Planning a First Cycle (Deca)

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

Intro
I've been training for 15 years, done high volume, strength, and have been sticking with HIT derivatives like Fortitude, DC and JP stuff the last 18ish months. My training log is here and over at TNation.

Stats
29 y/o
5'9"
210lbs
12-15% BF currently

 PRs
Dead: 495x5
Squat: 405x3
Bench: 305x7
OHP: don't ask
^Not a powerlifter, I just did powerbuilding routines for a long time. Numbers are decent, not worth bragging about.

Pharma (current)
I've been on TRT for about 9 months now at 180mg Test. Found that my back doesn't agree with DHT and shows it by getting a fuckload of acne. In the last month or so, I've been messing with my TRT to lower Test and backfill with NPP.
Currently on 80mg/wk Test C, 120mg/wk NPP and have found success with that regarding less acne and no Deca Dick. Can't lower Test any more or I start getting low E symptoms. Also taking 0.5mg/wk Semaglutide to help with diet compliance.

Plan
600mg Deca/100mg Test C for 16-20 weeks.
Bloodwork on current dosing (above), then at week 8, again at week 16.

Goal
Primary: Lean out to eyeball 10% BF (will DEXA when I get there for sanity).
Secondary: Add muscle where possible.

Questions
-Any on-cycle supports I should be taking? (Already supplementing 100mg B6 daily for prolactin)
-Anything I'm missing?
-Thoughts on the above?

If you're going to tell me that my plan is shit, do me the courtesy of telling me why it's shit too. I came here to learn.

 

[Reader591]

Currently on 80mg/wk Test C, 120mg/wk NPP and

No comment on everything else, but I plan to try this very soon before starting my first cycle. I’m also acne prone since starting my trt, especially in summer time when I’m outside sweating a lot. I’d like to think this may help me out.

This whole time I’ve assumed you’ve cycled before. You look good and like you have a great base!

 

[Reader591]

How tall are you?

 

[white ape]

This is more sensible and thought out than 98% of what we see around here. I have nothing to offer other than I think you have a solid plan.

I’m sure you’ve talked to the guys around here that have dropped test completely and just ran deca and made you choice to keep some test in the mix

 

[Reader591]

You say you want to lean out, so is your plan to eat at maintenance or so and hope you add enough muscle to lower body fat percentage without really losing fat, and also take advantage of it being a first cycle?

I’m just wondering if that’s the thought process here? Just asking, I don’t know.

In order to do that you’d have to be about 240 if my math is right at 10% vs your 210 and assuming you’re 12 percent. I order to add enough mass and not lose fat and lower down to 10% body fat.

So I’m assuming you’re hoping to drop a few pounds of fat then?

 

[turkey_sandwich]

This whole time I’ve assumed you’ve cycled before

probably just made his day

 

[Reader591]

probably just made his day

Haha most genuine complement possible.

But I seriously did.

He looks better but I’m stronger so suck it hahaha….I’ve found my competition and we are on the exact same time line pretty much. New news to me.

I’m joking you have solid numbers.

 

[white ape]

Haha most genuine complement possible.

But I seriously did.

He looks better but I’m stronger so suck it hahaha….I’ve found my competition

I’m joking you have solid numbers.

Same honestly. Was shocked when I saw this thread. He’s obviously doing things right

 

[Reader591]

Same honestly. Was shocked when I saw this thread. He’s obviously doing things right

I thought it was a typo.

100% he is.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

This whole time I’ve assumed you’ve cycled before

How tall are you?

5'9 - hoping one of the mods can edit OP and add that in... surprised I forgot to add it lol.

I’m sure you’ve talked to the guys around here that have dropped test completely and just ran deca and made you choice to keep some test in the mix

I don't anticipate having any high E symptoms on this relatively low dose of Deca with only 100mg Test, so that covers the High E issues. I also need to have enough estrogen to not have low E issues, and 100mg seems to be a good round number (which I've tested and know it works). It seems to be a decent balance, but if I were hitting maybe a gram of Deca - I'd consider dropping the Test.

