First Hollywood Actor to Admit Steroid Use?

Zack Telander takes a look at Alan Ritchson's interview about the Reacher TV Series, where he lets slip about his use of Testosterone to get bigger and leaner for television.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:46 - Cheat Days and Staying Jacked
05:59 - Admitting to Using Steroids
10:54 - Why He Started Using Testosterone
14:30 - Health and Longevity

[@mikeCD62]

Tom Hardy didn't exactly admit to steroids, but when someone asked him if he took PEDs to prep for Warrior and The Dark Knight Rises, his response was "No, I took Smarties". I feel like this response walked the line perfectly between being matter of fact and not technically saying anything incriminating.

[@LucasDimoveo]

🤣

[@K4R3N]

Yeah Kumail Nanjiani skinny Pakistani dude that got ripped and jacked lightning fast said in an interview his trainer gave him "special vitamins" 😉😉😂

[@IanDaviesRules]

BUt why is it "incriminating"? What's the crime? It's not like these actors are competing in sports (OK Tom Hardy actually is the exception to this, but you get the point). Who cares if Hugh Jackman took ALL the Tren to become Wolverine?

[@jjboy157]

@@IanDaviesRulesbarring that it’s illegal (who cares) in probably a lot of the places people were filming they all lie about it and have millions of fans looking up to them worldwide who are gonna be shattered when they realize they won’t look like that by doing push-ups and eating chicken titties

[@ChrisPBacon9]

​@@IanDaviesRulesbecause the general population is stupid and would think theyre "cheating" because they think superhero physiques are achievable through diet and hard work. Also admitting to doing something illegal on tv probably isnt the smartest

[@chriswalne6729]

I saw a video of Mark Whalburg saying he put on 40lbs of muscle in 7 weeks. The stuff some of these actors say is beyond ridiculous lol

[@rustysausage69]

“Muscle”

[@brianmeen2158]

What’s strange about Mark Wahlberg is I honestly don’t think he still takes gear and I’m confused as to why he isn’t..? I mean, TRT makes perfect sense for him

[@locomike102]

I honestly don't think he's smart enough to count to 40, so anything that comes out of his mouth is suspect to me. I like him though.

[@michaelmccourt6891]

The average bodybuilder can put on approximately 10 lb of muscle per year for the first four or five years. Once you hit a certain point, you might only put on two to three pounds a year after that

[@FiveN9ne]

@@michaelmccourt6891 You think you can put on 50 pounds of muscle in 5 years? That's maybe top 1% of freaks. Do you know how much 50 pounds of lean tissue is?? That's crazy.

[@user-ns3vs3bp3e]

It’s insane to me that the average person watching these kind of shows doesn’t question that they’re on gear. I was visiting my parents and my dad was watching the show, there was a scene where one of them asks him “how do you eat like that and look like you do?” So I immediately laughed and said “steroids” to which both my parents were shocked that I think he’s on something. The average person who’s never been a competitive athlete or serious in the gym doesn’t remotely question Hollywood physiques.

[@DjDolHaus86]

It's worrying that these physiques are becoming viewed as exceptional but "normal" (ie. achievable through hard work and diet) by a lot of the general public. It's not far away from the former supermodel physique of the early 90s that was basically unachievable without bulimia and a diet of nasal powders and cigarettes

[@IanDaviesRules]

This is a side effect of steroids being "evil" in america. Meanwhile virtually everybody who has made a name for themselves in showbusiness has been taking some kind of hormones since the '70s, and just told everybody that they ate their vegetables/wheaties. Surely the illustrious Sylvester Stallone or Hulk Hogan wouldn't be taking "evil steroids" or "drugs" (especially at the outset of the war on drugs). We need to end the war on drugs and destroy the stigma around hormones so that they can be studied by mainstream scientists and be made healthier.

[@Gunzo568]

​@@wellard2kill905that hurts

[@Arkangel77]

I did it without steroids. I have very good genetics though.

[@brianmeen2158]

Over the past few decades I’ve had quite a few interesting discussions with average folks. I’d say that 90% still think if you go to the gym and drink protein drinks for a year or two that you will be huge and lean like this actor. They think if you just keep going to the gym you keep growing endlessly and that getting lean is easy too! I’ve pretty much given up on these types of conversations at this point

[@ritakida9296]

No, his story makes sense. He blasted trenboloni sandwhiches, had to stop for shoulder surgery but completely killed his natural test so he had go on TRT.

[@brianmeen2158]

And in his situation one could easily say the rational decision for him is to use steroids . He will feel better and look much better and more movie roles will come his way.

[@coltonkosto98]

He prolly didn't even know, they put him on some sarms and called it creatine lol

[@SnifferSock]

I know it's just a phrase, but they wouldn't have put him on anything that would have resulted in a chance of crazy acne or being mentally unstable.

[@oooooba8343]

​@@SnifferSocklol what?

[@curtharakaly4620]

thanks for letting us know you've never taken gear or know anyone that has. "Crazy acne" is a rare side effect for very few people dude. I've taken 400mgs of test, 200mg of npp and 100mgs of masteron a week for 4 months before and had not one single pimple pop up anywhere and wouldn't you know it...also wasn't "mentally unstable." You are worst than the people that think he was natty. Thinking all steroids turn you into a roid rage filled acne freak is beyond delusional.@@SnifferSock

[@oaksaint4458]

"I just use testosterone bro" is the new "I'm natty bro"

[@deficitstifflegzercherdead6221]

😂 doesn’t Tyson Ridenour claim that he is natty now because he’s “just taking 500 mg of TRT”?

