Q&A with Shadow Pro

[quote]Lifting Bull wrote:
Hi, thanks for all the info so far, really interesting stuff.

I’m an Olympic weightlifter and I have a friend who does it too who is contemplating trying a cycle. His plan is to do purely test suspension and he seems to think that’s adequate and that he also won’t need to worry about any sides. I’ve told him that the cycle might be a bit too basic and that he really should at least have some anti estrogen on hand just in case.

For a pure strength athlete who needs to be able to pass drug tests at least in competition is test suspension by itself sufficient? With the relatively low doses do you think anti estrogens are necessary? My knowledge of steroids is poor at best, but his isn’t any better so I’m just a bit worried he’s going to do something stupid.[/quote]

Hi, thanks for joining us here.

I definitely agree that if he’s going to use test, even if it’s “just” suspension he needs to have nolvadex on hand. Also, I hope he is using pharmaceutical especially being a tested athlete because you never know what you’re getting… For all he knows the suspension could be winstrol and then he would fail the test miserably.

Depends on the type of testing and how in depth they go, but he needs to take into consideration the actual detection time and then take precautionary time on top of this. WADA is not playing around these days, they look for everything and they catch you if you aren’t being sneaky enough. Just off the top of my head… For pure strength athletes I would look into cheque drops or halotestin as well as short acting compounds like tren acetate. All of these substances have different detection times so he needs to research. All of these compounds alone or in combination with the test suspension will provide better results strength wise than just the test alone.

What is the dose he is considering? I would keep the anti estrogens on hand regardless. Some people are very sensitive to even the smallest dose while others are fine without it, so better be safe and have some.

Going into a cycle without doing research is very risky. I don’t think by the sounds of this post that he has a lot of knowledge regarding the subject. I’m going to highly suggest he reads about the substances I mentioned and the detection times for testing. (Easily found in a simple google search) but never start a cycle without knowing the facts.

I am a 22 year old male. I was wondering if pro-hormones are the same as steroids. I think I’ve taken about 4 or 5 cycles since I was 18. I started with H-Drol, then M-Drol, after that was Methylstane, and then it was Ultradrol, and the most recent was Powerdrol-10. I took a PCT after every cycle. Also, I was wondering what is the best diet for a cutting phase and how long should it last. The best I ever got was showing the first row of my abdominals.

[quote]55amg wrote:
hey bro Thanks for signing up here! I have a question on water bloat/cutting. No matter how I try my stomach always stays distended and bloated I feel like im holding water. I have gone 6-7 weeks drinking nothing but water, clean food, low carbs 4-6 meals a day, cardio 3-5 time a week on top of my job which is also physical, and my stomach seems to stay the same size according to the tape measure.

I know cutting takes a while (12 weeks at least) but in 6-7 weeks i should have lost at least 1.5 inches off my waist or something like that. The only thing that changes is that i lose strength and size but my waistline is always the same. I cant tell u how frustrating it is. One guy pm’ed me on another message board and said its all about estrogen control he told me he had the same problem, he said to run nolvadex 20mg a day to cut estrogen down and 12.5 mg of aromasin eod to kill the estrogen so I dont get a rebound.

what do you think bro? sorry about the poem here I don’t know what else to do, Im currently 205 5’9’’ 19% bf or so. I must add that my leanest was when I was on test enant and proviron @ 75mg a day and also during pct using nolvadex my waist shrunk a lot. I havent been ON in 3 years.[/quote]

Can you post a picture for me? At 19% bf I don’t think you need to worry about a lot of water retention, you need to concentrate on losing fat. Once you start to shed the fat your waist will come down with it. If you were on test-e at 19% bf all it will do is make you hold more water and it will not help you burn fat.

Get your diet and training 100% first of all. Indigo-3G and HOT-ROX would be an excellent supplement stack to take immediately. If you have good overall health you could do an ECA stack as well. Indigo will be your best friend from now on… If anything can get you down to 10% bf in a respectable amount of time this is it… Combined with a good diet and training of course.

[quote]Cadztra wrote:
Would switching up different compounds like Masteron P and Tren Ace every 3 weeks be beneficial or even advisable.[/quote]

Good question. There is a theory that suggest switching short esters (like tren-a, test-p, mast-p) every 10 days will keep your receptors fresh and prevent your body from developing a tolerance to a low dose. This meaning to use only one compound every 10 days.

I had 2 friends at a very high level try this and they swear by it. Personally, I haven’t tried it. I believe that the synergy between the compounds will give you a better benefit. I am using pretty high dosages now so I won’t be getting any benefits from a low dosage. I think it would be a decent idea for someone who wants to keep their dosages very low. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say too much about it.

Thank you very much for the time. It really means a lot to your input.

I’m 5’4 145lbs 12%BF and am a competitive powerlifter. I’m only 18. Not a gear question. Just wanted to know how far you think I am from my genetic potential… I’m overly paranoid about how much farther I can or can’t go. I think I’ve got a lot in me. Lifts right now are 450 DL, 235 bench, and 350lb squat.

And is there anything you’d recommend for someone with horrible bicep inserts and genetics. I’ve tried endless curls and do lots of pull ups and chin ups and I can’t seem to get them to grow. As far as strength goes I feel they’re on par with the rest of my body, but size wise they’re really small compared to my triceps. I have very very short inserts.

Thanks for your time.

[quote]SauceMonkey wrote:
Wow, just read all 22 pages and every single word

Shadow, one question regarding AAS and one regarding non AAS…

Currently I’m practicing getting stage lean with a coach, I’m making great progress and just broke under the 10% BF threshold. Stated cutting at 5’5", 160 lbs and now 153-154 through 5 weeks. Started at around 11-12%, keeping all my strength thus far and have even hit some PR’s. I’m 22 as well, did a mock power lifting meet with my partner and got 315/275/405 for Squat / Bench / Deadlift at 154. My goal is to see how my body reacts getting to 5-7% BF and then going on a long term bulk and compete at the end of 2015, or beginning of 2016.

My maintenance calories are around 2,600, and my macros right now are: 2,200 cals, 50F, 275C and 160P… started at 400g C in the beginning of the cut. Refeed is 2,800, 45F, 450C, and 150P. It’s been the most successful cut i’ve ever had and finally got over my fear of carbs lol. Cardio is LISS 3x20 minute sessions.

My question regarding non AAS is pretty simple, surprised no one asked it, unless I missed it:

I can’t train with food in my stomach at all, i get very queasy. So I guess you can say I fast until my workout, although i just started having 2 rice cakes for 14g CHO about 30 mins pre wo, then 10g BCAA 15 mins pre, and then intra another 7.5g EAA. Afterwards is my largest meal, usually <10g F (Trace sources), 175g CHO, and about 50P. About 2-3 hours later is another low fat, mod carb, and higher protein meal and then before bed I consume most of my fats and another large amount of protein.