You say you want to lean out, so is your plan to eat at maintenance or so and hope you add enough muscle to lower body fat percentage without really losing fat, and also take advantage of it being a first cycle?

I plan to eat in a deficit steep enough to not be fun, and when that gets unmanageable - switch to maintenance. Primary intent is to make my body have less fat on it as I think that will result in better/faster aesthetic improvements than trying to gain enough muscle to even out the fat.

Also, yes - absolutely taking advantage of it being my first cycle. I've wanted to do this for more than half of my life and have done everything right leading up to this point; its overdue and I WILL abuse the benefits it brings.

 

[turkey_sandwich]

I plan to eat in a deficit

you are going to "blast" while in a deficit?

 

[white ape]

you are going to "blast" while in a deficit?

May be a dumb question but don’t people call that a “cutting cycle”? Is this a no no?

 

[turkey_sandwich]

May be a dumb question but don’t people call that a “cutting cycle”? Is this a no no?

so what he is planning is a cutting cycle, you're saying

 

[white ape]

so what he is planning is a cutting cycle, you're saying

I don’t know. He is running a cycle and eating in a deficit to lose weight. So cutting cycle?

I’m seriously not being a smart ass here. Please don’t take it that way. I’m trying to learn. You asked a question about blast and deficit so I asked another.

 

[Reader591]

5'9 - hoping one of the mods can edit OP and add that in... surprised I forgot to add it lol.

We have extremely similar stats then. I’m just carrying a little more fat and weight.

 

[turkey_sandwich]

We have extremely similar stats then. I’m just carrying a little more fat and weight.

you could be cousins. not even kidding. same builds. OP is leaner right now, it's my understanding you are working on it.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

you are going to "blast" while in a deficit?

Yes, until I can no longer sustain the deficit - which is when I will move to maintenance.

@white ape @turkey_sandwich this is a "cutting cycle" but that term carries bad juju and stigma with it, so I churched it up a bit. I plan to use the increased anabolic activity of AAS to keep and build muscle, and the deficit to lose fat. Yes, this violates thermodynamics, and no - I don't care. Many folks end up "recomping" on blast; hell even I recomped while on TRT and in a deficit, so it's certainly more than a theory.

 

[Jonjon]

Question
Are you sure your acne wasn’t caused by high estrogen?
Mine was. Added adex and it disappeared

I aromatize pretty bad to estrogen so Over time I’ve found that what works best for me is similar to what you’re doing. Low test and fill the rest of the gap with npp (for my maintenance trt whatever). That’s the only way I can avoid taking adex.

On 60mg of test cyp week, along with 240mg npp a week, (split MWF), I felt real good. Total test was at 530, estradiol was 34. Right now I’m trying 75mg test and 225 npp. We’ll see. I honestly grew best and saw the most strength gains with 60 test and 240 npp. It’s crazy, I made progress way better than all the high dose stuff I’ve tried. I’ve ran test up to 2g and npp 900mg, and all kinds of other stuff. I just don’t respond well. I guess it’s because my sleep goes to crap when I crank it up and I just don’t recover as well. Who knows

Advice on your cycle, I’d recommend NPP over deca. Deca is fine, but I have no use for it now that I’ve found how great npp is. You don’t have to wait forever for it to kick in, and you don’t have to wait forever for it to go out. Plus npp is more dry. I would only take deca if it’s all I had and I was planning a bulk to where I didn’t care how red and bloated and sloppy I looked

 

[Reader591]

you could be cousins. not even kidding. same builds. OP is leaner right now, it's my understanding you are working on it.

Yea, I went back to maintenance for a few weeks due to several family events and trips, but starting today really I’m going back into a cut. Luckily it comes off easily, at least until I’m somewhat lean, something I couldn’t say years ago.

 

[turkey_sandwich]

npp is more dry

Can you point me towards something to read to explain why this is true?