First H-drol cycle - Please review!
- Thread starter LAGear
- Start date
LAGear
Active member
I don't think taking half the dose of Cycle Support was the problem.
Everything was back to normal today though so all is well
LAGear
Active member
Day 31
No subjective changes to report with respect to energy, libido, etc. Everything is pretty much normal on any subjective measure.
Yesterday I ran for the first time in almost three weeks. Man is that frustrating considering my goal was to cut! But knee soreness has relegated me to the eliptical for much of this cycle.
Run did not feel good. Legs felt tight and back was sore. Legs being tight is probably due to the fact that I hadn't run for so long. Back pain while running most likely has something to do with the cycle.
For the last week I've dropped caloric intake into a deficit to enhance the cut. Seems to have done the trick. Most fatty body areas are down since last week but biceps are up 1/16" and since the start of the cycle they are up 5/8".
Body fat, according to my calipers, is down to 6.3% which is down a full point from 7.3% which is where I started. That's a reduction of nearly 14% of the fat I started with.
Body weight is down from my cycle high and up just about 1.5lb from my pre-cycle plateau. Body composition changes are satisfying since my goal was to cut. I know I can't have my cake and eat it to but I would have liked to put on more LBM.
I have four days left on this cycle. Gym is closed on Monday but I'm going to hit it hard the other three days. I'll take some post-cycle pictures and post them next week along with final thoughts about the cycle.
I know it must be placebo because it's only been a few days but I am loving the Napalm.
No subjective changes to report with respect to energy, libido, etc. Everything is pretty much normal on any subjective measure.
Yesterday I ran for the first time in almost three weeks. Man is that frustrating considering my goal was to cut! But knee soreness has relegated me to the eliptical for much of this cycle.
Run did not feel good. Legs felt tight and back was sore. Legs being tight is probably due to the fact that I hadn't run for so long. Back pain while running most likely has something to do with the cycle.
For the last week I've dropped caloric intake into a deficit to enhance the cut. Seems to have done the trick. Most fatty body areas are down since last week but biceps are up 1/16" and since the start of the cycle they are up 5/8".
Body fat, according to my calipers, is down to 6.3% which is down a full point from 7.3% which is where I started. That's a reduction of nearly 14% of the fat I started with.
Body weight is down from my cycle high and up just about 1.5lb from my pre-cycle plateau. Body composition changes are satisfying since my goal was to cut. I know I can't have my cake and eat it to but I would have liked to put on more LBM.
I have four days left on this cycle. Gym is closed on Monday but I'm going to hit it hard the other three days. I'll take some post-cycle pictures and post them next week along with final thoughts about the cycle.
I know it must be placebo because it's only been a few days but I am loving the Napalm.
LAGear
Active member
We'll see. It's weird that I say I'm experiencing placebo. I tend to be a non-responder to EVERYTHING and so I never expect that anything is going to work for me. I usually have the opposite of placebo. It's just something about rubbing the Napalm on and the sensation you get for the next couple of hours that makes me feel like it's working. But I think it's all in my head
LAGear
Active member
I'm going to take Torem @ 120 for the first three days then run 60/60/30/30 as you advised.
Would you recommend adding Formex into my PCT? I'm thinking of starting it in week two or three of PCT.
KgTomCat
Well-known member
Ive never used it but read to start it in PCT and run it all the way through
LAGear
Active member
There are all kinds of ways to do it. GMG is on the ball so I was hoping to get his input.
I'm not inclined to start an AI at the beginning of PCT when estro is already in the tank. Maybe take it EOD for the first week or so as a precaution. You don't want to wipe estro out just regulate it during homeostasis.
What's your take GMG?
psulifter
Member
LAGear
Active member
I use these electronic calipers to measure - Invalid Link Removed. It uses three readings from your chest, abdomen and thigh. I've gotten pretty good at getting consistent readings, but I'm not sure how accurate they are. I tested today and it said I was down to 5.7%. I don't know if that's accurate (I doubt it) but I'm certain that BF is down quite a bit from before the cycle when it said I was over 7%. And I know that BIA is total crap.
If I was 12% I would not be happy.
Today is day three of my PCT. I've been meaning to post an update along with new pictures. I'll attach pictures to this post and follow up with an update later. These pictures are from Day 36 which was Day 1 of PCT.
