Qatar has revealed its latest plan to deal with its housing crisis for the upcoming 2022 World Cup: a 6000-cabin village in an isolated housing lot near Doha airport.

The cabins, which resemble converted shipping containers, are said to hold as many as 12,000 people if fully booked.

They are designed to fit one or two people but are rather basic in their design. They have twin beds; a nightstand; a small table and chair; a bathroom with a toilet and shower. Crucially, the only thing separating them from somewhere like Guantanamo Bay, is the inclusion of air conditioning, which should be a given considering the expected 30+ degree heat each day.

The three-square-kilometre site will also feature a makeshift restaurant and convenience store for supplies as well as access to public services such as the bus and metro. Fans can expect a 40-minute commute to stadiums from the village.

Beanbags and screens are dotted throughout the ground, with artificial green grass covering the walkways.

One of these cabins will cost World Cup goers $207 (AU $322) a night, which going purely on the standard of the room alone is pretty ludicrous in all honesty.

But according to Head of Accommodation at Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Omar Al-Jaber, that hasn’t stopped people from booking. As much as 60 percent of the cabins are already booked.

“Most of the fan[s], they prefer if it’s not a hotel, they prefer the apartment and villa,” Al-Jabar said.

Other cheaper accommodation is also available such as the fan village ‘Caravan City’, which is priced at $114 (AU $177) per night.

More expensive sites included hotels, apartments and villas and hired cruise ships.

Some fans have even been considering staying in nearby Dubai, for better accommodation, before flying in for games.

Controversial Tournament

The accommodation issue is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the 2022 World Cup, from being awarded the tournament in the first place to the human rights abuses that have occurred in the process.

The host nation knew that they would not have enough accommodation as far back as June, with Qatar proposing the football fans sleep in tents during the tournament.

It is still unclear whether alcohol will be allowed at accommodation sites, given Qatar’s strict policy in regard to drinking.

With all these points in mind, Qatar is certainly going to be a World Cup to remember, even if it’s not neccessarily for all the right reasons.

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• Socceroos World Cup Squad: Every Australian Heading To Qatar in 2022

The post World Cup Fans Should Prepare For ‘Guantanamo Style’ Hotel Conditions appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Plans have been made for the AN-225 – the world’s largest plane – to be rebuilt, after it was destroyed at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine has a beautiful and diverse landscape. It’s known for being the largest country in Europe (not including Russia) and its national dish is borscht, a well known beet soup. But what you might not have known is that, up until Russia’s invasion at the beginning of 2022, Ukraine was also home to the world’s largest plane.

The destruction of this plane, for lovers of Big Metal Things, was heartbreaking – one of those images from the start of the invasion that was blasted all around the world. Before we go any further, you might like to know the name of this jet.

This was the world’s largest aircraft, AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (‘Dream’ in Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022

It’s called the Antonov AN-225, and it was attacked at its base in Hostomel, near Kyiv in February. There are now plans to rebuild it, however, with the manufacturers now suggesting they are going to make good on their promise “the dream will never die” which they made when it was destroyed.

The manufacturers have now said that plans to rebuild the Antonov AN-225 have begun. So, how big was it exactly? The Antonov AN-225 was 84 metres long and had the longest wingspan of any operational plane. It was the heaviest aircraft ever built. Why so huge? The Antonov AN-225 was built in the 1980s to carry the Soviet space shuttle.

As CNN Travel reports, its later life was less ballroom but equally baller as it was the world’s largest cargo transporter, boasting double the hold capacity of a Boeing 747 (the large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States).

Though the company said it wasn’t able to confirm the condition of the Antonov AN-225 in February, in April, CNN reported that the nose looked to have taken “a direct artillery hit” and was “completely destroyed.”

The wings and engine had also reportedly been badly damaged, while the tail section has escaped major destruction.

This week, however, on November the 8th, the Antonov Company tweeted that the rebuild process is now underway, claiming to have 30% of the parts needed to build a new plane and saying “design work in this direction has begun.” The Antonov Company projected a bill of over €500 million (AUD $771 million) to get it fully operational again, promising more information “after the victory.”

