how do you handle your increasing poundages when on cycle

[rippedtrojan]

when your strength is going up on cycle, and you the weight ends up being too light, 'cause you got quite a bit stronger since the last week, what do you do? do more reps then you meant, or do another set with the appropriate weight?

 

[genarr3]

Be careful about going heavy on the weights while on steroids. If you haven't been weight training for very long, I'm talking 5yrs+ of serious training, you risk damage to connective tissue. While your muscles are getting bigger and stronger, their attachment points aren't.

So to answer your question, a combination of more reps and heavier weights would be the best route.

Actually I'm going to backpedal on the "5 year" statement. The longer you've been training the stronger your tendons will be. Five years is no guarantee they will be sufficiently strong to handle excessive weight and less then five is no guarantee they won't either. It's a very individual thing.

 

[Themachine01]

You should be able to judge most of the time what weight to use after your first set. lets say, for example, that on your first set of flat bench you usually push 245 for a set of 10, this time you put it up for 12. If you got those 2 extra reps pretty smooth then you know the weight you usually go with will be increased by 2 reps. Say that your shooting for 8 reps on your 2nd set, just add 10-15lbs to the weight you went with the week before.

Hope this helps a little. This is the fun part while on so dont get frustrated, have fun.

Machine

 

[supertech69]

Do you think that could be the cause for the slight pain I have in the middle of my pecs? Nothing serious just a light bruised feeling near the attachment points.

 

[rippedtrojan]

lol machine, i'm not frustrated, i was just wondering what the best route would be. i also figured not to go too heavy. the lowest i've been going so far is 5 reps, and that's only for deads. most everything else is 8 or above right now.

would it be okay to go a little heavier at the end of the cycle at all, maybe for say the last 2 weeks?

 

[Themachine01]

If you want to go heavy just be extremely careful about it. Make sure you use strict strict form with no jerking movements. I learned the hard way when I went heavy on flat bench and jerked on the first upward movement and my elbows flared out which made a nicce little tear in my right pec by the armpit. Resulted in sitting home on bench day for 3months, well i went a few times to watch people bench while I cried. LOL.