Advanced Creatine Cycling

[PigOnTheWing]

after doing an internet search i see alot of people advocating this "advanced cycling schedule"

week 1: load (20 g / day)
week 2-4 : maintenance (10 g / day)
week 5: load (20 g / day)
week 6-8: OFF
Repeat Cycle.

has anyone tried this? and did you notice any better benefits. right now i basically do the same one except i dont "reload" week 5. i am taking week 5-8 off. i am thinking of using this schedule my next cycle. thanks

[Weecrack]

When i cycle my creatine after load phase, i just do 5g 2 times a day for my off days/maintence, and 5g 2 times a day on my work out days 5g before and 5g after workout then ill do that for 6-8 weeks and take some time off

[CraigC]

I think what you are doing now is fine. It is not necessary to load. I have also read that the supplemented creatine does not leave your system until something like 2 weeks after. So a 2 week break would probably be too short. 4-6 weeks on, then 4 weeks off would be best in my opinion. If you still want to load do it in week 1 but I would not bother with a 'reloading period.'

BTW what type of creatine are you taking?

[PigOnTheWing]

Originally Posted by CraigC

I think what you are doing now is fine. It is not necessary to load. I have also read that the supplemented creatine does not leave your system until something like 2 weeks after. So a 2 week break would probably be too short. 4-6 weeks on, then 4 weeks off would be best in my opinion. If you still want to load do it in week 1 but I would not bother with a 'reloading period.'

BTW what type of creatine are you taking?

this is my cycle now.
Prolab Creatine Monohydrate (SKW German Creapure)
week 1: load (20 g / day)
week 2-4 : maintenance (10 g / day)
week 5-8: OFF
Repeat Cycle.

so your saying that is ok? i was wondering if 4 weeks off is too long. maybe i should do another week or two of maintence after the load period??

[CraigC]

I used to take that exact same creatine and when my tub of Xpand runs out im planning on buying it again. That is exactly how I took it minus the load. And I only took 5 g's a day because this was like 1.5 years ago.. I was a lot smaller then (say 145-150 lbs). I think now I have gained some size that this cycle I will take around 8 grams/day.

The point of cycling is so your body does not become accustomed to the supplement. If it takes 2 weeks for the supplemented creatine to leave your body then 2 weeks of training without it is fine.

This is how I took it, and plan to take it my next cycle:
Weeks 1,2,3,4 maintenance
Weeks 5,6,7,8 off