For those that compete on what dose can you maintain your physique

[Hatchet]

I dont compete, but just to add here, I take 125 mg's for TRT (maintain) then twice a year (for 8-week runs) I do 1cc of test (250 mg) and add in something to that.
(Anavar, or a cc of deca, etc). (A "Mini-Blast" (for me).

Though ive trained for 44 years, I only got into TRT and gear when I turned 50. (6 yrs ago). So tiny doses work well for me (and safer at my age).

 

[Mufasa123]

I think that it's worth noting that this answer is only correct when you're assuming that you're talking about people way over their natural limit who have maximized (or nearly maximized) what they can get out of their blast doses.

Obv some dude who does his first 500mg cycle and goes from 5'10" 165 to 180 doesn't need 500mg/week to maintain that, and may even be able to maintain it natty, etc.

For sure, the argument would be that he didn't *need* 500mg to add those 15lbs, but it's just as much fairytale land to think that everyone doing steroids is only taking the minimum they need to progress and nobody's taking more to get quicker results, etc.

It's a very good point and really important to include. While most of the population on this board (experienced, bigger, older from what I gather) we consider this point a given, lots of guys under their generic potential/natural limit may read this thread and assume this applies to them. Like I said earlier, natural test levels will not support unnatural levels of development but will certainly support what's inside that limit.

Context is critical. This is why you get one guy saying 600-800mg of primobolan with similar test at minimum for a significant effect and others saying they had great results on 250 test 300mg primo. Individual responsiveness aside, both are valid just depends on the level of development.

 

[null88]

Whats best/worst in terms of health and gains
cycling 750 test/week for 12 weeks then dropping down to 125mg for 12 weeks
vs
taking 350mg test/week year round

 

[165StateChamp]

I can maintain my strength/weight on 200 T but my body composition and metabolism will slowly deteriorate.

I think I could probably maintain a 90-95% of contest look year round within 5 lbs of stage weight on 600 T 300 Tren. But that is just a cycle…

I am going to cruise a little higher this year and see what that does for retaining my muscle quality while maintaining acceptable bloodwork.

 

[TheRoid]

I can maintain my strength/weight on 200 T but my body composition and metabolism will slowly deteriorate.

Oh sure. I too can mantain pretty much all the strength/weight on a legit TRT dose with enough calories and rest.
Now actual LEAN TISSUE and B.F.% simply go to hell and I end up looking like an old super-heavyweight powerlifter.
Not my cup of tea, thanks.

 

[165StateChamp]

Oh sure. I too can mantain pretty much all the strength/weight on a legit TRT dose with enough calories and rest.
Now actual LEAN TISSUE and B.F.% simply go to hell and I end up looking like an old super-heavyweight powerlifter.
Not my cup of tea, thanks.

Yep, that’s a function of food intake and continuing to train hard more than the gear. But the look is not close and never will be.

 

[Necrias]

Oh sure. I too can mantain pretty much all the strength/weight on a legit TRT dose with enough calories and rest.
Now actual LEAN TISSUE and B.F.% simply go to hell and I end up looking like an old super-heavyweight powerlifter.
Not my cup of tea, thanks.

My last cycle got me to a relatively big/lean 265, and took 12 weeks of TRT between blasts. I stayed at 265... but did not look nearly the same haha. I am about 5 weeks into a new blast, and I'm only 80% back to where I was.

 

[headtrainer]

In order to maintain most of the mass you’ve gained, I believe you have to continuously run a substantial amount of test year round—“500-1500 mgs per week depending on how much anabolics you were using to gain the size in the first place.”

 

[gomcapt]

I can maintain my strength/weight on 200 T but my body composition and metabolism will slowly deteriorate.

I think I could probably maintain a 90-95% of contest look year round within 5 lbs of stage weight on 600 T 300 Tren. But that is just a cycle…

I am going to cruise a little higher this year and see what that does for retaining my muscle quality while maintaining acceptable bloodwork.

Hello brother. Any chance you would share just how high you plan on cruising at? I chose a higher cruise than normal myself the last several months and wouldn't mind comparing notes. Thanks in advance for your time.

 

[165StateChamp]

Hello brother. Any chance you would share just how high you plan on cruising at? I chose a higher cruise than normal myself the last several months and wouldn't mind comparing notes. Thanks in advance for your time.

