How much can you keep?

[220]

On a typical cycle, what percentage of muscle do you typically keep after returning to a TRT dosage?
I assume it depends on several variables, but I want to set realistic expectations.
Thanks in advance.

 

[220]

I should have mentioned: It will be first cycle, test cyp.around 500mg.

 

[BodybuilderZepp]

On a typical cycle, what percentage of muscle do you typically keep after returning to a TRT dosage?
I assume it depends on several variables, but I want to set realistic expectations.
Thanks in advance.

I’d say on average 50% because most people don’t train as hard or eat as much when they come off/go back to trt.

But if you train and eat just as hard I’d say you can keep 90% of your gains.

 

[220]

I’d say on average 50% because most people don’t train as hard or eat as much when they come off/go back to trt.

But if you train and eat just as hard I’d say you can keep 90% of your gains.

I appreciate the information!

 

[Obscured78]

My personal experience when I went on PCT I definitely did not train as hard and lost some gains. Since doing trt now my training doesn’t or hasn’t suffered after blast transitioning back to trt. Currently about a month into trt and gained a few pounds even. Diet hasn’t changed. Training still same intensity. Not quite as vascular. Again, only a month into this cruise. We’ll see where I’m at come March or April when I plan my next blast. I am craving a week off to be honest but can’t seem to bring myself to do it.

 

[220]

Thanks for the insight Obscured.

 

[Vision]

If we were to examine this and look at a realistically, it would all come down to consistency. Each and every single individual will be guns a blazing into each cycle or blast, and It's perfectly natural and not out of the ordinary to lose that added drive when tampering down, however this is the most crucial time to stay consistent.
There's going to be a loss and some can be more considerable compared to others depending on the compounds that were used.
When coming off you don't need to stay full torque, because your body is going to need to deload, and rest, but keep the food intake and nutrition coming in.
Coming off doesn't have to be hard and brutal, you can make it smooth sailing with a nice cushion landing if you do the right PCT and stay on point with your nutrients.

 

[maxmuscle1]

If we were to examine this and look at a realistically, it would all come down to consistency. Each and every single individual will be guns a blazing into each cycle or blast, and It's perfectly natural and not out of the ordinary to lose that added drive when tampering down, however this is the most crucial time to stay consistent.
There's going to be a loss and some can be more considerable compared to others depending on the compounds that were used.
When coming off you don't need to stay full torque, because your body is going to need to deload, and rest, but keep the food intake and nutrition coming in.
Coming off doesn't have to be hard and brutal, you can make it smooth sailing with a nice cushion landing if you do the right PCT and stay on point with your nutrients.

That. Very correct about consistency and plain experience.

Max

 

[Seattlesbest]

If we were to examine this and look at a realistically, it would all come down to consistency. Each and every single individual will be guns a blazing into each cycle or blast, and It's perfectly natural and not out of the ordinary to lose that added drive when tampering down, however this is the most crucial time to stay consistent.
There's going to be a loss and some can be more considerable compared to others depending on the compounds that were used.
When coming off you don't need to stay full torque, because your body is going to need to deload, and rest, but keep the food intake and nutrition coming in.
Coming off doesn't have to be hard and brutal, you can make it smooth sailing with a nice cushion landing if you do the right PCT and stay on point with your nutrients.

Droppin some knowledge right here.

 

[lifter916]

Agreed that consistent training and nutrition off cycle have to be the most important in keeping gains, but what about genetics? I wonder how much of a factor this comes into play...

 

[Skip Foursome]

You keep all of it as long as you stay dedicated.

 

[Oldman85]

If you’re talking about actual added muscle mass and not just intramuscular water and a bit of bloat? 80-90% is possible.

A lot of guys, especially skinny guys looking to bulk, are only looking at the scale. And post cycle they piss out a lot of the “gAiNz” and loose sight of good meat they put on.

Know your goals, know what’s realistic, and train you butt off both “on” and ESPECIALLY “off” cycle.