[@oaksaint4458]

@@deficitstifflegzercherdead6221 I have no idea who that is but it sounds like exactly the case haha

[@HeritageCast]

Check out my labs lol....

[@BGeezy4sheezy]

“I’m on TRT just to get to my natural level”

[@heroofharo]

Honestly it depends on their physique how bullshit it is. I'm on TRT, my test after 3 months is 636, up from 332. My gains at the gym? 4-5 days a week? I mean I finally have some. People pushing 900+ are going to have very different results. I'd bet he's easily 1000+.

[@Starless85]

It’s insane how much shit that people say when you’re younger sticks in your head. Throwaway comments my parents made about my weight that they don’t remember saying are still vivid in my mind at 38 years old.

[@korperkreuzberg]

this!

[@jdata]

Your test usually doesn't crash outta nowhere. He had to take gear because of industry standards to get his role for Reacher. Now he's basically saying I'm on TRT and won't ever do anabolics because they are bad for you. Honestly, this interview was almost a cryptic cry for help. I dont think he enjoyed what he had to do to get that role. Hence, "I would love 20 seasons of Reacher, but we have to do it smart/healthy".

[@shadow_realm47]

A bodybuilding comp is usually 2 weeks of peaking tops, a movie shoot is 40-90 days. A series is 100 days plus. He is in serious trouble if they think he can keep that crazy shape for 100 days and multiple seasons. Even 2 shirtless shots is fine but he's basically bricked up on tren the entire season. Even the hairline is doing a norwood 5 AND the face is going DECA pink with veins popping.

[@mr.doctorcaptain1124]

@@shadow_realm47 you’re wrong about him needing to maintain that condition. Hollywood actors do it the same as BBers. They schedule a peak for the shirtless scene (which is scheduled before shooting begins) and the rest of the time they’re either working toward the peak, or they’re coming down from it. If the thing is in production hell and the timelines get screwed up that’s one thing, but that has a tendency to do way more damage to the film than just an actor missing peak for his shirtless scene lol. And if the shoot is 90 days, he will probably only be scheduled 50-70 days of shooting. The perfect film example I can think of was “Thor Love and Thunder.” Go back and rewatch Hemsworth’s physique throughout the film. You can tell the opening sequence was filmed around the same time as his naked scene because he is by far the most jacked for the entire film in those two sequences. His conditioning then fluctuates from scene to scene throughout the rest of the film. You’re insane if you think these guys are full blasting for 4-6 months straight and trying to maintain a peak for all of that.

[@michaelmccourt6891]

The hell it doesn't. Mine did. A hereditary trait on my dad's side of the family. Mine didn't crash till 44. Most males in the family it has happened alot earlier than that. I'm on TRT and my testosterone levels are back at the same level as when I was in my 20's and I was naturally gifted. Athletic and jacked. I also trained my ass off when I was younger. Played every sport imaginable. Ate right. It can happen. Some people are genetically gifted.

[@jdata]

@@michaelmccourt6891 no doubt it can happen, that's why I said "usually". Your genetics are an outlier of the stereotypical human male.

[@stuartanderson6785]

B.S. Mine did. I dropped from 650 to less than 200 in less than 6 months. Nothing in my life had changed. So this is just flat out wrong.

[@brianmeen2158]

Actors are in a no win situation regarding steroids . What would happen if this actor came out and said he got on steroids years ago and that they are responsible for most of the size he’s put on? What happens? Do his agents force him to retract his statement? Does his career end? Would the average person respect him more or less? I honestly don’t know

[@edwardlenovo3240]

The issue is more that steroids were reclassified in the late 80s early 90s to be in the same drug schedule as cocaine and heroin. So admitting to using them begs the question, where/how are they getting them?

[@TheMongo419]

I'd venture to guess the average person wouldn't think twice about it. The only people that care are the ones throwing stones. And they don't matter.

[@alexgalant2922]

The big lie in fitness is how many persons think taking testosterone is not taking steroids. In many states the "licensed" doctor in a TRT business who signs off on "TRT THERAPY" can be any type of doctor. We have a pediatrician signing off in one Colorado business.

[@edwardlenovo3240]

And? Just because they specialized initially in one area doesn't mean they can't learn about another.

[@Paroex]

@@edwardlenovo3240 They certainly can learn about other specialised fields. The argument is that actually practicing in a field is a STRONGER guarantee that you know what you're doing because there are usually people around you evaluating your knowledge and performance as a practitioner, as opposed to if you're in an unrelated field and you COULD know what you're doing, but there are 0 guarantees.

[@overnightavenger1470]

Where at in CO I'd like to visit this doctor lol

[@cameronjohn604]

Actually testosterone is a hormone, not a steroid, sorry. Steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone for the most part, they are in fact different. If you gave a woman estrogen would you suggest she is on steroids? That doesn't make sense. I know what you're trying to say but you may need to do some more reading about the subject.

[@eriklarson9137]

@@cameronjohn604 I bet money not only did Alex not know that, but I bet he won't even know it after reading your post.

[@Mirici1]

he's not eluding, he is reading the room and becoming uncomfortably self conscious of his obvious lie and pulling the parachute to save himself from the discomfort by admitting half the truth.

[@Mukation]

I remember when he made a video of his workout plan for reacher and he essentially showed us a video of him doing some core work and used bands. And at the same time mentioned that he gained 30 pounds in 6 months doing that. Like, had he shown a video of him doing compound movements, then some isolation work then some GPP. And then mentioned that for the shirtless scenes he did some water depletion cycles and did some pushups etc to get a pump for the scene it all would have atleast been more believable.

