The 2-On, 4-Off Cycle: A Case Study
by Bill Roberts
Bill Roberts received a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Cell Science and completed the educational and research requirements for a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry. Bill entered the nutritional supplement industry prior to completing his doctoral thesis but his education was invaluable so far as being able to design/improve nutritional supplement compounds, since it was in the field of designing drug molecules and secondarily some work in transdermal delivery. It was not specifically "geared" toward androgens other than expertise with pharmacological principles having broad applications. This has allowed Bill to provide unique insight into the field of anabolic pharmacology with knowledge of points which he would not have known otherwise.
Publication Date: February 1, 1999
Details of the study
Update: Week 4 of Jim's Experiment
Update: Week 6 of Jim's Experiment
Nothing in this article is intended to take the place of advice from a licensed health professional. Consult a physician before taking any medication.
The previous report made of results seen from the 2-on, 4-off cycle did not include any blood work, nor were there any "before" photos taken, and thus there were no "before and after" photos. Numerous readers were interested in learning more about this type of cycle, so a subject who was going to do such a cycle anyway (whom we will call Jim Kenyon) was asked if he would get blood tests during the cycle and provide photos. These photos were not to be like those seen in the muscle magazines: he was to try just as hard to look good in the "before" photos as in the "after" photos, instead of appearing defeated, dejected, untanned, slouched, unflexed, with bad posture in the "before" pictures. Using such tricks, no gains can be made to look like amazing gains, and that kind of deception was something we wished to avoid. This article, and future updates, will chronicle the results obtained by this athlete using this cycle plan.
Subject
Jim is 26 years old and has been training regularly since his teens. I consider him to be an intelligent lifter who has generally followed good training plans and has been reasonably consistent in his training, allowing only a few off weeks every now and then. He probably was fairly close to his natural limit when starting this program – I would not have expected him to be able to gain more than perhaps 3 lb over the next year with natural training. He was in his all-time best condition at the time of starting the program, with his bench press, lean body weight, and bodyfat all at best-ever levels. A year previously, he had done an 8 week cycle with only trenbolone acetate and Primobolan, and had since done two light cycles with only Dianabol. His goals were to reduce bodyfat still further while increasing muscle size and muscularity, and to achieve a "Muscle Media" type of look, suitable for the beach or night clubs, not the competitive stage. Furthermore, because of his job, no drastic sustained gains in bodyweight would be acceptable. Rather, weight gains needed to be fairly moderate but with body composition improvements.
Thus, the 2-on, 4-off cycle was particularly suitable for Jim. A traditional 8 week cycle such as he had done before would either have been rather ineffective for muscle gains were he trying also to lose fat during the cycle, or would have resulted in excessive weight gain and failure to lose fat (a primary goal) if he ate enough to obtain good muscle growth. The alternating plan allows him to make good gains for two weeks, though not to a suspicious degree if he takes care to dress in loose clothing, and then to lose fat over the next four weeks, and then to repeat the plan as many times as necessary. Furthermore, it will allow good retention of gains, which is important to him, since he does not plan to use steroids indefinitely.
Drug Plan
The following is, verbatim, the drug plan that Jim wrote out before the cycle began, using articles previously presented on Meso-Rx as his guide (though these are actually presented for informational purposes, not as advice.) Thus far, he has followed it exactly, except that he failed to use 10 mg Dianabol five times per day, but instead took only 5 mg five times per day. I expect that this change probably cost him a couple of pounds of gains.
A number of abbreviations were used in his plan. "TA" is trenbolone acetate injectable. "D" or "Diana" is Dianabol. "Clo" is Clomid. "Cyt" is Cytadren. "Oxandr" is oxandrolone. The abbreviation "tid" means three times per day.
Program
Throughout the first five weeks: 50 mg/day Clo (two capsules), except Day 1 is 300 mg in six divided doses.
In first two weeks, 200 g/day protein more than usual, but hold fat and carbs moderate enough to avoid significant if any fat gain. In the following four weeks, diet the first three, and diet or use maintenance calories for the fourth, in all cases keeping protein at least 180 g/day.
Day 1: 100 mg (200 IU) TA in morning. 10 mg D five times per day in divided doses, which might include middle of the night if I awake briefly enough to have a pre-made Met-Rx. Cyt: 125 mg (half tab) on arising and 62.5 mg six and then twelve hours later.
Days 3-11: 50 mg (100 IU) TA/day, 250 mg Cyt as above, and 50 mg Diana as above.
