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The Fitness Secrets of the Stars
We take physical fitness very seriously here at ProSource. Looking great and feeling great is what we're all about. But there are people out there who are even more obsessed than we are. Hard to believe, but true. For those individuals-and we're talking elite athletes and celebrities here-being ripped and rock-hard isn't just about peak wellness. It isn't about getting that second glance at the beach party. And it sure isn't about vanity. It's about their careers and continued existence. When you make your living at center stage-whether it's on a movie set, the gridiron, or at a photo shoot-you're either at your absolute physical peak ... or you're gone. Superstar (and super buff) wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald knows all about peak conditioning. He stays at the top of his game both in the gym and on the field. As a result, Larry's amazing performance in last year's playoff run was that of legend. His speed, power and endurance were unrivaled as he outperformed literally every other player in the competition. And in an exclusive interview with Hugh Jackman we discovered that he also knows what it takes. In the blockbuster film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, that's not a plastic bat suit Jackman's wearing. That's all muscle and it's all his. Other top performers interviewed included All-Pro running back Brian Westbrook, rising Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds, slugging second baseman Dan Uggla and women's softball legend and Gold Medalist Jennie Finch. We interviewed these sports and cinema greats because it’s their job to know what works so they look and perform at their best every time out. LARRY FITZGERALD The Ultimate Game Breaker As Super Bowl XLIII ticked down and players on both teams began to tire and slow under the game's grueling pace, one player was growing faster and stronger. All Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald caught several passes, including one TD, as the Cardinals rallied late against the Steelers' vaunted defense. Then, with 2:37 left, Fitzgerald took a short toss from Kurt Warner and ran, virtually untouched, 65 yards down the middle of the field for an electrifying touchdown to give his team the lead. As the Steelers' proud defenders watched him run by, Fitzgerald looked like a man-an exceedingly fleet and powerful man-among boys. It was a dominant performance, entirely in keeping with the reputation for excellence Fitzgerald has forged over five years in the NFL. All of Fitzgerald's qualities were on display that night-strength, speed, and stamina. It's that last quality that truly separates Fitzgerald from every other pro receiver. Plenty of NFL wideouts are fast, some are strong, but none has Fitzgerald's amazing endurance. That endurance isn't a factor of genetics; it's something Fitzgerald builds and enhances every day in his workout regimen, his diet, and his supplementation. As you might expect, Larry Fitzgerald doesn't take a casual approach to eating. "I believe you are what you put in your body," he says. "You can't eat junk calories and expect to be capable of peak performance. It's a long NFL season. There are no shortcuts to success. You have to stay focused on every meal, every workout." Toward that end, Larry keeps to a strict high-protein, low-fat diet with an emphasis on meats (especially fish and lean cuts of beef), egg whites, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and yogurt. High-quality aminos and slow-uptake carbs form a sturdy foundation for muscle repair and growth. In the elite environs of the NFL, workouts are extreme and swift recovery is crucial. To spur anabolism and shut down post-workout catabolism, Larry augments his healthy diet with plenty of fast-acting whey protein in the form of post-workout shakes (including Myoplex from EAS) and protein bars. "Muscle support is a 24-hour thing," the NFL star says. "You have to make an effort to consume protein at each meal, while also targeting post-workout windows for growth and recovery. I'll have a Myoplex Original shake within 30 minutes after my workout. To keep my strength at the level I need it to be during the season, I will eat 5-6 times a day. Between whole meals, I'll have a Myoplex Lite bar. During the offseason when I am training hard, I look for foods and supplements that can help me recover from my workout. HMB, Arginine, and Glutamine are essential ingredients for recovery." "There are no shortcuts to success. You have to stay focused on every meal, every workout." When it comes to his workouts, Larry knows that variety is a key factor. Where so many athletes allow themselves to fall into a rut, letting their bodies grow acclimated to a standard routine, Larry makes a determined effort to shake things up, shocking his muscles