So my question is this optimal? Can I still continue to make good progress with such minimal amount of food pre workout? Intra workout carb drinks tend to make me feel sick too, i’ve tried Plazma, malto, dextrose, gatorade, everything. Karbolyn, etc and i end up having to sell it all. In a perfect world, what would be your pre workout nutrition?

My second question, in regards to AAS:

In college a friend offered me anavar, and stupidly i decided to take it. didn’t do any research, ran anavar at 19 for 6 weeks. no pct, quit cold turkey. never had issues with libido or anything, thank god.

another stupid decision, and just did as older teammates on my college baseball team suggested, ran another cycle at 20, for 14 weeks of anavar at 40mg daily… pct was Nolva at 20/20/10/10, Erase and DAA at 3g daily. Again no issues, actually made ridiculous progress after Tommy John Surgery… went from 133 to 155 in 14 weeks and leaned out to about 11-12% BF, feint abs showing. Dieted like a retard, and lost essentially everything, became a carbophobe as well, and now i’m here where i am.

libido is fine, have ran one prohormone cycle of DMZ for 5 weeks and pct was on point… clomid/nolva, formestane, and kept most of my gains. its been about 4 months since PCT, and I want to wait until after i bulk naturally and hit a plateau before I cycle, but was wondering what you think of this cycle, probably about a year after any AAS or maybe another couple of months after PCTing from a 5-6 week oral PH cycle again (Haven’t decided on that):

Test E @ 500mg/week (1-14)
Kick Start w/ DMZ (prohormone, at 45mg for weeks 1-4)
Winni at 50mg for weeks 13-16)

PCT: Torem (120/90/60/30)
Nolva: 40/20/20/10
Armidex as an AI, dose I’ll play with

So would you recommend this cycle, alot of planning has gone into it? Nervous about pinning but i’ll get over it. have a pharma grade connection thank god, although past SERM use has been from UL’s, luckily with success. PLan on getting blood work in July before i head out to vacation and after my cut to 5-7% is finished.

Again long term goal is compete in 2015 or 2016, after adding more mass. i’m proud of how far i’ve come (broke my femur twice, got fat at 189, then dropped to 130 in 6 months of ddieting before college) but really wanna take this to the next level. i’m an ambitious little pr*ck so to speak lol very determined. diet is meticulously tracked, only cook for myself, and count everything. don’t need cheat meals, cause when you can make chocolate protein waffles or bake a snicker doodle protein cake, or cook mexican style dishes like a pro i don’t need them lol

Also, what are your opinions of SARM’s such as ostarine?

Thanks so much for the info and for your time, it’s guys like you that truly make a difference and prevent others from doing stupid shit like what i did :/[/quote]

Thanks for reading, this is a very good first post!

First question.Why is your protein so low?

how many meals are you eating each day? Did you try the Plazma in a lower serving size? Maybe half pre workout, half intra and half post workout? Also, make sure you are mixing it with enough water. If it’s a definite no, I would choose MAG-10 as the optimal pre-workout and post workout meal if you aren’t using Plazma. There is a small amount of carbs in the MAG-10 and you might like that for intraworkout as well. When I am low carbing on my diets I always drink it as my intra(I used to feel sick drinking during my workout as well but I haven’t had any issues with either of these). If neither of these work you could try a bit of baby rice pre and post workout, it should digest very easily. Look for a rice that doesn’t include any milk products but should include an ingredient called inulin, it’s a fiber that will help you with digestion. You can eat it as a pudding with a scoop of hydrolyzed whey and 30-50g from carbs about 1hr before your workout and immediately after. If a baby is able to digest this then it surely won’t be a problem for you.

I prefer bcaa’s intraworkout rather than eaa’s because I think it helps with recovery. If you aren’t using the Plazma you will need between 20-40g.

I’m getting the feeling that you are only eating 3-4 meals a day? Unless I’m misunderstanding? You should be eating more like 6-7.

I’m glad you didn’t get any bad side effects with the anavar cycles you did, you’re very lucky. Instead of the DMZ I would do something like oral tbol(run it for up to 6 weeks @ 40-70mg/day… I’m not a big fan of pro hormones because you never know what you are getting and could potentially get worse side effects. If you are doing test-e, oral tbol and winstrol it’s a decent gaining cycle with medium water retention. You will get a bit from the tbol and the test but nothing major. I am also not a big fan of peptides… You are never too sure what you are getting there and the results are questionable.

Instead of the ostarine, a better option for the same results and many more would be to use a low dose of GH(something like 4iu /day) it will completely stop any muscle breakdown, aid in recovery and help with your injuries. Also, it will help keep your body fat relatively low when you are eating more calories.

You can add HCG during your cycle as well @250iu 2x/week and 10mg of nolva during the cycle. Therefore, this would change your pct… You could use clomid for 4 weeks @50mg and nolva @20mg and 500iu HCG 2x/week (total of 8 shots)

Everytime you have the option or the budget to spend money on peptides, use this money to get pharm quality GH instead… The results will always be more profound and beneficial for all aspects of your goals.remember when you are using gear your protein consumption should be higher than when you are natural… 160g is not going to cut it. Honestly, I have natural figure clients eating more than 200g so I know you can do it!

Can you post a picture please?

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]mcs2012 wrote:
Shadow - need your input here.

Stats:
Age: 54
Ht: 5-7
Wt: 02-14: 189lbs; current: 170lbs
BF: 02-14: 30.5%; current (I know it’s less because I’m starting to see veins & abs)
Fat-free mass: 02-14: 129lbs; current: ?? (If I had to guess, maybe 23%)

To get a better idea of my body comp history, click this link: Box

Goals (main goal is to lose fat without losing lean mass):

Short-term:
150-155lbs - that means another 15-20lbs to go. At that weight, I would gauge bf will be around 14% if and only if I will not lose too much LBM!! Then, do clean bulk to add some lean mass back, rinse/repeat.

Long-term:
Want to add mass but without all the fat game associated with bulking.
10% bf or less
Wt: 185-195

I am also interested in an overall health and antiaging anabolic and fat loss combo HRT (pharm-grade TRT/hGH) but am unable until I hopefully resolve some current health issues. I look @ HRT as the finishing touch to recomp. I use a DEXA scan to monitor my recomp progress.

What diet, training, and HRT (when and if possible) would you recommend to achieve my goals?

What have I done so far to achieve my fat loss goals?

Since it made no sense to do a bulk to add lean mass when I am >15% bf, I tried many things over the last few years (i.e. intermittent fasting, keto). The one & only diet regimen that has worked is alternate day calorie restriction or every-other-day dieting. I lost 19 pounds in approximately 90 days, the most consistent and dramatic loss ever in my history.

I thought I could eat without worrying about counting calories while on IF/keto. What a crock that is, I was only fooling myself. Maybe some with gifted metabolisms, perfectly-balanced hormones, and half my age can do that.

I failed because I still ate a surplus of calories OVER TIME. Keto is great, but you really need to watch FATS; at 9 cals/gram those suckers will balloon you up in no time - and that’s what happened.