Days 12-14: No TA, but otherwise same as days 3-11.
Weeks 3 and 4: Diana 10 mg on arising, and 10 mg four hours later. Cyt ½ tab on arising, and oxandr 20 mg on arising.
Week 5: same, but on basis of blood test, Cyt may be dropped if estradiol levels were below normal.
Week 6: Clean, unless T was not above normal in blood test at end of week 4, in which case Clo use will be continued in week 6.
Supplement use: In weeks 3-6, Androdiol 300 mg one or 1.5 h before workouts – not in the evening. If in the morning or early afternoon, an additional 300 mg after workout would be okay. Ephedrine and caffeine optional while dieting.
Workout Plan
The following is Jim’s workout plan as I wrote it for him before he began the cycle. In all cases, Jim did his negatives at approximately a four second tempo (real seconds, not fast count), except for the Louie Simmons speed-style benching, the 1RM attempts, and warmups for 1RM attempts.
Supersets of unrelated or antagonistic body parts were used quite often in this program, because the amount of time available to Jim for training was quite limited and needed to be put to the most use possible.
The reason that it lacks any squats or deadlifts is that Jim has to work around a chronic back injury.
Weeks 1 and 2:
Monday
Five sets (each leg) of single leg calf raise, with weight allowing only 6 reps or so.
Little or no rest between sets.
Volume training. 10 sets of 10, supersetted. Go almost immediately from one exercise to next.
1) Incline DB Bench: about 60% estimated 1RM
2) Single legged calf raise (left) a weight you could do 20 reps with if fresh, but do 10
3) Yates Rows, weight allowing 10 reps (leaning forwards only 20 degrees not 90 degrees, barbell is pulled to beltline, shoulders are kept down towards hips NOT shrugged, scapulae are retracted, back is arched, lats are tensed at top of motion.)
4) Single legged calf raise (right)
Repeat ten times.
Optionally, additional biceps work
Tuesday
(rest between sets is ok)
Seated leg curl, 2 sets, allowing about 7 reps (about 76% 1RM)
Leg Extension: 2 sets, allowing 8 or 9 reps
Lying leg curl: 2 sets, allowing about 7 reps
Leg Extension: 2 sets, same weight
Volume training:
Hack Squat: 5 sets of 6 with about 80% 1RM, or a weight you could do 10 reps with. Take 60-90 seconds rest. (Note: count ¾ of bodyweight as part of the weight.)
Hack Squat: 5 sets of 10 with about 60% 1RM, or a weight you could do (if fresh) 20 reps for one set.
Abs according to his own ab program
Back extensions
Wednesday
Seated DB overhead press, weight allowing 7-8 reps, three sets.
Seated Barbell overhead press for 7 or 8 reps, three sets
Smith overhead press for 7 or 8 reps. three sets
Thursday
Chin ups, enough sets for 20-40 reps total
Lat Pulldown to lower chest, leaning back: 3 sets
Yates Rows, heavier weight, allowing only 8 reps or so, 3 sets.
Incline bench one-arm DB rows
Friday
Superset:three times. Some rest between sets
Flat DB Bench, weight allowing 7-8 reps
DB Curls (standing or incline), ditto
Standing calf raise, heavier weight allowing only 8 reps or so if fresh (getting 6 reps on supersets)
Superset three times:
Flat Bench: ditto, weight allowing 7-8 reps
Standing Barbell curls
Standing calf raise, heavier weight
Superset three times:
Butterflys or crossovers, weight allowing 7-8 reps
Reverse Barbell curls, about 2/3 weight used for barbell curls
More calf work if it seems appropriate
Saturday
Abs according to his own ab program
In week two, use about 10% more weight, but same workout program.
Weeks 3 and 4
Generally, same weight as week 2 unless reps were higher than planned that week, or fewer sets are being done this week. If 10 sets of 10 were done, use about 1/3 more weight than that this week.
Monday
Five sets (each leg) of single leg calf raise, with weight allowing only 6 reps or so. Little or no rest between sets. Or preferably substitute some other calf exercise, e.g. on leg press machine.
5 sets of approximately 5 or 6, supersetted. About a minute between sets.
1) Single legged calf raise (left) for the weight used for 6 reps or so
2) Yates Rows: about 1/3 more than used for 10 sets of 10 on week 2
3) Single legged calf raise (right)
4) Chin ups or pull ups
Repeat five times
Then, 5 more sets of single legged calf raises, or preferably the substitute exercise.
