In-Depth Analysis of the Great Steroid Myth
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF EDITOR’S COMMENTS We ERIC DICKEY: TRAGIC / HAPPY Story By Dr. Greg Shepard unalterably opposed to anabolic steroid use by any athlete, bodybuilder or competitive lifter.
The story of Eric Dickey is both tragic and happy. It is his true story of Anabolic steroids should be banned because how he first became involved in steroids culminating in a bittersweet they are downright dangerous. In fact, there ending three years later. Every Coach and athlete should read Eric’s story.
My comments on the side of Eric’s story reflect the BFS position relating to steroids. These reasons should be enough to our published article on the “Great Steroid Myth”. scare any clear-thinking individual to death. Severe heart and liver problems are a real “I got too competitive,” began Eric just after it happened. “When I went to possibility. Sexual dysfunction in both males Spring football at the University of Idaho during my Senior year of high and females is prevalent. Acne, which can lead school, I was in awe. I saw how big those guys were. I was only 6-3 1/2 and weighed 220 pounds. My forty was 5.0 and I only Benched 300 pounds. I didn’t do Power Cleans.
Everyone expected me to get better and better. I complications. “Roid rages” are a not-so-cute just got caught up into the competitiveness of the whole situation. The way of describing mood changes which have pressure to be #1 got too great. Everyone's expectations were far greater led to violence and even murder. than mine.”
Anabolic steroids should be banned primarily because they present a very real Eric confessed that he was impatient.
University of Idaho Weight room. The top bench was 500 pounds. Eric saw danger to one’s health; and secondarily, many guys on the team weigh between 250 and 270 pounds. He started because of the so-called illegal advantage talking about steroids with another kid that he’d met on his recruiting trip. steroids are supposed to give in competition.
When he came back home to his home town of Snohomish, Washington, I believe that calling steroids “performance Eric began lifting with renewed enthusiasm at the high school and finished enhancing” is, for many athletes and sports, out his senior year. “I wasn’t increasing that much,” explained Eric. “I did incorrect. Steroids are even debilitating to not want to get fat. If1 was going to get bigger, it had to be muscle.”
Halfway through the summer, Eric started talking to people, especially athletes, to doctors, to the general public has older body builders. Then, he went looking for them. Eric went to Seattle automatically assumed that steroids create a which was only about 30 miles from Snohomish. “I didn’t want anyone to know,” Eric confided.
Steroid Myth.
Eric bought his first steroids from a stranger who was a friend of a friend of a friend. Eric read an article that was against steroids several publications. I have since come up but he learned from it what to take and how much to take. Eric began an 8- with 13 facts or statements which support my week cycle of steroid injectables and pills. (Eric’s beginning dosages were claim. Steroids are not performance enhancing.
Taking steroids decreases your chances of 15-30 milligrams per day plus the injectable testosterone) That stranger gave Eric his first shot.
Eric remembered, “I was scared and shaking but from then on I shot myself.” winning while creating enormous potential Eric never shared a needle but Eric revealed that getting his hypodermic health problems at the same time. needles were worse than getting the steroids themselves. He went to Let us examine these 13 facts and statepharmacies three towns away.
“I didn’t want to answer any questions or ments as we read the true story of Eric Dickey: be recognized.”
I. Bodybuilders,Powerlifters and Athletes had intense weight training sessions. Eric stated “I found I could stay in the From Main Stream Sports are Not the Same: weight room longer. My coaches didn’t say much because they didn’t really During this time, Eric worked on flexibility, sprinting, plyometrics and see me but my friends started talking and asking questions.” goals. Powerlifters are interested in only Eric’s mother and father didn’t know anything about the steroids or even three things: the bench, squat, and dead lift. suspect. “My dad was counting calories, fixing protein shakes and giving me amino acids,” disclosed Eric somewhat embarrassed.
“He pushed me to builders and powerlifters are as different as eat more but J wanted to stay lean.” night and day. Eric’s first contact with Eric’s bench jumped up to 355 and he added 30 pounds of bodyweight. steroids was through older bodybuilders.
He now weighed 250 pounds as a freshman. Eric was red-shirted that first year but he was elevated to the second team. “All of a sudden I’m not a someone who stands and flexes? scout team player anymore.”
.
