What exactly is cruising?
Ok, so I’m pretty sure I know what cruising is really, but if you add an AAS to your cruising time, then it’s no longer cruising, right?
Anyway, I’m 51 and new to anabolics. Wish I hadn’t waited so long TBH. I am assuming my cruise is going back to my 200 mg test c TRT dosage and taking some supplements for my liver and other bodily functions.
My real main question is during a true “cruise”, what normally happens? If I still eat clean and maintain my protein intake, is it possible to hold onto my gains indefinitely?
I’m 6’2” and currently 235. I really don’t care what my weight is. I’m looking to change my overall composition over time. I’d estimate I’m around 17-18% bf right now. Not in a hurry and never looking to compete with anyone but the man in the mirror.
Do I need a bulking cycle, then a cutting cycle, then a cruise?
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"cruising down the street in my 64!"
Its where you drive up and down Hollywood Blvd looking for.... oh wait my bad.
For a little clarity, I’ve been on TRT for many years (about 12). I’ve only started using gear a little over 6 months ago, which is to say I’m only on my second cycle right now. And from what I gather, what I choose to use is mild compared to most. I stopped sharing what I use on another forum because I get the extremes. “Bro, that’s too much for your first cycle!” but then someone says, “Bro you need x/y/z times 3 and also add a/b/c. I read forums and talked to people for 6 months before I ever tried anything. I’m comfortable with the stacks I’m willing to try but since I’m a noob I’ve never gathered a lot of info on cruising and maintenance once I reach my goal.
Is it possible to keep most of the gains or is it one of things that you’ll always use at least a little to keep what you gained?
For you there is no cruise. It's your normal TRT.
Cruising is to avoid having to go on PCT. PCT is to restore your natural levels of test. Cruising for you is just "TRT".
What you're doing is blasting. (a cycle on top of your TRT) Say your TRT dose is 100mg wk you blast with 400 mg wk (TRT + blast = 500mg wk) in this example, your "cruise" is the 100mg wk TRT dose.
You'll always lose a little because steroids retain water in the cells giving you that "swole look".
Cruising is a cheat for the undisciplined lazy man that has long term repercussions, particularly for younger men such as yourself. (Speaking of the non-professional user)
Rather than coming off completely and starting a PCT regimen to restart your own natural production of testosterone. By reducing your dosage to obtain normal levels of testosterone you're giving your body a rest and restore things like cholesterol, RBC, BP, and a dozen other unwanted sides from a cycle.
The downside is, the longer you prolong your exogenous use of testosterone you increase the risk of never being able to recover your ability to naturally produce testosterone. Particularly for older men such as yourself. You'll be enslaved to the needle for the rest of your life. A cruise at that point is TRT or HRT.
No, you desire a bulking cycle, PCT, and diet/exercise
This is exactly how I ended up where I’m at now, honestly wish I had continued cycling on and off but I didn’t and I ended up needing TRT so now I blast and cruise and have to donate blood every 12 weeks take baby aspirin every day and ramipril. I have to watch my RBC and if I start getting breathless then I have to go give extra blood at the hospital. It’s not a good way to live trust me
Your reason is exactly why I don't cruise but I PCT and come completely off. That's just me though. Folks don't understand that trt is a life long thing and if you can avoid it, why not.
I just read your comment below and man that's sobering. Hope folks heed that message.
To be fair some of us medically needed it. My doctor accused me (more like questioned me heavily) of using steroids because of the results of my exam. Never touched them in my life prior to then. Low levels and atrophy. Not just “I don’t feel good”
I’ll happily pin 150mg/wk for the rest of my life to feel how I do compared to before. Fuck even if it meant every goddamn day jabbing myself.
I just also blast now in-between because fuck it, why not? I love pushing the envelope of what I can do…as safely as possible of course.
Clearly, I'm not talking about those already on TRT who blast on occasion... there's no cruise.
I fell into a culture of abuse tbh, I was working doors and security and these city centres back then if you weren’t a big lump you didn’t get the work. Then I opened a small gym in a unit and it just made good business sense to be big powerful and strong. I should have continued cycling on and off but I was in my element and a lot younger not to worried about the health consequences. I ended up getting big really big now I never wanted to compete it wasn’t for me but I ended up coaching some really good amateurs at national and European level some even turned pro but that was where there journey ended for me. All this time I’m banging loads of gear in basically fucking my self up. Then I started to have health problems , I was struggling to catch my breath when speaking I was fine lifting weights but I asking up stairs I was fucked , then one day bending over to but my socks on rolling around the floor like an albino seal I was gasping for breath and in pain. I got rushed hospital and they checked everything did ecgs ultra sound on my heart ect and couldn’t figure it out then my bloods came back and my RBC was through the roof. They thought I had Polycythemia vera a type of blood cancer they drained blood I felt better to a degree.. went home stayed off the gear for a few weeks and then my repeat bloods came back and they were confused as RBC had dropped. It was the gear thicken my blood like tar causing breathing problems and high blood pressure … I tried getting my natural test back but it was gone so I started TRT and then eventually figured out if I stuck to a blast cruise pattern and donated every 12 weeks took ramipril for my BP I could be all right. I am monitored by professionals and have regular bloods taken and donations ect . If you can cycle on and off do it I wish I could like I said it’s not the best way to live
I cruise on 150mg test cyp per week. I have pictures up for you to be the judge of if it’s enough to maintain muscle mass. I’m not huge, but I sure as shit ain’t small compared to normal folks. I’m sitting at ~215 right now at <10% bf. You’d be at 215 right now at the same bf as me based on your stats above. You get a lot more free test injecting exogenous test plus no dips in levels due to lifestyle hiccups (lack of sleep, poor diet, etc).
You could absolutely do everything you want in your description above on just 200mg/wk.
Cruising is ment to give your body rest and reach homeostasis. Tests levels should be in the natural range (trt). But a lot of people cruise at dosages leading to supraphysiological test levels. They are basically cruising on a low dose steroid cycle (not trt).
It all depends on your goals. For example a competitive bodybuilder at 245 lbs and 10% bodyfat will cruise at a higher dosage (above trt) to retain most of his mass. Somebody who is not competing should not be doing that imo.
For normal people if you eat and train right, you'll mostly lose glycogen while cruising unless you're above your natural limit. If you're above your natural limit it depends on how long you cruise how much you lose. A trt dosage is not endlessly going to be able to support/maintain (most of) the mass you gained above your natural limit while you were blasting.
Fyi: not many people start using gear at their natural limit. I even doubt most people reach their natural limit after a or multiple cycles of 500mg test. But that is a whole other story.