High dosing is the dirty little secret nobody in bodybuilding truly wants to admit to. Don’t think for a second the guys on the Mr. Olympia stage made it there simply based on genetics, hard work, and moderately dosed cycles. While the first two are obvious, make no mistake about it, the dosages being used are astonishingly high.

Before we dig into the hefty doses being administered by the world’s best bodybuilders, you must also consider these men are using much more in their off-season programs than anything casually admitted to on a bodybuilding forum. I know some very well-known competitors who tell their fans they “cruise” on 200-400mg of testosterone every week and then behind closed doors have told me their “hrt dose” is over a gram of test per week, and in some men even higher than that. And the same thing can be said with regards to their growth hormone use. The repeated answer you’ll see is 2iu to 4iu’s per day in the off season, however 10iu to 20iu’s is a more regular recurring figure I have been privileged to. Now, I’m sure there are some guys on the pro circuit who use less, but ask yourself the question, how good do they really look? How do they place at shows? Are they sponsored athletes? All of these things need to be looked at before you dissect a pro bodybuilder’s drug protocol.

With the demands put on a Top 10 bodybuilder in the world, with traveling and appearances, not to mention some have full-time jobs outside of the industry, the doses used in the off season always soar to new heights. However, one thing seems to be the trend and that is very few are introducing exotic compounds into their higher dosed off seasons. Testosterone, HGH, and potentially a 3^rd compound is all the normal competitor at the pro level will be using. The third component is often Equipoise (EQ) to help boost their appetite or even a moderate to low dose of Deca (yes, I said low) simply for a joint relief. I have seen some top-level guys include Tren to help push their strength to new limits, however, the majority of competitors prefer to leave that for pre-contest.

And a final hidden trick many pro’s do is implement T3 at a therapeutic dose to maintain an elevated metabolism, allowing for more calories to be consumed without the risk of getting too fat and heavy in the off season. At a small enough dose, muscle loss won’t be a concern, however, body fat levels will never get out of control.

Here are some sample off season protocols being used by a handful of current pro bodybuilders:

#1 - Duration: 3 months

Testosterone Enanthate – 2000mg every week

HGH – 10IU everyday

T3 – 50mg everyday

Arimidex – 1mg – Every Other Day

#2 – Duration: 3 months

Testosterone Enanthate – 1000mg every week

Equipoise – 600mg every week

HGH – 10IU everyday

T3 – 50mg everyday

Arimidex - .5mg – Every Other Day

Contest Prep is when the majority of top professionals turn it into high gear. All of the various hardening drugs are implemented at this stage. Testosterone doses will reduce, while other compounds are introduced. Masteron, Trenbolone, Winstrol, and Halotestin are your Big 4 that every top professional bodybuilder uses before stepping on stage. And yes, they are run concurrently. I’ve seen protocols online that show drugs being staggered where at first glance, look like a lot of hormones are being used, but they aren’t stacked one-on top of the next. The truth of the matter is orals and injectables are being super dosed for contest prep.

Testosterone is most typically switched from a long-lasting ester like enanthate or cypionate, to a shorter ester such as propionate. From here you can expect to be doing daily injections for optimal results. It will also keep blood hormone levels more consistent, lowing potential side-effects and keeping water retention to a minimum. No more than 1200mg of test is needed even for the most experienced pro bodybuilder.

Your exotic drugs will also reach the upper limits. Masteron will exceed 800-1000mg per week, along with 100mg of Winstrol per day, and 100mg of Tren Ace every day. Stacked with your testosterone, your anabolic’s will surpass your weekly total of steroids to just a shade under 4 grams of gear per week. This doesn’t even include aromatase inhibitors, pedtides, and growth hormone.

I recommend lowering HGH doses during your contest prep as they will cause water retention that an AI won’t be able to counteract. You can expect to hold an additional 8-10lb of water weight if you keep your off-season growth hormone dose as high as your contest prep dose. Below is an example of what an experienced pro bodybuilder might use while in prep:

An Advanced Contest Prep Cycle:

Testosterone Prop – 150mg Every day

Tren Ace – 75mg Everyday

Winstrol – 100mg Everyday

Masteron Prop – 100mg Everyday

Halotestin – 40mg Everyday

Arimidex - .5mg Every otherday

HGH – 4IU Everyday

T3 – 100mg Everyday

Clen – 120mcg Everyday

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