Your First Cycle

Your First Cycle

If you have never used AAS before, this is the guide to read before you do anything else. A first cycle should be simple, controlled and well-documented.

Testosterone only
Your first cycle should be testosterone and nothing else. No stacking, no orals alongside, no "just a little Deca." The reason is straightforward: if you run one compound, you know exactly what is causing any effect or side effect you experience. If you stack three compounds your first time, you learn nothing about how your body responds to any of them individually.

Dose and duration
Testosterone Enanthate or Cypionate at 300 to 500mg per week for 12 to 16 weeks is the standard recommendation. Pin twice per week to keep blood levels stable. There is no benefit to going higher on a first cycle. Your receptors are fresh. You will grow.

Ancillaries on hand
Have an aromatase inhibitor (Anastrozole or Aromasin) ready before you start. You may not need it, but if estrogen-related sides appear (bloating, sensitive nipples, mood swings), you want to be able to act immediately. Do not run an AI preemptively. Use it only if sides present.

Bloodwork
Get bloodwork done before you start. This gives you a baseline to compare everything against. Test at minimum: total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol (sensitive assay), LH, FSH, liver enzymes (ALT, AST), lipids (HDL, LDL, triglycerides), CBC with hematocrit. Get mid-cycle bloods around week 6 to 8 to check where your levels are.

PCT
Plan your post-cycle therapy before you take your first pin. Read the PCT guide. Knowing how you will recover is not optional.

Track everything
Consider running a cycle log here on the board. It keeps you accountable, gives you a record to look back on and helps others learn from your experience.

A first cycle done right teaches you more about your body than anything else in this hobby. Take it seriously.