In Part One of this series we examined some of the principals involved in steroid cycling and printed an example of a 9-week cycle. In Part II we'll expand on our discussion of steroid cycling and look at some of the pharmaceutical strategies involved in maintaining our hard earned size while "off". We'll also examine the role of growth hormone and some "specialty" drugs

Testosterone Should be the Base of any Cycle

Regardless of whether the cycle is designed for mass, pre-contest, or maintenance, it should be built around a base of testosterone. Although other steroids exists that are more effective mass builders than testosterone on a mg per mg basis, they cannot be administered at the same level without causing serious side effects. For example, 50 mg of oxymetholone (Anadrol, Anapolon) is a more effective mass builder than 50 mg of testosterone. However, large amounts of testosterone can be used for long periods of time without the same deleterious side effects of an equal amount of oxymetholone. When we examine all of the steroids that are more effective than test on a mg per mg basis, we see the same trend every time.

Of the many factors that affect the success of any cycle, two stand out. One of course is the type of steroid used. The second is the total amount of steroid administered. 1 gram of testosterone a week is certainly going to cause more growth than 500 mg. However, the side effects associated with 1 gram are not significantly greater than those of half that amount. By using testosterone as a base, you are able to significantly increase your total intake of steroid without significantly increasing your health risk.

So, why not use a milder anabolic like nandrolone decanoate (deca durabolin) or methanolone (primobolan) to increase the total amount of steroid? Again, the other part of the equation is the type of steroid used. While these steroids look great on paper, real world application teaches us that they are not as effective as testosterone at inducing growth. While these steroids are certainly valuable adjuncts to any anabolic regimen, they are not sufficiently powerful enough to form the base of our cycle.

Tapering is a Waste of Time

Typical cycles are designed in a tapered fashion, starting low and slowly rising to the maximum dose. Once the maximum dose is reached, these cycles begin to steadily decline in dose to reach a very small amount at the end. The theory behind these cycles is as follows: At the start of the program, the body doesn't require much in the way of anabolics to grow. As the cycle progresses and growth occurs, more steroid is needed to maintain growth. At the peak of the cycle, the amount of steroid is slowly decreased to allow the body to return to a normal hormonal state. This ensures that the body does not experience a shock as the endogenous production of androgens has been restored through the gradual tapering of exogenous androgens.

Unfortunately, this theory of cycling is flawed. Designing cycles in this fashion usually ensures that the optimum level of steroid to induce growth is only present in the body for a short period. Most of the cycle is either spent climbing towards this goal or retreating from it in the hopes of restoring the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.

When designing a cycle, the very first question that must be answered is what is the peak mg amount of steroid that will be used during the course of the program. This amount of steroid should be used for most of the cycle, with little fluctuation at the beginning and end. This ensures that an adequate dose of steroid is being used to induce growth throughout the length of the cycle.

Concerns over maintaining or restoring proper function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (HPTA) are easily addressed via the use of a variety of pharmaceuticals. Once endogenous production of androgens has been halted due to excessive levels of androgens in the blood, the only effective methods of restoring normal hormonal function is by cleaning out or the use of pharmaceuticals like clomiphen or HCG. Tapering to restore normal hormonal function is a waste of time since it can easily be restored using these drugs.

Use of Accessory Drugs is a Must

Use of accessory meds becomes necessary to minimize the side effects associated with steroid use. However, with the host of anti-estrogens, anti-aromatases, thyroid hormones, and hormone releasing pharmaceuticals, it becomes difficult to determine which medications are necessary and which are not. Listed below are some of the accessory medications that can be utilized during a cycle with a short explanation of each.

Clomid:
This is an absolute necessity for any cycle. Not only does clomid function as an estrogen antagonist, it also causes a release of pituitary gonadotropins. In laymen's terms this means that clomid will help prevent side effects like gynocomastia while maintaining testicular function. Clomid should be used at 50-100 mg/day throughout the length of the cycle and for 3 weeks afterwards.

