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It is common knowledge to the vast majority that the time we leave our home dictates the time we arrive at work, and the time we start heating food dictates the time it will be cooked. However, it is not common knowledge that the timing of nutrients entering the blood stream dictates a person's strength, energy and endurance.

As the world of technology advances around us, so do the scientific studies surrounding advanced nutrition and its after-effect. Just as countless tests are undertaken on car engines to increase their performance, the same can be said for today's research on nutrition supplements. Whether mechanical, medical, physical or whatever the subject may be, it is human nature to perfect the tools we work with. Fat burners, testosterone enhancers, protein powders, creatine, nitric oxide, BCAA's, etc, all have the capacity to increase the physical performance of an individual, but what is just as important is the time interval in which to consume these "physical enhancers".

Menus of supplements are to accompany a simple, stable and nutritious diet. Depending on your individual intention and destination, the nutrition in food should be a staple in the pages of your supplement timing and their ability to turn your body from an overpaid rusty wreck into a high performance and highly tuned muscle machine. You wouldn't put high grade oil into a Formula One racing car only to accompany it with a cheap grade fuel and expect optimum results. So why accompany a high grade supplement with a low grade nutrition plan?

The mainstay in peoples' minds is that whilst they are working out intensely in the gym they are effectively putting on muscle. I hate to burst your bubble but nothing could be further from the truth. When a muscle is trained over a period of time which results in your being sore and stiff, we are breaking the muscle down. The reason we feel sore is because the fibers within the muscle have been torn and your body is trying to tell you to stop because it will have to change to adapt to its environment. The environment is a heavy resistance, the adaptation that proceeds is muscle repair followed by muscle growth. The muscle grows after it has been torn down to adapt to its environment (heavy resistance). The duration that a muscle is placed under strain within the gym (under resistance) is probably the most catastrophic time for the muscle that is struggling in the deep end of catabolism, however this is inevitable that it has to be broken down in order to be built back up.

By studying the physiques of today as seen at natural and drug tested bodybuilding shows, it is getting more apparent that the nutrition, training and supplement strategies used are effective enough to appear slightly chemically enhanced. Understandably, not everyone wants to look like this but this case proves how effective supplements can be when used in the correct doses at the correct times by a muscle hungry individual. I can say from personal experience that by paying attention to stacking certain supplements at certain times of the day, you can immensely impact your muscle's size, density and appearance. Prior to last year I had competed several times at regional level in the middleweight class. On all occasions I placed second but what was more disappointing and frustrating was that I hadn't evolved in terms of condition and size. Ten months before I decided to compete again, I approached several supplement companies in an attempt to gain sponsorship. ProSource was a company I admittedly knew little about but their faith in me and my understanding of the quality of their product formed a bond that I haven't looked back on since. Through my education as a fully qualified nutritionist I started to experiment with their supplements and the times at which I ingested them. Within weeks I had more strength and endurance for my workouts whilst maintaining a positive level of concentration due to an increase of natural testosterone within my body. Ten months later I stood on the world natural bodybuilding stage and again finished second but this time I was in the presence of the sport's best and was astounded that I weighed a lean 10lbs heavier than the year prior. My training and nutrition had stayed the same, only my supplementation and its timing had been modified whilst I had been on my muscle gaining mission.

One thing that I would also like to bring up without sounding like an advertorial is an astounding fat burning obliterator I used to prepare my body during the diet count down. I used Tetrazene ES-50 to prepare for the world natural bodybuilding championships and I amazingly managed to get so ripped so quick that I had to back off of it because it put me way ahead of schedule. In seven weeks I lost almost 25lbs without the stress of depleted energy levels or drastic changes within my nutrition. When it comes to the fat burning stage of your personal quest, I personally recommend that you introduce yourself to my rip-up training partner - Tetrazene ES-50. It's a must!

Since last year's successful "off season" cycle I am currently another 6lbs heavier in lean tissue and confident that I will soon be the world's best natural bodybuilder.

Your supplement stacking should begin within a minimum of 5 hours prior to your scheduled workout. The list of supplements that should occupy your kitchen cupboards and your gym bag are as follows - multi-vitamin/mineral, vitamin C, vitamin E, protein powder, creatine, glutamine, carbohydrate powder and nitric oxide and a testosterone enhancer (AndroTest). Now that you have your shopping cart stacked for ultimate success, allow me to outline your supplement schedule and its after effect that will allow you to draw 100% results for your efforts instead of the returns you have become accustomed to.

