Opinions and experiences on Short Cycles (4-5 weeks)

[LordKraven]

Shorter cycles seem like a good option for someone who is on TRT or blasting and cruising and seeking to things in a safer manner. You can even run 2 of these in a row and it’s still not that bad on blood markers unless you ran orals throughout both.

They are intriguing to me because a) shifts in lipids and blood markers are out of range for a shorter amount of time and to a lower extent then longer cycles, b) gains are at peak as myostatin has not kicked in to slow growth down, and c) personally for me, my training blocks are done in 5 week blocks. If someone wanted to mitigate the myostatin issue they either stay on their current dose until it returns to baseline or pyramid up the dose.

Anyway, I hear arguments on both sides, some saying it’s a waste of time to be on for such a short amount of time and that even short esters like Test P/NPP should be ran for 8 weeks or so to really get a benefit but having done 2 cycles (1st 16 week bulk, 2nd 6 week cut) I don’t have the experience to really comment on it. I assume 5 weeks is a good amount of time to put mass on if training, nutrition, recovery and proper selection of compounds are used, especially if GH and insulin were being used. Love to hear from all you guys, in particular those of who have run shorter cycles.

Poll Question: Which cycle duration allows someone to put more total mass on if time on equal time off?

 

[muskate]

Short steroid cycles and front loading doesn't make a lot of sense. Building muscle is a slow process. \

Your body wants homeostasis. That is priority number one. When you front load and load a huge influx of hormones all of a sudden, it stresses your body out and your body will sky rocket blood pressure and crush HDL cholesterol levels as a result.

People are always trying to re-invent the wheel but if it isn't broken - don't fix it. Stick with 10-16 week cycles.

If you want to do a 10 week cycle that is fast acting for the goals of lean muscle mass and performance, I would do test prop + NPP + anavar. You have test, a DHT derivative and a nandrolone in your cycle then. You have all your bases covered.

Something like this

Weeks 1 - 10
test prop 150mg EOD
NPP 100mg EOD
Anavar 40mg/day
aromasin 10mg EOD
cabergoline 0.25mg EOD
n2guard 7 capsules/day

Then return to your TRT for 10 weeks, repeat.

All a 4-5 week cycle is going to do is cause side effects. Heck - even with short esters it takes 2-3 weeks for the steroids to build up in your body to full blood hormone concentrations.

 

[Mobster]

So called SHIC (short high intensity cycles) work for SOME. But most do better on 8+ weeks

 

[stevesmi]

most injectable steroids are too long esters to be ran that short of time. it will take them weeks to even hit peak levels

the short cycle theory is okay for orals only, not injectables

 

[Masonic Bodybuilder]

Depends on the ester. Even with a prop ester you still want more than 4-5 weeks.

I say 8-14 weeks is my range for most common esters from prop to deca.