Think BIG Bodybuilding

Is insulin overrated for building muscle? Ron Partlow and Dusty Hanshaw share their experiences with insulin in bodybuilding, how little they relied on it, and their thoughts on using it for contest peaking. Scott McNally joins the conversation on this episode of It’s Just Bodybuilding.

Plus, did Generation Iron paint Phil Heath as the villain? We discuss Phil’s recent comments and how the film shaped fans’ perceptions of him. Then it’s contest prep talk: making show day needlessly stressful, how often coaches should check their clients, and managing water and sodium.

We also guess what famous bodybuilders did for work before bodybuilding, break down 10 gym stereotypes, hear how Ron became the “mayor of the gym,” and discuss the importance of bodywork for bodybuilders.

Do you think insulin’s role in building muscle is overrated? And did Generation Iron give Phil Heath an unfair portrayal? Let us know in the comments.

00:00:00 Welcome to It’s Just Bodybuilding
00:02:30 Generation Iron: Did It Make Phil Heath the Villain?
00:14:20 Is Insulin Overrated for Building Muscle?
00:28:00 Why Bodybuilders Make Show Day So Stressful
00:28:45 Insulin for Contest Peaking
00:31:40 Show Day Coaching: How Often Should You Check Clients?
00:40:40 Managing Water & Sodium for Contest Prep
00:47:15 Guess the Bodybuilder’s Job Before They Were Famous
00:56:55 10 Gym Stereotypes
01:10:30 How Ron Became the Mayor of the Gym
01:12:50 Growing Up in −40°C: Ron’s Stories
01:19:40 How Important Is Bodywork for Bodybuilders?

#Bodybuilding #ItsJustBodybuilding #ThinkBIGBodybuilding #PhilHeath

Injectable DHT, also known as stanolone, is getting plenty of attention in bodybuilding. But what are the benefits, what are the drawbacks, and how much of the excitement is hype? Dave Crosland and Scott McNally discuss it on Drugs ’n’ Stuff, including Vigorous Steve’s early use, Paul Barnett’s experience and dosing, and potential concerns with using stanolone during a cruise.

Then it’s listener Q&A: enclomiphene instead of TRT, loose skin after fat loss, muscle memory and using less gear, injectable oral steroids, and the best injection sites. Plus, estrogen management with Primobolan and Masteron, whether cabergoline is needed with NPP, topical dutasteride for hair loss, and dealing with back acne on cycle.

Have you tried injectable DHT? Tell us about your experience in the comments, including any benefits or side effects you noticed.

00:00 Welcome to Drugs ’n’ Stuff
01:30 Injectable DHT (Stanolone): Benefits & Drawbacks
05:40 Vigorous Steve’s Early Use of Injectable DHT
06:25 Paul Barnett’s DHT Experience & Dosing
07:30 Potential Problems With Stanolone During a Cruise
10:00 Injectable DHT: Share Your Experience
12:00 Steroids in a Vape?
16:25 Enclomiphene Instead of TRT?
21:45 Tightening Loose Skin After Fat Loss
24:00 Muscle Memory: Can You Maintain With Less Gear?
28:00 Are Injectable Oral Steroids Safer?
31:00 Ranking the Best Injection Sites
34:45 Primobolan for Estrogen Control: 600 Test / 300 Deca
36:00 Do You Need Cabergoline With Test & NPP?
41:00 High-Dose SLU-PP & MOTS-c
47:00 Estrogen Control: Masteron-to-Testosterone Ratio of 2:1
49:00 Topical Dutasteride for Hair Loss
49:30 Does Methyltestosterone Convert to Methyl DHT?
50:30 Managing Back Acne on Cycle
53:00 Uncle Dave’s Wisdom
01:09:00 Behind the Scenes

UK Blood Work
Get your Labs done by Dave in the UK :
https://evalbloodanalysis.com/home/

Support the Podcast
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Ron Partlow, Dusty Hanshaw, Andrew Berry and Scott McNally team up for an It’s Just Bodybuilding × Blood Sweat & Gear crossover, looking back at the 2026 Mr. Olympia and the predictions we got wrong. We debate Nick Walker vs. Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda’s finals performance, the judging, and who deserved to place higher.

Plus, Andrew Jacked’s next step, Martin Fitzwater, Hadi Choopan, Keone Pearson, women’s bodybuilding and Women’s Physique controversy, stories from Olympia weekend, and what’s coming in 2027.

