My First Cycle: Planning and Executing a Successful First Cycle

[Gallowmere]

Hi

I am a 52 yr old man. I had been lifting on and off since i was 17 yrs old but had been a hard gainer and never really bulked up significantly despite going on high calorie/high protein diet several times. The upside, i could still pass myself up as a 30 yr old despite my age. Downside, I've never really experienced what its like to achieve impressive gains I see at the gym all the time.

Lately I found myself with the time and resource i need to actually try but my question is;

Is it already too late to experiment on steroids at this stage?

"Too early" is a thing, but so long as you're not dead, I'm pretty sure that "too late" is not.

[kelkel]

Hi

I am a 52 yr old man. I had been lifting on and off since i was 17 yrs old but had been a hard gainer and never really bulked up significantly despite going on high calorie/high protein diet several times. The upside, i could still pass myself up as a 30 yr old despite my age. Downside, I've never really experienced what its like to achieve impressive gains I see at the gym all the time.

Lately I found myself with the time and resource i need to actually try but my question is;

Is it already too late to experiment on steroids at this stage?

Step one is full blood work. Let's see how you're doing (including a hormone panel) and then decide what's the best course of action. Maybe it's time for TRT and if so it can be a life changer. Optimized hormones can do wonders for you. Take a look in the Finding A Doc sticky thread at the top of the HRT Forum for a complete list of blood work.

[Burgerwcheese]

Thank you for the info! About to start my first cycle and i'm excited...only part i'm nervous about is i've never personally handled a needle, what better time to learn.

[kelkel]

Thank you for the info! About to start my first cycle and i'm excited...only part i'm nervous about is i've never personally handled a needle, what better time to learn.

You'll be fine. Spend some time on spot injections dot com, youtube or google and you'll find plenty of good instructional videos.

[ml225]

So I've always been kind of big and no matter what I do I have trouble with weight loss. I'm only 18 so I would like to start a cycle of Tren or Winstrol to help me with my cutting cycle. I know I'm a bit young for starting my first cycle, but you can't talk me out of this so if anything just try and help me instead of lecture me. If you need any details about my weight or anything like that just ask. I have a decent amount of muscle for my age, which I gained naturally, but I keep gaining body fat no matter what diet I go on. I just need help starting my first cycle. Any tips welcome and thank you in advance.

[cousinmuscles]

So I've always been kind of big and no matter what I do I have trouble with weight loss. I'm only 18 so I would like to start a cycle of Tren or Winstrol to help me with my cutting cycle. I know I'm a bit young for starting my first cycle, but you can't talk me out of this so if anything just try and help me instead of lecture me. If you need any details about my weight or anything like that just ask. I have a decent amount of muscle for my age, which I gained naturally, but I keep gaining body fat no matter what diet I go on. I just need help starting my first cycle. Any tips welcome and thank you in advance.

The AAS will do nothing for your body fat until you get your diet in check. Nobody will want to help you do that at your age, just like nobody would want their own child to do so. Check the diet and nutrition section of the board: https://forums.steroid.com/diet-nutrition/

[Wyatt 88]

Pretty much answered every question I could possibly answer to get started. Much appreciated.

And thanks to Kelkel for putting me on this article

[Anaspac]

i can say that is best thread i have ever read concerning the AAS

[kelkel]

i can say that is best thread i have ever read concerning the AAS

Be sure to read some of the other ones in Austinites Educational Articles Database.

And welcome to the forum.

[Meow_Wolf]

Should you cut Creatine during cycle?

[Meow_Wolf]

Great nutritional info with the formulas..

[SDTEST]

Salve, sono nuovo sul forum, mi alleno da 7 anni e credo di avere una buona conoscenza in termini di allenamento e dieta.
Al momento sono 169cm*80kg e ho intenzione di afre un primo ciclo.
Vorrei alcuni consigli in particolare per la gestione del post ciclo
ho intenzione di fare il ciclo per 10 settimane , seguito da 10 settimane di trt, e poi pct

ciclo 10week


500mg test ent
500mg masteron ent
500ui hcg

20mg/day cardarina

trt:
test e quanti mg??
Serve altro?

pct:

Clomid 75/50/50/50 Nolvadex 40/20/20/20

grazie!

[mohamedhoussen]

why we only inject HCG through the cycle
what about injecting FSH too ??
why only HCG ?!!!

