Starting out on anabolic steroids for bodybuilding can be hard and confusing, with a lot of questions and unknowns. Some people may think that these supplements make it easy to gain strength or muscle, but the truth is much more complicated.
To get in your dream body shape, you need to do more than just pick the right anabolic steroids. You also need to carefully plan out a workout routine. This guide will go over in detail the most important things you need to think about before starting a steroid cycle, with a focus on how important workouts are.
Contrary to the belief that steroids can replace hard work, we’ll talk about why you need to put in twice as much effort when you’re using anabolic steroids to get fit.
Get ready to learn about the best workout plan that can help you use the amazing power of anabolic steroids to reach your fitness goals like never before.
Best Workout Routine While on Anabolic Cycle
Here is a detailed breakdown of 3 day a week workout routine
| DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 |
| Dumbbell Incline Press | Romanian Deadlift | Dumbbell Press |
| Bicep Curl | Calf Raise | Bicep Curl |
| Overhead Tricep Extension | Shrug | Overhead Tricep Extension |
| Front Raise | Lat Pull Down | Barbell Front Squat |
| Barbell Squat | Barbell Shoulder Press | Russian Twist |
| Hanging Leg Raise | Crunch | Forearm Curl Back |
| Forearm Curl Up | Forearm Curl In | Side Lateral Raise |
Note: Every workout should be performed at 80% capacity, aiming for 8-12 repetitions across 3 sets.
How to Work Out While on Steroids
This section digs deep into the research-backed insights on building muscle, covering various aspects of your workout routine:
Workout Approach:
- Stretching and light warm-up sets are generally unnecessary unless you have prior injuries or are still learning proper exercise form. Always heed your doctor’s advice if it contradicts these suggestions.
Cardio Duration:
- Limit intense cardio sessions, like running, swimming, or high-speed cycling, to no more than 30 minutes on workout days. Save intense cardio that doesn’t strain the same muscle groups for non-workout days. For example, avoid running or biking after a leg workout and swimming after targeting your biceps, back, or shoulders. These muscles need time to recover.
Exercise Form:
- Consult exercise videos to ensure you maintain proper form during your workouts.
- Begin with your non-dominant side when performing one-handed or one-legged exercises.
- Emphasize muscle engagement throughout the lifting and lowering phases, ensuring the target muscle is doing the work.
- Resist the lowering portion of any exercise to feel the muscle engagement during both the lifting and lowering phases. Don’t rely solely on gravity for lowering.
- Coordinate your breath with your movements, exhaling during muscle contraction (the challenging part) and inhaling during the reverse movement. Consistent breathing is crucial, as it impacts your ability to complete reps.
Reps and Rest:
- Aim for 8 to 10 reps per exercise, allowing a slight variation within this range (8, 9, or 10 reps per set). Stop just short of muscle failure.
- For larger, two-handed exercises like chest workouts, each motion (raising and lowering) should take about 2.5 seconds. Smaller, one-handed movements like bicep curls should take around 1.5 seconds per direction. Precise timing isn’t critical.
- Take adequate rest between sets, typically around 3–5 minutes. Ensure your muscles feel fully recovered before proceeding. At a minimum, wait until your heart rate returns to a calm state.
7 Workout Tips to Maximise the Effect of Anabolic Steroids
- Intensity Over Routine: Approach your workouts with a unique mindset, aiming to do more in a shorter time frame. Steroid use often requires working twice as hard.
- Shorter Rests: Reduce rest time between sets to 60-90 seconds. Research suggests this may enhance testosterone levels and muscle mass, capitalizing on steroid-induced strength gains.
- Increase Sets and Reps: Amplify exercise volume and intensity to maximize the benefits of steroids. This boosts both the effects of steroids and your own physical and mental fortitude.
- Incorporate Supersets and Giant Sets: These methods save time, shock the muscles, and allow for more intense training, aligning well with steroid users’ rigorous exercise routines.
- Challenge Yourself: Push your limits by increasing repetitions, exercises, and total sets. Muscle growth can be hindered without sufficient effort, so push for 10-15 repetitions, gradually increasing as it becomes easier.