The company told CNN via email that “the process of rebuilding ‘Mriya’ [the plane’s nickname] is considered as an international project, with the participation of aviation enterprises of different countries of the world.”

“The possibility of attracting funding from various sources is being considered and proposals from many organizations that are ready to join the project are being reviewed.”

There you have it. Good news for aviation geeks, that’s for sure.

• Here’s What The World’s Largest Aeroplane Window Looks Like
• Ukrainians Turning Russian Fighter Jet Scrap Into Luggage Tags

The post The World’s Largest Plane Destroyed By Russia Is Going To Be Rebuilt appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

007, you’ve done it again. Daniel Craig’s latest collaboration with New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi has The Internet fawning, capturing that Friday feeling and featuring Daniel Craig “as himself” oh so well.

Daniel Craig, the man who has felt so right as James Bond ever since he shot his way (with a silenced pistol) onto our screens all those years ago in Casino Royale in 2006, has just appeared in a hilarious vodka television commercial directed by Taita Waititi.

Waititi took to Instagram to share the video with his 3.1 million followers, writing: “I loved collaborating on this with my sweetheart.” The video opens with Craig staring out over a river from a bridge, wearing a white suit.

WATCH: Daniel Craig stars in hilarious vodka ad

Dramatic music plays, before a media scrum tries to get its claws into him. Craig cheekily looks at the camera, before hopping into a black limo and stepping out the other side dressed in a black leather jacket and sunnies. He dances down the road, throws the sunnies away and then jigs his way into a hotel.

He then loses the jacket, rocking a Freddy Mercury-style singlet and hip thrusts his way upstairs in an elevator, while an old couple look uncomfortable in the background. He then finds himself on the rooftop, where the playful hip thrusting continues.

He then makes his way (this time back in his room) to a mirror looking kind of safe (or maybe it’s just a cupboard), while clicking his fingers in anticipation. He then swipes the lid off a bottle of Belvedere and pours himself a drink, and says “finally,” before taking a sip.

The Internet (well, the comment section under Waititi’s video, anyway) then lost its collective mind, with the likes of Karl Urban writing “amazing” and @misstipper writing “STOP ITTTTT” and “love this for your sweetheart.”

Actor/wrestler David Bautista, for his part, wrote, “Fucking amazing!” while another witty Instagram commenter quipped: “So the vodka turns the English spy into a Russian brawler. Actually… this happened to me on vodka.”

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The post Daniel Craig Impregnates The Internet With Bootylicious Taika Waititi Directed TV Commercial appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The following article was produced in partnership with Bushmills.

If there’s one thing Australians love during summer, it’s a refreshing cocktail to sip on when lounging in the sun or hosting a group of friends for a garden party. Something else Australians have taken a fancy to in recent years, too, is Irish whiskey. So you can be assured that when the two meet in the middle, the result is something you’re going to wonder how you did without. 

Yes, just in time for Australian summer, Bushmills Irish Whiskey has created, using their 10 Year Old single malt, some of the most delicious cocktails you will ever have the pleasure of tasting. In fact, we can say this with confidence as Bushmills served them up during the recent DMARGE House event – of which Bushmills was the official spirits partner – and they went down a treat.

So, what is Bushmills 10 Year Old and what makes it the perfect spirit base for summer-approved cocktails? Well, this single malt is rich, complex, buttery smooth and highly versatile, it often gets called ‘liquid gold’ and we think that’s a very apt characterisation. It has been triple-distilled from 100% malted barley and matured for a minimum of 10 years in former Oloroso Sherry and bourbon-seasoned casks. This gives Bushmills 10 Year Old aromas of honey, vanilla and milk chocolate, and tasting notes of spiced honey, sweet toffee and zesty fruit flavours. 

In essence, 10 Year Old is a whiskey for everyone, no matter if you’re an aficionado or a complete novice. 

