How do you transition from bulking cycle to cutting cycle?

[jtmarlin]

I'm currently bulking on 600 test cyp and 400 primo and I'm at week 12. I've gained (regained) about 15-20 pounds without much fat. How do you guys who compete transition a bulk cycle to a cut cycle without being on high dose anabolics for so many weeks in a row? Is there an 8 week health phase in between or do you just go from bulk to cut and stay high dose for 24-30 weeks? I'm on TRT many years so I don't have a problem cruisng at 150mg per week I just don't know if I can hold the size I have now on it and then go into a cut wonder why did I even bulk? In my mind I could cut on a lower dose but I know I my bloods aren't gonna be great even on a few hundred mg of test + primo.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[grey]

How do I transition from a bulk to a cut?

With a lot of whining, tears, complaining and a general lack of success usually,

More serious answer: I have had FAR more luck with mini-cuts of 3 to 4 weeks duration.

A month is about all the compliance I can manage with a family life etc. Put me on a farm with nothing but meat, no booze, and no women/social events and I can go far longer but...


That said, I am not, never was, and never will be a BB competitor.

 

[Sector]

Bloodwork will determine if you should cruise, or can continue blasting.

As for the transition, it's very easy. Just reduce the calories, and potentially up the cardio. You'll lose a lot of water weight in the first week which could be kind of a mind f**k, but after that the weight loss should level out to a consistent rate and you can adjust your calories or cardio according to your progress

 

[jtmarlin]

Bloodwork will determine if you should cruise, or can continue blasting.

As for the transition, it's very easy. Just reduce the calories, and potentially up the cardio. You'll lose a lot of water weight in the first week which could be kind of a mind f**k, but after that the weight loss should level out to a consistent rate and you can adjust your calories or cardio according to your progress

My bloods are going to be awful. Does anyone have good bloods on 600 test and 400 primo even after just a month or 2? I certainly don't. My cholesterol is fucked up and my kidney function is always reduced. My HCT is always fine tho.

How acceptable are we talking here for bloods in all seriousness bc I don't believe for a second believe that anyone can run a gram of gear for 12 weeks and have good blood work.

 

[lukiss96]

Bloodwork will determine if you should cruise, or can continue blasting.

As for the transition, it's very easy. Just reduce the calories, and potentially up the cardio. You'll lose a lot of water weight in the first week which could be kind of a mind f**k, but after that the weight loss should level out to a consistent rate and you can adjust your calories or cardio according to your progress

This is the answer. First few days especially suck ass, you look worse than before, but after that you start to improve gradually. Calories are the main driver as always. Cosmetic steroids are good at this, but they are not necessary. Same principles apply as for naturals.

 

[Psychokoak]

Mon sang va être horrible. Est-ce que quelqu'un a du bon sang au test 600 et 400 primo même après seulement un mois ou 2 ? Certainement pas. Mon taux de cholestérol est foutu et ma fonction rénale est toujours réduite. Mais mon HCT va toujours bien.

Dans quelle mesure parlons-nous ici de sang en toute sincérité, car je ne crois pas une seconde que quiconque puisse utiliser un gramme d'équipement pendant 12 semaines et faire de bonnes analyses de sang.

It's been almost 6 months that I've been around 800 testosterone and 500 primo. Apart from my LDL being a bit high, everything else is perfect.


We all react differently and depending on the supplements and aids we take (which also interact differently between each of us)


In my case, I will stay like this and reduce calories. The only thing I would add if I need it is T3 and yohimbine to finish.

 

[jJjburton]

It's been almost 6 months that I've been around 800 testosterone and 500 primo. Apart from my LDL being a bit high, everything else is perfect.


We all react differently and depending on the supplements and aids we take (which also interact differently between each of us)


In my case, I will stay like this and reduce calories. The only thing I would add if I need it is T3 and yohimbine to finish.

This is why competitors use sources to target fat loss, i.e hgh and fasted cardio. Keeping as much muscle as possible and hitting fat stores.

If bloodwork is fine then why stop? The point of cruising trt is to give mind and health markers a break, prevent burn out.

And yes, people who are staying the same size and getting very big and keeping it are consistantly running higher doses. And using insulin when blasting.

Believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you see. There is zero chance people at a certain size are using just trt. So unfortunatly crusing at 500 mg year round.

 

[jJjburton]

Bloodwork will determine if you should cruise, or can continue blasting.

As for the transition, it's very easy. Just reduce the calories, and potentially up the cardio. You'll lose a lot of water weight in the first week which could be kind of a mind f**k, but after that the weight loss should level out to a consistent rate and you can adjust your calories or cardio according to your progress

Those are varicose veins in your chest? Is that an issue?

 

[Sector]

Those are varicose veins in your chest? Is that an issue?

Nah I was just holding my breathe when I took the picture to get the veins to pop more. My bloodpressure is always within a healthy range (when I'm not doing dumb stuff like that xD)

I don't think it's an issue. I kind of like the freaky vascularity. My arms are very similar

 

[jtmarlin]

It's been almost 6 months that I've been around 800 testosterone and 500 primo. Apart from my LDL being a bit high, everything else is perfect.


We all react differently and depending on the supplements and aids we take (which also interact differently between each of us)


In my case, I will stay like this and reduce calories. The only thing I would add if I need it is T3 and yohimbine to finish.

I'd love to see your pre cycle bloodwork and your 6 month in bloods and what supps are doing what.