[Str8crazy23]

As a newbie this information is absolutely amazing. Thank You for taking the time to put this together!!

[AD]

The cranial nerve 2 is the issue where the messages between the brain and retina are affected, but that has only been an issue with men who've suffered multiple heart attacks and obviously would have heart disease. Incredibly uncommon, even in men with heart disease. Also applies for PDE5 inhibitors.

i haven't been able to find a definite reason why/how clomid causes visual disturbances. it is frequently listed as a common side effect in the product package information.

some info i found seems to say that visual disturbances tend to be mild and temporary: An investigation of the visual disturbances ex... [Fertil Steril. 2010] - PubMed - NCBI

while others reported severe and permanent damage: Visual disturbance secondary to clomiphene c... [Arch Ophthalmol. 1995] - PubMed - NCBI

one possible explanation for the vision side effect of clomid is that clomid may affect blood circulation to the eye, both arterial: Optic neuropathy associated with clomiphene ci... [Fertil Steril. 1994] - PubMed - NCBI

and venous: Central retinal vein occlusion associated with... [Fertil Steril. 2008] - PubMed - NCBI

one consolation is that this side effect does not affect everyone. Clomiphene citrate is safe and effective for long-te... [BJU Int. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

but once you experience any visual changes, stop clomid immediately and see an Ophthalmologist.

[probuild42]

Great post Austinite!! You helped point me in the right direction when I first came here, thanks. Wish this would have been the first post I read!! Would have cut done on my research on what to research. lol

[marcus300]

Ive stickied this thread

[basketballfan22]

Congrats on the sticky. Well deserved. Your other ones need to be stickied too!

[Iron Mind]

Indeed a very helpful post.

Test only seems a good way to start. Some say that if you're planning to start with AAS. Just start "good", especially if someone is planning to start competitions (I'd like to start competitions for example). But 500mg/week is of course way more test in comparison than my own natural test levels, so test only would be very good to start of course..

[austinite]

^ thanks, Nice set of studies there. and I agree. any signs of vision issues, discontinue use and seek help.

* going through studies...

[Rubal1985]

Hi there
I'm new on this site
I saw your post
It's amazing
I have tried few cycles in the past but wasn't serious or consistent at all.i think i started 3 cycles of enthanate in last 10 years but never did more than 4 to 5 weeks.how dumb i was.so now after long research and natural 1 year workout i am doing my first cycle of cypionate 600 mg/w stana 30 mg anavar 30 mg/pd for first 6 weeks then no more stana and anavar tabs for rest of 6 weeks.I'm feeling very good.this is mine 5th week going on
Gym 6 days a week.low carbs high protein diet.i will be doing pct after 18 days rest of nolva for 4 weeks as u mentioned above.
I always wanted to compete as my most of the mates been competing.but i think i need one more year to gain muscle and shred to 4-5% body fat
Any tips for me or anything wrong I'm doing?
Can upload pics of me and all 7 meals I'm eating
Forgot to mention I'm using animal cuts for 3 weeks on and one week off plus taking animal packs one pouch everyday. Won't forget to mention one big cheat meal every friday evening after leg day
Thaks heaps

[teezer33]

I hope people do read this, it would cut down on a lot of stupid questions. Great job !!!!

[AD]

when can the 2 out-dated stickies about beginners/newbie cycles in the Educational section be removed?

[JimAdler]

Awesome thread and I agree it should be a must for all who register. Thank you. and Killing 200 Kittens????? THat is just heartless >(

[Megalodon6]

Awesome post. Killing 200 kittens lolz

[austinite]

^ thanks, Cape.

[CJ1776]

Thanks for the info..

I do have a few questions,.. hopefully someone can help:

Hey Everyone:

I am 45 yrs and started with Test (sus) 1cc/ml and in same stick using Tren at .5cc/ml.... twice per week (started last week)

Second week on.

After my workout partner and I both did same and Pinned ourselves in the Quad Muscle; within 2 days we both developed pain and some muscle swelling below where we Pinned just above the knee in The muscle. Felt like our muscle was swelling and sore (as if it had been worked out). We did not do any leg work out yet.

Next time we did other Quad with same amounts and this time it was severely worse. So the 3rd time we did it back in the same leg as the 1st time. My workout partner is experiencing some pain today (stuck yesterday). I am doing fine now but starting to fell some slight pain.

