The mirror vs the scale

[SinisterUproar]

So hard for which one too go buy. About 10 weeks into test
/ NPP cycle and I took some before and after pictures and the diffrence is undeniable. But I only put on about 15 pounds... And when I stepped on the scale today after about 2 weeks I was down 6! Which makes me up only 9 pounds this cycle. If I look good in the mirror it is hard for me to be happy if the scale doesn't match. Does anyone else have this problem? Also here are some
Before and after pics

 

[MattJS]

Only 15lbs lol you've gotta be realistic man looks like you started the cycle in great shape and finished it in brilliant shape, that's a win

If you read about folk gaining 30lbs on a cycle that's because ten of them are water and a least ten of them are fat, you did this the right way, congrats on the gains and making the best of your cycle

As for scale vs mirror, well my scales say I'm skinny but my mirror says I'm ripped as fuck, guess I'll go with the mirror

 

[stevesmi]

why would you want to gain that much weight that fast?

this is why guys run into soft tissue problems, lipid problems and other injuries.. many of which become chronic

your goal each cycle should be 2-3 pounds.. thats it. guys that put on 20 or 30 pounds are newbs who are so below their genetic potential that they could have gained that weight from just working out and eating.. and then you hear them crying because they have chronic injuries or high blood pressure.. DUH!! where did they think that came from?

if you started out lets say 200 pounds and your goal was 20 pounds every cycle then after 5 cycles you would be 300.. 10 cycles 400 and so on.. not realistic, the body doesn't work like that. remember that story we were told as kids about the guy in scotland who would lift his baby cow everyday? as the baby cow got bigger and bigger slowly he would still be able to lift it.. as an adult it was 2000 pounds or whatever and since he had been lifting it daily he was able to lift 2000 pounds.. well that story is not true at all, its not biologically possible to achieve such a thing. we are not robots made of steel, we are very fraile humans made of skin and flesh.

 

[SinisterUproar]

The part I am most confused of is the 6 I lost while still on cycle

 

[Cali72]

why would you want to gain that much weight that fast?

this is why guys run into soft tissue problems, lipid problems and other injuries.. many of which become chronic

your goal each cycle should be 2-3 pounds.. thats it. guys that put on 20 or 30 pounds are newbs who are so below their genetic potential that they could have gained that weight from just working out and eating.. and then you hear them crying because they have chronic injuries or high blood pressure.. DUH!! where did they think that came from?

if you started out lets say 200 pounds and your goal was 20 pounds every cycle then after 5 cycles you would be 300.. 10 cycles 400 and so on.. not realistic, the body doesn't work like that. remember that story we were told as kids about the guy in scotland who would lift his baby cow everyday? as the baby cow got bigger and bigger slowly he would still be able to lift it.. as an adult it was 2000 pounds or whatever and since he had been lifting it daily he was able to lift 2000 pounds.. well that story is not true at all, its not biologically possible to achieve such a thing. we are not robots made of steel, we are very fraile humans made of skin and flesh.

I wouldn't bother with roids if all you got out of them was 2 pounds per cycle. I shoot for a minimum of 6-8 pounds. These guys that put on 15+ pounds will not hold onto all their gains so you can't really say that after 5 cycles they will be 75 pounds up.

 

[stevesmi]

I wouldn't bother with roids if all you got out of them was 2 pounds per cycle. I shoot for a minimum of 6-8 pounds. These guys that put on 15+ pounds will not hold onto all their gains so you can't really say that after 5 cycles they will be 75 pounds up.

so if you ran 10 cycles you are telling me you would be up 60-80 pounds?? do you realize what would happen to your joints, ligaments, tendons putting on that much weight that fast? it takes YEARS to build a base, not overnight.. your body would not be able to handle such a huge increase in weight, and its just not realistic

if you started out weighing 115 pounds i suppose its possible but otherwise not gonna happen bro.

