The 33-year-old Baroni, a native of Long Island, N.Y, has lost four of his last seven bouts.  In his last appearance, a welterweight (170 pounds) matchup with Joe “Diesel” Riggs at St. Louis, Missouri’s Scottrade Center, Baroni sustained a one-sided defeat by way of unanimous judges’ decision.

“We wish Phil the best of luck and hope he can revive his career,” STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker said Thursday. “If he can, maybe one day, he can return and fight for us.”

Baroni’s most noteworthy fight in STRIKEFORCE was also the first STRIKEFORCE middleweight (185 pounds) MMA championship bout in history on June 22, 2007.  Refusing to tap out, Baroni was choked unconscious by four-time world champion Frank Shamrock in the second round (4:00) of action.

Baroni, a former amateur bodybuilder, fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and although he had a tough reputation, was able to only amass a record of 3-5-0. On September 27, 2002, Baroni knocked out former UFC champion Dave Menne but tapped out for the only time in his career versus against Pete Sell, a much lesser opponent.

Moving on to Japan’s PRIDE Fighting Championships, Baroni started out with several knockout victories and then was choked out in a grudge match with Frank Shamrock in a cross-promotion event with EliteXC. Steroid allegations for Baroni followed when his ‘A’ specimen tested positive for boldenone and stanozolol. Questions arose when his ‘B’ sample came back negative. H ended up with a reduced suspension of six months and a $2,500 fine.

In nomadic fashion, Baroni fought in ICON Sport, EliteXC, PFC and Cage Rage, with a match in the latter becoming something of a viral instant classic.  After a vicious combination floored Scott Jansen, a brother of the British native somehow made his way into the cage with the cornermen and attempted to headbutt Baroni. Two more wins followed before the loss to Briggs.

Even though UFC president Dana White tried to convince Baroni to retire when he first left the prestigious MMA league, he must see something in the 33-year-old now that was not apparent then. According to sources, Baroni has verbally agreed to a UFC contract.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.

Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

TIRATRICOL (T3)
Manufacturer: Genesis Meds

Although not technically an ‘anabolic steroid’, Tiratricol (T3) is one of the many forms of thyroid medication used by bodybuilders during the pre-contest phase of their training regime.
A naturally occurring metabolite of the endogenous (produced inside the body) hormone triodothyronine (T3), when used properly this drug has very significant fat burning properties. It is also one of the most effective and safe fat burning drugs available.

Tiratricol has proven to be exceptional for burning off excess body fat without the need to turn to extreme dieting methods – which can lead to long-term metabolic harm.

T3 IN THE BODY

In order to utilize any thyroid medication to its fullest potential we need to first understand the way natural T3 functions in the body.

Thyroid hormones are the metabolic regulators in the body. When the level of T3 is high the metabolism is speeded up. This allows calories to be burned faster and the uptake of nutrients by the body to be increased. Supplemental T3 increases your body’s energy demands and allows you to burn fat at a greatly accelerated rate. However, it should also be noted that when it comes to obtaining fuel for this increase in metabolism your body might begin to turn to muscle tissue for fuel. With this in mind, it is usually recommended that when taking thyroid medication it is best to include an anti-catabolic substance to prevent muscle loss. For competitive bodybuilders this would mean that T3 use be accompanied by the use of non-aromatizing steroids such as stanozolol (Winstrol), Trenbolone and Primobolan. Using T3 along with Clenbuterol is also a popular pre-contest stack since Clenbuterol is reputed to have a muscle sparing effect.

Another popular way of effectively using T3 supplementation is to alternate its use with Clenbuterol. This usually takes the form of a cycle involving three weeks of Clen alternated with three weeks of T3. This form of cycle takes into account the fact that Clen often loses most of its benefits after a short period of time and alternating with T3 will maintain the fat burning process at a steady rate.

WHY TIRATRICOL?

With so many synthetic thyroid preparations on the market you may be asking, “Why choose Tiratricol?”

The answer is that Tiratricol is by far the safest thyroid medication currently available. A relatively mild product, Tiratricol reaches maximum effectiveness at a daily dosage of about 1mg per 50lbs of bodyweight. It exhibits a half- life of approximately 6 hours; therefore daily dosage is best divided evenly throughout the day in order to maintain steady blood levels. In addition to this it is extremely important to point out that administration of Tiratricol will not lead to an uncontrollable increase in metabolic rate like other thyroid hormones. It will only create an increase reflecting the upper range considered normal and acceptable throughout administration. This increase is not only significant but also highly effective without creating the discomfort sometimes experienced when one uses other thyroid medications.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

As is the case with any administration of exogenous (outside the body) thyroid hormone, it is strongly advised not to quit T3 use cold turkey. Daily intake should be reduced gradually in order to allow the body to resume natural hormone production as smoothly and swiftly as possible.