Then, 2 sets incline bench one arm DB rows.
Tuesday
Seated Barbell overhead press 1RM : 130 for 5, 140 for 4, 150 for 3, 160 for 2, 170 for 1, 175 for 1, then if possible 180 for 1 etc. Allow 4 minutes between sets.
Seated DB overhead press, weight allowing 7-8 reps, two sets
Smith overhead press: two sets, 7 or 8 reps
Bench Press with 60% 1RM, 8 sets of 3 explosive reps, with 45 s rest between sets. Quick but tight, controlled negatives (about 1 s), momentary pause, and tight explosive positives. (Note: This means scapulae stay pulled in, shoulders stay pulled down towards hips and on bench and do NOT rise off of bench at all, lats stay tensed.)
Abs
Wednesday
Seated leg curl: 2 sets
Leg Extension: 2 sets
Lying leg curl: 2 sets
Leg Extension: what else but 2 sets.
Hack Squat: 5 sets of 6 or so with a little more weight than in week 2 (where you did 10 sets.)
Back extensions
Calves, 2 sets of high reps (about 20 reps).
Thursday
Off
Friday
Flat bench: 205 for 5, 220 for 4, 235 for 3, 250 for 2, 265 for 1, 270 or 275 for 1, etc. Allow 4 minutes between sets.
Superset:three times. Some rest between sets
Incline DB Bench, probably with 85s (1/3 heavier than used for 10 sets of 10)
Standing calf raise, 6 reps or so.
DB Curls (standing or incline)
Standing calf raise
Superset three times:
Decline Bench or Dips
Standing calf raise
Reverse Barbell curls, about 2/3 weight used for barbell curls
Standing calf raise
Saturday
Abs
Cardio if desired.
Sunday
Off, or cardio if desired.
Weeks 5 and 6
Similar to weeks 3 and 4 except use 60% 1RM for fewer sets in week 5, and about 68% 1RM in week 6, and don’t do 1 rep max pyramids.
Results
After two weeks, Jim has made gains that he is very pleased with, and with essentially no or very minimal fat gains. He may even have lost fat, because he reports that his pants fit more loosely; however, the tape measure reports a ¼" gain in waist size (but that could easily be a measurement error.) He was particularly excited about his gains on the bench press of 35 lb over his previous personal best, and I expect him to do 315 or better after his next cycle, which he almost certainly would never have obtained naturally.
The "before" and "after" photos tell the story after two weeks:
Rear Lat Spread
Front Lat Spread
Side Chest
Front Double Bicep
Bodypart / Parameter Starting During week 3 Improvement
Neck 14 7/8" 15 3/8" 1/2"
Biceps 15 3/8" 16" 5/8"
Chest 40 3/8" 41 ¾" 1 3/8"
Waist 33" 33 ¼" no significant change
Thigh 22 1/8" 23 1/8" 1"
Calves 14 7/8" 15 3/8" ½"
Weight 175 lb 188 lb 13 lb
% Bodyfat 9.5% (n/a) no significant change
Seat Mil Press 165 lb 190 lb 25 lb
Bench Press 260 lb 295 lb 35 lb
The blood test results were good. Jim started with normal values for testosterone, estradiol, all hepatic function tests, and blood lipid profile. Immediately after the two week point, he had a follow-up test. Everything remained normal except for his blood testosterone, which had dropped from 429 ng/dL to 50 ng/dL (normal range is 240-830 ng/dL), and AST, ALT, and CPK values were elevated – however, this was to be expected and is not harmful, except that of course we would not wish the testosterone level to remain so low but to return to normal quickly. The Clomid and reduction of androgen use to a very light level should allow this to occur, and in fact, Jim reports that towards the end of week 3 he felt as if he had plenty of androgen in his system in the evenings and on arising, though that of course is a subjective evaluation. Testosterone levels should prove normal and preferably higher than the starting value in the blood tests to be done after week 4.
Estrogen levels remained normal, but were elevated compared to the starting value: from 24.6 pg/mL to 41 pg/mL (normal range: 0-56 pg/mL). This change is of questionable significance: it might be due to difference in measurement, not to any actual increase, or it might represent a small increase from the usage of Dianabol, despite the use of Cytadren as an antiaromatase.
Cholesterol values did not change substantially, and some parameters were even improved. I attribute this to the use of Clomid, which exerts an estrogenic (not anti-estrogenic) effect with regard to blood cholesterol that is beneficial. (Clomid is anti-estrogenic in some tissues, and estrogenic in others.)
