What's up guys?!
So, I see a lot of posts complaining about PIP and asking how to treat/prevent it. I have performed my own bit of tests as well as consulted friends to compile the most effected ways to reduce PIP. These aren't listed in any particular order of effectiveness, just tips and tricks that have worked for me and others as well.
1. Heat the oil. Whether you choose to warm the oil once it's in the syringe barrel under hot waer for a few minutes, or in a heating pad (my preference) or warm the whole vial is up to you. Increasing the temperature to around body temp really makes a huge difference. It allows the oil to slide in quicker, which reducing the time that you can wiggle the needle around, and also reduces the amount of pressure requires to push in the plunger (same deal, less wiggling). Lastly, having injected intentionally cooled oil, room temp and warm oil, I can tell you the chilled is the most painful, followed by room temp.... Heating it reduces PIP, no doubt.
2. Use the shortest needle possible, while still performing an intramuscular injection (avoid the subcutaneous layer, it will hurt). For example, if you are lean you can use a 5/8" needle in you delts, no need for a 1" or 1.5" in my experience. Longer the needle, the more pressure and time required to perform the injection... Which means again, more wiggling. Also, I do believe it causes less tissue damage by penetrating less of the muscle. Having used various lengths in different areas, I have found this to be helpful. I have also spoken to others and they have had similar experiences.
3. Use the longest ester that will work for you cycle/plans. Test is test. If you are running a long cycle, run a longer ester. No need to pin propionate, for example, daily when enanthate would be a fine choice. Generally speaking longer esters are available in higher MG/ML, as well as less painful post injection. This is no longer the case with concentrations over 300MG's/ML, as that will be arguably more painful than the short esters. Stick to 300MG's/ML or less.
4. Avoid water based AAS, if possible. If you wish to run injectable winstrol or testosterone suspension, for example, opt for the oil based versions. They hurt significantly less, and also don't clog up the needles like water based sometimes do (this become a real pain in the ass). Winstrol and testosterone no ester are now readily available in oil versions, opt for those.
5. Go slow with virgin muscles. Don't slam 3CCs into a muscle that has never been injected, taper up. Start with 1CC and add .5CC to the site each injection. At some point, you will learn which sites can hold various levels of oil. As an example, I have worked up to being able to handle 5CCs in my glutes, 3CCs in my delts and only 1.5CCs in my lats.
6. Roll out/massage the area post injection. About 5 minutes after you inject, start giving it a good massage. Move the oil around as much as you can. Ideally, you can put a heating pad on the area 5 minutes before you start rolling/massaging, as that seemed to help soften it all up. The massaging/rolling might be a tad bit uncomfortable, but it has always worked for me. I know my quads act up on every injection over 2CCs. If I heat the area and then rub it out, it's almost painless the next day. A hot bath works well here too.
7. Work the area out after pinning. Try to time your workouts with your injections. When I know it's shoulder day, I inject shoulders about an hour pre workout. The area will feel a bit tight for the first 5 or so minutes during your lifts, just do a few good warm up sets, you will be good to go after that. Also, do not do the opposite and inject after you have trained an area, it sucks. Try and plan, it makes a big difference.
8. Cut the oil if you need to. Some AAS are just more painful than others, it's a fact. When I find a compound, injectable anadrol for me, that hurts a fair bit, I cut it with sterile grape seed oil (GSO). You can use whichever oil you prefer, GSO is easy to find for me and relatively cheap. Let's say I was going to inject 1CC of anadrol, I will add 1CC of sterile GSO to the barrel as well. It's not as much the volume of oil that hurts (until you get to large amounts), as it's the drug itself. Diluting it helps, a lot.
9. Rotate the injection sites as much as you can. If you are comfortable with trying new areas, it really helps give the older ones some time off to heal and rest. This is a great resource for determining where and how to inject new muscles: SpotInjections.com .
Well, that's about all I have to offer. Please, if you have found other techniques that work for you post them up! There's no reason to be in pain. If you try these techniques and your gear still gives you crippling pain, there's probably something wrong with your gear.
Keep in mind, these are primarily my experiences.
