Official tren cycle thread

[wango]

Holy shite! If my numbers ever went that high I would drop everything. All I’m taking is 2400mg fish oil, a multi and Michael’s BP factors one a day which contains vit b6, Hawthorne and magnesium. Also hitting the stairmaster twice a week for 280 floors.

Going to try the Michael’s BP factors. Think I’ll pass on the 280 floors of stair master, thank you.

[Meloncap78]

Going to try the Michael’s BP factors. Think I’ll pass on the 280 floors of stair master, thank you.

Yea it’s brutal. Let me know what you think about MPF. I only take one a night before bed. It recommends 3 a day but I’ve been fine with 1. Too much B6 in 3 if you ask me.

[wango]

Yea it’s brutal. Let me know what you think about MPF. I only take one a night before bed. It recommends 3 a day but I’ve been fine with 1. Too much B6 in 3 if you ask me.

Will give it a try and yes, will do. Lol, stairs

[Meloncap78]

Well I figured out where a good majority of weight came from. My legs are growing like weeds on this cycle. Now to get my other body parts to respond this well. Quads are up 2” from before I started and they actually look leaner.

[Meloncap78]

Even with e2 under control the sight of my whole midsection being soft within a couple weeks of upping my test is depressing lol. From 2 months ago my morning weight is up 15 pounds. I was waking up around 189 a couple of weeks ago but since upping my test i wake up at 197-198 (I assume mostly water) just going to keep pushing on 9.5 weeks left.

Attempted 270 on bench yesterday. Failed just past the halfway point. 300 seems very far away.

https://youtu.be/wNVJFJHBF0w

[Cuz]

Even with e2 under control the sight of my whole midsection being soft within a couple weeks of upping my test is depressing lol. From 2 months ago my morning weight is up 15 pounds. I was waking up around 189 a couple of weeks ago but since upping my test i wake up at 197-198 (I assume mostly water) just going to keep pushing on 9.5 weeks left.

Attempted 270 on bench yesterday. Failed just past the halfway point. 300 seems very far away.

https://youtu.be/wNVJFJHBF0w

The test does put water on you, but not 15 lbs worth. If you are bulking, you can’t expect to be shredded all the time even the pros cant do it. As for the lift, dont get discouraged. Next time you will probably get the lift bc you were very close this time. 300 may seem far but its really not, things start really slowing down after 315 for most. Persistence is key buddy

[SampsonandDelilah]

The test does put water on you, but not 15 lbs worth. If you are bulking, you can’t expect to be shredded all the time even the pros cant do it. As for the lift, dont get discouraged. Next time you will probably get the lift bc you were very close this time. 300 may seem far but its really not, things start really slowing down after 315 for most. Persistence is key buddy

Agreed with Cuz (as usual) on the water weight. Strange that it would be that extreme?

I’m no power lifter but have a pretty solid bench. I find 70% of my max at volume (even to failure) for a couple of weeks followed by some working sets really helps me. I then make sure and maximize tricep pull downs and keep my hands in a little tighter and less emphasis on your arch.

Your grip looks really wide on the bar (outside the last knurl (36” I’m guessing) and I find with a flatter back I can drive my legs and lats into my press. Smaller arch and index finger on the on the inner knurl mark (32” - 33”)

Maybe this helps if 300# bench is the goal?


Edit - posted a video of me benching but took it off as I’m not trying to make it a pissing contest (just trying to help)

[The Deadlifting Dog]

Watched the video...

Don't drive up with your legs...
Drive towards your head...
You can accomplish that by driving your knees out.

[Meloncap78]

Agreed with Cuz (as usual) on the water weight. Strange that it would be that extreme?

I’m no power lifter but have a pretty solid bench. I find 70% of my max at volume (even to failure) for a couple of weeks followed by some working sets really helps me. I then make sure and maximize tricep pull downs and keep my hands in a little tighter and less emphasis on your arch.

Your grip looks really wide on the bar (outside the last knurl (36” I’m guessing) and I find with a flatter back I can drive my legs and lats into my press. Smaller arch and index finger on the on the inner knurl mark (32” - 33”)

Maybe this helps if 300# bench is the goal?