Although recommendations on the length of time you can safely remain on thyroid hormone vary widely (I have seen some reports of ‘safe use’ being 9-10 months a year!). It is usually considered safe to use for 15-20 weeks as long as low doses are utilized. However, an even safer option would be to keep use to 4-6 weeks in order to avoid any negative effects on natural thyroid function.

N.B. Tiratricol is manufactured by Genesis Meds and is currently available on special offer from Maxi Medicine (www.maximedicine.com)

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag giving information on a variety of performance-enhancing drugs for educational purposes. While it is apparent that people are going to use these substances regardless of the health and legal risks involved, quality information is necessary and learning as much about them as possible can only assist an adult making a decision either way.

Winstrol is the ‘user friendly’ name given to the anabolic steroid Stanozolol. A derivative of dihydrotestosterone, Winstrol is a commonly used steroid for cutting cycles. Since it is not capable of converting into estrogen, gynecomastia is not a concern – even amongst the most sensitive individuals. It produces a lean, quality look with little or no water retention.
Winstrol is often seen as a less expensive alternative to Anavar since it produces similar gains in strength without significant weight gain.

As with most oral compounds, Winstrol carries the structural c17-AA alteration, which enables it to survive the first pass through the liver. This means that it does place a higher level of stress on the liver than the injectable form (Winstrol Depot) which avoids the first pass altogether. With this in mind, during longer or higher dose cycles, liver values should be monitored by regular blood work. It should also go without saying that if you are stacking Winstrol with other oral steroids then you should make every effort to protect your liver by limiting the cycle length to 6 to 8 weeks. Cholesterol levels should also be monitored and every effort should be made to stick to a diet that does not include cholesterol-elevating foods (e.g. fatty meats, egg yolks, full fat dairy products).

The usual dose for men is 35 – 75mg per day for the tablets and 25 – 50mg/day for the injectable version. Women usually take around 5 to 10mg/day, sometimes going up to 20mg for competitive athletes. The injectable version is not recommended for use by women.

STACKING TIPS:

For bulking purposes you may wish to add a stronger androgen like testosterone, Dianabol or Anadrol.

For cutting phases Winstrol can be combined with trenbolone or Halotestin.
Sensitive individuals would be advised to stick to Primobolan, Deca-Durabolin or Equipoise if they want to enter the stacking arena since they exhibit fewer side effects than standard androgens.

LIVER PROTECTION:

When using oral steroids it is worth considering using some form of over the counter liver protectant e.g. Silymarin (Milk Thistle) or N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC).

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

Having also studied pharmacology in relation to sports performance, her writing began taking her in that direction until the present day which sees her embarking on a return to the magazine world, as well as extending her web-related work in the bodybuilding and fitness field.

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.

Just as the ups and, mainly, downs of Wall Street seem to be forever in the news so does the use of anabolic steroids in various sports. This week saw the spotlight turning once again on the world of horse racing. On Tuesday (October 14) the New York Racing and Wagering Board let it be known that it is implementing new rules as regards the administration of anabolic steroids in the world of horse racing.

This is a follow up to the earlier revelation that the recently retired racehorse, Big Brown, was juiced on Winstrol whilst competing in the Kentucky Derby. Even though this was in fact entirely legal in terms of horseracing protocol, board chairman John D. Sabini stated in an article in the ‘Daily News’ that by imposing limits on four steroids currently used in horse racing New York would be leading the pack when it came to preserving integrity within the sport. He also made it clear that the intended message to owners and trainers was, “If you flaunt our steroid rules, you will be held accountable.”

According to the new rules, four steroids will be permitted for use by racehorses, but only one of the four may be found in the horse at any one time (therefore ‘no stacking on the track!’).

The four permitted steroids are: stanozolol (Winstrol), boldenone (Equipoise), nandrolone (Durabolin) and testosterone. The reasoning being that small concentrations of these substances would not be significant enough to affect a horse’s performance.
The rules will go into effect on January 1 2009.

CANSECO IN FERTILITY RAP!

Meanwhile on the human side of the anabolic coin, former slugger Jose Canseco was caught trying to smuggle the female fertility drug Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) across the border from Mexico last week. Canseco, who authored the 2005 book “Juiced” exposing the use of anabolics in baseball, was charged with Introduction into Interstate Commerce of a Misbranded Drug (considered a misdemeanor).

According to the report, Canseco, a female driver and the female driver’s “minor daughter” were stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents entering California at the San Ysirdo checkpoint. An inspection of their vehicle revealed six vials of HCG and 10 syringes in the armrest compartment.

Canseco was detained for nine hours by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and had to consent to a search of his Los Angeles home as a precursor to his release. No drugs were found on inspection and Canseco was released pending a court date on Nov 4.

