ibaker1803's picture
ibaker1803
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Summer Cutting Cycle

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STATS, DESCRIPTION, GOALS

Hey guys, looking for some help here. I'm currently cruising at 250mg/week Cypionate and will be starting a blast in a couple weeks. The goal is to recomp and lean out a bit for the summer. I'm currently weighing 265 at just under 20% BF. The goal is to get down under 10% while obviously maintaining and maybe even putting on some additional lean mass in the process. Really just trying to get down to an acceptable base that I can fairly easily maintain until next season, at which point I'll reassess my goals. I'm taking a bit of a tiered approach as to mitigate any unnecessary gear use; in other words, if I'm getting the results I want at a lower dose, there's no need to add more. Also, I've always been a bit hyper sensitive, so adding things slowly and in smaller doses should allow my body time to assimilate and hopefully mitigate any unwanted severe sides. I've taken everything in this cycle before with the exception of Tren, so I can somewhat anticipate how I should react to these compounds. Tren obviously has me a little nervous, and is partly why I'm taking such a small dose; but as a little has always gone a long way for me, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that just a little is all I'll need.

I'm hoping to get through the first 8 weeks of this blast without the need of an AI, but am ready to deploy if I start seeing unwanted E2 sides. I kind of anticipate that I may need to take an AI once I get to the last 8 weeks, and hope 0.25mg Arimidex EOD does the trick, but I'm prepared to adjust as needed. Definitely worried about crashing my estrogen, so I figure starting low and titrating up as needed will help to mitigate this. Recovering crashed E2 is much more difficult than fixing high E2.

To start, I'll be consuming 2500 cals/day and doing 45 minutes of fasted cardio 3x/week. I'll be adjusting caloric input and cardio accordingly throughout the 16 weeks to stay on target with my goal. Increased test throughout cycle corresponds to expected decreased anabolism as a result of increased output and/or decreased input, but as most of you are aware, nothing's set in stone, so much of my gear intake will be based on how things are going. The below table is more of an expectation of how things will go, but not necessarily what will actually happen. I didn't add this to the table below, but may be worth stating; I'll also be taking an ECA stack, mostly for appetite suppression to help stay true to my diet. I don't believe more aggressive fat burners or thryoid meds will be necessary for my goals. If I'm getting towards the end and feel like I may be able to benefit a little from some clen I may add it, but not really expecting to.

Where I really need some advice is on "PCT". I put PCT in quotes cause I plan on resuming my cruise dose of 250mgs/week Test-C as soon as I end my blast, so not really doing your typical PCT to restore natural function, but I'm a bit worried about the extra estrogen that may be floating around while my body adjusts to the lowered test levels and want to make sure I deal with that appropriately as to not have any unwanted estrogenic sides. Am I thinking about this wrong? I have enough Nolva and Arimidex on deck to handle this however need be, just not exactly sure what that is yet. Still doing some research on this, but would definitely love to get some feedback from anyone who reads this.

I plan to start my blast 2/6/23. I'll be getting blood work done next week and will be sure to update this Log throughout my blast. Looking forward to hearing any advice you may have for me. Thanks!

WeekTestosterone EnanthateTren AceAnavarArimidex
1300mgs/week
2300mgs/week
3300mgs/week
4300mgs/week
5400mgs/week
6400mgs/week
7400mgs/week
8400mgs/week
9400mgs/week0.25mg EOD
10400mgs/week0.25mg EOD
11400mgs/week25mgs ED (175mgs/wk)0.25mg EOD
12400mgs/week25mgs ED (175mgs/wk)0.25mg EOD
13400mgs/week25mgs ED (175mgs/wk)25mgs 2x/day (50mgs/day)0.25mg EOD
14400mgs/week25mgs ED (175mgs/wk)25mgs 2x/day (50mgs/day)0.25mg EOD
15400mgs/week25mgs ED (175mgs/wk)25mgs 2x/day (50mgs/day)0.25mg EOD
16400mgs/week25mgs ED (175mgs/wk)25mgs 2x/day (50mgs/day)0.25mg EOD
JFit253's picture

I am a bit late to this cycle log but I will have to recommend the same as those below about getting bf% to the low teens first with low test trt dose.

