Why do we lose gains after cycle?

[brooklyn185]

Dont kill me but i am no expert. I have however had decent results on cycle.

Last 12 week cycle was typical: test e 500 ew, deca 400 ew, dbol week 1-5. Hcg and aromisin throughout...just finished 4 weeks pct with clomid and nolva.

I started cycle at 200 and finished at 229. I now wiegh 218. Not complaining but it got me thinking...if i am eating the same or more, working out the same or harder...why do the gain subside after cycle rypically? I think i controlled water very well.

Just throwing this against the wall as i am sure many, besides me, woukd be interested in hearing from the experts

 

[Gainjin260]

Dont kill me but i am no expert. I have however had decent results on cycle.

Last 12 week cycle was typical: test e 500 ew, deca 400 ew, dbol week 1-5. Hcg and aromisin throughout...just finished 4 weeks pct with clomid and nolva.

I started cycle at 200 and finished at 229. I now wiegh 218. Not complaining but it got me thinking...if i am eating the same or more, working out the same or harder...why do the gain subside after cycle rypically? I think i controlled water very well.

Just throwing this against the wall as i am sure many, besides me, woukd be interested in hearing from the experts

I'd say a big reason is you lose a lot glycogen in your muscles. During my first 3 weeks of test/deca I gained over 10lbs with zero bloat. I attribute it to glycogen. Muscles looked fuller and bigger and too soon for real lean mass gained.

Keeping 18 pounds is solid work.

 

[FormerFatty]

Good job on the PCT also. A bad PCT is another great way to kill all of your gains as well. 18 pounds after 12 weeks is a good run, especially since this is not your first cycle. Keep track of the results and all compounds you run and your diet to make adjustments for next time. Good numbers will help you make adjustments going forward.

 

[Roush]

Intercellular water retention , positive nitrogen balance, glycogen uptake, increase in blood volume . <<--- these things are direct causes of anabolics, and make you hold weight and fill out muscles. when you come off cycle, these things are diminished , diet and training alone cannot amplify these things like AAS does . so you lose those gains in weight. what you keep (if diet and training are spot on) is the muscle you put on

 

[DarkCurse]

when you stop injecting yourself with artificial hormones your body will find its way back to homeostatis, which does not include keeping supraphysiological musculature.

 

[oldmusclemike]

Intercellular water retention , positive nitrogen balance, glycogen uptake, increase in blood volume . <<--- these things are direct causes of anabolics, and make you hold weight and fill out muscles. when you come off cycle, these things are diminished , diet and training alone cannot amplify these things like AAS does . so you lose those gains in weight. what you keep (if diet and training are spot on) is the muscle you put on

OP Roush just explained the science and so let me explain what the average person and or AAS user doesn't understand about growing muscle.

The fact is a man can only gain / grow a max of 15-20lbs of LMM in ONE YEAR. The fact that we , on cycle gain a lot of weight is , one as you mentioned the water and even when controlled we have what Roush described. After we loose the initial and as we continue to train without AAS we end up with only a 3-5 lb net gain. So most are fooled and think WTF.

Lets look at a competitor. Seldom does the man do a show all cut up and lean and a year later doing the show again have put on much more then 10-15 lbs. Look at the BIG boy pro's that have matured muscle and have been training for many, many years with many cycles under their belt, hell they only change by 3-6 pounds.

The years and cycles with age get what you can call diminishing returns. But for us if you leaned out and cut up and gained 5 - 6 lbs in 3 months then that's the true gain of LMM. Going back to not leaning n cutting you retain the fluids hence 10 - 15 lbs.

Also remember that it is what you see in the mirror. Sometimes depending on your BF% you can be gaining LMM while loosing fat tissue. People can be 180lb train for 6 months be 180lbs and look 100% different. Why...Hello Simple Simon would say you lost the fat while you build MM. Just the fact hat with AAS your metabolism is moving faster, you're training more intensely and so ergo the burin of fat tissue.

OH PS: if the mirror didn't change when all said n done...then oops

 

[BigSwolenPussy]

The same reason you gain while on cycle. The hormones....

 

[oldmusclemike]

OP where did you go . You have bee here for a while and know how this works... WTF, where did you go ?? you posted a Q's so where the fvck are you ?????Dammit

 

[brooklyn185]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Sorry for the hit and run but i was driving back home from a work trip.

I am very satisfied with my results and do feel that i have kept most muscle, especially when i look in the mirror. I know i have lost a small amount of size as the shirt sleeve is not as tight on my arm...lol

I am two weeks off PCT and the weight is staying consistent so i am happy.

Again, thanks for the kind words. Next cycle i am adding anadrol

 

[49ER]

Not true i did my 1st cycle like 4 years ago and havent lost any gains

 

[getswolen76]

I'd say a big reason is you lose a lot glycogen in your muscles. During my first 3 weeks of test/deca I gained over 10lbs with zero bloat. I attribute it to glycogen. Muscles looked fuller and bigger and too soon for real lean mass gained.

Keeping 18 pounds is solid work.

Does blast and cruise eliminate losing the weight? Does blast and cruise just hold the water weight that you would have lost on pct?

 

[oldmusclemike]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Sorry for the hit and run but i was driving back home from a work trip.

I am very satisfied with my results and do feel that i have kept most muscle, especially when i look in the mirror. I know i have lost a small amount of size as the shirt sleeve is not as tight on my arm...lol

I am two weeks off PCT and the weight is staying consistent so i am happy.

Again, thanks for the kind words. Next cycle i am adding anadrol

Ah, Thanks for the reply. As far as the hit n run, forgive my grouchiness. It seems we have been inundated with the hit n runs for some reason. It goes with the forum because of the noobs get embarrassed and also don't wanna give up their age... I should be used to it and so..I get pissed. Not a good attitude for me to have.

So at this point comes the real hard work. Keep training as hard as you can as well as keep your food intake going. If you built / grew muscle mass it can be kept... I mean why not. As I said most people do not understand that it usually is only but a few pounds. But it is muscle mass you should have gained.
Good Luck :wavey ........... OMM

 

[Teutonic]

GOOD THREAD.

In summation..

I do lose size as I eat more when I train harder and w-o trt pluscruises ..I do revert back to a 185 pd soccer phenom ab man.

 

[appleton111]

You will always loss the water weight.

 

[Nightmare007]

You always loose weight post cycle even with a perfect pct as someone mentioned above glycogen loss is one of the reasons but the main reason is the fact that your Htpa takes a while to recover after being suppressed for the duration of the cycle during this a bit of strength and muscle loss is expected the best you can do is minimise by using non androgenic anabolic compounds like peptides for example