I’ve been lifting weights for nearly 30 years, since I was a teenager. About 6 years ago I was diagnosed as hypogonadal and put on TRT. I had never taken steroids up to that point. After being on TRT for 3 years I decided to go on my first supraphysiological dose. Over the past 3 years I’ve now run 5 cycles. My first cycle was 350mg test a week for 12 weeks. My second cycle was 500mg T a week for 12 weeks. My third cycle was 500mg T and 300mg Deca a week for 16 weeks and Anavar at 50mg a day throughout. My 4th cycle was 500mg T, 300mg Deca, and 200mg Tren for 16 weeks, and 30mg Dbol a day for first 6 weeks and last 6 weeks. But I ended up stopping the Tren about halfway through because it made me feel really crummy. My 5th cycle I ran 600mg T and 400mg Deca a week for 20 weeks and 50mg Adrol a day for first 6 weeks and 60mg Dbol a day for last 6-7 weeks.
I’ve responded but I’ve been a poor responder to every cycle. My body tolerates the cycles quite well, with the addition of arimidex to keep estradiol in check; I get labs regularly to keep an eye on things. T levels are through the roof, so along with that indicator, having a trusted reputable source, and having friends who use the same gear getting huge, while I just look fit and people can tell I workout but not the results one would expect getting on these cycles or the results my friends get.
I train heavy and hard with a focus on good form. My lifts have improved too. But I’m really frustrated. My SHBG has always been low, and TRT and cycles have pushed it lower (7-11 always now). I’m 6’0 and 220, with long arms and legs. Anyhow, I’m looking at preparing for my 6th cycle and I’m hoping for thoughtful advice. I’m frustrated and hoping to figure out a protocol that will have my body responding well…you know, one that causes people to think I’m probably juicing, without going to extreme risk. LOL Thanks in advance for your recommendations!
What are your SBD numbers? Or some other number of objective strength?
You’re probably underweight for someone with 6 medium intensity steroid cycles under his belt. But I can’t tell from here without a picture.
My bet is on more food. If you want to look big you need to eat big. Especially when taking 1+ gram of anabolics.
I would tend to agree with @rusty_hammer
If you wanna grow you need to eat.
Why don;t you start a training log so we can see your training/diet and help you figure out what’s not working?
Thank you for the response, @rusty_hammer. I don’t do squats anymore because I’m getting a bit older and have bad knees. As an alternative I do single leg presses at 180lb for 15-20 reps, depending on set. Flat bench is 200lb, 12-13 reps on first set to 3-4 on last set and then 2-3 1 rep negative resistance sets to reach failure. I only restarted deadlifts again a few months ago, after getting an inguinal hernia doing deadlifts about 1.5 years ago, so I’m more reluctant to go as heavy as before, currently knocking out 6-7 reps on first set and 3-4 reps on fourth and last set, at 240lb. Butterflies with machine at 290lb, about 12 reps on first set and 5-7 on last set. I can knock out at least 43 push-ups in one go and sometimes get to low 50s. Military press with machine at 205lb for 9-10 reps first set and 3-5 on final, and then a couple 1 rep negative resistance reps at 230lb. Rows with machine at 220lb for 11-12 reps first set to 6-8 reps last set.
There’s more to my regimen, but I hope this gives an idea. Growing up I was one of those skinny to skinny fat bodies. Really lanky. It took a lot of work to get to where I’m at with bench press, pushups, and other chest exercises. I have had people make comments like I’ve gone from having a lanky basketball body to a football tightend body, so I’ve made progress with body comp and lift volume. But I’d like to be big. I thought the cycles would do it, given the intensity at which I lift, but I’ve only put on about 12lb lean muscle with these cycles. Eating a lot is definitely a difficult part of it for me, but I’ve read and heard about how important that is and have really made an effort. But it seems it just makes my belly and flanks bigger, which I want to avoid, so I don’t know what gives. I consume about 200g of protein a day.
I like the deca for helping with joint pain, and I’ve also included it because it’s supposed to be good for bulking. But it also gives me that softer look, and I’d like to get a harder more defined aesthetic. I was thinking about trying a 300mg test, 300 deca, and 100-150 tren cycle, but I’m reluctant because tren made me feel crummy and sweat catpiss. Fortunately, it doesn’t give me the mood swings it’s notorious for. My body tolerates the cycles well in terms of mood, behavior, sleep, and CBC.
I studied a lot before running cycles. And monitor my blood work and side effects carefully during the cycles.
But as I empasized in my original post I’m frustrated with my body’s poor response.
I’ll look at setting up my training log that you recommended, s.gentz. And I truly appreciate your responses and support!
What have you eaten for the last 3 days, exactly? Weight and total daily macros please.
How many days per week are you training?
How many working sets do you perform for each muscle per week?
How many of those sets are taken to failure?
How much cardio do you do weekly?
How many hours do you sleep on average?
Post a picture if you want more detailed help.
After 30 years of training this number should be much bigger. Especially after 5 steroid cycles.
Like I suspected, you most likely have form issues and are doing too much deadlift volume for a person your age. 1 heavy set of 5 per week is all you need. Perhaps some submaximal accessory lifts here and there.
As for the rest of your program, it looks to me like you are doing a bunch of unnecessary volume, junk volume I believe it’s called which is making you sore as well as hindering progress.
You need to stuff your face with food until your body adjusts to eating more.
Accept the fact that your going to lose your visible abs but will grow in all the right places. Bigger traps, wider back and a massive chest beats having a six pack any day of the week.
Leave the drugs alone until you learn how to eat.
You are not the first and not particularly unusual. I have seen quite a few people who got very little from AAS. Think of the Normal Distribution Curve. You might lie on the left tail of the genetics of responding to AAS. What we call genetic freaks lie on the far-right tail of the Normal Distribution Curve. It only makes sense that if there are super responders that there would also be average responders and poor responders, and everywhere else on the distribution curve.
It is wise that you assure that you are doing as much as you can to eat, train, and recover as optimal as you can. Possibly that is what is slacking.