Growth Stack Design Principles

ChestRockwell

Well-known Member
Original article located here.

Disclaimer: many of the compounds referred to in this article may be controlled substances depending upon where the reader lives, always be respectful and mindful of local laws as it relates to AAS possession and use…

Arguably one of the most common questions in bodybuilding circles is “what is the best stack design for maximizing muscle growth?”. Of course, there will never be a singular answer to this question largely due to the individual variances that exist within people. With that said, there are still some general guidelines that one can employ when deciding for themselves how to proceed with their growth stack design process. Please note that this article is designed for enhanced males, and exogenous use by females is to be considered out of scope.

I also want to throw out that, when someone decides to take the plunge into the world of exogenous hormones, they should always begin with a growth phase. Often, the greatest response to hormones comes with the very first experience and so it shouldn’t be wasted during a period of dieting in my eyes. For the vast majority of folks, putting on quality lean tissue is light-years more difficult than shedding body fat, which can be done quite easily without the need for exogenous support.

The last things worth mentioning before we dive into the meat of this article are really just some housecleaning items. I want to be very clear that the decision to use exogenous hormones should not be taken lightly and in some instances it will now become a lifelong commitment. My personal views at this time are that cycling, or the use of exogenous hormones for short duration followed by a period of coming off completely, is not the wisest philosophy. Although nothing concrete exists in the literature, I tend to speculate that the hormonal roller-coaster caused with this method has the potential to be much rougher on the endocrine system that my preferred “blast and cruise” methodology. Simply stated, you replace the “coming off” phase mentioned earlier with a sustained TRT phase where you utilize exogenous testosterone much like an actual TRT patient would (although bodybuilders will often use higher doses during the cruise phase). I will likely get into the health implications of these methods in a later article.

The last things worth mentioning before we dive into the meat of this article are really just some housecleaning items. I want to be very clear that the decision to use exogenous hormones should not be taken lightly and in some instances it will now become a lifelong commitment. My personal views at this time are that cycling, or the use of exogenous hormones for short durations followed by a period of coming off completely, is not the wisest philosophy. Although nothing concrete exists in the literature, I tend to speculate that the hormonal roller-coaster caused with this method has the potential to be much rougher on the endocrine system that my preferred “blast and cruise” methodology. Simply stated, you replace the “coming off” phase mentioned earlier with a sustained TRT phase where you utilize exogenous testosterone much like an actual TRT patient would (although bodybuilders will often use higher doses during the cruise phase). I will likely get into the health implications of these methods in a later article.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that exogenous hormones should not be used as a crutch in replacement of a properly structured lifestyle, including but not limited to diet, training, sleep, stress, etc. If you don’t understand how to build the structure, then you have no business decorating the windows.

With that out of the way, there are two primary growth compounds I recommend for growth anchor purposes; nandrolone and testosterone. Both are fantastic at what they do, heavily studied [1-2], and each has their own pros and cons to be aware of.

It will ultimately come down to the individual to do some self-experimentation to determine what their individual response to each is. For most beginner/intermediates, it stands to reason that testosterone is the safer option considering it is bio-identical to that which is endogenously produced in the body. With that said, it also converts to estrogen at a higher rate than nandrolone, a process known as aromatization. The conversion occurs roughly five times higher in testosterone than it does in nandrolone [4]. For those who tend to be estrogenic, this is certainly something to consider.

For more advanced users, nandrolone tends to be my recommended growth anchor compound. Nandrolone binds to the androgen receptor with a significantly higher affinity as compared to testosterone [5]. As mentioned previously, it also has a lower rate of aromatization which means that higher doses can often be run, leading to greater hypertrophy potential in the long-run. Now, a very important characteristic of nandrolone needs to be mentioned here and this kind of gets off-topic a bit as it dives deeper into how aromatization works. Bear with me though, this is something a lot of folks don’t understand and it becomes vital.

