5 weeks into first testosterone cycle

[4150]

This will be a lengthy post and will have quite a bit of info. My purpose of this post is just to make sure I am going about my first bulk cycle correctly. REASSURANCE I GUESS! (OR NOT). I HAVE read a lot and asked many questions before starting. I have been gradually raising my Test dosage since mid April and am now at 500 MG a week and have been for 5 weeks. I am currently at 193 lbs. I'll get labs done in a couple weeks. I plan on 12 weeks total.

Stats:
40 yrs old
Started at 176 lbs
Starting 18% BF
6' tall
TRT for 1 yr
250 MG Test Cyp twice a week
1/2 MG Anastrozole twice a week
Nolvadex on hand


DIET:

Meal 1: Shake- ingredients: 4 TBSP peanut butter, 10 OZ water, 1 scoop Muscle Milk, 1 banana
Meal 2: 4 OZ hamburger patty, 3/4 cup rice, fruit
Meal 3: same but add veggi
Meal 4 : 4 OZ hamburger patty, 3/4 cup rice
Work out 3:00 PM
Meal 5: another shake made like meal 1
Meal 6: 4 OZ hamburger patty, veggi, fruit, rice

Total: 3800-4000 calories and 196 grams protein

My work out consists of:

Monday-Chest
5 sets dumbbell press 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell flies 5-8 reps
5 sets incline dumbbell press 5-8 reps
5 sets weighted pushups on pushup bar til failure
5 sets incline lying overhead dumbbell rows 5-8 reps

Tues- legs
5 sets dumbbell squats 5-8 reps (goblets, jump squats, shoulder squats)
5 sets dumbbell lunges 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell step ups 5-8 sets
5 sets standing dumbbell calf raises 5-8 sets
5 sets leg curls 5-8 sets

Wednesday- back
5 sets dumbbell rows 5-8 reps
5 sets incline dumbbell row 5-8 reps
5 sets lying overhead dumbbell row 5-8 sets
5 sets pull ups until failure
5 sets bar bell pull up (row)

Thursday- rest

Friday- shoulders
5 sets dumbbell press 5-8 reps
5 sets Arnold press 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell front raise 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell side raise 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell shrugs 5-8 reps

Saturday- arms
5 sets dumbbell curls 5-8 reps
5 sets hammer curls 5-8 reps
5 sets reverse grips barbell curls 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell tricep extension 5-8 reps
5 sets overhead dumbbell extensions 5-8 reps
5 sets dumbbell wrist curls 5-8 reps

Sunday- rest

I also add in some abs twice a week.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know. I feel great I have no sides effects. As for PCT I will just drop back down to TRT levels.
Thanks

 

[hiram1st]

Meal one how about eggs instead of shake?

Save the red meat for last meal of the day. Red meat is a slow digesting protein great for last meal before bed longest time without fuel for the growing body.

Should be eating chiken or some type of fish in other meals during the day. Quicker digesting protein.

Don't know when you workout but a shake and a white bagel are great for post workout meal what ever numbered meal it is.

 

[cybrsage]

Do you really need 4500 calories a day to maintain your current weight? A lot of people reduce their caloric intake to 500 below maintenance when cutting, then reduce it again and again as the weight drops. You are going to eat a lot of calories there!

Just as an example, I am 5'9", currently 200lbs (starting a cut this week), and I will need 3000 calories a day to start losing weight. It (hopefully) will quickly drop down to 2500 calories a day.

 

[4150]

Sorry man, my information was not as well written as I thought. I meant that I was at 186 lbs and dieted down to 176 prior to the start of me gradually raising my testosterone dosage up to 500 mg a week. I used the same method you described for losing weight. I wanted to start closer to a more ideal BF%. This is a bulk cycle and I will run it a minimum of 12 weeks. I have read that if I am on TRT I can run my cycle for a much longer time so maybe I will.

I posted for critiques on current exercise regimen and of course diet. I have increased my strength quite a bit. I can now rep out 100 pound dumbbells on dumbbell press. That is a milestone for me. In April, when I started, I could only do 75's and as of this evening I am up 20lbs since April. I think I am doing everything correctly but figured I would post up and see what people say.