 

[rawbuilt]

impossible question for anyone to answer, only you can decide how much you will hold on to

keep training hard af maintain all strength and keep eating big

you shouldn't lose anything if you do these

 

[zionoir626]

Your mindset should be to hit a wieght or look..but a factored amount of loss. For me,being always trying to bulk(water wieght) after I lost the water,I wanted to retain 75%..Dryer compounds,perhaps more..Its not a race to the finish line..the Fun is in the Journey.. Like me going from 125lbs to 200lbs takes time.. dedication..and time... Especially if you want to be healthy in the end..Never sacrifice health for gains.. Many,trade TRT for gains at an early age..not a wise choice to me..

You learn more with each cycle..some are great,while some,not so much..Its a learning process of not only how those compounds work for you but also how you trained,ate and recovered..As the cycles and yrs go by,you learn what Works...For You..then the Real Work begins..

 

[sityslicker1]

You guys are so optimistic. If you go cold turkey none of this trt bullshit and workout half as much w/o riods, youd6 probably hold maybe 75% the first month or two and by a year's time or less be back to where you started. This is why everyone never comes off, there scared to loss everything they work so hard for.

 

[MonsterMaker]

You guys are so optimistic. If you go cold turkey none of this trt bullshit and workout half as much w/o riods, youd6 probably hold maybe 75% the first month or two and by a year's time or less be back to where you started. This is why everyone never comes off, there scared to loss everything they work so hard for.

Are you talking a years time of being cruising or just completely off the gear all together…?

I would think any gains you make using gear are temporary to only while using gear. And you would return to natty level after cessation of juicing for so long….

 

[sityslicker1]

I missed read the question. with legitimate trt and none of this trt cycle bs that everyone runs now a days, you keep around 75% in the beginning, but slowly loss month to month. 1- 2 yrs you'll eventually return back to your normal size. You'll be on a cycle before that time so your only taking 2 steps back for 1 step forward.

 

[CoachCabo]

My experience is guys come off, can’t mentally handle the loss of strength and new found soreness and slow recovery so they just give up the dedication until next cycle, which for many is way too soon after the previous cycle.

When you come off, if you continue regimented training, eating and sleeping just like you did on cycle, you wil only shrink some. The tissue will still be there, ready to swell again one day if you go back on. Oh, it will totally suck compared to being on gear but eventually your body will adjust and you will keep much of the size you gained on cycle.

People used to ask me back in the early 90s how I knew my gear was real? I said it didn’t matter because even if only via placebo effect, being on gear, real or not, motivated me to wake, eat,eat,eat,train, eat,eat,eat and sleep religiously.
It comes down to mind set imo.

 

[MindlessWork]

I kept at least 50% of what I gained on cycle while continuing to train and diet just the same when off.

 

[Oldman85]

Man, lots a pessimists. I run a PCT and am 100% off everything. I’m still carrying around muscle I gained in my first ever cycle, and “no” I’m not a genetic wonder. I’m utterly ordinary but consistent.

 

[MindlessWork]

Man, lots a pessimists. I run a PCT and am 100% off everything. I’m still carrying around muscle I gained in my first ever cycle, and “no” I’m not a genetic wonder. I’m utterly ordinary but consistent.

Never underestimate old man strength haha.

 

[Vision]

Never underestimate old man strength haha.

Old man strength is real man.
When I was 16 and I entered a freestyle tournament/meet, there was this 40-year-old bearded guy I went up against. The guy was like a fucking chimpanzee. Not only did this guy have 25 years on Me on the mat but he was stronger than a raped ape.
Pop strength..

 

[MindlessWork]

Old man strength is real man.
When I was 16 and I entered a freestyle tournament/meet, there was this 40-year-old bearded guy I went up against. The guy was like a fucking chimpanzee. Not only did this guy have 25 years on Me on the mat but he was stronger than a raped ape.
Pop strength..

Oh man that has to been utterly humiliating then, and yes old man strength is all too real even that time.

 

[Milford King]

On a typical cycle, what percentage of muscle do you typically keep after returning to a TRT dosage?
I assume it depends on several variables, but I want to set realistic expectations.
Thanks in advance.

a lot of what you lose immediately is drive. Energy. That kind of thing. I’m not sure what has already been said but if you keep your intensity close to what it was on blast…. Your peers won’t know the difference… you will.. and that’s what’ll fuck with you but if you can restrain your ego and push through the “off cycle mind fuck” you’ll be quite alright. And healthier. Limit your blasts and make the most of trt and you’ll be able to do this into your 60’s.

good luck bro

 

[zionoir626]

You guys are so optimistic. If you go cold turkey none of this trt bullshit and workout half as much w/o riods, youd6 probably hold maybe 75% the first month or two and by a year's time or less be back to where you started. This is why everyone never comes off, there scared to loss everything they work so hard for.