[@HeritageCast]

I did not have sexual relations with that MOssad agent lol...

[@zac6424]

Zack, fellow Zac here. I know that your channel is predominantly fitness-related, but if you'd like an interesting watch/a good reaction video, both of Alan's podcasts with Michael Rosenbaum are perhaps the best conversations I've ever heard regarding bipolar. Alan talked extensively in both podcasts (mainly the first one) about being bipolar and having massive bouts of depression, almost ending it all at one point. Thought it might be a cool thing since you also seem to care a lot about men's mental health and mental health, in general

[@taylorwilson6655]

this

[@JamesMacPh]

“I needed to gain 30 pounds of lean muscle in 8 months”.. lol, no, please do go on..

[@Goldenstreethippies]

😂😂😂

[@zachsquirrel9354]

When does he say lean muscle?

[@SnifferSock]

@@zachsquirrel9354 He didn't. People be making crap up because Zack said 30lb of muscle.

[@Kwildcat13]

@@zachsquirrel9354it was lean the man is stacked

[@Kwildcat13]

@@SnifferSockhe said he was told to put 30 pounds of muscle on in 8 months..

[@otty4000]

Even if he is not telling the whole truth I still think he deserves props. He is one of the first actors ever to take that step and he looks good even for steroids considering its not his job. I think his advice is decent , I know people in this community have heard it a million times but we are the outliers, Im sure most interview watchers got better advice from the bs mark Walberg peddles (for example).

[@IanDaviesRules]

I think his body is fantastic, but his face is really showing the wear that his training and hormone use had put on him. He looks tired and puffy all the time. He should seriously pump the brakes on the gear.

[@edwardlenovo3240]

what are you talking about, Arnold, Stallone, Lundgren they were all on gear during their height in the 80s, it wasn't an issue to talk about back then, cause it was legal without a prescription. But they've never denied it. Arnold being the most candid about it.

[@K4R3N]

Kumail Nanjiani danced around the topic, gave the double wink 😉😉 during an interview

[@Lavdrim.Elmazi]

loved the vid!

[@Starless85]

Now that openness is becoming a thing there’s like a new category of fake, where someone admits they’re not natural, but massively undersells how much gear they take because they don’t want people to dismiss all their hard work. Which is honestly understandable to a degree.

[@yewtewbstew547]

Or they slightly bend the truth about when precisely they started gear, which is also what Ritchson does. Ronnie Coleman is probably the worst for that, because he claims he was natty until 30 lol.

[@willofdodge1]

I know guys who work for the government to take steroids they can never openly admit that they're taking steroids or they'll lose their jobs. So if you ask them they might say they're on medicine or something like that but they would never admit to taking illegal drugs

[@mikeCD62]

It's much easier to stick to a lie if parts of it are true

[@tonydauto8246]

Whatever he takes or doesnt take, dude is an absolute specimen.

[@baconoverlord7982]

He didn't say he gained 30lbs of MUSCLE... dude was 203 and had a super vascular, low-fat build. He put on 30 lbs and at 6'3" 15 of that could have been fat and he would still look great. Think about what you're saying and what he said.

[@95redz]

He did say he didn’t use steroids and wasn’t on testosterone until well after season 1. This is a very interesting way of saying he was whacking sarms, peptides and GH prior to tagging them along with the plethora of other injectable sauces!

[@brianmeen2158]

Yeah he wants us to believe he put on all his size without gear and is only on gear now for “longevity”.. I would love to know what would happen if he came out and said he started cycling years ago and built most of his size thanks to gear…? Would his career be over? Would we look down on him? I’m not sure

[@JauntyWhale]

That superhero thing is funny. In the third book he literally survives a gunshot to the chest because his pec was apparently dense enough to stop a bullet.

[@acatnamedscamper3307]

Who knows what else happened during his time with the force……… perhaps another book comes out stating some type of lab experiment? 🤷🏽

[@JauntyWhale]

​@acatnamedscamper3307 maybe, I stopped reading after the third one. The bullet thing but also him constantly having flashbacks to himself at 24 lusting over a 15 year old girl.

[@acatnamedscamper3307]

@@JauntyWhale yea that’s a trip 🤣✅ I’m not trying to get groomed to like that stuff lol 💀

[@Yellow30045]

Funny enough that reminds me of an ex colleague who told about US special forces doing body building in a belief that it lessens the effects of being shot, apparently according to my colleague it didn't.

[@HumbleDictator]

Just found this channel. Awesome content.

[@prestonvienneau4219]

You'll love it the deeper you go

[@drip369]

​@@prestonvienneau4219that's what she said

[@wes788411]

“He’s endorsing it to kids.” He said if you’re in your late 30s-40s and are not feeling like you used to.

[@jimbojimbo6873]

Thank you People just talking shit constantly

[@alan614]

So good! Love the content :)

[@danielburnett7208]

Similar to your story about those girls calling your legs skinny - when I was about 15 I chose Olympic weightlifting as one of the sports I wanted to be graded on for my PE certification. Whilst waiting to go, stood in shorts and a t shirt, my French teacher walked past and remarked "dan, how you gonna lift any weight with those legs"....shits stuck with me ever since...18 years ago that happened

[@jasonshults368]

I had a coach in sophomore year high school that laughed at me doing some forearm training one day, saying that my arms were bigger than my legs. It stuck with me for over a decade. I eventually pulled 550 in my late 20's, still with these stork legs. Had to fight women off with a stick. People project their own insecurities onto others.

[@SnifferSock]

@@jasonshults368 So... you had to fend of the women using your legs? Haha I kid, 550 ain't bad at all.

