“I am a first time user, what cycle should I take” – Seeing that this is the number one question that I receive, I felt it is time to create a super simple yet effective cycle and guide for all you first-time users out there.
Some people recommend a heavy stack for your first cycle in the belief that your most impressive gains are to be had. However, that same advice would also lead you to having the most severe side effects and health damage as well. Your first cycle needs to be simple to administer, relatively inexpensive, and as safe as possible and its with this in mind that I created the following beginner cycle.
Your first steroid cycle
- Weeks 1-10 –500mg/week Test Enanthate
- Weeks 1-12 –0.25mg Arimidex EOD
- Weeks 13-14 –Nolva 20mg/twice daily
- Weeks 15-16 –Nolva 20mg/day
So let’s quickly talk about this cycle. You will notice it is a Test E only cycle and I did this for a number of reasons. Firstly Test E has a longer ester (remains in your system longer), meaning you don’t have to inject as often and there is far less chance of pain with your injections. Secondly Test is the most common steroid used and most stacks/cycles are built around it. By using it first and by itself you can see how your body reacts to it and what if any precautions you may need for future cycles to avoid unpleasant side effects. Lastly it’s extremely effective, it will give you excellent gains in both mass and strength, which is the whole point.
Arimidex is an anti-aromatizing product that will limit the side effects of Test E (which I will go into more detail later). If you start to notice the sides you can up the Arimidex to 0.25mg every day and then again to 0.5mg every day if necessary. It continues for 2 weeks after your last Test injection because it remains in your system for 2 weeks afterward and will continue to have aromatizing effects.
Nolva (or Nolvadex) is a PCT (post cycle treatment) product that will help you restart your natural testosterone production (see here for why it is necessary). Without it you not only stand a good chance of losing gains you have made on cycle, but you will hinder your chances of future muscle growth as well. Any time you plan a cycle you should plan and purchase your PCT with it, this is probably the most common trap new users fall into and the failure to properly plan can have long lasting effects.
How To Inject
The second follow-up question I always get when I give people the first cycle is “can I do orals instead” or “I don’t know how to inject”. Yes, you can do orals instead of a mono Dianabol cycle for beginners only or Anavar only stack is not too bad, but if you are serious and want to avoid liver risk then injections are the only way to go.
The next question is inevitably “where can I get needles”. Well in Australia the best place to try is your local health clinic which is different from your local medical centre or hospital clinic. Simply search “health clinic” in Google and you should find one near you.
Should you be starting your first cycle
You will do what you want anyway but I thought it relevant to at least give my opinion on the topic. It’s important to remember that steroids are performance-enhancing drugs, so if you are not performing already then you best get started before touching a needle else you will risk all the side effects without any of the gains.
Under 21
Absolute no-no. You are still growing, steroids will stunt your growth. See here for more info.
Training for less then 2 years
There are a number of issues here. Firstly you have so much potential for natural growth you shouldn’t need steroids anyway. Secondly steroids require a commitment and if you are just jumping in the gym and just as likely to quit you will be throwing money away and possibly getting a number of sides to go with it. Lastly your muscles grow faster than your tendons, jumping straight in the gym and on the gear will place a lot of strain on your tendons in terms of weight lifted, extra muscle, and a loss of collagen.
Diet and Training is poor or erratic
There is no reason to touch steroids if you can’t get your own house in order first. If you are not dieting and training well then steroids won’t help you, end of story.
You’re Heavily Overweight
Similar story if you can’t get yourself into shape without steroids you won’t be able to do it with them either. Also, the risk of side effects such as aromatization increases with the amount of bodyfat.
You’re Emotionally Unstable
Steroids generally accentuate your emotions. So you reach higher highs and lower lows and if you are having issues prior to use, such as depression or anxiety, then steroids will make this worse. Best to be in a good headspace before going on a cycle.
Side Effects
Its not all muscle and strength with Test, unfortunately. The most common issues with Test come from the aromatizing effect (converting testosterone into estrogen), which can cause sides such as Gynecomastia (Gyno), water retention, high blood pressure, and cholesterol issues to name a few. As mentioned previously, your best bet is to up the dosage of Arimidex if you notice any of these sides. With Gyno, look for sore, red or itchy nipples as early symptoms.
Conclusion
I hope this helps a lot of you rookies out there. We all started in the same boat and I think it’s important to realize and then remember that steroids are a long-term solution and whilst they work well, the results will only remain as long as you have the fundamentals of dieting, supplementing, and training down. Remember as well that Google is your friend, the amount of information out there is incredible, and you should be educating yourself as much as possible, bringing particular attention to the thousands of case studies of guys who have been through what you’re about to start. If you still have any questions though please leave a comment below and I will most likely add it to this post. Good luck, stay safe, and grow big!