Testosterone converts to estrogen largely via the aromatase enzyme, one of the handful of pathways used by the hormone [6]. When estrogen levels become too high, as compared to androgen levels, within the body side-effects can occur. Getting into all the sides is beyond the scope of this article, but just be aware that these are precisely what should be avoided. For those on testosterone, there are compounds called aromatase inhibitors (AIs) [7] which can bind with this enzyme to suppress the rate at which this conversion occurs (or suicidally bind). AIs will be discussed, in depth, in future articles.

For now, just understand that nandrolone does not use this same pathway to convert to estrogen [8] and so the use of AIs to control the rate of aromatization will largely be pointless. For this reason, those who suffer from estrogenic sides on nandrolone are going to have very limited options. If an individual obtains significant, unwanted, side-effects from nandrolone then testosterone is more than likely going to have to be the desired growth anchor for them.

Having an androgen:estrogen (A:E) ratio in the body’s desired range is critical for both quality of life [9], but also for the body’s hypertrophy machinery operating at full speed. I do not advocate for the use of a consistent and/or proactive AI regimen during periods of growth. Without turning this into an article on AIs (that will come later), know that there are many undesirable effects that come with their sustained use, many of which directly go against building lean tissue. In fact, estrogen itself has many strength and anabolic characteristics [10] that make it a worthwhile hormone to only suppress during times of emergency (e.g. actual sides begin to develop). So, the punchline here is to leave estrogen alone unless actual sides develop.

As opposed to AIs, androgens can be used strategically for those that tend to be on the higher end of estrogenic activity. Again, it isn’t the overall amounts of estradiol in the system but rather the A:E ratio that largely determines whether one is going to be at risk for sides and/or lower quality of life. DHT derivatives such as drostanolone (masteron), stanozolol (winstrol), and mesterolone (proviron) can be used for this purpose as they do not convert to estrogen themselves and have a high androgenic profile. These compounds also tend to have a high affinity for binding with sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) [11] which leaves more free testosterone available to bind to the androgen receptor. Although it is debatable if this is nothing more than a short-term effect, ultimately regulated by the body’s feedbacks, it is still worth mentioning as a possible benefit to those using testosterone as their growth anchor compound.

Oral AAS can be used, but should never be confused for actual anchor compounds. The primary purpose of an oral based AAS should be as an accessory to your growth anchor compound of choice. They can also be used strategically around the workout to increase work capacity and intensity, secondarily leading to greater hypertrophy potential. Both methandrostenolone (dbol) and oxymetholone (anadrol) are great for this purpose. I do not recommend wasting time with other oral AAS variants as they are largely either going to be a waste, highly hepatotoxic, or both. As mentioned above, stanozolol is a bit of a gray area and can be considered an exception if used for the reasons outlined earlier.

Although I am well aware that this may upset folks, I firmly believe that if the need for AIs arises, you are either running too much gear or have designed a stack which your body does not agree with. Instead of continuing to use AIs as part of a band-aid solution, the individual should immediately lower overall AAS doses and/or determine which compound is problematic and then drop it. At the risk of beating this horse to death, AIs are very harsh on our bodies and I also feel strongly that a growth stack should promote as little stress in our body as possible. Abstaining from AIs equals less systemic stress, less systemic stress equals a happier body, and a happier body has the potential to be a more efficient “growth machine”.

These low stress environments are potentially another reason why you can make greater progress using minimalist stack designs when you plan intelligently. I’m a vocal advocate of using a minimum effective dose philosophy, and some stack designs I see floating around the internet are just horrifying. Start small, increase only when necessary, and take a break when the body is giving signs it needs a break.

In a “perfect” world, the individual will simply stick largely to the following compounds for growth purposes:
– Testosterone
– Nandrolone
– Growth Hormone
– Insulin

These are all going to be identical to endogenous hormones in the body so it is likely not a large leap to reason these would provide the most “bang for your buck”. Using things like growth hormone and insulin is not a realistic option for everyone, so that’s why I took time to elaborate above.