Okay, so with that info,... what is going on?... Is this normal?
We where worried about moving to the arms or buttock to Stick yet.....
I did Test (Sus) only (1 cycle) 12 years ago with no pain or problems, but only Pinned in my Buttock.


Also, should we be using the same needle to stack Test (Sus) and the Tren?... this is drawn at same time I mean.. it mixes

Any recommendations and knowledge will be extremely helpful.



Also, what are the storage requirements after opening the Bottle... Refrigerate or room temperature?

BTW... I have gained 10 pounds in 1.5 weeks already in muscle.... pretty dang amazing !!! I am 2 pounds from the heaviest I been and that was from 12 years ago at the end of my 1st and only cycle of Test (sus)... nothing else


Thanks,
CJ

[austinite]

Hey CJ, this is not really related to this topic, might have been better to start a new thread, but I will provide an answer for you.

First, CC's don't tell us anything about your dose. Sustanon and Trenbolone come in various concentrations. We would need the milligrams. (Not that it matters to make an assessment here), just for future reference.

The Propionate ester in Sustanon tends to sting a little more than the rest of the esters. Same with Trenbolone acetate vs. Trenbolone enanthate for some folks. However, the biggest culprit for post injection discomfort is poor injection technique. This is due to 2 things:

1. Injecting too fast.
2. Unsteady hand while injecting.

Injecting too fast will cause the fibers to spread rapidly and irritate the spot. Keep a steady, slow pace when injecting. I recommend that you stop and pause for a couple seconds once or twice during the injection.

Remember the tip of the needle is like a blade. Too much movement and you're cutting up muscle tissue beyond necessity. Muscles don't like that and they react and become inflamed. This generally goes away between 3 to 5 days. If it doesn't go away, and you develop a red hardened spot that will not go away, see a doctor to check for an infection.

Lastly, I hate to rain on your parade, but you did not gain 10 lbs of muscle in 1.5 weeks. This is physically impossible. Not even in 10 weeks is it possible. What you've gained is a combination of water and fat. Very little to no muscle has developed in 1.5 weeks. I recommend dexa scans or bod pod assessments to gauge your lean body mass and keep track. Please read the last segment in this thread about expectations.

Best of luck to you and your buddy.

[CJ1776]

Hey CJ, this is not really related to this topic, might have been better to start a new thread, but I will provide an answer for you.

First, CC's don't tell us anything about your dose. Sustanon and Trenbolone come in various concentrations. We would need the milligrams. (Not that it matters to make an assessment here), just for future reference.

The Propionate ester in Sustanon tends to sting a little more than the rest of the esters. Same with Trenbolone acetate vs. Trenbolone enanthate for some folks. However, the biggest culprit for post injection discomfort is poor injection technique. This is due to 2 things:

1. Injecting too fast.
2. Unsteady hand while injecting.

Injecting too fast will cause the fibers to spread rapidly and irritate the spot. Keep a steady, slow pace when injecting. I recommend that you stop and pause for a couple seconds once or twice during the injection.

Remember the tip of the needle is like a blade. Too much movement and you're cutting up muscle tissue beyond necessity. Muscles don't like that and they react and become inflamed. This generally goes away between 3 to 5 days. If it doesn't go away, and you develop a red hardened spot that will not go away, see a doctor to check for an infection.

Lastly, I hate to rain on your parade, but you did not gain 10 lbs of muscle in 1.5 weeks. This is physically impossible. Not even in 10 weeks is it possible. What you've gained is a combination of water and fat. Very little to no muscle has developed in 1.5 weeks. I recommend dexa scans or bod pod assessments to gauge your lean body mass and keep track. Please read the last segment in this thread about expectations.

Best of luck to you and your buddy.

Thanks a million,.. I appreciate your help.
One thing thou, we don't get sore or inflamed where we stick,.. it tracks the entire Quad now as if its really really really sore from work out or like someone beat us in the leg specific to the entire Quad.

Someone said that could be virgin muscle because we are new.

Thanks for the pointer on the needle and movement,.. we need to do better there.

I did ready your Post,.. Very interesting.. great post, .. I will look for a Dexa Scan location or bod pod.


