Think BIG Bodybuilding

Build muscle after 40 while balancing a physical job, family, and recovery. Coaches Skip Hill, Andrew Berry, and Scott McNally break down a four-day training split for blue-collar lifters, including leg-day placement, bringing up arms, and managing fatigue from manual labor.

Plus, steroid and HGH Q&A covering water retention and blood pressure, Scott’s gynecomastia surgery experience, and whether more training volume can compensate for lower intensity.

Support the show and explore our sponsors, pep and research affiliates at https://thinkbigbodybuilding.com. Use code THINK with participating affiliates for savings and to support Think Big Bodybuilding.

EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:10 A 4-Day Training Split for Blue-Collar Lifters Over 40
06:20 Leg Days, Arm Growth & Recovery From Manual Labor
08:00 One-Sided Physical Work & Muscle Imbalances
11:00 When Is the Gym Least Crowded?
15:00 Steroid & HGH Water Retention: Managing Edema
22:30 Blood Pressure Management & PEDs
28:50 Loose Skin Removal & Scott’s Gyno Surgery Experience
38:30 Building the Ultimate Bodybuilder
44:00 Bodybuilding Rivalries
45:20 Training Volume vs. Intensity: Can More Sets Make Up the Difference?
57:50 Physique Critique: A 21-Year-Old Bodybuilder

Have a question for Skip, Andrew, and Scott? Join the conversation and support the shows at https://www.patreon.com/thinkbigbodybuilding.

For education and discussion only. This content is not medical advice or a recommendation to take PEDs.

Which movie made you want to start lifting? Scott, Ron, and Dusty debate the movies and action stars that inspired a generation to train—from Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando to Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV and Jean-Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport.
Plus: the best body fat level for building muscle, the Big 3 lifts versus a bodybuilding split, full body workouts, and another round of This or That.
Find more Think BIG Bodybuilding podcasts and content at https://thinkbigbodybuilding.com
EPISODE TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
3:45 Bloodsport: Jean-Claude Van Damme
4:15 Commando: Arnold Schwarzenegger
5:00 300: Gerard Butler
6:15 Rocky IV: Dolph Lundgren
8:20 Troy: Nathan Jones
10:00 Bruce Lee’s Iconic Physique
12:30 The Scorpion King: The Rock
13:20 Chuck Norris
13:50 Pain & Gain: Mark Wahlberg
15:30 Dave Bautista
16:00 Man of Steel: Henry Cavill
17:10 Mr. T
19:10 The Last Time We Dressed Up for Halloween
21:30 Best Body Fat Level for Muscle Growth?
32:35 Big 3 Lifts vs. Bodybuilding Split for Muscle Growth
38:20 Full Body Workouts
53:00 This or That Game
1:12:55 Behind the Scenes: Football Talk

OFFICIAL SPONSOR: MUTANT®
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Scott McNally: https://www.instagram.com/scottmcnally1
TRAIN LIKE HELL APP
Train with Ron Partlow’s official training app.
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SUPPORT THINK BIG BODYBUILDING
Help keep the shows going by joining our Patreon. Every $5 helps!
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THINK BIG MERCH
Shop Think BIG Bodybuilding merchandise.
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ADDITIONAL SPONSOR: TRUE NUTRITION
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Which steroids have the worst side effects? On Blood Sweat & Gear, coaches Skip Hill, Andrew Berry, and Scott McNally each share their own steroid side-effect tier list, comparing rankings and debating their biggest disagreements.
Visit https://thinkbigbodybuilding.com to check out our peptide and research affiliate links and available discount codes.
We rank testosterone, nandrolone, Equipoise, Masteron, Primobolan, trenbolone, DHB, Anavar, Winstrol, Anadrol, Superdrol, and Halotestin by side effects rather than muscle-building potential. The discussion draws on our coaching experience and personal perspectives, with individual response, dose, and duration all affecting the picture.
Then we tackle listener questions about insulin and early morning workouts, training intensity, breathing during squats, testosterone esters, controlling appetite on a bulk, and switching compounds during a cycle. We also discuss returning to training after surgery and managing bodybuilding alongside a physical job after 40.
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Coming Up: Steroid Side-Effect Rankings
00:00:31 Welcome to Blood Sweat & Gear
00:01:43 Steroid Side-Effect Tier List: Testosterone
00:02:53 Nandrolone Side Effects
00:04:07 Equipoise Side Effects
00:05:05 Masteron Side Effects
00:05:20 Primobolan Side Effects
00:05:53 Trenbolone Side Effects
00:07:51 DHB Side Effects
00:09:32 Anavar Side Effects
00:10:06 Winstrol Side Effects
00:13:46 Anadrol Side Effects
00:14:47 Superdrol & Halotestin Side Effects
00:17:07 Cheque Drops Discussion
00:21:35 Insulin & Early Morning Training With One Meal
00:26:35 Training Intensity: Do You Have More in the Tank?
00:40:53 How to Breathe During Squats
00:45:33 Testosterone Esters: When & Why to Switch
00:51:09 How to Control Appetite on a Bulk
00:55:19 Returning to Training After Surgery
01:00:05 Switching Compounds During a Cycle
01:05:58 Training After 40 With a Physical Job
01:09:36 Can Neckzilla Make the Olympia Top 10?
01:12:43 Behind the Scenes
SUPPORT THE SHOW
Enjoy Blood Sweat & Gear? Follow the podcast and leave a rating or review to help other bodybuilding fans find the show.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkbigbodybuilding
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Follow Scott McNally: https://www.instagram.com/scottmcnally1

Women’s Bodybuilding, female steroid use, and coaching red flags. Dr. Meg Morrison joins Ron Partlow, Dusty Hanshaw, and Scott McNally to discuss what it will take to bring more fans to the sport and why she moved up to Women’s Bodybuilding.