into accommodating new muscle growth. "I lift five days a week and I run four days a week," Larry says. The workouts vary depending on what time of year it is. For instance, now I'm getting into more shorter distance stuff, quick sprints to try to prepare myself for the quick burst of speed I'm going to need ... Lifting kind of differentiates between high repetition and low repetition to try and break some plateaus." X-Men Origins: WOLVERINE As you might expect, this sizeable fan base is already turning out in massive numbers for the new film's nationwide premiere, and the early response has been ecstatic. This compelling prequel deftly balances the dramatic psychological sources of Logan's evolution into Wolverine, a mutant superhero wracked by rage and guilt, with all of the awe-inspiring visual thrills millions of viewers have come to associate with the X-Men franchise. Beginning in the uncharted wilderness of northwest Canada in the 1840s, X-Men Origins: Wolverine recounts the charged love/hate relationship that grows between Logan and his brother Victor (Liev Schreiber), the similarly endowed mutant who will become the villain Sabretooth. After fighting side-by-side in the American Civil War, two World Wars, and Vietnam, the brothers part ways as Wolverine joins a secret Black Ops unit and is recruited by General Stryker to join a team of super mutants. The twists and turns of this stirring narrative will have fans of the series exclaiming again and again as key facets of Wolverine's conflicted nature and motives are suddenly made startlingly clear. As for the astonishing special effects, we don't want to give too much away here, but one scene-in which Wolverine leaps from an exploding truck, clings to an attacking helicopter, slices the rotor blades, rides it to the ground, leaps free, and walks away-has to be seen to be believed. X-Men Origins: Wolverine, under the brilliant direction of Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Rendition), has set the bar dauntingly high for every effects-laden contender to follow it this summer. HUGH JACKMAN It's not true that Hugh Jackman owns the entire world these days. It just seems that way. The critically acclaimed actor and reigning People magazine "Sexiest Man Alive" has appeared in a string of critical and commercial big-screen blockbusters in recent years and is now poised to cement his reputation as a supreme "A-list" leading man with his newest and biggest movie yet ... X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Even as Jackman's popularity has soared among moviegoers, he has developed a huge fan base among bodybuilders and athletes who admire the star's commitment to a rigorous workout regimen and his ability to transform his physique to match specific movie roles. Recently, for instance, Jackman trimmed down and leaned out to the extreme to portray a rugged cattle drover in the Outback drama, Australia, then took on the yeoman task of really transforming his physique by literally adding pounds of rock-hard muscle mass through intensive dieting and training to prepare for his latest screen turn as the dynamic and conflicted super hero Wolverine. Q&A: In an exclusive interview, ProSource Media caught up with Hugh Jackman on the red carpet at the Tempe, AZ premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and asked him about his amazing transformations. ProSource Media: What was your mindset going in to the intense workout regimen that would prepare you for the rigors of becoming Wolverine once again? Hugh: The most important thing to me was to be lean. I wanted to look like an animal! I wanted to look dangerous and powerful. Not just like, yeah, okay he works out. I wanted to look frightening. PM: Well, you certainly achieved that. Did you work with a personal trainer? Hugh: Yes, I had a trainer I worked with on virtually a daily basis. I also was advised by a natural bodybuilder on his pre-competition diet. It was intense. PM: What was your regimen and diet like? What was the bodybuilder eating? Hugh: Oh, it was tough. Training in the gym every day and for hours and hours at a time for six months ... as the people who were around at the time will attest, it was pretty insane! But really the eating was the hardest part. To live in Australia where the food is so good and to have nothing to eat except steamed vegetables and steamed chicken for six months is tough. PM: Do you have any philosophies with regard to attaining and maintaining peak physical condition? Hugh: For me it's hard to put on a lot of muscle, so I have to lift very, very heavy weights. I have to be very careful and do a lot of stretching. Oh, and eat like you've never eaten in your life before. If you're hungry, it's been too long, never be hungry. TAYLOR KITSCH Since his emergence onto the scene two years ago, 28-year-old Canadian actor Taylor Kitsch has taken Hollywood by