Strength cycle without bulking?

[crispyCraka]

What AAS or combination would be best for a beginner that would not cause me to bloat up but still experience good strength gains? I compete as a light-weight strongman, and don't want to get too much heavier, but definitely want the strength gains. Most of what I've read suggests beginners should just do straight test to begin with to see how we will react, but from what I understand there is a significant amount of bloat associated with test as well. Thanks.

[buffgator]

there's allot that goes in here. how old are you and how long have you trained? how close to 231 are you? do you have a contest your going to do while on cycle?

[crispyCraka]

I'm 32 years old, 225-lbs. and have been training for six years. I do pretty well in competition (consistently top five), but I'm at a point where I really want to take my training to the next level. I'm not 100% committed to a timeline for my first cycle, but if I started it anytime from now through August, I would end up competing while on cycle. I'm in no rush, however.

[Bonaparte]

So long as you keep your calorie at or below maintenance, any weight you gain will be glycogen and estrogenic water weight, both of which will come off completely when you come off the drug. And you can just run an AI with test, which will minimize any bloat. After PCT, you'll still be left with at least half of the strength you gained, and only any lean muscle mass you pu ton. Plus you'll be leaner, since you weren't bulking.
So a simple 500mg/week test E cycle with Aromasin is not out of the question.
But if you just want strength for the actual competetion, then I'd start Halo 2 weeks out and run it through the show...though Halo isn't normally recommended for beginners.

[kelevra]

What AAS or combination would be best for a beginner that would not cause me to bloat up but still experience good strength gains? I compete as a light-weight strongman, and don't want to get too much heavier, but definitely want the strength gains. Most of what I've read suggests beginners should just do straight test to begin with to see how we will react, but from what I understand there is a significant amount of bloat associated with test as well. Thanks.

Anavar maybe

[crispyCraka]

So long as you keep your calorie at or below maintenance, any weight you gain will be glycogen and estrogenic water weight, both of which will come off completely when you come off the drug. And you can just run an AI with test, which will minimize any bloat. After PCT, you'll still be left with at least half of the strength you gained, and only any lean muscle mass you pu ton. Plus you'll be leaner, since you weren't bulking.
So a simple 500mg/week test E cycle with Aromasin is not out of the question.
But if you just want strength for the actual competetion, then I'd start Halo 2 weeks out and run it through the show...though Halo isn't normally recommended for beginners.

Thanks for your reply! Halotestin is what you're referring to? Yes, that seems a bit much to begin with, but out of curiosity, would you do that by itself or stacked with test E? I may just wait until the end of season to run test. I'd prefer not to lose any strength gains, however

[crispyCraka]

Anavar maybe

Sounds great, but damn is it expensive!

[Knockout_Power]

Anabolics do not mean huge mass gains. Diet dictates what your results will be whether bulking, cutting or strength gains. A simple test cycle, depending on ester, can yeild good results without much mass gain

[Bonaparte]

Thanks for your reply! Halotestin is what you're referring to? Yes, that seems a bit much to begin with, but out of curiosity, would you do that by itself or stacked with test E? I may just wait until the end of season to run test. I'd prefer not to lose any strength gains, however

You're never going to keep all the strength or muscle gains from AAS. If you did, we would all just run one or two cycles and be set for life.

[crispyCraka]

You're never going to keep all the strength or muscle gains from AAS. If you did, we would all just run one or two cycles and be set for life.

Fair enough, but from what I've read about Anavar now, it sounds like the gains are solid and retainable. Is that just hype?

I'm curious what kind of strength gains one could expect? I can naturally pack on 25-lbs every month to month and a half on my squat if my diet, training and rest are consistent. If I went on a 12 week cycle and put 150-lbs. on my squat, but then only retained 75 in the end, I wouldn't have really gained anything. Seems pointless.

[Bonaparte]

Fair enough, but from what I've read about Anavar now, it sounds like the gains are solid and retainable. Is that just hype?

I'm curious what kind of strength gains one could expect? I can naturally pack on 25-lbs every month to month and a half on my squat if my diet, training and rest are consistent. If I went on a 12 week cycle and put 150-lbs. on my squat, but then only retained 75 in the end, I wouldn't have really gained anything. Seems pointless.

Muscle is muscle, no matter what drug put it on. Anavar gains aren't magical, just leaner than bulking drugs. If some idiot gains 25lbs off of test and Dbol, but only keeps 10lbs after PCT, he thinks he lost most of his gains (which were mainly just water anyway). Same guy uses Var alone and gains 8lbs, but keeps 6. Now he thinks the gains are more permanent.

If you can still make gains like that, you have no reason to use AAS. Start using AAS when you can no longer make significant progress on your lifts and that 30-40% increase in lifts seems mind-blowing. You might keep a 25% strength increase for a good while. But don't quote me in these numbers, as I'm just roughly gauging from my own experiences. Yours may differ.