Cycle after layoff?

[studmuffin]

I've had some injuries and a few other disasters happen over the past 9 months. I have done 4 total cycles before and have never had a layoff this long. I was curious as too how long I should be back in the gym again before I start another cycle??? Should I go back to the sticky and go at least 2 years??? I personally feel like in a couple of months I might be ready, but I wanted to hear some opinions. I can say that I have been back a month already and surprisingly my strength has not gone down too far...... um, although body fat is another story!

 

[maldorf]

I've had some injuries and a few other disasters happen over the past 9 months. I have done 4 total cycles before and have never had a layoff this long. I was curious as too how long I should be back in the gym again before I start another cycle??? Should I go back to the sticky and go at least 2 years??? I personally feel like in a couple of months I might be ready, but I wanted to hear some opinions. I can say that I have been back a month already and surprisingly my strength has not gone down too far...... um, although body fat is another story!

Personally, I would go at least 6 months or more. Lift for awhile until you hit a plateau and find it nearly impossible to gain on your own. This is if you diet and training are down. going on too soon is really going to put you at a disadvantage in the long run. You dont want to resort to using AAS unless you have the other aspects of BB down first. If you use too soon youll find yourself stuck in the trap of just increasing your AAS dose to make gains, when all along there might have been other factors that would have made you grow just as well or better. Once your dose gets higher, it can become unhealthy and you will work yourself into a corner.

 

[studmuffin]

Personally, I would go at least 6 months or more. Lift for awhile until you hit a plateau and find it nearly impossible to gain on your own. This is if you diet and training are down. going on too soon is really going to put you at a disadvantage in the long run. You dont want to resort to using AAS unless you have the other aspects of BB down first. If you use too soon youll find yourself stuck in the trap of just increasing your AAS dose to make gains, when all along there might have been other factors that would have made you grow just as well or better. Once your dose gets higher, it can become unhealthy and you will work yourself into a corner.

Good point, maldorf, and thanks! Actually, I will shoot for 6 months and if I can go longer I will.

 

[maldorf]

Good point, maldorf, and thanks! Actually, I will shoot for 6 months and if I can go longer I will.

Best plan really for you. Work really hard on getting fit and putting on some muscle naturally for some time and keep at it as long as you can. Once the gains come to a hault, even though you adjust training and diet, then look at going back on. Also, dont worry about what you used last time. Start out fresh, get a new start. I wouldnt use anything more than just simple test enanthate or cyp. You could even go just 250 mg/wk and make gains. I am on HRT now since I screwed myself up so bad after years of use. I only take 120 mg/wk and my total test just came back at 876. That is high normal. Most guys my age are in the 400-500 range. So you dont need a lot. Im 40 yrs old. So if I took 250 mg/wk that would just about double my test levels and put me at over 2x the norm for my age.

 

[DrivingForward]

Studmuffin,

I find myself in a very similar situation. Layoff-- life disaster-- etc. While my strength hasn't gone down trememendously after being out of the gym for 12 months, my endurance and body fat levels have taken a turn for the worse!

Its hard to argue with Maldorf-- but being in your particular situation I have alittle different view than him. Right now you're probably battling severe depression after the devastating circumstances that have affected your life. Why compound the depression of a lousy situation with the depression caused by a poor self image?

I'm willing to contend that the added depression is much more harmful day to day than 400-500mg Test E per week.

I'm personally spending 1-2 months back into the gym before I go on (it also allowed me the time to save some money for a cycle) and then start Test E and Deca in reasonable doses (just like my first cycle years back). Some of the board sponsors are reaaaally reasonably priced and you can put the money together even if things are tight.

I may not feel or look nearly as great as I used to... but I have hope that with hard work, diet, and better living through chemistry-- I can rebuild. Thats what gets me through the day.