storm! Kitsch has won the praises of audiences and critics alike on both the big and small screens. Starring in the NBC hit television series Friday Night Lights, Kitsch portrays the strong, brooding backbone of the Dillon Panthers football team. He brings a poignancy and vulnerability to the role of a Texas high school fullback struggling to find his identity and wrestling with his demons by way of the bottle. USA Today called the Emmy-nominated series "one of the best acted, best written and best produced shows on television." In 2007, Taylor starred alongside Julia Stiles, Danny Glover, Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson in the critically acclaimed film Gospel Hill. In this summer's blockbuster X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Taylor plays the popular card throwing comic book character Gambit. Cast alongside Hollywood heavyweights (literally and figuratively) Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds and Liev Schreiber, the fit former Abercrombie and Fitch model worked out long and hard to prepare for the role. Featured on the January cover of Men's Health, Taylor has long had a passion for health and fitness, and actually ran The Nautica Malibu Triathlon late last year. Q&A: ProSource Media: What did your training routine consist of to prepare for the role of Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Taylor: Yeah, I trained for about four months with a bow staff and did card training in the hotel five days a week three hours a night. Other than that, I boxed a lot and did all sorts of stuff with a med ball. PM: What was the experience like for you to work with such an amazing cast of actors? Taylor: It was unbelievable! I mean you see a guy like Hugh Jackman and the discipline he had the whole time. The six plus months of training just to even get there, it was pretty insane! PM: Tell us a little about your part in the movie. Did it require a lot of physicality? Taylor: Absolutely man! I think you can tell even from the trailer, I had a lot of action moves with a bow staff. So yeah it was incredibly physical. RYAN REYNOLDS No longer considered just an up-and-comer, Ryan Reynolds has solidified his status as one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood...And without question, one of the fittest. The 32-year-old Canadian broke onto the scene in 2002 as the title character in the cult hit Van Wilder. A string of roles in comedies, dramas, and action films followed. However, it wasn't until Reynolds' portrayal of Hannibal King in the film Blade Trinity that his fit body started gaining as much attention as his acting. In preparation for the role, Ryan went through an astounding physical transformation, ultimately, gaining nearly 20 pounds of lean muscle with a body fat reported to be a mere 3%. Since that time, Reynolds has appeared on the cover of just about every fitness magazine, from Men's Health, and Men's Fitness, to Best Life among others. In this summer's blockbuster hit X-Men Origins: Wolverine Reynold's plays opposite another one of Hollywood's fittest actors Hugh Jackman. Hitting the gym hard to prepare for the physically demanding role, Ryan ultimately put on 15 pounds of rock hard muscle in 5 months. Q&A: ProSource Media: What did you do to get in shape to play the role of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Ryan: Well, I ate a lot of chicken and had a pretty intense training routine for about five months in preparation for the film. PM: Are you usually this passionate about fitness? Ryan: I am passionate about fitness but I can get pretty intense when preparing for a movie role. So I would say that I'm not normally this passionate about it when I'm not shooting. LIEV SCHREIBER Hailed as "the finest American theatre actor of his generation" (The New York Times), Liev Schreiber has become known for immersing himself into the various characters he portrays. Praised for his performances in Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, and Glengarry Glen Ross for which he received a Tony Award, Schreiber is an extremely gifted actor who's now beginning to capture Hollywood by storm! Cast in two of this year's biggest hits, WWII drama Defiance, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Liev's performances has generated serious buzz from both critics and movie goers alike. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Liev plays super mutant Sabretooth opposite long time friend Hugh Jackman. In preparation for the film, the two actors became training partners and worked out together for several months. The actor's objective was to get in good enough shape to convincingly play bulked up mutants with super human strength...Mission accomplished gentlemen! Q&A: ProSource Media: You obviously got in phenomenal shape to play the character of Sabretooth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, what was training like? Did you find it difficult? Liev: Yeah it was pretty painful and to be honest, I'm glad it's over! But I'd do it again if I have to for another movie role. PM: Did you have a trainer that you worked with in preparation for the movie? Liev: Yeah, Hugh Jackman and I worked out together along with Michael Ryan (friend/personal trainer). PM: Were you on any particular diet/nutrition program? Liev: Well when you're trying to put on muscle mass like that, it's mostly high protein. I ate about a world of chicken. DAN UGGLA Dan Uggla broke onto the major league baseball scene three years ago after playing five long minor league seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks' organization. Since the Florida Marlins acquired him in the Rule 5 draft, Uggla's never looked back. With his old-school, blue-collar style of play, Dan has emerged as one of the top second baseman in the league. An All-Star the past two seasons, he's led all second baseman the past three seasons with 90 home runs and is second among second basemen in RBIs (270) in the same time frame. Dan's also proven he is more than mere muscle and power. He had a .360 on-base percentage last year, with 77 walks, and has consistently stayed healthy, setting a good example on a young club. Through a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication, Dan's defense has also vastly improved in the course of his tenure with Florida. With the Marlins off to a hot start, Dan's amped for his best season yet. Q&A: ProSource Media: How much weight training do you do as a percentage of your conditioning? Is weight-training a vital aspect to being a successful hitter? Dan: Yeah, I believe so. Some guys are so talented they don't have to do those sorts of things. A guy like me, I have to work as hard as I can in the weight room to be successful. So again, it's been a huge part of my game for a long, long time so if I'm going to continue to be successful I'm gonna have to stick with it. PM: Briefly describe your normal daily offseason workout routine. Dan: In the offseason my workout routine varies. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays I'll usually wake up and go workout with my trainer and do some speed and agility stuff and then go hit and throw a little bit to keep myself in baseball shape. I'll then take a break to get something to eat and later around 5 or 6 o'clock I'll go to the gym and do my weight training for about an hour or so. PM: Are there certain muscle groups you focus on most as a pro baseball player? Dan: I personally put a lot of emphasis on every muscle group. Legs are probably the most important thing to work out as they're the strongest part of your body and pretty much where all your power comes from. But I actually focus on my upper body just as much as my legs if not, more. Your forearms actually play a big part in swinging a bat and throwing a baseball. But the legs and core are the foundation and I try and work them out at least twice a week. PM: Do you use vitamins/supplements of any kind? If so what products do you use? Dan: Just your basic high quality protein and amino acids after I get done working out. Supreme Protein bars are my favorite supplement product by far. They're without question the best tasting protein bar on the market. I eat them before a work out, after I work out, whenever. They’re really a convenient, healthy way to feed your body a high quality protein and vitamin complex any time you need it. JENNIE FINCH Jennie Finch is perhaps the most well-known and celebrated women's fast pitch softball player of all time. With her athleticism and competitiveness on the ball field only matched by her grace and beauty off it, Jennie has vastly helped to move women's softball into the mainstream public eye. After a magnificent high school career in which she went 50-12, with six perfect games, 13 no-hitters, 784 strikeouts, and posted a 0.15 ERA in 445 innings, Jennie moved to Tucson to play her college ball for the University of Arizona Wildcats. Playing under Team USA head coach Mike Candrea, Finch solidified her status as a young phenom by becoming a three-time All-American and winning the Honda Award as the nation's top collegiate player her sophomore and junior seasons. She also helped lead the Wildcats to the NCAA championship title as a junior by going 32-0, and setting an NCAA record for consecutive victories, with an astounding 60 wins. By the time Finch graduated from college in 2002, she was already somewhat of a household name. While her pitching earned her athletic accolades, Jennie's beauty vaulted her into celebrity status. The tall California blonde joined baseball's Alex Rodriguez and auto racer Dale Earnhardt, Jr., as the only athletes among People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in the Spring of 2004. In the previous year, Jennie was voted ESPN.com's "Hottest Female Athlete," dethroning tennis player Anna Kournikova. Finch also received rave reviews for her work as a correspondent on ESPN's "This Week in Baseball." A highlight of that stint included a feature in which she struck out Mike Piazza, Brian and Marcus Giles and several other prominent major-league baseball players. Since 2005, Jennie has played for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch Softball League, a league that benefits greatly from her star quality. She has also played in two Olympic summer games, leading the USA national team to a gold medal victory in 2004, and a silver medal this past year in Beijing. Jennie has without a doubt remained one of the most popular female athletes in the world. Q&A: ProSource Media: At what age did you start working out/lifting? Jennie: I started lifting in college. Before that it was mostly resistance training. I always used the product my dad designed, the Finch Windmill. I still do because it's so great for creating muscle balance and preventing injury. PM: What does the normal daily workout routine of a pro pitcher consist of? Weight training? Is the workout routine of a professional softball player significantly different from that of a college athlete? Jennie: The workout stays the same, except that I had more time once I was out of school to work out. And I guess it became a little more position specific as I got older, but I work out six days a week doing aerobic training for 45 minutes, and then interval training and weights for three days a week for 60-90 minutes. And like I said, I still do the Finch Windmill 5 days a week. PM: Do you use vitamins/supplements of any kind? If so what products do you use? Jennie: It's so important to put good fuel in your body when you're working out and playing. It makes such a difference. I'm a mom, too, and a wife, so it’s a hard sometimes because we're so busy as a family. I like to have things around that I can grab quick. Protein bars are great. They're the perfect post-workout snack for me. It's quick. It's easy. I just grab one and go. PM: What is the role of nutrition in an athlete's performance? Jennie: It's so important to put good fuel in your body when you're working out and playing. It makes such a difference. PM: You're arguably the face of women's fast pitch softball. What's the life of a professional softball player like? Jennie: [Laughs] It's busy. I'm blessed to be able to play for Team USA and for the Chicago Bandits. I get to travel and speak to people across our great country. My favorite thing to do still is teach and do camps with girls and their families who love this sport. It's amazing to look at them and know they have it all in front of them. I like to encourage them to dream and believe. PM: What have your Olympic experiences been like? Jennie: They've been incredible - beyond words really. The first one I was pretty intimidated. Here I was playing alongside women I'd idolized in the country where the Olympics began. In Athens there were so many things I didn't know to expect, and it made me a little afraid. In China, it was more comfortable. Unfortunately we lost and that was so hard, but I think life is mostly about how you deal with failure. And maybe that loss will help softball get back into the Olympics, since one of the reasons we were given was that it was taken away because the US has been too dominant. PM: What percentage of pitching is physical vs. mental? Jennie: I think it’s a 50-50 mix. You really can't have one without the other and still win. PM: How much does sheer strength have to do with fast pitch softball? Jennie: That's hard to say. There are so many things that go into good pitching - flexibility, strength, wrist snap. I've heard the term "functional strength" and think maybe that's more important than sheer strength. BRIAN WESTBROOK Known quite simple as 'The Ultimate Weapon' by his fellow Eagles teammates, Brian Westbrook is one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL. With his ability to elude defenders as both a running and receiving threat, and the skill to make just about anyone miss in the open field, Brian is a match-up nightmare for any defense. Legendary coach Bill Parcells describes Westbrook as "being made for big plays. He can run, catch and I'm sure he could throw if they let him. They can deploy him anywhere on the field and I think it takes a rare player to be comfortable with that." Hailing from Villanova University, Westbrook was a consensus All-America, a two-time A-10 offensive player of the year and was the 2001 recipient of the Walter Payton Award (as the top player in NCAA Division I-AA). As a senior, he amassed an amazing 2,823 combined net yards and scored 29 touchdowns. Despite his absolute dominance in college, NFL teams were hesitant to draft him in 2002 because of his small size (he was listed at only 5'8", 200 lb). Ultimately