Bottom line & basic rule is that unless I’m eating at a caloric deficit, weight and bf will increase no matter how hard I train, do IF, keto, etc.

I feel that unless I’m on a ton of AAS, a caloric deficit seems the most important part for losing fat in my case at least.

I have been training more consistently now, picking up where I left off in my mid-20s which was the last time I was probably <15% bf. 4x’s/week + cardio 2-3x’s/week. Because of a lumbar injury and shoulder impingement, I can’t do barbell squats nor much shoulder press work. Maybe HRT will help.

In any case, with this much bf on me now, I am insulin resistant, therefore, going low-carb (100g or less) is the mainstay for now. It has been impossible to add mass without adding twice as much bf.

I should also mention that I take thyroid meds (T3 and Armour Thyroid) for a hypothyroid condition.

So, the alternate day calorie restriction has worked great, however, I’m going to have to go even lower on my down day calories to lose more weight. I am at a standstill now at 170. If I could skip the weight loss and just switch to a recomp of 170 with 10%, I’d like that better, but that ain’t gonna happen. Another thing: the only way this works is if I keep track of every calorie.

Kcals & Macros:
refeed (maintenance) days: 2100-2300 kcals (55% fats, 30% protein, 15% carbs)
“fast” days: 750-850 kcals (70% protein, 15% fats, 5% carbs) - basically, a semi-protein-sparing modified fast. Of all the macros, I feel protein is most important. I average 135g/day which is just over 1g/lb of LBM. I consume a ton of supplements to offset the lack of micros on my “fast” day.

I appreciate your time and input to help me reach my goals. It’s been a long struggle.
[/quote]

Can you please post a photo? At the current bodyfat you mention,the first thing you want to do is lose bodyfat and get under 15% before going thinking about starting HRT .

By the sounds of it the keto and fasting isn’t working for you because you mention you are gaining fat.
“I thought I could eat without worrying about counting calories while on IF/keto. What a crock that is, I was only fooling myself. Maybe some with gifted metabolisms, perfectly-balanced hormones, and half my age can do that.” You are absolutely right about that. In order to lose fat you need to be in a calorie deficient state.

In order to help you better, please give me this info. What type of cardio are you doing? Since you aren’t squatting, I’m assuming dead lifts are out as well, can you give me an example of how your training looks? Current pictures? I want to see where the bodyfat actually is and not where you assume… Like i mentioned before I’m here to help not criticize so don’t be embarrassed or shy to post current pics, I want to help. List of current supplements? Where are your fat sources coming from?[/quote]

Ok, not the best selfies, but you aksed, here they are after tonight’s workout: Box

I know you wanted the pics to best judge, but the most accurate body composition assessment I have found is the DEXA scan which I have been using for the past 3 years. Again, hereâ??s the link to my DEXA scan history: Box

Since I haven’t had an updated scan since losing 19lbs, I’m sure you can better judge what my bf is now. I’d say I’m at around 22-23% right now. What do you think?

Typical current training (EOD) - 50-60 minute workout:

Day 1 - chest/back push-pull routine:
Incline DB presses - *50lbs x 4x10-12 supersetted w/
Wide-grip pull-ups - bodyweight x 4x6-8
Lat pulldowns - 135lbs-150lbs-170lbs x 3x6-8 supersetted w/
Cable incline presses - 37lbs-42lbs-47lbs x 3x8-10
Low pulley rows - 110lbs x 3x8-10 supersetted w/
Close-grip BP - 135lbs-155lbs-175lbs x 3x6-8
Bent over DB rows - 3 x6-8 supersetted with
*Flat bench Smith Machine BB presses 135lbs-155lbs-185lbs (alternate: cable decline presses w/ same weight as incline) x 3x6-8

*Believe me, I would love to increase my lbs again, as I was doing 85-90lb DB inclines before the shoulder injury. The shoulder impingement is now 2 years old.

Day 2 - stability/core regimen + cardio (see regimen below which I switch up every other day)

Day 3 - biceps/triceps:
DB curls - 50lbs-50lbs-45lbs-45lbs x 4x8-10 supersetted w/
Tri rope pulldowns - 72lbs-77lbs-82lbs-87lbs x 4x8-10
Wide-grip chinups - bodyweight x 4x6-8 supersetted w/
Dips - bodyweight x 4x10-12
BB cable curls - 62lbs-67lbs-72lbs x 3x8-10 supersetted w/
DB tri extensions - 35lbs-40lbs-40lbs x 3x10
Sometimes I will throw in some delt work (i.e. lateral raises) depending on my impingement pain tolerance, but the problem is that the inflammation may not surface for 2-3 days later. I am told surgery is the only surefire way. I have withheld to see what I can do with HRT once I’m able.

Day 4 - stability/core regimen + cardio (see regimen below which I switch up every other day)

Day 5 - legs/abs/misc.
DB walking lunges - 25lbs x 4x8-10
Seated leg curls - 75lbs-95lbs-110lbs-135lbs x 4x8-20 supersetted w/
Seated led extensions - 135lbs-155lbs-175lbs-195lbs x 4x6-12
Leg presses - 235lbs-255lbs-275lbs-310lbs x 4x8-10 supersetted w/
Leg Press Calf Raises - 235lbs x 4x10-15 (alternate: Smith Machine BB calf raises)
Adductor machine - 190lbs-210lbs-235lbs x 3x12-20
Abductor machine - 175lbs-175lbs-195lbs x 3x10-15
Misc: flat bench flyes - 35lbs-40lbs-40lbs x 3x8-10
Day 6 - stability/core regimen + cardio (see regimen below which I switch up every other day)

Day 7 - rest; usually do a brisk walk for 30-45 min.

Cardio (I will switch up and do the following in between my training days or sometimes post wo):
Elliptical - 25-30 min. â?? sometimes will do HIIT
Stationary bike - 25-30 min.
Outdoor intervals (fast walk 2-3 min/jog for 1-2 min. for 2-3 miles)
If I am tired, I may do a brisk low intensity 30-45 min. walk as an alternate.

Stability/Core:
On my cardio days I also do stability and core training that I adopted from being in PT for 6 weeks last year for my lower back and shoulder issues (these have helped a lot reduce the inflammation especially in the lower spine):

Elbow planks - 1x 5 min. x 2x1 min.
Side planks (each side) - 3x30 secs
Plank with Opposite Arm and Leg Lift - 2x10
Cable internal rotations - 22lbs-3x15
Cable external rotations - 12lbs-3x15
Reverse cable flyes - 7-10lbs-3x10-15

The rest of time away from any physical exercise is pretty sedentary, at home doing my business and online research.

I sleep 8h but have mild sleep apnea and have not acclimated well to my CPAP machine. I am therefore trying to sleep on my sides and use nasal strips to help with the breathing. I am looking into alternatives like a dental appliance.

I drink about 10-12 cups of water/day.