If that was true...after a two yr break yrs ago and off for 3 just recently..I would be 125lbs again..Im Not..I feel comfortable at 175 for my bone structure..

 

[Augustine5I]

Are you talking a years time of being cruising or just completely off the gear all together…?

I would think any gains you make using gear are temporary to only while using gear. And you would return to natty level after cessation of juicing for so long….

One would assume from some of the comments here that if you run a few cycles and put on 50 pounds of muscle, you can keep upwards of 50 to 75% of your gains after coming off...so long as you "eat and train with intensity."

That's keeping 25 or 35 pounds of the muscle you made. Roughly. Wow

Sure wish when these same members were natty, that they just stayed natty and made their wonderful gains thru motivation and diet. Bc that works!

Truth is, your superphysiological hormonal state returns to normal (maybe a decent level if your young, and shit if your older). And so will your body.

It's wishful thinking to tell someone new that if they run a few cycles and put on 25 pounds, they can keep those gains and never have to touch gear again.

But it's bullshit. When someone older comes off, their normal levels suck. And they run trt to keep from looking like shit.

If you are young, you run a PCT to get your own levels (which may be decent) up as asap before losing too much. But eventually you will lose most of it anyway.

Why?? BC it's not NORMAL.

Of course you can follow their thinking. They probably think Mike O'hearn is natty too. lolz.

Or you can look at all the old time bodybuilders like Gaspari, Yates and see if they are still carrying the 75% of gains they achieved by "trying really hard" and being motivated.

 

[Skip Foursome]

You keep all of it as long as you stay dedicated.

I should qualify by saying you lose the bloat if using watery compounds but can keep muscle as long as you are dedicated when cruising.

 

[Augustine5I]

If that was true...after a two yr break yrs ago and off for 3 just recently..I would be 125lbs again..Im Not..I feel comfortable at 175 for my bone structure..

With all due respect bro, at 175 bodyweight? You're just carrying a normal amount as compared to the average person. I was 174 pounds as a senior in High School.

In fact, google has average male weight in the U.S. at 197 pounds.

Not sure anyone would look at you and think you are still using gear. Not to say you don't look good or whatever.

 

[MonsterMaker]

One would assume from some of the comments here that if you run a few cycles and put on 50 pounds of muscle, you can keep upwards of 50 to 75% of your gains after coming off...so long as you "eat and train with intensity."

That's keeping 25 or 35 pounds of the muscle you made. Roughly. Wow

Sure wish when these same members were natty, that they just stayed natty and made their wonderful gains thru motivation and diet. Bc that works!

Truth is, your superphysiological hormonal state returns to normal (maybe a decent level if your young, and shit if your older). And so will your body.

It's wishful thinking to tell someone new that if they run a few cycles and put on 25 pounds, they can keep those gains and never have to touch gear again.

But it's bullshit. When someone older comes off, their normal levels suck. And they run trt to keep from looking like shit.

If you are young, you run a PCT to get your own levels (which may be decent) up as asap before losing too much. But eventually you will lose most of it anyway.

Why?? BC it's not NORMAL.

Of course you can follow their thinking. They probably think Mike O'hearn is natty too. lolz.

Or you can look at all the old time bodybuilders like Gaspari, Yates and see if they are still carrying the 75% of gains they achieved by "trying really hard" and being motivated.

Loosing muscle as you age is normal though and it’s going to happen regardless of whether or not you use gear. Obviously Yates isn’t going to look how he did when he was competing but he still looks pretty fucking good for a grandpa if you ask me!

I’d be willing to bet if Yates for example, went the natty route he still would have lost an equal percentage of his stage ready mass and would probably be even less impressive now… just my thoughts. It’s just part of growing old man…

 

[CoachCabo]

First one is two months off gear (only short esters) and after a run of PCT.
Second and third ones are off over three months.
I well knew what happens when you go off and to keep chugging away, pain and soreness be damned.
That’s at 57 and in December and January.