[@sokjeong-ho7033]

Reply to me if you like sweaty men.

[@hurpaderpp]

@@sokjeong-ho7033 LOL. Is your name also Hunter Biden?

[@ioniordache8372]

@@sokjeong-ho7033 i bet you thought that sounded really funny in your head, didn't it ?

[@linctheweightlifter04]

Come on Zack anything possible with enough rest and duck eggs

[@drip369]

Don't forget about sunlight on the sack

[@KaizenLegacy]

30 lbs in 8 months works out to just under 4lbs/month. You cannot do that as a 35+-year-old guy with 20+ years of training. Those would be some insanely impressive newbie gains, but after 20 years of training, his newbie gains are long gone. Taking his word that his T-levels were shot after season 1, I would suspect he was likely taking a SARM (ostarine or ligandrol) combined with HGH. That would allow him to put on that amount of muscle in that time period, without technically using "steroids", and it would suppress his T-levels into the ground (especially if he didn't do a PCT when he finished the insanely long cycle). Additionally, he was recently on the Michael Rosenbaum podcast and stated he felt getting and maintaining that physique was hard on his heart. If he did it naturally, there would be no major strain on his heart. It seems he wants to tell people "hey, yeah, I had to use gear to get this way", but is held back by Hollywood's PR requirements, so instead he just leaves the breadcrumbs.

[@RogueCylon]

The Reacher books are pretty legit. No super hero stuff, just a brick shithouse that knows tactical fighting, with the proper background of Military Police.

[@kennethelliott5985]

2013 in 6 months i went from 173lbs down to 154 back up to 197 while deployed in Afghanistan taking creatine, multivitamins, pre-workout, drinking 2 gallons of water a day, eating 3800 calories a day and working out 6 days a week. During that time there was absolutely no alcohol consumption during that time and no junk food that helped my results. Its possible but doing that long turm is not sustainable at that intensity long term without gear.

[@michaellisi7285]

I read the first teacher book. He was a bald guy, big but traveling on the road and didn’t have a gym, so I can’t imagine he was that big in the book. He fought some guys sure, but that’s because he’s military trained, doesn’t mean he’s jacked. I think Amazon went too far with him being jacked but that’s my opinion. Still think Alan is a great actor and fits Reacher well

[@zachnunya8749]

If I remember correctly throughout the books he’s stated as 6,6” 250lbs or more lean. Freakishly jacked due to just genetics. No attention to lifting weights or diet. Bc fiction. Lol

[@jimmytheweasel857]

This isn’t just a podcast interview, it’s an Actor performing a monologue embellishing his ped usage… If anyone thinks he’s only taking Test you have severe cognitive dissonance

[@nathan_johnson]

Aside from him clearly being in the juice and so on, tell me what you think cognitive dissonance means 😂

[@jimmytheweasel857]

@@nathan_johnsonA guy that can’t even structure a sentence properly criticizing how I used the term cognitive dissonance is pretty comical. 😂 On a side note, based on the channels you’re subbed to it’s easy to tell you’re quite the fruit cake. Ironically enough it seems like you have cognitive dissonance, knowing it’s unhealthy to get sodomized but you do it anyway… 🤮

[@samjurka665]

That Ratchet and Clank outro really gave me a nostalgia shot😂

[@cyrillyons1531]

You are brilliant & extremely funny Sir! Thank u always!

[@jungckh]

Far more likely he blasted a heavy cycle of ⚙️ in order to put on that lean 30 lbs for season 1, and that’s why his T dropped to zero necessitating the need for TRT afterwards. One way or the other, seems like a good dude and he fits the role of Reacher perfectly.

[@AndySpra]

1. He probably did gain 30lbs (15 fat 10 water 5 muscle) 2. It seems like he just doesn’t have the same exposure to the fitness industry as most viewers here. TRT is probably not a big subject in his life and is just like us getting prescribed flu medicine.

[@SnifferSock]

Finally! Someone with basic listening skills! I'm questioning Zach's ethics and the intelligence of his fanbase with all these "hE sAiD hE gAiNeD 30lbs oF mUsClE" comments.

[@dcbhomie8837]

Your backgrounds on the green screen are always on point 👍

[@endcensorship874]

Beyond the Test and other "supplements," the biggest advantage he has is that Reacher is his job. He doesn't work a 9 to 5, and he has a staff to do things like cook, clean. He has a trainer, obviously. You, me, the next guy, we have responsibilities and tasks to do that he pawns off to his staff. His job is to work out for Reacher, and that's it.

[@AndyPandy33]

I think you misunderstood what he said. He is on TRT and he doesn't advocate steroids but talks about importance of hormonal balance in men. Everything he said is true, low testosterone leads to many problems.

[@nizzie16]

Have you seen pics of him of the last 10-20 years? No way this guy had low test levels 😂

[@mikeCD62]

@@nizzie16 testosterone isn't everything, he probably didn't have clinically low testosterone in the Thad Castle days, but he might very well have been average or even low average. He's clearly genetically gifted for muscle mass but that could look like an increase in androgen sensitivity or growth hormone production, a low genetic set point for bodyfat percentage, or favorable insertions for looking jacked. Obviously testosterone plays a role. Given no additional information, a jacked guy is more LIKELY to have higher testosterone than a non-jacked guy. My point is that you can't just look at a natural athlete and draw high-confidence conclusions about their testosterone levels.