Since my supplement regimen changes frequently, I haven’t updated it. To give you an idea, here’s one from 2012: Box

Sources of fat: coconut oil, raw cheeses, nut/seeds, lean meats, lots of fish/krill oil, pastured butter, sardines, avocados, eggs, soy-free mayo.

Again, much appreciate your input!

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]TokenB wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]TokenB wrote:
Hi, quick question regarding nutrition, in particular beef protein.
My diet, due to having zero appetite whilst on a heavy cycle is horrendous.
Pretty much my entire diet is made up from whey protein isolate, casein, whole raw eggs, MCT oil, oats, dextrose and the occasional chicken breast or lean mince beef.
My appetite is shot. I use a superfoods supplement & multi vit too plus a vast array of supplements.

But I am making progress better than ever before. My question is would using beef protein make much of a difference, purely from a variety point if view, due to a different (if any) amino acid profile?

Thanks[/quote]

I am a big fan of red meat and I think it’s an important source of protein. Even if you can eat it once a day it will be beneficial for you instead of one of your other protein meals… Just make sure it’s a lean cut. Is that hydrolyzed casein you are using(MAG-10)? If not, that is the first thing you need to look into… It’s a very high quality protein and you will benefit a lot from this… Also it’s very easy to consume and tastes good for someone who has no appetite.

Just curious? Why are you using dextrose?
[/quote]

The only time I’m using dextrose is pre/intra/post, due to insulin use.
The casein I’m using is micellar casein 85%.
My thoughts on using beef protein was that it would be a different kind of protein (albeit in powdered form) to add to my diet instead of primarily only using whey isolate and casein.
Whenever I can stomach chicken or red meat I do, but I’m lucky if it’s once a day, usually in the afternoon a couple of hours before I lift. [/quote]

If you are able to switch the dextrose to Plazma you will benefit greatly from this. I am not sure how much insulin you are using but even with a lower dose of insulin and Plazma in place of dextrose it’s much for efficient, you are shooting yourself in the foot here… It’s something you need to look into especially for someone who has problems with appetite, this is a very good quality nutrition source for someone in your case. There is nothing you can find for pre or intra workout that will substitute this, period! If you can only afford to buy one supplement… This is it.

Powdered form is not the same as eating a steak. If you are going to eat one solid meal a day, choose a lean steak and have it either 2 hours before or 2 hours after your training. Another source of protein to add to your day would be the hydrolyzed casein, it’s the most effective protein as it makes your body absorb other protein sources more efficiently, aids in recovery, does great things for the immune system and tastes good (for people like you that don’t have a big appetite it’s great)

If you add the things I told you then you will have 5 great sources of protein and the best source of pre and intraworkout carbs. (Eggs, steak, casein, whey, hydrolyzed casein) just changing this alone should give you leaner gains, a better pump and faster recovery.
[/quote]

When would be the best time to take the hydrolyzed casein? Pre, Intra or Post? I’m going to order some now.
I’ll look in to buying Plazma but the cheapest price I’ve found it so far in the UK is over £60 ($100) a tub.
Thank you for all this, much appreciated.

[quote]rhod wrote:
I’m 30 years old, 5+ years of serious training. I have low test (249 last) so been on TRT for over a year now at 200mg Test C every week (I do 100mg every 3.5 days). Few questions:

  1. 24 hrs after my Test C. my blood levels test at “too high to read” which means over 1500. I just wonder how useful could 300-400mg be really? Is there still a difference depending on how high you push your levels even though they are supraphysiological?

  2. Ever since before TRT, but certainly since my skin, mostly back and chest have been horrible. Terrible acne everywhere. I have tried every cream (benzyl peroxide), oil, clay I can imagine. How do the pros manage to look like they have such perfect skin? Is there anything I don’t know of that can help? (Please don’t say Accutane)

  3. If someone on TRT would slowly want to make more gains, could I start experimenting with low dose Tren? I’ve also done peptides but as you concluded I cannot determine whether there are really any results. I would love HGH but I have not found a reliable source yet.

Thanks in advance, this thread is pure gold![/quote]

It’s all about keeping a stable level of testosterone in your blood. Obviously right after the shot your levels will be at the highest and as soon as it’s over 1500 they are unable to read it in a normal blood test. With trt doses your levels are still much lower than someone running something like 300-400mg/week the blood test will come back with the same result ( just meaning they can’t read it) same goes for someone running over 1g/week. Obviously the true results would be different but they don’t test over 1500 in a standard blood test. And physique differences from 200mg/week compared to 400mg/week is very substantial.

  1. I have never had any acne problems before. Not all of them have great skin either, it’s a common side effect from using steroids and some people are more prone to it than others. You can try tanning, it can help dry out your skin.

  2. You can experiment with tren if you want. You could do 75mg every other day and see how you feel. Something like masteron-propionate would be a more gentle choice at the same dose. Keep looking for a good gh source, they are around!

[quote]Texas Ranger wrote:
Sorry to bother you, but could you offer me some advice on what to use on my First Cycle. I’m 40 years old, 6’3" 235lbs and 8-9% bodyfat with a 31-32 inch waist. My blood pressure is 120/80 with no health issues. I’ve been training for a long time as a former high school and college athlete.My goal is to use the absolute minimum to grow, increase my size and strength on the core lifts, and keep the sides LOW.

I weight train 5 times a week, perform weighted body weight movements, and do cardio 6-7 times a week. Call it vain but, staying lean with abs and a square jaw are VERY important to me at this stage in my life.

If I had to put a number out there, my goal is to add 10-12lbs of Lean Body Mass. I want to stay on dry side without alot of water bloat/bloof. I have access to everything except Primo and GH. Since I’m 40 years old,I plan on staying on after the cycle is over on a self-administered TRT dose( Test E 125mgs/wk). What do you recommend? 250-300mgs of Test E alone? 250-300mgs for of Test E/300mgs of EQ? 250-300mgs of Test E/300mgs of Masteron E? For 16-20 weeks… Thanks in advance for your help, sir!!

[/quote]

Not bothering me at all, this is what I’m here for.

I want to help you and give you the best information I can based on you as an individual. So could you please give me some current pictures and give me an idea of how your diet is.

Unfortunately the 2 drugs that you can’t get are probably the first ones I’d recommend that would be the most beneficial to someone your age. If you want the lean and hard look from the options you mentioned,I would pick test-e and mast-e @300mg/ week each. Remember that every long ester will cause some sort of water retention depending how sensitive you are. If you want to avoid this completely then you’ll have to do short esters, something like test-p and mast-p @ 75mg every other day. If you can get GH, do 3-5 iu first thing in the morning 30min before food and primo@200-300mg/week. Primo is one of the only long esters that causes minimal water retention. Replace the masteron with primo if you can get it.

Also, I would run 250iu of Hcg twice a week and 10mg of nolvadex as a precaution. Your trt dose is fine to stay on after your done.

If you do a test only cycle your water retention will be a little bit more significant.