Canseco claimed that the drug was for personal use due to the fact that previous steroid use has left his testosterone levels extremely low necessitating a hormone therapy plan.
He also said that he was in Mexico seeking “inexpensive dental implant work”..So I guess he was doing a ‘Wal-Mart’ one stop-shopping trip!

Whatever the case, the fact remains that hard-core steroid use does lead to testicular atrophy, low testosterone and sperm counts in male athletes. The drug HCG is frequently used to prevent this. You wanna know a better way of preventing this condition? Stay away from ‘roids altogether!

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

Having also studied pharmacology in relation to sports performance, her writing began taking her in that direction until the present day which sees her embarking on a return to the magazine world, as well as extending her web-related work in the bodybuilding and fitness field.

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.

By Leigh Penman

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag entitled, “This is Your Magazine”.

Leave it to New York’s ‘Daily News’ to come up with yet another juicy steroid story (no pun intended!). This time around, tired with the world of baseball, they turned to the world of horse racing. In a recent report they ‘discovered’ that drug use is rampant in horse racing in America, although England, France, all of Europe, Japan, South Africa, Dubai and Australia banned the use of steroids years ago.

The article quoted Dr. George Maylin, the Director of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board Drug Testing and Research program (now that’s a job title for you!) as saying, “ North American racing has come to realize there is a problem with drug use and they must do something about it. Anabolic steroids are just the tip of the iceberg.”

I guess this means that the $35 million a year that is spent on keeping the racing game clean is still not having the desired effect. However, Alex Waldrop, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association would beg to differ claiming, “There is testing using urine and blood and we are increasingly moving towards plasma testing. One thing we have discussed with Congress is that we believe our testing methods are superior to testing of humans.”

The difference between the use of anabolic steroids in horse racing and their use in other competitive sports is that four anabolic steroids have actually been recommended by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium to be used for therapeutic treatment on horses – boldenone, nandralone, stanozolol and testosterone. However, the fact that they are technically given the “okay” is leading to their abuse.

The steroids provide the horses with the same benefits observed in humans with increased recovery, muscle mass and aggressive behavior being observed. All useful traits when it comes to producing winning animals. However, the abuse factor comes into play when the drugs are used to keep a horse in training when it shouldn’t be due to injury. In this respect the drugs are ultimately causing premature breakdown in the animals by over extending their natural capabilities.

One trainer openly admits to giving all of his horses Winstrol on the 15th of every month, although he does qualify this statement by saying that if the authorities say he can’t use it any more he won’t (believe that at your own discretion).

There is also talk of Cobra Venom being used as a performance enhancer with one trainer already serving a one- year suspension for its use. I wonder how long it will take this substance to turn the heads of bodybuilders?!

The interesting thing about the whole article is that fact that throughout the text anabolic steroids are constantly being referred to as ‘therapeutic drugs’. This is in sharp contrast to the terms used when anabolics make their way into human sporting circles where they become ‘performance enhancing substances’ and the users are labeled ‘cheats’.

Whatever your feelings are on the subject, I guess it makes a change to see the animal kingdom under fire for drug abuse for a change. However, I don’t think we are in any danger of seeing an Olympia contest for racehorses – although with the rampant use of veterinary steroids in the bodybuilding world who knows what we may see on the stage in the future – enough said!

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.

Some people just have no shame at all. In a recent Sports Illustrated article profiling a group of ‘Where Are They Now?” athletes, the weekly magazine caught up with former Canadian Olympic track and field star Ben Johnson, who was stripped of his gold medal from the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea for testing positive for stanozolol. These days, he seems to have come to the conclusion, ‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.’

Big Ben is putting his name behind an energy drink called Cheetah, which obviously has some connotations when you hear the company’s tag line. He also has been using his skills as a trainer, with one of his clients being a dictator’s son who tested positive for steroids following a few sessions with Johnson.

In an almost comical sell-out, Johnson was quoted in ads for Cheetah Power Surge as saying, “I Cheetah all the time.” He apparently has no scruples when it comes to making money, and proved as such by signing on to train the soccer-playing son of Mu’ammar Gadhafi, the leader of Libya. Predictably, the young man earned a three-month ban from Italian soccer after flunking a steroid test.

If the aforementioned didn’t make you shake your head, then the SI piece made it certain by stating that they contacted Johnson’s agent, Morris Chrobotek, requesting an interview, only to be rebuffed with a fee request. If either Johnson or his agent feels that he deserves any kind of payment for someone – especially SI – even caring about him now, they should be the one’s forking over the money, not the other way around.

There is no person, athlete or not, who should be paid to give an interview. Regardless of their stature, they should be thankful that they are receiving press. A person like Johnson, who still claims that someone spiked his drink with stanozolol but admitted to using furazabol, should use any platform in attempting to clear his name. Being up front in a SI story could have gone a long way.

Photo credit: atrier.com