So, how do you use it in a cocktail? Bushmills has curated a selection that takes full advantage of the mixture of sweet and fruity flavours, which we guarantee will make you the star of the show at your next garden party.

Yuzu & Ginger Highball

Refreshing yuzu meets the sharpness of ginger, all reinforced by the buttery smooth flavours of Bushmills 10 Year Old in what is going to be a daytime favourite cocktail. 

Ingredients

• 45ml Bushmills 10 Year
• 15ml Monin Yuzu Puree
• 15ml Fresh Lime Juice
• 10-15ml Simple Syrup
• 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
• 100ml Strangelove Hot Ginger Beer or CAPI Spicy Ginger Beer with Ginger & Chilli To Finish

Method

A built drink, pour all ingredients into a highball glass filled with ice and top up with ginger beer. Garnish with a mint sprig and Candied Ginger Cube on a toothpick. 

Irish Cherry Negroni

A Negroni is a classic cocktail if ever there was one, but we think Bushmills has made it even better with their Irish twist. 

Ingredients

• 30ml Bushmills 10 Year
• 30ml Bitter Italian Liqueur 
• 15ml Antica Formula
• 15ml Cherry Heering

Method

• Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass
• Add ice and stir until cold
• Pour into a rocks glass over a large ice cube
• Garnish with lemon zest

These cocktails will tantalise your tastebuds and are sure to be a hit with friends this summer. And if you’re looking for a coffee inspired morning cocktail, look no further than the Bushmills Coconut Latte. 

Bushmills Coconut Latte

Combining the caffeine hit of cold drip coffee with the nutritious value of coconut water, all brought together by the smooth taste of Bushmills Black Bush. Bushmills Black Bush is one of the distillery’s hero products, and it too is finished in Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon Casks, but is aged for 8 years instead. 

Ingredients

• 30ml Bushmills Black Bush
• 15ml VOK White Crème de Cacao
• 30ml Cold Drip Coffee
• 120ml H2 Coco 100% Coconut Water
• 50ml Coconut Cream Mix (equal parts coconut cream, thickened cream, condensed milk, simple syrup)

Method

• Pour all ingredients into highball glass over ice
• Pour coconut cream mix on top

Get your hands on a bottle of Bushmills 10 Year Old from Dan Murphy’s stores and online nationwide

The post Bushmills’ 10 Year Old Whiskey Makes The Perfect Summer Cocktail Solution appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Mercedes Formula One team will still be keeping the stickers of one of their main sponsors ‘FTX’ for the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix, despite the cryptocurrency company nearly collapsing.

FTX, the world’s largest crypto exchange (although it remains unclear for how much longer that will remain the case), crashed this week after a huge surge of withdrawals from users. An estimated £5.1 billion (AU $9 billion) is believed to have been withdrawn in a period of only three days.

That said, currently FTX logos are displayed on the nose, cockpit and rear wing of Mercedes’ F1 car, after Mercedes signed a “long-term relationship” with the crypto exchange back in September.

According to Reuters, a Mercedes team spokesmen revealed that Mercedes were evaluating the situation and for the time being, FTX would still be displayed on the cars of Sir Lewis Hamilton and team-mate George Russell.

However, early images captured on Thursday show that the FTX logo appears to be missing from the nose of one of the Mercedes cars in Brazil.

More images from the practice sessions at the Interlagos Circuit today will give us a better indication.

How Did FTX Crash?

The collapse of FTX came after news came to light that Founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was holding billions of FTX’s own cryptocurrency, FTT, in his crypto hedge fund Alameda Research.

These are meant to be separate businesses, as a fall in FTT value could severely affect both companies – which, low and behold, played out as expected. The close financial ties between FTX and Alameda Research scared investors.

FTX’s rival exchange, and Alpine sponsor, Binance announced on 6 November that they would be selling its FTT tokens, estimated to be worth $500 million (AU $758 million), “due to recent revelations.”  

RELATED: Binance Review Australia 2022

This was the main cause of the bank-run-style withdrawing from FTX users.

