+ 42 Maximizing Cycles
Maximizing our cycles is something we are all trying to do to the best of our ability. I’m a firm believer in planning your cycles efficiently and well in advance. To do this some simple things need to be understood. If you can grasp these simple concepts that you can visually see your cycle before you start which is a big benefit. One of the first concepts is the half-life of a steroid. By understanding what a half-life is and how it affects a cycle you can safely lengthen or shorten your cycles with maximum benefits. While this is not a paper on half-lives it is important to understand how they work. I have written another article on half-life math here Half Life Math
Basically half-life works by clearing a certain amount of drug every hour or every day. It’s not quite as simple as halving itself every half-life interval. If we were to give ourselves one shot only then it would be relatively simple to calculate what our plasma levels would be. But this is not how we plan or do our cycles so the math is different.
In addition to understanding half-lives it is also important for us to understand what the Area Under the Curve is. When a drug profile is made plasma levels are calculated and charted to create a graph. Most of these profiles create a curve going up and to the right, leveling off or plateauing until the drug is stopped and then the curve shifts moving down and to the right. Some may remember from statistics that this looks like some form of a bell curve. Try to visualize an arch. On the left of the arch is zero and it represents the beginning. As your plasma levels increase you begin to move up and to the right. This represents the loading phase of the cycle and is relative to the length of the cycle dependent on goals and maximum gains. After the loading phase you reach what is called a steady state. This is the phase we want to get to as soon as possible as it represents maximum strength and gains. Now the steepness of the slope going up the arch is very relevant because the steeper the incline the faster you will get to steady-state and the faster you get to steady-state the longer you make your optimal gains at the peak of the cycle. The steepness or slope rather of the curve going up the arch is impacted by the intervals between shots and the half-life of the steroid. This is where the idea of frontloading comes from. By doubling up our doses you shorten the amount of time it takes to get to steady-state as well as lengthens the median dosage by ramping up to it very rapidly. The median dosage is the average milligram amount at the steady-state. Remember this as it is not the same thing as the overall cycle average. Now comes’ the end of the cycle where the curve continues to the right and down. This obviously represents the dissent of the cycle as we are coming off and no longer injecting any compounds.
If we were to step back and look at the arch and look at the journey we made from start to finish you will find that under the arch is not nothing but actually is space. Valuable space, in the area between the start and finish of the arch you could build small shops and stores. Like real estate, space is valuable. So imagine that the bigger your arch or curve the more you can fit under it. This is what is known as the area under the curve in pharmacokinetics. This is very valuable to pharmaceutical companies who are developing new products for the market. They use sophisticated mathematical models to tell a story of the drug profile and how big or small the area under the curve is.
The area under the curve actually does have a quantitative value. That means if you can figure out what that number is in relation to a specific cycle, you could compare the cycles to one another to make a more educated decision. For example on a basic test cycle of 500 per week the area under the curve looks like illustration 1.
Basic 12 Week Cycle Test E
Illustration 1
In this example the area under the curve represented by the shaded lines is approximately 51,088 units. Notice how the slope to the top is gradual and you don’t reach steady-state until 4 ½ weeks. Also as you can see the median amount is 695 mg. This represents the average plasma level while in the steady-state. Now look at illustration 2.
Illustration 2 Basic Test Cycle with Front load
Look at the front loaded cycle and notice the area under the curve. It is almost 20% larger than the regular cycle at approximately 62, 986. Also see how quickly there is a progression to the steady-state with a median dosage of 807 mg. As you can see it makes more sense to have the largest area under the curve possible. Notice how we can change the speed at which we get to steady-state. At day 13 we are significantly higher than the median range. This is better than slowly ramping up to peak.
