One of the more common emails I get from sarmsmentor.com readers is basically: “How long should I run my SARMs cycle for?”.
The quick answer is: 6-10 weeks, depending on the SARM and the dosage. This is long enough to get great gains and short enough to keep side effects and suppression under control.
In this post I’ll breakdown exactly how long you should run your cycle based on the specific SARM that you’re using.
The 8 Week Sweet Spot
8 weeks is the standard advice for a SARMs cycle and for good reason, for the majority of all SARMs cycles, 8 weeks is the best bet. You’ll get great gains without pushing your body too far.
Myself and most other people find that 8 weeks gives the best results while minimizing side effects and making the Testosterone suppression easily manageable.
An 8 week cycle will actually work will all SARMs, even stronger ones like RAD 140, YK11 or S23. Keeping the cycle length longer can leave you way more suppressed than you’d like to be and keeping it shorter will hurt your gains a lot.
However, there are some nuances depending on which SARM you’re using…
SARMs Specific Cycle Lengths
As we said before, 8 weeks is the general advice that’s valid for all SARMs. However, there can be some differences depending on which SARM you’re choosing.
Here are the acceptable cycle lengths for specific SARMs:
-
- Ostarine (MK-2866): 8-12 weeks
- LGD-4033 (Ligandrol): 8-10 weeks
- RAD-140 (Testolone): 8-10 weeks
- YK-11: 6-8 weeks
- S-4 (Andarine): 8-12 weeks
- S-23: 6-8 weeks
Here are the acceptable cycle lengths for other compounds that are not SARMs but are commonly used with SARMs. The ranges are higher because they are non-hormonal so we don’t have to worry about Testosterone suppression:
-
- MK-677 (Ibutamoren): 12-16 weeks
- SR9009 & Cardarine: 8-12 weeks
As you can see, 8 weeks works for almost all SARMs. It’s long enough for good gains, but you won’t be dealing with harsh suppression or side effects.
Why You Shouldn't Go Over 12 Weeks
Going past 12 weeks is risky. You’ll get more severe Testosterone suppression and will face longer recovery times. For most people, it’s just not worth it. Trust me, I’ve seen guys regret pushing their cycles too long.
Stick to 8 weeks, especially if it’s your first time running SARMs. It’s the safest option and you’ll still see great results.
Time Between Cycles
Don’t forget: You need to give your body time to recover.
The rule of thumb is to take as much time off as your cycle lasted. So, if you run an 8-week cycle, take 8 weeks off before starting another one. This helps restore your natural Testosterone levels.
TL;DR
For the majority of people, 8 weeks is the ideal SARMs cycle length. It gives you enough time to make solid gains without pushing your body too far. It doesn’t matter whether you’re running Ostarine, LGD-4033, or RAD-140, 8 weeks is a safe bet.
Remember to take time off between cycles and run a proper PCT to help your body recover.