If you read DR.D's entire post about pulsing, you take half dose preworkout and the other half post workout. On off days you take an AI.
A lot of guys have been asking me to clarify the theory behindthis cycling technique, so here's a basic explanation.
What is "pulse" cycling? Pulsing is a method of dosing that isintentionally designed to avoid potential long-term side effects such as HPTAsuppression and liver stress. This technique was originally developed in aneffort to prevent the usual HPAA suppression experienced during long-termcorticosteroid therapy in children. With pulse therapy, it was observed thatthe serious long-term side effects of chronic oral treatment were oftenprevented, and the short-term side effects like acne and mineral retention weretypically much milder. This can also allow for higher doses to be used sincethe dosing is less frequent. Starting with this template, if one normally takesa product at 30 mg/day, that equals a total intake of 210 mg/week. Whilepulsing, one might typically take 40 mg of that same product on work out daysonly, 3 times per week. That calculates to 120 mg/week total, which is 90 mgless than usual. This provides the needed benefits of the product at arguablythe most crucial metabolic times, which are just before and just after a workout. This offers a means of possibly attenuating the endocrine suppression thatone might otherwise encounter on a standard cycle. In many cases, aconventional post cycle therapy should not be required after a typical 4 weekpulse. However, while pulses of 6-8 weeks are permissible, a conventional postcycle therapy may still be prudent for some individuals. Idiosyncrasy seems toplay a big role in regard to tolerance of duration, so general predictionsobviously become tricky as duration increases.
Theoretically, if one doses every day in perfectly spaced intervals, one shouldachieve 100% effects, 100% short-term sides, and 100% long-term sides. If onedoses every other day like the pulse protocol, one might better anticipate 60%effects, 75% short-term sides but only about 40% of the long-term sides. Thismeans that if one would have gained 10 pounds on a standard 1 month cycle, onemight instead only gain about 6 pounds per month pulsing. Since the time on isroughly only half when pulsing, the total length of the cycle can be doubled tobasically 2 months. Using the same calculation, the net result would be a gainof 12 pounds over 2 months, instead of the 10 pound gain expected from the 1month standard cycle. That means a greater net gain of 2 pounds per cycle, andperhaps a more permanent gain due to the slower rate of acquisition and longertime of reinforcement! For this reason, pulsing can be very economical on thebody as well as the wallet, and offer a desirable alternative for conservativeveterans just looking to stay in shape, or potential new comers exploringadditional safety measures.
There are three common types of pulse:
1) EOD dosing (3-4 times per week)
2) 2 days on / 2 days off
3) 2 weeks on / 2 weeks off (2 wks is the longest viable on time consideration,no longer)
Depending on one's workout schedule, one of these options may offer optimalpulsing efficiency. On average, effective doses may typically be around 1.5xthe normal daily dose of a standard cycle, and these doses are taken very closeto one other. It's not essential that the last dose be administered before 6pm, but the earlier the better for reducing suppression potential. Half thetotal dose can be taken pre work out, and the other half taken post work out.If an odd numbered dose is used, the greater of the 2 doses might best be takenpre work out. However, when pulsing non-methylated or fast acting supplements,the greater dose would instead be best utilized post work out based onhalf-life considerations. Individuals who are extremely sensitive to shutdownmay even prefer to take the entire dose pre work out. When pulsing, dosing atleast 3 day per week but not more than 4 day per week should foster optimalresults.
There are a few miscellaneous nutrition considerations that would be wise tokeep in mind. Having a quality, high carb/calorie post work out meal (or shake)is important to proper recovery, and ingesting sufficient protein especially onthe off days doesn't hurt either. A cortisol antagonist like low dose DHEA(25-50 mg) may be helpful for slow healers or hard gainers. Some studies showthat cortisol peaks in the morning and again in the mid afternoon, which mighttherefore be the ideal times for an anti-cort. An herbal or AI basedtest-boosting supplement used nightly (or at least on one's off nights) mightprove very effective as additional insurance to discourage the possibility ofsuppression. SERMs with long half-lives probably require extra considerationand caution. One may observe that testicular volume and/or testosterone levelsreset slightly above previous baseline at the end of 2 consecutive off days, orat the end of the cycle itself. This phenomenon is called 'bounce' back. Thisseemingly paradoxical bounce appears to reflect the body's short-termhomeostasis effort, and acts somewhat like a built-in pct with this method.It's also good to remember that the smaller number of dose exposures likelymeans faster liver clearance of your supplement. Liver ancillaries (likehealthy oils and anti-oxidants) are not contraindicated, but Milk Thistle inhigh doses could act counter productive to gains. Therefore, if you elect touse liver protectants, reserving them for off days only might be good middleground. As always, I suggest that one only consider using legal, commerciallyavailable nutritional supplements, and always consult a physician prior to useof any supplement. Cycle safe!
Example of a 3x/wk pulse M,W,F:
Week-Dose(mg)
1 (10,20,30)
2 30
3 30-40
4 30-40
5 30-50
6 30-50
7 30-60
8 30-60
Example of a 4x/wk pulse Sat, Sun, Wed, Thur:
Week-Dose(mg)
1 (10,20,30,30)
2 30
3 30-40
4 30-40
5 30-50
6 30-50