Total cholesterol was reduced from 170 to 162, triglycerides from 128 to 104, and VLDL from 26 to 16. These changes are beneficial though perhaps insignificantly so. HDL also was reduced, from 26 to 24, and LDL was increased from 118 to 126. These changes are not beneficial, though again the measured changes are so small that they may be insignificant. We may conclude that the two week cycle, with use of Clomid, did not result in any significant worsening of blood lipid profile, and may have resulted in improvement of some parameters. This is in contrast to what is seen with traditional cycles where Clomid is not used and blood lipid profiles usually worsen dramatically.
Workouts
Jim recorded his workouts in a journal (a recommended practice), entered it into his computer, and e-mailed me the information. Here are his exact workouts. They followed the original plan exactly, except that he decided to add additional mid-week calf work. Whether this was necessary or beneficial or not, I cannot say, but results were good.
Monday, 1/11/99. Week One.
Standing calf raises single legged (note: on this day and this day only, range of motion was not complete because of not having a correct piece of equipment to stand on.) 5 sets of 8 reps at 60lbs volume training, 10 reps per set. Superset ten times.
5 sets of 8 reps at 60lbs
volume training, 10 reps per set. Superset ten times.
1) incline db press: 55lbs
2) single legged calf raise (left) at 45lbs
3) db rows 45lbs
3) single legged calf raise (right) at 45lbs
biceps
bb curl
1) 10reps at 65lbs
2) 10 reps at 65bs
3) 10 reps at 55lbs
reverse curls
1) 18 reps at 35lbs
2) 15 reps at 35lbs
incline db curls
1) 10 reps at 20 lbs
2) 10 reps at 20lbs
Tuesday
Seated leg curl: 2 sets of 8 reps at 90 lb.
leg extension: 2sets of 10 reps at 70lbs
leg curl: 2 sets of 8 reps at 90 lbs
leg extension: 2 sets of 10 reps at 90lbs
volume training
hack squat: 5 sets of 6 reps at 190lbs
hack squats: 5 sets of 10 reps at 140lbs
abs
hanging leg raise, 2 sets
decline jackknife, 4 sets
rope crunch, 4 sets
crunches, 4 sets
back extensions, 3 sets, bodyweight
Wednesday
seated db overhead press: 3 sets of 8 reps at 65lbs
seated bb overhead press: 3 sets of 8 reps at 130lbs
smith overhead press: 3 sets of 8 reps at 140lbs
Thursday
Chin-ups: 28 reps total (7 or 8 sets)
lat pulldown: 3 sets of 10 reps at 130lbs
yates rows: 3 sets of 12 reps at 85lbs
db rows (supported by incline bench): 3 sets of 10 reps at 55lbs
Friday
superset 3 times
incline db bench: 8 reps of 75lbs
db curls: 8 reps of 30 lbs
leg press calves: 20 reps at 180 lbs (Note from WR: this was bad planning in my opinion. When reps are this high, fewer sets should be done, only two or three total. Jim should have used a weight allowing only 10 reps.)
superset 3 times
flat db press: 8 reps of 70lbs
standing bb curl: 8 reps of 70 lbs
leg press calves: 20 reps of 180lbs
superset 3 times
crossovers: 8 reps of 60lbs
reverse curls: 8 reps of 40lbs
Saturday
abs
hanging leg raise, 2 sets
decline jackknife, 4 sets
rope crunch, 4 sets
crunches, 4 sets
Sunday: off
Monday. Week Two.