Thanks Again,
CJ

[DVD_Administrator]

Really Wonderful I will add this thread to favorites

[austinite]

^ There is no such thing as virgin muscle. It's possible that the oil didn't get deep into the muscle, at which point it can leak through the leg over the sheath. Try a spot farther away from the knee. Or, if quads are giving you trouble, don't use them at all. Try glutes and delts.

[trigger happy]

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this backs up the months of research i have done and confirms it with some added bonus info. Very greatfull. Now to get my 50 posts up so i can verify my pct source

[austinite]

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this backs up the months of research i have done and confirms it with some added bonus info. Very greatfull. Now to get my 50 posts up so i can verify my pct source

Thank you. Very nice of you to say. Glad you can make use of it.

[Brazensol]

Great post! My second thought was how did I miss this for so long? Then I realized it is a recent addition to the stickies so now I don't feel so bad.

Could you clear something up for us older guys who are on trt? PCT is not required, correct?

Also, besides volume of injectable, is there any scientific reason a first cycle of say, test cyp, could not be injected subq? The main reason I ask is aromatization seems to be much less with subq vs IM. Also seems it would eliminate the pain many people get after injecting IM. If no one has ever done it I might be willing to be the first unless it is just a really bad idea...

[austinite]

Great post! My second thought was how did I miss this for so long? Then I realized it is a recent addition to the stickies so now I don't feel so bad.

Could you clear something up for us older guys who are on trt? PCT is not required, correct?

Also, besides volume of injectable, is there any scientific reason a first cycle of say, test cyp, could not be injected subq? The main reason I ask is aromatization seems to be much less with subq vs IM. Also seems it would eliminate the pain many people get after injecting IM. If no one has ever done it I might be willing to be the first unless it is just a really bad idea...

Correct. Any Testosterone therapy patient would simply return to his TRT protocol. No PCT required.

Other than volume, subQ would be fine. And yes, it would certainly have less of an impact on E2. But still should be monitored of course because of the quantity injected and the soon compounding effect.

[Brazensol]

Is there any rule of thumb or general guideline for the time it takes for the blood thickening (hematocrit) to start/occur. This is probably the one thing that worries me most about doing a cycle.

[austinite]

Is there any rule of thumb or general guideline for the time it takes for the blood thickening (hematocrit) to start/occur. This is probably the one thing that worries me most about doing a cycle.

No not really. Varies for everyone. Some folks can inject 200mg a week for TRT and never really have issues. Others, like me, my hematocrit goes up when testosterone is in the same room as I am. lol. But we can make our own general rule here... If you donate as often as a donation center will let you, you shouldn't ever have issues. That will depend on the center and can be anywhere from 2 to 3 months.

[Brazensol]

No not really. Varies for everyone. Some folks can inject 200mg a week for TRT and never really have issues. Others, like me, my hematocrit goes up when testosterone is in the same room as I am. lol. But we can make our own general rule here... If you donate as often as a donation center will let you, you shouldn't ever have issues. That will depend on the center and can be anywhere from 2 to 3 months.

That is very good info to have. I will schedule regular blood donations from here on out. That is a win/win situation for everyone.

[Bodacious]

Great read Austinite. I don't post much. I read a lot in the nutrition section. I have thought about doing my first cycle. So I have been reading over here. When I first join this forum I thought I was ready. Well that's been over two years ago I would say.After reading I was no where close. Since then I have lost 35-40lbs. just by reading on here. I have read a lot of your post. 405 and GBrice. I just never really post much. But look every night and read. Lol.

Well now my question is when do you know if your ready? For your first cycle?

Also just by taking test what should some expect?
Thanks for the help.

[austinite]

Great read Austinite. I don't post much. I read a lot in the nutrition section. I have thought about doing my first cycle. So I have been reading over here. When I first join this forum I thought I was ready. Well that's been over two years ago I would say.After reading I was no where close. Since then I have lost 35-40lbs. just by reading on here. I have read a lot of your post. 405 and GBrice. I just never really post much. But look every night and read. Lol.

Well now my question is when do you know if your ready? For your first cycle?

Also just by taking test what should some expect?
Thanks for the help.

Hey bodacious. Not really sure how to answer without copying some parts in the article, lol The entire article is wrapped around the idea of "When will I be ready?". Also the last segment is dedicated to "expectations" from a test only cycle.

If there is a specific question that you have that I am misunderstanding, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to go into detail.