Oh yeah, I also throw in abs twice a week in my workout and even though I have GREATLY reduced my running, I still do a few miles on my rest days. I know this can hinder weight gain but it's something I can not live without.

Do you really need 4500 calories a day to maintain your current weight? A lot of people reduce their caloric intake to 500 below maintenance when cutting, then reduce it again and again as the weight drops. You are going to eat a lot of calories there!

Just as an example, I am 5'9", currently 200lbs (starting a cut this week), and I will need 3000 calories a day to start losing weight. It (hopefully) will quickly drop down to 2500 calories a day.

 

[tbonexl]

Why did you gradually raise your test dose? The long ester will do that for you. Why aren't you doing any compound movements? Squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, that kind of stuff?

 

[ADenver]

Your routine is terrible for volume, whats you goal here? Size? Strength? I agree with tbonexl, no compound movements is terrible programming.

 

[4150]

I gradually raised my dose because I wanted to be cautious. I wasn't doing anything fancy. I was just being cautious and seeing how my body would react to larger and larger doses.

I do barbell rows on "back day". We call them barbell pull ups (rednecks). I edited my post to clarify that. Could there be a better placement of that exercise?

I do dumbbell squats on leg day. I alternate between goblet squats, jump squats, or farmer squats (arms to the side), or shoulder squats (dumbbells held up by the shoulders). I do what ever sounds fun that day.

I feel that most dumbbell squats probably are not heavy enough but when I get a pair of 80 lb dumbbells on my shoulders it is pretty challenging. I don't live anywhere a gym so I am limited to what I can do at home. If people here insist that barbell squats are mandatory I can always weld up a nice squat rack.

Deadlifts always hurt my lower back. Is it possible to leave those out?

Thanks for the dialogue!

Why did you gradually raise your test dose? The long ester will do that for you. Why aren't you doing any compound movements? Squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, that kind of stuff?

 

[4150]

My goal is size or more thickness in my upper body. I clarified a few exercises in my response to tbonexl. I do some of those compound movements. I also edited my original post. Should I be doing more or are there some I am leaving out?

I feel my legs overpower my upper body. To balance out my shape, I need more size in my upper body. My thighs and calves are in shape from running and working on a shrimp boat as a kid. Try shoveling shrimp off the deck of a boat all day. It's great for the back and legs.

Your routine is terrible for volume, whats you goal here? Size? Strength? I agree with tbonexl, no compound movements is terrible programming.

 

[bigben66]

Mate, no disrespect here, but there isn't a 'one workout fits all' solution to training....

Yes, you have a good range of exercises, yes, I'd probably switch a couple... but try and get away from being so regimented over everything...

It isn't what you do - it's how you do it... if you are trying to achieve hypertrophy, then it doesn't really matters WHICH exercise you use to batter your chosen muscle in to submission, it's how you do it.

Drop sets, supersets, rest-pause sets, fail sets, time-under-tension sets - the whole fucking lot!

If you get too regimented with 'x' amount of sets, for 'y' amount of reps on 'z' exercise - you'll get bored in no time, and your muscle will very quickly become accustomed to the workload.

Change up your order, move your exercises around, play around with rep counts and set totals - and have some good old fashioned 'balls to the wall' fun.

Like I said, no disrespect meant - but I get sick of PT's and magazines saying you MUST do this particular workout to get the results you want.
It's total bollocks.

BigBen

 

[3J]

im more concerned with his diet than his training..

do you have total macros for your diet?? (carbs, fats, proteins)

 

[4150]

Thanks Bigben66. That's exactly the advice I am seeking. While I follow this routine in general, there are days when I switch orders or do more of one exercise than the other or substitute in another exercise. Same with diet.

I was not sure if I was fucking up by doing that. A lot of people on here are very regimented so I'm glad that my style is still considered "ok". I tried to somewhat copy or mimic some routines I have read about and do exercises based on what I like and equipment I have.

Mate, no disrespect here, but there isn't a 'one workout fits all' solution to training....

Yes, you have a good range of exercises, yes, I'd probably switch a couple... but try and get away from being so regimented over everything...

