Cycle & Workout Critique

[tylers]

Test Cyp - 500mg weekly (split 250 Mon / 250 Thur)
Deca - 400mg weekly (split 200 Mon / 200 Thur)
HCG - 500units Twice weekly (Day before Test C)
Anastrozole - 0.5mg Mon/Wed/Fri
Armour Thyroid - 60mg Daily
Fish Oil - Daily
Multivitamin - Daily

200lbs
14% body fat
5' 9"

Food:
Eating around 2600 Calories daily split up in approx 5-6 meals (depending on time / day)

Pre workout:
Whey Protein Shake 26g Protein
Oatmeal
Scoop of Gatorade Powder
BCAA
L-Glutamine
Pre-workout supplement (Vasocor right now)

Post workout:
Whey Protein Shake 52g Protein
3 Scoops Gatorade Powder
BCAA
L-Glutamine

Workouts:

Shoulder/Tri
Arnold Press
Lat Raise Standing
Incline reverse Lat raise (chest on incline bench)
Front DB Raise
Shrugs
Skull Crusher
Close Grip Press
Rope Push Downs
DB Extension (DB behind head)

Back/Core
Pull Down Wide
Pull Down Close
Rows Seated
Rows Barbell
Rows DB
Leg Lift Hanging (4 sets to failure each set)
Crunches (4 sets to failure each set)
Planks (three sets to failure each set)

Chest/Bicep
Bench Flat DB
Bench Incline DB
Fly DB
Bench Flat BB
Curls Standing Bar
Curls Preacher Bar
Curls Hammer DB
Curls Incline DB

Legs
Hack Squat
Leg Press
Leg Extension Seated
Leg Curl (lay on chest)
Calf Raises Standing (3 sets to failure)
Calf Raises Seated (3 sets to failure)
Hanging Leg Lifts (extra Ab help)

All workouts 3 sets heavy weight 8 reps (goal) unless otherwise stated. Day off between Back/Core & Chest/Bicep, Day off after legs.

I have been running this since the last week of October. I have noticed I am becoming harder and stronger. I don't feel like I am gaining much size (mirror or tape) but like mentioned am becoming defined and hard.

I question if I am eating enough calories?

Any other advice would be great, don't be shy I am newer to this and want to learn.

This is my second cycle, first was a Test C only and my diet and routine were not strict.

Thanks in advance!

TS

[Dawgpound_Hank]

You didn't state your goals. For adding muscle mass, 2600 cals for a 200lb guy is way too low. Thats only 13 cals per lb of bdwt. You need to up the cals with good foods, not junk, ie beef, chicken, fish, rice, pasta, potatoes, milk, eggs. Don't just start eating a ton more from jump - do it gradually. Use the mirror as your gauge to make sure you're not putting on too much fat as you increase the cals.

What was your starting bdwt & fat %? It's been around 2 months so the gains should be kickin' fosho. I don't know your age, but I noticed you aren't doing squats, deads or militaries. If you can, you should - 3 killa mass builders you're missing out on. Did you list the exercises in the exact order you do them? If so, needs revamped. The day off after legs is very smart.

[tylers]

I am 37, looking to add size / bulk. I don't eat junk but do grab a protein bar on occasion due to time. I also have a weakness for Peanut Butter but limit it to 2 tablespoon a day and only natural butter.

Yes, the workout is listed in order that I do them. I am very open to change it up move things around.

I don't do squats as I had a knee injury several years ago and don't feel stable doing them. I am open to deads and militaries just don't know when / how to incorporate them.

I was 181 and 16% body fat October 1st, so I know I have made improvements. I said 200 in my stats, actusl weight goes from 196-200 depending on time of day.

Should I add in another 500 calories per day to start or ???

I am open to advice, changing routine, whatever I need to do.

Thanks again for the help!

[liftsiron]

You didn't state your goals. For adding muscle mass, 2600 cals for a 200lb guy is way too low. Thats only 13 cals per lb of bdwt. You need to up the cals with good foods, not junk, ie beef, chicken, fish, rice, pasta, potatoes, milk, eggs. Don't just start eating a ton more from jump - do it gradually. Use the mirror as your gauge to make sure you're not putting on too much fat as you increase the cals.

What was your starting bdwt & fat %? It's been around 2 months so the gains should be kickin' fosho. I don't know your age, but I noticed you aren't doing squats, deads or militaries. If you can, you should - 3 killa mass builders you're missing out on. Did you list the exercises in the exact order you do them? If so, needs revamped. The day off after legs is very smart.

I was going to comment that the calories looked low. Also looks like a lot of exercises per body part. I would stick with the compound mass exercises and add the exercises DPH suggested.

