Fitness influencer Jo Linder well known as ‘Joesthetics,’ achieved fame with a shredded physique he sports year-round. In a recent episode of Bradley Martyn‘s Raw Talk, Linder reflected on his arrival to America for the first time, insulin, and his craziest steroid cycles.
In fitness and bodybuilding, performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have influenced athletes’ physiques for decades. Despite their taboo nature, their use, abuse, and mismanagement have become rather interesting talking points online.
Bodybuilders often use PEDs to enhance their already muscle-bound physiques. And the same goes for fitness influencers like Jo Linder, however, some members of these communities claim they have built their physiques through natural means, with hard work, nutrition, and discipline.
Popular names like Mike O’Hearn, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Chirs Hemsworth come to mind. Even though fans have no concrete evidence they use such drugs, many in the community are convinced, including Joe Rogan. He’s taken to multiple Joe Rogan Experience podcasts to urge many of these superstars to come clean.
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As for Jo Linder, he takes a more transparent approach regarding PEDs. He is open to talking about his use and even discussed past cycles in the company of respected powerlifting phenom Larry Wheels. This time, he sat down with Martyn and offered him a behind-the-scenes look at building a next-level physique. They also discussed Jo’s arrival in the U.S. and his reaction to the American culture.
Jo Linder and Bradley Martyn Discuss Life in the U.S. + Substance Abuse & Legality
Splitting up his time in Dubai and Thailand, this is Jo Linder’s first trip to Northern America. He was pleasantly surprised by the availability and accessibility of marijuana.
“First time for me in the U.S. I just realized that you know here also weed is legal. So I used that to be able to sleep. It helps me big time. In Thailand, they just recently started to legalize weed, kind of. They’ve been the first Asian country to make it medically prescribed. I actually had a medical prescription license already since a while over there.”
“I never admitted to this ever, I never have said this before that I smoke weed bro, no. Never said it ever anywhere that I would smoke,” Jo Linder said. “Mostly sleep or also when you answer DMs and comments and stuff and you’re just in the zone and I’m so calm bro. Otherwise, I get too high-tempered online right, they say some stupid shit and you just be quiet. It’s easy to react.”
Note: Fitness Volt does not condone and/or recommend the use of recreational or performance-enhancing drugs. This article reports on information relayed by the athlete or subject. FitnessVolt is not a medical resource and the content provided to you is for informational purposes only.
Jo Linder Discusses ‘Craziest Cycle’ & Shares Insulin Health Scare: “Don’t Do It”
Before delving into details about his most intense cycle ever, Jo Linder explained why he’s afraid of diuretics. He said they dry out the body before contests after it’s already in a vulnerable state of dehydration.
“Let’s be honest, the heart is also a muscle and that’s my biggest concern. What if I have such a bad cramp that my heart gets a cramp,” said Linder. “That makes me scared. That’s why I’m also staying away from a bit of bodybuilding competitions too much because I would take all these diuretics.
If I just stopped eating salt and drink a lot, and stop drinking as well, and you pee everything out, and you take a diuretic on top, and then you pee even more so, I cannot exist kind of [when I do that] I cannot walk. That’s what’s been scary. Oh yeah, you have this already and you dehydrate yourself more, maybe your heart will give up at one point,” said Jo Linder.
Linder said he’s experienced with high doses but never went over 600 milligrams of any compound except testosterone. According to Jo, his craziest cycle of all time was 100 milligrams of Primobolan daily, 100 milligrams of Trenbolone daily, and testosterone.
“To be honest, I’ve done all kinds of crazy shit in the past. I’ve tried different dosages, the highest kind of test that I ever ran was 750, 750 and then like, never, I never used a single compound more than 600 milligrams except the 750 milligrams of test.”
“The craziest cycle I’ve probably did this stupid coach back in the day put me on 100 milligrams of prop, and 100 milligrams of tren every day. It was like 700 and 700, that was a sick cycle right there. I was 105 kg at the start of the diet, it went down to 102 just 3kg, then I didn’t even need to do cardio I was just the guy who was getting more saucy more ripped, weight stays the same, and just getting more lean and dry by the day.”
Since Jo adheres to a diet almost year-round, it was very difficult for him to use Insulin effectively in prep. He added that he suffered from a few ‘close calls’ with his health.
“I tried also, people would tell you growth is so good, so good man, obviously I need to try it right? I tried a few times with insulin but as you know, I’m low body fat and I diet almost always, and insulin, if you eat a lot it’s maybe okay, but for me, if I try to do it, let’s say I take 5 IUs pre-workout and I try to do here with a sugar drink, then you do too many sets, then you forget to drink your intra workout, and you’re just dripping. Really man, close calls man, close calls man, don’t do it,” Jo Linder said.
For his last Men’s Physique contest a few months ago, Linder shared that he used 75 milligrams of Tren, 250 milligrams of test, and 100 milligrams of Primobolan.
“I personally, I really experienced it again now in March. I did another show, I tried to get a pro card and I used a bit of tren. I also did not mention this before. Just 75 milligrams of tren, no per week. On top of 250 test, so I did 250 test, I did 75 tren, and 100 primo also. I like primo a lot. Minimum effective dose I always believe is the best. For example, there’s kids just starting to work out and they are taking two CCs of test per week.”
With the sport of bodybuilding growing, conversations about PEDs have become common. In fact, Arnold Schwarzenegger recently unveiled the two-compound cycle he used to sustain himself as a dominant seven-time Mr. Olympia.
In an age where content is king, some worry that steroids and social media make for a dangerous combination. As for Jo Linder, he hopes to encourage young people to realize that the “minimum effective dose is always the best” should they choose to go down the route of enhancements.