Edit - posted a video of me benching but took it off as I’m not trying to make it a pissing contest (just trying to help)

Haha I would not have taken it that way brother. Always good to see someone else’s technique etc. also you already look like you would be benching a lot more than me anyway lol. Also on the weight gain. I am eating at 4000. When i was maintaining Inwas at 3500 for about a month and the scale didn’t move. Morning weight stayed at 183. No chance of having rapid fat gain from spiked e2 or any such thing correct? All the water seems to be in my love handles and stomach area.

[SampsonandDelilah]

Watched the video...

Don't drive up with your legs...
Drive towards your head...
You can accomplish that by driving your knees out.

What do you think of his grip and arch?
Also curious to know what you mean by “ drive towards your head”? You’re saying on the positive?

Not trying to hijack, thought we could both learn

[SampsonandDelilah]

Haha I would not have taken it that way brother. Always good to see someone else’s technique etc. also you already look like you would be benching a lot more than me anyway lol. Also on the weight gain. I am eating at 4000. When i was maintaining Inwas at 3500 for about a month and the scale didn’t move. Morning weight stayed at 183. No chance of having rapid fat gain from spiked e2 or any such thing correct? All the water seems to be in my love handles and stomach area.

I would think at 185# that 3500 calories a day puts you about 500 calories into surplus which is where I like to be. Is the water weight you’re seeing in the morning? Some of the pics you still look extremely lean to me and I mentioned the unflattering angles before when you’re taking photos. I wouldn’t think you’d gain that much visceral fat in that short of a time period but I’m not an expert. Seems unlikely though, even with elevated E2. You don’t look boated in the face either. Have you had labs to see where your estrogen is?

Here’s decent angle of my hands, like I said...I keep them more inside and try and utilize my triceps and take the additional strain off of shoulder joints. Your hands looked really wide on the bar but maybe a funky camera angle? I use minimal arch too, you seemed to really be arched. Have you tried being a little flatter?

https://youtu.be/hLWqUHmitXY

[Cuz]

What do you think of his grip and arch?
Also curious to know what you mean by “ drive towards your head”? You’re saying on the positive?

Not trying to hijack, thought we could both learn

I think what he means if he drives straight up with the legs it will lift his ass off the bench. If he drives with his legs towards the bar as in forward it will help push the bar upward on the positive.

[Meloncap78]

I would think at 185# that 3500 calories a day puts you about 500 calories into surplus which is where I like to be. Is the water weight you’re seeing in the morning? Some of the pics you still look extremely lean to me and I mentioned the unflattering angles before when you’re taking photos. I wouldn’t think you’d gain that much visceral fat in that short of a time period but I’m not an expert. Seems unlikely though, even with elevated E2. You don’t look boated in the face either. Have you had labs to see where your estrogen is?

Here’s decent angle of my hands, like I said...I keep them more inside and try and utilize my triceps and take the additional strain off of shoulder joints. Your hands looked really wide on the bar but maybe a funky camera angle? I use minimal arch too, you seemed to really be arched. Have you tried being a little flatter?

https://youtu.be/hLWqUHmitXY

That’s a man’s bench there sir! I’m lucky if I can pull that for 3 on a good day lol. The bench I’m using is too high. It’s a body solid adjustable. I need to get a single unit Olympic bench. Also the rungs on my rack are not at the optimal height. Where I unrack from is technically to high and the next rung down is too low. Perhaps I’ll drop my cals down to 3600 and stay there so I don’t get fat overload.

[SampsonandDelilah]

That’s a man’s bench there sir! I’m lucky if I can pull that for 3 on a good day lol. The bench I’m using is too high. It’s a body solid adjustable. I need to get a single unit Olympic bench. Also the rungs on my rack are not at the optimal height. Where I unrack from is technically to high and the next rung down is too low. Perhaps I’ll drop my cals down to 3600 and stay there so I don’t get fat overload.

The rungs and an optimal height are huge. Throw 135 on and mess with your grip. Think blocking techniques if you ever played any football....inside the pads

Cheers

[The Deadlifting Dog]

What do you think of his grip and arch?
Also curious to know what you mean by “ drive towards your head”? You’re saying on the positive?