I don't know how the hell I got my back to look so big in the last set of pictures but I can't seem to get that same pose again.
I didn't start with the best lighting conditions but I'm trying to replicate them along the way. I think the photos are suffering as a result. With better lighting the results and changes would look better. I think my stupid avatar picture looks better than these
GMG760
Well-known member
Well, if you have a SERM to use, I would say start at the beginning of week 3 at a high dose and taper down. I don't understand all the 25/75/25/75 stuff that some of the formex users are running.
If I was using transdermal form, I would dose 200/100/100/50 or something to that extent.
GMG760
Well-known member
I use these electronic calipers to measure - Invalid Link Removed. It uses three readings from your chest, abdomen and thigh. I've gotten pretty good at getting consistent readings, but I'm not sure how accurate they are. I tested today and it said I was down to 5.7%. I don't know if that's accurate (I doubt it) but I'm certain that BF is down quite a bit from before the cycle when it said I was over 7%. And I know that BIA is total crap.
If I was 12% I would not be happy.
Today is day three of my PCT. I've been meaning to post an update along with new pictures. I'll attach pictures to this post and follow up with an update later. These pictures are from Day 36 which was Day 1 of PCT.
I don't know how the hell I got my back to look so big in the last set of pictures but I can't seem to get that same pose again.
I didn't start with the best lighting conditions but I'm trying to replicate them along the way. I think the photos are suffering as a result. With better lighting the results and changes would look better. I think my stupid avatar picture looks better than these
View attachment 27950
View attachment 27951
View attachment 27952
You cant flex your rhomboids and lats very well at the same time. That's why it's called a lat spread, not a lat flex. When flexing your double biceps press your elbow slightly in to get your lats to spread, then pull your shoulder back to bring your hands/elbows back into the correct position. It's a really tough pose to get down. I don't really know how to explain it that well. The best way to see back thickness is to put your hands on your hips and to push the shoulders forward, while spreading the lats. IDK if I am even explaining this right.
LAGear
Active member
Formex is hard to taper because you can only dose by factors of 25. So based on all the different things I read this is what I settled on 25 EOD/25/50/50/25/25. You think tapering Formex up and then back down is a bad idea?
The very last week of Formex I may go EOD to give myself more of a taper.
GMG760
Well-known member
It's honestly just speculation on my part. I would ask an IBE rep if I were you. Sorry, but this is my first time running formestane as well.
LAGear
Active member
So today is Day 40/PCT Day 5.
I waited until today to update because I update my weight chart on Sundays and wanted to include this week. My cycle ended on Tuesday so half the stats from the last week are from the cycle and half from PCT.
This is my final plan for PCT which I've obviously been following for five days now.
Weeks 1-4: Torem - 120x3, 90x1, 60x3 / 60 / 60x4, 30x3 / 30
Weeks 1-4: Diesel Test Hardcore - 4 ED one day off each week per label directions.
Weeks 1-6: Formex: 25 EOD / 25 / 50/ 50/ 25/ 25 EOD
Weeks 1-4: Life Support: 4 ED
Weeks 3-6: PCS 2x2 ED
**Weeks 3-6: Lean Xtreme 3 / 3 / 3 / 2x4, 1x3
Last week of cycle until I run out: Napalm 2 pumps ED
Weeks 1-6: Creatine 5g ED x 5 (loading) / 1g ED
Day 1 until I run out: N.O.-Xplode 2 scoops pre workout on lifting days only
**I was chosen to log Lean Fuel Extreme which may take the place of LX if they can't be run together.
I was going to use I3C but was convinced that it'll lead to hormone manipulation overload. I'm just going to let the Torem and Formex do their thing without the I3C which seems to be a bit of a wildcard.
I was also going to use PowerFull in PCT but the owner of USPlabs posts on AM and is a self-proclaimed Internet troll and proud of it (I'm biting my tongue as to what I really think of him) so I won't ever use their products. I bought it and I'm returning it.
From the point I started my cycle until today there have been very few sides. No aggression, increased well being, libido changes, acne, hair loss, dry joints, energy changes, hunger changes, etc. If I'm being really objective I wouldn't have known there was anything going on. However, I was taking support supps like cussus and taurine to help minimize sides.