If you have already started (assuming you have), then just stay at the higher test dose. I dont think adding low dose tren will help with anything except more side effects.

To answer you question about AI dosing back to TRT, I suggest tapering test and ai down. Make sure you get blood work to confirm e2 throughout and after your cycle.

ibaker1803's picture

Update! I got skinfolds done today. Before you all say anything, I understand that skinfolds aren't the best/most accurate way to test for body fat, and even then the jury's out on what actually is, but at least this gives me something to go on and is easily repeatable throughout my cycle to serve as a compass for whether or not I'm headed in the right direction with my cut. That said, I provided multiple results based on the different calculations which could be used, as well as the actual measurements per site in millimeters on the body.

Chest = 9
Abs = 18
Quad = 13
Bicep = 8
Tricep = 9
Sub Scap = 19
Suprailiac = 25
Lower Back = 17
Calf = 9
Midaxilla = 23

Parrillo (9 sites)= 12.94% body fat
Jackson/Pollock (7 sites) = 18.12% body fat
Jackson/Pollock (4 sites) = 17.50% body fat
Jackson/Pollock (3 sites) = 13.23% body fat

I'll be adding pics soon so you can judge for yourselves.

Makwa's picture

Bodyfat way to high to be running a cycle. Get into low teens first and then start cycle. If you can't drop 6-7% BF starting out at 20% with just diet and training alone then you are not doing either or both of them right. Steroids don't make up for that. If you can't do it off steroids what do you think is going to happen once you stop.

ibaker1803's picture

Totally agree, thanks for that. I started out at 255 lbs and about 24% bodyfat. I've since recomped a little bit, adding 10 lbs and dropping body fat. Honestly 20% is an estimate. I'll get more accurate numbers soon and also post some starting pics so you guys can judge for yourselves. I'm not depending on the gear whatsoever to get me lean, and know diet is everything. I presently eat between 2500 and 3000 cals/day. Diet is pretty consistent and just about everything's weighed out with the exception of dinner. Always super conscious of what I'm eating. That said, as I've not been truly trying to cut, if I feel a little hungrier, I'll eat, but you'll never see me just slamming food recklessly, except maybe a little on leg day which I'll usually have my cheat meal on so I have a little more in the tank for the workout.

For this cut, I'll be sticking religiously to 2500 cals/day to start and adjusting as needed from there. Prefer increasing output to decreasing input, so I'll start including fasted cardio for 45 min/day 3 times a week and increase cardio from there as needed. I'll eventually settle into the point where I'm as comfortable as I can be with the amount of output I'm producing, input I'm consuming, and results I'm obtaining, what that will be we'll have to wait and see. At 265 lbs, sticking with 20% BF, getting to 10% BF would require I lose 26.5 lbs of fat. Over 16 weeks, that works out to roughly 1.66 lbs of fat per week. This should be fairly easy to accomplish without having to suffer too badly.

I'm taking a "you get what you get and you don't get upset" kind of approach to this cycle. Meaning, I have goals, and I'm going to do everything I can to accomplish the goal, which is 7-8% BF, but am not gonna go crazy starving myself or adding compounds to this stack if I feel I may fall a little short. If I can recomp and get down to what I would consider an acceptable foundation that I can maintain until next season and build from there, as far as I'm concerned it'll have been mission accomplished. Advice is always appreciated. Thanks for the comments!

ibaker1803's picture

Cycle is not for cutting
I've looked at a lot of the other cycles many of the competitive bodybuilders on this site are doing for prep, and maybe I should've prefaced this with the fact that I'm not nor have I any aspirations of competing, I'm also not willing to put the insane amount of gear they're pushing into their bodies into mine. Perhaps one day, but baby steps. As for the higher Test later in the cycle, it's really to offset some of the loss in anabolism as a result of lowered caloric intake. As you know, things can and usually do change as a cycle progresses, so if higher levels of test aren't needed I won't take them. Also, if I feel like the sides I may get at a higher dose will be intolerable, I may chose to use a different compound such as boldenone instead of increasing test. In any case, not sure how you wouldn't consider this a cutting cycle. Between this and diet I'm fairly confident I'll be able to lose quite a bit of fat while maintaining muscle mass and ultimately hit my goal. I didn't mention previously, and perhaps I'll edit my post to include this, but I'll also be taking an ECA stack twice a day really more to curb my appetite and help me stay true to my diet. I don't think for my goals a stronger fat burner or thyroid meds are necessary. I'll take your advice and do some more homework, there's always more to learn. Part of the reason I posted this was to get criticism, however harsh it may be, so thank you.

