What are your gains like off cycle?

[aussiebulldog]

So let me get this straight. You guys actually believe that once you come off everything, you won't eventually shrink back down to the way you were before you were on anything? You think you will maintain what you built let's say...five years from now?

REALLY????

no.
not maintain all , but not lose all .
as long as foundation was right , and gains held for time.
really.

 

[AlphaMaleDawg]

no.
not maintain all , but not lose all .
as long as foundation was right , and gains held for time.
really.

Gotchya. That's more reasonable

 

[TheOtherOne55]

I started lifting at 140. I started that thread with a big ego and didnt want people telling me that im too weak/light to start a cycle so i exxagerated my weight and lifts. What I told u earlier is the precise info of my bb history.


I will post my progress pics and lifts this week.

ehhh

I don't want to start any argument but if people told you that you were too small and weak to hop on a cycle at that time...they were right.

Even at 190-200....with 3 cycles under your belt...you BETTER be benching more than 315 1 time.

 

[Elusive]

ehhh

I don't want to start any argument but if people told you that you were too small and weak to hop on a cycle at that time...they were right.

Even at 190-200....with 3 cycles under your belt...you BETTER be benching more than 315 1 time.

I say to each his own man, as long as he is going about it safely and responsibly (which from his dosages and frequency it sounds he is). I do agree with you though, the starting numbers were a little low to start cycling.

 

[mr.hendo]

for me in my situation if there is no gear, then there is no gain. I cant afford to eat enough while not on gear to see any significant gains. been that way way for three or four years now.

 

[bieberhole69]

ehhh

I don't want to start any argument but if people told you that you were too small and weak to hop on a cycle at that time...they were right.

Even at 190-200....with 3 cycles under your belt...you BETTER be benching more than 315 1 time.

Some people just aren't built to bench. I can't bench over 275 or my shoulders hurt insanely bad / get injured. Of course I do DB training and all that heavier, just...for ME...I cannot flat bench press worth a damn (arms are just way too long). (for the record, I can decline 315 multiple times)

However, I can pull 575 on deadlift (long arms, nomsayin?). I weigh 203lbs right now. Take it for what it's worth. Some people just aren't made to flat bench, period.

 

[jay_dub]

Some people just aren't built to bench. I can't bench over 275 or my shoulders hurt insanely bad / get injured. Of course I do DB training and all that heavier, just...for ME...I cannot flat bench press worth a damn (arms are just way too long). (for the record, I can decline 315 multiple times)

However, I can pull 575 on deadlift (long arms, nomsayin?). I weigh 203lbs right now. Take it for what it's worth. Some people just aren't made to flat bench, period.

I gotta agree. My arms are long as hell too and bench always sucked for me.

Just a few months ago I was in the process of warming up on bench. Prior to that I hadnt done bench in months. Everything felt great, i did 4-5 sets to warm up so I was stretched out and ready to go. I put 295 for my first set and got about 8 reps and all of a sudden I hear this cracking noise and excruciating pain in my left pec where it connects to the shoulder. It was just a minor pull but omg nothing has hurt that bad for me. I've even partially torn my patellar tendon before doing heavy squats but it was nothing like how the pull felt in my chest. After that point I decided I'm never doing flat bench again. I just wasnt made for it.

 

[Elusive]

Some people just aren't built to bench. I can't bench over 275 or my shoulders hurt insanely bad / get injured. Of course I do DB training and all that heavier, just...for ME...I cannot flat bench press worth a damn (arms are just way too long). (for the record, I can decline 315 multiple times)

However, I can pull 575 on deadlift (long arms, nomsayin?). I weigh 203lbs right now. Take it for what it's worth. Some people just aren't made to flat bench, period.

I am built just the opposite. I am 6'0 but have shorter arms and hit 315 natural at weighing in the 180's, so pretty thin overall. However, I can't deadlift worth a damn, best is around 450 for a single. Really sucks for me, as my passion is basketball not bodybuilding, so I would rather bench 135, but have long arms and a strong backside and ball out!

 

[Deleted member 106824]

I am built just the opposite. I am 6'0 but have shorter arms and hit 315 natural at weighing in the 180's, so pretty thin overall. However, I can't deadlift worth a damn, best is around 450 for a single. Really sucks for me, as my passion is basketball not bodybuilding, so I would rather bench 135, but have long arms and a strong backside and ball out!

So you're the Elusive who used to post on t-nation right? with the massive carb ups and whatnot lol. I didn't know you made the change from the natural route.

As for the bench vs. deadlift build, I'm definitely more built for deads but I don't know if I'd necessarily say I can't bench. At least from a strength perspective. Back when I first pulled 455 my bench was around 255 so not that off. But my shoulders aren't great and during my DS cycle I seemed to have strained my pec so I'm a little worried about it.

Jay_Dub what chest exercises have you found to be most effective for development while avoiding injury?

 

[jay_dub]

So you're the Elusive who used to post on t-nation right? with the massive carb ups and whatnot lol. I didn't know you made the change from the natural route.

As for the bench vs. deadlift build, I'm definitely more built for deads but I don't know if I'd necessarily say I can't bench. At least from a strength perspective. Back when I first pulled 455 my bench was around 255 so not that off. But my shoulders aren't great and during my DS cycle I seemed to have strained my pec so I'm a little worried about it.

Jay_Dub what chest exercises have you found to be most effective for development while avoiding injury?

Look up mountain dog chest training for sure. Its the bomb for chest development while steering clear of injuries. Here's a link to John's article on Tnation.

**broken link removed**

 

[Deleted member 106824]

Look up mountain dog chest training for sure. Its the bomb for chest development while steering clear of injuries. Here's a link to John's article on Tnation.

**broken link removed**

I have been following John's articles since he started posting on T-nation. I like it, but I'll have to try it for myself. For me training naturally I've literally only ever gotten bigger if I've gotten stronger. When I look at periods of stalling its been where my net gains on the big lifts hadn't improved. So although I'm sure I'd grow using this type of training while on my cycle (which I'm pretty sure I've decided to start tomorrow after today's shitty workout lol) I'm not sure as far as long term growth that wouldn't have come from any other workout on cycle. Or if one was training naturally. I used to be all about that stuff but got pretty convinced a few years ago that 90% of it is just about getting strong as hell on the main lifts for reps. Maybe that changes a lot when cycling though.

 

[Elusive]

So you're the Elusive who used to post on t-nation right? with the massive carb ups and whatnot lol. I didn't know you made the change from the natural route.

Nope I'm the elusive from ironaddicts. Still natural, but increasingly curious.

 

[jay_dub]

I have been following John's articles since he started posting on T-nation. I like it, but I'll have to try it for myself. For me training naturally I've literally only ever gotten bigger if I've gotten stronger. When I look at periods of stalling its been where my net gains on the big lifts hadn't improved. So although I'm sure I'd grow using this type of training while on my cycle (which I'm pretty sure I've decided to start tomorrow after today's shitty workout lol) I'm not sure as far as long term growth that wouldn't have come from any other workout on cycle. Or if one was training naturally. I used to be all about that stuff but got pretty convinced a few years ago that 90% of it is just about getting strong as hell on the main lifts for reps. Maybe that changes a lot when cycling though.

You should ALWAYS focus on improving your lifts, regardless of what routine you choose to do. That applies to Mountain Dog training as well. Logging your lifts is always beneficial so each and every week you know what numbers you need to beat.

John is just strategic when it comes to the order of lifts, creative lifts, rep schemes and constantly switching things up. You should still focus on your strength though throughout his routine.