First Cycle (Testosterone enanthate, equipose) - Thoughts?

[Translocator]

Hey guys, as the title mentions this will be my first time using AAS. The reason for doing so was not motivated solely by muscle gains, though. Last year in November I had an unfortunate deadlifting experience while I was (apparently) developing the flu, and since then my back has been consistently... annoying. It has healed up for the most part, but is incessantly susceptible to strong and sudden spasms which immobilize me for the day and slowly heals back to relative normality within 2-3 days. Pain in the as- er, I mean back. Beyond that, though, even when it's "healed" it's still not quite like it should be. Perhaps I've been agitating it too much with either my desk job or my workouts despite being very careful.

Anyways, my point with this is that I would like to see the recovery benefits of AAS for my back. At least, I like to use that as justification for my first pinning experience, haha. Literature and studies seem to support the fact that it could certainly help with recovery (assuming I model a workout routine and other physical therapy around strengthening the back/spine and treat it well in general). The addition of equipose, in fact, is for this purpose more than anything considering its uses as both a muscle and bone/ligament repair outside of performance enhancement. If I was interested in an optimal first cycle I'd likely do a Test E-only cycle test my body against what would act as the base for any future cycles, but honestly, I'm not entirely concerned with that. If this experiment is successful, I'm not sure if I'll do another cycle anyway.

My secondary reason for wanting to stack equipose with test is that I can lower the dose of test and replace it with a less androgenic compound which also benefits the type of muscle development I'm more interested in (slow solid gains -- I'm not nor will I ever be a size junky (read: a mass-centric bodybuilder)). The reason this is beneficial to me is that I had rather serious acne as a teenager, and I'm not pining for a replay of those days.

-----STATS-----
Age: 21
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 163 lbs (Note my bodyfat and lifting numbers, and you'll need to see my pictures, too (when I post them, I'm not in a position to do so for the initial post). Also note that I've just generally always been very lean -- I have very light bones (it seems), which makes me incredible at throwing my body around)
Bodyfat %: ~7-8% (I'm very lean with defined abs/ab veins -- I've always held incredible leanness as greatly important, so this cycle would be used to accomodate a lean bulk)
Years training: ~7 years (some of this was not strength training, I've had stints of sprint training as well, and as usual some years weren't as "useful" as others )

-----LIFTS-----
Bench Press: 245x5 (cleanly and slowly touching my chest, I'm a form nazi)
Dumbbell Press: 100's x 7
Incline Dumbbell Press: 95's x 6 (I know, right?)
Weighted Pullup (chins are a bit heavier, but similar): Bodyweight + 145 x 5
DB Shoulder Press: 75 x 6-7

NOTE THAT I HAVEN'T DONE SQUATS NOR DEADLIFTS SINCE MY BACK INJURY (they seriously aggravate my back. F*ckin back, man). However, these were my numbers before the incident:
Squat: 350 x 5 (truly ATG -- as in, hams to calves)
Deadlifting: 375 x 5 (I wasn't quite as happy with this lift...)

I have replaced these with hyper back extensions for lower back (strong dead replacement right? God dammit), and single leg - leg extensions. On a machine with a roughly 45 degree incline, I use three plates on each side (6 in total) and go cleanly below parallel slowly for 15/12/10 reps. I hated replacing squats, but hey, my legs haven't shrunk TOO much.

-----CYCLE-----
Week 1-13 Test-Enanthate 250mg/week
Week 1-12 Equipose 300mg/week
Week 1-13 I'll have both Nolvadex and Arimidex on hand and treat specific symptoms as they come

This is obviously a rather low dose cycle, but my fears of "less gains" are hindered greatly by the fact that I don't really give as much of a **** about the gains as back repair, and by the fact that there are myriad examples of this cycle dosing working wonders for first time cyclers. Still though, I'm interested in your input. If it is simply "Yeah so anything under 500mg/week of test is useless brah, that's like TRT levels man, that's what my f*ckin grandma produces brah" then, unless you have a logical argument as to why (considering my goals) I should change my cycle or you have a well-researched alternative suggestion, then comments like that aren't very constructive.

-----PCT-----
Week 15-18 Nolvadex 40/40/20/20
(MAYBE) Week 15-18 Clomid 150/100/50/50

I'm also considering starting HCG injections after my final test pin and run it until week 16 (thus, it'd end 2 weeks before the cessation of nolva/clomid). What do you guys think? I'm also in the midst of absorbing a HUGE post from NeedToGetAAS (I think that's his alias) about alternative and more effective PCTs, but considering the proliferation of the nolva/clomid mix, I figure the above plan will suffice. Anyway, I'm curious as to opinions on the PCT. I realize it's rather hardcore for such a light cycle, but my balls are super important to me (children are clearly planned in the future), and I'm curious as to whether having a strong PCT is better or worse with that as a stretch goal.

