Hi all,
Excited to be around such an apparent wealth of knowledge on this board.
I am planning for my first cycle ever and have a few questions, mostly regarding PCT.
But first, my background. So cutting right to the chase...I am 30 years old and have been lifting and dieting, with varying degrees of seriousness, for ~12 years now. Suffice it to say, bodybuilding has been an integral part of my lifestyle for a while now, despite all of life's other priorities as a young adult. I have never competed, and probably never will - I just enjoy bodybuilding.
I am 5'10", currently 220lbs with ~20-25% BF. Yes, I am a little meaty at the moment, at least for my status quo, but am working to shed some fat for the summer. I currently work a permanent overnight position on a 7-on, 7-off schedule, so this forces me to be a little strategic with my daily training/dieting. When I'm on work, I have to hit the gym right after I wake up on an empty stomach, with my pre-workout in hand. This means, that my first "meal" of the day is my post-workout shake (followed 2 hours after with my first real meal). I do 30 minutes of cardio post workout basically everyday. When I'm off, all is hunky dory.
My current diet is pretty damn clean. I eat the same foods everyday, which consist of the following in no particular order (just to give you an idea):
Regular Protein Sources
-6-8oz. chicken breast (1-2x daily)
-6-8oz. 95/5 ground beef (1x daily - every 2 days)
-#6 eggs; 3 whole, 3 white (1-2x daily)
-8oz. steak (1-2x week)
-supplemental protein with cottage cheese and greek yogurt (daily)
-Animal Whey (1-2x daily)
-Trutein all natural sustained release blend before bed w/ PB (daily)
Regular Carb Sources
-0.5-1 cup brown rice (daily)
-0.5-1 cup traditional oats (daily)
-2-3 slices Ezekiel bread (daily)
-0.5-1 big scooper of Gatorade powder (w/ post workout shake)
-P28 Protein bread (2-3x week)
-Sweet potatoes (2-3x week)
-grapefruit/orange/banana/veggies (1-2x daily)
Macros: 250g protein, 100-250g carbs, and 50-100g fat
Obviously, when I start my cycle, my macros will be adjusted accordingly.
Now, my apologies if your irritated as shit at this point from information overload, but I'm looking to avoid responses which speculate my naivety, or lack of readiness for my first cycle. I am well informed, and experienced in fitness and nutrition, and clearly, I have made the personal decision to go this route. I will note however, that I am planning to first reduce my BF to ~12-15% before initiation, with the goal of achieving clean bulk and bringing my weight back to 220lbs. As of this writing, I don't even have a reliable source, let alone the gear in my possession. This is a work in progress.
Now, on to what I am less experienced with....I'd like to complete a 10 week cycle of Test-Cyp alone, running at 500mg/week. I believe this to be a reasonable initial cycle for a beginner to achieve some moderate bulk, but I am open ears to the expertise of this forum. I'd also like to run HCG for 2 weeks and Nolvadex as my PCT for 6 weeks. My questions are:
-Should the test-c be run at 500mg weekly for the entire cycle or should it be tapered at the end?
-When do I actually begin the HCG? I have read different things, some of which state to start during the final two weeks of cycle before PCT, and others imply starting along with PCT after cycle ends.
-What is the optimal dose and frequency of HCG? I guess I would also pose the question of whether its critically required or not.
-For my particular regimen, when would I start Nolvadex for PCT? Should it be started the day after my cycle ends, or should I wait 2 weeks after my last test injection (due to the longer-acting cyp ester)?
-What would be an ideal Nolvadex protocol? 20mg daily? I have read about initiating PCT at 40mg daily x2 wks to achieve quicker steady state levels.
-Under what circumstances would I consider beginning the Nolvadex during my cycle? straight-op gyno? sensitive nipples? just feeling like a pussy?
-If I did begin Nolvadex during cycle, should it just be continued throughout? If not, what would be my stopping point under these circumstances and would it effect me taking it again after cycle as PCT?
Clearly, I am a ways out, with some more research to do, and I still need a reputable, safe source. However, I'd like to generate some discussion with this. All meaningful advice is welcome.
