First Cycle Begins December 1--Test E Only

[pleaselaborate]

New guy checking in. Little info about myself. I'm 29 years old, soon to be 30 in January. I have been lifting steadily for around the past 6 years, not always correctly, but steadily. I have been on and off lifting since around 15 years of age. I grew up around weights with my dad but never really had a deep interest in it until around the age of 23. Lifting weights and collecting gym equipment is my only hobby besides my wife and 2 kids. I gave up the gym membership once we had kids and have since turned into a home gym convert.

At the moment I am 5'9" and riding a little over 170. I know, I probably have not reached my maximum natural potential...I understand that. This cycle for me has been something I have been contemplating on for quite a while now and have not taken lightly. One of my biggest pet peeves are the over zealous gym rats that sign up for a gym membership and buy their first round of gear from the closest guy in the curl rack...without knowledge of how to cycle on or cycle off. I feel I have put my time in and am at a spot where I could really benefit from a nice clean cycle. I have done my fair share of reading and research and feel I have a pretty good grasp for the ins and outs of a cycle. My approach to most everything I do is conservative. I'm a believer that sometimes less is more. Hence why I am only doing a solo compound for my first cycle at an average dose.

About 3 years ago I did do a 6 week cycle of the now banned pro hormone H-Drol. This is the only background I have in doing any type of anabolics. Shortly after that cycle I had both of my shoulders operated on and have since made a full recovery. My surgeon was amazing. I had a tear in both of my posterior labrums and had a distal clavicle resection done to both as well. I feel 100%...although my strength levels have not quite climbed to where they once were. I'm past being to overly concerned about my numbers. I'm still fairly strong for my size considering the two operations.

As far as my diet goes. I always keep a clean diet but I rarely count calories. I know I'm probably going to catch it from the veterans, but that is just how I do things. I have always had a good feel for what I need to do in the kitchen based on what I feel/look like. I also have a treadmill in the living room so I can tend to over eat and then just up my cardio. My heaviest has been 180 and I have slowly dieted down to 170 which is where I am now. I always keep my protein in the 250 range and rarely cut my carbs completely out. I usually have a general idea of how many calories I am consuming because I usually eat the same meals day in and day out. I have been eating around 2000 calories for the last month and am slowly starting to ramp that up. I plan to start my cylce on December 1st. So my first question, around what calorie number should I begin my cycle on? I plan to ramp up to around 4000 but didn't know if I should begin the diet at 4000. I know that as the cycle and my weight progresses, I need to steadily increase calories. Just really didn't know a good starting point for week 1. This is something I couldn't seem to get a straight answer on when I researched.

I know I am rambling, I just want to be thorough. It seems on all of the logs I have read, the forum members always ask for the user background...so ^^there it is.

Ok so here is the plan for the cycle.

Test E 500mg/week for 12 weeks. Pin Monday and Friday

Adex @ .5 mg EOD (I know some will discourage this due to it being another harsh chemical and possible lack of gains, but I would prefer to run it the entire cycle.

2 Weeks after final pin I will be running Nolva @ 40/40/20/20 and Clomid @ 100/100/50/50. Maybe overkill? Rather be safe than sorry.

My goal for this cycle is to put on some nice clean size. Hoping after I cycle off my new weight be in between 180 and 185. So 10 to 15 lb of clean gains that I can retain. I plan to eat around 4k cals, but they all will be clean. Typical foods for me consist of turkey, eggs, rice, oats, sweet taters, steak, and chicken. Lots of chicken. Just plan on eating a lot. Like I stated above my main questions are how I should approach ramping up my calories. I know I started the log early since I'm not starting until December, but I wanted to get all comments so I have time to adjust my attack plan before hand.

Here are some pictures of my current condition. These were all taken within the past 2 months.





Just realized I don't have a current picture showing my front chest on my phone. Most pictures are on my wife's phone. Will get one and update thread soon.

[ripped_82]

pleaselaborate - I think your plan overall is solid, and a 10-15lb gain at 500mg/week with a clean 4000cal diet, and how you described your training is realistic. You also have a great base, so I think you'll really enjoy watching your gains

A few observations:

1) I'd suggest some HCG, 500IU/week, split twice/week. You can inject subq or with your Test IM. HCG as you know will keep your boys full, active, and make PCT / Your gains easier to keep.

2) The AI is something you'll want to watch, especially if you feel your libido crashing. Some will say that 0.5mg eod is great, while others can't do more than 0.5mg twice per week. Another way to tell is if you start to feel joint pain, but the libido will likely crash before hand

3) I'd also suggest you have extra Nolva besides for PCT in case you develop gyno, as some do regardless of running an AI

4) I don't think your PCT is overkill as that's one area you're better off spending time kicking back into gear since your gains will go down the tube. You also may experience a little more emotion as you likely know with clomid, which the wife wil appreciate (ha ha)

Good luck, and I look forward to reading your progress

[pleaselaborate]

Thanks for the response Ripped82. I figured the addition of HCG would be suggested. I will definitely look into it and more than likely add it in.

As for as the Adex, what would be a reasonable amount to begin the cycle with. .5 twice per week?

