Introduction

So, you've finished your SARMs cycle. Whether you used the best SARMs stack or a standalone product, you've seen rapid progress in the gym and improved your physique faster than ever before. You're thrilled with the results! But now, anxiety sets in. How will you maintain your gains? Can you maintain them?

Fear not! This article will guide you on how to not only maintain but continue progressing while off SARMs or between cycles.

1) Run a Full PCT with Natural Muscle Builders

The first step is to get your hormones back to a healthy balance. SARMs can suppress natural testosterone production, so you need to be prepared for this possibility. Ideally, you should have conducted blood work before your cycle to establish baseline values and then again during the recovery period to assess when your levels return to normal.

Testosterone levels in men can vary significantly and change throughout life due to factors like age and body fat levels. Generally, a range of 9-32 mmol/L is considered healthy for adult men. Prolonged periods below this range can lead to unwanted side effects, such as:

• Increased fat and reduced muscle mass
• Decreased bone mass
• Reduced sex drive, function, and even infertility
• Lowered mood and overall well-being

The purpose of post-cycle therapy (PCT) is to restore hormonal balance after a SARMs cycle.

Having supra-physiological (unnaturally high) levels of testosterone, such as from anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), can also have negative health effects, including increased aggression, high red blood cell count, and acne. Aromatisation (conversion of excess testosterone to estrogen) can lead to additional issues.

Post-cycle therapy aims to kickstart your body's natural testosterone production and prevent excess estrogen conversion. Following a SARMs cycle, over-the-counter supplements, such as those available at Predator Nutrition, should suffice to restore hormonal balance. We recommend a high-quality natural testosterone booster like Clomedex as the foundation of your PCT stack.

2) Train Just as Hard

You've likely heard the saying, "What built the muscle keeps the muscle." This couldn't be truer! While supplements like SARMs and pro-hormones can boost strength, maintaining your progress has a significant mental component.

Instead of immediately dropping the weights and letting your performance suffer, focus on optimising recovery. Assisted athletes often have an edge over natural athletes in terms of recovery ability. This might mean reducing training volume (fewer working sets per session) or training frequency (fewer gym days per week). However, intensity in the gym should not decrease. Whether you're on a cycle or not, give every set your all and lift as much weight as you can safely manage.

Your training program should be based on your biofeedback. If your recovery remains strong off-cycle, there's no need to change your routine.

Additionally, consider incorporating supplements to support your training. Beyond your usual ergogenic (stimulants, nitric oxide boosters, carb powders).

 3) Avoid an Aggressive Diet

After pushing hard with your diet and weights during your cycle, you might be tempted to tidy things up quickly. However, transitioning from a phase of optimal growth and recovery to drastically cutting calories and increasing cardio can lead to significant muscle loss. Additionally, being extremely lean can negatively impact natural testosterone levels.

If you find yourself looking a bit soft, it's better to maintain your current calorie intake and focus on recomposition at your current weight. Alternatively, you can slowly reduce your food intake over the next few weeks, allowing you to continue gaining strength in the gym.

Once you are confident that your hormones are stable and you've consolidated the muscle gained during your SARMs cycle, you can start adjusting your diet. If you're still in your PCT phase during this time, consider adding Clomedex to your supplement stack for additional support.

4) Consume Enough Protein

To retain muscle, it's crucial not only to consume enough overall calories but also to ensure that a significant portion of these calories comes from high-quality, complete proteins. These include:

• Whey
• Egg Whites
• Chicken
• Fish

Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids necessary for muscle building and repair, which is particularly important as you break down muscle through weight training.

If you're on a budget and consuming lower-quality or processed meats, or if you're vegan and might not be getting a full spectrum of amino acids, consider supplementing with Essential Amino Acids (EAAs). Vegans should particularly focus on getting enough leucine (3g per serving) to support muscle protein synthesis.

While many formulas based on body weight and lean body mass claim to provide the perfect protein amount, a simpler guideline is to aim for 30g of complete protein per meal for small, active females, and up to 50g per meal for muscular men.

5) Take Adequate Rest Before Another Cycle

Avoid rushing into your next cycle out of fear of losing gains. It’s important to take adequate time off, as recommended for the specific SARM you were using. For some SARMs, you might need to take an off-cycle period equal to the duration of your cycle, while others might recommend taking twice as long off as the cycle duration.

We emphasise the importance of regular blood work throughout the year. Ensure that your health markers are in a good place:

• Is your testosterone at normal levels?
• Are liver enzymes within the normal range?
• Is your lipid profile healthy?

If these health indicators are normal and you feel ready to start another cycle, proceed. However, if you're still in the post-cycle recovery phase, it’s not yet the right time to start a new cycle.

Don’t worry about losing muscle mass. As long as you're training hard, consuming sufficient protein, and maintaining an adequate calorie intake, your gains won’t disappear.