to cruise or not to cruise?

**ascendant** · 10-29-2006, 10:20 PM

since i've been getting back into cycling again, i've been debating the thought of cruising between cycles. i mean, i'm 28, and though i haven't had them tested in some time, i know simply by my decrease in my sex drive (when not on gear) that my natty test levels are pretty low nowadays. considering cruising will not only keep my sex drive up more year-round but will also help maintain gains between cycles, it's something i'm seriously considering.

now, my questions regarding cruising are these... first, how much to cruise on? second, what are the potential issues (other than high cholesterol and bp) from long-term continuous use? third, is there any kind of test people prefer to cruise on and if so, why? fourth, will cruising negatively affect gains during cycles at all?

if you guys have any other info on the matter as well that you think might be beneficial, i'd really appreciate it. thanks.

**Hellmaskbanned** · 10-29-2006, 10:24 PM

I don't see why someone would want to do that to themselves unless they were a bodybuilder, or had a medical reason to do so.

**gymrocken** · 10-29-2006, 10:29 PM

well, it matters what you want. if you want to cruise and keep very hard wood then do about 125mg of test for your 8 week cruise. not only will that make test levels in the HIGH normal range, it isnt harmful.
OR you can go the..."good for your body cruise". that would be something like deca or tbol. deca not only doesnt have ANY harmful side effects at any dose up to 800mg, but it acually IMPROVES the immune system, liver, kidneys and MORE! It isnt much androgenic so you wont get much bloat, but youll keep the androgens at a nice level. the only flaw to this and any other "good for your body cruise" is that it will effect your wood, ONLY TEMPORARILY. once you go back on cycle with test mr. monkey will come back to life lol.
thats my two cents from years of research and reading on cruising and aas.
cheers!

**IBdmfkr** · 10-29-2006, 10:30 PM

Do you compete Ascendant?

Go have BW done and see where your levels are at first, then come back and we'll weigh your options.

**body_by_donuts** · 10-29-2006, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

I don't see why someone would want to do that to themselves unless they were a bodybuilder, or had a medical reason to do so.

Yup, my test levels where 254 and I'm 27. I'm still debating if I should do it, but if I did it would be 125mg or E or C per week.

Before you decide to do it, go to a doc and find out why you might have low test levels at 28.

**ascendant** · 10-29-2006, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by I**mfkr

Do you compete Ascendant?

Go have BW done and see where your levels are at first, then come back and we'll weigh your options.

as far as competing, i don't yet, but i plan to. i'm still catching up from a long layoff and am now on my first cycle again in over 2 1/2 years.

**ascendant** · 10-29-2006, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by body_by_donuts

Yup, my test levels where 254 and I'm 27. I'm still debating if I should do it, but if I did it would be 125mg or E or C per week.

Before you decide to do it, go to a doc and find out why you might have low test levels at 28.

i don't know if my test levels would necessarily be low, but they are unquestionably well lower than they were when i was a teen. i just really miss that kind of sex drive, love the sex drive i have when on test, and would really like to have that year-round. the fact that i'd eventually like to compete and want to maximize my results in as short of a time as possible just enforces my consideration on this even more.

well at this point, i'm already on a cycle, but i suppose after this cycle and pct, i'll have my test levels checked and see where i'm at natty. regardless of if they really are low or not, i'm just not satisfied with my bodies natural sex drive anymore, or i guess i'd say lack thereof.

**ascendant** · 10-29-2006, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by gymrocken

well, it matters what you want. if you want to cruise and keep very hard wood then do about 125mg of test for your 8 week cruise. not only will that make test levels in the HIGH normal range, it isnt harmful.
OR you can go the..."good for your body cruise". that would be something like deca or tbol. deca not only doesnt have ANY harmful side effects at any dose up to 800mg, but it acually IMPROVES the immune system, liver, kidneys and MORE! It isnt much androgenic so you wont get much bloat, but youll keep the androgens at a nice level. the only flaw to this and any other "good for your body cruise" is that it will effect your wood, ONLY TEMPORARILY. once you go back on cycle with test mr. monkey will come back to life lol.
thats my two cents from years of research and reading on cruising and aas.
cheers!

though i appreciate the help, this would not be for me. as i had already stated, one of my intentions behind cruising includes NOT losing my sex drive, which of course would include being able to get it up.