Knowing a little bit about the importance of the curve we can change the dynamic of the cycle. Some ways to achieve this can be as simple as shortening the duration between shots. By making the intervals smaller we can increase the curve and in most cases create a more stable plasma level. Here I have done a chart on a Sustanon cycle I’m getting ready to run. By seeing what the propionate curve looks like I can determine the maximum and the minimum shot interval I can get away with and still maintain stable plasma levels. In this case my shot interval will be every two days at 500 a week. If I were to change this interval to every other day I would increase the gain but also increase the shots from 52 to 76 and 500 to 750 week. Now you can actually alter the weekly dosage by drawing out of a vile instead of an amp. You simply would need to draw less than 1 ML. But this could make things complicated. Additionally we can alter the propionate curve by simply injecting another ml of test propionate. See illustration 3
20 Week Sustanon Cycle at 500 per Week Front loaded
Illustration 3
This is how I plan my cycles each and every time. This has helped me save money and maximize gains. In addition to charting and planning my cycles I draw several blood tests to compare my levels to the numbers in the chart. I realize this is more in depth than most want to get but I feel understanding the basic principle would be beneficial to developing future cycles. If you have gotten to the bottom of this article and thank you for reading it.
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Question. Where do I find the info on each different AAS to try and make a good cycle? Is there a place that shows X compound is effective for 16 weeks, then falls off? etc, Also, what about the half life of each compound, or is it best to simply search for that separately? Im genuinely curious and wanting to learn.
mruniverse666What about for Test Prop since it has a shorter half life what would be the ideal days to pin let’s say 300mg a week?
Prop is EOD
So all we need to do is to increase frequency of injection? Is this applicable to long ester compounds like Test Cypionate or Tren E?
Great read with tons of info. The comments are great and informative as well!
Great article, I think planning is an important element for succeeding in any task. But I think every day is little different from the past one, so the planned must be done according to the present condition.
Great insight and info!!!
+1 awesome read. Gets you thinking
great info buddy! thanks a lot
Great read thanks
Sunday research brought me to this thread. Thanks for taking the time to write this article. Learned some valuable info here.
Smithy5840This is probably one of the best articles I've read on proper use of AAS. I appreciate the info and I'm sure others will find this to be invaluable. Thank you.
This is really good info. Thanks for sharing. Would you mind sharing the excel formula you used (if you did in excel). FR sent.
Had to read this several times to get my head around it.
Superb info bro.
Thankyou for taking time out to submit this.
Damn bro this took some time and really shows that you know your shit. Ive had to read this like 7 or 8 times to try and gain all the knowledge I possible can from this. I never imagined when I first came here that there was this much involved with a cycle I really just thought it was pin and go damn was I wrong. Im glad im up in age and wiser than I was at 21. Being said i took a step back and used my head and reaed reaed reaed then I had to read some more. So many young guys come in here and say Fuck it i know wtf im doing I don't need to read or listen to nothing or no one and they just dive in has over heels and just start pinning. Then before you know it their right back on here crying because their all fucked up. Its a sad reality that so many don't want to do their homework before hand to make the most out of their cycle. Im thankful to have this wealth of information and knowledge right at my finger tips. Id just like to say cry_havoc brother thank you so much for your time and willingness to put forth the effort to shear and to teach not only us new guys but some that have even been here for a while. Its takes time to put info like this together and im sure when you did part of you felt well what's the use most want take the time to read and learn anyway and part of that is true but there is alot of us that have taken the time to read this and to learn so thank you bro and if I could id +1 you hell id even +3 ya so please keep sharing brother there are these who love to learn
Your words are very gracious Shaun! Thank you for reading this. I hope it helped you in some way on your cycle designs!
I have never thought of it like this, def gonna put this practice in play! Thanks for the info
Glad you found it helpful!
Very informative here. This is the epitome of the eroids forums and the knowledge hidden in them. I come across tokens buried in time here almost every day. This is one of them.
Check out his other forums. This guy is a genious
Will do thanks brother!
A few questions if I may?
Just to make sure I’ve understood correctly, My normal cycle would look something like this
Weeks 1-4 250mg/week Test E
Weeks 5-13 500mg/wk Test E
Weeks 7-12 an oral 2 wks at 25mg/day,2wks at 50mg day and last 2 wks at 75mg/day
This ties in nicely with a training cycle starting with a comfortable weight and reaching your previous personal best at wk 6 then moving into new territory whilst on an increasing doseage.