[@ananit]

he explained in his 2nd appearance on the inside of you podcast why his testosterone was nuked. the doc on set of reacher s1; iirc, gave him way too much NSAID to manage for the pain because they were filming 6/7 days and he was doing fights + some of his stunts and got multiple injuries. he almost died suffocating because he wasn't producing enough hemoglobin due to his testosterone being way too low. that's why he went on test supplements@@nizzie16

[@patrickmcpartland1398]

What do you think you are prescribed on TRT if not a steroid? Magical anabolic juice? Unicorn penis powder? If you're on TRT you are taking steroids lol

[@KayButtonJay]

You don’t look like that on TRT

[@JauntyWhale]

Genuinely confused by this guy. I never believed he was natural for season 1, but he's noticeably bigger in season 2, especially around the face and neck and now he's admitting to taking testosterone. Is he telling the truth or did he just up his dosages between seasons?

[@user-ns3vs3bp3e]

Cycled for season 1 had to go on TRT after so said fuck it and upped the cycle dosage for season 2 since he already told everyone he was on test. That’s the scenario that makes by far the most sense with everything taken into account.

[@BrandonHeat243]

It's interesting. Unlike most actors, he's been consistently jacked since at least 2005(when he was on Smallville). That's a long time to be working out so maybe he could have reached his season 1 body just from the slow progress of 20 years of working out daily and the T was all it took to give him to his season 2 look. It's not impossible. But who knows really? Actors are professional liars after all...

[@562wiseguy]

@@user-ns3vs3bp3e Yeah, I wonder if he crashed his test. on purpose to get it prescribed legitimately after season 1. But he's still lying. Now his go to lie is that he did it naturally and test now is just to help him maintain his health and longevity

[@PayAttEx]

@@BrandonHeat243 Gaining even a little muscle once you reach that 10 year physical peak is super hard though. And he's supposedly been training for 20 years. Even with TRT how does he gain 30 pounds of muscle in a year? Dude would struggle to gain 5 pounds.

[@BrandonHeat243]

@@PayAttEx Obviously the 30 pound claim is utter BS. Even on massive amounts of gear you aren't gaining 30 pounds of lean mass in a short timespan. That's just impossible. Just look at pictures of him when he was Thad Castle(which was before Reacher). He's bigger in Reacher but 30 pounds bigger? Ehh....not even close...

[@N-xi2zh]

NIce video mate. HE is a nice genuine dude, he talked about suicide and also taking Lamictal (for bipolar probably II).

[@leprintshoppe6877]

yooooooo the singing broooo!!! killed it!!! hahahhahah!

[@zacklynch584]

As a note, I take a small amount of Testosterone Cypionate (100 mg/week) and it has been an absolute game changer. I'm a 31 male with multiple kids - love having more energy and workout recovery.

[@mcfarvo]

Not blasting gear to be a competitive bodybuilder, but still unnatural supplementation/replacement, but therapeutic nonetheless! Good for you 👍

[@marshelmatters5696]

do you cycle that? 31 is still pretty young isnt it? how much does it cost?

[@anabolicoly4071]

@@marshelmatters5696think test starts going down around 25. Messes with fertility I believe but if ya got the kids already go for it

[@Dialogos1989]

@@marshelmatters5696I’m 34 and I take .9 ml of Test cyp a week prescribed by my doctor. I abused gear in my 20s and have only been on this TRT for about a year now. I tried coming off cold turkey and it fucked me up tbh. Low drive, memory problems, depression, etc. Test levels were 302 ng/dl (barely within acceptable range) and decided to try it. Now I feel amazing. I don’t have an “enhanced” look at all, but definitely in the best shape I’ve been in a while. It’s 275 dollars a month. Cycle every 3-6 months. Strongly recommend it if you need it

[@tonyadams8812]

As a note, I *don't take anything. I'm 62, workout 3-5 days per week. I don't have a six pack and I do I to *really care ......... because I still look f@cking strong!

[@icepanda4589]

THank you so much for these vids. I really worry about body dysmorphia for a generation of young men. Its like eating disorders and modeling for young girls. we have to get this out in the open

[@KOOLEE88]

That's the beast Seal impression I've ever heard , thank you

[@DartagnanMagic]

I love your rendition of "Kiss from a Needle."

[@taylorwilson6655]

As a fan of alan since BMS. He's been super open about his bipolar and some of the shit that happened due to it in his younger years (easily accessible on google). Moreover, if you watched him 5-10 years back. He's been completely transparent about his shortcomings for years, why would he start now? Also, another google search will show you he's been JACKED AF his whole life, the dudes a genetic freak. I think he's exaggerating the timeframe of which he's taken gear and/or how much. But I certainly don't think he's lied to the extent most have. He's been open for YEARS about some self depreciating topics, been very open and honest in interviews which CANNOT be said about schmucks like the rock or others who are completely squeaky clean drones. In short, Alans a legend, i'm glad he's hit the mainstream and I hope he's happy and healthy. PS. watch blue mountain state

[@roryt1983]

Zack isn’t interested in this, he prefers here and now click bait.

[@StevenAlwine]

"I have to get shoulder surgery, I don't want to take anything that might interfere with the medications for surgery." *stops taking PEDs, skips post-cycle therapy* "I was tired all the time, doc says I don't have enough naturally occurring testosterone! So now I'm on TRT, it's what my body would be making anyway! I feel great!"

[@fuzzylogiceire]

Jack Reacher isn't supposed to be a mass monster, that's the thing. In the books, Reacher is 6'5 and just a big stocky guy. He never works out. A lot of his presence comes down to his height. He's not "gym big" like Ritchsons portrayal. I can see why they wanted a muscular guy to give that intimidating aura for Reacher but it's still not quite a accurate portrayal, even though he's more suitable than Tom Cruise.

