Given what you’re taking that seems to be a reasonable number.
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Update: Just started week 9. Starting weight 210, currently 236. Strength gains have come on nicely. Crazy to think I have another 4 weeks left this cycle and have already reached expected results strength and weight goals before PCT.
As good as the cycle has been thus far, I am currently having a lot of pain in the shoulders. Feels like joint pain more than muscle pain. Hurts to stretch. Even light loads quickly cause irritation in the shoulders. I’ve done basic shoulder cuff exercises all cycle so not sure if I’ve managed to over train somehow? (Im doing Push / Pull / Legs /rest and repeat). Also thought that it could be my AI crashing my E. I’m using letrozole but the pain is only in shoulders. Additionally I have used the letro very sparringly. I haven’t taken more than a qtr tab every other week. So not sure whats going on. Could it just be growing pains? Any thoughts and help appreciated. I’m making week 9 a light weight and cardio deload week lol.
Also sometimes my chest and shoulder muslces contract randomly. Similar to the way a muscle contracts during a cramp. This is not painful as it doesn’t contract hard, just a random light squeeze sometimes when I move the muscle or another example is if I hold my arms above my head for 10 seconds then put them down, they will contract and hold for a second then relax. Thoughts on this? I started drinking tons of water when this started happening frequently but that did nothing lol
How’s your sodium intake?
Increase your mag and zinc. Don’t buy the cheap mag oxide crap.
Everything you do for upper body uses your shoulders.
Stay away from any exersizes that migh give you an impingement.
Give you shoulder more rest time. If they are hurting after warmup you are close to an injury.
Rest 48 hour minimum.
Change up your schedule do abs glutes then next day do legs.
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I think it’s okay, I certainly don’t avoid it or anything
Did you decide to start taking the HCG? How has that been? Were you experiencing any symptoms that warranted taking HCG?
I’ve noticed some testicular shrinkage, nothing major, but I was always going to start taking it @ 500iu a week pinned sub Q twice a week along side my test E. Plan to do this week 9 through week 12, then stopping so I can start proper PCT week 14. Actually was going to run HCG all cycle but was convinced to use it later in cycle by someone’s post and article earlier in this thread.
Granted I’m operating under the assumption that my past 8 weeks of test usage has stopped or at least slowed my natural test production and assuming HCG will get it closer to normal within the 4 to 5 weeks prior to PCT. If you or anyone thinks I shouldn’t be using it at all let me know. So far it’s been okay. Hard to tell if any changes but it’s only been 5 or 6 days now
I start week 12 and my final week of test e @ 500 mg per week tomorrow. I started using HCG week 9 and have been using 250 iu twice a week for 3 weeks now. In about that time my weight has dropped from 240lbs to 230lbs. I’m eating the same or more than I was before and still losing weight. (4000-4500 cals) I’m hoping it’s just water weight, but I’m not sure if HCG reduces water weight in any way. I know the HCG diet is total crap but does HCG make you lose weight? I was really hoping to gain 30lbs by the start of PCT then keep 15 to 20lbs through PCT if I could, but the current state of it I’ll be up about 20lbs after 12 weeks and then possibly lose more in PCT. Also wanted to mention I’m not losing strength. Staying the same or gaining still on some lifts. I also appear leaner in the mirror and measured myself and I’m still the same size. (Granted 10lbs may not be noticeable enough) So I’m not sure what is going on. Any help is appreciated. Does HCG take water weight?
HCG raises E2 and high E2 usually means water weight. I guage my water weight by the depth of my abs and if my cheeks get fat like I have swollen glands. As for muscle gains or losses I use a tape measure on my bicep. Is it bigger or smaller? There is so little fat there water does not effect the measurement. It would if you are tub of lard.
Yeah, biceps are slightly up from 3 weeks ago, everything else (chest, shoulders, calves, thigh) is the same or slightly larger as well.
Update: Ending week 13, PCT will start in 3 days.
Starting Physique
Weight 210 lbs @ 13 - 14% body fat
Neck - 16.25. (Inches)
Bicep L&R - 15.75
Shoulder - 49.75
Chest - 42.25
Waist - 33.75
Quad - 25.25
Calf - 15.25
Ending Physique
Weight 240 lbs @ 15 - 16% body fat
Neck - 17.5 (Inches)
Bicep - 17
Shoulder - 52.75
Chest - 44.75
Waist - 37
Quad - 26.25
Calf - 16
Starting Strength
Current Strength
Max Squat 445, Max Deadlift 430, Max Bench 345
Hoping to keep as much as I can through PCT and beyond.
awesome man looks like you met your goals! I like to pin the glutes i use 18g to draw and 22g for pin. iv never done the quads sounds painful lol
Haha, not going to lie the quads were brutal at first, but a lot of it was the gear I was using initially. About week 5 or 6 I got the supplier to send another batch and it was way smoother. Also tried cutting the gear with grapeseed oil and that helped a lot.
I expected to get weaker in PCT but it’s the 1st day of week 14 after a 12 week cycle and already feeling weaker. Didn’t expect it to be that quick. Hoping this is normal…? Also should I stay with 4500 calorie diet all through PCT or am I okay to scale back to my normal lean bulk calories at 3250?
I would suggest running maintenance cal.
And yes life might suck. Your manhood is being stripped from you
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Hahaha, f that I’m going to forcibly will my manhood to stay right where it belongs 
. Maintenance calories it is then.
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Update: I’m on week 3 of PCT with only 1 week left. For all of PCT I changed my workout to Lower/Upper split and have been training 5 sets of 3-4 reps. (Lower days Monday/Thursday vs Upper days Tuesday/Friday with rest day Wednesday and off on weekends)
This is much less volume than what I was doing on cycle but I was told to strength train in PCT to maintain the mass put on during cycle. I’ve dropped my calories to 3250 a day. Though some days I go over ad get closer to 3600. Results thus far are I’m measuring a little bit smaller. My weight has dropped from 240 week 12 to 229 week 16. Honestly was hoping to be 230 at end of week 4 but we’ll see. Strength wise I have stayed the same or gotten stronger on all my lifts.
A little surprised that I’m not weaker but a little bummed that I’m smaller. I want to say it’s fat or water but hard to tell. Finally am I good to go into a full on cut immediately after PCT is done? Or do I need to wait longer so I don’t lose everything from On cycle?
before & after pics?