+ 33 I'VE JUST FINISHED MY CYCLE..NOW WHAT?
You've just finished your cycle. It's been 3 weeks since your last injection, and your PCT is well under way. NOW what? You've already dropped a few pounds. Your bench has gone down by 10%, and you don't have that Superman feeling you had 2 months earlier. Your arms look smaller, and you aren't getting the compliments at work that were pouring in by the hour before. Your brain is telling you to wait another 6 weeks before you cycle again, but your heart and ego are screaming for another round. You've got plenty of gear stashed, and every morning when you reach for the coffee, there it is in the kitchen cupboard just staring at you...calling out, saying..."Hey buddy, I can end all of this misery right now. Just shoot me, and you'll be king again, and all the people who have been disrespecting you will get fadded into Oblivion."
Tempting isn't it?
But right now is the time to plan and lay the groundwork for the next cycle. AND..more importantly, it's the time to heal. After months of brutal, gut-busting workouts that have taken an incredible toll on your joints, and muscles that have grown familiar with the the patern of training you've used, you NEED this time off.
The first thing you need to do, is get as far away from the gym as possible for at least a week---preferably 10 days. I usually take 2 weeks off. That means no gym..NOTHING. No weights, no cardio, no You Tube vids of bodybuilders. Take your mind as far away from lifting as you can get it. So naturally, that also means no strict diet. Order pizza. Eat doughnuts. And watch yourself shrink. Yep, I said watch yourself shrink.
"But Goth...why would you tell me to do that? I'm trying to get buff...not blubbber."
That's right, and by taking this time off from everything to do with bodybuilding/fitness, you will prime your mind for a cycle far more effective. Without a mental and physical layoff, you are going to burn out. Trust me, I've been there.
After a week of beer, pizza, and porn, it's time to get back in the gym...but that doesn't mean to jump right back into heavy weight and super-high intensity. Doing that is only going to fry you before you start your next cycle. After I get back in the gym, I like to train at about 70% intentisity. There's no way for me to tell you what "70% intensity" is, but generally, you want to use weights that you can fairly easily do for 20 reps, yet keep the reps at only around 15. Take each set to only a slight burn. You need this type of training in order to condition the muscles and joints. I prefer to use a lot of machines and cable work during this time, saving the heavy bar work for the coming cycle when the grear is in full circulation. This is also a good time to work on the things that you probably neglect during season, like rotator cuff work, abs, stretching, and neck work.
After a few weeks of light training (conditioning), you're ready for cycle prep. The week your cycle starts, make sure you've taken in a lot of carbs and protien in preparation for your cycle frontloading. If you don't know how to properly frontload, then you need to research it. But GENERALLY, you're going to be pinning a double dose your first week, and you need to make sure you have adequate nutritional support already in place.
Lastly...DON'T WORRY about your time off cycle. That "size" you're losing is mostly just a little water (unless you're a pill-muncher who thinks oral-only cycles actually work--in which case you're fucked). Relax and trust in the fact that you'll be back on your next cycle far bigger and stronger than if you had just jumped right back on.
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My brothers will be wrapped with the pizza and beer side to this, they are to beer and pizza as I am to protein and complex carbs.
well i personally stop doing cardio during pct and i reduce my workout time quite a bit.. for example, Monday is chest and tri's, on cycle i will do 4-5 different exercises for chest about 5 sets a time then 2 exercises for tri's maybe even 6 sets! during pct i will only do maybe 3 exercises for chest and one for tri's, and most the time i will do 4 sets, maybe even just 3, although i do try to go to failure. i also like to keep my cals high and clean. and take supp's for cortisol control like high dose of vit c.
but everyone is different, and if you feel you need time of take it of! i will actually be doing pretty much what 7gothic described above this sommer as i will finishing up a 18 wk cycle (16 wk EQ 18 wk test e) and flying to spain with freinds after my last pin for 10 days. so hopefully OP is right and its the best thing i caould do lol
Just to post success I took goths advice took 9 days off from gym im currently 4 weeks.into pct.feeling.strong.after.some rest been goin lighter but.felt.strong today and pulled a 485 lb deadlift a new pr while on post. Ive lost 5 lbs since cycle.ended.but.very little.strength my recovery time is longer now so I take.more days off and.its very succesful for me so thanks for ur.advice I will use it after every cycle.from now on
beavisI actually believe I gained size and got more ripped and remember biceps always feeling tighter by taking 2 weeks off and eating bullshit
Beer, pizza, and porn.. so the first two are the missing key to my training.. got that last one down like deadlifts
I’m nowhere near this type of expertise and probably never will, but the most important here is that all these tips make perfect sense.