In a shock move, Binance were later expected to bail out the plummeting crypto company, but pulled out of the deal after only 24 hours, with Chief Executive Chanpeng Zhou stating:

“The issues are beyond our control or ability to help.”

Other F1 crypto sponsors in danger?

The collapse of FTX has triggered a cryptocurrency meltdown, pushing Bitcoin to its lowest price since the onset of the pandemic. In numerical terms, Bitcoin traded below $16,000 (AU $24,000), when less than a year ago it was valued at close to $70,000 (AU $106,000).

But this could send reverberations amongst the other crypto sponsors of Formula One; currently eight teams don a crypto-branded livery.

Twitter user Formula Netflix analysed all of the crypto sponsors in Formula 1 and how much they have dropped off the last year.

They point out that if you invested 10€ (AU $15.40) in ‘Velas’ tokens when their partnership with Scuderia Ferrari was announced, you would have 0.50€ (AU $0.80) today.

Other crypto sponsors such as AlphaTauri’s ‘Fantom’ have lost 95% of their value in the last year.

With the recent dramatic drop in the cryptocurrency market, the final race of the Formula One calendar in Abu Dhabi may be the last we see of many of the crypto sponsors which, only a short while ago, took over the sport.

• Australia Can Become Silicon Valley Of Crypto, According To BTC Markets CEO
• Daniel Ricciardo’s Mental Health Admission Is A Lesson For Australian Blokes

The post Formula 1’s Top Team Hit By FTX Crypto Collapse appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Valtteri Bottas, the Finnish Formula One driver currently racing for Alfa Romeo, has just won (in our view) Movember, debuting a moustache that Tom Selleck would be proud of ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The first sight we caught of Valtteri’s new look was on Daniel Ricciardo’s new side-project account, daniel3.jpg. The Australian Formula 1 driver only recently started the account, taking cues from his teammate Lando Norris. Daniel even says in the bio, “Thank lando.jpg for this one he’s such a trendsetter.”

In Daniel’s latest album, captioned “Fan boying,” the first image is of an unrecognisable Bottas. The only thing really giving away that it is indeed him, is the Alfa Romeo polo shirt and cap he’s wearing, and the fact Ricciardo has tagged him in the picture (although, Ricciardo has also tagged the likes of Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp in other images, when they’re just of his mates.

But, confirming it is indeed the former Mercedes driver, Valtteri himself took to his own Instagram to show off his new look – to be honest, we’d forgotten he’d even been rocking a beard for some time. We always see him a clean-faced, minimalistic Scandinavian – and asks us all “do you even Movember?”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Valtteri Bottas (@valtteribottas)

The comments section of Bottas’ post has been going off with praise for the new look, with many comparing him to Formula 1 legend Nigel Mansell – “Valtteri Manell” – or everyone’s favourite Italian plumber, Mario, “Mario Bottas.”

There are, perhaps unsurprisingly, several other comments suggesting Bottas wouldn’t look out of place on a 70’s porn set and to be honest, we can’t really disagree.

Movember is a men’s health charity that, every November, asks men to grow a moustache in support of mental health issues. They say, “Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research and transforming the way health services reach and support men.”

Clearly, Valtteri wanted to throw his full support behind the movement, as it’s not just the hair on his upper lip that he’s grown out. He also appears to be rocking a complete head of hair. Compare this to his driver profile picture on Formula1.com and we’re starting to wonder if he made a quick detour to Turkey before arriving in Brazil.

RELATED: Ultimate Guide To Hair Transplants For Men To Look Younger For Longer

Bottas will be taking to the track at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Brazil this coming weekend, November 11th – 13th (12th – 14th in Australia).

• How To Watch F1 In Australia: Race, Qualifying, Practice Session & More
• Finnish Formula One Legend Shares ‘Viking’ Secret Behind Succeeding In Life

The post Valtteri Bottas Looks Almost Unrecognisable With Selleck-Esque Moustache appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

One of the greatest strikers of his generation Luis Suarez could be donning Melbourne Victory colours this year, in what would be the biggest shock move of the A-League season (if it occurred).

