CYCLE SUMMARY AND ASSESSMENT
Cycle Protocol Review:
TZ: 3 3 3 4 4 4 4
TM: 0 45 45 60 60 60 60
TB: 40 40 40 30 0 0 0
Assessment of Cycle Aims:
It’s been one hell of a run.
I began this cycle with various goals in mind. The obvious search for size and strength withstanding, a primary goal of this cycle was to preserve, solidify, and expand a large degree of pre-existing strength that had dipped somewhat with my adoption of a “hands-off” training style. This was thus largely an attempt to make up “lost ground”, and facilitate my transition to spotter-free training in an efficient and safe fashion.
In this regard, the cycle has exceeded my expectations.
As it stands, here are some PRs that were hit during this run:
BB Flat: 305
BB Squat: 465
BB Deadlift: 480 (low in practice compared to the squat, theoretically it will be higher but I have not attempted more than this yet, and only reversed my squat-before-deadlift lift order once on this cycle)
My pressing has always been my weak point, but to have still broken the 300lb barrier is a major achievement for me, and in fact I’m certain that on a “good day” I could hit both a 315lb bench and a 500lb deadlift—but assuredly it will come in time.
Weight and Size Gains:
As previously noted, I am aware of the difficulties that cycling can create when one tries to differentiate LBM gain from fat/glycogen/water gains. I began this run at ~167lbs and have finished in the ~175-76 range. I expect some water/glycogen will whittle down this number but as per the rigors of my caloric intake (this was not an all-out bulk) I believe fat gains were kept to a minimal amount and well within the range of acceptable “lean bulking” levels.
Aesthetically, this combination of compounds produced a notable and impressive increase in vascularity, a “hardening” and “grainy” appearance (particularly in the delt-pectoral-tricep chain and legs). However, my personal response to Trenazone has frequently been one of heavy midsection water-retention and bloating, as well as a fantastic post-application pump that—combined with the sectional “grainy” appearance of the Triumphalis—produced an exemplary visual effect for my chest, delts, arms, quads, and hamstrings.
Side Effects:
Those of you who have been following from the start of the log are aware of the gyno flareup, which I attribute to my own estrogen sensitivity and choice in running Trestobol (Trestolone), an aromatizing compound. Upon discontinuing Trestobol, sensitive did appear to subside somewhat and at this point is largely negligible compared to the “peak” of the flareup.
The other prominent side effects for this run, meaning sides experienced on a frequent basis, include:
back pumps, acne, and night sweats.
Mistakes and Miscalculations:
You may be familiar with a particular type of trainee who is intent on staying relatively lean or at 11-12% year-round, and whose apprehension towards “eating big” impedes his own progression towards weight gain or taking full advantage of a cycle—I am one of those trainees. Although I did break through this barrier somewhat for the last 3 weeks of the cycle, I do believe I could have eaten more at the start of the run, but these are lessons that must be lived and learned.
Regardless, I did in fact put on size, and I am easily the best I have ever looked thus far. Perhaps the greatest compliments I received during this run were from NPC competitors/victors who were impressed but what I have done so far without the use of full-blown AAS, and to be told that I do in fact have a physique which is viable for competition.
There is of course the issue of Trestobol as well, but in fact this was a gamble on my part and the flareup is my personal response to it: to those of you who are not estrogen sensitive and know this from practical experience: run Trest! At 40mg PWO or at even higher doses spread out the day, the pumps are absolutely phenomenal and almost immobilizing even, it was a blast but unfortunately I cannot meddle with aromatizing compounds anymore.
Future Plans:
Currently, the focus will be on retaining size and strength (and gaining, even, if I am so fortunate) over the course of a six-week PCT regiment. This will be tracked, along with inter-cycle training in this “natty” phase, in a separate log within the appropriate subforum.
Caloric intake will remain high (part of the reason why I dislike an excessive surplus during cycles—there is less flexibility to be had with PCT fat gains) but will be entirely clean, as is expected and as is usual.
As I’ve stated before, I would like to compete within 2-3 years or so, or when I have reached an off-season weight necessary for my desired stage-weight. I was fortunate enough to have met local competitors in the last few days of the cycle and there is a real potential that I will be training with them once summer school is completed and I’ve finished university for good. Until then, I will trudge through PCT as I have done before.
As far as future PH/DS cycling is concerned, once post-PCT bloodwork returns with acceptable values I will perhaps embark on a Mithras-Triumphalis or Mithras-Mechabol bridge, but there will be much time to consider my plans
Gratitude:
I would like to thank all of you who followed the log, voiced support, encouraged dialogue, and asked questions about the run.
A log is only as valuable as the dialogue it generates. Logs should not simply be the purview of brief reviews and assessments where people give their standard “I ran X, gained Y, had sides Z”, but rather a thread where both the author and readership are encouraged to think about their experience with training, their goals, weak points, and what the “point” of their cycling is to be—both in the ideal and in the reality of things.
There will of course be some who find this approach “boring”, but I assert that training is at its core a character-building and introspective experience—the benefits of strength and aesthetic developments are only perks of what should be a larger endeavor to recreate oneself through the iron, and to set oneself apart from the norm.
Those who do not approach training as an introspective experience are depriving themselves of an entire sphere of personal development, hopefully this log, the achievements (and failures herein), and the “after photographs” demonstrate some of the benefits that this contemplative approach can bring.