The main side effect I had was fleeting testicular sensitivity as described in another thread. Except it wasn't in my testes, the discomfort was in my lower abdomen, same kind of feeling you get when your nuts are kicked (but not that bad). It's still not completely gone which is a little worrisome but there's a lot of PCT left. I also think I may have had back pumps from time to time but nothing debilitating. I may have had minor shrinkage but not enough to say for sure.
The day after the cycle ended I had a sense of relief. I feel like I was really stressed out during the cycle. There was a lot of pressure to lift hard and consistently. Eat right. Avoid caffeine. Avoid alcohol. I can honestly say that from the day I drank my first Coke as a child this is the first time I've ever gone 35 days with ZERO caffeine. It was stressful. I was lifting hard 5-6 days a week and I haven't done that in a long time. I'm going to drop that down to 4 days a week for PCT. Other than feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders I haven't felt any different during the first five days of PCT.
Two things that may affect me in PCT -- I've got some lower back pain (not pumps) from the last time I did deads. I am probably going to skip deads next time they come around but I hope the back soreness doesn't affect any other lifts. I'm also going to be on vacation during week three of PCT and not sure how much training I'll be able to get in that week (hotel has a "gym" but it probably sucks) and keeping diet clean is going to be a MAJOR challenge.
In terms of weight changes it looks like I put on 3lb net. There was some fat loss, which was the primary goal, so I'm guessing I put on 4-6lb of muscle and so far it's sticking. During the second half of my five week cycle there were some days where I felt a bit stronger than usual, but most days I can't say that I noticed much difference. There were very few times where I felt like I was "on."
For the first ~4 weeks of my cycle I was consuming 2500-2700 calories a day which for me is at or just slightly above maintenance. Then the last week or so I dropped back down to ~2200 to help boost the cut -- this is what I was eating prior to the cycle when cutting naturally. Macro breakdown was always very close to 40P/30F/30C.
Cardio wasn't anywhere close to where I would have liked it to be. Right around the start of my cycle I had a little knee tenderness which I think was due to overuse. I did 15-20 minutes of cardio 2-4 times per week (usually elliptical machine) but at a lower intensity than the HIIT running I normally do. However, in hindsight I don't know that the lower intensity cardio hurt my progress.
According to my electronic calipers I went from 7.3% BF to 5.7%BF which is a reduction of 23% of my body fat (but only 2.5lb of fat). I really doubt I'm at 5.6% BF though. Depending on lighting I can look a heck of a lot leaner than I do in the pictures I posted but at 5.6% I imagine my body would be pure muscle definition everywhere and that's definitely not the case.
As you can see from the weight graph the median line was very slowly creeping up before my cycle. During the cycle it "shot" up about 3lb. A few weeks ago there was a blip up to 172lb and this past week there was a blip down to 167lb. Ignore the blips, those readings lasted one day, if I tossed those values out the graph would be a lot smoother. I remember getting really excited the day my weight jumped to 172 it was right around week three when things are supposed to get fun and I was like "Oh yeah, here we go!" but then the next day was back to reality. The day I dipped down to 167 was the first day after the cycle ended. I was like WTF? All my gains are already gone? I didn't even get a chance to save them! But then the next day I was back up again which was a relief. As I said before I think the median line is most telling because it eliminates the wild peaks and valleys.
One interesting observation is that before the cycle my weight naturally fluctuated a lot even though I feel like my training and diet were consistent. During the cycle there was very little fluctuation, especially if you disregard the blips of 172 and 167. It'll be interesting to see if things remain steady during PCT or start fluctuating again.
As for body measurements the changes are confusing. Waist is up 5/16 from the start of the cycle but at one point I was up 7/8. Hips are down 3/16 from the start of the cycle but at one point were up 7/16. Measurement around my ass has no change but at one point was up 13/16. Thigh is up 1/16 but at one point was up 9/16. Bicep is up 9/16 but at one point was up 5/8. Chest is down 11/16 but at one point was up 1/8. So as you can see there's been quite a bit of fluctuation here; I have to assume some of that is due to measurement error even though I tried to be diligent in taking my measurements. But some of the fluctuation must be attributable to recomp as well.
Other supplements that I took during the cycle and will continue to use are Xtend, Whey/Casein proteins, CLA, EFA, beta alanine, cissus, green tea extract (stopped this during cycle because of caffeine content). Will start using liver tabs again when Torem is complete (iron content makes it stressful on liver).