 

[eery]

Personally id do a 3-4 week minicut with enough AAS to maintain my tissue, AAS like trenbolone and anavar would do well for staving off catabolism and helping with some performance in the gym.

Could add your favorite fatburners and t3 as well.

I could see someone losing 10-25lbs in 3-4 weeks depending on how hard you go with the diet, cardio and drugs.

 

[BigTomJ]

Believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you see. There is zero chance people at a certain size are using just trt. So unfortunatly crusing at 500 mg year round.

This is absolute fact, but thqt line/threshold is more blurry than you would think.

I know quite a few guys who are comparatively smaller than me, who cruise on 2+ compounds at 400+ doses.
Conversely I know people who are much larger than me that do true trt blocks for 3 or so months between moderate blasts.

As with everything in this space, it's super individual, but it's not like every big guy at the gym NEEDS 500mg on a cruise to hold onto their gains

 

[laclark89]

This is absolute fact, but thqt line/threshold is more blurry than you would think.

I know quite a few guys who are comparatively smaller than me, who cruise on 2+ compounds at 400+ doses.
Conversely I know people who are much larger than me that do true trt blocks for 3 or so months between moderate blast

Lots of good stuff here especially what tom and jjburton said.

I'll just add you can take a little time off in between if bloods are out 4 weeks mabe 8, if bloods are good u can jump right in to a cut, and u can literally do every thing the same compounds dose ext except add cardio 2x daily, fasted first thing in the am then again in evening, and cut just a few hundred cals from fats or carbs.

It counters what other people say u need less gear ina bulk than a cut because ur in a surplus.
But I like Tom's approach to more gear on a bulk and less on a cut enless ur competing.

 

[jJjburton]

Nah I was just holding my breathe when I took the picture to get the veins to pop more. My bloodpressure is always within a healthy range (when I'm not doing dumb stuff like that xD)

I don't think it's an issue. I kind of like the freaky vascularity. My arms are very similar

It is insane, holy crap

 

[jtmarlin]

Lots of good stuff here especially what tom and jjburton said.

I'll just add you can take a little time off in between if bloods are out 4 weeks mabe 8, if bloods are good u can jump right in to a cut, and u can literally do every thing the same compounds dose ext except add cardio 2x daily, fasted first thing in the am then again in evening, and cut just a few hundred cals from fats or carbs.

It counters what other people say u need less gear ina bulk than a cut because ur in a surplus.
But I like Tom's approach to more gear on a bulk and less on a cut enless ur competing.

I've always thought less gear on a cut unless being onstage. I understand the actual physical process on cutting w regards to shedding the fat. This was more a dosing question which we seem to be getting at now. 24-30 weeks just seems like a loooooong time to be on a gram of gear regardless of what bloodwork shows. It was a curiosity bc I'm watching these Sadik vids and he's bulking to 240+ and then straight into a 16 week cut. He's juicing obviously and you don't get to 240 w/abs from 200 on TRT. Now granted, the tren and orals probably don't come in until 6-8 weeks out but I just don't understand how anyone can stay healthy that long especially during a massive massive bulk. You can't just take some Omega 3 pills and some kidney support supps and just "be fine" IMO.

 

[jJjburton]

I've always thought less gear on a cut unless being onstage. I understand the actual physical process on cutting w regards to shedding the fat. This was more a dosing question which we seem to be getting at now. 24-30 weeks just seems like a loooooong time to be on a gram of gear regardless of what bloodwork shows. It was a curiosity bc I'm watching these Sadik vids and he's bulking to 240+ and then straight into a 16 week cut. He's juicing obviously and you don't get to 240 w/abs from 200 on TRT. Now granted, the tren and orals probably don't come in until 6-8 weeks out but I just don't understand how anyone can stay healthy that long especially during a massive massive bulk. You can't just take some Omega 3 pills and some kidney support supps and just "be fine" IMO.

They are not healthy, body building is the least healthy thing ever

 

[buzzingonaas]

most guys typically will do 8-12 weeks of a health phase eating at the same calories as peak bulk in order to cement that weight and get the body used to carrying it. After 4 weeks they will get bloods checked. If they are decent they will proceed at 8 weeks into prep cycle. If they’re horrendous, they’ll recheck at 8 weeks and possibly push to 12 week health phase, rechecking again. Once they’re at an acceptable point (individual discretion), they’ll begin their prep cycle

 

[jtmarlin]

Assu

most guys typically will do 8-12 weeks of a health phase eating at the same calories as peak bulk in order to cement that weight and get the body used to carrying it. After 4 weeks they will get bloods checked. If they are decent they will proceed at 8 weeks into prep cycle. If they’re horrendous, they’ll recheck at 8 weeks and possibly push to 12 week health phase, rechecking again. Once they’re at an acceptable point (individual discretion), they’ll begin their prep cycle

Assuming this is true, this is what I was looking for and sounds like a good strategy.

 

[buzzingonaas]

Assu

Assuming this is true, this is what I was looking for and sounds like a good strategy.

The big things you don’t want on your bloodwork are severely elevated liver enzymes (over 60s-70s), high cholesterol, extremely high LDL (2x reference range), high bp of any level, or out of range kidney markers. Get cardio implemented during health phase and treat like a pre-prep and check the bloods after 4-6 weeks of cruising to assess if 8 or 12 week cruise is better

 

[JeffroCat]

most guys typically will do 8-12 weeks of a health phase eating at the same calories as peak bulk in order to cement that weight and get the body used to carrying it.

We used to just call this a maintenance phase. If you're not doing this, you'll just be spinning you're wheels.