Testosterone & Masteron: My Road to the Stage (2025/2026)

thePhantomLifter

thePhantomLifter

New member
Hello everyone! My main goal is to step on stage as a bodybuilder in 2025 or 2026, depending on how my progress unfolds. This log will document my journey, focusing on training, nutrition, PEDs, and overall health as I work towards that goal.

Starting Weight (Fasted): 86.3 kg

Current PEDs:
- 500mg Test E
- 400mg Mast E

Training Split: U/L/R/U/L/R/R
- Upper Body:
- Hammer Pullover: 1x8-10, 1x15-20
- Prime Seated Row (75% middle, 25% top): 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- T-Bar Row: 1x6-8, 1x12-15
- Cybex Shoulder Press: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Pec Fly: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Prime Flat Chest Press: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Tricep Pushdowns: 2x10-12, 1x15-20
- SA Dumbbell Preacher Curl: 2x10-12, 1x15-20

- Lower Body:
- Cybex Adductor Machine: 2x12-15
- Life Fitness Lying Hamstring Curl: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Cybex Seated Hamstring Curl: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL): 1x6-8, 1x12-15
- Cybex Squat Press: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Life Fitness Toe Press: 3x15-20

- Upper Body (Second Session):
- Pec Fly: 1x8-10, 2x12-15
- Hammer Strength Super Incline Press: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Lateral Raise Machine: 1x8-10, 2x15-20
- Hammer Strength Lat Row: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Prime Mid Back Row: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Prime Extreme Row: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Incline Cable Skullcrusher: 2x12-15, 2x15-20
- Prime Preacher Machine: 2x8-10, 1x12-15

- Lower Body (Second Session):
- Cybex Adductor Machine: 2x12-15
- Technogym Glute Bridge: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Hoist Leg Extension: 1x8-10, 1x15-20
- Watson Hack Squat: 2x8-10, 1x12-15
- Single Leg Lying Hamstring Curl: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Cybex SL Leg Press: 1x8-10, 1x12-15
- Seated Calf Raise: 2x12-15, 1x15-20

Health Supplements:
- Conteh Sports Organ Defender
- 5000 IU Vitamin D
- 300mg CoQ10
- 500mg Curcumin
- 500mg Magnesium Bisglycinate
- 8g Creatine daily
- 1000mg Omega-3 (EPA)
- Astragalus

Nutrition Strategy:
My nutrition is pretty straightforward—I eat a set list of foods that digest well and that I enjoy. I’m a creature of habit and prefer consistency in my meals. I use an intra-workout shake with carbs and EAA to maximize muscle protein synthesis during training. Pre-workout, I focus on higher-fat meals to slow down carb/protein absorption, helping me sustain energy throughout long training sessions. Post-workout, I switch to low-fat meals to expedite nutrient transport and kickstart recovery. I aim for around 4500 calories daily, and will gradually increase intake based on scale progress. Since September, I’ve gained about 8kg (mostly muscle mass) and will continue to monitor my progress.

Typical Daily Meals:
- M1: Oats with 30g whey protein
- M2 (Pre-training): 5% beef, jasmine rice, mixed vegetables, pineapple
- Intra-workout: 60g carb powder, 15g EAA, 700ml water
- M3 (Post-training): Cocoa Puffs (fast-digesting carbs) with 30g whey protein
- M4: Chicken breast, jasmine rice, mixed vegetables, pineapple
- M5: Weetabix with 30g whey protein

Excited to share this log with you all as I continue my journey toward the stage!
 
Hey everyone, just a quick check-in! The progress is coming along well, and I’m seeing noticeable changes. Weight is sitting at 94kg, which is a solid 7kg increase since last check-in. Most of that has been lean mass, which I’m happy with, especially considering my goal of stepping on stage in 2025.

Key Updates. Strength is increasing across the board. I’ve hit new PRs on both my chest press (130kg for 8 reps) and squat press (230kg for 10 reps), which tells me the muscle growth is happening.The training split is really working for me. The additional rest days seem to help recovery while still keeping the volume high. It's been great to focus on hypertrophy and work through the accessory movements as well. My focus on intra-workout nutrition (carbs + EAA) has helped with endurance and recovery, allowing me to push through longer, more intense sessions.

