carb cycling while on cycle?

**lirenguoke** · 09-19-2017, 06:10 PM

Hi all, I'm going to start a 12-week test e + 4-week dbol cycle. The goal is to gain lean muscle. Should I do carb cycling while doing this cycle? Thanks!

**matt thebeard** · 09-20-2017, 12:24 AM

why? do you not want to gain optimal muscle whilst on cycle? carb cycling is a tool for keeping lean, your goal on cycle I would imagine is bulking, how can you bulk on reduced carbs. you are not ready for a cycle in my opinion you need to do more basic research before you waste your money / time / health

**charger69** · 09-20-2017, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by lirenguoke

Hi all, I'm going to start a 12-week test e + 4-week dbol cycle. The goal is to gain lean muscle. Should I do carb cycling while doing this cycle? Thanks!

You can carb cycle while bulking. To Matts point, you do need to have an excess of calories if you want to bulk. Your sensitivity to carbs willl probably dictate if you want to carb cycle or not. I would only say that it is worth it if you are trying to lean bulk. The dbol will also result in water retention which may cause havoc with the lean bulking.

**lirenguoke** · 09-20-2017, 08:05 AM

Thanks for your reply. This will be the first time I try carb cycling so I'm not sure how I'll react. But I do make sure the diet provides an excess of calories. And yes, my goal is to lean bulk instead of gaining maximum weight possible. In the past I've only done test e only cycles or test e + npp but the npp cycle didn't go as well as the test e only ones. I'm now trying to see if the dbol will make it better or worse.

Originally Posted by charger69

You can carb cycle while bulking. To Matts point, you do need to have an excess of calories if you want to bulk. Your sensitivity to carbs willl probably dictate if you want to carb cycle or not. I would only say that it is worth it if you are trying to lean bulk. The dbol will also result in water retention which may cause havoc with the lean bulking.

**lirenguoke** · 09-20-2017, 08:09 AM

Hi Matt, my goal is to lean bulk but not as much weight as possible, since my job requires that I'll have to stay and look lean year round. As for the calories it's actually more than the previous test e or test e+npp cycles i was on. I'm trying to see if carb cycling (5 days high carb 2 days low carb) will fit my goal and body better. Any thought?

Originally Posted by matt thebeard

why? do you not want to gain optimal muscle whilst on cycle? carb cycling is a tool for keeping lean, your goal on cycle I would imagine is bulking, how can you bulk on reduced carbs. you are not ready for a cycle in my opinion you need to do more basic research before you waste your money / time / health

**matt thebeard** · 09-21-2017, 12:29 AM

if it were me I would just stick to a steady amount of calories daily ie an average even amount of surplus, so enough to be able to grow, not enough that causes you to spill, I think it will help both mentally in terms of (omg its a low carb day ) and in terms of food prep

also level cals per day will give you a more stable training platform - for example you would not have to make sure carbs were high on Monday for heavy quads and then maybe lower for a shoulder day if that makes sense? to have even spread of carb numbers also makes it easier to monitor if you need to adjust up or down to tweak. lower carb days will make a difference in the gym if your lifting heavy which whilst bulking ill assume you are. just my take on it there is no right or wrong way we are all different but for the reasons above i wouldn't personally. best of luck either way ;-)

**matt thebeard** · 09-21-2017, 12:31 AM

extra point, - in terms of looking lean year round maybe an anavar test prop cycle would suit your needs better than the dbol ? doesn't really matter as the excess water will drop off cycle but why hold in the first place right ;-)

**MACKATTACK** · 09-21-2017, 09:50 AM

If you are you looking to gain lean muscle then I don't know why your using Dbol , drop that, use Anavar for 6-8 weeks.

You can totally carb cycle and gain good lean muscle. The carb cycling will help with water retention and optimize fat loss while gaining muscle. Only issue is you need the macros to be on point to be proper gains.

**lirenguoke** · 09-21-2017, 05:24 PM

Good point! I'll think about it. And yea probably anavar is better in my case. I guess there's the pressure to get bigger but stay lean at the same time. I'll think about it. Thanks!

Originally Posted by matt thebeard

if it were me I would just stick to a steady amount of calories daily ie an average even amount of surplus, so enough to be able to grow, not enough that causes you to spill, I think it will help both mentally in terms of (omg its a low carb day ) and in terms of food prep

also level cals per day will give you a more stable training platform - for example you would not have to make sure carbs were high on Monday for heavy quads and then maybe lower for a shoulder day if that makes sense? to have even spread of carb numbers also makes it easier to monitor if you need to adjust up or down to tweak. lower carb days will make a difference in the gym if your lifting heavy which whilst bulking ill assume you are. just my take on it there is no right or wrong way we are all different but for the reasons above i wouldn't personally. best of luck either way ;-)

**lirenguoke** · 09-21-2017, 05:25 PM

Thanks for the input! Anavar is probably a better choice, then.

Originally Posted by MACKATTACK

If you are you looking to gain lean muscle then I don't know why your using Dbol , drop that, use Anavar for 6-8 weeks.

You can totally carb cycle and gain good lean muscle. The carb cycling will help with water retention and optimize fat loss while gaining muscle. Only issue is you need the macros to be on point to be proper gains.

**TRA** · 09-22-2017, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by lirenguoke

Thanks for your reply. This will be the first time I try carb cycling so I'm not sure how I'll react. But I do make sure the diet provides an excess of calories. And yes, my goal is to lean bulk instead of gaining maximum weight possible. In the past I've only done test e only cycles or test e + npp but the npp cycle didn't go as well as the test e only ones. I'm now trying to see if the dbol will make it better or worse.

As an aside, can you tell me why the npp cycle didn't go as well as the test only? Would appreciate it. Best of luck deciding on a diet plan, too. I am challenged with that most of the time. Keto is definitely easiest for me but does nothing for me in a recomp, only good for drop in weight or maintenance.

**lirenguoke** · 03-18-2018, 07:36 PM

Sorry I've been crazy busy and didn't check my message. I ran an 8 wk cycle with test p+npp. Too short for me to adjust the diet. Overall I gained a lot of water weight and didn't retain much as I managed to with test only cycle. And I had a hard time recovering from npp, both physically and mentally.

Originally Posted by TrailRunAZ

As an aside, can you tell me why the npp cycle didn't go as well as the test only? Would appreciate it. Best of luck deciding on a diet plan, too. I am challenged with that most of the time. Keto is definitely easiest for me but does nothing for me in a recomp, only good for drop in weight or maintenance.