So front loading I would take 1000mg Test E for 2 wks
Weeks 3-13 500mg/wk Test E
Questions
When would you add the orals?
Would not the initial rapid gains taper off and how would this effect the training cycle if trying for higher poundages?
Does it work better on bulking cycles and would you use it when cutting?
Also an observation, You say its more efficient but your peak and time at maximimum doseage are higher ie 1000mg/wk against 500mg/wk peak for the injectables.And the total doseage will be higher being at peak for 10 weeks on the injectables,given that surely you would expect higher gains in size and strength not necessarily more efficient?
What about risk with higher peak and time at maximum doseage mre side effects?
I think you bring some very valid claims when discussing the risks involved with front loading in terms of such a cycle's impact on the endocrine system. The time at maximum dosage would most certainly increase side effects, but more importantly, the question is what effect does longer exposure to higher dosages on front loaded cycles have on long term endocrine health.
RustyhookerSticky worthy. Hope the newbs read so they adjust pinning and knowledge
I am going to re-submit for a sticky right now
RustyhookerExcellent!
2705 views at this moment in time.
This post SHOULD be paramount reading for the massive influx of newbs ive seen on here this week...... what i plan to do is click into newb tracks over the next few days, i bet you my years income that NONE of them even click into this thread!
Now!... on the other hand.... check the Trenbolone threads and you will notice they are busy as fuck!!
Also...... the training and nutrition boards are skipped as well lol............... says it all.
Well, this is the second time I have proven you wrong sir. ;-)
AnonYou got it.... It's that I want it all now mentality and they think tren is the Answer ....... Wrong young men.... You are always wrong
Everything is derived from TESTOSTERONE.... So what does that tell you ? It's the Daddy of all steroids
You want to know where I read Vike? It's not on steroids I know all I need to about that cause damn I should after all this time..... I'm still reading on Nutrition and always looking at new training ideas as that is where shit happens, I love looking at new routines.... The real world training routines that is..... Not these crazy kill yourself routines
There's so much info here I don't understand why so many skip past it..... Baffles me
Nice grab here! Thanks for pulling this up
Exactly!
RustyhookerI believe you're correct. After the yoyo gain and loss, hopefully they'll get tired of lost funds and research.
Hopefully bro............... i truly hope they do
Sticky?
X2 I've read this at least four times and every time I pick something up that I missed
FR Sent bro. Got a couple of questions for you.
SO IF YOUR GOING TO DO A TEST CYCLE AT 500 PER WEEK WHAT WOULD MY FRONT LOAD PIN BE? AND HOW MANY?
Depending on your shot intervals 7-10 days. So if you were shooting test every 3 days you would double the dose for 7 days giving you 3000 total and then down to 1500 the remainder of the cycle or 250 every third day. I really have to see your cycle and know what you goals are to give more precise advice.
DCHI1Hey cry
I FR you as I'd like input on this with my current Sust 250 cycle. Also have cyp and E on hand.
Thx bro.
Wow. Excellent post. Huge fan of scientific, sound facts as opposed to bro science. But I have a couple questions. First of all, if we're trying for the most stable blood levels is going from baseline straight to peaking so far above average levels good? Like, will the sides be worse?
The answer is it depends. In my own experience the worst I have felt is a little test flu and some sore nuts from my natural test shutting down. I think you have to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. If you are suggesting a nice slow ramp up you will cut down the amount of gains due to the fact that you are not fitting as much under the AUC as possible. It is going to take 4-5 weeks for a basic test cycle to kick regardless of weather you front load or not. So by that time your medium state average levels hit they will be pretty much what they are for the whole cycle until you start taper. So to quantify this lets say you run a 12 week enth cycle an you slowly ramped up to the 5 week mark. You might have a AUC number of 35,000 units total including taper. Your body is going to react to higher amounts of test so take that into consideration. So now we have 5 weeks in and now you want to start running your therapeutic dose for 5 more weeks and then start running your taper by decreasing the dose shot by shot for 2 weeks. You do not want crash hard right so you need to decrease your slope gradually. (This is a simple test e cycle no prop). Now consider front loading a cycle and increasing your AUC from 35,000 to 50,000 all in the same 12 week period. By the time you hit 5 weeks your steady state levels would be significantly higher and your gains would be better as a result of being up at optimal level already and having maximum time to benefit instead of spending more time building up to max levels until taper. That is the difference in my opinion.