  • REFERENCES
1. Pan MM, Kovac JR. Beyond testosterone cypionate: evidence behind the use of nandrolone in male health and wellness. Translational Andrology and Urology. 2016;5(2):213-219
2. Geusens P. Nandrolone decanoate: pharmacological properties and therapeutic use in osteoporosis. Clin Rheumatol. 1995 Sep;14 Suppl 3:32-9. Review.
3. Velema MS, Kwa BH, de Ronde W. Should androgenic anabolic steroids be considered in the treatment regime of selected chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients? Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2012 Mar;18(2):118-24.
4. RYAN KJ. Biological aromatization of steroids. J Biol Chem. 1959 Feb;234(2):268-72.
5. Kicman AT. Pharmacology of anabolic steroids. Br J Pharmacol. 2008 Jun;154(3):502-21. Review.
6. Boon WC, Chow JD, Simpson ER. The multiple roles of estrogens and the enzyme aromatase. Prog Brain Res. 2010;181:209-32.
7. De Ronde W, de Jong FH. Aromatase inhibitors in men: effects and therapeutic options. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology : RB&E. 2011;9:93.
8. Centrella M, McCarthy TL, Chang WZ, Labaree DC, Hochberg RB. Estren (4-estren-3alpha,17beta-diol) is a prohormone that regulates both androgenic and estrogenic transcriptional effects through the androgen receptor. Mol Endocrinol 2004 May;18(5):1120-30. Epub 2004 Feb 5.
9. Bondarenko VO. [The significance of the androgen-estrogen ratios in the clinical picture of sexual disorders in men]. Lik Sprava. 2000 Jan-Feb;(1):44-7. Ukrainian.
10. Lowe DA, Baltgalvis KA, Greising SM. Mechanisms behind Estrogens’ Beneficial Effect on Muscle Strength in Females. Exercise and sport sciences reviews. 2010;38(2):61-67.
11. Sinnecker G, Köhler S. Sex hormone-binding globulin response to the anabolic steroid stanozolol: evidence for its suitability as a biological androgen sensitivity test. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1989 Jun;68(6):1195-200.
 
Please excuse the duplicate paragraph starting with "The last things worth mentioning..."

Not sure how that happened...
 
Nice read
mostly right

for ULTIMATE growth you'd need Anadrol/Dianabol (class II steroids with little action at the androgen receptor) stacked (combined) with Deca, Eq, Test, Mast or Tren (class I steroids)
 
for ULTIMATE growth you'd need

Thanks for the feedback. I think we should try and stay away from set in stone rules because AAS response tends to be quite individual in nature.

Also, using that variety of compounds can increasingly complicate hormonal balance leading to increased systemic stress as well as potential for side effects. The spirit of this article is creating an environment of lower stress in the body.

There will always be the camp that throws caution to the wind and says "f it, I'm just going to use as much of everything as I can". Can this work? Of course it can, but at what cost? I think the vast majority of folks tend to either be recreational users and/or folks that care about risk/reward.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I think we should try and stay away from set in stone rules because AAS response tends to be quite individual in nature.

Also, using that variety of compounds can increasingly complicate hormonal balance leading to increased systemic stress as well as potential for side effects. The spirit of this article is creating an environment of lower stress in the body.

There will always be the camp that throws caution to the wind and says "f it, I'm just going to use as much of everything as I can". Can this work? Of course it can, but at what cost? I think the vast majority of folks tend to either be recreational users and/or folks that care about risk/reward.
Glad you bumped this in the GH thread, as there's another example of Masteron being legitimately retarded.

Thanks for taking the time to write this for newer/curious readers/users. I agree with you that nandrolone, almost always, is the best "builder" on the block. I do think it has it's set backs when run higher, as it's conversion is hard to control as you mention. That's why I like higher test, as I can control it with an AI, and treat the sides with SERMs... 1 to 2 ratio of nandrolone to test works great for me... For example, 1G test, 500mg's deca... I really do believe the "ultimate" stack includes test, GH, insulin, a DHT derivitive and a 19nor.. So, something like test, GH, insulin, deca and anadrol would be an INSANE mass builder... Just my $0.02... As you stated, nothing set in stone, as people seem to have varying experiences.
 
