Nothing sparks more debate and heated arguments in the bodybuilding community than the topic of gear meaning in bodybuilding. And not just weightlifting belts, wrist or knee wraps, or lifting straps — although those fall under the category of bodybuilding gear as well. This article is about the big boy gear, also known as roids, juice, gym candy or simply steroids, the performance-enhancing drugs that many pro bodybuilders use to improve their physiques and training results.

There are a variety of ways that bodybuilders take roids, including cycling, stacking, pyramiding, and plateauing. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, the cycling method involves taking a steroid for six to 12 weeks followed by four to several months off. The stacking method involves taking multiple steroids together. Pyramiding is a strategy where the bodybuilder increases his or her drug dosage gradually over time to achieve a peak. Finally, the plateauing strategy is a way to maintain a certain level of gains by reducing or eliminating the drug dosage.

Gear in Bodybuilding: Understanding the Definition and Context of Performance-Enhancing Substances

Regardless of how bodybuilders choose to take their roids, they should always get complete blood work done every few months by a doctor and only take the roids that are prescribed. This is important because if a person takes a large amount of steroids over an extended period, the body could develop a tolerance to the drug.

It is worth noting that some people choose to build their physiques without using any type of gear. Natural bodybuilders are able to achieve their goals through hard training in the gym and by eating a healthy diet.