Since major SARMs factories are periodically shut down, lifters often suffer a torrid time flocking from one provider to another. Rats Army is one SARMs provider that has risen to prominence in the past few years. But, in spite of the recent hype, are Rats Army‘s products up to the mark?
I ordered 2 containers of LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and 2 containers of GW-501516 (Cardarine) to finally revoke my natty card and look to recomp after floating in lifting purgatory for almost 9 months after being told by doctors to stop powerlifting due to back issues.
And, as recommended, I also picked up some Tamoxifen to bring my test levels back following the cycle.
My goal was to gain as much muscle as possible in a 7-8 week cycle while shedding a little fat.
While Rats Army offers an all-in-one cutting SARMs stack known as “Slyced” — containing MK-2886 (Ostarine), GW-501516 (Cardarine), and SR-9009 (Stenabolic) — I opted to go down a more anabolic route in LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) (Sour Apple flavor) and GW-501516 (Cardarine)(Clown Tears flavor) to help counteract LGD-4033‘s “wetness”, potential dampener on HDL cholesterol, and mitigate fat gain.
If you have thought about taking performance enhancing drugs from Rats Army or any other provider, please read our article on how long you should wait before taking performance enhancements.
Some of these include:
- Being over 25
- Having over 5 years lifting experience
- Having diet and training on point
- Researching your chosen compounds in depth
Rats Army: My Experience
I ordered my products at the end of the 2021, (stupidly) opting for 7-day delivery. The products, given the time of year, ended up arriving 15 days after placing the order.
When they arrived, the package emanated a very distinct chemical smell to the point where I was worried that one of the containers burst — but my fears were, thankfully, misplaced.
On my first day, I knew SARMs weren’t going to taste like anything out of a Michelin restaurant, but holy hell they tasted like ass — something that you get used to quickly.
Rats Army make an effort to flavor their products, which is much appreciated.
My Brief Lifting Backstory
I had been lifting naturally for over a decade, hitting some very respectable numbers before lumbar stenosis effectively meant I couldn’t squat or conventional deadlift heavy anymore.
I had been chasing my national powerlifting records before my cumulative injuries derailed my goals — and I am intending to opt for surgery in a few years time to pursue these goals again.
With my goals sidelined, I then pivoted my attention toward bodybuilding instead as my back trouble could be circumvented.
Choosing to do SARMs was a decision I had made years prior to taking the plunge, so to speak.
As I travel a lot, SARMs seemed like the sensible choice of performance enhancing drug to begin taking my training to the next level.
Expectations From Cycle
It is my intention to gain 5-8lb of muscle as I am a hyper-responder to training stimulus.
I also wish for my weight to remain the same; in other words: to lose as much fat as muscle gained in pounds.
I also expect to gain some strength; I am at my genetic ceiling, and, when I was powerlifting, my training for focused on gaining the most amount of strength as humanly possible.
Now, although my training method is geared toward hypertrophy, I don’t expect to make insane strength gains, but I do expect to get stronger without making it a priority.
I also intend to remain in a calorie deficit throughout this Rats Army cycle.
How Rats Army’s SARMs Affected Me
Dosages
- 5mg of LGD-4033 (Weeks 1-4)
- 8-10mg of LGD-4033 (Weeks 5-7)
- 10mg of GW-501516 (Weeks 1-4)
- 15-20mg of GW-501516 (Weeks 5-7)
There are some days where I lower the dose according to how I feel.
Here are a couple of videos on both LGD-4033 and GW-501516
Size Gains
I am currently in the 6th week of my cycle and I have put on size everywhere — most notably in my arms and deltoids.
My quads have grown significantly; but my pecs have lagged a little bit, indicating a potential genetic weakness.
Training endurance has been a major player in evolving my training.
I have now incorporated a lot of high volume training schemes such as 10x10s to hit my legs, for example — as I can’t go heavy due to my back.
My arms are stretching the sleeves to most of my t-shirts more than ever.
Overall, if I were to guess, I have gained a good 5lb of muscle so far with a fair amount of bloat. Having said that, I have lost a considerable amount of fat — which is why the scales have barely budged.
