I am 4 weeks through my first cycle (Test Prop 50mg MWF, EQ 100gSWF, Test-E 75g SW, Total 600mg) I added the Test-E two weeks in to maintain a more consistent T level, as I was noticing a slight roller coaster with the prop and did not want to go to injecting every day.
My question is: Am I feeling lower energy levels from the gear? because the first three weeks I felt like a caged beast;
Or: Is it simply 7 weeks of 2-3x a day 6 days a week training catching up? AM= cardio+intense weight circuits (cleans, snatches, OH sq, ect) Afternoon= more cardio, stair repeats, ect. PM= Brazilian Jiujitsu.
If I wasnt cycling I would already know the answer, but I was under the assumption that the gear would let me really push my training envelope.
My diet is on point. In fact this is the most dedicated I have ever been with my food intake. I also have been sleeping like a champ.
Cycle lethargy is very common and usually only lasts a short period of time. However you can still overtrain while using gear. The gear does allow you to push the envelope a bit but you still should be careful about doin so.
Try backing off a bit in your training intensity and gradually build it back up. If you are experiencing both cycle lethargy and overtraining at the same time, your will to train will almost be at zero!
Many people begin a cycle and then double or triple their frequency and duration of work, then reduce rest to bare minimum.
But while steroids do help increase work output… it is limited… think about it like this.
You started your cycle (and if you didnt increase ALL your work before it had even had a chance to give performance enhancement), and after a while your weights increased by a good 15%, and you can train with a 20% higher intensity (no, not load) for 25% longer. GREAT! That is by no means a minor increase in output… it is superhuman in terms of progression naturally.
But your greedy brain decides that more is better… so on top of this already damn impressive increase of load, intensity AND duration… you reduce rest days, you increase the frequency and you start adding in supersets, dropsets and statics on the end of your last sets… and often this is on a reduced calorie/carb diet!!!
Thus over-training is a much higher possibility. Steroids DO increase performance… really quite a lot - BUT there IS a limit to that enhancement, dependant on all the usual suspects.
So maybe back off… depending on what your off cycle fitness regime is like.
My guess is you’re overtraining. Even while on, I kept pretty much the same routine/frequency i would while not on. I bumped it up a bit, but not much and that seemed to keep me away from injury or getting burnt out and lethargic.