To be the best you must take every advantage you can, and
nowhere does this precept hold truer then in the uncompromisingly tough sport
of bodybuilding. As each year progresses, it can become harder to gain the
competitive edge.
Age, an adjustment and acclimation to training that causes
slower progress and the general complexity of life with its many demands and
issues can all conspire to thwart our training efforts.
While training intensity can be accomplished trough a
targeted training program and an ability to adequately stimulate our muscles is
something the motivated and determined bodybuilder often has no problem doing,
muscle recovery is another issue. It is especially important at a time of the
year when social demands and incorrect eating combine to stifle our progress.
This is why it is particularly important to fill any
nutritional gaps with quality supplementation, a practice that can be done
all year round for maximal results in muscle size and strength.
The misconception that supplementation is not really
necessary (that they are, after all, only to be used to supplement a
nutritionally deficient diet) has persisted for quite some time.
In recent times, however, it has become clear with
advancements in supplement quality, purity, and what they can offer, that whole
food nutrition simply cannot cover everything. Rather than being an optional
extra to boost bodybuilding success, supplement use is a crucial aspect
for fat loss, muscle building and
performance.
As we all know by now, it is of primary importance to
ensure that correct nutrition is in place ahead of training. After all, missing
the occasional training session may even be productive for much needed
recovery, but neglecting nutrition means a breakdown in the healing process.
Once training is resumed under these conditions, there may
be little in the way of caloric support to ensure that protein synthesis
and muscle growth occurs. Muscle may even begin to cannibalize itself as the
body enters into a catabolic state. Even with the best of diets this can
sometimes happen if training demands override the nutritional balance or
imbalance.
To be extra sure this does not happen, supplementation has
become a must for those serious about ongoing results.
In the following article I will outline the supplements
that have helped me to add a massive 10 kilograms (22lbs) of solid muscle to my
physique over the past year - taking my body weight from 80 kilograms (176lbs)
to 90 kilograms (198lbs) - and explain how these have helped me to improve my
performance and enhance my size as a natural bodybuilder, aged 35.
A plan is included to be used by those wanting to achieve
similar results. Supplements are listed in order of priority.
1. WHEY PROTEIN
As a foundation for muscle gains, quality protein
supplementation is without equal. And the best absorbed form - often used
specifically post-workout, and with meals to round out one's protein balance -
is whey protein. Whey protein has a high
biological value and is extremely convenient to take.
While protein obtained from food sources can provide more
sustained protein levels (especially prior to bed to offset the fasting period
that usually occurs during sleep), whey is rapidly shuttled into the muscles
where it can exert its powerful anabolic effects.
I usually use whey protein twice a day -
directly after training and first thing in the morning upon rising before
breakfast to ensure a rapid uptake of protein to restore the drop in nitrogen
levels from the previous night's sleeping/fasting state.
It is worth noting here that to fully preclude this 8-10
hour fast one would need to wake once or twice throughout the night to consume
protein. Thus, taking protein immediately upon waking is essential, and whey
is, in my experience, the best form to take at this time.
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2 BRANCH CHAIN AMINO ACIDS
Since taking Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
regularly I have witnessed a noticeable improvement in muscle density and my
recovery rate has also increased exponentially. As essential aminos, the BCAAs (leucine, isoleucineand valine) must be taken
through the foods we eat.
As the only three aminos metabolized directly
by muscle tissue they are especially important for the immediate recovery of
muscle tissue. They are used to build new proteins after hard training. As a
primary muscle-building insurance policy, BCAAs should
be on the top of anyone's supplement list.
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3 L-GLUTAMINE
Considered a conditionally essential amino
acid, L-glutamine comprises
up to 60 percent of free-from amino acids circulating in muscle tissue and is
critical for muscle recovery.
When other tissues need L-glutamine (for
immune purposes, for example, of which L-glutamine is essential) they will
often leach this amino from muscle stores, so supplementing it makes sense.
If the muscles and the rest of the bodily
systems have an abundant supply of L-glutamine, muscle tissue will be less
likely depleted under conditions of stress. After a hard
training session L-glutamine levels will be reduced throughout the body by as
much as 50 percent.