EDITOR’S COMMENTS Il. Steroids = Roller Coaster Ride:
Eric was very typical. He had a great high and a great rush of quick strength, because of the increased testosterone intake. However, it sends a message to the brain which tells the body to stop producing it’s own testosterone. Therefore, when Eric down hard. It’s not unlike other kinds of drugs. So Eric was way up on his bench one day and way down the next. When he was down on strength, Eric became depressed. This is right out of the textbook. IIL. Steroids Build up Tolerances - 20 milligrams Can Escalate to 500 milligrams: admission was getting crazy and escalating his dosage. Again, this is not unlike addictions of other kinds. IV.
Super Great Gains Can Be Made With Intelligence, Intensity and Persistence: When Eric was on the juice, he was intense but when he was off steroids, he didn’t train. He was depressed and embarrassed because his bench press was down. One season he even used steroids instead of training to keep his strength up. Eric was Eric Dickey neither intelligent or persistent and his After Christmas, Eric got quite a bit of publicity, but his weight dropped down to 235 pounds and he wasn’t lifting that much. Eric started worrying about his bench. Eric was embarrassed because his capacity was down. now and he hopes you don’t make the same mistake.
It was inevitable. Eric began another steroid cycle and his bench soared V. Uncontrolled Aggressiveness is BAD! to 375 pounds. “I thought the bench press was the most important lift. It’s what everyone talked about,” explained Eric.
Eric is basically a gentle person but he became a bouncer and enjoyed the physical “I dug a hole and I wasn’t sure how to get out,” said Eric in an alarmed confrontations associated with this line of tone. “They expected me to improve even more. It became an addiction. I became real paranoid. What would happen ifI wasn’t on the juice. I didn’t football? Well, yes, but up to a point. You have enough confidence in my ability.” must have a controlled psych. When you're if anyone of those three guys gets hurt, out of control, you make mistakes or you getting bigger. My steroids are getting more sophisticated. I was a bouncer for a while even though I was underage. I liked this job.
I was aggressive and became kind of mean.” hours training with great natural intensity lot of questions at pharmacies. and then someone tries to take my position time at a pharmacy and got mad. I lost control. At that point, I knew I was from me or to take my win from me, you're in trouble. I’m basically a very gentle person. going to be in for one heck of a fight. I became even more intense.” don’t need steroids for aggressiveness. I continued on next page ERIC DICKEY:
EDITOR’S COMMENTS VI. Intensity Can Be Made Awesome By “I tried the same steroid dosage but my gains weren’t the same. My Teammates and Coaches. solution was to take greater dosages. I went to stacking three different VII. Fast Workout Recovery Can Be Made by played without the juice but the bench test put pressure on me. | lost Exercises:
Eric unfortunately did not have a Strength Coach and he probably got a kinds. It’s scary to think of what I did. At this time my bodyweight was at an all time high of 260 and I was benching 415 pounds. I could have misinformation. control of myself mentally. The lifting became more important than football.
I became obsessed by beating everyone. It became what I lived for.” Eric’s grades were fine. He was a n National Scholar Athlete with an accumulative 2.8 grade average. “But, | lost sight of my education and career. I was risking my life!” lamented Eric.
VIII. The Stress of Getting Caught:
Eric started the first game of his sophomore year as he beat out the starting center. However, there was some controversy. As a home to get his steroids and needles. He coaches decided to give Eric a shot at defensive tackle. He gained that certainly didn’t want his parents to know. aggressive defensive mentality and even started several games. The At the time of our interview, Eric still had University of Idaho Vandals made it to the Division I-AA Semi-finals. In not talked to his high school football coach. that game, Eric played more than half the game. During this season, Eric couldn't lift so he took big dosages of steroids (up to100 milligrams per ulcer. day).
“After that season, I’m thinking pro-career,” recounted Eric. “However, two of my teammates got caught for steroids at random testing during our precedent to set for yourself. playoffs. I got scared because | thought they’d test me at spring football. | got off steroids but also got depressed. I got weaker and smaller but IX. Steroids Don’t help Agility, Flexibility or nonetheless I had a good Spring football season. | started thinking for the Technique, etc: first time, “is it worth it?”
Eric could only bench 365 pounds at this time and was depressed. His athlete is very complex. It involves many bench was down 50 pounds. He didn’t want to Squat or Clean because he different areas. Steroid users many times knew they were down even more. “I was hurt a little so 1 used that as an excuse not to get tested for maxes on my lifts,” Eric disclosed. strength and forget about many other areas that are necessary in winning.