[bufbiker]

Get rid of as many of your shakes and go with real food. You will be amazed at the difference. Also eat red meat right before bed. This has added great mass for me more than anything else i think.
Food is the key, not drugs. The drugs just take the food you eat to the right places to greatly understate it.

[BikerTrash]

As the others have stated , the biggest thing I see is your calorie intake is very low for what your wanting to do ,. at your size already you should consume double that calorie intake . And make peanut butter your friend and eat it all the time . Put it in your shakes, make PBJ sammichs ....eat it on celery ..Its excellent for adding mass and fuel . also I want to ask why you intend on running Anastrozole at.5 M,W,F throughout your cycle ? If you dont need to run your AI why would you use it? I believe in not adding in extra compounds if there not needed and without any negative sides then in my opinion the use of the AI is a waste .
The whole foods will pack on on your size so eat and eat and eat .
Make sure your getting plenty of sleep and rest because that is just as important as your lifting routine .

[Dawgpound_Hank]

I am 37, looking to add size / bulk. I don't eat junk but do grab a protein bar on occasion due to time. I also have a weakness for Peanut Butter but limit it to 2 tablespoon a day and only natural butter.

Yes, the workout is listed in order that I do them. I am very open to change it up move things around.

I don't do squats as I had a knee injury several years ago and don't feel stable doing them. I am open to deads and militaries just don't know when / how to incorporate them.

I was 181 and 16% body fat October 1st, so I know I have made improvements. I said 200 in my stats, actusl weight goes from 196-200 depending on time of day.

Should I add in another 500 calories per day to start or ???

I am open to advice, changing routine, whatever I need to do.

Thanks again for the help!

Well you have put on 15-20 lbs in 2 months dude so I don't know why you say you don't feel like you're gaining much size in your first post. Thats alot of size, not to mention you also dropped 2% bf also. Thats actually great gains.

A good ballpark for gains concerning cals is bdwt x 20-25 = total cals needed. So 200 x 20-25 = 4000-5000 cals. Thats just a range, since exact amount varies depending on individual metabolism. You are wayyy under that, and actually amazed you made such good gains considering you've been eating like a bird. Once you start eating right, you will see your gains take off again.

Why are you doing bb bench as your last pec exercise? If you have no actual reason, ie, injury, then do it first since its a basic Mac daddy. You should be able to use much more weight when you hit it first. Do deads on back day. Do bb rows before cable rows. Do militaries first on delt day - again, assuming no injuries/tweaks that would prohibit you to do so. Don't do skullcrushers first on tri day - you want some blood in the tris/elbows first or you invite tendonitis/elbow pain down the road.

All in all, most important is eating right. Get that straight and you're good to go.

[Shovel]

I also noticed the cals were low and also too many exercises per body part. You have to wait longer to recover from that or you're just spinning the tires.

[Shovel]

Btw, cycle looks good. Maybe a tad too much adex, but otherwise it's nice.

[tylers]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I am upping my calorie intake and moving/deleting/adding to my workouts.

After seeing my gains in print I feel I am doing very well. My wife and friends do comment that I look better. I used to be fat, 280lbs fat and worked my ass off to drop it. I guess I am critical on myself.

I run the adex as I was scared of gyno. I honestly don't know if I am prone, but figured it couldn't hurt. I feel comfortable on it (mental i guess) but should I decrease the dose?

Again, thank you to everyone!

[bufbiker]

I'm a believer in ai use whether you are gyno prone or not. high estrogen has a lot of nasty and even fatal side effects besides just gyno.

[tylers]

I'm a believer in ai use whether you are gyno prone or not. high estrogen has a lot of nasty and even fatal side effects besides just gyno.

This appears to be a split camp on the use of AI in cycle. I do hate adding a drug if not needed, but this is a good one (to me) to add for the benefits it provides.

[GYMBRAT]

I run adex throughout my bulks as it helps keep bloat to a minimum, nolv etc I only run when needed, HCG is a good addition throughout....and as mentioned, bump your cals up to around 3500ish and adjust from there. If your not growing bump them up 500, if your growing stick to what they are. As you start to add size you WILL have to adjust them accordingly regardless

best of luck and happy growing

[tylers]

I was afraid of getting fat again, that is why I kept calories at a minimum. I guess I just needed a few people who know better than me to tell
me to raise them. Believe it or not this thread does give me motivation knowing I have support and info at hand.

I hope to progress enough that I can pay it forward.

[Shovel]

You will. Lots of wisdom around this board, without the fear of ridicule.

Remember not to bump the carbs too much, bump the protein up.