
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.