Started my first cycle...

[BigJames]

Well, I started my first cycle (13 weeks, Test E 500mg/wk)...my first injection was Sunday night at 8:30pm. Wow. I have been psyching myself up for these injections for months. I started prepping everything and was confident. I did everything exactly as instructed on **************.com. I loaded 1.25 cc of 200mg/ml Test into a 25 guage 1" pin (a 250mg shot). I was ready. I decided to put the first one in my right quad. I wanted a location that would leave both arms free to do the injection and was easy to see so I was not doing my first one in an akward position. I sat on the toilet with the loaded pin in hand. I swabbed the spot on my leg; vastus lateralis about 9 inches above the knee. I lined up the pin...and I froze. I could not move that pin any closer than an inch from my skin. It was crazy. I just sat there looking at the pin and my leg and I was telling my hand to to move, but it would not. It was ridiculous. I tried to encourage myself...no good. I could not move my hand. I tried telling myself that if I go on to the forums tomorrow and tell everyone I could not do it, I would be ridiculed...my hand just started shaking. I was ready to give up...my wife walks into the bathroom and asks me if I have done it yet. She see that I have not. She takes one of my 23.5 guage pins out to the kitchen. A few seconds later she returns and sees that I am no closer to doing the injection than I was before. She walks over, wipes my leg with alcohol again, takes the pin and sticks it into my leg. She aspirates the needle, and then gets ready to inject. At this point, I realize that it is totally not that bad and entirely psychological. I take over and finish the injection...nice and slowly. Done and done. I massage the spot for a minute and then bandage an piece of cotton swab on the spot so it does not bleed. No redness, no swelling, mild pain. Apparently, she took the 23.5 gauge out to the kitchen, loaded it with water and injetced a banana. Once she knew what it would be like, she came in and took care of it. Today (Monday AM) I got up and trained chest and shoulders and walked on the tredmill for 10 minutes. It feels good. Now I just wait for it to kick in....I will keep you all posted on my progress... I am sure I can do it myself on Wednesday night....

[BigJames]

I am now in week 4 of my 13 week Test Cyp (500mg/wk) cycle. So far so good. I have gained about 12 pounds so far and I actually look and feel leaner than before I started. My lifts are up all around: Flat Dumbbell Presses up 10 lbs, squats up 20lbs, leg extensions up 20lbs, tricep presses up 20 lbs, curls up 10 lbs and endurance is way up, bent over rows are up 25 lbs. So far this is crazy. I love it. I think I have been thoroughly turned to the dark side. All this and apparently it has not kicked in??? That is going to be crazy.

BigJ

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Well done keep up the hard work.

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[numbat]

I just have to ask ,is it Cypionate? Or Enathate?

[brutesinme]

said cyp in his post. What's your diet like, and your stats?

[AllGearedUp]

He said tes e and then he said cyp.

[brutesinme]

oh, i see, he said both, hmm confusing.

[Growingpains]

dude, thats awesome that you chick did that for you. You are one lucky F*^%&er!


Keep it up dude,

GP

[goalseeker]

Nice to get the first one over with, hey bro? good job..

[BigJames]

Some more info and clarity you guys: My cycle started with Test Cyp @ 500mg/wk and on week 9 I switch to Test E @ 500mg/wk. There was no rhyme or reason to this other than it is what I could get at the time. I am hoping that there will not be any problems with the switch over when the time comes and I have heard from many bros on here that all should be well as they are so similar. My wife has done two injections for me; one in the quad and one in the left delt (which I cannot reach very well).

My stats:
30 years old
6'1.5"
230 lbs (pre-cycle)
242 lbs (today)
Pre-Cycle Measurements:
Chest: 48"
Upper Arms: 18.75"
Forearms: 14.5"
Quads: 27"
Calves: 17.5"
BF%: Unsure, would guess around 16%. Since starting the cycle I have noticed a significant reduction in ab fat and my upper abs are clearly visible (which they were not before). I have also noticed increased vascularity and definition in my upper body in general. I know that I probably should have leaned out more before starting but, I realized that 1) the cyp was going to expire before I could possible lean out to 10-12% and 2) that this was the kick in the ass I needed to get serious about bbing in general. Since starting I have been consistent and only missed one arm workout in week 3.

The measurements are all from the first week of my cycle. I will take new ones this week, but I do not expect too much of a change from last time. As far as muscularity goes, my wife and I can see that my lats are bigger and than before and I have noticed more shoulder and chest fullness i nthe last two weeks. My quads also appear bigger, but it is likely just an illusion from the slight leaning out that has happened.

