Need cycle advice: Transitioning from endurance athlete to bodybuilding
Need some advice. I'm 38, 6'1" and currently 156lb. To give a little more background, I played ball in school and was a 220lb TE and come from a family of genetically big people so putting on weight isn't difficult. Over the last 14 years I've competed as an elite endurance athlete. Last year dealt with some adrenal fatigue and low test. Cut volume of training and racing back and have rebounded. I'm done with competing in endurance sports and am now looking to build and do some men's physique shows. I'd like to stay active running, cycling, etc. and plan to build to about 185lb to begin with. I have a few races to finish out this year but I don't care if I add and carry more weight. My background is in nutrition so my diet is pretty dialed in and I have a coach who put me on a good bulking program that balances my running. He advised 450 (blend of test e 250 and deca 200) at 1cc every Sunday and Thursday, GHRP2 every day and begin Anastrozole after the first 4 weeks. What do you think? Cycle advice for the next 12-16 weeks while still I'm running a few races and then 12-16 weeks off-season when I can ease more on the running to focus on first show next March.
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Hi
Can I just chime in and say, I came into Bodybuilding from being a middle distance runner.
All Aspects of your question have been answered, however You can Run, if you still have passion for it, but its better you stick to the Explosive 100 meter sprints.
this will really keep your BF% down and help you in all aspects of your proposed plans.
Good Luck.
Thanks Iron-Gym-Works.
Yes, I still have a passion for it because I've been doing it for so long. As of now, any of the interval running I do is 30-45 sec bursts with 1-1:30 min off. The challenge for me coming into building is many of the people I talk to say "You got to drastically cut back cardio!" but then I see them running a few times a week or on the stairclimber with a 150-160 HR. What they don't know is that at a 7:30 pace on the treadmill my HR is at 120-125 BPM. With my years of experience I'm extremely efficient at burning bodyfat. It's all relative.
Hi
You may find that HIT style Cardio and the Explosive sprints will keep you in Tip Top condition, not to mention Acquiring that chiselled look providing your diet is on point.
that's the direction I took, and while not suggesting its right for everyone, it did the trick for me.
Obviously x3 Good weight session will muscle you out.
You will find the weights, the Cardio and diet will work in synergy,.
Good luck Bro.
you said you've been battling with low test? Ship gear and see a doc!
Bro, I don't know what to say about these coaches. There are good ones and not so good ones. I would fire yours immediately. First, your not going to "balance" any running with a weight training program if you are at the level where you continue to compete and train as an endurance athlete.
No bro. You want to lift and put on mass, you need to change your lifestyle and kiss that goodbye except for a modest healthy amount of aerobic training which is way less than that to which you are accustomed.
Second, and most importantly, you don't walk into the BB or physique lifestyle starting on steroids. That's totally inappropriate. You need to learn how to train and put some mass on without drugs. Drugs are not the answer for you at this juncture and you have been mislead terribly.
Your low test issue is completely a medical problem that needs resolution by a physician. One does not self administer TRT nor override the problem with a juice program.
Now I'm waiting for some people to disagree with me here and claim they are mass monsters that run 5 miles a day or bike 50 miles a day.
It's important to pick and choose your battles in these forums and I might just fight this one to the bitter end.
Gearhead, thanks for the advice and noted.
I do not plan to continue competing as an endurance athlete I just would like to continue to enjoy some running and cycling but I also know endurance athletes who use a test dose of about 100-150mg per week.
Recent results show I had low T so it be nice to get some back...that and and more of that sex drive I used to have.
I hear what you're saying about walking into physique lifestyle on drugs and you have a valid point. I will say that I'm not doing this to necessarily try to gain an advantage over my competition. There's already tons of that stuff happening in physique. For me it's helping me in that transition from a low T endurance athlete to where i'd like to be. I don't plan to get my pro card or go on a heavy cycle. I'm looking to help bridge the gap.
Bro, I am a TRT patient. It is not something to be self administered, bro. You need to see a regular doc or maybe even an endo. That's first and foremost.
Second, no way or no how do you walk into the gym on roids from the get go. You don't have a muscle base at 6' 1" and 156 lbs. You can forge ahead thinking how great you feel on self administered Test and have a delusional fantasy that drugs are gonna lift you to 185 lean from where you are now. You got another guess coming bro. Doesn't work that way. If you don't work on putting some muscle on without the drugs you are going to retain nothing. But, first, you need a doctor to straighten out your low T problem.
100% agree with this. I think what's happening is you're combining the low test issue and changing to bodybuilding. See the doc, build at least s semi respectable base first, then consider the future use of AAS. Running gear at your current size seems purely like impatience, the sort of impatience I see from lads half our age.
@Catalyst and @GearHead
I saw a doc last year and he didn't want to give me a scrip. I tested a just below normal so he advised I cut back volume and racing and try to recover first. I did start to bounce back a bit and recently tested just over 300 ng/dl. Still low but back above normal.
You're right, I'm being a bit impatient here.
Coming from two different sports as an elite athlete I saw AAS or EPO happening everywhere. At that level it becomes more of a necessity to maintain the speed, volume and recovery and to be honest most never look at it as a bad thing much like marijuana use. People buy over the counter supplements not regulated by the FDA, we get scrips from docs so some shit is legal and some shit is not. At that level its the next step in your evolution as an athlete. Some people call it impatience and some call it a necessity to continue to work at that level. It's the mentality of "You've been putting regular gas and oil into that Honda and now it's time to put premium gas and oil into that Ferrari."
I've learned a bit about it over the years so it be different if it were a 19 yr old with plenty of T and years of development to go. With that said, I still don't know enough which is why I appreciate the feedback I get on here from people with experience and why I posted here and not just listen to a few of my buddies who have been doing it.
Thank you again.
I see your logic here, it's very true. My brother is a national standard triathlete, you sound like him lol!
Any chance you can post up a pic of yourself so we can see what we are working with?
This was 2 weeks ago at 156lb.
This pic is in the off-season when I usually gain up to 10lb.
You could put a stack of muscle on that frame without gear, I think you already know that. Personally I'd eat like a horse and lift heavy for at least twelve months then revisit.
that's funny Cat I was just thinking food to myself while looking at the pics and scrolling down ....
this is one of the most profound and well put statements I have ever seen in this entire forum
I say this regularly. The folks that build no natural base are the ones I see yo-yo all the time. Gain 10lbs on cycle, people tell them they're looking big. They come off, lose 8 or 9 of them. They get pissed off, so they jump back on too early, gain another 8, lose 7. Next cycle, "I'll run boat loads of gear, that'll solve it".
Sound familiar anyone?
you know how I feel about food and feel good juicers ;-)
Sounds way to familiar. To many yo-yo's around here
Thank you ma'am. That's quite a compliment.
you are the one who said it ;-)
Thanks for the advice. Taken.