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The use of Anabolic Steroids has become much more common and acceptable nowadays. Since steroids are more mainstream, it has left a lot of beginner and even intermediate Steroids with a variety of unanswered questions. In this article, we are going to focus on which Anabolic Steroids, in particular, should be used for a bulking phase versus a cutting phase. The question of “Which Steroid should I use” is an extremely common question that steroid users ponder about. Rightly so, there are over 20 Anabolic Steroids, many with similar names and even many with the same names but only a different ester. This has caused a lot of confusion for users and we hope that this article can enhance the knowledge of our readers in respect to making a more informed decision with their choice of Steroids.
Before we dove into the main differences, it should be stated that all Anabolic steroids build muscle. The main purpose of Anabolic steroids is to increase muscle mass and strength. In other words, all Steroids were designed to fulfill the same goal. Though they tend to exhibit different side effects, depending on their chemical structures. It should also be noted that no Steroid burns fat in a direct manner. Steroids can facilitate fat loss through a different variety of mechanisms which will be discussed in more detail.
Bulking Steroids
We refer to bulking steroids are the compounds that would be used during a bulking phase. Bulking refers to the concept of putting on as much muscle mass and strength as possible. During a bulking phase, adding body fat and water retention are not factors that a Canadian Steroid users should be concerned about. Some addition of body fat and water retention is inevitable during off-season or bulking phase, in order to achieve maximum results.
The most commonly used injectable steroids for the purpose of bulking are Testosterone Cypionate, Testosterone Enanthate, Sustanon, Deca Durabolin and Equipoise. Oral Steroids can also be used for bulking, and the two most popular choices are Dianabol and Anadrol.
Testosterone is a given, as it is the base of almost all steroid cycles. The longer esters such as Cypionate and Enanthate are the more popular choices for bulking as they add more water retention and do not need to be injected as frequently as shorter ester Steriods such as Testosterone Propionate.
Testosterone is often stacked with another injectable Steroid, usually Deca Durabolin or Equipoise. Deca Durabolin is the better option for ectomorphs, while Equipoise is often preferred by endomorphs. Deca Durabolin is the “wetter” compound of the two and tends to put on a lot more water retention. Equipoise, on the other hand, tends to cause little to no water retention, making it a better choice for individuals that tend to get puffy and put on body fat easier.
Lastly, Oral steroids are sometimes used during a bulking phase, especially in the first few weeks in order to “kick start” the cycle. Since most injectable bulking steroids have long esters (meaning they take 4-6 weeks to exhibit their true potential) the use of an oral steroid for the first few weeks is an excellent way to start a cycle. Dianabol is the most common choice, as it tends to put on weight at a very rapid rate without many negative side effects. Anadrol is the other option, but Anadrol tends to cause some users to suffer from a low appetite, which is extremely counterproductive to a bulking cycle.
An intermediate bulking cycle is usually 10-16 weeks in length and usually can often pack on as much as 20-35lbs of total weight on a beginner to intermediate user. Many bodybuilders in Canada tend to be in a “bulking” phase for most of the year due to Canada’s cold weather. After all, what’s the point of being shredded if you can’t show it off, right?
Cutting Steroids
A cutting phase refers to a period of burning fat in order to cut down on body fat levels. This is done through a caloric deficit. Bodybuilders and athletes use a variety of cutting compounds that contribute to reducing body fat levels directly, however, in this article we are only going to discuss Anabolic Steroids which are used during the cutting phase.
As we had mentioned in the introduction of this article: Steroids do not directly burn fat. Though throughout a cutting phase the goal is to limit water retention and give the body a hard, dry, grainy, and shredded look. Although Steroids do not directly burn fat, they can definitely attribute to a much drier and chiseled look. As for the compounds, Anavar and Winstrol are the most commonly used Oral steroids during a cutting phase. Trenbolone Acetate, Primobolan, and Masteron Propionate are the most common Anabolics used throughout a diet.
Trenbolone Acetate is the king of muscle retention. It is a very anti-catabolic Steroid and stable in most cutting stacks. It is extremely important to keep the body in an anti-catabolic state during a caloric deficit in order to ensure that no lean tissue is lost. After all, the more muscle a body has, the more calories it can burn at rest.
Aside from Trenbolone Acetate, all other Oral Steroids are optional. Winstrol is typically the best compound to dry out the body, but it also tends to cause joint point for some individuals, so some users tend to avoid it. The second best option after Winstrol would be Anavar. Anavar does not cause dry joints and tends to give the body a very dry look, albeit not as dry as Winstrol.
Masteron Propionate is another compound that is frequently used. Masteron is not a very strong compound so it does not do a whole lot to maintain muscle tissue or aid in strength. It is almost solely a cosmetic compound, but a very effective one. Many users report experiencing a much drier physique when using Masteron.
To summarize, users should understand that no specific Steroid burns body fat and that all Steroids build muscle. Though certain properties of particular compounds can be leveraged to facilitate a more productive cutting or bulking phase depending on the user.