So that's about it. I tried to cover all the bases but let me know if you have any questions.
I will post pictures and updated weight charts every two weeks of PCT.
I waited until today to update because I update my weight chart on Sundays and wanted to include this week. My cycle ended on Tuesday so half the stats from the last week are from the cycle and half from PCT.
This is my final plan for PCT which I've obviously been following for five days now.
Weeks 1-4: Torem - 120x3, 90x1, 60x3 / 60 / 60x4, 30x3 / 30
Weeks 1-4: Diesel Test Hardcore - 4 ED one day off each week per label directions.
Weeks 1-6: Formex: 25 EOD / 25 / 50/ 50/ 25/ 25 EOD
Weeks 1-4: Life Support: 4 ED
Weeks 3-6: PCS 2x2 ED
**Weeks 3-6: Lean Xtreme 3 / 3 / 3 / 2x4, 1x3
Last week of cycle until I run out: Napalm 2 pumps ED
Weeks 1-6: Creatine 5g ED x 5 (loading) / 1g ED
Day 1 until I run out: N.O.-Xplode 2 scoops pre workout on lifting days only
**I was chosen to log Lean Fuel Extreme which may take the place of LX if they can't be run together.
I was going to use I3C but was convinced that it'll lead to hormone manipulation overload. I'm just going to let the Torem and Formex do their thing without the I3C which seems to be a bit of a wildcard.
I was also going to use PowerFull in PCT but the owner of USPlabs posts on AM and is a self-proclaimed Internet troll and proud of it (I'm biting my tongue as to what I really think of him) so I won't ever use their products. I bought it and I'm returning it.
From the point I started my cycle until today there have been very few sides. No aggression, increased well being, libido changes, acne, hair loss, dry joints, energy changes, hunger changes, etc. If I'm being really objective I wouldn't have known there was anything going on. However, I was taking support supps like cussus and taurine to help minimize sides.
The main side effect I had was fleeting testicular sensitivity as described in another thread. Except it wasn't in my testes, the discomfort was in my lower abdomen, same kind of feeling you get when your nuts are kicked (but not that bad). It's still not completely gone which is a little worrisome but there's a lot of PCT left. I also think I may have had back pumps from time to time but nothing debilitating. I may have had minor shrinkage but not enough to say for sure.
The day after the cycle ended I had a sense of relief. I feel like I was really stressed out during the cycle. There was a lot of pressure to lift hard and consistently. Eat right. Avoid caffeine. Avoid alcohol. I can honestly say that from the day I drank my first Coke as a child this is the first time I've ever gone 35 days with ZERO caffeine. It was stressful. I was lifting hard 5-6 days a week and I haven't done that in a long time. I'm going to drop that down to 4 days a week for PCT. Other than feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders I haven't felt any different during the first five days of PCT.
Two things that may affect me in PCT -- I've got some lower back pain (not pumps) from the last time I did deads. I am probably going to skip deads next time they come around but I hope the back soreness doesn't affect any other lifts. I'm also going to be on vacation during week three of PCT and not sure how much training I'll be able to get in that week (hotel has a "gym" but it probably sucks) and keeping diet clean is going to be a MAJOR challenge.
In terms of weight changes it looks like I put on 3lb net. There was some fat loss, which was the primary goal, so I'm guessing I put on 4-6lb of muscle and so far it's sticking. During the second half of my five week cycle there were some days where I felt a bit stronger than usual, but most days I can't say that I noticed much difference. There were very few times where I felt like I was "on."
For the first ~4 weeks of my cycle I was consuming 2500-2700 calories a day which for me is at or just slightly above maintenance. Then the last week or so I dropped back down to ~2200 to help boost the cut -- this is what I was eating prior to the cycle when cutting naturally. Macro breakdown was always very close to 40P/30F/30C.
Cardio wasn't anywhere close to where I would have liked it to be. Right around the start of my cycle I had a little knee tenderness which I think was due to overuse. I did 15-20 minutes of cardio 2-4 times per week (usually elliptical machine) but at a lower intensity than the HIIT running I normally do. However, in hindsight I don't know that the lower intensity cardio hurt my progress.