So, I see a lot of posts complaining about PIP and asking how to treat/prevent it. I have performed my own bit of tests as well as consulted friends to compile the most effected ways to reduce PIP. These aren't listed in any particular order of effectiveness, just tips and tricks that have worked for me and others as well.
1. Heat the oil. Whether you choose to warm the oil once it's in the syringe barrel under hot waer for a few minutes, or in a heating pad (my preference) or warm the whole vial is up to you. Increasing the temperature to around body temp really makes a huge difference. It allows the oil to slide in quicker, which reducing the time that you can wiggle the needle around, and also reduces the amount of pressure requires to push in the plunger (same deal, less wiggling). Lastly, having injected intentionally cooled oil, room temp and warm oil, I can tell you the chilled is the most painful, followed by room temp.... Heating it reduces PIP, no doubt.
2. Use the shortest needle possible, while still performing an intramuscular injection (avoid the subcutaneous layer, it will hurt). For example, if you are lean you can use a 5/8" needle in you delts, no need for a 1" or 1.5" in my experience. Longer the needle, the more pressure and time required to perform the injection... Which means again, more wiggling. Also, I do believe it causes less tissue damage by penetrating less of the muscle. Having used various lengths in different areas, I have found this to be helpful. I have also spoken to others and they have had similar experiences.
3. Use the longest ester that will work for you cycle/plans. Test is test. If you are running a long cycle, run a longer ester. No need to pin propionate, for example, daily when enanthate would be a fine choice. Generally speaking longer esters are available in higher MG/ML, as well as less painful post injection. This is no longer the case with concentrations over 300MG's/ML, as that will be arguably more painful than the short esters. Stick to 300MG's/ML or less.
4. Avoid water based AAS, if possible. If you wish to run injectable winstrol or testosterone suspension, for example, opt for the oil based versions. They hurt significantly less, and also don't clog up the needles like water based sometimes do (this become a real pain in the ass). Winstrol and testosterone no ester are now readily available in oil versions, opt for those.
5. Go slow with virgin muscles. Don't slam 3CCs into a muscle that has never been injected, taper up. Start with 1CC and add .5CC to the site each injection. At some point, you will learn which sites can hold various levels of oil. As an example, I have worked up to being able to handle 5CCs in my glutes, 3CCs in my delts and only 1.5CCs in my lats.
6. Roll out/massage the area post injection. About 5 minutes after you inject, start giving it a good massage. Move the oil around as much as you can. Ideally, you can put a heating pad on the area 5 minutes before you start rolling/massaging, as that seemed to help soften it all up. The massaging/rolling might be a tad bit uncomfortable, but it has always worked for me. I know my quads act up on every injection over 2CCs. If I heat the area and then rub it out, it's almost painless the next day. A hot bath works well here too.
7. Work the area out after pinning. Try to time your workouts with your injections. When I know it's shoulder day, I inject shoulders about an hour pre workout. The area will feel a bit tight for the first 5 or so minutes during your lifts, just do a few good warm up sets, you will be good to go after that. Also, do not do the opposite and inject after you have trained an area, it sucks. Try and plan, it makes a big difference.
8. Cut the oil if you need to. Some AAS are just more painful than others, it's a fact. When I find a compound, injectable anadrol for me, that hurts a fair bit, I cut it with sterile grape seed oil (GSO). You can use whichever oil you prefer, GSO is easy to find for me and relatively cheap. Let's say I was going to inject 1CC of anadrol, I will add 1CC of sterile GSO to the barrel as well. It's not as much the volume of oil that hurts (until you get to large amounts), as it's the drug itself. Diluting it helps, a lot.
9. Rotate the injection sites as much as you can. If you are comfortable with trying new areas, it really helps give the older ones some time off to heal and rest. This is a great resource for determining where and how to inject new muscles: SpotInjections.com .
Well, that's about all I have to offer. Please, if you have found other techniques that work for you post them up! There's no reason to be in pain. If you try these techniques and your gear still gives you crippling pain, there's probably something wrong with your gear.
Keep in mind, these are primarily my experiences.