- Stay Hydrated: Adequate water intake is crucial while taking steroids. It enhances exercise performance and reduces the risk of muscular injury. Hydrate 30-60 minutes before and after workouts.
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Your overall lifestyle, nutrition, and sleep habits significantly impact your physical condition, performance, and development. A balanced diet, stress control, and sufficient sleep (8 hours) are essential for maximizing the benefits of steroids while minimizing their potential drawbacks.
Workout Intensity and Volume for Hypertrophy
When it comes to building muscle through hypertrophy training, it’s essential to strike the right balance between workout intensity and volume. Achieving that desired muscle growth involves specific approaches and considerations.
Rep Ranges and Sets: To trigger hypertrophy, it’s advisable to work with moderate to heavy loads, typically around 75-85% of your one-rep max (1RM). This means selecting weights that challenge you within the 6-12 rep range. The number of sets you do can vary, but it often falls between 3-6 sets per exercise.
Volume and Progression: Adjusting your training volume as you progress is key. Beginners can start with 3 sets for various exercises targeting major muscle groups. As you advance, you can increase your set volume to 4-6 sets. Some advanced athletes even go up to 6-7 working sets for each exercise.
Loading: The weight you lift should generally fall within the 6-12 rep range and be approximately 75-85% of your 1RM. This level of loading ensures you’re challenging your muscles sufficiently to stimulate growth.
Time Under Tension (TUT): Pay attention to how long your muscles are under tension during each repetition. This factor plays a significant role in hypertrophy. Maintaining controlled tempos, such as the common 2-0-2 cadence (in seconds) for eccentric and concentric motions, is beneficial for optimizing muscle growth.
Rest Intervals: Rest between sets is another crucial factor. For hypertrophy-focused training, shorter rest periods of 0-60 seconds are typically effective. These brief breaks allow your energy stores to replenish and help maintain muscle pump. However, remember that longer rest intervals may be necessary for different training goals, such as strength endurance or maximal strength/powerlifting.
In summary, achieving hypertrophy requires a thoughtful approach that balances intensity and volume in your workouts. By considering these training parameters, you can design a workout routine that not only promotes muscle growth but also challenges your body appropriately along the way.
Things to Consider Before Taking Anabolic Steroids
The following are 3 most important factors to think about before beginning to take anabolic steroids:
1. Understand the potential side effects
Misusing or abusing steroids for an extended time may have devastating repercussions on health. Infertility, shrinkage of the testicles, and cardiovascular problems including high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are possible outcomes.
Consider seeking advice from a medical expert and being informed about the hazards involved.
2. Individual variations
The effects of steroids might be different on different people because of individual differences in physiology. What works for one individual may not work for you. You should think about your own health and medical history and go to a doctor to get individualized recommendations.
3. Alternatives to steroids
There are viable alternatives to steroids, such as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), which offer comparable benefits without the accompanying adverse effects. If you want to bulk up rapidly, talk to a doctor or healthcare expert about these options. They can advise you on better and safer alternatives.
Use cautious while experimenting with steroids, and arm yourself with knowledge about their advantages and drawbacks. And if you do take Post Cycle Care supplements to minimize the side effects. If you want to make a smart choice about your exercise routine, consulting an expert and investigating your options may assist.
Final Thoughts on Best Workout Routine While on Steroids
In summary, when combining anabolic steroids with your workout routine, it’s essential to adopt a unique mindset and approach your training with intensity. This proven 3-day-a-week workout plan offers a structured method to harness the benefits of anabolic steroids effectively. Prioritize shorter rest intervals, increase your sets and reps, and consider incorporating techniques like supersets and giant sets to maximize your gains.
Furthermore, staying well-hydrated is crucial during steroid use, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with the right diet, sufficient sleep, and stress management can significantly impact your overall progress. Always remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any fitness regimen, especially when steroids are involved. By committing to consistent effort and a holistic approach, you can fully leverage the potential of anabolic cycles to reach your fitness aspirations.
