If you’ve been investigating steroid cycles, particularly cycle length, you’ve almost likely come across vast amounts of information – not to mention a million different points of view – on what the best cycle duration is for any specific goal or type of steroid you’re utilizing.
There are short and medium cycles, very long cycles that last many months, and typical cycles that run 12 weeks. So how can you know which is best for you?
It is not a straightforward binary option because other factors must be considered first:
- Which steroids do you administer in your cycle?
- What is your level of expertise?
- How well do you deal with the negative consequences?
- What specific goals do you intend to attain through your cycle?
That’s only to get things started.
You must grasp the advantages and disadvantages of each steroid cycle length, as well as who is most suited to which sorts of cycles and which steroid chemicals are best used for short, medium, and long cycles. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all strategy, so what works for one man may not work at all for you.
Note from the author: This advice is based on my personal experience and does NOT advocate for the illegal use of steroids (PEDs). I’m now using this supplement stack.
This article will discuss who should and should not employ specific types of cycles and cycle lengths, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various cycle scenarios.
Even the most seasoned experts learnt their craft by trial and error, so don’t be afraid to experiment and adapt until you find the cycle duration and structure that works best for where you are now and where you want to go.
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Long Steroid Cycles (3-9 Months)
The duration of this sort of cycle spans from three months to nine months. This method is for advanced users who have a lot of experience and are ready to dive into a much more serious plan involving the use of steroids for extended periods of time.
What are the Downsides of Doing Long Steroid Cycles?
It should come as no surprise that the disadvantages of lengthier cycles are amplified when contrasted to much shorter cycle durations when the body can fully recuperate with the steroids removed from the system in between cycles. That will not happen if your periods last for months on end, therefore you must be prepared for the negative effects that are almost certain to occur.
Some persons are exceptions to all norms, and some men can absolutely demonstrate continuous gains during a carefully planned and executed lengthy cycle. The diet and fitness program dedication, on the other hand, must be accurate, and some guys will adapt the cycle to include other components such as peptides. Again, this is a sophisticated strategy that should be considered only if you have at least a few years of experience.
Unless money is no object, you must consider the cost of a long cycle, which will rule it out for some guys. While not all compounds are excessively expensive, the expense of delivering months’ worth of nearly any steroid, let alone stacking numerous compounds, adds up quickly and can potentially reach thousands of dollars.
Another significant concern and disadvantage of doing a lengthy cycle is the occurrence of side effects. Simply said, any negative effects will worsen with time, and you will need to be vigilant throughout the cycle to mitigate the unwanted effects. The shutdown of testosterone is a key issue that must be addressed, and you will require maximum post cycle treatment, including HCG, to raise testosterone once the cycle is through.
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Primary Compounds for Long Cycles
There are very few compound options for a long cycle or a continuous use cycle. Typically, Testosterone Enanthate or Testosterone Propionate is used alone or as the primary constituent for the entire cycle. There are several reasons why testosterone should be your main focus during a long cycle:
- It can be used to replace natural testosterone because it is pure testosterone. Because natural test will shut down after a long cycle, you should use synthetic testosterone as the main or only substance if you want to maintain normal testosterone health, such as libido.
- When compared to other Test esters on the market, both of these testosterone esters have a longer half life. This means injecting less regularly, possibly as low as once per week and no more than twice each week. Furthermore, when compared to shorter acting esters, maintaining optimal levels of the chemical will be easier.
- Finally, we know that testosterone has an anabolic to androgenic rating of 100, so you won’t be working with a molecule that has excessively high values on either side.
- The benefits of this prolonged testosterone cycle include enhanced muscle gain due to improved protein synthesis and nitrogen retention, as well as the ability to preserve existing muscle while losing body fat. We know that testosterone simply works, and it works extremely well, so you can’t go wrong if you use it for a long or continuous period of time.
How about the dose? If you’re in the cruising stage of a long cycle, your doses could range from 200mg weekly (for hormone replacement) to 1000mg weekly (for sustained bodybuilding advantages).
Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)
Following suppression, PCT is necessary to restore normal testosterone function. PCT is not required for continuous cycles, but it is required for all other cycles. PCT is divided into two primary approaches:
- Test Taper: This allows you to return to normal functioning while keeping exogenous testosterone at a basic level, and then progressively drop it to allow the body to acclimate. As external testing continue to drop, natural output increases until normal operation is resumed.
- HCG/SERM: HCG is used to stimulate production, and then a SERM is utilized to increase FSH and LH levels. During the cycle, HCG can be taken at maintenance levels (about 250iu every 3-4 days). In the final few weeks of the cycle, it can be given at a higher dose in 5 day intervals, commencing with 3000iu on the first shot and decreasing to 1500iu at the conclusion. You then utilize a SERM to follow up for 3 or 4 weeks. Clomid can be administered at a tapering dose of 200mg on day one, gradually dropping to 50mg in the last two weeks. Nolvadex can also be taken at 80mg on day one, 40mg for another week, and 20mg daily for the next several weeks.
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Putting It All Together
Here are some examples of how a TRT and an extremely long cycle might manifest. This is a simple guide that you can change and expand as needed.
- Weeks 1-20 – Deca-Durabolin 200mg/e4d
- Weeks 1 – 36 – 500mg/e4d Test Cypionate
- Weeks 1 – 36 – 200mg/e4d Masteron Enanthate
- Weeks 1 – 39: 0.5mg/eod Arimidex (taped to 0.25mg/eod in the last two weeks)
- Weeks 1 – 52: 4iu/eod HGH, 40mcg/day IGF-1 (post workout)
In weeks 37-42, PCT begins with 50mg of Test Cypionate twice a week. Begin lowering each dose by 5mg at a time until you reach zero in week 43.
Is A 20 Week Steroid Cycle Too Long?
The answer would depend on a variety of things, but in most cases, a 20-week steroid cycle is not harmful. In fact, many steroid cycles extend for far longer than 20 weeks. This is due to the human body’s ability to recover and adapt. “Take it one day at a time,” as a wise man once said. A long steroid cycle is important not just for healing, but also for allowing the body to grow muscle.