According to my electronic calipers I went from 7.3% BF to 5.7%BF which is a reduction of 23% of my body fat (but only 2.5lb of fat). I really doubt I'm at 5.6% BF though. Depending on lighting I can look a heck of a lot leaner than I do in the pictures I posted but at 5.6% I imagine my body would be pure muscle definition everywhere and that's definitely not the case.
As you can see from the weight graph the median line was very slowly creeping up before my cycle. During the cycle it "shot" up about 3lb. A few weeks ago there was a blip up to 172lb and this past week there was a blip down to 167lb. Ignore the blips, those readings lasted one day, if I tossed those values out the graph would be a lot smoother. I remember getting really excited the day my weight jumped to 172 it was right around week three when things are supposed to get fun and I was like "Oh yeah, here we go!" but then the next day was back to reality. The day I dipped down to 167 was the first day after the cycle ended. I was like WTF? All my gains are already gone? I didn't even get a chance to save them! But then the next day I was back up again which was a relief. As I said before I think the median line is most telling because it eliminates the wild peaks and valleys.
One interesting observation is that before the cycle my weight naturally fluctuated a lot even though I feel like my training and diet were consistent. During the cycle there was very little fluctuation, especially if you disregard the blips of 172 and 167. It'll be interesting to see if things remain steady during PCT or start fluctuating again.
Invalid Link Removed
As for body measurements the changes are confusing. Waist is up 5/16 from the start of the cycle but at one point I was up 7/8. Hips are down 3/16 from the start of the cycle but at one point were up 7/16. Measurement around my ass has no change but at one point was up 13/16. Thigh is up 1/16 but at one point was up 9/16. Bicep is up 9/16 but at one point was up 5/8. Chest is down 11/16 but at one point was up 1/8. So as you can see there's been quite a bit of fluctuation here; I have to assume some of that is due to measurement error even though I tried to be diligent in taking my measurements. But some of the fluctuation must be attributable to recomp as well.
Other supplements that I took during the cycle and will continue to use are Xtend, Whey/Casein proteins, CLA, EFA, beta alanine, cissus, green tea extract (stopped this during cycle because of caffeine content). Will start using liver tabs again when Torem is complete (iron content makes it stressful on liver).
So that's about it. I tried to cover all the bases but let me know if you have any questions.
I will post pictures and updated weight charts every two weeks of PCT.
LAGear
Active member
Thanks man!
It's encouraging and motivating to hear that. I went to a party on Friday where I saw people I hadn't seen in a few months and a couple of them made comments there.
Good to know I'm not spinning my wheels which I often feel like I'm doing.
LAGear
Active member
F*******CK!!!!!
I tweaked my lower back last week doing deads. I was surprised to make it through a workout on Friday that included squats and woodchops. Saturday I was in MAJOR pain. Today was waaaaay better so I hit the gym.
I did a six minute warmup jog with no pain which was encouraging but on my second warmup set of bent over bb rows I re-aggravated my back badly. I had to abort the workout, I couldn't do much of anything. It hurts to walk. I came home and managed to get a few good sets of pushups and pullups without too much trouble but this isn't going to cut it.
I should give my back a break but I know I've got to push just as hard in PCT as on cycle to keep my gains. Sooooo frustrating!!!!!
Taking a week off now will mean I take two weeks off because I'm on vacation the week after.
Will massage help? PT? I see trainers at my gym stretch their clients out after workouts; seems like that would be therapeutic. Are there places I can go to get stretched out that way?
I tweaked my lower back last week doing deads. I was surprised to make it through a workout on Friday that included squats and woodchops. Saturday I was in MAJOR pain. Today was waaaaay better so I hit the gym.
I did a six minute warmup jog with no pain which was encouraging but on my second warmup set of bent over bb rows I re-aggravated my back badly. I had to abort the workout, I couldn't do much of anything. It hurts to walk. I came home and managed to get a few good sets of pushups and pullups without too much trouble but this isn't going to cut it.
I should give my back a break but I know I've got to push just as hard in PCT as on cycle to keep my gains. Sooooo frustrating!!!!!
Taking a week off now will mean I take two weeks off because I'm on vacation the week after.
Will massage help? PT? I see trainers at my gym stretch their clients out after workouts; seems like that would be therapeutic. Are there places I can go to get stretched out that way?
LAGear
Active member
Not a fan of chiropractors.