[quote]tortellini3 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]tortellini3 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

I’m a big believer in carbs and I think that you can slowly build up tolerance over time and eventually you’ll be able to have more in your diet. It doesn’t happen overnight and you need to give it time. You will have to be willing to accept that you’ll have a bit of extra water retention to begin with but this will only be in the beginning. In the long run it will help you to get better gains and have a more sane lifestyle.

I’ll keep it simple: give this a try.

Lower your fat to about 40-50g daily (coming from red meat meals or mct oils)
Carbs - start daily at 125g and then every 5 days increase it by 25g/day.(2/3 of carbs intraworkout from Plazma) ingesting your carbs while you train will insure that your body is soaking them up and using them to recover and build muscle. By timing them like this, the chances of gaining fat are very little. Keep increasing the carbs every 5 days as long as you don’t see any fat gains. If you do, stop there and let your body adjust to this amount. Could be 300, could be 600… Very individual.
Protein- keep the same for now.

If you have to spend your money on 1 supplement ONLY I would say in your case to buy Plazma.
Add 2 sessions of HIIT, it will help speed your metabolism as your body is adjusting to the higher carb diet.

If you want to add a cycle to this, let me know and I’ll add something appropriate.
[/quote]Woah! I have been following this thread since the beginning and didn’t see that reply. My bad. I will give a try to the macros you’ve gave. Still a little bit scared about getting fat. I will try to find a good fat caliper to measure my body fat every week (to see if I should continue to increase my carbs intake, or decrease). I have a very crappy one in plastic they give as a free gift on bodybuilding.com that says I’m 6% with the 3-sites equation…

Regarding steroids, I have to admit that I bought some gear very recently. I read an article of Bill Roberts where he was saying that DBol and Trenbolone were two compounds acting very good together even at low doses each. I wanted to know your opinion about that and also how would you build up a cycle with these quantities:

3x10mL vial at 250mg/mL Test enanthate
2x10mL vial at 200mg/mL Tren enanthate
100 pills at 10mg DBol
100 pills at 25mg Clomid
100 pils at 20mg Nolvadex
10 000IU HCG

oh and I’m also looking to buy some Arimidex since I know I’m prone to gynecomastia (I had little lumps when I did Test months ago). At first I was thinking about doing Test E/Deca/DBol but I thought replacing the Deca by Tren could help having leaner gains (with proper diet of course).

Third question : do you aspire when you pin and do you think it’s a necessity to do it?

Thanks.[/quote]

Do a 9-12 site caliper test, it will give you a more accurate result. If it’s possible go for a dexa scan.

As for your cycle questions, can you please post a picture and what your goals are. I think we may have discussed a bit about this before but it’s lost in the thread somewhere… So quote this if that’s the case. Let me know what you used and how much.
I’ll wait for your response but if it’s only your first or second cycle then I’d wait on the tren.

I always aspirate before any IM injection, better to be safe than sorry.
[/quote]My goals are to gain the maximum lean mass possible, by minimizing bodyfat. I’ll admit that if I am able to correct my symmetry issues (lats, front delts, pecs) and to gain significant mass, I would like to step up on a bodybuilding show (junior lightweight).

Left pictures : 12/11, 160lbs, 17.8% BF
Middle pictures : 04/13, 165lbs
Right pictures : 04/14, 187lbs
(if the picture doesn’t appear, here is a link : Imgur: The magic of the Internet)

I’ve done two “cycles” : first was 4 weeks of Winstrol in caps (lol), and the second one was 500mg/week of Test E and 350mg/week of Winstrol in injectable form. Cycle was something like 8 weeks long. I have never noticed side effects except some lumps that came before I stopped the cycle. I took Nolvadex and they flew away.

What do you think about mixing Tren and DBol together into the same cycle? Oh and I saw that the DBol’s half-life is something like 4 to 6 hours. If I sleep longer than that (8-9 hours), will it affect the process?

Thanks.

I read your article and I couldn’t agree more. In my opinion, just the fact that Jay got 6th and Ramy 8th is a proof on how politics are corrupting this sport.[/quote]

If you want to experiment with tren in your 3rd cycle that’s up to you. The dbol with tren is a good combo for strength. Take dbol pre workout and before bed so you won’t have issues with the half life… The timing doesn’t have to be that accurate, a few hours give or take won’t make a huge difference.

With what you have, you can try something like this.
Week 1-12
Test-e 500mg/week
Tren-e 400mg/week
Week 1-6
Dbol 30-50mg/day
250iu Hcg 2x/week
10-20mg nolva

Pct:
Clomid @ 50mg for 4 weeks
500iu Hcg 2x/week for 4 weeks
Nolvadex @ 20mg for 4 weeks.

Happy you liked the article, I will hopefully have another new one up soon.

[quote]doom44 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:
Thanks for the reply shadow.
What’s the longer cycle length that you can safely run? Might to give me a sample layout ?
I’m just finish a show 1 1/2 month ago. Now going to bulking .

My stats
Height : 5’ 7
Weight : 168
Bf : 12%

Thanks.
[/quote]

I would say 12-16 weeks is a decent length for a cycle for your off season. How many cycles have you done previously? (And what were they) how many shows have you done? Years of training? What’s your plan for your off season diet?
Also, if I may ask… Why are you already at 12% bf 1.5 months after a show? I’m assuming you’re doing bodybuilding? You should be pretty lean still and I wouldn’t expect you to be over 12% even in the off season.

Please post a picture and this info so I can see where the starting point is and give you an appropriate layout.[/quote]

I’m not sure my body fat is 12% or not. Just guessing. Lol

I have 4 years plus training experience.
Have done 2 cycles before.

  1. Test prop 150mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Arimidex 0.25mg 1-8 weeks
    Pct : novaldex and clomid 40/100,20/50,20/50,20/50

  2. Test prop 150mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Tren A 100mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Arimidex 0.5mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Pct same as cycle one.

My diet is high in carbs: 4000calories
Carbs 60%
Protein 25%
Fat 15%

I have high metabolic that’s the reason why I eat that much .
Thanks
[/quote]

Well thank you for posting a picture!! Dude, you are a horrible guesser… You are still in great condition which is exactly how you should be after a show, this is closer to 6%

You are at the perfect point to do a rebound phase and gain some quality new muscle. I’m going to suggest you go into a 12 week cycle before you take time off.
This would be my best option for you now:
Sustanon@ 600-750mg/week
Tren-e@ 400mg/week
EQ@400mg/week
Nolva@20mg Every day
HCG 250iu every 3rd day.
This is going to give you a huge jump in both strength and size, it’s a medium dosage. If you want you could also throw in some oral tbol @ 50mg/day (for the first 6 weeks)
You’re going to gain a lot of good quality muscle from this, your body is in a perfect position for this phase so train your ass off for 12 weeks and then take some time off the juice. I will help you with pct when the time comes.

Thanks again for posting a picture, it helps me out a lot!