Not trying to hijack, thought we could both learn

If you are trying to bench maximum weight then shorter ROM is your friend. Thus arch.
If you are trying to bench for muscle growth then longer ROM is your fiend. Thus don't arch.
(For shoulder health you should always lock your shoulder's down towards your hips unless you are using light enough weight...)

Grip is body type dependent.
Bigger arms means narrower bench grip.
Your triceps get more engaged the closer your grip.
That being said... generally big arch benchers bench super wide grip.
The wider the grip the shorter the ROM.
So wide grip and big arch equals double short ROM.

Leg drive is done to help lift more weight.
When you bench, the bar travels up and back.
The up part is obvious.
The back part means the bar starts below/at your nipples and moves to above your shoulders at lockout.
The back part is why people flare their shoulders while pressing the weight up.
You are mechanically stronger with a shorter leverage arm and this is when the bar is directly over your shoulders.
But our bodies aren't mechanically built to guillotine press so we start below the nips and drive the bar up and back towards the head.

If you leg drive up it doesn't help get the bar back.
It does help to get the bar up but may also take your ass off the bench which is a no no. (Might as well use the decline bench.)

If you leg drive back towards your head it helps to get the bar back.
But it doesn't help with up. But your ass will stay on the bench.

People don't miss a bench on the bottom. (unless it is way too heavy)
They miss it halfway or near lockout.
Watch his video.
He misses halfway. If he would've gotten the bar directly over his shoulders by that time he would've been in a better mechanical position.

OP:
Try doing leg drive with no weight on the bar.
You should hopefully slide on the bench in the direction of your head.
Your ass should stay in contact with the bench.


advanced math:
The wider you grip the more important leg driving back is.
The closer you grip the more important leg driving up is.
Let's just say it is one foot from your the bottom of your chest to your shoulder.
That means you have to drive the bar 1' back to complete the lift.
Let's just say the shorter ROM guy has to dive the bar up 1' 6" but the longer ROM guy has to drive the bar up 2' 6".
Thus the longer ROM guy has more time to get the bar back than the shorter ROM guy.
So the shorter ROM guy needs to focus more on getting the bar back and the longer ROM needs to focus more on getting the bar up.

[Cuz]

If you are trying to bench maximum weight then shorter ROM is your friend. Thus arch.
If you are trying to bench for muscle growth then longer ROM is your fiend. Thus don't arch.
(For shoulder health you should always lock your shoulder's down towards your hips unless you are using light enough weight...)

Grip is body type dependent.
Bigger arms means narrower bench grip.
Your triceps get more engaged the closer your grip.
That being said... generally big arch benchers bench super wide grip.
The wider the grip the shorter the ROM.
So wide grip and big arch equals double short ROM.

Leg drive is done to help lift more weight.
When you bench, the bar travels up and back.
The up part is obvious.
The back part means the bar starts below/at your nipples and moves to above your shoulders at lockout.
The back part is why people flare their shoulders while pressing the weight up.
You are mechanically stronger with a shorter leverage arm and this is when the bar is directly over your shoulders.
But our bodies aren't mechanically built to guillotine press so we start below the nips and drive the bar up and back towards the head.

If you leg drive up it doesn't help get the bar back.
It does help to get the bar up but may also take your ass off the bench which is a no no. (Might as well us the decline bench.)

If you leg drive back towards your head it helps to get the bar back.
But it doesn't help with up. But your ass will stay on the bench.

People don't miss a bench on the bottom. (unless it is way too heavy)
They miss it halfway or near lockout.
Watch his video.
He misses halfway. If he would've gotten the bar directly over his shoulders by that time he would've been in a better mechanical position.

Try doing leg drive with no weight on the bar.
You should hopefully slide on the bench in the direction of your head.
Your ass should stay in contact with the bench.

Outstanding info D

[SampsonandDelilah]

agreed, great insights DD!

I do know personally that changing my hand position on the knurl marks made a huge difference for me. I also have arms that are long like a baby giraffes legs and the bench press is about the last lift I’m genetically built for. Luckily god bolted my arms on backwards at birth, so I can generate some power with my tris and shoulders that compensate for my pigeon chest.

Isn’t there controversy around the shorter ROM with exaggerated arching and whether it should be counted or not because it minimizes the ROM on the lift? I’ve seen some contests where this was discussed but don’t know enough about it.