[ripped_82]

Yes, 0.5 Adex is standard, but just keep an eye out on how your libido feels / joints as your cycle progresses.

I look forward to reading your progress

[pleaselaborate]

Ok guys quick question about some pain in my injection sites. On Monday night I had my friend who is going through nursing school give me my first pin in my right glute with 250mg of the Test E. I didn't heat the oil up or massage the site afterward which may have been a contributing factor. There was pain the next day but nothing serious. Now it is Sunday night and it is still fairly painful. It looks to be slightly swollen but it is barely visible. There is no redness or itching but it is warm to the touch. I have been doing a lot of research and am wanting to believe it is just virgin muscles. My temperate at the moment is 98.6 and I feel fine. I can walk fine and I did a few squats today just to see how the pain was and it wasn't bad. It mainly hurts like a bitch when I sit on it or bump up against something. My main concern is infection, but I feel like all of this is just me being overly paranoid. Most everything I have read seems to point towards virgin muscles with test e is a bitch.

I pinned my left glute myself Friday morning and it is pretty sore as well but no swelling that I can tell. It is also warm to the touch but not near as painful as my right. I did warm the gear up on my last pin and massaged the site pretty well. I am pinning with 23's and 1". Any help is appreciated.

[Chicagotarsier]

Virgin pin to virgin skin

All is normal. Carry on.

If it is an infection the injection spot will have fever, discolouration, Rock Hard Lump, and moving is acute pain.

All you can do is warm the oil and inject slowly with massage after. It will get better the more times you do it. I have been on HrT going on 9 months and sometimes I still get that from my pin. I did get an infection during my cycle and make no mistake...you will KNOW when it is an infection.

[Inked medic1]

Ok guys quick question about some pain in my injection sites. On Monday night I had my friend who is going through nursing school give me my first pin in my right glute with 250mg of the Test E. I didn't heat the oil up or massage the site afterward which may have been a contributing factor. There was pain the next day but nothing serious. Now it is Sunday night and it is still fairly painful. It looks to be slightly swollen but it is barely visible. There is no redness or itching but it is warm to the touch. I have been doing a lot of research and am wanting to believe it is just virgin muscles. My temperate at the moment is 98.6 and I feel fine. I can walk fine and I did a few squats today just to see how the pain was and it wasn't bad. It mainly hurts like a bitch when I sit on it or bump up against something. My main concern is infection, but I feel like all of this is just me being overly paranoid. Most everything I have read seems to point towards virgin muscles with test e is a bitch.

I pinned my left glute myself Friday morning and it is pretty sore as well but no swelling that I can tell. It is also warm to the touch but not near as painful as my right. I did warm the gear up on my last pin and massaged the site pretty well. I am pinning with 23's and 1". Any help is appreciated.

Hey man

I had some issues with my first few pins. My right delt was very red, hot and itchy, however within a week it was fine. But I discovered I can only shoot quads with minimal discomfort. But it will still a good few pins before the muscle gets used to it.

I personally don't heat the oil but its certainly not cold, and I'm also using a 23g pin.

Good luck, man. I'm in week 4 and not noticing anything great yet but I guess its early days.

Ink

[pleaselaborate]

Thanks guys. One more question. My next pin is coming up on Monday, I plan to do it Monday night. If my right glute is still sore what do you guys recommend? Do it anyway or try delt?

[Inked medic1]

Thanks guys. One more question. My next pin is coming up on Monday, I plan to do it Monday night. If my right glute is still sore what do you guys recommend? Do it anyway or try delt?

I would try another site.

Ink

[cttoasn]

I have alternated between right and left glute and have used NO other sites.

First two pins in each glute had various degrees of pip, but after pin 4, I have had zero pip.

Technique got perfect and virgin muscle is gone.

[pleaselaborate]

Should I put ice or heat on the sore injection site? I am reading some say ice and some say heat.

Also, what is the general consensus for 1" pins for glutes? Too short or ok?

[pleaselaborate]

Woke up this morning and the right glute is definitely better. Not near the pain and the swelling has went down almost all the way. Still not sure if I should re pin that glute today or not. I did left glute Friday so my right is next in line. Should I pin it even though there is still soreness?

[mobicheck]

It is also my first cycle of Test E 500 mg/week and I'm at day 26.
I use 1,5" needles to make sure the gear goes into the muscle, because if the needle is too smort, it can turn into a subq injection which can cause the swollen glutes (but still, the gear will be absorbed, but slower).
I found it useful to pin REALLY the upper outer quadrant, because that way even if it gets swollen, you will experience little to no pain at all when you sit down.

[pleaselaborate]

I think a subq injection is what happened. The first pin my friend did and I think he went a little lower in the glute than is advised. I am fairly lean but have always had a thick ass so he may have not got it in deep enough.

That's what she said.

The pain has subsided a lot today but still minor swelling. I'm planning on doing a left delt injection tonight and staying away from glutes until they are back to norm. A little nervous doing delts with it being my 2nd pin ever. Any tips? I have 1" pins so don't plan on burying it. I was going to do 2 ML for this last injection since I am front loading, curious if 2 ML is over doing it in the delt? Again, all help is appreciated.