Best newbie advice...

[PatBateman]

Hopefully someone could add a medicinal or scientific aspect to this observation, but I feel like the best advice given to a newbie would be to get your bf low. I have noticed throughout the boards and discussions that people respond much, much better to AS when they are a lower bf than a higher one. I think a newbie could see much greater gains off a first cycle starting it at 9% as opposed to 14% bf. That is unless their cycle is merely aimed, with non-aromitizing agents like winny or anavar, at reducing that bf. Anyone else???

 

[Nathan]

You might SEE your results better but it isn't necessary. I try never to go above 10% personally - though bloating can make it tough to not look over 10% sometimes - but that doesn't mean you won't gain as much muscle if you start heavier. The thing is being fat already can be a deterrent from eating like you should. That's why I can't bulk and be fat - I won't eat and I know it. That and I HATE bodyfat.

 

[PatBateman]

You might SEE your results better but it isn't necessary. I try never to go above 10% personally - though bloating can make it tough to not look over 10% sometimes - but that doesn't mean you won't gain as much muscle if you start heavier. The thing is being fat already can be a deterrent from eating like you should. That's why I can't bulk and be fat - I won't eat and I know it. That and I HATE bodyfat.

You put it better than I could, I agree 100%. You just will not eat like you should, esp. bulking during the summer or if you live in a climate where it is warm weather clothes all the time!

 

[Fat Bastard]

Hopefully someone could add a medicinal or scientific aspect to this observation, but I feel like the best advice given to a newbie would be to get your bf low. I have noticed throughout the boards and discussions that people respond much, much better to AS when they are a lower bf than a higher one. I think a newbie could see much greater gains off a first cycle starting it at 9% as opposed to 14% bf. That is unless their cycle is merely aimed, with non-aromitizing agents like winny or anavar, at reducing that bf. Anyone else???

People with lower bf levels might respond better to stacks that include aratomising a.s. because fat contains high levels of aromitase,so likely less of the androgens would be converted to estrogen. At least that's how I see it.

 

[Elapid]

Another thing is that using AS when you have extemely high bf is unhealthy since most AS raise your cholesterol and BP. But using AS when you get down to about 15% BF can be very beneficial since you want to preserve as much LBM as possible and fat seems harder to cut the lower your bf is.

 

[Beezers]

As Nathan pointed out much of this is an optical illusion. The leaner you start the more visable your gains will obviously be. Often times the bigger(more endomorphic) guy with a higher, but not high, bodyfat level will have better gains due to genetics than a naturally leaner more ectomorphic guy. They just won't be as apparant because there is a layer obscuring much of what we call gains including definition, striations, and vascularity. It is wise to not be "fat" in the real sense(not bodybuilding sense) before you go into a cycle, but we must remember we often get disilusioned with what is really fat for humans in our little comunity here. For many of us if we can't see your abs (generally <8%bf) we are fat. In reality healthy bodyfat levels go up to 15%bf for males. Yes less is better, but someone whom is 15%bf is not fat...unless you ask a bodybuilder. So long as your bodfat is reasonable there should be little descrepencies between gains of a leaner starting point and gains at a higher starting point. In fact often times when one does begin a cycle at the higher end (13-15%) they will loose a bit of fat as androgens are anti-lipogenic and facilitate lipolysis at a far greater rate than would normally be acheived naturally. Thus it is concievable that one could start a cycle at 13% and end up at 10% thus a cycle at a higher body fat may be bennificial for increasing overall metabolism and body composition. It's nice to start lean and see EVERYTHING that is changing on your body like all the new creveces, striations, and veins, but some peoples genetics don't permit natuarally low enough bodyfat levels for this to be a possibility. Anyone should be able to get to 10%bf naturally, but for some going lower than that in a natural hormonal environment only means the loss of lean body mass wihtout an accompanying loss in fat mass.