Thanks for sharing!
Great post, just what I needed to hear being 2 weeks out from last pin! I also think this is a great time to train your ego! with that beast in check you are bound to make better gains anytime of the year! If not you will spend alot of time injured (Iknow from experience). My first cycle I was all about trying to lift some of that heavy ass weight Ronnie is always talking about and wound up with a nasty rotator cuff injury! Lifting Lighter weight for a while is a good way to stay humble I believe.
This is great advice bro, the 2nd boner you gave me today NO HOMO
i am currently doing this right now, in fact i was going to make this post. thanks...asshole.
You can STILL make a post like this..just talk about what you did on your time off...like visit the Museum...... went to the zoo...met that great guy at a bar called "Bottoms Up".
sgtstedankoOh, don't act like you've forgotten already dude! No, no, no, Goth. The bar was the Brown eye tavern. The dance move was the bottoms up; & the drinks of choice that particular evening were lavender mullet cosmoteenies : )
sgtstedankoNICE POST Brother!!!
I love this post
Great post.
Common sense is the best sense to use.
Don't take anything, especially your body, for granted.
smasher35comment deleted, user has at least 22 fake accounts
~BFG
I found this post very helpful having just come off my first cycle, I'm not liking the small loss in weight I have just had, or that my arms don't look as big. but I will wait and not give in. how long do you recommend waiting after a cycle? I thought it was time on + time on pct together is how long you wait to cycle again?
Well for me it's a little different....I'm 48, so I'm a "blast/cruiser".
But if you're younger and doing conventional cycle protocol, then you obviously want your natural system to be providing test the majority of the year. That generally means time on plus time on pct.
Being 48, I am "on" a synthetic form of test all year long to some degree. Right now, I'm off cycle, and cruising on 125 mg of test per week. That will increase nearly tenfold in a few weeks.
I'm 37 and take axeron 60mg Ed. Plus when I cycle I go up another 750mg test plus a few other things. My question is do u thing it's works out better to just stay on a lower amount of test and not do the pct. I can never decide. Since my levels are low to begin with Im not sure if I should just stay on what the doctor has me on or go through the pct.
As I'm not a 'blast/cruier' does this still apply? Or should this be adapted. Thanks
Well I think certain aspects of it could always apply depending on your situation....Time off after a cycle is good for the mind, as well as the body.
PCT is a great time to back off a little as well...take the weights down a little, rest a little more.
When you come back, you'll be ready physically and mentally.
tread-mOr a few days...whichever comes first! Lol
LOL...yeah, it looks like that bird didn't fly.
tread-mDp
sgtstedankoNo Homo!?
I see, thank you for clearing that for me
Awesome brother....always comin through with good info/advice and a comical twist to make a much enjoyable read.
I never really thought about taking that 7-10 of beer, pizza and porn... but hell if you say so, I'm down!
Nice post!!!
Couldnt agree with u more Goth! This post was like the last time I went to church bro I could've sworn the pastor was talking directly to me! My last cycle had me feeling like a cyborg and the let down when u know ur bout to start pct is quite the Bitch! Went an extra month just cuz of that "itch" to keep it going.
U give quite a sermon Father O'Malley! Hahaha!
Great post!.........again!
I would take a shot in the mouth for some pizza hut and this was a good post I just started pct and I'm starting to notice some aches and pains that just didn't used to be there I'm gonna take ur advice and not go as heavy and do some condition work might be just what I need
JtizzleThat was Goth's christmas present to us all. .. Thanks for sharing big guy
great stuff !!!
Agreed
Sometimes we all need a reminder not to dive right in and I think time off to get away from training and that world is very inportant. It helps to not see guys smashing weights on cycle while ur low test and zero kill mentality is crushed even more knowing (or thinking) your weak.
And I totally agree about going slow and controlled to get the blood and joints cranking and muscles warmed up for the big day of pin 1.
Shit now I want a box of choc frosted dunkins donuts.
yes i agree. specially at our age the body takes a lot longer to recover from everything then let's say early 20s