Thanks in advance for anybody who read this and for those who comment! Let me also mention that me starting this cycle is predicated on the advice given to me by my doctor for back repair being "just give it time, stretch, light exercise, blah blah". I'll be visiting my doctor and seeing if that's the case on October 1st. If so, I'll start shortly after (albeit with MUCH more research by that point, and potentially with a different cycle depending on the information attained here and elsewhere), and I'll keep an exhaustingly detailed log (detailing side effects, how I feel, how hungry I am, sexual effects, all that -- all of which I'm very interested in seeing for myself and wish more first cyclers would do).

 

[Translocator]

Damn, silly me, equipose is not nearly as good of a choice for my purposes as is Anavar. I'll likely use Anavar instead...

 

[superbeast668]

Hey guys, as the title mentions this will be my first time using AAS. The reason for doing so was not motivated solely by muscle gains, though. Last year in November I had an unfortunate deadlifting experience while I was (apparently) developing the flu, and since then my back has been consistently... annoying. It has healed up for the most part, but is incessantly susceptible to strong and sudden spasms which immobilize me for the day and slowly heals back to relative normality within 2-3 days. Pain in the as- er, I mean back. Beyond that, though, even when it's "healed" it's still not quite like it should be. Perhaps I've been agitating it too much with either my desk job or my workouts despite being very careful.

Anyways, my point with this is that I would like to see the recovery benefits of AAS for my back. At least, I like to use that as justification for my first pinning experience, haha. Literature and studies seem to support the fact that it could certainly help with recovery (assuming I model a workout routine and other physical therapy around strengthening the back/spine and treat it well in general). The addition of equipose, in fact, is for this purpose more than anything considering its uses as both a muscle and bone/ligament repair outside of performance enhancement. If I was interested in an optimal first cycle I'd likely do a Test E-only cycle test my body against what would act as the base for any future cycles, but honestly, I'm not entirely concerned with that. If this experiment is successful, I'm not sure if I'll do another cycle anyway.

My secondary reason for wanting to stack equipose with test is that I can lower the dose of test and replace it with a less androgenic compound which also benefits the type of muscle development I'm more interested in (slow solid gains -- I'm not nor will I ever be a size junky (read: a mass-centric bodybuilder)). The reason this is beneficial to me is that I had rather serious acne as a teenager, and I'm not pining for a replay of those days.

-----STATS-----
Age: 21
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 163 lbs (Note my bodyfat and lifting numbers, and you'll need to see my pictures, too (when I post them, I'm not in a position to do so for the initial post). Also note that I've just generally always been very lean -- I have very light bones (it seems), which makes me incredible at throwing my body around)
Bodyfat %: ~7-8% (I'm very lean with defined abs/ab veins -- I've always held incredible leanness as greatly important, so this cycle would be used to accomodate a lean bulk)
Years training: ~7 years (some of this was not strength training, I've had stints of sprint training as well, and as usual some years weren't as "useful" as others )

-----LIFTS-----
Bench Press: 245x5 (cleanly and slowly touching my chest, I'm a form nazi)
Dumbbell Press: 100's x 7
Incline Dumbbell Press: 95's x 6 (I know, right?)
Weighted Pullup (chins are a bit heavier, but similar): Bodyweight + 145 x 5
DB Shoulder Press: 75 x 6-7

NOTE THAT I HAVEN'T DONE SQUATS NOR DEADLIFTS SINCE MY BACK INJURY (they seriously aggravate my back. F*ckin back, man). However, these were my numbers before the incident:
Squat: 350 x 5 (truly ATG -- as in, hams to calves)
Deadlifting: 375 x 5 (I wasn't quite as happy with this lift...)

I have replaced these with hyper back extensions for lower back (strong dead replacement right? God dammit), and single leg - leg extensions. On a machine with a roughly 45 degree incline, I use three plates on each side (6 in total) and go cleanly below parallel slowly for 15/12/10 reps. I hated replacing squats, but hey, my legs haven't shrunk TOO much.

-----CYCLE-----
Week 1-13 Test-Enanthate 250mg/week
Week 1-12 Equipose 300mg/week
Week 1-13 I'll have both Nolvadex and Arimidex on hand and treat specific symptoms as they come

This is obviously a rather low dose cycle, but my fears of "less gains" are hindered greatly by the fact that I don't really give as much of a **** about the gains as back repair, and by the fact that there are myriad examples of this cycle dosing working wonders for first time cyclers. Still though, I'm interested in your input. If it is simply "Yeah so anything under 500mg/week of test is useless brah, that's like TRT levels man, that's what my f*ckin grandma produces brah" then, unless you have a logical argument as to why (considering my goals) I should change my cycle or you have a well-researched alternative suggestion, then comments like that aren't very constructive.