PEDs Update. Considering a slight increase in Mast E to 500mg to boost fat loss while maintaining muscle fullness, but still weighing the benefits vs. side effects.

Next Steps:

  • I'm planning to tweak my calorie intake slightly to push past the 94kg mark, maybe aim for 97-98kg over the next few months.
  • Aiming for another body fat scan soon to track where I stand in terms of lean mass vs fat.
I’ll keep you all updated as I move closer to competition prep!
 
📅 May 6th Update


Hey everyone! Time for another check-in. It’s been a productive couple of months, and I’m now sitting at 98.1kg fasted, which marks the top end of my current growth phase target. Composition is still looking solid—obviously a bit softer than at 86-90kg, but vascularity and fullness are holding up well, especially in the upper body.


✅ Progress & Training​


  • Strength has continued to trend up. I recently hit:
    • Flat Chest Press – 140kg x 6
    • Squat Press – 260kg x 10
    • Hammer Pullover – Full stack for 12 reps

Recovery has been great thanks to a solid sleep routine and consistent intra-workout nutrition. I’m still running the same U/L/R/U/L/R/R split, and it's really clicking with my body. I’ve added in more glute and hamstring volume on the second lower day to bring up posterior chain thickness, which I feel has been a weak point.


Also added in some intensity techniques (e.g., rest-pause and partials) on isolation lifts to keep sessions mentally engaging and push through plateaus.


💉 PEDs​


Currently running:


  • 500mg Test E
  • 500mg Mast E (increased from 400mg mid-March)

I’ve responded well to the bump in Mast — no significant sides, libido is strong, and my skin has stayed clear. The combo continues to promote fullness without too much water retention, which is key at this stage of the offseason.


Considering the addition of low-dose HGH (2–4 IU/day) for connective tissue support, improved sleep, and a bit of additional fullness. Still weighing pros and cons in terms of long-term ROI and cost.


🥗 Nutrition​


Caloric intake is just over 4900 kcal/day at the moment. I’ve slightly increased carbs in meals 2 and 4, and it’s been a game-changer for pushing through the afternoon energy slump. I’m still using my intra (60g carbs + 15g EAA), and it’s made a clear difference in both performance and post-workout pumps.


No digestion issues to report — food sources remain consistent, and digestion is on point. Still sticking to high-fat pre-workout meals and low-fat post-workout for optimal energy and recovery.


🧪 Health & Monitoring​


Planning on getting bloods done next week to check in on hematocrit, lipids, and liver values. No negative symptoms, but I want to stay ahead of any issues, especially with the Mast dose being higher now.


Will likely run a Dexa scan at the start of June to get a clearer idea of lean mass gains vs. fat accumulation before deciding how long to extend this phase.


Next Steps:

  • Hold 98–99kg range for the next few weeks while refining weak points
  • Possibly introduce low-dose HGH
  • Schedule bloodwork + Dexa in early June
  • Decide if a mini-cut is warranted in July before entering a longer prep phase heading into 2025

Feeling motivated, healthy, and locked in. Appreciate everyone following along — this is just the beginning!
 
Damn bro, 98kg fasted and still holding vascularity? That’s elite. Your log is textbook offseason execution — structured, smart, and aggressive. Can’t wait to see what you bring when you lean out.
 
TrueGrit said:
Damn bro, 98kg fasted and still holding vascularity? That’s elite. Your log is textbook offseason execution — structured, smart, and aggressive. Can’t wait to see what you bring when you lean out.
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Appreciate that, man! Been doing everything I can to keep the look tight while pushing weight up. If all goes to plan, prep next year should be a solid reveal. Staying hungry and methodical!
 
big_irish_joe said:
Add the GH. 2–4 IU with your current setup will be a cheat code for fullness and recovery. Especially with that training volume — your joints will thank you.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the GH is tempting — especially for recovery and soft tissue health. If bloods look good, I might ease in at 2 IU before bed and assess sleep and pumps. Just want to make sure the ROI makes sense long-term.
 
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