*THIS IS WHY I KEEP SUGGESTING YOU GUYS/GIRLS POST PHOTOS FOR ME, I CAN’T HELP PEOPLE IF DON’T KNOW WHAT IM WORKING WITH. IF HE DIDN’T POST THIS PHOTO THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD EVER SUGGEST THIS BASED ON THE PREVIOUS INFO.

[/quote]

Hi shadow, will you mind to help me with pct first ? So that I can have all the gears that I need in hand . Just in case. Thanks again.[/quote]

For pct, have clomid on hand… Do 2 weeks @100mg and 2 weeks @ 50mg. Bump the HCG up to every other day @ 500iu for 3 weeks. Keep the nolva @20mg until you are finished. Start AlphaMale after clomid until you are finished 2 full bottles.
[/quote]

nice !!! and after the pct how long should i take off? what’s your advice?[/quote]

Minimum of 8 weeks and preferably 10

[quote]tortellini3 wrote:
So I know that we are in the Steroids section but I has having another question, juste by curiosity : what are your thoughts on the German Volume Training by Poliquin ? Have you ever tried it ?[/quote]

It’s a good basic system, I think it’s a good program for intermediate lifters. I tried it before with decent results.

[quote]Big L wrote:
I am a 22 year old male. I was wondering if pro-hormones are the same as steroids. I think I’ve taken about 4 or 5 cycles since I was 18. I started with H-Drol, then M-Drol, after that was Methylstane, and then it was Ultradrol, and the most recent was Powerdrol-10. I took a PCT after every cycle. Also, I was wondering what is the best diet for a cutting phase and how long should it last. The best I ever got was showing the first row of my abdominals. [/quote]

I’m not a big fan of prohormones, they’re not exactly like steroids and usually the companies who make the are not accurate with their dosages and information on that is contained in the product. If you are thinking about using these I think it’s a better choice to do a real cycle from a results, budget and health point of view.

There is no “best” cutting cycle, everyone is individual as I’ve spoke about several times before… It could be anywhere from 4-24 weeks… Depends on starting point, body fat level, metabolism and so on… If you have a specific question about yourself I’ll be happy to help you.

[quote]SirTroyRobert wrote:
I’m 5’4 145lbs 12%BF and am a competitive powerlifter. I’m only 18. Not a gear question. Just wanted to know how far you think I am from my genetic potential… I’m overly paranoid about how much farther I can or can’t go. I think I’ve got a lot in me. Lifts right now are 450 DL, 235 bench, and 350lb squat.

And is there anything you’d recommend for someone with horrible bicep inserts and genetics. I’ve tried endless curls and do lots of pull ups and chin ups and I can’t seem to get them to grow. As far as strength goes I feel they’re on par with the rest of my body, but size wise they’re really small compared to my triceps. I have very very short inserts.

Thanks for your time.[/quote]

I can’t answer this question without seeing you lift and knowing your history.

I can tell you that because you are only 18 I am 100% positive that you have improvement to make in technique, body composition, experience and overall strength. Most people don’t hit their strength peak until they are about 35 so you have nothing to worry about!

Keep training hard and you’ll improve

For biceps, best thing to do is stop thinking in a powerlifting style and start thinking bodybuilding style. Biceps respond better to lighter weights with more intensity technique training styles. A good place to start would be to include drop sets, slow negatives and partial work to your biceps workout.

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]doom44 wrote:
Thanks for the reply shadow.
What’s the longer cycle length that you can safely run? Might to give me a sample layout ?
I’m just finish a show 1 1/2 month ago. Now going to bulking .

My stats
Height : 5’ 7
Weight : 168
Bf : 12%

Thanks.
[/quote]

I would say 12-16 weeks is a decent length for a cycle for your off season. How many cycles have you done previously? (And what were they) how many shows have you done? Years of training? What’s your plan for your off season diet?
Also, if I may ask… Why are you already at 12% bf 1.5 months after a show? I’m assuming you’re doing bodybuilding? You should be pretty lean still and I wouldn’t expect you to be over 12% even in the off season.

Please post a picture and this info so I can see where the starting point is and give you an appropriate layout.[/quote]

I’m not sure my body fat is 12% or not. Just guessing. Lol

I have 4 years plus training experience.
Have done 2 cycles before.

  1. Test prop 150mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Arimidex 0.25mg 1-8 weeks
    Pct : novaldex and clomid 40/100,20/50,20/50,20/50

  2. Test prop 150mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Tren A 100mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Arimidex 0.5mg eod 1-8 weeks
    Pct same as cycle one.

My diet is high in carbs: 4000calories
Carbs 60%
Protein 25%
Fat 15%

I have high metabolic that’s the reason why I eat that much .
Thanks
[/quote]

Well thank you for posting a picture!! Dude, you are a horrible guesser… You are still in great condition which is exactly how you should be after a show, this is closer to 6%

You are at the perfect point to do a rebound phase and gain some quality new muscle. I’m going to suggest you go into a 12 week cycle before you take time off.
This would be my best option for you now:
Sustanon@ 600-750mg/week
Tren-e@ 400mg/week
EQ@400mg/week
Nolva@20mg Every day
HCG 250iu every 3rd day.
This is going to give you a huge jump in both strength and size, it’s a medium dosage. If you want you could also throw in some oral tbol @ 50mg/day (for the first 6 weeks)
You’re going to gain a lot of good quality muscle from this, your body is in a perfect position for this phase so train your ass off for 12 weeks and then take some time off the juice. I will help you with pct when the time comes.

Thanks again for posting a picture, it helps me out a lot!

*THIS IS WHY I KEEP SUGGESTING YOU GUYS/GIRLS POST PHOTOS FOR ME, I CAN’T HELP PEOPLE IF DON’T KNOW WHAT IM WORKING WITH. IF HE DIDN’T POST THIS PHOTO THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD EVER SUGGEST THIS BASED ON THE PREVIOUS INFO.

[/quote]

Hi shadow, will you mind to help me with pct first ? So that I can have all the gears that I need in hand . Just in case. Thanks again.[/quote]

For pct, have clomid on hand… Do 2 weeks @100mg and 2 weeks @ 50mg. Bump the HCG up to every other day @ 500iu for 3 weeks. Keep the nolva @20mg until you are finished. Start AlphaMale after clomid until you are finished 2 full bottles.
[/quote]

nice !!! and after the pct how long should i take off? what’s your advice?[/quote]

Minimum of 8 weeks and preferably 10[/quote]

Thanks a lot. Thanks for the advise.

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]Lifting Bull wrote:
Hi, thanks for all the info so far, really interesting stuff.

I’m an Olympic weightlifter and I have a friend who does it too who is contemplating trying a cycle. His plan is to do purely test suspension and he seems to think that’s adequate and that he also won’t need to worry about any sides. I’ve told him that the cycle might be a bit too basic and that he really should at least have some anti estrogen on hand just in case.