Again, not a power lifter (just a bench press fan).

Most importantly OP, is that 3 plates a side is in your future!! I have a feeling (our resident power lifters are here helping - DD and Cuz)

Godspeed brother

[The Deadlifting Dog]

Isn’t there controversy around the shorter ROM with exaggerated arching and whether it should be counted or not because it minimizes the ROM on the lift? I’ve seen some contests where this was discussed but don’t know enough about it.

It is 100% legal.
I 100% hate it.

There are many haters of high arch/wide grip low ROM benching. Some people quite literally move the bar about 3".
But it is no way cheating the way the rules are written.
(Just like many people hate sumo deadlifting but it is 100% legal.)

It is supposed to be a sport judging people on strength.
It shouldn't be a sport that judges people on flexibility.
Just my opinion.

I think they should change the rule to where your arms have to break parallel.
(Your elbow joint needs to go below shoulder joint.)

[SampsonandDelilah]

It is 100% legal.
I 100% hate it.

There are many haters of high arch/wide grip low ROM benching. Some people quite literally move the bar about 3".
But it is no way cheating the way the rules are written.
(Just like many people hate sumo deadlifting but it is 100% legal.)

It is supposed to be a sport judging people on strength.
It shouldn't be a sport that judges people on flexibility.
Just my opinion.

I think they should change the rule to where your arms have to break parallel.
(Your elbow joint needs to go below shoulder joint.)

I think you nailed it when you differentiated the difference between a press for competition and a press for muscle growth. Full ROM is paramount for growth. Kills me when I see guys bounce off their chest just to get the momentum of the bar heading towards the positive, or even worse the guys I call the “1/4 repper”. You know the ones that load the bar with way too much weight and then lower the bar about 2 inches and then press it back up. What is the fucking point? So much better to haven less weight and have a slow negative and get that full stretch and ROM on the negative and the positive.

[Meloncap78]

I notice a huge difference in the amount of power I feel on the bench at my local gym as opposed to my home bench. My home bench is adjustable and higher off the floor which when planting my feet causes an arch and I can’t drive forward correctly. Also on my rack the rung that I unrack from is a bit too high. As an example I pushed 225 x 10 for the first time in my life at the gym the other day. I just felt tight and had good drive. I can only hit it for 6 on my bench. I need to get myself a standard flat bench for my home gym. Definitely appreciate the insight and tips guys! While I am mainly in this for hypertrophy I always start my bench days with lower reps of a higher weight (same for say leg press on leg day and deadlift on back day). An example would be 230x5, 215x10, 195x12,185x12. I find that as the weeks go by the heavier lift goes up pretty easy.

[Meloncap78]

I think you nailed it when you differentiated the difference between a press for competition and a press for muscle growth. Full ROM is paramount for growth. Kills me when I see guys bounce off their chest just to get the momentum of the bar heading towards the positive, or even worse the guys I call the “1/4 repper”. You know the ones that load the bar with way too much weight and then lower the bar about 2 inches and then press it back up. What is the fucking point? So much better to haven less weight and have a slow negative and get that full stretch and ROM on the negative and the positive.

I actually saw a 1/4 repper doing dips last week. This guy was 1/4 repping dips. It looked so ridiculous. We also have this guy at our gym who is not muscular at all but walks around with his lats flared so fkin hard that it looks like he is carrying two 55” tv’s. He gets on the lat pull machine and jerks the weight down and lets it drag him back up so violently that I can’t believe his arms are still attached. I’m pretty sure he is a famous meme now. I’ll see if I can find a video of him. It’s hard to workout when he is there.

[Meloncap78]

Holy shite I found a video. This is him walking into the gym that I go to. Now I have heard that he has a condition or some such thing where he can’t unflex his lats when he is standing up straight. I have never heard of such a thing and call BS. I have seen him put his arms down while at the water fountain.

https://9gag.com/gag/az1XGnz

[SampsonandDelilah]

Holy shite I found a video. This is him walking into the gym that I go to. Now I have heard that he has a condition or some such thing where he can’t unflex his lats when he is standing up straight. I have never heard of such a thing and call BS. I have seen him put his arms down while at the water fountain.

https://9gag.com/gag/az1XGnz

Does that “condition” also prevent him from going into the gym without a shirt on?! WTF?

