Structuring steroid cycles is an essential aspect of anabolic steroid use, ensuring that users maximize benefits while minimizing potential health risks. Properly designed cycles take into account the user’s goals, experience level, and the specific properties of each steroid. Here’s a detailed guide on how to structure effective steroid cycles:
Determining Goals
Bulking vs. Cutting
-Bulking Cycles: Focused on gaining muscle mass and strength. Common steroids used include testosterone, Dianabol, and Deca-Durabolin, to name a few.
-Cutting Cycles: Aimed at preserving lean muscle while reducing body fat. Steroids like Winstrol, Anavar, and Masteron are popular choices.
Performance Enhancement:
-Some cycles are specifically structured to enhance athletic performance, focusing on increasing endurance, speed, and recovery these may include drugs like Equipose and SARMs like Cardarine.
NOTE: Find all of the information about all of the Anabolic Steroids, Peptides and SARMs available today by visiting IronGorillas.com and downloading our free eBook featuring every one of these steroid profiles.
Experience Level
Beginner Cycles:
-Duration: Typically 8-12 weeks.
-Compounds: Often start with a single compound, such as testosterone or Anavar, to assess tolerance and response. Dosages are kept moderate to minimize side effects.
Example:
-Weeks 1-8: Testosterone Enanthate or Cypionate at 300-500 mg per week.
-Weeks 1-4: Anavar Tablets at 40-60 mg per day, in split doses every 6-8 hours.
Intermediate Cycles:
-Duration: 10-14 weeks.
-Compounds: Introduce additional steroids like DecaDurabolin or Dianabol, creating a stack to enhance results.
Example:
-Weeks 1-12: Testosterone Enanthate 500 mg per week.
-Weeks 1-10: Deca-Durabolin 400 mg per week.
Optional kick-start with Dianabol 30 mg per day for the first 4-6 weeks.
Advanced Cycles:
-Duration: 12-16 weeks or longer.
-Compounds: Use multiple compounds with higher dosages. Advanced users often include Trenbolone, Masteron, or other potent steroids.
Example:
-Weeks 1-16: Testosterone Enanthate 750 mg per week
-Weeks 1-12: Trenbolone Enanthate 400 mg per week
-Weeks 1-8: Anadrol 50 mg per day.
Cycle Components
Base Compound: When it comes to your steroid cycle, your base compound is the one that you use the highest effective dosage of and expect to get the most effects from.
-Testosterone is often used as the base due to its effectiveness and the body’s natural familiarity with it. It supports overall well-being and counters the suppression caused by other steroids.
-Winstrol is great base compound for a precompetition cycle since it will help the user flush out water and acheive a paper thin skin before stepping on stage.
Add-On Compounds:
-Additional steroids, peptides, and/or SARMS are selected based on the cycle’s goals. For instance, Deca-Durabolin is used for joint support in bulking, and Anavar is used to preserve muscle during a cut.
Oral vs. Injectable:
-Oral steroids like Dianabol and Anavar are effective but hepatotoxic, so their use is usually limited to the first 4-6 weeks of a cycle.
-Injectable steroids like Testosterone and Deca-Durabolin are used throughout the cycle and are less harmful to the liver. Injectables can be used for prolonged periods of time. The 14-18 week range is the maximum for any amateur bodybuilder.
NOTE: Some men diagnosed with low testosterone may be prescribed a low dosage of pharmaceutical-grade testosterone and might continue to take it for their lifetime, this is done under doctors’ supervision.
Dosage and Cycle Length
Cycle Length:
-Beginners: 8-12 weeks to monitor response and side effects.
-Intermediate: 10-14 weeks for balanced gains and manageable side effects.
-Advanced: 12-16 weeks, with careful monitoring and potentially longer recovery periods.
NOTE: Oral Only Cycles: 4-6 weeks in length regardless of your experience level. Your liver will be significantly impacted by toxicity the longer you use oral steroids. Always use N2Guard whenever you are using oral steroids to help detox your liver.
Steroid Dosage
When it comes to dosages, you should start off on the lower end of the spectrum when you are new to steroid use, then gradually raise dosages with subsequent cycles as you make more and more progress. There is no need to go super heavy on your first cycle, but also be aware that as you get bigger and more muscular, it will take a higher dosage to put on more pounds
Dosage Recomendation:
-Beginners: 250 – 500 mg of total steroid dosage per week.
-Intermediate: 500 – 1,000 mg of total steroid dosage per week.
-Advanced: 1,000 – 2,000 mg of total steroid dosage per week.
-Professional Competitor: unknown – could be as high as 5,000mg per week of just steroid along with other added compounds for specific purposes. These guys have competition coaches they consult with and help monitor their progress.
NOTE: Your body now naturally only makes about 7-14 mg of testosterone per day, so adding something like 10mg of an oral steroid per day is already doubling your natural levels.
Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT)
Purpose:
-PCT is critical for restoring natural testosterone production and mitigating side effects post-cycle. It usually starts the same day as your last shot of steroids and should continue for 4 to 8 weeks depending on your needs.
NOTE: Some online gurus suggest you wait up to two weeks to start PCT if you are using long-lasting esters like Equipoise and Deca to give time for the steroid to clear the body before adding the recovery drugs. I don’t believe in this method, and I suggest you start PCT right away on the last day of your shot and extend the PCT out for two weeks or longer if you are using long ester compounds.
Common PCT Drugs and Supplements:
-Clomid (Clomiphene): 50-100 mg per day.
-Nolvadex (Tamoxifen): 20-40 mg per day.
-Aromasin (Exemestane): 6 – 12 mg per day.
-HCGenerate: 5 caps per day.
-N2Guard: 5 caps per day.
Structuring steroid cycles involves careful planning to align with the user’s goals, experience, and the specific properties of the steroids used. By understanding the importance of dosage, duration, and the combination of compounds, users can maximize their gains while minimizing health risks. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any steroid cycle to ensure it is safe and effective for your individual needs.