I have found the best way to supplement
L-glutamine is to take 5 grams 3-4 times per day so the body has a constant
supply. Adding it to protein shakes is
an excellent way to include it in one's diet.
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4 CREATINE
When creatine hit the shelves in the early
'90s, it quickly became the supplement of choice for athletes the world over.
A supplement that can support increases in
size and strength - as attested to by countless scientific studies - creatine (monohydrate, the version that, despite many
new revolutionary forms, still seems to work best in the long run) will, for
most, boost lean muscle mass and amplify strength gains.
I have personally found that when I'm not taking it my muscles
become much flatter and energy levels tend to plummet. Creatine's major
benefits - among many - are twofold.
It increases muscle energy, allowing one to train harder and to
reap the results. And secondly, it hydrates muscle tissue, which, over time,
causes them to become bigger and stronger.Naturally produced in the kidneys, pancreas and liver, creatine
is transported to muscle tissue where it is transformed into creatine
phosphate, from which the energy molecule ATP is produced to regenerate the
muscles' ability to contract and generate power during short-burst (anaerobic)
activity. This translates to more productive workouts and faster muscle growth.
Though produced in the body, these levels are sufficient only
for ongoing cellular function, not massive muscle growth, which in itself is
not at all conducive for survival purposes.And relying on nutrition to significantly boost creatine is
futile in that many pounds of raw meat would need to be eaten to extract five
grams of creatine,
the quantity provided in one teaspoon of creatine monohydrate powder. So
supplementation is necessary to realize creatine's full benefits.
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5 OMEGA-3
FISH OIL
The many health benefits to be derived from
eating fatty, cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel are well documented.
However, due to various contaminants, purity
and quantity of essential fatty acids supplied, availability and price, gaining
valuable Omega-3 fatty acids from
these sources is often not ideal. Fish oil in
supplemental form, on the other hand, provides the perfect ratio of these
Omega-3's in the purest and most concentrated way possible.
To improve performance and build muscle a
healthy physical state must first be attained as muscle can only grow when the
right conditions are in place to do so. Omega-3 fatty acids may support blood
circulation to allow nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates to
reach muscle and exert their effects.
Omega-3s may also assist fat loss through
maximizing metabolic rate
and helping to form a foundation from which thermogenesis can occur. Joint
lubrication and cardiovascular health
are also major benefits to be derived from Omega-3 supplementation.
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SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM TO BOOST BODYBUILDING PROGRESS
UPON RISING (FIRST
THING IN THE MORNING)
- 30g
Serving of Whey Protein
- 5g
of Creatine
- 1
Serving of BCAAs
WITH BREAKFAST
- 1 Multivitamin Tablet
- 5g
Serving of L-Glutamine
- 1
tsp (or Serving) of Fish Oil
WITH LUNCH
- 1
tsp (or Serving) of Fish Oil
BEFORE TRAINING
- 5g
of Creatine
- 5g
of L-Glutamine
DIRECTLY AFTER TRAINING
- 5g
of L-Glutamine
- 30g
of Whey Protein
BEFORE BED
- 30g
of Whey Protein
- 5g
of Glutamine
- 1
Serving of BCAAs
CONCLUSION
Supplementation could today be regarded as a necessity rather
than optional to supplement a balanced diet. Since the conditions under which
muscle growth occurs demand precision as far as the nutritional status we
achieve is concerned, a good diet, regardless of how well balanced it is,
simply cannot fulfill this function.
Creatine, L-glutamine and whey protein - as the
big three bodybuilding supplements - can only be obtained in sufficient amounts
in supplemental form.
Sufficient quantities of fish oil, from which to
extract Omega-3 fatty acids, key vitamins and minerals, and Branch Chain Amino Acids also are found lacking in the
foods we eat.
Gaining the athletic edge has, since the '90s, been a process of
consuming the right nutrients in the correct ratios.
Simply put: with correct supplementation the process of building
muscle, losing fat and amplifying performance is made significantly easier.
And, as opposed to less than natural means, the results are lasting.
Try this little exercise some time: follow the supplement plan
provided above for at least three months. Then quit all supplement use for a
further three months and watch what happens. Sure, most supplement marketing
involves hype and some companies make laughably outrageous claims, but there is
no secret as to why the supplement industry is booming. Supplements work.
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