The Uruguayan forward, who is now a free agent after winning the Uruguyan Primiera División with boyhood club Nacional, is attracting interest from clubs all across the world. He is set to run out for what could be his last World Cup in the classic Uruguayan sky blue this month, before looking for a new club.

But, there is a chance he could be swayed by Melbourne Victory striker and close friend Bruno Fornaroli.

Fornaroli and Suarez played together from the age of 12 at the Nacional academy, having met each other on bus on the way to play for the club.

They remain close friends and Fornaroli could be the deciding factor in whether Suarez chooses to bring his talents down under (that’s what many are hoping after one or Fornaroli’s recent comments, anyway).

When asked about the potential move, Bruno Fornaroli, who was born in Uruguay but plays for the Australian national football team, kept his cards pretty close to his chest.

He said, “I don’t know, maybe if the coach called me and said, “Yeah talk to him” then I could maybe do that.”

“I know he’s very focused about the World Cup,” he continued, “and of course he will take the best decision for him and his family.”

Melbourne was recently voted the tenth most liveable city in the entire world if that helps Suarez make his decision!

If the ex-Barcelona striker was to join Melbourne Victory, Fornaroli is confident that he would give the team his absolute all.

“He’s a very passionate player, he’s a winner and you know if he moved here, he would want to play,” Fornaroli said.

“He understands the situation every time and it will be great to see Luis in Australia.”

Fornaroli scored a penalty in his Melbourne Victory debut, in last Friday’s 4-0 win against Newcastle. He recently left previous team Perth Glory, after reportedly refusing to come off the bench.

However, the forward assured media that if Luis Suarez were to sign for his new club, he would be willing to give up a starting spot.

“Look it’s for the team,” he said, “and at the end of the day you have to do everything for the team.”

I think we speak for all Australian soccer fans, when we say to Fornaroli needs to get his sales pitch prepped so that Suarez can finally put the A-League on the map.

• Who Are The Socceroos Playing In The 2022 FIFA World Cup?
• 15 Cool Soccer Jerseys To Suit Every Hooligan In 2022

The post Bitey Barcelona Legend Luis Suarez May Be Coming To The A-League appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Smartwatches as we know them, have only really been a thing since the arrival of the Apple Watch. Since then, we’ve become accustomed to wearing our phone our wrist, being able to view messages, make and receive calls and gain access to a plethora of apps all promising to make our lives that little bit more convenient.

But how much of all that extra gumpf is actually essential? In my opinion, not much.

Which is why, for me, the Withings ScanWatch Horizon is the only smartwatch I’d wear. Let me explain why.

It looks like a regular watch

To be honest, this is perhaps the biggest draw for me. I like wearing conventional watches and can usually be found with a Seiko on my wrist. The look of them, feel of them and heritage of a conventional watch is something I’ve found myself to have fallen in love with.

I have previously owned an Apple Watch (the Series 3 way back when) and sure, I liked it. But now, having grown up, I no longer want to have a fully digital display on my wrist. It’s just not for me. But with the Withings ScanWatch Horizon, you get what the company calls a ‘hybrid design’, i.e. one that cleverly combines the best of analogue and digital, into one rather attractive final product.

Withings has long been championing the hybrid design. Take a loot at the company’s other models and you’ll immediately see there’s no digital display presented front and centre in sight. Instead, the company pieces together a traditional watch face with a smaller digital display where you would normally find a seconds counter or chronometer.

You can find a similar effect on something like a TAG Heuer Connected, but ultimately, the ‘analogue’ watch face is all digital, and is just displayed on a screen.

I do find the company’s previous models attractive, but the latest ScanWatch Horizon, for my money, is their best yet. From a distance, I honestly don’t believe anybody would be able to tell that this isn’t a watch that can’t have its ancestry traced back to the likes of Switzerland or Japan, it’s that convincing. This alone accounts for at least 50 percent of my reasoning for only wanting to wear the Withings if I want to go down the smartwatch route.

