Post Cycle Workouts: How Crucial Are They?

**johnsomebody** · 08-22-2003, 06:20 PM

Hey bros,

How important is it to keep lifting hard right after a cycle is over, to keep your gains?

I normally always take a week off every couple months or so so I don't get sick of it, which always works great. But I'm REALLY sick of the gym after almost four months without a break. I'm on week two of the Clomid and none of my lifts have gone down from my cycle peak. A break would feel really good about now.

Bad idea?

Thanx!

**slobberknocker** · 08-22-2003, 06:41 PM

I'd take 1 or 2 weeks off. Your body is in a catabolic state so lifting just makes it worse.

**djsir007** · 08-22-2003, 06:54 PM

That may be true, but I wouldnt stop for awhile. Keep going hard for another month, then take a week off. IMO

**NJou812** · 08-22-2003, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by djsir007

That may be true, but I wouldnt stop for awhile. Keep going hard for another month, then take a week off. IMO

Interestng post - Another question could be: how do you down regulate training if you are a traditional hardgainer, and don't want to overtrain post cycle??
Thoughts?

**eshestun** · 08-22-2003, 07:01 PM

whenever i take a week or so off, i feel a little stronger

**johnsomebody** · 08-22-2003, 07:11 PM

That's my experience too. Physically I don't feel bad but I know I'm at least mentally burned out right now. But a lot of people say the few weeks post cycle are as crucial as during.

**Flynman** · 08-22-2003, 07:28 PM

I have found that post cycle workouts help to keep the feeling of depression to a minimum. What worked for me was to workout every other day and to drop the weight a little bit. On the days I felt strong I lifted heavier weight. A week off is not a bad idea both mentally and physically. Good luck.

Peace

**djsir007** · 08-22-2003, 09:32 PM

I feel that is when people loose most of there gains is right after the cycle and they quit working out. I always felt it was harder to start again than to continue. IMO

**johnsomebody** · 08-23-2003, 02:14 PM

I kind of have the opposite experience though. If I'm burned out and take time off I'm always anxious to get back after a week or so and it feels good to start up again. But if I keep going at it when I'm burned out, I'm still as burned out or moreso after a week. But that's just normal, not in relation to doing a cycle. This is my first post cycle experience.

**Rich8888** · 08-23-2003, 02:25 PM

John...b/c of the half life of the gear you cycled...the first 4-6 weeks post cycle...you should feel almost as strong and pumped as during your cycle. After this time frame is the real critical stage of post cycle recuperation. Although, everyone is dif, generally the next 6 six weeks are the most challenging. You will lose energy, strenght, stamina, motivation and appetite.

It is crucial in order to keep as much of your gains as possible that you DO continue to train. Hign intensity lots of reps and sets. Critical to get the proper rest in between workouts, b/c you will not recover near as quickly as you did when on your cycle.

Try to force as much clean calories and maintain a high level of protein 2-2.5x's your body weight.

Again, everyone is different, so pace yourself and holler at me if you need some encouragement.

R

**NJou812** · 08-23-2003, 06:01 PM

Rich8888 is on the money....

**iron4life79** · 08-24-2003, 07:32 AM

rich IS on the money.......

i wouldnt take a break or even cut back until your clomid therapy is done.
then i would take a week off(if necessary), and when i started again, i'd scale the workout back some, and cut the cals slightly.
ive said this before........as far as i'm concerned, this is where gains made are gains kept. screw up your pct, and its a wash...........

peace I4L

**johnsomebody** · 08-25-2003, 10:04 PM

Oh great, I already booked a lodge up in the mountains for four days and there's no refund. NOW I hear from the experts!

Thanks anyway guys! I'll make it up when I get back, I guess.

I gotta admit though, if my brain wants to puke every time I think of going to the gym I've gotta take a few days off or it may never let me go back again.

**cjp85** · 08-25-2003, 10:53 PM

Dont worry, theres a drug for almost anything, get some HCG , and eat like a fuckin pig

**Mudge** · 08-26-2003, 10:52 AM

A week off every 2-3 months is no big deal, I usually go longer though.

**johnsomebody** · 08-26-2003, 12:40 PM

Oh the differences of opinion you get sometimes! I'll let you all know if I make huge losses over my week off, so others won't make the same mistake.

