Noob looking for advice.

Skittles84 · Oct 16, 2024

Hi Fellas,

Newbie here, hoping for some advice on my first cycle.
I’ve been lifting regularly for close to 20 years. I stopped trying for gains a long time ago and have mostly just lifted to maintain strength and remain in shape. I’ve just tuned 40 and have started to notice my lifts are starting to become a little harder in the upper reps than they’ve ever been before. I put it down to the decrease in natural T that comes with aging

.
I’m looking to start a cycle to hopefully give by body a kick back in the right direction. My thought being that if I can increase my lifts by 10-15% on the juice than when I cycle back I will be able to maintain the strength I am used to and just cycle again as needed. Hope this makes sense but I am happy to be corrected if I’m wrong. I know 40 is probably a bit old to start but the thought of losing the strength and physique I’ve worked for since my early twenties, doesn’t sit well.
My weight is 83Kg, 180cm and BF is about 10-12%.

My compounds lifts have been the same for the last 8 years.

Bench- 130kg (5x10)
Squat- 180kg (3x10)
DL- 200kg (5x5)
LP- 340kg (3x10)
SP- 70kg (3x10)
Clean- 20kg (1x100)

Any advice is recommended.

alfresco · Oct 16, 2024

Skittles84 said:
Hi Fellas,

Newbie here, hoping for some advice on my first cycle.
I’ve been lifting regularly for close to 20 years. I stopped trying for gains a long time ago and have mostly just lifted to maintain strength and remain in shape. I’ve just tuned 40 and have started to notice my lifts are starting to become a little harder in the upper reps than they’ve ever been before. I put it down to the decrease in natural T that comes with aging .
I’m looking to start a cycle to hopefully give by body a kick back in the right direction. My thought being that if I can increase my lifts by 10-15% on the juice than when I cycle back I will be able to maintain the strength I am used to and just cycle again as needed. Hope this makes sense but I am happy to be corrected if I’m wrong. I know 40 is probably a bit old to start but the thought of losing the strength and physique I’ve worked for since my early twenties, doesn’t sit well.
My weight is 83Kg, 180cm and BF is about 10-12%.

My compounds lifts have been the same for the last 8 years.

Bench- 130kg (5x10)
Squat- 180kg (3x10)
DL- 200kg (5x5)
LP- 340kg (3x10)
SP- 70kg (3x10)
Clean- 20kg (1x100)

Any advice is recommended.

What are your real goals?

What cycle are you considering?

What does ‘cycle back’ mean?

A photo would help.

Thanks.

Gunsmith · Oct 16, 2024

If you are just wanting to get back where your strength was in your early thirty then something super simple like 12 weeks of 400mg test and 2.iu HGH a day , the drop back to 150ish mg yest or whatever it take to keep your levels in the 800-900 range. The low dose GH will help alot with age decline as wel.

td · Oct 16, 2024

If you're 40, why not just consider actual TRT?

A cycle will increase your strength and then it will fall as your hormones return to baseline, which may currently be low. There's nothing you can take temporarily that will reverse natural aging processes.

LK3 · Oct 16, 2024

going on then off again to stay off isnt the way.
trt for life would be what consider.

Theone233 · Oct 16, 2024

Have you had blood work done to know what your test levels are at?

FrancisK · Oct 16, 2024

The concept of a "cycle" is bs, it sounds great on paper "yea im going to use some gear for a boost and then stop and I'll be fine" but in the real world it doesn't actually work that way all you're doing is fucking your body up and whatever boost you received will go away when you come off. Most of us thought this way when we first started that we would just do some cycles and then come off, it doesn't work that way in reality.

Get some bloodwork done and check your test levels, if they are naturally low then go on TRT no reason not to. Yea you're going to have to jab yourself with a needle the rest of your life but the benefits far outweigh having low T.

If your natural test levels come back normal well then you have a decision to make. Are you going to start using steroids and risk fucking up those good natural levels? I wouldn't, there are other things you can use which won't have lifelong consequences if you're just looking for a boost.

From what you're saying it seems like you've turned using steroids into something casual, we talk like that here because we're all on them but it's not the case at all.

TheOtherOne55 · Oct 16, 2024

Lots of easy info here, but your "reasons" for cycling are weak.

1...you shouldnt be considering using hormones for strenght. No one gives a shit what you bench, the quicker you realize that the better. You also are not a powerlifter. 2...cycling is dated and causes more harm than good. Like others have mentioned, i would look into TRT is you trulllly want to do something.

mexbeast · Oct 16, 2024

Same as this, but drop to 200 and repeat

Gunsmith said:
If you are just wanting to get back where your strength was in your early thirty then something super simple like 12 weeks of 400mg test and 2.iu HGH a day , the drop back to 150ish mg yest or whatever it take to keep your levels in the 800-900 range. The low dose GH will help alot with age decline as wel.

bbxtreme · Oct 16, 2024

Skittles84 said:
Hi Fellas,

Newbie here, hoping for some advice on my first cycle.
I’ve been lifting regularly for close to 20 years. I stopped trying for gains a long time ago and have mostly just lifted to maintain strength and remain in shape. I’ve just tuned 40 and have started to notice my lifts are starting to become a little harder in the upper reps than they’ve ever been before. I put it down to the decrease in natural T that comes with aging .
I’m looking to start a cycle to hopefully give by body a kick back in the right direction. My thought being that if I can increase my lifts by 10-15% on the juice than when I cycle back I will be able to maintain the strength I am used to and just cycle again as needed. Hope this makes sense but I am happy to be corrected if I’m wrong. I know 40 is probably a bit old to start but the thought of losing the strength and physique I’ve worked for since my early twenties, doesn’t sit well.
My weight is 83Kg, 180cm and BF is about 10-12%.

My compounds lifts have been the same for the last 8 years.

Bench- 130kg (5x10)
Squat- 180kg (3x10)
DL- 200kg (5x5)
LP- 340kg (3x10)
SP- 70kg (3x10)
Clean- 20kg (1x100)

Any advice is recommended.

Get bloodwork, go on true TRT if the bloodwork indicates you need it. Once you have done that guage how you feel against your health and decide what your goals are from there.