It does everything you need

Steps? Yes. Heart rate? You betcha. GPS data from workouts? Absolutely.

And, for those who use third-party apps during their workouts, such as Strava, MyFitnessPal or RunKeeper, you can sync any captured workout data from the Withings ScanWatch Horizon to these, so any friends you may have on those apps can still view your progress.

Depending on which operating system your phone has – iOS or Android – you can also export data to your phone’s default health app, too.

The Withings ScanWatch Horizon doesn’t support apps that many smartwatch owners have likely become accustomed to, such as guided meditations or doubling up as your own personal trainer. But, as my colleague Jamie recently said in an article where he traded his mechanical watch for a smartwatch, a mechanical can be just as, if not more, beneficial for one’s health.

He admitted that a smartwatch will undoubtedly be more accurate than a mechanical. In the case of Withings, because it uses your phone’s time to set its hands, this immediately makes it more accurate than a mechanical watch, too. He also said that the constant buzzing of notifications was a turn off, and the more silent nature of a mechanical watch is actually more soothing and calming compared to anything the mental health apps could provide.

A negative for him of using a smartwatch, is that he couldn’t subtly look at the time, instead having to raise his wrist to his face to force the screen to light up. Again, not a problem for the Withings ScanWatch Horizon, because the analogue hands are there for you to quickly glance at.

I honestly cannot see a reason why you wouldn’t want to get one too.

Notifications are clear

The small digital display at 12 o’clock will notify you of any incoming messages, calls, emails or other app notifications (you can choose which apps you want to be notified from within the companion HealthMate app). I chose to have iMessages, Instagram and WhatsApp messages to be connected, and whenever a new message did come through, it was clear to read thanks to the scrolling text, which moved along at a moderate pace.

There are two colours to choose from

I think green is best. The other is blue.

RELATED: Green Dials Are The Next Big Thing In Watches

It can track your swims

Thanks to 10 ATM/100m water resistance.

The battery lasts longer than most others

Up to 30 days in between charges? That’s much more appealing than the regular overnight charges my Apple Watch used to require.

It will tell you how well (or not so well) you slept

Using various data points to determine what stage of sleep you’re in during the night, Withings will return a Sleep Score when you wake up. To be honest, I didn’t use this feature too much, more so because I just didn’t quite like the feel of the watch on my wrist when going to sleep at night.

While I didn’t try it out with the included and more lightweight sports band, I have no doubt this would provide a more comfortable night’s sleep.

A whole world of customisation

You can’t modify the Withings ScanWatch Horizon in the same way you can a Seiko 5 or SKX, for example, but Withings not only includes a Fluoroelastomer Sport Band in the box (and a link remover tool, which is incredibly handy), but you can select and buy from a huge range of additional straps including leather and recycled woven PET.

A couple of niggles

I think it’s fair to say that no product can truly be called perfect. And in the case of the ScanWatch Horizon, there were a couple of things I found to be a tiny bit annoying. Firstly, the included USB charger, which is a familiar-looking puck shape, doesn’t magnetically connect to the rear of the watch quite as strongly as I would have hoped.

If you leave it on your desk, or side table and don’t touch it, then it’s fine. But I did find it can become disconnected pretty easily.

I would also have liked the option of setting a seconds counter style wallpaper in the digital display. You can set the display to show the time when you raise your wrist, but if your wrist is down and you don’t have notifications coming in, the display is left blank. I feel like this could be a slightly missed opportunity by Withings, as the whole point of the watch is to imitate a traditional time teller.

Withings ScanWatch Horizon Specs

Read Next

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The post Withings ScanWatch Horizon Review: The Only Smartwatch I’ll Ever Wear appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have been the fitness industry’s best kept secret for decades. But for all the speculation as to who might or might not be taking them, what is it actually like to stop using them?

We’re not referring to the mass monsters of professional bodybuilding here either. There are in fact countless ‘regular’ gym bros use PEDs on a daily basis.