Standing calf raises single legged
5 sets of 8 reps at 60lbs
Superset ten times
incline db press: 10reps of 60lbs
standing calves, left: 10 reps at 40lbs
yates rows: 10 reps at 135lbs
standing calves, right: 10 reps at 40 lbs
biceps
standing bb curl: 3 sets of 10 reps at 60 lbs
Tuesday
seated leg curls: 2 sets of 8 reps at 100lbs
leg extensions: 2 sets of 8 reps at 110lbs
leg curls: 2 sets of 8 reps at 100lbs
leg extensions: 2 sets of 10 reps at 110 lbs
volume training
hack squats: 5 sets of 7 reps at 210lbs
hack squats: 5 sets of 10 reps at 160lbs
abs
hanging leg raise, 2 sets
decline jackknife, 4 sets
rope crunch, 4 sets
crunches, 4 sets
back extensions, 3 sets, bodyweight
Wednesday
seated db overhead press :3 sets of 8 reps at 70 lbs
seated bb overhead press: 3 sets of 8 reps at 140lbs
smith overhead press: 3 sets of 8 reps at 150lbs
Thursday
Chin-ups: 31 reps (7 or 8 sets)
lat pulldown: 3 sets of 8 reps at 140lbs
yates rows: 3 sets of 8 reps at 145lbs
db rows, incline bench: 3 sets of 8 reps at 60lbs
Friday
Superset three times
flat db bench: 8 reps at 85 lbs
calf raises standing, left: 8 reps at 55lbs
db curls: 8 reps at 30 lbs
calf raises standing, right: 8 reps at 55 lbs
superset three times
flat db bench: 8 reps at 75lbs
standing bb curl: 8 reps at 80lbs
standing calves, left then right: 8 reps at 55lbs
superset three times
crossovers: 10 reps at 60 lbs
reverse curls: 10 reps at 50lbs
seated calves: 8 reps at 90lbs (Note from WR: this should have been done at higher reps, say 14-20, because the soleus, which this exercise targets, is predominantly slow-twitch.)
Saturday
abs
hanging leg raise, 2 sets
decline jackknife, 4 sets
rope crunch, 4 sets
crunches, 4 sets
Sunday: Off
Monday. Week Three.
seated calves: 5 sets of 8 reps at 110 lbs
superset five times, for 6 reps each exercise:
1) standing calves, left: 55lbs
2) yates rows: 150lbs
3) standing calves, right: 55lbs
4) chinups: BW, for 8 reps not 6
leg press calves: 5 sets of 8reps with 225lbs
incline db rows: 2 sets of 10 reps at 60lbs
Tuesday
seated bb overhead press
5 reps at 135lbs
4 reps at 155lbs
3 reps at 175lbs
1 rep at 185lbs
1 rep at 190lbs (note from WR: this was a picture perfect weight progression for this 1RM measurement.)
seated db press: 2 sets of 8 reps with 70lbs
smith overhead press: 2 sets of 8 reps with 160lbs
bench press, explosive, Louie Simmons
8 sets of 3 reps with 170 lbs with 45 seconds rest
ab workout: same as before
Wednesday
seated leg curl: 2 sets of 8 reps with 110lbs
leg extension: 2 sets of 10 reps with 120lbs
seated leg curls: 2 sets of 8 reps with 110 lbs
leg extension: 2 sets of 10 reps with 120 lbs
hack squats: 5 sets of 6 reps with 220lbs
hyperextensions
2 sets of 12 reps
seated calves
2 sets of 8 reps with 110 lbs (note from WR: again, reps should have been higher.)
Thursday: off
Friday
flat bench
5 reps at 215lbs
4 reps at 235lbs
3 reps at 255lbs
1 rep at 275lbs
1 rep at 295lbs
(Note from WR: a better progression would have been 205 for 5, 225 for 4, 245 for 3, 265 for 2, 285 for 1, 295 for 1.)
supersets 3sets
incline db bench: 8 reps at 90lbs
standing one legged calves, left: 10 reps at 60 lbs
db curls incline: 8 reps at 30 lbs
standing one legged calves, right: 10 reps at 60lbs
superset 3 times
dips: bodyweight, 12 reps
standing calves, left then right: 10 reps at 60lbs
superset 3 times
reverse curls:10 reps at 60lbs
standing calves, left then right: 10 reps at 60 lbs
Saturday
ab workout, same as before
Summary
With two weeks of fairly moderate steroid usage, and one week thus far of light usage which has avoided losses but caused no further gains, Jim has achieved size and strength improvements he is very pleased with. It will take several such cycles, however, for him to meet his ultimate goals. (No one can really expect that just two weeks of use, alone, will effect a complete transformation.) Jim’s results from two weeks of moderate use are probably more than he could have obtained in four years without any drug use, that estimate being made based on his previous experiences.
Blood test results are good, although we need to see if testosterone levels return to normal or above normal during the next two weeks, as expected. It will also be interesting to see if the elevated liver enzyme values (which are harmless and to be expected) will remain the same, or will be reduced as a consequence of using orals only in the morning.
Over the next three weeks, Jim hopes to lose a few pounds of fat while maintaining all or nearly all of his muscle gains. In my opinion, however, if he loses two pounds of bodyweight for each pound of fat lost, that result would be quite typical and would be good, and his gains are sufficient to accommodate that.
Future updates on Jim’s progress will be briefer, and will probably be made every two weeks for the next couple of months or so.
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