Expert Answered Cycle planning

[Petroslav98]

Hi, I’d like to get some advice about a bulking cycle.

I’m planning to run 750 mg of Test E, 500 mg of boldenone, 400 mg of Deca, and 50 mg of stanozolol.

Is this combination okay? I’ve tried all of these compounds before, but I took a break for a few years and now I want to get back into it.

I’m planning to start with Test E, boldenone, and Deca, then add stanozolol later in the cycle.

Should I gradually increase the doses of all the compounds?

 

[Davy Tenebrae]

Hi, I’d like to get some advice about a bulking cycle.

I’m planning to run 750 mg of Test E, 500 mg of boldenone, 400 mg of Deca, and 50 mg of stanozolol.

Is this combination okay? I’ve tried all of these compounds before, but I took a break for a few years and now I want to get back into it.

I’m planning to start with Test E, boldenone, and Deca, then add stanozolol later in the cycle.

Should I gradually increase the doses of all the compounds?

Test E, Boldenone and Deca can certainly contribute to a bulk, but 750mg Test, 500mg Boldenone and 400mg Deca is already a pretty heavy combination, especially after a few years off.
Personally, I don't see much benefit in adding Stanozolol for a bulking phase. It can negatively affect your lipids and joints, and you've already got three powerful anabolic compounds involved.
As for gradually increasing everything, you sure can but be careful with injection volume, i would suggest a 0.5 ml max increase every 4 weeks. I'd be interested to know what dosages you previously tolerated, how long you're planning to run this cycle and what your current body weight is.

 

[Sam Bjorn]

Hi mate,

First of all, I can say right away that these dosages are too high, unless you are a competitive athlete with a lot of previous experience.

Secondly, what immediately stands out is the simultaneous use of compounds that are usually used for different purposes and at different stages. For example, stanozolol is typically used during a pre-contest phase, when you are trying to reduce body fat as much as possible and improve muscle definition and detail. Nandrolone and testosterone at these dosages, on the other hand, clearly point to a typical bulking setup.

As for gradually increasing the dosages — yes, this approach can make sense, and if you are already getting results on lower doses, then in many cases there is no need to increase them at all.

To give you a more objective and in-depth assessment of this cycle, I would need some additional information from you. If you want to go deeper into it, let me know.

 

[Petroslav98]

I’ve always put my own cycles together, but my main goal is to bulk up. I’ve had situations where everything went really well for the first two weeks — my muscles looked full, my weight was going up, and then suddenly I seemed to lose that fullness and there wasn’t much further progress.

This time, I’d like to discuss things in more detail with someone who has a better understanding of this.

I’m currently 104 kg and 196 cm tall, and I train five times a week.

 

[Davy Tenebrae]

I’ve always put my own cycles together, but my main goal is to bulk up. I’ve had situations where everything went really well for the first two weeks — my muscles looked full, my weight was going up, and then suddenly I seemed to lose that fullness and there wasn’t much further progress.

This time, I’d like to discuss things in more detail with someone who has a better understanding of this.

I’m currently 104 kg and 196 cm tall, and I train five times a week.

Mate, I wouldn't mistake losing that initial fullness for losing muscle growth. The first couple of weeks can be misleading because glycogen and water can make you look bigger before any new muscle is built.
With your size and five training sessions per week, nutrition and recovery will play a massive role in how well your bulk progresses. More gear won't automatically fix a plateau. What's your current training like, and were you actually losing weight or just noticing less fullness in the mirror?

 

[Petroslav98]

I work on a construction site every day from 7 AM to 7 PM, and I train five times a week at 8 PM after work. Then I quickly eat something and go to sleep. I have to really push myself to eat enough.

I try to train every muscle twice a week, with one heavy workout and the second one focused more on getting a pump for each muscle.

 

[Davy Tenebrae]

I work on a construction site every day from 7 AM to 7 PM, and I train five times a week at 8 PM after work. Then I quickly eat something and go to sleep. I have to really push myself to eat enough.

I try to train every muscle twice a week, with one heavy workout and the second one focused more on getting a pump for each muscle.

Well, in this case I'd consider a mass gainer since it's designed for that; if the goal is to get carbs, protein, calories, vitamins, and other supplements, it makes sense here. You could mix it and drink it during small work breaks and get enough calories to put you in a surplus

 

[Petroslav98]

I am using it

 

[Sam Bjorn]

How many cycles have you done before, and what dosages did you use? Do you get blood tests done?

As for why your muscle fullness may have disappeared — firstly, it could be due to overall fatigue from your job. For now, I don't have enough information to say for sure, because I need to see at least your training program to make an initial assessment. But there are some indirect signs, such as poor appetite. This happens to some people when they're excessively fatigued. Your training program needs to be something your body can actually handle. That's the only way it will produce results. More doesn't mean better. Tell me how you train.

Secondly, considering your lifestyle and the fact that you're not a competitive athlete, your dosages are simply enormous. And those very dosages could actually make the lack of muscle fullness worse. It's like trying to pour more water into a glass than it can hold. The water spills over the edges and soaks everything around it, including important documents and paper money lying on the table.

Mate, to figure all this out, I need some answers from you. Otherwise, we'll hit a dead end.

To sum up, I need your blood test results (whatever you have), your previous cycles with dosages, and your training program.

And yes, regardless of your answers, the dosages will need to be reduced IN ANY CASE. Otherwise, you're just wasting your money.

 

[Petroslav98]

I’ve done about 6 cycles, and the dosages have been more or less what I wrote to you.

I get blood tests done regularly.

Here’s my training split:

• Monday – heavy chest, light shoulders, triceps
• Tuesday – heavy back, biceps
• Wednesday – legs
• Friday – chest pump workout, one biceps/triceps superset
• Saturday – heavy shoulders, biceps, triceps

My blood tests have always shown a normal complete blood count. My testosterone levels during a cycle are around 120 nmol/L, estradiol is max. 300 pmol/L, I don’t have any issues with prolactin, and my SHBG during a cycle is 8.4 nmol/L.

 

[Sam Bjorn]

I’ve done about 6 cycles, and the dosages have been more or less what I wrote to you.

I get blood tests done regularly.

Here’s my training split:

• Monday – heavy chest, light shoulders, triceps
• Tuesday – heavy back, biceps
• Wednesday – legs
• Friday – chest pump workout, one biceps/triceps superset
• Saturday – heavy shoulders, biceps, triceps

My blood tests have always shown a normal complete blood count. My testosterone levels during a cycle are around 120 nmol/L, estradiol is max. 300 pmol/L, I don’t have any issues with prolactin, and my SHBG during a cycle is 8.4 nmol/L.

Are you currently off steroids, and how are you feeling overall? How well are you handling your training load? Your schedule and physically demanding job are definitely additional factors that we need to take into account.

As for nutrition and appetite, it makes sense to look into that as well. There are different ways to try to increase your appetite, for example, having small sweet snacks between meals. But without a photo of your current physique, it's hard to say how beneficial that would be.

I like your idea of training muscle groups twice a week, especially alternating between heavy and light sessions. But without knowing at least the number of exercises and sets, as well as RPE or RIR, it's impossible to assess it properly. If you want, we can go into more detail if you describe exactly what exercises you do and how many sets.

But again, the dosages you're planning to use are very high. I would start with just 250 mg of testosterone and see whether the muscle fullness lasts longer than a few weeks. But before injecting anything, I recommend taking a closer look at your training and nutrition.