After Spring ball, Eric put in his orders for steroids. “We were going to open the 1989 season with Washington State and I’m thinking that I’ve got to be ready. I got my steroids at school. Heavy doses! I'm thinking two X. Steroids are a Crutch Theory: cycles! I’m getting crazy! I started taking them! Then it happened. Blood If an athlete looks to steroids to help him get through a crucial situation, he becomes a loser. If it’s 4th and one and he doesn’t look inside for something extra but has the feeling of where’s my pill then obviously the user becomesa loser. becomes.
However, when Eric got to 415 pounds on his bench, he became “obsessed” and “it became what he lived for.” Once an athlete gets to 415 pounds on the bench, he has ridiculous to assume that a lineman who benches 450 is superior to a lineman who only benches 415 pounds. What Eric have weaknesses. Eric never did improve on his speed, which remained at 5.0 on the forty. In BFS terms, that is relatively slow. Eric “Then it came out,” blurted Eric, who was confused and scared.
Then it was silent. Eric paused and drew in a big breath. He sighed, “It The stronger an athlete becomes, the less My parents knew nothing about it.” and I had an ulcer. I weighed only 240 pounds!!”
Theory: was happening. God, it was happening to me. I went to my family doctor. confessed to my doctor about being on steroids. My kidney was swollen began appearing in my urine. Pain came to my kidney and chest area. It clicked. What I had heard about medical problems associated with steroids was the middle of May. I’m really down. What was I going to do. I asked myself “Why am I playing football? I couldn’t answer.” “My coaches asked me if I could play without steroids but I lost it.
Imean, | lost the desire to play.”
This interview took place two months later and Eric’s weight had dropped to 208 pounds. He was running and trying to get healthy. Eric’s resting pulse rate had been in the high 80’s and now it was 59. His blood pressure was also dropping from a doctors at football physicals that he had a family history of high blood pressure so they wouldn’t question it. “People are treating me well”, said Eric. “I was really worried about that. My teammates and coaches have really supported me.” “Mentally now, I feel good. I’m going to major in physical therapy.
Everyone's been saying that they’re proud of me. I’m kind of afraid to talk to my high school coach Dick Armstrong but maybe I will in the next of weeks. but my dad got kind of mad when I said that I didn’t want to play. My mom didn’t understand either. I told my mom first about my steroid techniques. everyone of my little league games. tell him so my mom kind of hinted. “Then Kieth Gilbertson who was my head coach at Idaho my first two years called. I told him the whole story in front of my dad.
Iassured Coach Gilbertson that he hadn’t put any Eric Dickey Before The Decision.
XII. The Best Don’t Do It! The vast majority of athletes are not on steroids. It is a myth that an athlete has to take steroids to compete. XIII. Tendon and Ligament Injuries: pressure on me and since we didn’t really have a strength coach that it was all my own doing. My parents are now both very supportive. ” incidence of tendon and ligament injuries Eric was asked if he had any advice to give aspiring athletes. He responded by saying, “Don’t rush things. you'll get your turn. I knew that most people don’t get to start in college until their junior year but I couldn’t wait. At first , I just wanted to be noticed. I used steroids as a crutch. They gave me a false confidence.”
Finally I asked Eric where he’d be now if he hadn’t taken them. It was a tough, tough question.
EDITOR’S COMMENTS should have decreased his time in the I could tell he didn’t want to answer it but then he whispered, “ I’d still be playing football. Id be in the weight room. I'd than do non-steroid athletes. Eric Dickey went through a nightmare and when the dust had settled after three years, he was a mess. Eric had an ulcer, swollen kidney, abnormally high pulse rate and blood pressure with unnatural aggressiveness and bouts of paranoia. be looking forward to getting good playing time as a sophomore. I'd probably weigh 245-250 pounds and be benching 360 plus.” wild fluctuations in weight and strength.
We applaud Eric Dickey. We are thankful his health is returning and that his life is going forward with a proper perspective.
Tragically, the truth of the matter is that Eric went through all that risk with no courage to tell us his story and to answer all those tough questions in a payoff. He could have made more progress forthright manner. Eric hopes his story will help younger athletes in the long run without steroids. Happily, understand more fully the extreme consequences of steroids. He would Eric saved himself from a desperate situation. like to prevent any and all of the serious effects of steroids. If it helps just one athlete, Eric will be happy. Eric Dickey is an Upper Limit Person. We having a happy, successful, rewarding and wish him well. healthy life. Thank God for that.
Weight Training VI. Weight Room Run By Non- Building Part of Curriculum VI. Weight Room Supervised By School Coaches Rating System Developed from BFS Survey on next page 77
From BFS Magazine — November/December 1989. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