Actually, I used up the last of my HCG at the end of the cycle -I went through three of those 5000 iu Pregnyls altogether over the course of the cycle, usually just 500iu a couple days a week, then five or six days of that at the end. Worked great although it is HPTA suppressive itself from what I understand.

**BUYLONGTERM** · 08-26-2003, 01:00 PM

I only wish I could of kept lifting after my cycle. I got really bad shoulder/joint pains from Winny plus I'm getting the same sides from the HGH, so I haven't been able to lift in almost 2 months!!!!! Talk about a let down. But the good news is I'm leaning out from the Growth, and the sides are almost gone. I will begin to lift starting next week!!!

**legend** · 08-26-2003, 02:13 PM

taking a wek off will not hurt anyone. but i would stronly suggest waiting a month or so post cycle. those first few weeks after a cycle are the toughest to do. both mentally and physically. get over the hill, get your mind right, and then take a week off. i have taken a month or so off(due to my job duties) and the hard part was getting back in the gym. as soon as you get that first good pump, it becomes like a drug. and bam your back baby !!!

**Slyder** · 08-27-2003, 06:13 PM

I take a week off after every cycle. 2 weeks off this time, but I know I need it.

**LOCKDOWN** · 08-27-2003, 06:40 PM

Working out post cycle is the determining factor on whether or not you will keep your gains.

..or at least as been the case with me.

**johnsomebody** · 09-05-2003, 10:47 PM

Well, everybody was right -I lost four pounds in the three days I was gone up trudging around in the rain. Damn, that cut my cycle gain from over 18 to 14 lbs.
But I WAS really glad to get back in the gym and have been since then.

Next time I'll know to stay at it.
Hope this is helpful to anybody else who's just done a cycle. Those post cycle weeks ARE crucial to maintaining gains! Stay at it!!

**PurePower** · 09-06-2003, 07:33 AM

You should take some time off I take around 2 weeks off a year and i have been doing this for 4 years. And im pretty big

***Billy_Bathgate*** · 09-06-2003, 07:59 AM

Increase the cals
Start powerlifting
Keep the workouts intense and to the point, but very short (20-40 min)

If you need a break, wait till a couple weeks after theend of clomid at least.

**n0_Genetics** · 09-06-2003, 08:32 AM

when does the catabolic stage usually phase in?
lets say given that we're using bol wks 1-6, test e for weeks 1-12, winny wks 7-12, clomid weeks 13-15?

**RoNNy THe BuLL** · 09-06-2003, 12:33 PM

Mix the two up. Instead of training 5X a week, train 3X but go hard and heavy and eat eat et eat eat (clean however). A good training split is...

Day 1 - Chest/Tris
Day 2 - Back/Bi's
Day 3 - Legs/Shoulders
Day 4 - Rest
Day 5 - Rest
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Rest

The four days off will do miracles in regards to muscle repair and taking some time off from the gym without actually taking time off. But like Rich said, do whatever feels best for your body. This 3 on, 4 off method works well for me.

**RoNNy THe BuLL** · 09-06-2003, 12:35 PM

And the catabolic stage NOGENETICS will begin about 2-3 weeks after your last Test Enanthate injection. You'll actually 'feel' your body wasting away *LOL*

**johnsomebody** · 09-06-2003, 01:58 PM

I've wondered about exactly when the to expect the lowest point of the recovery phase myself, since it's my first cycle.

Other than losing weight (BWAAAH!!) my energy level is up and my lifts haven't gone down yet, which really amazes me. In fact my last chest workout was heavier than I've ever gone before, even during the cycle.

Rich8888 mentioned it takes 6 weeks for the EQ to fully disipate -I'm just past that point myself and have just finished the Clomid. (I ended the cycle with a few weeks of Anavar .) At this point is a person out of the woods now recovery wise or the worst is yet to come?

**PurePower** · 09-07-2003, 12:09 AM

here is the slit i do and im currntly ranked 5th in the world for powrlifting:
Mon- Shoulders, Tries, Abs
Tues: Deadlift, Bieceps, Ads, Romainan deads
Wed: Rest
Thursday: Bench, Abs
Friday: Squat, Shrugs
Sat: Rest
Sun: rest

Also alot of assistane work, Just dont overtrain that IS THe BIGGEST MISTAKE