00:00 The Primo Shortage Didn’t Stop Bodybuilding
00:20 It’s Just Bodybuilding × Blood Sweat & Gear
01:40 Our Olympia Predictions That Aged the Worst
04:45 Olympia Judging: Did They Get It Right?
07:00 Nick Walker vs. Derek Lunsford
09:15 Samson Dauda’s Olympia Finals Performance
12:20 Did Tonio Burton Deserve to Place Higher?
14:11 Should Prejudging Count as Much as Finals?
21:00 The Listeners Picked Nick Walker
22:45 Regan Grimes, Jordan Hutchinson & James Hollingshead
24:50 Does Michal Krizo Have the Best Most Muscular?
27:00 What’s Holding Andrew Jacked Back?
31:40 Nick Walker Commits to the 2027 Arnold Classic
32:20 Where Does Hadi Choopan Fit in This Lineup?
34:00 Nick Walker as Mr. Olympia: Representing the IFBB
39:50 What Happened With Martin Fitzwater?
44:20 Does Samson Dauda Need a Coach?
49:30 Keone Pearson & the 212 Olympia
50:45 Shaun Clarida & Lucas Garcia
56:10 Andrea Shaw & Women’s Bodybuilding
1:00:45 Lola Montez
1:07:00 Natalia Coelho & Women’s Physique Controversy
1:10:30 Ron & Dusty’s Olympia Weekend Stories
1:26:20 Wheelchair Bodybuilding
1:34:20 Bodybuilding Predictions for 2027

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🎧 AUDIO PODCAST
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Dave Crosland and Scott McNally return to the fake steroid product from a well-known source. They also discuss a recent steroid bust and how making gear from inexpensive raw powders can turn into a business with serious consequences.

Then it’s listener questions, including one that cuts through the noise around growth hormone timing. Influencers can make taking GH at a specific time of day sound essential. Scott explains why he thinks timing matters far less than people are led to believe. Dave and Scott also cover second cycles, estrogen levels, YK-11, Accutane, low ferritin, and whether to be honest with your doctor about steroid use.

0:00 Support the show with our Advertisers
2:00 Fake Gear from Euro: An Update
4:30 Bust in Vegas
6:00 The Slippery Slope of Selling Gear
11:22 Injectable DHT for a Figure Competitor?
12:00 Setting Up a Second Bulk Cycle
15:00 More GH on Big Training Days?
16:00 Does Growth Hormone Timing Really Matter?
23:10 Beta Blockers in Poker
25:20 Adjusting Estrogen When Bloodwork Looks Good
27:45 How to Dose a Second Cycle
30:00 Dave Is Back in the Gym
32:30 Adding YK-11 to Test, EQ and NPP
36:00 Accutane During a Cycle or After?
39:00 Safer Solvents for Injectable Orals?
40:30 600 mg of Orals Per Day: Follow-Up
41:40 Low Ferritin on Blast and Cruise
48:00 Should You Tell Your Doctor About Steroid Use?
54:20 Uncle Dave’s Wisdom

UK Blood Work
Get your Labs done by Dave in the UK :
https://evalbloodanalysis.com/home/

Support the Podcast
Patreon — Help keep the show growing. Even $5/month makes a difference.
https://www.patreon.com/thinkbigbodybuilding

Sponsors
TRUE NUTRITION — Custom supplements for serious lifters
Use code THINK to save
https://www.truenutrition.com/THINK

STROM SPORTS — Performance supplements trusted by athletes
UK: https://tinyurl.com/ydmbfa54
US: https://stromsportsus.com

Supplement Source Canada — Top brand supplements with fast shipping
http://www.supplementsource.ca

Merch
Official THINK BIG Merch — Train, represent, support the brand
https://think-big.printify.me/products

Skip Hill, Andrew Berry and Scott McNally answer listener questions about starting versus finishing a cycle with oral steroids, using gear during a recomp, and taking orals only on training days. They also discuss minimum dosing to preserve muscle when cutting to 10% body fat, concerns about nandrolone and neurotoxicity, and how a wrestler’s weight class changes the conversation about gaining muscle. Plus, the guys rank ways to get a better pump, talk about fitting bodybuilding into a busy life, address stubborn midsection fat, and critique a 300-pound bodybuilder’s physique.

0:00 Welcome to Blood Sweat & Gear Coaching Q&A
1:40 Oral Steroids: Start or Finish a Cycle?
10:00 Does Gear Help With a Recomp?
13:10 Oral Steroids on Training Days Only?
18:30 Wrestler at His Weight-Class Limit: Can He Use Gear?
29:00 Ranking Ways to Get a Better Pump
34:00 Minimal Gear for Cutting to 10% Body Fat
37:00 Nandrolone and Neurotoxicity Concerns
47:50 Balancing Bodybuilding With a Busy Life
55:40 Why Is He Still Holding Midsection Fat?
1:02:30 Physique Critique: 300-Pound Bodybuilder
1:12:30 Skip’s Word of the Day
1:14:45 Behind the Scenes

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