2-3 pounds of net muscle per cycle is A LOT. and i'm including pct and bridge. i don't just count end of a cycle..

that would be like a poker player saying he made million dollars last year, but he doesn't tell you that it cost him 1.1M buying into those tournaments + hotel/food/tipping dealers etc. they leave that part out.

its that mentality i hear from 150 pound 6 foot newbs who put on 30 pounds on a cycle and delcare themselves geniuses that i can't stand. they could of put on those 30 pounds WITHOUT steroids just as easily... my point is get up close to your genetic potential and then use steroids to add a few pounds per cycle instead of using steroids as a stop gap to compensate for poor training/diet.. you never want to add too much strength and size too fast. muscle and fat can be easily manipulated, but your tendons and ligaments are a different story.. this is why you hear about guys who put on weight fast like you are describing complaining about nagging injuries.

when i was a runner that was my downfall.. i went from a 30 minute 5K (i hadn't run in years) to running sub 18 minutes in literally 6 months. my body could not handle such an improvement and i started getting shin splints, ankle problems, foot issues, plantar, etc. i was training with ironmen doing 10 mile tempo runs every weekend at 7 minute pace.. had i been smart and ONLY improved a few minutes every few months slowly instead of trying to catch up to those fast guys who have been running since they were 8 years old i would still be running today. but i got greedy and it cost me. and this is the same thing i see from guys who lift.. they want to go from benching 200 to 400 overnight. instead of being smart and gradually improving

 

[burnthiscorpse]

I see where Steve is coming from but depending on the cycle, diet, experience level I dont see 5 lb net being unreasonable.
If your a guy that stays in single digit BF% year round then I'd say 3 lb out of a 8-10 week prop cycle with var would be a nice net. If its 3 lb of 100% LBM.

I'm hoping for 15 lb out of my summer cycle. But a net of 10. But thats because I plan on being at a lower bf% and ending at a slightly higher bf%.

 

[Cali72]

so if you ran 10 cycles you are telling me you would be up 60-80 pounds?? do you realize what would happen to your joints, ligaments, tendons putting on that much weight that fast? it takes YEARS to build a base, not overnight.. your body would not be able to handle such a huge increase in weight, and its just not realistic

if you started out weighing 115 pounds i suppose its possible but otherwise not gonna happen bro.

2-3 pounds of net muscle per cycle is A LOT. and i'm including pct and bridge. i don't just count end of a cycle..

that would be like a poker player saying he made million dollars last year, but he doesn't tell you that it cost him 1.1M buying into those tournaments + hotel/food/tipping dealers etc. they leave that part out.

its that mentality i hear from 150 pound 6 foot newbs who put on 30 pounds on a cycle and delcare themselves geniuses that i can't stand. they could of put on those 30 pounds WITHOUT steroids just as easily... my point is get up close to your genetic potential and then use steroids to add a few pounds per cycle instead of using steroids as a stop gap to compensate for poor training/diet.. you never want to add too much strength and size too fast. muscle and fat can be easily manipulated, but your tendons and ligaments are a different story.. this is why you hear about guys who put on weight fast like you are describing complaining about nagging injuries.

when i was a runner that was my downfall.. i went from a 30 minute 5K (i hadn't run in years) to running sub 18 minutes in literally 6 months. my body could not handle such an improvement and i started getting shin splints, ankle problems, foot issues, plantar, etc. i was training with ironmen doing 10 mile tempo runs every weekend at 7 minute pace.. had i been smart and ONLY improved a few minutes every few months slowly instead of trying to catch up to those fast guys who have been running since they were 8 years old i would still be running today. but i got greedy and it cost me. and this is the same thing i see from guys who lift.. they want to go from benching 200 to 400 overnight. instead of being smart and gradually improving

I'm a realist so I know I won't be up 60-80 pounds after 10 cycles.
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.
You can't keep all your gains and I don't care what pct you do. Unless u blast and cruise your weight will eventually stabilize.

I'm currently on week 7 of a low to moderate test c cycle with a beast kickstart and I'm up 8.5 pounds and I'm in better condition than when I started the cycle but will I solidify the gains no.

So I see your point that after a pct and bridge 2-3 pounds of muscle is a good gain. Still a tad too low though for my liking.