[Meloncap78]

Does that “condition” also prevent him from going into the gym without a shirt on?! WTF?

Haha you made laugh. Yea IDK what his deal is. He doesn’t bother anyone he is just.....ridiculous. I hate to laugh at people but this guy just opens himself up for ball busting.

[Meloncap78]

Coming into my 8th week. Currently at 600mg test cyp/wk, 300mg tren A/wk (75mg EOD) and .25mg ADEX day of test pin twice weekly. Pretty sure I crashed my estro when i first introduced adex going .5mg EOD. Lost all sexual desire and felt like death for a week. Now everything seems good at this level. I’m constantly after the wife to the point where it’s almost torture to myself. The desire is unbelievably overpowering. It’s the only “side effect” I’m having other than my sleep is broken up a little. My weekly morning weigh in today was 197 (started at 183). Diet is still at 4000kcal daily. Lifts are going up slowly. Starting to get a little bit of acne on the shoulders. Here is a shot of today’s blood pressure reading.

[Test Monsterone]

Coming into my 8th week. Currently at 600mg test cyp/wk, 300mg tren A/wk (75mg EOD) and .25mg ADEX day of test pin twice weekly. Pretty sure I crashed my estro when i first introduced adex going .5mg EOD. Lost all sexual desire and felt like death for a week. Now everything seems good at this level. I’m constantly after the wife to the point where it’s almost torture to myself. The desire is unbelievably overpowering. It’s the only “side effect” I’m having other than my sleep is broken up a little. My weekly morning weigh in today was 197 (started at 183). Diet is still at 4000kcal daily. Lifts are going up slowly. Starting to get a little bit of acne on the shoulders. Here is a shot of today’s blood pressure reading.

I think I crashed my estrogen, too. I was doing .25 EOD on minimal gear and started getting joint pains in my extremities. Since switching to only taking it the day after injection, so approx 2x a week, I feel much better physically.

That bp looks great.. how long after you sit down do you take it? If I take it soon after sitting down, it’s usually on the high side.

[Meloncap78]

I think I crashed my estrogen, too. I was doing .25 EOD on minimal gear and started getting joint pains in my extremities. Since switching to only taking it the day after injection, so approx 2x a week, I feel much better physically.

That bp looks great.. how long after you sit down do you take it? If I take it soon after sitting down, it’s usually on the high side.

First reading was 132/72. I waited a couple minutes and took it again and that’s what popped up. Almost makes me think my tren is bunk because all I’ve read is how most people have their BP and HR spike while on. If I wasn’t so absolutely ridiculously horny all the time I WOULD be suspicious but IDK of another compound that would make it this extreme. I never got like this from test alone so I know that’s not it. My BP is actually lower on this cycle than it is when I’m just cruising on TRT.

[Test Monsterone]

First reading was 132/72. I waited a couple minutes and took it again and that’s what popped up. Almost makes me think my tren is bunk because all I’ve read is how most people have their BP and HR spike while on. If I wasn’t so absolutely ridiculously horny all the time I WOULD be suspicious but IDK of another compound that would make it this extreme. I never got like this from test alone so I know that’s not it. My BP is actually lower on this cycle than it is when I’m just cruising on TRT.

I would also think tren would give you higher readings. My bp goes up with my weight, regardless of the compound. The pulse is a little high imo, but that could just be transient. I don't know about you, but I'd lose my temper a couple of times if I took tren lol. Have you tried testing the tren?

[Meloncap78]

I would also think tren would give you higher readings. My bp goes up with my weight, regardless of the compound. The pulse is a little high imo, but that could just be transient. I don't know about you, but I'd lose my temper a couple of times if I took tren lol. Have you tried testing the tren?

Yes. I bought a kit from roid test and both tests were positive for tren .

[Cuz]

Yes. I bought a kit from roid test and both tests were positive for tren.

