I think it largely depends on your long term goals.I have one question, what's the point after one or two cycle were you assess your tolerance to test, ai and all the other stuff, to keep using low dose?
I'll try to explain better.
For example: I'm 6'1" and I want to be around 220lbs at 10%, that's my first goal.
I have dialed in my AI and I have done 3 cycles. So I'm no expert but I'm no noob as well.
Now I can still grow on 500mg test week, for sure, but what's the point? Why not shot straight 1 gram a week and grow more. It's just because the body can gain only such amount of muscle and I'll just waste the gear, because body will not be able to maintain the muscle when I come off, before the next cycle?
I'm planning my next cycle and I don't know if it would be better to just do another 500mg week for 12 weeks, or up the dose.
Age? If you're on TRT I think it changes everything. I'll post a system that has been effective, but it's largely intended for someone who isn't worried about a complete shutdown.
I would taper up. Start at your 500mg's/week and slowly taper up, maybe 200mg's/week every 3 or 4 weeks for 6 months (you can also throw in various compounds, alternating them every 6 weeks or so).
In regards to an AI, I have found that I need 1MG/day if I run ~2000mg's/week of aromatizing compounds. It's a complicated system, but I really narrowed that down for myself. That was largely based on bloods and how I felt/looked.