[@V1X0]

Love what he said about the cheat days 🙂

[@Boss3Nate]

People that understand hard training and steroids also understand that steroids don't just make you big and ripped. Still have to work extremely hard.... like next level hard and crazy dedication. Dedication in the gym and outside of the gym. Honestly the guys who are in insane shape and have dinosaur sized muscles and they're taking steroids... they're not lazy... they want it even more than most that aren't taking gear. Point being.... just admit it.... none of us care.... if anything we respect it

[@nizzie16]

What is rarely talked about though is that peds also help a lot with motivation. Nattys progress much slower after 1-2 years of consistent lifting. If you’re on peds and notice visible progress month after month, of course that’s massively motivating to keep on going for 120% week after week.

[@SonsOfDeForest]

nobody is saying they're lazy, we're saying they're lying. motivation and work capacity are also increased by PEDS, so they don't get credit for hard work either.

[@Boss3Nate]

@@SonsOfDeForest yeah you've probably just never actually worked hard in the weight room so I wouldn't expect you to give credit where credit is due

[@Boss3Nate]

@@nizzie16bc it's the least relevant thing that PED's do.... create motivation

[@SonsOfDeForest]

@@Boss3Nate my point is that gear users aren't working harder, relative to their peak capacity, than nattys are. but by all means, keep making baseless assumptions to stroke your own ego ;)

[@shanesthedude]

I thought it looked like his face had aged years between the two seasons. He looked better in season one.

[@BGeezy4sheezy]

That’s the part that puts me off about gear the most; the way everyone gets that leathery “Macho-Man Randy Savage” look

[@drew004jc]

this is my new fav music channel

[@baconoverlord7982]

Putting on 30lbs in 8 months is super simple if you have a large frame like that.

[@JarlHrodberht]

I know a young man, 18y/o 5'8, started at 110 and got to a jacked, lean 158....after two years.

[@otty4000]

most of that was fat for sure. that being said that is insanely impressive if it was done natural. lots of work and crazy genetics.

[@au1317]

Very impressive, but not out of the question at that age. When you're in your late 30s however....

[@JarlHrodberht]

@@otty4000 for sure most of it is muscle.

[@Gatesunder]

When I first got on TRT at 140mg / week, I only managed to put on about 15 lbs. of muscle (in a few months and then plateaued) at 6'2", training age also about 20 years. I really have to wonder what dosage will get you 30 lbs.

[@JoshuaKevinPerry]

Grams a week.

[@lorin03hansen]

500mg is a modest cycle and 1g is like a blasting ifbb pro. This is roughly what I heard on MPMD.

[@paulmryglod4802]

Test levels determine your ceiling for holding superphysyological muscle. If you went from 140mg to 200, you'd gain another 5-10lbs of lean tissue. Double that, and you could look like him if genetics are in your favor.

[@LUSH_AUS]

I think i got an answer to your question Zack - I recently watched an interview Derek did with Alex Hormozi who purportedly consulted a regime with Greg Nuckols and managed to put on 35 pounds in 6 weeks (photos of before and after available). It probably is possible, but the genetics you must possess must be absolutely god tier.

[@AuthenticHD]

No matter what he took, my guy is 6'3" and the size of a barn so I'm impressed

[@santyx_eorrr]

season 1: vehemently defends being 100% natural season 2: oh yeah ive been on TRT for this role

[@jimbojimbo6873]

He said in season 1

[@iceboxchamberlain1]

Come on Zack, there's definitely more than one woman watching the channel by now. 😂

[@ReDuVernay]

But it makes me feel special!

[@liamc7097]

He likely put on 30lbs of *weight* in 8 months which is not impossible. He still gets massive kudos for being open about being on TRT though

[@absorbent2408]

Progress of a kind, i suppose. Also nice use of the R&C soundtrack at the end there.

[@HoustonHardHitters01]

More like Jacked Reacher amirite

[@brandoncyoung]

😂

[@LucasDimoveo]

Screw this Hollywood nonsense I want to know what Ilya and Gabriel were taking 😅

[@rustysausage69]

Bro id pay a decent amount of money to just know Clarence Kennedys stack

[@LucasDimoveo]

@@rustysausage69 in one of his Q&A videos he made a joke about "DBZabol". Not sure how seriously to take that. There are two things to keep in mind - he was really good even before gear, and that when he came back to WL his squat and C&J/Snatch movements were really taxing on him. Both facts seem to contridict each other. Maybe he has been on stuff for so long that his performance drastically drops off when he takes a break. But his cycle might only be two or three substances 🤷‍♂

[@Tom-vu1wr]

​@@LucasDimoveoI mean you can watch his channel to see he was really good before gear

[@Tom-vu1wr]

​@@LucasDimoveoand u can also see he trained like a total psycho and fucked his body up

[@LucasDimoveo]

@@Tom-vu1wr I know that

[@tylerburk3313]

What song is he spoofing in the intro? It’s been so long since I heard it

[@Ratchetti]

Gotta love the Metropolis theme at the end ❤

[@rickymurray]

I started running 300 mg of Test E a week 5 weeks ago and I’ve put on 6.5 kilos already. I feel amazing!! I’m 39 and feel stronger and healthier than I have in years and most importantly, I feel confident and focused in life in general.

[@dt937]

Why do people say this like they are surprised or it is some medical mystery... your injecting supraphysiological levels of hormones what did you think was going to happen?