Glad you bumped this in the GH thread, as there's another example of masteron being legitimately retarded.

Yeah, I think it all comes down to understanding how different hormones interact as it relates to improving our ability to design intelligent stacks. Masteron, in and of itself, will not lead to hypertrophy to any significant degree however it can be an absolute blessing to those who tend to be highly estrogenic.

Over the years, I've really focused on getting folks off of AIs, particularly during growth phases - and using A:E ratios can be a fantastic tool for this job.

I really do believe the "ultimate" stack includes test, GH, insulin, a DHT derivitive and a 19nor.. So, something like test, GH, insulin, deca and anadrol would be an INSANE mass builder

Absolutely, the only real concern here would be that with increased complexity comes the potential for higher risk of unwanted sides. However many (such as myself) don't tend to have high incident rates of sides so users must do some self experimentation. But this is why I tend to write a bit more cautiously as I'm admittedly more of a minimum effective dose camper :)
 
Yeah, I think it all comes down to understanding how different hormones interact as it relates to improving our ability to design intelligent stacks. Masteron, in and of itself, will not lead to hypertrophy to any significant degree however it can be an absolute blessing to those who tend to be highly estrogenic.

Over the years, I've really focused on getting folks off of AIs, particularly during growth phases - and using A:E ratios can be a fantastic tool for this job.



Absolutely, the only real concern here would be that with increased complexity comes the potential for higher risk of unwanted sides. However many (such as myself) don't tend to have high incident rates of sides so users must do some self experimentation. But this is why I tend to write a bit more cautiously as I'm admittedly more of a minimum effective dose camper :)

I agree with you on minimum effective dose. I am currently on blast , which for me means 600mg PW sus, thats it and im getting great results. I have ran much higher doses and stacks but the results i get from a higher stack often times arent worth the sides i experience.
Thanks to @Wunderpus, im getting better results on 600mg sus a week with the workout he sent me, than i was on 1400 mg and my old workout. Changing my diet and workout has givin me far better results than just adding more gear. And i dont need an ai.
 
I agree with you on minimum effective dose. I am currently on blast , which for me means 600mg PW sus, thats it and im getting great results. I have ran much higher doses and stacks but the results i get from a higher stack often times arent worth the sides i experience.
Thanks to @Wunderpus, im getting better results on 600mg sus a week with the workout he sent me, than i was on 1400 mg and my old workout. Changing my diet and workout has givin me far better results than just adding more gear. And i dont need an ai.
Happy to hear, it's awesome to see people excel with less! Keep it up, lemme know when you're ready for a new program.
 
I was saying the member, @master.on , was showing another shining example of why he's the village idiot here... :)

Ah hahaha...makes more sense now! :)

I agree with you on minimum effective dose. I am currently on blast , which for me means 600mg PW sus, thats it and im getting great results. I have ran much higher doses and stacks but the results i get from a higher stack often times arent worth the sides i experience.
Thanks to @Wunderpus, im getting better results on 600mg sus a week with the workout he sent me, than i was on 1400 mg and my old workout. Changing my diet and workout has givin me far better results than just adding more gear. And i dont need an ai.

And this is really what it is all about, in a nutshell! A happier body is one that tends to respond much better to what we ask of it...well done, fellas!
 
Happy to hear, it's awesome to see people excel with less! Keep it up, lemme know when you're ready for a new program.

On week 9 now and up 5 lbs and leaner than when i started. I was gonna hit you up and ask what i should do when im done , start again? Or jump to another routine.
BTW, i am not in any way saying high doses and big stacks are wrong, i simply cant tolerate high doses or i would be doing them probably. But at 50 it would be reckless of me.
And the strength gains have been surprising. Stronger than ive been in years.
 
