said for myself, I could care less if I have an extra 2" on my arms...there was a time when I was after the biggest muscles I can get no matter what...that time passed a few years ago.
You're also right, drugs can change your metabolism, how the direction goes, be it a good one or bad one, is typically up to how the individual uses these drugs coupled with their diet, training and all that entails. For myself, the idea is not to grow into some huge mass monster...I'm a good 30-40lbs lighter than I have been in years past and have no strong desire to go back to that size...I simply don't have a need to. But I am a firm believer that one of the best ways to fight against homeostasis is by using AAS...but it does take more than short light cycles to do so.
What am I after? Simply a better quality physique. For no other reason than for myself...I really don't care what others think...I'm not after the approval of others, not in that aspect or in any other aspect of life...I just have to be able to respect myself with what I do in life.
As for the dbol I'm using now, the higher end dose...I lift a little lighter than I used to...being 30-40lbs lighter myself makes that a necessity...I try my best to focus on the contractions, quality sets...of course from time to time I get a little carried away and have sets that are probably a little heavier than what really benefits me. But I'm sure anyone who trains regularly can relate...everyone likes pushing the envelope with the weight now and then. But the extra bump in dbol lets me push a little heavier yet still stay in the realm of weight I can control and contract properly. It also gives my muscles a nice filled out look and tightness. My diet as of now, it is very slightly above maintenance...just enough carbs to provide enough extra energy to push a little harder...the added AAS allows me to take that a small step further without having to up my calories to a high end extreme.
Pumpster, I don't know how old you are, I'd say you're a fairly older than me if you started lifting in the early 70's...I'm 30, turn 31 in Oct...and maybe my view point might change as I get a little older. It seems to change as I age and I'm sure in one way or another that will continue.