It isn't what you do - it's how you do it... if you are trying to achieve hypertrophy, then it doesn't really matters WHICH exercise you use to batter your chosen muscle in to submission, it's how you do it.

Drop sets, supersets, rest-pause sets, fail sets, time-under-tension sets - the whole fucking lot!

If you get too regimented with 'x' amount of sets, for 'y' amount of reps on 'z' exercise - you'll get bored in no time, and your muscle will very quickly become accustomed to the workload.

Change up your order, move your exercises around, play around with rep counts and set totals - and have some good old fashioned 'balls to the wall' fun.

Like I said, no disrespect meant - but I get sick of PT's and magazines saying you MUST do this particular workout to get the results you want.
It's total bollocks.

BigBen

 

[juced_porkchop]

This will be a lengthy post and will have quite a bit of info. My purpose of this post is just to make sure I am going about my first bulk cycle correctly. REASSURANCE I GUESS! (OR NOT). I HAVE read a lot and asked many questions before starting. I have been gradually raising my Test dosage since mid April and am now at 500 MG a week and have been for 5 weeks. I am currently at 193 lbs. I'll get labs done in a couple weeks. I plan on 12 weeks total.

Stats:
40 yrs old
Started at 176 lbs
Starting 18% BF
6' tall
TRT for 1 yr
250 MG Test Cyp twice a week
1/2 MG Anastrozole twice a week
Nolvadex on hand

*take 0.25mg eod of anastrozole from start to finish of cycle
*nolva and/or clomid for PCT
*are you actually ON HRT? if not do a real PCT. and what do you mean raising t-levels up since april? makes no sence. you been on hrt since this time and are now doi a cycle? I am a bit confused.

 

[4150]

3J, I am really glad you responded. You gave me some diet advice on a previous post. I alternate between that and the one I posted at the top. I'll re-post the other meal that you helped me on and then I'll post the macros for the new meal plan. To be really honest, the only macros I tracked in the new meal plan were calories and protein.

6:30 am: 2 eggs/3 whites or 20 g shake
9:30 am: fruit and hamburger
11:30 am: 6 oz chicken breast, 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 2/3 cup peas, 1/2 jasmine rice (measured cooked)do chicken or fish here.. not hamburger
1:30 pm: chicken and 1/2 cup rice
3:30-4:30pm- workout
4:45 pm: 4 eggs and 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese or apple with 4 tbsp. peanut butter
7:00 pm: 6 oz chicken breast or hamburger patty, 1/2 cup veggies, 1/2 cup blueberries
make this burger every time.. you want a slow digesting protein here

Here are the macros for the new (alternate) meal plan:
Calories- 3987
Fat- 224
Carbs- 316
protein- 193

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

im more concerned with his diet than his training..

do you have total macros for your diet?? (carbs, fats, proteins)

 

[4150]

I have been on TRT since last August for hypogonadism. I waited until I had my therapy dialed in before I started a cycle and I wanted be closer to an ideal BF% and I had to gain more knowledge about AAS before I attempted a cycle.

I do have Nolva on hand but I will not need to do a PCT because I am on permanent TRT.

I have been taking .5 mg of Anastrozole on Tues and Fri along with my injection of 500 mg Test Cyp. It comes out about the same as taking .25 mg eod. Is it better to take the smaller dose of Anastrozole eod instead?

My doctor gives me 250 mg Test Cyp. a week and I wanted to do a 500 mg a week cycle. I didn't feel comfortable just doubling my dose since I'm new to this. So I just raised it gradually over a couple months to see if anything bad happened. At one time I would drink, smoke, snort, or inject anything but I am a little more cautious these days. I hope this makes more sense to you.

My cycle plan is pretty simple. I like to hear what others would do different in their diet and training as opposed to what I am doing. Thanks

*take 0.25mg eod of anastrozole from start to finish of cycle
*nolva and/or clomid for PCT
*are you actually ON HRT? if not do a real PCT. and what do you mean raising t-levels up since april? makes no sence. you been on hrt since this time and are now doi a cycle? I am a bit confused.