drafted by the Eagles in the third round, Brian has since been one of the most dominant all-purpose running backs in the league and arguably the best at the position in Eagles franchise history. In his seven years thus far in NFL, Brian has helped lead his team to one Super Bowl, and he has played in two Pro-Bowls. Amassing an incredible 10,315 all-purpose yards, no other NFL running back since 2003, has recorded more receiving yards. (1,651) and has a better yards per touch avg. (5.9 - min. 500 touches). Recently signing a five-year contract extension with the Eagles, Westbrook is poised for his best season yet with his ultimate goal being to win a Super Bowl. Q&A: ProSource Media: Are there certain muscle groups you focus on most as a pro running back? Brian: You need to have strong legs to enable you to last throughout the season. So you want to strengthen your quads, hamstrings, as well as your calves. Secondly, you need strong shoulders. You're going to be taking hits every single play of a 16 game NFL season so having solid strong shoulders are vital. Lastly, your chest is important. You have to be able to block as well as push people off of you and do different things and so you need strong chest muscles to enable yourself to be able to do that. PM: Briefly describe your normal daily offseason workout routine. Brian: For the most part during the offseason I try to strengthen my muscles and make them as big as I can so during the season I can scale back my workout just a little bit. So really during the offseason, I go pretty much as hard as I can, going to the gym every day, lifting as much weight as I can, and doing as many reps as I can. PM: Obviously endurance training plays a huge role in having the stamina to play at peak performance through all 4 quarters of a game. What specific endurance training exercises do you do to build your stamina (during season vs. offseason)? Brian: To prepare yourself to be able to play in the first quarter of a game as well as be ready for the fourth, you have to practice and workout every single day like it's a football game. So you know there's going to be at least 70+ plays in a football game, so you have to do 70 reps during your workout. Every chance you get, you're on that football field running, and doing stairs and other various things to keep your body in top shape. PM: How much has weight lifting and other gym training played in your development as an athlete? Brian: To play in the NFL, you have to have a certain amount of functional strength and the weight room gives you that foundation. I started lifting in middle school and on through high school, college and the NFL. Now, I'm just trying to maintain that strength as well as improve on it every year. PM: Do you use vitamins/supplements of any kind? If so what products do you use? Brian: Protein is crucial because it feeds your muscles and allows your muscles to grow as well as recover within 45 minutes after a workout. The best and easiest way I've found to get protein in my diet is the Supreme Protein bars. Supreme Protein has done a phenomenal job with these bars. They're delicious to eat (they taste just like a candy bar) and they're convenient and quick to get in your system. Also the protein quality is top notch. PM: At this stage of your career, what's your most important goal left to achieve? Brian: Winning a Super Bowl, and continuing to improve as a player, as friends to guys on the team, as well as a person. If I can do those things, then I'll be satisfied with my career when it's over. Twentieth Century Fox do not endorse any products or content published in this magazine. X-Men character Likenesses TM & © 2009 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. TM and © 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication.
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Legendary Protein Purity, Potency, and Power
We talk all the time here at ProSource about protein as a catalyst for muscle mass increase, as an agent for supporting enhanced physique and athletic performance. Clearly, these outcomes are of paramount concern to our fitness-conscious readers. That's why we've always been so committed to the cutting-edge scientific research and development that make our flagship formula NytroWhey Ultra Elite the unchallenged leader in quality and value in the whey protein category. Every time you open a container of NytroWhey Ultra Elite, you know you're giving your muscles the advanced nutritional support they need to help you achieve your physique and performance goals. Having said that, we don't often talk about protein in its most basic sense -- as food. But that's what it is, isn't it? Food. And now more than ever, it's essential that we all think about where our food comes from and why that sourcing is important. The Pros and Cons of A Global Nutritional Marketplace When it comes to