Total noob to this website just made my account yesterday but i needed some clarification on a few things.
I’m wanting to try my first cycle and was looking for some advice from some of the older heads on here.
My Stats are
12% Bodyfat
5’10
172lbs
i’ve been lifting for the last 4 years and have been calculating my macros for the last year with a full set diet in place.
For my cycle my goal is to run test E by itself for 10 weeks
weeks 1-10 run test 250mg every t/th
weeks 10-12 run hcg (not quite sure on the dosage and i see people say it’s better to run during the cycle? help needed on that)
weeks 12-15 run a pct of novaldex 40/40/20/20mg every day.
Like i said any advice would be amazing! i would also be purchasing adex in case puffy nipples started to occur on cycle and use the adex accordingly. i wanna keep the cycle simple but also do something that works. Being safe and effective is the goal.
Seems like you’ve been reading and following proper protocol. Kudos to you. Your plan is simple but effective and a wise first go. An example of HCG use is 400iu 2x per week. TRT guys typically run 800-1000iu per week for fertility and preventing testicular atrophy. I think your plan is fine. Did you take labs prior to starting? Best of luck with your cycle.
ok so 400iu 2x a week sounds pretty simple. should i be pinning that on the same days i pin the test or should it be like a tuesday/friday thing? anyway thanks for the help so far
Doesn’t really matter when you pin for your use and purposes IMO. I would get FT, TT, E2, FSH, LH, and SHBG tested before starting. You only get one shot to know your baseline bloods and if you recover when done.
i agree with u. i was hoping test would assist me in eating a surplus of calories while also keeping my fat in check. maybe i will wait a few months when i gain another 10-15 pounds before starting than run the cycle?
If you can gain 15 lbs of muscle in a few months naturally I’d like to purchase 15ml of your blood. In all seriousness though the most important thing you need to do is get your blood tested before you start as @blshaw said. You will regret the shit out of not doing that. If you don’t want to use a doctor go to discountlabs website and do it there. It’s not expensive.
haha i will for sure be getting my labs done before the cycle starts. i want to start making some serious gains and i feel test will be perfect to help me get there
HCG should be from week 1 to the end. The point is to prevent your testicles from atrophying from a lack of LH signal during the cycle. This also makes recovery much faster because your testicles will not have shrunk and will be sensitive to your own LH from the SERM use.
I didn’t start lifting until I was 3 years older than you and weigh more than you at a 4" height deficit.
It’s your choice to make but I’ll echo the idea that you have a ton of natural potential left especially while your test is at a high level due to your age.
ok. i will probably stay natural for a little longer than, i was hoping to be able to get a boost in my bodybuilding career a little bit. i was just hopping i could do it and be safe but if u feel natural route is best i will stick to it
I think continuing to learn how to program and progress as a natty will pay dividends in the long run when you do decide to cycle. If you cycle now and plateau the answer to keep progressing might be “more drugs” rather than “better programming/effort/diet.”
I’ve been lifting for 6 years and I’m continually learning and improving. I’m planning to cycle in 5-10 years. Still making progress as a natty nearly a decade older than you.
I don’t see the need to rush into PEDs when still making progress as a natural. Everyone has a different opinion on the matter and different goals but I just wanted to explain my reasoning to see if it resonates with you.