It's definitely a muscle issue and not a spine issue so I'm not sure there's much a chiropractor can do for that. Is thre?
LAGear
Active member
Great advice from both. I'll see if I can find a referral for a good local chiro. But I don't know about getting an adjustment, I hear in the longrun that can do more harm than good. But all the other stuff sounds good.
I was using a lot of extra strength Bengay but then I remembered that you can overdose from that stuff. A lot of people just consider it a topical but it's actually a transdermal and if you use too much you can have serious side effects. I know it sounds funny but I read about an athlete who died from an OD, I'm sure that's extremely rare but she's probably not the only one.
LAGear
Active member
Here's the story abut the girl who OD'd on Bengay: Invalid Link Removed
My workout today went a lot better. I made it through a set of close grip pulldowns but had to cut the wide grip pulldowns short. I also made it through a set of Arnolds but had to cut my check presses short. Hanging knee raises are about the only ab exercise I can do, everything else puts a lot of stress on my lower back.
Not my best workout but probably strenuous enough to help preserve gains. Considering how much better I felt today than yesterday I ain't complaining.
I also took the advice you guys gave me and made an appointment with a chiropractor. I hope the guy performs miracles.
My workout today went a lot better. I made it through a set of close grip pulldowns but had to cut the wide grip pulldowns short. I also made it through a set of Arnolds but had to cut my check presses short. Hanging knee raises are about the only ab exercise I can do, everything else puts a lot of stress on my lower back.
Not my best workout but probably strenuous enough to help preserve gains. Considering how much better I felt today than yesterday I ain't complaining.
I also took the advice you guys gave me and made an appointment with a chiropractor. I hope the guy performs miracles.
LAGear
Active member
Yes. FAIL. It's not even a weekend bro.
Keep that diet in check. And remember, you're not starting a diet. It's a lifestyle. Always eat right. ALWAYS. I don't think I've had a single diet meltdown since I started the cycle. But I've got really strong willpower when I need to.
I know you don't need me to tell you this but diet is key, don't bust your ass in the gym and then piss it away because you couldn't resist cheap, greasy wings!
KgTomCat
Well-known member
I know man, I know :684:
LAGear
Active member
Went to the chiro today and he convinced me to stop lifting until I feel better. Especially since I'm going on vacation next week where I'm going to be on my feet and walking A LOT. I don't want to be suffering with back pain the whole time.
Unfortunately, that means I'm going to go exactly 14 days between weight training sessions. UGH!!! My hotel supposedly has a gym (probably a POS), hopefully I'll be feeling well enough to workout a bit at the hotel, and hopefully they'll have equipment I can work with.
So for the next two weeks I'll have nothing to log but FRUSTRATION!
Unfortunately, that means I'm going to go exactly 14 days between weight training sessions. UGH!!! My hotel supposedly has a gym (probably a POS), hopefully I'll be feeling well enough to workout a bit at the hotel, and hopefully they'll have equipment I can work with.
So for the next two weeks I'll have nothing to log but FRUSTRATION!
Tone
Member
Don't do it!! You have to workout, this is crucial time for your cycle man.... I know that he told you to stop .... BUT you have to do something as far as weight training... Push out through your PCT and when that is over you should take your break...
I don't know what your diagnosis is though so I may be wrong, I just don't want to see you lose a lot of your gains because of a 14 day break..... but you know your body best so you will make the right decision... Good luck man, hope everything works out for the best.
I don't know what your diagnosis is though so I may be wrong, I just don't want to see you lose a lot of your gains because of a 14 day break..... but you know your body best so you will make the right decision... Good luck man, hope everything works out for the best.
LAGear
Active member
I've tried to do pull ups on vacation and have had trouble finding something to use. If you have any suggestions for things to try shoot them my way.
I think you mean decline pushups. If my back is comfortable enough to prop my legs up for decline pushups that's a good idea. If not I should be able to do regular pushups without much trouble and you can get a pretty good workout from that.
I thought you were talking about the girl. LOL
The headaches and stress a woman creates are enough to destroy my gains.
I don't know if you've ever hurt your back but it's one of the worst possible injuries. It hurts to drive. It hurts to get out of bed or out of a chair. Sometimes just sitting hurts. I know the right thing to do is let it heal or it's just going to get worse and take even longer to heal = even more time out of the gym.