-----PCT-----
Week 15-18 Nolvadex 40/40/20/20
(MAYBE) Week 15-18 Clomid 150/100/50/50

I'm also considering starting HCG injections after my final test pin and run it until week 16 (thus, it'd end 2 weeks before the cessation of nolva/clomid). What do you guys think? I'm also in the midst of absorbing a HUGE post from NeedToGetAAS (I think that's his alias) about alternative and more effective PCTs, but considering the proliferation of the nolva/clomid mix, I figure the above plan will suffice. Anyway, I'm curious as to opinions on the PCT. I realize it's rather hardcore for such a light cycle, but my balls are super important to me (children are clearly planned in the future), and I'm curious as to whether having a strong PCT is better or worse with that as a stretch goal.

Thanks in advance for anybody who read this and for those who comment! Let me also mention that me starting this cycle is predicated on the advice given to me by my doctor for back repair being "just give it time, stretch, light exercise, blah blah". I'll be visiting my doctor and seeing if that's the case on October 1st. If so, I'll start shortly after (albeit with MUCH more research by that point, and potentially with a different cycle depending on the information attained here and elsewhere), and I'll keep an exhaustingly detailed log (detailing side effects, how I feel, how hungry I am, sexual effects, all that -- all of which I'm very interested in seeing for myself and wish more first cyclers would do).

Lift more. Eat better. 5'11" 165 is definitely no ones genetic potential. 21 is a bit young. Gain abit naturally. Let your endocrine system fully mature. Anabolics probably wont do anything for your back... if it does your relief will be temporary at best. theres no need to rush into using gear.

When the time comes for your first cycle i dont recommend 2 injectable long estered compounds. Eq can be not as mild as they say when it comes to sides. 500mg test e and 40-100mg var will suit you just fine.

You said it your self in your post, 250mgs test is hrt doses. Why shut down your hpta over that? 300mg of eq, ive never dosed that low, id suggest 400 or even 600 if you are dead set on low dosed test.

For hcg, use it at 250iu's e3d starting when your nuts start to shrink, so possibly around weeks 2-4 and take it up until you start your nolva. Hcg is suppressive. I wouldn't blast it during pct at all.

 

[Translocator]

Thanks for the info. Also, I realize that I'm certainly not at my genetic potential (and in fact, I'm not interested in surpassing that, anyways) in terms of muscle size. However, continuing to build muscle while preserving my abs is becoming more and more of an impossibility as more serious bulks are becoming more necessary. I realize it's sort of stupid/selfish to bar myself from going on a true balls-to-the-wall bulk because I can't keep my abs, but I'm not craving gains so strongly as to give away what sets me apart from other lifters (my leanness, and thus aesthetics). Besides which, I don't generally train like a bodybuilder anyways, so my weight won't be as high as others prefer to be. Look at my lifts - I am strong, and that's what I care a bit more about.

AAS will get me to where I want to be more quickly, and considering what I actually want as an end goal, I can likely maintain my gains far better than those who use gear to surpass their natural limit. Essentially, I'm blasting through a plateau and will reach my genetic potential much more quickly with AAS, from which point I can continue training hard simply to maintain what I consider the perfect size.

Anyways, I've actually conducted a bunch of "anecdotal research" as I call it with forum browsing since originally posting the OP, and I've come to the conclusion that the following would be a far better choice of cycle:

Weeks 1-12 Test E 400 mg wk - This seems to be a low enough dose to circumvent sides but provide a clear kick in strength/whatnot
Weeks 7-14 Anavar 60mg ED
with Arimidex on hand

Considering the half life of Anavar, I would begin my PCT at the end of taking the orals. I'll take your advice regarding the HCG and will consider stopping it with my last test injection to allow the LH feedback loop to restart over two weeks before beginning the proper PCT. That would have me using HCG starting at weeks 2-4 up until my last pin in week 12. Some suggest running stopping HCG RIGHT before PCT, while others recommend waiting the 2 weeks. Given this difference in opinions: more research!

Anyway, one thing that has given me a greater motivation to do this cycle is that I've found several people running a similar cycle (a little more or less test) with what seems like the same chronic back issues I face, and they say their problem has diminished almost entirely while it persisted for years before they took the AAS route. I'm just jumping the gun, I guess.

 

[superbeast668]

Hey man, you've done some reading, thats great. I just worry about the endocrine system being young and all. My numbers didnt drop till 23-24. Its your choice, you've done your research and your cycle lay out looks very good. Worrying about abs is a bit selfish, i totally understand though. After all we all lift for aesthetics as well as feeling good and strength and everything else. You seem dead set on running your cycle, so i suppose go for it, but please be smart, get pre and post cycle blood work done just to be certain you dont end up on trt to keep your abs and gain some mass.