For a pure strength athlete who needs to be able to pass drug tests at least in competition is test suspension by itself sufficient? With the relatively low doses do you think anti estrogens are necessary? My knowledge of steroids is poor at best, but his isn’t any better so I’m just a bit worried he’s going to do something stupid.[/quote]

Hi, thanks for joining us here.

I definitely agree that if he’s going to use test, even if it’s “just” suspension he needs to have nolvadex on hand. Also, I hope he is using pharmaceutical especially being a tested athlete because you never know what you’re getting… For all he knows the suspension could be winstrol and then he would fail the test miserably.

Depends on the type of testing and how in depth they go, but he needs to take into consideration the actual detection time and then take precautionary time on top of this. WADA is not playing around these days, they look for everything and they catch you if you aren’t being sneaky enough. Just off the top of my head… For pure strength athletes I would look into cheque drops or halotestin as well as short acting compounds like tren acetate. All of these substances have different detection times so he needs to research. All of these compounds alone or in combination with the test suspension will provide better results strength wise than just the test alone.

What is the dose he is considering? I would keep the anti estrogens on hand regardless. Some people are very sensitive to even the smallest dose while others are fine without it, so better be safe and have some.

Going into a cycle without doing research is very risky. I don’t think by the sounds of this post that he has a lot of knowledge regarding the subject. I’m going to highly suggest he reads about the substances I mentioned and the detection times for testing. (Easily found in a simple google search) but never start a cycle without knowing the facts.
[/quote]

Thanks a lot for the information, I will relay it to him.

Hey Shadow!

While others may flame me for being a first poster, I would like to get your opinion, but not really on PEDs. I would like to know where would you go next, or what would you do:
In general: at the moment I am 25 years old, working in the ER as a doctor. Main issue is the night shifts, the not-enough or not good quality sleep (at times sleeping 3-5 hours for days and having 12 hour shifts), and that I cannot always eat when I would like to/need to (Sometimes I must rely on shakes only troughout the day). Current bodyweight is 208 lbs, with around 10% bf.

As for sports history: I’ve been doing martial arts (karate) since I was 5, though nowadays I mainly do it as “cardio” once a week. I took up bodybuilding at 15. I can say I have tried all the training system, currently I am following a standard “old-school” volume training, 5 day split: chest (10-12 sets working sets)- upperback (4 sets), Back (12 sets), Legs (12-14 sets), Shoulders and arms (shoulder around 10, arms: 6-6 for biceps and triceps, being arm dominant), and another Chest (10 sets, strenght centric work). I use low reps in incline press, deadlift and squats to put decent numbers behind my body (Being an ex-martial artist, I still have the performance centered view), and because I noticed low rep work helps with muscle hardness.

Overall goal is the best I could be, which in specific means I would like to improve my overall quality, but the main goal would be to bring up my chest, which is my most lagging bodypart. While it may be childish to compare myself to movie heroes, I would be happy with a body like this: http://i2.cdnds.net/13/44/618x325/screen-shot-2013-10-29-at-134106.png

Diet: at the moment my macros are: non.training days p: 180-200 g, c: 150-200 g, on training days: p: 200-230 c: 250-300 g. I don’t count fat, I only use the naturally occuring while trying to eat as low fat as possible. The main problem with the diet is, sometimes I can only cover all my basics from shakes and supplements, especially in grueling shifts. I have a cheat meal every 5-7 days, usually when I feel very run down and my body craves for something “bad”.

Supplements: Pre-workout I take 10 g BCAA, 10 g creatine, and a pre-workout mostly with caffeine. Intra-workout: none. While it may be a problem, I can hardly get myself to drink water, thanks to my martial arts “survive drink when done” background. Old habits die hard I guess. Post workout: 40 g whey+10 g creatine, 60 g carbs, a multi and 2 g vitamin C. I eat whole food 1-1.5 hours before, and after training.

PED: Apart from ocasional ephedrine to boost my workouts when feeling totally hell, I take none. I don’t feel I have maxed out my natural potential, especially considering my job, the lack of sleep, and sometimes not ideal diet. And I don’t really want to.

My question is: in general, what would you do in my place? I don’t want to take steroids (yet) but the number of shifts, and sometimes lack of sleep,stress, or shake-only days thanks to my job, stays :(. Any suggestion? Should I train less (4/week? 3/week?) Any supplements? Timing the supps? Anything?

The more specific question is regarding my chest: it’s growing like a turtle on valium, and I feel it hasn’t improved the past couple months. Alhough I am arm dominant, I can get it to work, I can get good pumps, and may feel it a bit a day after, but after two days, there is no soreness, the “fullness from the workout” is gone, and I feel like I could work them again ( I actually tried I can produce the same numbers 48 hours after the workout both in strenght and rep-count and it doesn’t take more grinding then 2 days before). I have tried all, HIT, 2/week, Standard volume, hell-load of volume (7-8 exercises), Supersets, name it.

The only things I haven’t is 3 chest a week (I’m considering though…) and obviously the program for chest that works :). THey all give a good pump, but 2 days after no soreness, and while it was slowly growing, now I feel it stopped. So I would like to ask your opinion in these matters, what would you do in my place, both chest and general wise? Thank you for time and effort, and if I missed out any info you need, please tell, and I’ll add. Thanks.

[quote]Shadow Pro wrote:

[quote]SauceMonkey wrote:
Wow, just read all 22 pages and every single word

Shadow, one question regarding AAS and one regarding non AAS…

Currently I’m practicing getting stage lean with a coach, I’m making great progress and just broke under the 10% BF threshold. Stated cutting at 5’5", 160 lbs and now 153-154 through 5 weeks. Started at around 11-12%, keeping all my strength thus far and have even hit some PR’s. I’m 22 as well, did a mock power lifting meet with my partner and got 315/275/405 for Squat / Bench / Deadlift at 154. My goal is to see how my body reacts getting to 5-7% BF and then going on a long term bulk and compete at the end of 2015, or beginning of 2016.

My maintenance calories are around 2,600, and my macros right now are: 2,200 cals, 50F, 275C and 160P… started at 400g C in the beginning of the cut. Refeed is 2,800, 45F, 450C, and 150P. It’s been the most successful cut i’ve ever had and finally got over my fear of carbs lol. Cardio is LISS 3x20 minute sessions.

My question regarding non AAS is pretty simple, surprised no one asked it, unless I missed it:

I can’t train with food in my stomach at all, i get very queasy. So I guess you can say I fast until my workout, although i just started having 2 rice cakes for 14g CHO about 30 mins pre wo, then 10g BCAA 15 mins pre, and then intra another 7.5g EAA. Afterwards is my largest meal, usually <10g F (Trace sources), 175g CHO, and about 50P. About 2-3 hours later is another low fat, mod carb, and higher protein meal and then before bed I consume most of my fats and another large amount of protein.

So my question is this optimal? Can I still continue to make good progress with such minimal amount of food pre workout? Intra workout carb drinks tend to make me feel sick too, i’ve tried Plazma, malto, dextrose, gatorade, everything. Karbolyn, etc and i end up having to sell it all. In a perfect world, what would be your pre workout nutrition?