My plan is to finish this cycle (sometime in May) and then start leaning out hard for and through the summer. My goal will be 10-12% BF. I may use clen to help, but will likely stick with something easier on the body like an ECA stack (I have a line on some thermalean with ephedra). I will see what I look like at that point. My plan right now is to lean down and then in winter do a second cycle of Test @ 600-750mg/wk along with 400mg/wk of EQ. I already have the EQ and it would be a shame to waste it.

[Booz]

good luck and keep us updated mate!!

[BigJames]

Sorry, forgot to mention diet. I have been concentrating on eating a lot, but keeping it as clean as possible. I have a couple of daughters (aged 2.5 and 5 years) so I cannot have the kinds of meals that I would like to have in an ideal world at every meal. I have been concentrating on getting about 40g of protein with every real food meal. Meals are typically something like pasta with chicken or beef, chicken, rice and brocolli or asparagus, turkey caesar salad with bread, chicken with yams or potatos, etc. Simple, but easy to see what I am getting. I have had the occasional meal with less protein, but those are the exceptions right now. I am also supplementing with ON 100% Whey; I have one 20g protein shake with my morning 1/2 cup of oatmeal (pre-training meal: I train from 7:00-7:55 4 days per week) and my post-training shake is about 75g protein and 100g carbs from maltodextrin at about 8:15 (after showering) along with 1000mg L-Taurine and 1000mg Tribulus (I am not interested in debating why I am doing this, but I have read many posts on this forum which suggest keeping the trib up through the cycle to keep the boys more or less maintained - I intend to bump this up for the last 3-5 weeks of the cycle to 3g ED which I will maintain through my standard PCT and I may add some Tongkat Ali to the mix at that time as well as it helps lower SHBG and thereby make the cycle more effective). Lunch at about 11:00 (tuna sandwiches, pasta and meat, or chicken and rice). Afternoon shake at about 2:30 (50g protein shake). Dinner at 5:30 (as described above already, plus glass of 1% milk). Nighttime snack at avout 8pm (low fat cottage cheese or dinner left overs, etc.) Bedtime shake right before bed at about 10pm (50g protein). I also supplement calcium (600mg ED), vitamin c (3g ED), multivitamin, wild salmon oil (2g ED), milk thistle extract (4 caps ED), and glucosamine/condroitin/MSM (for an elbow injury).

I am aiming for 250-300g of protein per day. BigJ

[*Alex*]

just make sure she dosent practice on your banana next time!

[BigJames]

just make sure she dosent practice on your banana next time!

Hahaha...I am very lucky that she is so willing to help me. I took her from being opposed to gear all the way to giving me my first injection all because of research I have done on this site...so thanks everyone...

[BigJames]

I am now 9 weeks in to my cycle and going strong. I noticed that I have developed pains in my right knee, neck, and elbows in the last few weeks - not sure if it is related to the gear or just a result of training heavier. I have read conflicting information on the effects of Test on the joints, ligaments, and tendons. I have hit a wall as far as weight gain is concerned at 245 lately. I got up to 247-248, but then tapered back down to 245 and seem to have settled there. I have increased calories this week to see if it will help. My strength and size gains are certainly noticable and a lot of "smaller" muscle groups are more visible now. I listed my "pre-cycle" measurements above and have some updates:

Chest: 49" (was 48")
Upper Arms: 19.5" (was 18.75")
Forearms: 15" (was 14.5")
Quads: 28" (was 27")
Calves: 17.5"

My back and arms are noticibly thicker and when I do a front double bis my lats stick out a lot more than they used to. Recently a couple of lifts have literally exploded...I added 50 lbs to my bent over rows in the course of one week and can do 6-8 reps with weights on flat dumbbell presses that I could only move once or twice before. My triceps and biceps have gotten noticibly stronger - my tris actually scare me now: I can perform seated overhead dumbell extenions (both arms together on one dumbbell) with 120 lbs x 10 FULL reps on my 4th set! I am considering trying to pre-exhaust tris a little with a "safer" exercise before I over do it. I think I could do 130-140 if I really tried, but i do not want to cause an injury for the sake of ego.

I never felt the increase in sex drive on Test that I expected (much to my wife's dissappointment). I assume it is just something to do with my physiology. I just switched from Test C to Test E one week ago and I will see if I notice a change. I am dreading going off cycle...I like the way I feel when I am "on"...confident, strong, pumped...just over all really good. I am already thinking about round 2 (scheduled for January / February 2007 - 13 weeks @ Test E 600-750mg/wk + Eq 400mg/wk)

I am still going strong and training hard...I will keep you all updated...sorry for the lack of pics...I will attach some next time...maybe later this week....

BigJ