[@brianmeen2158]

@@dt937yeah I mean that’s why everyone takes steroids - to get much stronger and bigger .. they work very well lol

[@rickymurray]

@@dt937 who said I was surprised or it was unexpected. It’s not the first cycle I’ve done. Drop your attitude you sound like a dweeb. Your obviously never going to do steroids and I doubt you even go to the gym so your on here giving it to alpha males because you hate yourself. Get a life

[@superkarlS3]

In his defence, even back when he was in Smallville, 20years ago, he was in exceptional shape. So he really does have decades of progress and a solid physical base, when you put it into perspective

[@zacktelander]

Which makes it less plausible lol

[@ccips1135]

The longer you train less you will gain. You wont gain 10 pounds of muscle after 20 years of hard training.

[@SnifferSock]

@@wellard2kill905 he's 41. He doesn't have decades of steroid use under his belt unless he was taking such a small amount it wasn't noticeable.

[@uirmeg]

It's possible for someone with his genetics to look like him in season 1. He definitely went on a ton of gear for season 2 for sure.

[@alphadog62]

I added 30lbs of muscle in the service at age 20 in 8 months. Ate a shitload on an Aircraft Carrier, work 12 hours x7 and lifted. 1982/3 Westpac. It is possible. 61 now and still hitting the gym 5x a week.

[@marcus_ohreallyus]

I can attest to how life changing TRT can be, if you're deficient. I had a varicocele which screwed up my T production and I've been injecting for the past 8 years. My doc keeps me in the 900 to 1200 range and it just makes everything better. Mood, sex, muscle gaining, fat loss. At 56 years old I'm still power cleaning close to 200 as a 175 pound guy. The joints are showing signs of wear and tear but I still maintain a better physique than I had at 26. If you think you may need it, go see a doctor. And good for Alan Ritchson for not needing to hide the fact that he's on TRT. If people think it's "cheating", I'd like to know exactly what they think he's cheating at.

[@datacipher]

lol. Talk about coping. He’s “cheating” in the sense that he’s not natural. He’s taking steroids - as are you - to elevate your levels unnaturally. To a level you think it should be at - but was NOT naturally. Accept reality. In fact you just wrote a volume on how much of a difference it’s made for you. Great. Thus you are greatly enhance from your NATURAL condition. Keep in mind: you require external steroids to maintain this condition, AND anything that has effects you like - WILL have side effects. Hopefully for you they won’t be harmful ones. We will see. Good luck.

[@itsArtificialred]

to be fair, youre looking at the photos of him for season 2 prep, where he admits hes on TRT. season 1 his physique is completely believable to be natty. as he says, it was an 8 months life mission to look that way. hes already 6' 3" and 205 before training, he is a big dude.

[@jwt-nu3ei]

The 205 wasn't before training though. He's been jacked for 15+ years. He was big in 'Blue Mountain State'.

[@zacktelander]

Yeah so he just put on 30lbs in 8 months with a 20-30 year training age because he decided to finally train hard? Or wait, wasnt he already training hard? ….

[@replynotificationsoff]

it not hard for some of us aryans to stay jacked naturally, im 5'7" so i gotta work a bit harder for the abs but they easy to get when i want@@jwt-nu3ei

[@eclipsez0r]

He was never natty

[@Lechedeesnuts]

8 months lmao, 8 months of newbie gains would already be impressive but that's 8 months of insane gains after being ALREADY jacked

[@rvoykin]

The problem with most people is they listen to guys that have way better genetics than they do and try to do the same thing. This guy obviously has a great frame and good genetics and so he can get away with 45 minute workout and pizza. Not Everybody can do that. I’m not saying that he was natty and season one but I have seen guys that are legit natural, his size and leanness but it’s definitely top 1% type stuff. 90+ of people can’t be 235 with a 6 pack natural

[@karltan9461]

Don't forget this guy is a genetic elite, he was already built as fuck in titans, and its obvious there he's natty with the non capped shoulders. Its not far fetched to think he can blow up on a first decent cycle. I believe he upped the dose after season 1 and also leading into fast X, where he was fucking enormous.

[@jwt-nu3ei]

Devil's advocate, of course. This guy was jacked in Blue Mountain State ~15 years ago. Perhaps the numbers (205lbs starting, 235lbs finishing) are a bit off, and he was heavier at some point in the past than 205 and / or lighter than 235 in Reacher season 1. Throw in muscle memory + a few lbs of genuinely new lean tissue + accompanying water weight and body fat (he was leaner in BMS than he was in Reacher season 1) = Reacher season 1 physique. Even then it's a massive stretch.

[@haydenconley]

30 pounds in 8 months is rookie numbers. Casey Viator gained 60 pounds in 28 days all natty and I won't accept any arguments to the contrary ; ) also you singing 'bullshit' is my favorite thing

[@K4R3N]

Great rendition of Seal's Kiss from a 🌹

[@AffordableGuitars]

lady and gentlemen - never gets old 😂

[@christophershortell8854]

I read an interview with him a while back where he said he’s normally a larger guy but kept his weight around 205 because it is easier to get roles at that size. Who knows, and who cares.

[@dylanmiller269]

I haven't watched the actual interview, but based on what you've shown he never endorses kids taking testosterone. At 11:35 in the video he says if you're in your late 30's early 40's and feel like you're slowing down testosterone would have a positive impact. That being said, I'm sure younger kids could see the interview and take away 'If I take testosterone I'll be a superhero' but that's on them. I really enjoy the content you put out Zach, but that was a bit of a miss for me.

[@noosphericaltarzan]

In the vast majority of cases in those age ranges, men who actually train in a strength sport or practice bodybuilding are generally in that category because of gear. A healthy man should have high testosterone well into his fifties.

[@N-O.]