On week 9 now and up 5 lbs and leaner than when i started. I was gonna hit you up and ask what i should do when im done , start again? Or jump to another routine.
BTW, i am not in any way saying high doses and big stacks are wrong, i simply cant tolerate high doses or i would be doing them probably. But at 50 it would be reckless of me.
A different one, for sure. I think you'd like something like what I'm doing now. 4 weeks of legs 3x a week, 4 weeks of back 3x a week then 4 weeks of chest 3x a week.... This has physically pushed me to a whole new level. The general principle is to bring your muscles VERY close to overtrained (yes, it is possible, just less than most people think), then let them recover while you murder another area for 4 weeks (still hitting all other groups 1x per week, though).

It's an interesting pump that you get. For example, one day was largely chest pressing movements, 2 days later was largely stretching and fly movements.... I was a bit sore from the pressing position/movements, but felt full as FUCK when I was doing the flys/stretches...
 
BTW, i am not in any way saying high doses and big stacks are wrong, i simply cant tolerate high doses or i would be doing them probably. But at 50 it would be reckless of me.

Nope, there is most certainly a time and a place for everything...however, I try to illustrate that a common mistake folks make is doing too much, too soon.

I tend to preach using fundamentals, keeping things somewhat simple, and not moving too many parts at a time so that if problems arise it is easier to troubleshoot...
 
Interesting. I tried a lot of nandrolone/ test at first and did get great gains, but never got that tight midsection I wanted and I'm naturally lean. I switched to test/ eq and that problem went away. I did a cycle with nandrolone last summer and lost the lean look I had because of it. Nandrolone just puts unwanted fat on me. Because of that I may never run it again. Test/ eq/ tren, now there's a cycle I can run with. All long and slow esters.
Test E 600mg
Eq 600mg
Tren E 400mg is spot on.

I tried masteron with great expectations but wasn't impressed. For adding the benefits of dht I will run short runs of orals like winni and mesterolone. I had big hopes for mestanolone but didn't really respond to it like I thought I would.
 
Interesting. I tried a lot of nandrolone/ test at first and did get great gains, but never got that tight midsection I wanted and I'm naturally lean.

I like how you went through the process of trial and error and found what works for you!

Now, let me use your post as an opportunity to discuss the idea of staying "lean" year round even while participating in extended growth phases. I'll cut right to the chase, I think it is going to leave a lot of hypertrophy on the table.

I think that a lot of folks often tend to mistake fat and water, which can blur one's lines can cause them to feel as if they are carrying a lot more fat on them than they actually are.

My advice, as a good friend once wrote, is to "embrace the bloof". My weight fluctuates 40-60 pounds depending on the time of the year, and this is me staying quite lean. Estrogen is not the enemy, and can actually be a valuable ally in our quest for lean tissue, so we must try our best not to hyper-focus on our abs and lose sight on the big picture.
 
I like how you went through the process of trial and error and found what works for you!

Now, let me use your post as an opportunity to discuss the idea of staying "lean" year round even while participating in extended growth phases. I'll cut right to the chase, I think it is going to leave a lot of hypertrophy on the table.

I think that a lot of folks often tend to mistake fat and water, which can blur one's lines can cause them to feel as if they are carrying a lot more fat on them than they actually are.

My advice, as a good friend once wrote, is to "embrace the bloof". My weight fluctuates 40-60 pounds depending on the time of the year, and this is me staying quite lean. Estrogen is not the enemy, and can actually be a valuable ally in our quest for lean tissue, so we must try our best not to hyper-focus on our abs and lose sight on the big picture.
"bloof" is very GH15, ish...?
 
It could be, but I think it is commonly used to describe the estrogenic water accumulation that can occur from aromatizing compounds.

The article I mentioned was posted on that site, yes.
It's funny because your ideas and philosophies are almost completely contradictory to his own. He obviously believed more is almost always better, and run tren with every cycle... Also, as much GH as you can afford, and insulin with carbs out the ass...
 
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