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 10-30-2006, 01:47 AM

Hey bro,

In my honest opinion, I think cruising is a bad idea for a variety of reasons:

1. Your body gets acclimated to the compound, requiring you to use more on each consequtive cycle
2. Your body will become dependant on exogenous test for libido..meaning you will have to keep on using until you decide you dont need sex in your life anymore...you're basically chemically castrating yourself
3. You low natural test seems to most likely be from past cycles...for some people in their late 20s and 30s, restoration of natural levels can take months (even up to a year) of recuperation despite a great PCT (I know, I've been there)...you need to give your body time to bounce back
4. Your low sex drive can be shored up on many other remedies, including proviron , cialis, tribulus, tongkat, yohimbe and what not...exhaust them all before deciding cruising is the way to go.
5.Like the other bros suggested, get bloodwork done and get definite figures...and ask the doctor to explain if your low test levels are reversible...if they arent. then consider HRT as a means to 'cruise'

From your post, I gather sex drive is top priority (duh!)...in that case, it should come before gaining mass thru unnatural means..which means you better fix your problem instead of masking it with more chemicals that will snowball and screw you over even more down the line!

Cheers bro

**marcus300** · 10-30-2006, 02:48 AM

Its very hard to fully recover when you use CRUISING/BRIDGING/COASTING these methods are especially harder on the young, the best gains are produced when your body is fresh and clean from gear if the priming is done correctly gains are amazing with each new cycle,

with every successive cycle after bridging/cruising you will have to keep increasing the dose just to get some kind of gains out of the cycle because basically your never off gear,your body gets use to what it is having so a increase is needed,

Ive been on all year round in the past with bridging cycles together and personally i would rather fully come off recover and maintain without any kind of cruising, the gains are far better and my body responds more,

Why saturate your body with AAS you end up starting hrt sooner? i wouldn't advice any younger BB to start bridging/cruising unless your willing to pay the price of it. your better off using various other compounds to increase Test levels naturally and to help recovery and maintain, all other avenues are worth trying before you think about cruising,

If your natural test levels are low at such a young age and are impossible to bring back up then the damage as proberly already been done from your previous cycles, the FEELING being off cycle is rubbish and makes us all contemplate going back on sooner than we should be this only ends up with more damage, in the long run most of us are going to be on HRT more and more younger people are on it due to AAS,

I fully understand if you feel like rubbish and you cant hold onto muscle tissue from cycles, maybe some form of HRT is needed if so around 100-125mg per wk is all you need, people should consider the risks when staying on cycle or gear,i would have blood work done and all other methods of bringing your levels back should be ran before this option,

If you compete then yes this could be something to look at....otherwise,for the novice person who cycles its just madness

**vitor** · 10-30-2006, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by marcus300

Its very hard to fully recover when you use CRUISING/BRIDGING/COASTING

Not only is it hard, its impossible to recover while cruising.

28 is a bit young. But I do think HRT is a good option for people at or over 40, as testosterone levels will take a huge dive at that age(which will make it difficult to hold onto gains),...Is that something you will considder soon marcus?

**vitor** · 10-30-2006, 02:58 AM

One of the reasens why testosterone levels declines with age is b/c estrogen levels increase which will inhibit the hypotalamus. An aromatase inhibitor could effectively fix this problem in many cases.

**marcus300** · 10-30-2006, 03:22 AM

Originally Posted by vitor

Not only is it hard, its impossible to recover while cruising.

28 is a bit young. But I do think HRT is a good option for people at or over 40, as testosterone levels will take a huge dive at that age(which will make it difficult to hold onto gains),...Is that something you will considder soon marcus?

I ment after the cruise not during.................lol

**ascendant** · 10-30-2006, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by InsaneInTheMembrane

Hey bro,

In my honest opinion, I think cruising is a bad idea for a variety of reasons:

1. Your body gets acclimated to the compound, requiring you to use more on each consequtive cycle
2. Your body will become dependant on exogenous test for libido..meaning you will have to keep on using until you decide you dont need sex in your life anymore...you're basically chemically castrating yourself
3. You low natural test seems to most likely be from past cycles...for some people in their late 20s and 30s, restoration of natural levels can take months (even up to a year) of recuperation despite a great PCT (I know, I've been there)...you need to give your body time to bounce back
4. Your low sex drive can be shored up on many other remedies, including proviron , cialis, tribulus, tongkat, yohimbe and what not...exhaust them all before deciding cruising is the way to go.
5.Like the other bros suggested, get bloodwork done and get definite figures...and ask the doctor to explain if your low test levels are reversible...if they arent. then consider HRT as a means to 'cruise'

From your post, I gather sex drive is top priority (duh!)...in that case, it should come before gaining mass thru unnatural means..which means you better fix your problem instead of masking it with more chemicals that will snowball and screw you over even more down the line!