It could be underdosed also. You are a prodigy sir, never seen anyone’s BP go down while on tren and bodyweight going up lol thats awesome

[Lethal Hamburger]

Coming into my 8th week. Currently at 600mg test cyp/wk, 300mg tren A/wk (75mg EOD) and .25mg ADEX day of test pin twice weekly. Pretty sure I crashed my estro when i first introduced adex going .5mg EOD. Lost all sexual desire and felt like death for a week. Now everything seems good at this level. I’m constantly after the wife to the point where it’s almost torture to myself. The desire is unbelievably overpowering. It’s the only “side effect” I’m having other than my sleep is broken up a little. My weekly morning weigh in today was 197 (started at 183). Diet is still at 4000kcal daily. Lifts are going up slowly. Starting to get a little bit of acne on the shoulders. Here is a shot of today’s blood pressure reading.

This was mine after an 8 week adventure on tren e.
I carved off 15kg of slush.

[Meloncap78]

This was mine after an 8 week adventure on tren e.
I carved off 15kg of slush.

Nice work man! So your BP was fine while on also? That’s great I’m not alone. Strange part is I remember my first test only cycle at 500mg/wk enth my BP went up to 160/90 the entire time. I was also like 22% BF

[Lethal Hamburger]

Nice work man! So your BP was fine while on also? That’s great I’m not alone. Strange part is I remember my first test only cycle at 500mg/wk enth my BP went up to 160/90 the entire time. I was also like 22% BF

Thanks, yes bp on tren is never an issue, it does rise a fair bit initially but then drops back to normal range around 3 to 4 weeks as I keep doses resonable and test around trt doses. That bp reading was on the last week of the cycle.
yes I too get bp increase with test around that dose just a tad higher on systolic than you. Only test and dbol seem to really have a lingering effect on bp for me.

[Test Monsterone]

Shit, I'm on BP meds and my BP has been around 150/80 for 2 days now. 6 weeks into a puny little cycle. I do feel more stressed out for some reason, but that may be why. And now my girl is coming over to train legs... :-/

[Meloncap78]

Shit, I'm on BP meds and my BP has been around 150/80 for 2 days now. 6 weeks into a puny little cycle. I do feel more stressed out for some reason, but that may be why. And now my girl is coming over to train legs... :-/

Not too bad. Stress definitely does it man. I don’t think the pandemic helps. Regardless if it directly affect any one of us or not the lingering though in the back of our minds of how fked up the whole world is right now creeps into our conscious thoughts. You bulking up?

[Test Monsterone]

Not too bad. Stress definitely does it man. I don’t think the pandemic helps. Regardless if it directly affect any one of us or not the lingering though in the back of our minds of how fked up the whole world is right now creeps into our conscious thoughts. You bulking up?

Readings a little lower today and feeling more relaxed. I’m doing more of a cruise at less than 500 mg/week split between test, deca and primo. Kinda just doing it for a little winter/COVID boost. Not expecting much on this. Just looking a little harder and fuller. Saving the real cycle for the summer.

[Meloncap78]

Readings a little lower today and feeling more relaxed. I’m doing more of a cruise at less than 500 mg/week split between test, deca and primo. Kinda just doing it for a little winter/COVID boost. Not expecting much on this. Just looking a little harder and fuller. Saving the real cycle for the summer.

Sounds like a solid plan. My eventual goal is 220 lean. Prolly be a few years.

[Test Monsterone]

This shit ain't easy. I wouldn't worry too much about numbers as long as you like your look. The one pic a page or two back, you looked pretty solid.

[Meloncap78]

Update. Picked up 2 more bottles of tren a couple of weeks ago. More than halfway through the first one and i notice it is a darker yellow than the first couple of bottles I had. It is also a little cloudy. Another thing I’m noticing is that my urine is a very dark color regardless of drinking over a gallon of water daily. What gives?

[Meloncap78]

Update. Currently my morning weight is 199. I have noticed improvements in all of my lifts except bench being the slowest to progress. The strangest part of this whole thing is that my upper body doesn’t look much different. I taped my arms and chest and they are the same size as before this cycle. My waist is about an inch bigger and my quads grew almost 2 inches. It’s a little frustrating as I know Im training hard enough, my legs are proof. My upper body just won’t pop. Let’s face it guys, trying to be a bodybuilder at 6’2 16” arms flexed and a 44” chest ain’t cutting it. What gives on the upper body hypertrophy struggle?