Click Here to Buy SARMS from Swiss Chems
Strength Gains
It is a shame I can’t squat or deadlift heavy anymore, otherwise I would be dying to test them.
But, having said that, I am chest-supported rowing the full stack for working sets — something I couldn’t do in my final natty days.
The most noticeable leap in strength has been in my shoulders.
My shoulder strength was always a weak point for me as I have long arms.
On my final natty workout, I Military Pressed 225lb for a grinding one-rep max; 6 weeks into my cycle I Military Pressed 225lb for 9.5 reps (yes, I’m still salty AF about missing that 10th rep!).
My bench press 3-rep max has also jumped by 20-25lb — even though I’ve only bench pressed a couple of times on this cycle as I’m focusing on hypertrophy over raw strength.
The most noticeable strength gain estimates after 5-6 weeks:
- 50-60lb jump in Military Press 1RM
- 20-25lb jump in Bench Press 3RM
- 25% increase in chest-supported row
- Noticeably faster sprint speed
Workout Quality
As a 30-year-old natty lifter, my recovery time was in the toilet; one pressing session would leave my anterior deltoids smoked for over a week!
My pumps would suck unless I ate enough raw garlic to repel all vampires in a 5-mile radius or drink enough beetroot juice to turn my insides bright purple.
In fact, the past 9 months sucked training-wise. I lost my love for lifting as it felt like I was only losing hard-earned strength and mass.
On LGD-4033, my pumps are insane and my workouts have been metaphorically injected with a shot of adrenaline.
Even without pre-workout, my training intensity and endurance are both sky high to the point where I have to force myself to leave the gym.
Click Here to Buy SARMS from Swiss Chems
Side-Effects
With all good things, there is a catch — and for SARMs it’s no different.
Before diving into this cycle, I had researched the compounds I was going to take, but the side-effects you’ll experience vary from person to person.
The most commonly reported side-effects for LGD-4033 are:
- Testosterone suppression
- Raised Liver Enzymes
- Elevated Blood Pressure
- Dry Mouth
- Headaches
- Proneness to Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
I am prone to stomach problems as I damaged my stomach lining when I was 10. I have to be cautious with certain foods and acidic drinks such as soda and alcohol, plus I have to be cautious with anti-inflammatories/aspirin.
From around week 2, I was having abdominal pains consistent with my stomach condition as I attempted to intermittent fast to keep my caloric intake down. To remedy these pains, I took a daily dose of Omeprazole and ate a light snack whenever these pains flared.
I also decided to buy some Rats Army NAC and Milk Thistle to alleviate some pains on the right side of my abdomen as I believed the compounds may have also been affecting my liver.
From around week 5, my blood pressure shot up to the point where I would experience as I raised my daily dose of LGD-4033 to 10mg. To counteract this, I would lower my dose to 7-8mg a day, do daily cardio, plus supplement garlic extract and niacin.
I did not experience other side-effects; test suppression appears to be minimal with no noticeable hypogonadism (shrinking testicles) and my mood, energy levels, and libido are about the same overall.
We have an article on how to know whether you have low testosterone levels.
Side note: I haven’t been able to get blood work done to ensure everything is order, but this will be something I shall document in future cycles.
Appetite
Rats Army‘s SARMs or otherwise, I have not experienced such hunger since my teenage years.
I had been intermittent fasting for about 6 months prior to commencing this cycle — but that quickly went up in flames shortly after commencing this cycle.
This Rats Army cycle left me constantly hungry. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is a bad thing — especially if you want to bulk — and I have lost fat in the process.
Will I Take Rats Army Products in Future?
After my first Rats Army experience, and their niche providing dosed flavored products, I will be shortly purchasing MK-677 from Rats Army to run at a low dose to help maintain most of the size I’ve gained during my first cycle.
I will also be purchasing their “Slyced” cutting stack for my next SARMs cycle.
Rats Army is always fast to respond to customers if they have any queries and other reviews indicate that they are always quick to honor refunds or replacements.
Click Here to Buy SARMS from Swiss Chems
Disclaimer: we are not medical professionals. If you wish to consume SARMs and/or other performance enhancing drugs, we urge that you take the appropriate channels and consult your physician. Please ensure that you request comprehensive bloodwork to protect your health, under the care of your physician.
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