Cytadren:
This drug should also be used as an adjunct to any cycle. Cytadren will function as an aromatase inhibitor, minimizing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Cytadren is also somewhat effective at minimizing the conversion of testosterone to DHT, the metabolite of test that's responsible for many of the uglier side effects of steroid use. Cytadren should be used at 250-500 mg a day.

HCG:
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin mimics the action of the hormones that stimulate the testicles to release testosterone. HCG should be used during the middle of the cycle at 3000-5000 iu's in divided dosages to maintain testicular function. While HCG and clomid are both used to prevent testicular atrophy and the shutdown of endogenous androgen production, they work through different pathways. HCG should not be used at the end of a cycle because it mimics the actions of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and can prevent the release of these hormones from the pituitary.

T3: Thyroid:
Tridothyronine, the active form of thyroid, should be used during heavy cycles. Very small doses of T3 can improve anabolism while keeping body fat levels low. T3 should be used very sparingly to prevent a shutdown of endogenous thyroid release.

Nolvadex:
This drug is a very effective estrogen antagonist. However, nolvadex will decrease serum IGF-1 levels, making steroid cycles less effective. This drug should only be needed in situations where abnormally large amounts of androgens are being used.

Arimidex and Teslac:
Both are effective at preventing the aromatization of testosterone into estrogen, however both are tremendously expensive. Clomid and cytradren together are extremely effective and can be acquired for much less.

Sufficient Drug Should be Administered to Produce Growth

Many athletes administer insufficient amounts of steroids and wonder why they are not receiving the desired results. This is usually borne out of a fear of side effects and lack of proper knowledge of sports pharmacology. It's imperative that enough total steroid is administered to create an anabolic environment in the body.

In part one of this article, I wrote, "..drugs are merely the vehicle that allow bodybuilders to break their natural genetic barrier once it has been reached. Steroids and other bodybuilding drugs should be used only to push past this barrier, not to accelerate the time in which it is reached." It is imperative that an athlete trains to the absolute limit of his natural genetic potential before starting any kind of steroid cycle. Once an athlete has reached his genetic potential, he should be past the point where 400 mg of steroid a week is going to have a great affect on his physique.

The decision to use steroids is not one to be made lightly. Starting a cycle shifts you into another dimension of bodybuilding. Natural bodybuilders can enjoy the sport knowing that they are not only improving their physique, but their health as well. Once the decision to use steroids is made, the sport ceases to be the healthy pursuit it once was. However, the educated bodybuilder can minimize any health risk to a great degree through intelligent planning and the use of accessory meds.

Once the educated decision has been made to use steroids, an appropriate cycle can be designed. Even a cycle for a beginner should utilize at least one gram of steroid per week. This can be an extremely effective dose for both beginner and intermediate bodybuilders but have almost no side effects if designed properly. Listed below are two very simple examples of cycles of this magnitude.

Example cycle:

Cycle 1- Lasting 8 weeks
Weeks 1-6
600 mg test cypionate or enanthate per week
400 mg deca per week
50 mg clomid per day
5000 IU of HCG during week 4

Weeks 7-8
600 mg test propionate per week taken in divided doses of 200 mg EOD
350 mg of winstrol per week taken in divided doses of 50 mg per day
50 mg clomid per day continuing for 3 weeks after the cycle

Cycle 2- Lasting 6 weeks
Weeks 1-3
750 mg of Sustanon per week
175 mg of methandrostenolone per week taken in divided doses of 25 mg per day
50 mg of clomid per day
250 mg of cytadren EOD
5000 IU of HCG during week 3

Weeks 4
800 mg of cypionate or enanthate
175 mg of methandrostenolone at 25 mg/day
50 mg of clomid per day
250 mg of cytadren every day

Weeks 5-6
600 mg propionate per week taken in divided doses of 200 mg EOD
350 mg of trenbolone acetate taken in divided doses of 50 mg every day
50 mg of clomid per day continuing for 3 weeks after the cycle

Both of these cycles would produce fantastic results for both a beginner and intermediate level bodybuilder with a minimum of side effects.