A girl in high school said that to me about my arms one time, having no hair. I just said I see that you can also grow a thicker mustache than me too.

[@Logjambam]

Great video. May I suggest "how you got swole" for the Kiss From a Rose verse

[@codyryanlifts]

It is also highly likely his 205 was a cut that's pretty small for a 6ft3 strong guy. he is not nearly as cut anymore so if 205 was after a 15lb cut for a photoshoot or something going back up 30 doesn't sound too unrealistic to me. For all we know he may have been struggling to only weigh 205. I mean yes highly likely he was on test the whole time, but weird to me that he only admits after the season 1? and his look is much different from season 1 to season 2

[@chrisvanderwielen1530]

If he was going to hide it, why did he admit it? What, he's out for some natty-police validation for his acting career, but he only cares about everything before Season 2 of Reacher? Yeah, *that* makes sense.

[@codyryanlifts]

@@chrisvanderwielen1530 ya Im not sure, maybe he had some different contracts or non disclosures that expired? I really dont care if he's been on gear for 20 years I enjoy the show either way.

[@chrisvanderwielen1530]

@@codyryanliftsyeah, it's a fun watch. Some of his 'revelation' scenes are kind of cringe... as was his 'BLIND BLAKE!' in Season 1. But I still enjoy watching them...

[@codyryanlifts]

@@chrisvanderwielen1530 exactly a little cringe especially the romance, some blood and fight scenes, some alpha man shit, once the episode is over I dont replay it in my head while I sleep. Its a nice evening show while relaxing with my wife.

[@chrisvanderwielen1530]

@@codyryanliftsYep, it's my "gonna go chill on the couch and decompress after work" go-to show. I have to say, that although it's a chill watch, the soundtrack in Season 1 sure did build up a nice, tense atmosphere. It was a fun binge watch, while I was taking care of my son when he was laid-up with the flu at night.

[@stuffbenlikes]

He looks too stiff in the new season, got too big.

[@SLouiss]

I like that Seal song from the intro. Batman Forever was a fun movie as a kid.

[@ThordurBergmann]

He is telling the truth because after this intense workout without gear, his shoulder went bust but with gear, your body heals faster, this happened to me but my friend who was on gear just grew and grew without any problems but I had to stop as my shoulder joints are messed up and now I´m doing therapy with gym and only light weights😢😢😢😢

[@benheller7068]

I genuinle believe that the 30 pounds are achievable natural, as he gained significant more muscle mass after season one. Concidering he is 6‘3 and parts of the 30lbs might well be water. His starting weight of 205 lbs isn‘t much for his height. (Might have undereaten before) Also is he not claiming to do all this in 4 weeks…

[@Defrath]

Someone with an advanced training age is not going to be able to make a massive increase in muscle mass and density in a short amount tof time without some gear.

[@liamengram6326]

No, he's claiming to have done it in 8 months. Which isn't achievable naturally. Especially when you consider that he flat out said he had already been working out for nearly 2 decades when he put on that 30lbs. An absolute beginner who has never played a sport, lifted, or even done a pushup isn't going to put on 30lbs in their first year much. A beginner will put on around 10-15lbs of muscle in their first year on average.

[@coryclark6167]

@@Defrathsomeone can if they were detrained and undereating.

[@Defrath]

@@coryclark6167 which he was doing neither.

[@coryclark6167]

@@Defrath how do you know? He’s 40 years old probably been in and out of the gym for 20 years. He probably been 220-230 in the past. He’s clearly a big athletic man either way

[@JamesBalazs]

I wonder *why* his T crashed after Season 1 and he didn't need testosterone until Season 2... Couldn't be due to abuse of PEDs could it?!

[@gm1799]

Shoulder injury and pain meds for it

[@d_no_allyn_86]

L o l the singing of the beginning was magical l o l

[@noahharmer8288]

Your hat is lovely? Where can I get one similar?

[@conradbo1]

Alan Ritchson will become a big star. I really like him a lot, and I think he is as honest as he can be without tanking his career. Because a Hollywood star admitting to anything regarding steroids is almost like career suicide as the tabloids are so focused on every move they make and every breath they take.

[@antparts]

It’s always Sunny guy definitely admitted and detailed in interviews it helps.

[@michaelsorrentino3346]

100% gotta thank Alan Ritchson for being transparent about testosterone use in a Hollywood acting role. Probably one on the first working actors (besides Arnold) I’ve heard ring transparent and maybe allowing the rest of the actors to be open to talking as well. I like Reaxher Season 1 and Reacher 2 was just as good if not better. Looking forward to season 3!!!

[@nandalalrasiah4737]

He's compressing the timeline, he was on TRT for Titans

[@andrewbangerter1414]

For those who haven’t read the Reacher books. In the book Reacher is described as being 6’5” about 250lbs. In one of the books he has been digging out pools in the keys for the summer and his pecs are so dense that he gets shot and the muscle stops the small caliber bullet

[@millsmcqueen]

great video, friend.

[@BigZ7337]

If you look at the changes his body and his head went through, he definitely added some HGH to his diet.

[@nao.to.nem.venddo]

I want that intro song as my ringtone 😂

[@WithBACON]

Mickey Rourke was very open and honest about his use of gear for THE WRESTLER.

[@RoidfreeSenior]

Started watching the show lately... good show. I wondered what his background was, a football player, bodybuilder, whatever. Big boy

[@CarnivoreUltimateLiving]

lol the opening

[@Thereedwyatt]

Homie dropped his villain origins story… telling us that story about 80’s day and the skinny legs makes sense out of the call out video. We’ve all been there bro.