My second question, in regards to AAS:

In college a friend offered me anavar, and stupidly i decided to take it. didn’t do any research, ran anavar at 19 for 6 weeks. no pct, quit cold turkey. never had issues with libido or anything, thank god.

another stupid decision, and just did as older teammates on my college baseball team suggested, ran another cycle at 20, for 14 weeks of anavar at 40mg daily… pct was Nolva at 20/20/10/10, Erase and DAA at 3g daily. Again no issues, actually made ridiculous progress after Tommy John Surgery… went from 133 to 155 in 14 weeks and leaned out to about 11-12% BF, feint abs showing. Dieted like a retard, and lost essentially everything, became a carbophobe as well, and now i’m here where i am.

libido is fine, have ran one prohormone cycle of DMZ for 5 weeks and pct was on point… clomid/nolva, formestane, and kept most of my gains. its been about 4 months since PCT, and I want to wait until after i bulk naturally and hit a plateau before I cycle, but was wondering what you think of this cycle, probably about a year after any AAS or maybe another couple of months after PCTing from a 5-6 week oral PH cycle again (Haven’t decided on that):

Test E @ 500mg/week (1-14)
Kick Start w/ DMZ (prohormone, at 45mg for weeks 1-4)
Winni at 50mg for weeks 13-16)

PCT: Torem (120/90/60/30)
Nolva: 40/20/20/10
Armidex as an AI, dose I’ll play with

So would you recommend this cycle, alot of planning has gone into it? Nervous about pinning but i’ll get over it. have a pharma grade connection thank god, although past SERM use has been from UL’s, luckily with success. PLan on getting blood work in July before i head out to vacation and after my cut to 5-7% is finished.

Again long term goal is compete in 2015 or 2016, after adding more mass. i’m proud of how far i’ve come (broke my femur twice, got fat at 189, then dropped to 130 in 6 months of ddieting before college) but really wanna take this to the next level. i’m an ambitious little pr*ck so to speak lol very determined. diet is meticulously tracked, only cook for myself, and count everything. don’t need cheat meals, cause when you can make chocolate protein waffles or bake a snicker doodle protein cake, or cook mexican style dishes like a pro i don’t need them lol

Also, what are your opinions of SARM’s such as ostarine?

Thanks so much for the info and for your time, it’s guys like you that truly make a difference and prevent others from doing stupid shit like what i did :/[/quote]

Thanks for reading, this is a very good first post!

First question.Why is your protein so low?

how many meals are you eating each day? Did you try the Plazma in a lower serving size? Maybe half pre workout, half intra and half post workout? Also, make sure you are mixing it with enough water. If it’s a definite no, I would choose MAG-10 as the optimal pre-workout and post workout meal if you aren’t using Plazma. There is a small amount of carbs in the MAG-10 and you might like that for intraworkout as well. When I am low carbing on my diets I always drink it as my intra(I used to feel sick drinking during my workout as well but I haven’t had any issues with either of these). If neither of these work you could try a bit of baby rice pre and post workout, it should digest very easily. Look for a rice that doesn’t include any milk products but should include an ingredient called inulin, it’s a fiber that will help you with digestion. You can eat it as a pudding with a scoop of hydrolyzed whey and 30-50g from carbs about 1hr before your workout and immediately after. If a baby is able to digest this then it surely won’t be a problem for you.

I prefer bcaa’s intraworkout rather than eaa’s because I think it helps with recovery. If you aren’t using the Plazma you will need between 20-40g.

I’m getting the feeling that you are only eating 3-4 meals a day? Unless I’m misunderstanding? You should be eating more like 6-7.

I’m glad you didn’t get any bad side effects with the anavar cycles you did, you’re very lucky. Instead of the DMZ I would do something like oral tbol(run it for up to 6 weeks @ 40-70mg/day… I’m not a big fan of pro hormones because you never know what you are getting and could potentially get worse side effects. If you are doing test-e, oral tbol and winstrol it’s a decent gaining cycle with medium water retention. You will get a bit from the tbol and the test but nothing major. I am also not a big fan of peptides… You are never too sure what you are getting there and the results are questionable.

Instead of the ostarine, a better option for the same results and many more would be to use a low dose of GH(something like 4iu /day) it will completely stop any muscle breakdown, aid in recovery and help with your injuries. Also, it will help keep your body fat relatively low when you are eating more calories.

You can add HCG during your cycle as well @250iu 2x/week and 10mg of nolva during the cycle. Therefore, this would change your pct… You could use clomid for 4 weeks @50mg and nolva @20mg and 500iu HCG 2x/week (total of 8 shots)

Everytime you have the option or the budget to spend money on peptides, use this money to get pharm quality GH instead… The results will always be more profound and beneficial for all aspects of your goals.remember when you are using gear your protein consumption should be higher than when you are natural… 160g is not going to cut it. Honestly, I have natural figure clients eating more than 200g so I know you can do it!

Can you post a picture please?

[/quote]

Sure, I blurred out my face, tattoo, and background to keep myself anonymous. These were taken one month ago, cold in the morning at the start of my cut with my coach. Zero pump, no flex, etc… then also included is a picture of my leg after my mock meet, stupid leg pump.

I’ll talk to my source about GH, especially at a low dose. Seems like it would help given my past injury history and 3 surgeries, especially my elbow.

Protein intake i was always told 1g/lb is plenty, and carbs being protein sparing. When i do my macros and plan for the day, i make sure to hit the protein first, then stay under the carb threshold and fat threshold, and whatever is leftover i use for protein. i hit about 180-190g a day, just how the numbers work out.

I’ve tried everything regarding plazma and any intra carb drink, just can’t stomach them, idk why.

yes 3-4 large meals, 1,000 kcal + post wo, 500 kcal about 2-3 hours later, and then about 3-4 hours later about 600-700 kcals. varies everyday, that’s just the jist. sources are whole wheat complete pancake mix (for when i bake with protein powder), 99% lean ground turkey, white basmati rice, brown rice, sweet potato, oats, whole grain bread/bagels, fruit (post workout banana and either strawberry/blueberry), sometimes cheerios if i want a bowl of cereal (make it fit my macros), non-fat plain greek yogurt, 1% milkfat cottage cheese, eggs/egg whites, beans, etc

for fats: mct oil, natty pb occasionally, unsalted almonds/peanuts, fish oil caps, whole eggs, etc

everything is weighed out to the nearest gram right now as I cut, i’ll be less strict when i bulk.

i always was told meal timing/frequency didn’t matter, just the end of the day macros being met and if you’re in a total surplus/deficit. plus the bigger meals make cutting feel less like cutting, idk if i’d be able to 6-7 smaller meals tbh, as the former fatty in me likes to be satiated lol. but again i’m asking you because i’m serious about this and wanna take this to the next level in the next year or two.

perhaps include protein shakes in between meals to add more “meals” so to speak?