How do you feel about people giving advice on web sites?
Reporter: What do you think of people who give advice to others on the Internet?
You mean the actual people who know what they are talking about or just people who like to give advice. Well, you know, some of the people say that on the boards, this is an opinion board, and they are entitled to their opinion. It's just seems that some people like to bring other people down, to bring them down. You can give an opinion and be tactful, or you can be a total ass and just rip someone. Sometimes it is hard to get a compliment . You can be doing really well, and you come in really bad one show, and they trash on him. Sure, sometimes you deserve some of it, but what I hate most is the rumors, like when people come out and say that Sonny Schmidt died because of the steroids. Give me a break. Sonny smoked, it's like lung cancer. Million of people get lung cancer, but if you are in this sport, then everything is drug related. I remember once when I was training at Gold's Venice, and I was feeling under the weather, I had the flu, and someone asked a friend where's Lee. He said, he's not feeling well, he is sick today, and the guy said 'That's because of the drugs'. We bodybuilders are still human, we still get sick.
Li: Do you mean people who actually have insights or people who just like to give advice. You know, some people say on the forum that this is a place for opinions and they have the right to make suggestions. It seems that some people just like to put others down and put others down. You can give advice and behave appropriately, and you can also undermine others. Sometimes it's hard to get a ?young word. You might be doing really well, and then you play really poorly in one game, and people will write you off as worthless. Granted, sometimes you should accept criticism, but I hate rumors the most. Like when people came out and said Sonny Schmidt died from steroids. Listen to me, Sonny smokes, that's lung cancer. A lot of people get lung cancer, but if you engage in this sport, everything is connected with drugs. I remember one time I was training at Golden Gym in Venice (home of Muscle Beach in Los Angeles) and I felt bad, I had the flu. Someone asked his friend Li where he was. He said that he didn't feel well and that he was sick today. The person said, "That's because of the medicine." We bodybuilders are human, and we get sick too.
I will say it again. I have had a lot of letters and emails from people. People who I speak to at contests, and amateurs, who come up to me and they give me their drug cycles, and I again am saying it, every time I see their drug cycles, it is more than what I have ever taken, it is more than whatPaul Dillett took. I lived with Paul for a while, and I heard the rumors of what Paul was taking, and when I saw what he used, it wasn't even half of what people think. I think there is a rumor out there that because this supposedly guys takes these drugs, he looks like that, and if I can take that much drugs, I can look like him. The sad thing is that half of these amateurs are taking way more than the pros will ever take. So if you don't have it genetically, mentally, physically, sure the drugs will be a part of it, but if you don't have the whole aspect of it, your lifestyle, training, eating, resting, everything else - then take all the drugs you want because I am sure that there are people out there on the bulletin boards who like to badmouth people and use drugs, and look like crap. Everything is centered around drugs, drugs, drugs. Every other sport uses them but we get labeled the most and if anything happens to someone in the sport, it is the drugs. Give me a break. Even whenthey talk about Flex Wheeler, some say that maybe the drugs helped bring that on to him. You know, maybe the drugs helped him by slowing it down.
I will say it again, I get a lot of letters and emails. From people I've talked to at competitions, and enthusiasts, they come up to me and show me their drug cycles, and I say it again, every time I see their drug cycles, I've never used one that big. Dosage, that's more than what Paul Dillett used. I lived with Paul for a while, and I heard rumors about his drug use, and when I saw the drugs he was on, it wasn't even half as bad as what people were saying. I think these rumors exist because people take it for granted that these guys should be on so many pills, and he looks like he's on so many pills, and if I can take that many pills, I can be like him. The sad thing is that half of the hobbyists use a higher dose than the maximum dose that the pros have ever used. If you don’t have genetic conditions, mental conditions, physical conditions, of course you can take advantage of the effects of drugs, but if you don’t fully invest in your lifestyle, training, diet, rest, etc., then you can use whatever medicine you want. Well - I believe many people on the forum like to scold others and then medicate themselves - and then look like garbage. All discussions centered around drugs, and drugs. Drugs are used in all sports, but we are labeled as the biggest users, and if something happens to someone in that community, it's because of drugs. Listen to me. Even when talking about Flex Wheeler, some say it may have been drugs that put him in this situation. You should understand that perhaps the medication is slowing down his condition.
I had a friend in Australia, he was a nice guy, he ended up dying from AIDS. He would use a little bit of Deca and Growth Hormones to stay in shape and whatever. When he went to the doctor and found out he had AIDS, the doctor told him that because he had used those drugs, and he didn't knowhe had the disease, it added like seven years to his life. Many steroids are prescribed. And when they are given the right amounts, they are fine. You can abuse anything, and get side effects. You can abuse aspirin, you can abuse any prescription drug, and have all the problems in the world. If you use it correctly, you won't have the problems. It's just the abuse. People think 200 works good, 400 works twice as good, hey I'll get 600 , it will work 3 times as good. They keep doing it and doing it until their body can't take it anymore. There's usually more to it than just drugs.