Key word description:

• Protein Blend: A ratio of proteins which are made up of fast, medium and slow release chain amino acids. This protein is perfect for anti catabolic purposes such as pre-workout and prior to bedtime.


• Protein Isolate: A fast releasing batch of amino acid profiles designed to be taken immediately post workout to repair and build muscle.


• Multi-Vitamin/Mineral: Should be taken to aid any of today's diets. Most foods lack in minerals due to soil malnutrition.


• Vitamin C: Enhances the immune system, promotes antioxidant activity and also works as a free radical fighter. It is recommended to be taken before and after workout and upon rising.


• Vitamin E: Helps maintain red blood cells whilst assisting circulation within the muscles to act indirectly as a transporter of nutrients to the muscle. I advise this vitamin to be taken pre workout.


• Glutamine: The most abundant amino acid in the body has anti catabolic properties preventing muscle breakdown. This should be taken immediately upon waking (following a fasting sleep of 5 hours or more). Pre and post workout dosages will help maintain stable anti-catabolic effects as with taking it prior to bed (5 or more hours of fast)


• Creatine: This amino acid allows the production and restoration of A.T.P. (energy within the muscle) to sustain a longer duration than normally attainable. This should be taken pre workout for energy production and post workout for restoration.


• Nitric Oxide: This assists an increase of blood flow to the muscle allowing for an increased "pump." Supplementing with nitric oxide is best taken pre-workout.


• Carbohydrate: An energy producing supplement. This should be ingested pre-workout. Also a glycogen restoring supplement so it is advised to be also taken post workout.

First supplement stack - Taken a minimum of 5 hours pre-workout.
1. Multi vitamin
2. Vitamin C - 500mg
3. Calcium
4. Glutamine
5. Testosterone enhancer (AndroTest)

By taking the synergistically working supplements in the 5 hours (minimum) pre workout you are allowing to increase the body's blood flow so it can absorb nutrients for energy more readily. By ingesting calcium at this time will allow the zinc and magnesium in your Multi Vitamin/mineral formula work more efficiently whilst the testosterone enhancer will place the body in an anabolic state (an environment perfect for muscle growth). Glutamine will act as protection to the muscle working to keep the body in an anti-catabolic environment.

Second supplement stack - 30 minutes pre-workout
1. Vitamin C - 500mg
2. Vitamin E - 400IU
3. Glutamine - 5gm
4. Creatine - 5gm
5. Nitric Oxide
6. 30- 40gm of Protein (blend) mixed with 40-70gm of carbohydrate

The courageous cocktail of supplements listed above acts like an army of soldiers working to maximize its push towards muscle evolution whilst perfectly defending its fort against the anti catabolic effects of strenuous resistance training. Vitamin C will help sustain antioxidant levels to strengthen the fight against the free radical damage and boost the immune system prior to the battle within the weights. Vitamin E will work synergistically with nitric oxide to increase the blood flow to the muscles that will inevitably maximize the pump of the worked muscle. This will increase its expansion in which the carbohydrate and protein can provide both energy efficient electrolytes and muscle building amino. Supplementing the most abundant amino acid in the body - glutamine - will help prevent the muscle being cannibalized by the stress that the muscle is placed under. Creatine will help increase the muscles performance by maximizing A.T.P. levels thus providing the body with extra energy to perform for a longer duration of time or allowing 1 or 2 more repetitions where the body would normally fail.

Third Supplement stack - immediately post workout
1. Vitamin C - 500mg
2. Glutamine - 5gm
3. Creatine - 5gm
4. 30-40gm of Protein (isolate) mixed with 40-70gm of carbohydrate

Again, glutamine is required at this time as an anti-catabolic to minimize the cannibalizing effects of the newly broken down and torn muscle. Creatine will help regain A.T.P levels and will also assist in holding fluid within the muscle so the repairing properties of the protein isolate can draw towards the muscle for an extended duration. The carbohydrates will restore the now depleted levels of glycogen and Vitamin C will again help boost the immune system by working as a free radical fighter.

Follow the stack of supplements that I use and advise others on their muscle gaining cycles and provide us with your feedback. We would like to hear from you.