The correct way to do a first cycle.

This should be a sticky.
Coincidentally, I found this post because I was browsing websites with cycles and I was getting confused about e2 levels. For example, many low-dose cycle recommendations don’t mention the use of an AI during a cycle. It makes me think an AI or tamoxifen are not necessary, or that AI should be used only when side effects appear: water retention, acne, and symptoms of early gynecomastia.
What’s the verdict?
Use Always, even with low-doses of a single substance like Test E or Test C / 500 a weekly?

or use only if symptoms appear?

Anonymous said:This should be a sticky. Coincidentally, I found this post because I was browsing websites with cycles and I was getting confused about e2 levels. For example, many low-dose cycle recommendations don’t mention the use of an AI during a cycle. It makes me think an AI or tamoxifen are not necessary, or that AI should be used only when side effects appear: water retention, acne, and symptoms of early gynecomastia. What’s the verdict? Use Always, even with low-doses of a single substance like Test E or Test C / 500 a weekly? or use only if symptoms appear?

Hey buddy. Welcome to RV.

Bloods are your best option.

mario, Thank you for the welcoming!
Yeah, I did the first blood lab test, everything is fine.
The second one, I’ll do it after 4 or 5 weeks, then adjust 🙂

Yes, my man… Trial and error. No other way around it. We’re all different so we take things differently.

mario said:So, you’ve been lifting heavy for a while, eating right, counting calories and macros, resting as much as you can. Now you decided to take the next step. Every site you visit has a best first cycle, but information can be confusing. Few points:

• Be lean to begin with – Do not use steroids if you’re fat. 12% is about the max you want to be. If your bodyfat is high, you’ll bloat more, have more estrogen and your results won’t be half as good.
• Do bloods before cycle – You want to know your natural numbers, so you can understand what’s happening to your body when you do bloods mid cycle or after PCT. LH, FSH, total and free test and estrogen are some of the main tests you’ll need to do.
• Plan your cycle – Write down everything you’ll do until the very end.
• Use pharmacy grade products – Yes, there are good underground products out there, of course. But you won’t know if they are good until you compare them with human grade products.
• Have everything ready to go – Don’t start a cycle planning to get your PCT in a few weeks or your estrogen blocker if you feel your nipples itching. Have everything you’ll need or may need.

The cycle: Yes, test only is your best option. Is test better than other steroids? Not necessarily, but it’s a molecule that your body already knows and you’ll simply provide an extra dose of it for a period of time. You also use only one compound so down the road you’ll know which compounds you like and which ones you don’t. You may find out that you don’t really like test and that’s ok. 300-500mg of a long ester like cypionate or enanthate weekly for 8-12 weeks is all you need. Inject twice a week for more stable levels. Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays are common choices. Stimulate your testes during the entire cycle. You don’t want your balls to forget how to do their job, so you’ll signal them with 250iu of HCG twice a week during cycle up until PCT starts. They’ll be more prepared to resume their activity if they’re not dormant for 8-12 weeks. Control your e2 levels. There are several options out there. I personally prefer aromasin. Initial dosage is 12.5mg EOD. If your nipples are sore or you’re really bloated, do 25mg EOD. You ideally do bloods once or twice during cycle to know how your e2 levels are. You don’t want them too low either. Use your AI of choice until PCT starts. What you read above is all you need during your cycle: your anabolic steroid, your e2 control and something to keep your testes in shape. Now to your PCT: Post cycle therapy will help your endocrine system to achieve balance again. There are several “best” PCTs out there, we can go with a classic clomid/nolvadex, starting 2 weeks after your last test shot, like this:

• 100mg of clomid daily for 2 weeks, followed by 50mg daily for another 2 weeks.
• 40mg of nolvadex daily for 2 weeks, followed by 20mg daily for another 2 weeks.

Once PCT is finished, you wait 2 months and do bloods once again. Compare the numbers with the bloods you did before cycle. If everything went well, they should be similar. If there’s a big discrepancy, your recovery wasn’t optimal. Remember that steroid use can cause imbalances to your body and a small percentage of people never recover entirely from a cycle, needing to be on TRT forever. Also remember, you should only consider a cycle if you’ve been lifting intensely and eating right for a while. By “eating right” I do mean, counting calories and macros, measuring your food, etc…

This is good reading … thank you!

Anonymous said:mario, Thank you for the welcoming! Yeah, I did the first blood lab test, everything is fine. The second one, I’ll do it after 4 or 5 weeks, then adjust

Welcome LT_S !!