Cheers bro

first of all, thanks for all your advice, as i can see you put a lot of thought into it. in response to some of your answers...
2. i have no issues chemically castrating myself. in another 10 years or so, my test levels will be shot anyway and if low test levels are my cause for decreased libido, as far as i'm concerned there's nothing to castrate there anyway. endogenous or exogenous, i just want enough test in me for that good ole sex drive i love.
3. as far as this one, prior to the cycle i'm on now, i haven't had a cycle in over 2 1/2 years and my sex drive never went back to how it was when i was younger. also, i didn't take my first cycle until i was 23, so it's not like i had started too soon.
4. i am more than willing to give those things a try. wasn't sure what things were effective and what ones were gimmicks. i'll do more research into them and see what might help me.
5. i'll be sure to do that after my pct from this cycle.

lastly, though the whole sex drive thing is one of my priorities with all this, gaining size as fast as possible is too, as i'm hoping to compete and i'm already 28. i already missed out on a lot of time i should've been competing for many reasons, and i'm not getting any younger.

anyway, i think i'll be laying off the cruising idea for now, at least until i get my natty test levels checked. i thank you for all your help bro.

**ascendant** · 10-30-2006, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by marcus300

Its very hard to fully recover when you use CRUISING/BRIDGING/COASTING these methods are especially harder on the young, the best gains are produced when your body is fresh and clean from gear if the priming is done correctly gains are amazing with each new cycle,

with every successive cycle after bridging/cruising you will have to keep increasing the dose just to get some kind of gains out of the cycle because basically your never off gear,your body gets use to what it is having so a increase is needed,

Ive been on all year round in the past with bridging cycles together and personally i would rather fully come off recover and maintain without any kind of cruising, the gains are far better and my body responds more,

Why saturate your body with AAS you end up starting hrt sooner? i wouldn't advice any younger BB to start bridging/cruising unless your willing to pay the price of it. your better off using various other compounds to increase Test levels naturally and to help recovery and maintain, all other avenues are worth trying before you think about cruising,

If your natural test levels are low at such a young age and are impossible to bring back up then the damage as proberly already been done from your previous cycles, the FEELING being off cycle is rubbish and makes us all contemplate going back on sooner than we should be this only ends up with more damage, in the long run most of us are going to be on HRT more and more younger people are on it due to AAS,

I fully understand if you feel like rubbish and you cant hold onto muscle tissue from cycles, maybe some form of HRT is needed if so around 100-125mg per wk is all you need, people should consider the risks when staying on cycle or gear,i would have blood work done and all other methods of bringing your levels back should be ran before this option,

If you compete then yes this could be something to look at....otherwise,for the novice person who cycles its just madness

yet more words of wisdom. thanks for your help as well, marcus. i am really trying to take all things into account here and as i already stated, i'll wait to get my test levels tested after the cycle to make sure that's the cause of my decreased libido off cycles.

**marcus300** · 10-31-2006, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by ascendant

yet more words of wisdom. thanks for your help as well, marcus. i am really trying to take all things into account here and as i already stated, i'll wait to get my test levels tested after the cycle to make sure that's the cause of my decreased libido off cycles.

If your natural test is low and it wont recover then cruising looks like an option to consider, i know guys who have tried so hard to fully recover but they always end up losing size and going back on gear, low test is awful especially mentally, Ive had many demons because of this, try everything else possible and still no look then cruise it is.

**V_Vandetta** · 10-31-2006, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by marcus300

If your natural test is low and it wont recover then cruising looks like an option to consider, i know guys who have tried so hard to fully recover but they always end up losing size and going back on gear, low test is awful especially mentally, Ive had many demons because of this, try everything else possible and still no look then cruise it is.

amen bro.... I will just add that supressing for long periods will shut you down and cause recovery problems ... to the point of permadent HPTA damage .... now with age .. yes it does decress .. but on top of damage in production ... means slow recovery whcih makes it that much harder... is why I have to cruise.... but If i had it to do all over again .. bro I would have have cut the long cycles and stayed short with good time off... because with in the next few years at the age of 40... I will be 36 friday I will be on TRT no dought about that ... But when we tell you that bridgeing cruiseing is not the best route .. it's from making them very mistakes ... because I myslef had the same mind set ... I DONT CARE IF I AM SUPRESSED no sex drive as long as I get big ... Boy was that the wrong attiude ... But like all things you will determin your fate .... what you decide will effect you one way or the other ...

let me share a line I heard from a BB years ago and it holds ture today... train for tomorrow .. lift hard today.. becasue while everyone wants to get big NOW ... they miss the most important thing that is.. being big now means being big tomorrow .... you cant do that when you all ways worry about today plan for the future always be big