We also get into PED mistakes women make, the personal trade-offs of side effects, and choosing the right coach. Plus, Meg takes on Ron and Dusty in our Worst Coaching Advice game.

00:00:00 Welcome to It’s Just Bodybuilding
00:02:00 Dr. Meg Morrison Joins the Show
00:06:50 Moving Up to Women’s Bodybuilding
00:12:00 How Can Women’s Bodybuilding Attract More Fans?
00:18:50 Meet Meg’s Dogs
00:21:50 Steroid Advice: Men vs. Women
00:23:50 Which Steroids Should Women Avoid?
00:25:30 Are Women Starting Steroids Too Soon?
00:28:00 Female PED Side Effects: The Personal Trade-Offs
00:34:40 How Women Can Choose a Bodybuilding Coach
00:37:00 What Meg Has Changed Her Mind About as a Coach
00:40:45 Predatory Coaches in Bodybuilding
00:44:45 From Ballet to Bodybuilding: Meg’s Journey
00:54:00 Worst Coaching Advice Game
01:16:30 What Grinds Meg’s Gears?

🔴 OFFICIAL SPONSOR
MUTANT® — Born Different. Born Hardcore!
Save with code: BIGRON or DUSTY
https://www.iammutant.com

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📲 FOLLOW THE HOSTS

Ron Partlow
https://www.instagram.com/rep300

Dusty Hanshaw
https://www.instagram.com/dustyhanshaw08

Scott McNally
https://www.instagram.com/scottmcnally1

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📱 TRAIN LIKE HELL APP
Ron’s official training app
https://www.trainlikehell.com

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🙏 SUPPORT THINK BIG BODYBUILDING
Patreon (Every $5 helps keep the shows going)
https://www.patreon.com/thinkbigbodybuilding

👕 THINK BIG MERCH
https://think-big.printify.me/products

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✅ ADDITIONAL SPONSOR
TRUE NUTRITION
Code: THINK
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3rd-party tested — trusted by bodybuilders

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🇨🇦 CANADIAN VIEWERS
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🎧 AUDIO PODCAST
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-big-bodybuilding/id1561623662
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Anavar in 2026: muscle growth, side effects, and what’s changed in our experience. Dave Crosland and Scott McNally revisit oxandrolone with an updated profile on DNS, discussing dosing perspectives, common bodybuilding uses, considerations for women, diminishing returns, and availability.
RESEARCH & PEPTIDE AFFILIATES
Find my current research and pep affiliates, along with their discount codes, at Think BIG Bodybuilding:
https://thinkbigbodybuilding.com
Scott shares how his opinion shifted after revisiting Anavar with coaching clients over the past year, and why the cholesterol changes he observed have him reconsidering the trade-off.
In our listener Q&A, we discuss testosterone, Primobolan and Anadrol, back spasms during a cycle, Dave’s experiences with oral steroids, and whether sublingual administration changes the risks of oral AAS and YK-11. We also address a listener’s report of anaphylactic shock involving cagrilintide, nitrogen retention as a measure of steroid strength, and getting started as an online coach.
Follow DNS so you don’t miss the next episode. Have a question for Dave and Scott? Submit it through the Think BIG Bodybuilding Patreon.
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Welcome to DNS
00:02:00 Anavar in 2026: Updated Profile
00:03:00 What Is Oxandrolone?
00:06:30 How Much Muscle Can Anavar Build?
00:10:30 Anavar Dosing: Different Perspectives
00:11:40 Scott’s Anavar Experience: Coaching & Cholesterol
00:15:50 Common Uses for Anavar in Bodybuilding
00:17:30 Anavar for Women
00:19:25 Anavar: Diminishing Returns
00:20:45 Anavar Availability in 2026
00:24:20 Getting Started as an Online Coach
00:35:20 Adding Anadrol to 700 mg Test & 700 mg Primo
00:37:10 Back Spasms During a Primobolan Cycle
00:38:45 Dave’s Best Experience with Oral Steroids
00:42:20 Are Sublingual Steroids & YK-11 Safer?
00:45:10 Cagrilintide & Anaphylactic Shock: Listener Question
00:49:30 Does Nitrogen Retention Predict Steroid Strength?
00:59:00 Dave’s Lab Testing Company
01:02:30 Advice from Scott McNally
01:07:20 Behind the Scenes
THINK BIG BODYBUILDING
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UK BLOOD WORK
Get your blood work done with Dave Crosland in the UK:
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SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Help keep the show growing through Patreon. Even $5 a month makes a difference.
https://www.patreon.com/thinkbigbodybuilding
SPONSORS
TRUE NUTRITION — Custom supplements for serious lifters
Use code THINK to save
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