According to GP Dr Beng Eu, who specialises in non-prescribed steroid use, between 100,000-150,000 people in Australia use anabolic steroids, many of whom are not professional bodybuilders. Many PED-users feel obliged to keep their steroid use a secret, through fear of being stigmatised.

But in recent years, there seems to have been a shift away from the stigma surrounding steroid usage. Fitness influencers, athletes and YouTubers, have all started to open up about their experiences with PEDs, in order to shine a light on the fitness industry and educate young gym goers on their effects. The majority of which are negative.

One such individual is Australian personal trainer, fitness influencer and Myprotein Ambassador and Transformation Coach, Joshua Williams.

Joshua became a national champion in amateur bodybuilding after taking PEDs, but his mental and physical health suffered dramatically as a result.

He shared his story with DMARGE, from his decision to start taking steroids, to the problematic experiences which led him to stop.

The decision to start

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joshua Antonio Williams (@joshwilliams)

Like many young individuals who lift weights, Joshua started using steroids when he began competing in amateur bodybuilding competitions.

A friend of his initially floated the idea of taking steroids, so that he would have a chance to win a competition.

“Almost everyone was taking gear, otherwise you had no chance,” he said. “It was either do it naturally and get annihilated on stage or do what everyone else was doing and have a chance placing.”

The results were immediate in the gym. Performance-enhancing drugs often help to build muscle, burn fat and boost endurance; in Joshua’s words, “The pumps and performance were insane.”

But, like many other anabolic steroid users, he started to experience a long list of the common side-effects, which took a mental and physical toll on his body. His symptoms included mood swings, aggression, bad skin, depression, hair loss and testicular atrophy, amongst others.

Eventually, enough was enough, and once he stopped competing in amateur bodybuilding competitions, he decided to cut out the juice altogether.

“My physical and mental health had suffered enough,” he revealed.

Coming off steroids

Although the side-effects he experienced while taking steroids began to subside, his performance at the gym suffered as a result of getting natural.

“Training was just not the same,” he said, “You immediately start losing muscle and strength.”

This proved to be highly demoralising for Joshua, who described coming off PEDs as “training for 12 months and getting weaker instead of stronger.”

“There’s nothing more discouraging and [it] is a big reason why I advise against anyone ever taking them.”

Joshua Williams

Getting back to fitness

But thankfully, the ‘comedown’ effects of taking steroids did not last forever for Mr Williams. After, training rigorously for almost a year, he started to regain his strength.

He admitted, “I just realised that being naturally strong was absolutely achievable, but the time it takes is just much longer.”

Indeed, you’re going to suddenly wake up with a six-pack and bulging biceps the morning after an intense workout. But if you follow a solid training plan – Josh has previously told DMARGE his best methods for structuring a workout – and eat the right foods, you will make slow but steady progress.

His experiences are ones he does not wish upon anyone else who finds themselves in a similar position.

“I would highly advise against it. You’re risking your physical and mental wellbeing for gains that disappear the second you stop taking them.”

Joshua Williams

“If I could go back, I would tell my younger self that the only person you need to compete against is yourself, and you don’t need PEDs to do so.”

He pins why so many gym goers – especially young men – fall prey to the ‘quick route’ of taking anabolic steroids on a warped perception of time.

“Young men between 18-22 think 2-3 years is a lifetime of commitment. In reality it’s a drop in the bucket compared to your entire lifespan.”

But, despite his problematic experience, Joshua is someone who does not live with regret. He cited becoming an amateur bodybuilding national champion as one of his greatest achievements, despite what it took him to get there.

It is people like Joshua, and other influencers such as Joe Lindner, who are helping to create an open dialogue around PED-usage in the fitness industry. Steroids can elevate your performance in the gym, but ultimately your physical and mental health is almost guaranteed to suffer as a result in the long term.

For young men who are thinking of hopping on the juice, if Joshua’s experience is anything to go by, it will undoubtedly come at a price.

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The post ‘Nothing More Discouraging’, Fitness Expert’s Harsh Reminder Of Steroid Use appeared first on DMARGE Australia.