Test cyp, what went wrong?

[oddtism]

I’m a 23 yo male with 1 year of training but before you start bashing me for using gear i’ve already completed my first cycle.

500mg test cyp for 12 weeks
250mg twice per week

starting weight 175
end weight 185

5 day split workout routine 7-9 workouts per muscle group with 4 working sets per workout

I started off with 2 10ml vials and pinned in my glute twice per week. did not front load, as you can see I only gained about 10 lbs over the 12 week period and my cycle just ended last week. going to be starting nolva here shortly.

I was under the impression I would gain closer to 20 lbs and gain a lot more mass especially being a noobie, I do physically notice a difference but i’d like others input.

as far as strength gains go I did not see much improvement, for bench press I use dumbbells. I have never trained for strength I always train in the 8-12 range and continued to do so while on cycle, I went from using 35lb dumbbell for 4 sets of 12 to using 45lbs for 4 sets of 10-12. most of my curl weights went up 5-10 lbs and workouts such as rows and lay pull downs didn’t see much of a difference.

also my diet was dirty bulk style eating 3500 daily of whatever I could get my hands on

I should also mention that the 2 vials were not enough for the 12 weeks and I had to buy another vial at week 9 which looked slightly different from the ones I had previously bought, about a week into that vial I had a loss of sex drive (was having sex daily) and also felt weaker, however I did take a week off from wrist injury.

Does this sound typical for test cyp only cycle or should I have seen more?

[cousinmuscles]

Yes at your point of development you should have seen bigger improvements. The weights you are mentioning are at a beginner level and you could have made those gains naturally within that timeframe.

There are a lot of factors that come into play here. Are you training hard enough or are you just moving some weight from point a to be for a couple of reps, and stop when it hurts? What is your diet like? Did you do blood work to see if your gear is legit?

You would benefit a lot by reading the stickies.

[GuanacoJuicer]

As far as I am concerned the most anabolic compound on earth is food !

And 3500 calories seems low to me when trying to bulk up, especially while on gear. I think you simply did not eat enough.

[oddtism]

I take every working set to failure and if not failure than within a rep of it. also I did not get blood work done, however my balls did shrivel up and I could definitely feel something.

[GearHeaded]

I’m a 23 yo male with 1 year of training but before you start bashing me for using gear i’ve already completed my first cycle.

500mg test cyp for 12 weeks
250mg twice per week

starting weight 175
end weight 185

as far as strength gains go I did not see much improvement, for bench press I use dumbbells. I have never trained for strength I always train in the 8-12 range and continued to do so while on cycle, I went from using 35lb dumbbell for 4 sets of 12 to using 45lbs for 4 sets of 10-12. most of my curl weights went up 5-10 lbs and workouts such as rows and lay pull downs didn’t see much of a difference.

you got minimal gains cause you have no foundation and do not know how to properly train.. at 180 pound body weight you should be able to easily be dumbbell pressing 80-100 pounds. the fact that you were using 35lb dumbbells to press with is a big red flag.
you don't have a base in strength or muscularity yet and had no business running AAS at this time, and thats the reason you got minimum results.

get your training and diet dialed in for the next couple years. work up to 100 pound dumbbell presses naturally. Then do a cycle. you'll grow like a weed

[GearHeaded]

AAS does not take average guys and turn them into the hulk . AAS takes strong mother fuckers and turns THEM into the hulk.. you gotta have the genetics or the work ethic FIRST

[paul_]

i would blame the gear actually, especially since you ran 2 different types of test cyp which may have shocked your body in the wrong way.
but the main truth is, as gear headed say, you did not have a strong foundation to begin with therefore no strong results.
you have got yourself basically a almost 30% increase in strength which, if you would have been pushing 100lb then would have been 130lb.
i feel you, i know how it is as i am in similar situation, but thanks to the guys on this forum i realised it's when you finish having everything set - diet, training, routines, sleep, mind, then you can start going for AAS. It is kinda like a surgery, who would like it if they could cure themselves by changing their diet only.
also 3500kcal is low for bulking on gear. running some cardio I can just maintain on 3500 naturally.

But hey, look at the positives, you had your first cycle, you felt your reactions, you know now you must have everything set prior beginning the cycle and next time with this experience you will do better !

good luck

[ScotchGuard02]

One goes to the gym to break down muscle tissue. One grows with AAS because it improves protein synthesis and aids in the repair of the muscles. AAS also increases nitrogen uptake into the muscles. I have to second GearHeaded's comments. If you don't have the physical fitness foundation to go into the gym and break down muscle tissue, your muscle repair process (muscular growth) isn't going to be as significant. On a side note, gaining 10 lbs of muscles is AWESOME. For a natural bodybuilder, in top form, to gain 10 lbs might take him a year or even two years. You gained 10 lbs in one cycle. I would say that's doing very well. What I would recommend is that you don't worry about doing AAS cycles right now. Concentrate on getting in shape. Dial in a good diet and work your butt off in the gym for a couple of years. The cycle at that point would be one of the best cycles you'll experience.

[diesel101]

I going to agree with GH on this one you are far from having the foundation to run any type of steroid.
I am not bashing you for the weights you are lifting because we all started somewhere but let mother nature give you the gains before running any more cycles.