So I thought I would make a post for beginners from a beginner. I think that a lot of experienced users forget that a lot of people use these forums as a base for starting their journey. As I’m halfway through my cycle, I’m still able to make some adjustments. My goal is for a new user to receive feedback from another new user (me) based on some of the follies I’ve made.
About me:
Age - 30
Height - 6’1
Weight - 215
Background - Military, weight training for 10 years. No sports in high school.
Cycle - Halfway through a cycle of 500 mg Test/week, 400mg EQ/week, .25mg Anastrozol/day.
Goals: Strength primary, size secondary.
Steroid research/consideration: About 6 months of actually reading forums, reviewing information, but have considered pinning for about two years.
Number 1: Know what your goals are. Before you even really consider using a steroid, find out what you want. Do you want to get huge? Do you just want strength (if so, what kind; explosiveness or endurance)? Do you want to taper down? This is something that I personally have bounced back and forth between. Some days, I’d love to have trouble fitting through a door without turning sideways.
Other days, I curse companies who make jeans for people who look emaciated. Something like this is kind of the start of long term planning. You are less likely to make progress if one cycle you want to get big, and the next you want to lose it all. This leads me to my next part.
Number 2: Expect to do more than one cycle. To be honest, I think this really depends on what your goals are. I imagine some people are content to gain 20-30 pounds off of one cycle, just to get that edge or hit a new PR. But I think for most, you should plan to have multiple cycles to achieve your goals. I have yet to â??blow upâ?? overnight. Speaking of whichâ?¦
Number 3: Check your diet. This should be a no brainer, but itâ??s something that snuck up on me. Depending on your goals, thereâ??s a good chance that youâ??re taking in too many calories or nowhere near enough. I was on the latter, which most of you will be. Sit down and seriously think about what youâ??re putting into your body. And alcohol? Get rid of it (I have succeeded in this).
While Iâ??m no dietitian, there seems to be proof of two camps; it stores fat or inhibits fat burning. Neither is beneficial for a cycle. Not to mention your liver if you take orals (I cannot speak on this part, however). Food is expensive also, and I can promise youâ??re not eating enough. As a segway toâ?¦
Number 4: Itâ??s more expensive than you think. If you factor in that you will more than likely have to do more than one cycle, and that youâ??re increasing your food intake drastically. Then consider that (if youâ??re smart) youâ??ll get blood work, needles, cleaning supplies, while small, add up. If youâ??re a college student, you probably cannot afford to have the fullest benefit from a cycle (unless you have a significant disposable income). Which leads me toâ?¦.
Number 5: Listen to the old-timers. If you post a question with your stats and they suggest something, try to listen. If they say youâ??re too young, then you might be too young. If they suggest a cycle adjustment, look into what they are saying. It may help, or it may not. But do not dismiss their advice. If you post a question, expect feedback that is designed to help you based on their experience.
Sometimes, their advice may conflict with other information posted on other sites. Again, this is based on their knowledge. So, you need to do a bit of legwork yourselfâ?¦
Number 6: Do your research. Stop asking stupid questions. People have limited patience, and less so for those who come asking an advanced question without understanding the basics, or an obvious question when a sticky would have answered it. Does pinning hurt? Will I have acne? Whatâ??s the difference between a mg and a ml? Here are some of those answersâ?¦
Number 7: My quick information bit, or the TLDR section. I had no issues pinning. I use a 25 gauge needle (although, I feel like I should have used a 23 gauge). My drawing needle was 18 gauge (although I should have used a 21 gauge). I have had a little increase in acne, and my testicles have shrunk a bit. I have had no changes in mood, and no increases/decreases in sex drive. Iâ??ve personally not had too much of a bloat or gain in weight (still early into my cycle). Iâ??ve had no gyno.
Ultimately, the decision to pin is yours. Understand yourself, educate yourself, balance your finances, and ask questions when an exhaustive search yields no answer.