At the very least I think I can do pullups and pushups without aggravating my lower back. And if I do them intensely it might be enough to preserve my gains. Remember, I didn't pack on 10lb of muscle on my cycle, I got the cut I was looking for and will be happy if I can maintain BF%.
In the meantime I'm going to play it by ear. If it starts getting better I'll do more.
citystreets
Banned
Very detailed thank you, Im mainly researching the hair loss thing. I have to ask how prone you are to it, and if you have shed before on previous compounds. Please keep us posted on this, because if there is hair loss you will most likely notice it during and after your pct.
LAGear
Active member
You're welcome. I'm trying to include as much data as possible to help anyone who comes across my log while researching in the future.
I am prone and was losing hair prior to the cycle on my crown as well as receding at temples. The shedding probably started ten years ago but for ten years of shedding I've got a good head of hair, you wouldn't know I had any issues unless you looked directly at the crown of my head from above. This is my first cycle so can't compare with other cycles but h-drol is not known to cause hairloss.
Still, throughout my cycle I used Nizoral twice a week and in week five of the cycle I started using Rogaine foam. At no point did I notice increased shedding on my pillow or in the shower during the cycle. I used Rogaine years ago, but I used the crappy Kirkland generic from Costco. That was a big mistake because it's such a crappy formulation that I had to stop. Then I learned how much better the foam product is and I'm so pissed that I didn't use it all these years. MUCH better product with respect to usability, staining, etc.
If you're really concerned about hairloss you can also look into PP's Toco-8 which they say helps combat shedding but I haven't read any logs confirming this (nor have I read any to the contrary). I originally planned to run Havoc and was going to use Toco, but when I deicded to go with h-drol I dropped Toco as a support supplement because I didn't feel it was necessary.
In future updates if I don't mention anything about shedding it means I haven't noticed any but feel free to ask for a specific update about that if you want confirmation.
LAGear
Active member
So now that the pain has subsided a bit I don't think it's my back I hurt after all. The pain is down a lot and now it's mainly localized on my upper glut, just below my back. For the first few days I think the pain was so bad that it radiated from my glut to my lower back so I thought I tweaked my back.
Either that or I did actually hurt my back and now the back pain is gone but my glut (on the same side) is sore from walking funny to ease the back pain. But I very much doubt that.
If the pain keeps going down I may try to squeeze a workout or two in before I leave for my vacation!
Either that or I did actually hurt my back and now the back pain is gone but my glut (on the same side) is sore from walking funny to ease the back pain. But I very much doubt that.
If the pain keeps going down I may try to squeeze a workout or two in before I leave for my vacation!
kdpboa
New member
*Def. did mean decline pushups!
And if your back is feeling up to it why not find a gym close to the hotel and get a few day passes and knock out some full body workouts. Even if its just two days a week, along with some pushups in the hotel, it may actually work well! The day passes will probably be expensive but you would only be getting a few! Just a thought dude!
When I'm on vacation, I usually try to get up and get to the gym by 7 so I can eat and be showered by 9 when the rest of the fam. is just heading to the beach!
And if your back is feeling up to it why not find a gym close to the hotel and get a few day passes and knock out some full body workouts. Even if its just two days a week, along with some pushups in the hotel, it may actually work well! The day passes will probably be expensive but you would only be getting a few! Just a thought dude!
When I'm on vacation, I usually try to get up and get to the gym by 7 so I can eat and be showered by 9 when the rest of the fam. is just heading to the beach!
LAGear
Active member
You know what, that might be it because when I sit in my car with my wallet on that side it triggers the pain just as it did when I had sciatica years ago. At one point yesterday I thought about that but never considered my sciatic nerve could be causing this.
But can you aggravate your sciatic nerve by doing deadlifts?
That's an excellent idea! The price of the day pass is totally worth it so I'm going to have to look into that. However, we're not renting a car so if it's not walking distance that could be a pain. It would suck to finish my workout then spend 20 minutes at the gym waiting for a cab. But this is PCT so I might just do it!
mindgamerst
New member
Sorry to hear about your injury bro. Try taking hot baths with those salts or w/e..epsiom salt? Supposed to soothe muskkles lol. I'm assuming the hotel gym is gonna suck, maybe stick to HIIT circut training ? Anyways, good luck