Can I chime in here? I'm of the less is more school of thought when it comes to supplements.

During prep, I use and ECA stack because of it's wicked effectiveness and dirt cheap cost.

I use the stuff very prudently. Your body adapts quickly, so it's best to cycle (3 days' use, 1 day off, 2 days' use, 1 day off or something like that). My thinking is that if the stack seems to be becoming less effective, don't take more! Lay off of it for 2-3 days. Tough it out, suck it up, and go easy on your body.

I take the stack on an empty stomach about two hours before I train in the mid morning. Any closer to my training time than that and I'm way too jittery. Any later in the day, and well, you know, hella hard to get to sleep (it's already hard enough to sleep during prep, right?). I take 200mg caffeine, 24 mg (3 x 8 mg tabs) ephedrine, and 1/2 of a regular strength aspirin.

I don't touch the stuff outside of contest prep, which ensure it works like a damn when I need it for fat loss.

But this is the natty thread, right? Isn't ephedrine banned at natural contests?