If you’ve never supplemented with anabolic steroids before knowing what to do can seem like an overwhelming task. To begin there’s a massive amount of information available, not to mention numerous steroid related message boards. When you look at all the information and read all the varying opinions, more times than not the individual is left more confused than when he first began his education. Go to one message board and you’ll find “the experts” say do 1, 2 and 3 followed by A, B and C. Go the next message board and you’ll find others who say you should start with A, B and C and only add in 1, 2 and 3 if you’re really serious about your pursuit. Not only can this talk be confusing, for many would be performance enhancers it’s annoying.

Let’s be clear, very clear right from the start. Anabolic Androgenic Steroids are not magical. When we supplement with anabolic steroids the rules of nutrition do not go flying out the window, the basic principles of training are not lost to the wind. The basic idea behind supplemental anabolic steroid use is not to create a magical solution but to take what you’re already doing correctly and to enhance it. Put simply, you’re going to take what you’re already doing right and now you’re simply going to do it a little better. Anabolic steroids are not the answer, they encompass part of the overall solution that includes sound nutrition, proper training and a well-thought out plan one holds to; as it pertains to the steroids themselves, in the end it all boils down to personal education.

Before you begin your journey into the anabolic world there are some important steps you need to take. First and foremost you must educate yourself on the hormones. Know what it is you’re going to be putting into your body; know not only what the benefits are but what the possible adverse effects may be and know how to combat them. Once this is under control your next order of business is going to be ensuring the steroids you’re considering purchasing are of a high quality nature. The last thing you want is a contaminated product and even if it’s clean you certainly don’t want an under-dosed product or one that’s counterfeit. As your education becomes more sound and you have access to assured quality products there are some important questions you need to answer:

• Are you a healthy adult male?
• Have you spent some time building a solid foundation?
• Are you willing to accept any consequences that may fall your way should you supplement irresponsibly?

If you can answer “Yes” to these questions and if you have fulfilled the prior two requirements, personal education and ensuring a quality supplier is available then you’re ready to begin. As it pertains to your personal education no one is implying you need to be a steroid expert, you simply need a solid grasp on what you’re doing. Anabolic steroids are very powerful hormones and they demand respect. They are not as complicated to understand as many tend to make them out to be but this does not take away from the respect they demand.

For the true beginner to anabolic steroid supplementation for the purpose of performance enhancement, the initial cycle will more than likely be one of the simplest cycles of all. While it will be simple it is by no means weak; in-fact, for many performance enhancers such a cycle will be all they ever need.  There will further only be 3 items you need; two anabolic steroids and 1 SERM. Of these 3 items two will be essential, one of the steroids and the one SERM with the second anabolic steroid being optional; the optional steroid will be the oral steroid included in the cycle. It is a 12 week plan followed by a 3 week post cycle recovery with the total plan taking 17 weeks and is as follows:

The first thing you may have noticed is that week’s 13 and 14 do not have anything in them and that was done with purpose. The above cycle is based and built around Testosterone-Enanthate; as such you will need to wait a couple weeks to allow the hormone to clear your system before you begin Nolvadex therapy. You could even wait a total of 3 weeks to reach this point but you will want to start your Nolvadex therapy no later than 3 weeks after your last Testosterone-Enanthate injection.

During this cycle you will notice the gains start rapidly, largely due to the Dianabol and begin to slow down as you progress, especially the last few weeks. This does not mean we stop the cycle early as you need to continue in-order to allow your body to become accustomed to the gains made, if you are going to keep any of them once the cycle has been discontinued. Let’s discuss each compound briefly:

• Testosterone-Enanthate: If Testosterone-Enanthate is not available you can substitute Testosterone-Cypionate in its place as the two are virtually identical. For this cycle you will administer the hormone on one of two scheduled plans; one 500mg injection once per week or two 250mg injections twice per week, say Monday and Thursday. In either case the job will be done with the second option be optimal but only slightly. This will be the basis of your cycle and will give you the greatest benefits of all.
• Dianabol: As you will be taking this every day the first 6 weeks you can take the entire dose all at once or you can split it into two doses per day for optimal results; say 15mg in the morning and 10mg at night or vice versa. Through the use of Dbol you will add mass and strength very quickly as the Testosterone builds in your system.
• Nolvadex: When supplementing with anabolic steroids our natural testosterone production is suppressed. Even though we are supplementing with exogenous testosterone our body will not be making the testosterone it needs. Once the cycle is over it’s time to stimulate our natural production and Nolvadex can do just that. By stimulating the release of LH and FSH our testicles will begin producing again. No, the PCT period in-which we supplement with Nolvadex will not bring our levels all the way back to normal; there is no PCT plan that can do this but it will lead us to that end much faster than without.

It must be noted possible side-effects such as Gynecomastia, water retention, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all a possibility with this cycle as both Testosterone and Dianabol aromatize and cause a buildup in estrogen. If you’re nipples begin to get sore while on cycle you might try supplementing with 10mg of Nolvadex per day. If this does not work you are going to need an Aromatase Inhibitor such as Arimidex or Letrozole; 0.5mg every other day of either should suffice. Further, if you keep your diet clean you will largely protect from water retention; some will occur if you are really trying to bulk but limit your excess calories only to what you absolutely need and avoid overeating carbohydrates. Further, keeping your diet clean is also good for your blood pressure and cholesterol; moreover, consuming plenty of Omega-3 Fatty Acids can greatly serve you here.