First cycle at 35, simple 500mg test for 16 weeks

Pharma
1

How’s it going lads?

I’ve been training for ~18 years, with weights and martial arts; recently earned a BJJ black belt.

I’ve been on TRT for 2 years at this point, floating between 150mg-200mg a week.

I’m pretty dialed in with my bloods, training, nutrition, etc.

Prior to TRT, I never ran anything, and after all these years, I want to finally experience what a cycle feels like.

I’m planning to run a 500mg test e cycle for 16 weeks, with a 6-week TBOL kicker, but I am concerned about potential hair-related side effects (I don’t think I am prone, as all the men in my family have hair, and both grandfathers died with full heads of hair).

I have a few questions:

What actual lean tissue gains can I expect to keep after my cycle if training, nutrition, and recovery are all dialed in?

For example, let’s say I gain 15 lbs on cycle. Clearly, a significant portion is going to be water/glycogen. What can I actually expect in terms of lean tissue developed? And what part could I keep when returning to TRT baseline?

I’ve heard reports that if you gain ~15 lbs of scale weight, you might have built 6-9lbs of tissue and retain only 3-6lbs of tissue post-cycle.

3lbs sounds really low to me.

I’m not a naturally big guy, I’m 5ft10 180lbs, ~12% BF.

My aim with this cycle is to grow to ~185 and maintain a similar BF post-cycle. Therefore 5/6lbs keepable tissue.

Cheers guys, let me know if this is in the right section!

2

I’d guess that it is impossible for you to gain 15lbs on a lean bulk. And that is the only bulk that has a chance of staying with you at your starting percent body fat. 8 to 10lbs gain? Maybe, but that depends on your genetics.

Get what you can, and you will be an additional data point.

TRT at 200mg/wk is an enhanced level of testosterone, so you have been lifting enhanced those weeks. You would then be “blasting” for 16 weeks. Something to consider…

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Cheers mate.

I’m more concerned with what’s keepable post blast, do you think it’s reasonable to say that you can keep 70-80% of what you gain during the cycle when returning to a TRT baseline?

Basically if I gain ~10lbs scale weight, do I keep 70/80% or is it more like 30/40%?

I’m curious with others experience, as if it’s more like 30-40% retained I’m not even sure if a blast is worth it….

4

I have no experience that can answer your question, but to say that you are trying to use the “tool” improperly. AAS have been “cycled” from their inception. I view cycling AAS as incremental process improvement stages. That is, you start each cycle bigger and stronger than you did the previous cycle. Each cycle builds on the cycle before. It is continuous process improvement.

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You would do well to retain 3 to 4 pounds of contractile tissue imo. In terms of hair loss, gear does not “make you” lose hair….it speeds the process up if you are prone.

What was your last blood panel like?

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