The act of using different patterns of methods of taking steroids can be referred to as cycling, stacking, or pyramiding. All these terms speak to the act of scheduling the compounds being introduced to your body so as to compliment their effects and allow for more efficient growth and rest. Depending on your goals and the body type you have, a steroid cycle can work differently for everyone, from the supplements you take to the duration of each cycle.
How to Properly Cycle Steroids
To start an anabolic steroid cycle, you need to set up a schedule for yourself and pin down the exact dates of when and what you want to achieve as the end result. This allows you to work backwards from your goal, and tells you how much time you have to reach your goal, and the intensity of training you need to endure.
A fixed schedule will also help you calculate half-lives, which is crucial if you will be entering any competitions or expect to be taking drug tests.
What Is a Steroid Cycle?
With the continue usage of steroids, usually around the 2-month mark, your body will begin to build tolerance, hence diminishing the effectiveness of steroids. As this takes place, you’ll begin to observe a slowed muscle growth, and the side effects of your current stack can become more prominent.
By entering a steroid cycle, you employ an on-and-off strategy that helps you keep track of how long you’ll be using the steroid for, and the period of break you’ll want to take before getting back on it again. The cycle itself could range anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, transitioning to a period of going completely cold-turkey or drastically reduced usage.
Your cycle length will depend on your previous experience with steroid, the compounds you’re working with, and the end goal of your cycle.
How To Stack Steroids For a Cycle
Much like what is suggested with the name, the act of stacking steroids means combining different steroids into a given timeframe and using that to enhance your workouts. This leads to a mixture of effects and makes your workouts much more efficient. The combination of two or more steroids can grant your body enhanced effects than taking them on separate times. With that said, stacking is not recommended for beginners unless guided by a coach or expert.
How to Pyramid Your Steroids
Pyramiding steroids is another method of taking steroids. Somewhat like the shape of a pyramid, this method allows you to start with a small dosage, gradually increasing overtime, eventually peaking at the tip of the pyramid then gradually coming back down. Honestly, it would be better visualized as an hourglass. With this method, your peak dosage will be somewhere near the middle of the cycle. This allows you to control your portions and to not suddenly go cold turkey, unlike other methods.
Which Method Works Best For Me?
To decide which method is most suited for your athletic schedule, consider your own familiarity with steroids. For most novices, it is recommended to start slow with either 1 or 2 compounds, and not stack too many at once. Cycle-wise, a good timeline would be 4 weeks to start. Once you become more comfortable, more anabolic steroids and time can be added on.
