First cycle (not much gains)

[Flex Luthor]

Hi, I have been training naturally for 2.5 years and I completed my first cycle about 3-4 weeks ago, I did 8 weeks of sust 250, 500ml twice a week.

It took about 3 to 4 weeks before I noticed any changes at all, and then in the space of a couple days I went from 175lb to 182lb while staying at the same bf%, and my bench increased from 210lb to 235lb. Diet wasnt very strict but protein was always high and calories were between 3,200 - 3,600, Trained 5 days a week, hitting chest and shoulders twice a week and everything else once a week.

Im currently 2 weeks into my pct, im still about 182 and bench went down slightly by from 235 to 230,

Pre cycle
175lb weight
210lb bench press

During cycle
182lb weight
235lb bench

4 weeks after last pin
180lb weight
230lb bench

Mainly im just disappointed with the results I was expecting alot more, anyone have any insight into why I gained so little weight and not that much strenght?

[Jangles1]

Hey man. Well done on your first cycle. It looks like you did have some good success, just not as much as you hoped.

That disappointment most likely coralates your diet. You say “my diet wasn’t strict” and the fact you did an 8 week cycle. You should have done 12 weeks to maximise gains.


In terms of your diet, the lack of dedication In the food department has directly affected the quality of your gains.

Why put all the time, money and effort in at the gym if you don’t give your body the proper nutrition it needs to grow. Always baffles me when people do this.

Also, what I’ve come to learn is that Test and an oral don’t blow you up ridiculously. They give you clean, steady gains and fill your whole body out. That’s my experience anyway.


Anyway, let me give you a compression....

I count all my calories and have a great balanced diet. I don’t miss any meals and if I am under or over my calories for whatever reason, it gets levelled out the next day.

I do have a cheat meal once or twice a week (this week it was a small chocolate pudding and custard at 460 cals on Wednesday and 2 TGI chocolate milkshakes and a chocolate bar on Saturday, calories unknown) because I feel doing so allows me to focus on a super clean and concise diet 95% of the time.

With this approach and a 6 day “Push Pull Legs”, I have put on 26lbs so far (week 11).

I was undersized on this cycle so that has to be taken into account, but even so, the results of my first cycle have been amazing as I’m fuelling my body the correct way.

High protein alone is great, but you need quality complex carbs and naturals fats JUST as much.

The next time you cycle, if you do, approach nutrition more seriously and the results will speak for themselves.

[Eduke93]

Hi, I have been training naturally for 2.5 years and I completed my first cycle about 3-4 weeks ago, I did 8 weeks of sust 250, 500ml twice a week.

It took about 3 to 4 weeks before I noticed any changes at all, and then in the space of a couple days I went from 175lb to 182lb while staying at the same bf%, and my bench increased from 210lb to 235lb. Diet wasnt very strict but protein was always high and calories were between 3,200 - 3,600, Trained 5 days a week, hitting chest and shoulders twice a week and everything else once a week.

Im currently 2 weeks into my pct, im still about 182 and bench went down slightly by from 235 to 230,

Pre cycle
175lb weight
210lb bench press

During cycle
182lb weight
235lb bench

4 weeks after last pin
180lb weight
230lb bench

Mainly im just disappointed with the results I was expecting alot more, anyone have any insight into why I gained so little weight and not that much strenght?

Steroids aren’t magic mate, 5-7lbs lean gains isn’t bad going.

Up the protein and healthy fats and train hard during recovery.

[Jangles1]

Steroids aren’t magic mate, 5-7lbs lean gains isn’t bad going.

Up the protein and healthy fats and train hard during recovery.

It’s not going to be all lean though if his diet wasn’t great, as admitted.

If his diet was perfect and he gained 8lbs, that’s a great lean bulk success story.

Diet diet diet

[Flex Luthor]

Thanks and I Totally agree diet let me down and I plan on being alot stricter and accurate come next cycle.

Yeah 8 weeks went by too quick and will definitely do atleast 10 weeks next time, but still wouldnt have made a difference since I stopped making any strenght or weight gains after week 4 thats my biggest worrie.

Thanks

[Flex Luthor]

Steroids aren’t magic mate, 5-7lbs lean gains isn’t bad going.

Up the protein and healthy fats and train hard during recovery.

Agreed steroids arnt magic but I have seen guys boast about their 25-30lb+ weight gains from the exact same stuff.
This being my first cycle I was honestly expecting about 20lb not 7lb

[cousinmuscles]

Your cycle was cut a bit short for using mainly long esters. Try a single ester next time and go with 8 weeks if propionate and 12 if enanthate . Also, how did you go on about using a AI, HCG , did you PCT? Good info in the stickies!

[Jangles1]

Agreed steroids arnt magic but I have seen guys boast about their 25-30lb+ weight gains from the exact same stuff.
This being my first cycle I was honestly expecting about 20lb not 7lb

Like I said. Your diet is the reason. By week 8 I had put on 20lbs. Live and learn buddy.

Next time do something like

1 - 12 / Test E (500mg)
1 - 6 Tbol (build up to 70mg)


And if you sort diet out, you will get much much better results

[Jangles1]

Thanks and I Totally agree diet let me down and I plan on being alot stricter and accurate come next cycle.

Yeah 8 weeks went by too quick and will definitely do atleast 10 weeks next time, but still wouldnt have made a difference since I stopped making any strenght or weight gains after week 4 thats my biggest worrie.

Thanks

Not enough calories man.

Did you put on muscle and keep it ???

Not gaining after week 4 preety bad. Your diet must have been seriously lacking. Learn to calorie count man

[BuddyGlove1]

Im going to agree with several on this post. It is hard to make gains without proper nutrition. You must eat enough food and the right food. When I started TRT I gained about 20lbs in 12 weeks. (Muscle memory and some fat). I had to make sure I ate enough to do that. I ate 3,000 calories a day clean plus 1000-1500 whatever I wanted. Sometimes clean, but sometimes not.

[Jangles1]

Dammm. What TRT dose lol. Did you ever get your Bloods to see what TRT took your Test too?

[BuddyGlove1]

160mg a week. I took it up to 200mg as that made me feel better. Been back on 160mg to get bw in a couple of weeks. Will post it soon. I am very curious to see. Will plan on bumping back to 200mg after bw and will plan on getting my own tests again later.

[ScotchGuard02]

You're 20? Have you read The young and Steroids ?