PCT is not TRT use
I understand that PCT is not TRT use, but I can't imagine that there's not a legitimate estrogen concern when dropping the amount of gear your taking so suddenly. For typical PCT it's expected that there's gonna be a period of time where you may feel like shit, I'm hoping not to go through that as I'll essentially be cruising when I come off. Just want to make sure that when I drop my dose I'm not negatively effected by residual E2 that may be present from when I was on a higher dose.

TRT at 250 is a Cycle and TRT is permanent
As far as 250mgs being a cycle, you might be right. Originally I was doing 200mgs but just recently bumped up to 250, and yes, 200 was prescribed my TRT clinic. Mind you, I weighed 255lbs when I started and my Free T was around 350 consistently for almost a year as documented on 3 separate tests. Posted my pre TRT blood work a while back. Getting bloods done next week before I start my cycle, so I'll have a better idea of what a more appropriate TRT dose should be, assuming 250 has me way above the normal range and other health markers all f'd up. If I'm above the normal range but "healthy", I'll stay at 250 for a TRT dose cause I'm feeling amazing. I'll call my TRT a cruise from now on and make everyone feel better. I also understand TRT is permanent, and plan on doing it permanently.

TheSpartan's picture

My first thought. He's "hypersensitive", yet taking a 250mg Test C "TRT".

ibaker1803's picture

Ok, so then I'm cruising on 250mg Test C. I would think hypersensitivity would be more about the response to a dose not the dose itself. I was bigger and stronger than most people in the gym with a Total T of just 350 and Free T 75.

ibaker1803's picture

My hypersensitivity is usually the result of doing too much too quickly, not necessarily from higher doses. I just need to give my body a sec to adjust. Started TRT at 200mgs a week with EOD injections. There was definitely an adjustment period that lasted about 4 weeks or so before I felt "normal". Didn't bump up the dose to 250 until about week 11 or so. Didn't really feel much in terms of negative sides with that increase which was perfect. I did have a small increase in acne, but nothing I couldn't remedy with just an extra shower to keep my skin a little drier throughout the day and I stopped hanging around the house without a shirt as to not get any unwanted dirt into my pores. Honestly, most people would call my acne increase a joke in comparison to what some go through, but was just a little more than I wanted.

Makwa's picture

250mg/wk test C likely from TRT clinic

ibaker1803's picture

I was actually prescribed 200mg/wk by my clinic. Bumped it up to 250 on my own at around the 10 week mark. I was also prescribed anastrozole and clomiphene which after doing my own research decided to stop taking as they were making me feel horrible and have been so much better off ever since. Estrogen levels were pretty low to begin with, so I think starting an AI immediately into TRT depleted my estrogen even further which gave me some pretty nasty sides. I'm older with kids and no aspirations of having any more, so chemical castration is an added benefit of all this lol.

YouputyourDecainmyTest's picture

Yeah, 250 trt ain't doing you no favors in the long run. +1 Rusty.

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EliteDucky's picture

wouldnt this be better starting high and tapering off to the end?

In a promo × 1
Makwa's picture

It is usually best just to pick a dose and keep it stable throughout cycle if you are not an advanced user and completely understand how tweaks in your diet affect your body composition. Some advanced techiques for advanced users to overcome myostatin are to taper up dosages or add in additional compounds as a last resort after numerous tweaks to diet and training as cycle progresses. You don't want to taper down though. No need for any ramping up with this cycle. User is no where near that level and that is used after tweaking diet and training and when those tweaks run out then increasing dosages occurs. OP has a long way to go on mastering diet and training to get desired results before increasing compounds will be of any benefit other than likely more side effects.

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