Excited to be around such an apparent wealth of knowledge on this board.
I am planning for my first cycle ever and have a few questions, mostly regarding PCT.
But first, my background. So cutting right to the chase...I am 30 years old and have been lifting and dieting, with varying degrees of seriousness, for ~12 years now. Suffice it to say, bodybuilding has been an integral part of my lifestyle for a while now, despite all of life's other priorities as a young adult. I have never competed, and probably never will - I just enjoy bodybuilding.
I am 5'10", currently 220lbs with ~20-25% BF. Yes, I am a little meaty at the moment, at least for my status quo, but am working to shed some fat for the summer. I currently work a permanent overnight position on a 7-on, 7-off schedule, so this forces me to be a little strategic with my daily training/dieting. When I'm on work, I have to hit the gym right after I wake up on an empty stomach, with my pre-workout in hand. This means, that my first "meal" of the day is my post-workout shake (followed 2 hours after with my first real meal). I do 30 minutes of cardio post workout basically everyday. When I'm off, all is hunky dory.
My current diet is pretty damn clean. I eat the same foods everyday, which consist of the following in no particular order (just to give you an idea):
Regular Protein Sources
-6-8oz. chicken breast (1-2x daily)
-6-8oz. 95/5 ground beef (1x daily - every 2 days)
-#6 eggs; 3 whole, 3 white (1-2x daily)
-8oz. steak (1-2x week)
-supplemental protein with cottage cheese and greek yogurt (daily)
-Animal Whey (1-2x daily)
-Trutein all natural sustained release blend before bed w/ PB (daily)
Regular Carb Sources
-0.5-1 cup brown rice (daily)
-0.5-1 cup traditional oats (daily)
-2-3 slices Ezekiel bread (daily)
-0.5-1 big scooper of Gatorade powder (w/ post workout shake)
-P28 Protein bread (2-3x week)
-Sweet potatoes (2-3x week)
-grapefruit/orange/banana/veggies (1-2x daily)
Macros: 250g protein, 100-250g carbs, and 50-100g fat
Obviously, when I start my cycle, my macros will be adjusted accordingly.
Now, my apologies if your irritated as shit at this point from information overload, but I'm looking to avoid responses which speculate my naivety, or lack of readiness for my first cycle. I am well informed, and experienced in fitness and nutrition, and clearly, I have made the personal decision to go this route. I will note however, that I am planning to first reduce my BF to ~12-15% before initiation, with the goal of achieving clean bulk and bringing my weight back to 220lbs. As of this writing, I don't even have a reliable source, let alone the gear in my possession. This is a work in progress.
Now, on to what I am less experienced with....I'd like to complete a 10 week cycle of Test-Cyp alone, running at 500mg/week. I believe this to be a reasonable initial cycle for a beginner to achieve some moderate bulk, but I am open ears to the expertise of this forum. I'd also like to run HCG for 2 weeks and Nolvadex as my PCT for 6 weeks. My questions are:
-Should the test-c be run at 500mg weekly for the entire cycle or should it be tapered at the end?
-When do I actually begin the HCG? I have read different things, some of which state to start during the final two weeks of cycle before PCT, and others imply starting along with PCT after cycle ends.
-What is the optimal dose and frequency of HCG? I guess I would also pose the question of whether its critically required or not.
-For my particular regimen, when would I start Nolvadex for PCT? Should it be started the day after my cycle ends, or should I wait 2 weeks after my last test injection (due to the longer-acting cyp ester)?
-What would be an ideal Nolvadex protocol? 20mg daily? I have read about initiating PCT at 40mg daily x2 wks to achieve quicker steady state levels.
-Under what circumstances would I consider beginning the Nolvadex during my cycle? straight-op gyno? sensitive nipples? just feeling like a pussy?
-If I did begin Nolvadex during cycle, should it just be continued throughout? If not, what would be my stopping point under these circumstances and would it effect me taking it again after cycle as PCT?
Clearly, I am a ways out, with some more research to do, and I still need a reputable, safe source. However, I'd like to generate some discussion with this. All meaningful advice is welcome.