Still deciding…option 1 is Luki’s rec which is 125 T/week and 25-50 Ment EOD. But I am a little hesitant as I’ve never used Ment.

Option 2 is 200 T/200 Primo which is the combo most of my friends cruise on but a little lower. But I will have to watch my lipids as my HDL is always a little low.

I normally cruise on 200 T.

 

[cal]

You don't maintain your physique, if you lower dosages and maintain the same SCALE WEIGHT, your body composition over time will get progressively worse - until you reintroduce the drugs or whatever it is that was required to be that way.
This is everybodys problem isn't it? Lets stop living in fairytale land, that would be a good start. The only reason you even get by on 250mg is because its a brief period in time before you blast again.

Was waiting for the 8mg of test per day and maintain 99 percent posts.

 

[cal]

At my biggest i cycled on enough that i didn't have to worry about shrinking. And now that i am older i don't try to find what that level would be as i am sure it wouldn't be healthy. And doubt i could take enough anyway as cells just don't respond the same when you are older neither does digestion etc. Look at the pro's when they get older they just can't be what they were when they were younger.

Yep nothing responds as well, skin gets looser, ...muscles dont have the same pop, ...muscles tend to look less full and muscles can get to look sort of melted, ...and legs for most really shrink.

 

[luki7788]

Yep nothing responds as well, skin gets looser, ...muscles dont have the same pop, ...muscles tend to look less full and muscles can get to look sort of melted, ...and legs for most really shrink.

but after all Larry Wheels does an 800 lbs deadlift on the trt 140mg test.....

 

[cal]

but after all Larry Wheels does an 800 lbs deadlift on the trt 140mg test.....

the more he talks about how little and how hes on TRT the more I think hes downplaying how much hes still using.

 

[TheRoid]

but after all Larry Wheels does an 140 lbs deadlift on the trt 800mg test.....

Fixed.

 

[buck]

Yep nothing responds as well, skin gets looser, ...muscles dont have the same pop, ...muscles tend to look less full and muscles can get to look sort of melted, ...and legs for most really shrink.

Yup. Unfortunately sarcopenia is a real thing.

 

[marssel]

For those of that you compete, do you mind sharing your body weight and what dose of PEDs you use to maintain your physique?

Let's say you just finished a 16 weeks off season and you're sitting at 240lbs. You now want to give you body a break for 8 weeks before heading to a contest prep phase. What is an appropriate amount of AAS which would maintain your lean body mass, but still be healthy enough to improve health markers?

I'll use myself as an example. My off season that I just finished, was 900mg Test E/week, 500mg Deca/week and 6IU GH/day. My "cruise" phase is going to be 250mg Test E/week and 2IU GH/day.

Your “on” is bigger than mine but my cruise is usually 600 mg either all test or a mix of test/deca or eq/mast never below 500 or over 600. I’ve tried trt cruise doses and I just feel like ass when I’m still crushing it in the gym.

 

[gomcapt]

Still deciding…option 1 is Luki’s rec which is 125 T/week and 25-50 Ment EOD. But I am a little hesitant as I’ve never used Ment.

Option 2 is 200 T/200 Primo which is the combo most of my friends cruise on but a little lower. But I will have to watch my lipids as my HDL is always a little low.

I normally cruise on 200 T.

I appreciate your time and your response. Currently 350 T/week myself for last 3-4 months. So far so good. My other plan was same as yours with primo 200T/200Primo. I will try that one next time. Thanks again!

 

[Golden]

Your “on” is bigger than mine but my cruise is usually 600 mg either all test or a mix of test/deca or eq/mast never below 500 or over 600. I’ve tried trt cruise doses and I just feel like ass when I’m still crushing it in the gym.

Can I ask what blood work looks like at that dose over a prolonged period? I assume pretty decent if that’s what you use to cruise

 

[marssel]

Can I ask what blood work looks like at that dose over a prolonged period? I assume pretty decent if that’s what you use to cruise

Are you asking about my test level or my panel, my panel is all good except hemocrit is .5 above range and hdl is like 20 but it was low before juice so I don’t think that’s it otherwise all my labs are good to go.