Check out this post to understand a little how esters release into the system.
http://www.eroids.com/forum/general/general-talk/how-do-different-esters...
I've pushed my cycle start back to Thursday to consider this. Try to get back to me soon
How about you hit me up in pm brother?
Ok. Makes sense. Now, here's a few more meatballs thrown your way: first off, since when is tapering off test e a thing? And how would I go about that? Because of the half life times won't it just slowly work its way Out of your system over the 14 or 15 days after your last shot? Secondly, this front load, how would it work? Doubling your dosages for the fist 3 injections(week and a half)? Third, if frontloading would it make sense to start aromasin earlier than the typical 3 weeks in? Lastly, think it would be worth it to front load if youre already kick starting a cycle with a stronger oral for the first couple weeks?
Sorry to bombard you but im starting my second ever cycle tomorrow and your post has me rethinking stuff I thought I had set in stone.
RustyhookerFr sent. Running short estered run soon with Ed pins. Wanted to see if your graphs can tighten up loose ends
MakaveliCD7There u are...we def need to brainstorm together brother...I love the way u grasped the peaks and drops of levels in the bloodstream...so many ppl do not understand the half life and the importance of keeping levels steady for optimal growth and the way u broke it down my kindergarten nephew could understand...if u follow such simple instruction u will optimize ur gains and gear to maximize ur full potential....I love medicine and the way the body works.... we are a fined tuned machine....u can have an easier time trucking ur mind but not ur body....excellent post +1...always nice read such an intriguing and informative post
Haha I love it! Like your name too brother! Is that for Niccolo Machiavelli the Italian philosopher?
I agree about keeping things simple. It doesn't matter how complicated something is or not if you cannot get your point across then its all for nothing.
I appreciate your words and think it would be fun to knock around some ideas!
MakaveliCD7Niccolo Machiavelli.....is correct!!! Yes definitely need to knock around some ideas
Chaz32621Great post +1
This post just made my head explode. But nowadays its all about saving money so my cycles have to be smart .Totally awesome read thank you
The half life is how long it takes for half of compound to metabolized. So for EQ, the half life is about 15 days (give or take depending on about a million factors). This means that if you take 1g EQ a week and inject it once a week, by the end of the first week your body will have metabolized and cleaved less than half of that 1g from the ester and made it available to bind to receptors (less than half because it follows exponential decay). The same story happens by the end of week two, except that you get a little more metabolized at the end of that week because you also have the EQ from week 1. This process continues until the rate your body is metabolizing the EQ from the ester is equal to the rate at which you are injecting the EQ. You have reached peak blood levels once this happens. At this point, you probably have several grams of EQ in your body, but, your body is only able to metabolize about 1g per week. As you can see, it takes several weeks for this to happen because of EQ's half life.
Now, the example I gave was injecting eq once a week. Most people inject EQ much more frequently than that, meaning that all the EQ you inject in week one does not spend the same amount of time in your body by the end of week 1. For example, if you inject 3x a week, the first dose is in your body longer than the second and third dose, so more of the first dose will be metabolized than the second and third dosages. Compare this to the previous example I gave and you can see that in this case the amount of EQ you metabolize by the end of week 1 is MUCH less than if you had injected it all at once. This effect continues and causes the time it takes to reach stable blood levels to be even longer.
That's why I personally think you're best off either frontloading or injecting longer ester compounds like EQ less frequently until peak blood levels are reached