food manufacturing and retailing, we live in a vast interconnected world of intricate supply chains. A fish caught off the shore of Peru can be iced, transported and appear on your dinner table here in the US in a few days. Olive oil pressed and extracted and bottled in Turkey will materialize in your supermarket almost as fast. More relevantly, for the terms of our discussion, whey protein rendered in France or New Zealand or China can serve as the source material for the protein formulas on store shelves in America.This is a good thing in some ways, as the world's demand for whey protein is always on the rise. But it can create problems too, because the industrial standards for production, refinement and inspection of whey protein can vary widely from country to country. There have been extreme examples of this of course. In China, a number of protein-based products (including baby formula) had to be pulled from the shelves several years ago because they contained dangerous levels of melamine, a poisonous nitrogen-dense organic compound that Chinese farmers had been adding to their milk to boost protein levels and pass nutritional testing. Around the same time, retailers had to pull pet food brands from their shelves when plant-based protein content furnished by China was actually killing pets.Again, these are extreme examples. What's much more commonplace, however, are protein manufacturers who skirt the law and take advantage of lax production and inspection protocols in some countries to cut costs and bring to market whey protein formulas that have greatly diminished nutritional value. These practices are becoming increasingly common as raw material shortages become more frequent and increased tariffs ramp up the costs of doing business overseas. What are these unscrupulous protein production practices and how are they affecting you? Let's take a look.Tricks of the Protein TradeIn a perfect world, protein manufacturers worldwide would submit their whey protein to inspectors who would determine if those proteins meet the minimum standards for bioavailable amino content and lack of impurities, and that would be the end of it. But as we saw in the rather awful Chinese example, whey producers can be willing to go to some unusual lengths to tip the scales in their favor. One such method is called protein spiking.Protein spiking is the practice of measuring the nitrogen content of lesser ingredients (such as glycine, taurine, low-quality creatine, or even the simple sugar maltodextrin) and using that deceptive figure to stand in for total whey protein content. The result is huge discrepancies between the amounts of total protein cited on Supplement Facts panels and actual content in the jug. Another common practice is loading up formulas with inferior forms of protein and hiding the details within confusing label ingredient documentation. If you're serious about your protein supplementation, you know that there exists a specific hierarchy of protein quality. Whey isolate and hydrolyzed whey occupy the top of the ladder, as their bioavailability and nutritive value are unrivaled among protein sources, actually exceeding that of such raw food protein sources as beef, chicken or fish. Milk protein isolate, a sturdy, easily digestible, and pleasant-tasting protein with excellent texture, and whey concentrate, a form of whey derived by less sophisticated processing methods, are a step down on the ladder. Casein, another by-product of milk production, is harder to digest and best suited to overnight or long-interval protein supplementation. After that, things get dicier. Soy, wheat and other plant-based proteins all have incomplete amino profiles, and in the case of soy, may actually have less-than-ideal hormonal implications. Finally, you get gelatins and fillers that are the unscrupulous manufacturers' bread and butter. These ingredients provide no nutritional value at all and can make up substantial proportions of protein formulas sourced from shady overseas suppliers. Fortunately for fitness-conscious consumers in the US, manufacturers are required to list their protein sources on the label in the order in which they appear proportionally in the product. Therefore any protein product you buy should have whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey at or near the top of the ingredient list, while other sources are further down or don't appear at all. Even here, manufacturers can muddy the water by listing multiple protein blends, each with their own ingredient profile, thus reslicing an already sliced pie and making a true approximation of respective protein amounts difficult or impossible to determine.Proteins Made in the USA: A Benchmark For ExcellenceSound confusing? Happily, there is an easy way to ensure you're getting the absolute best quality for every dollar you spend on protein. Turn the product in your hands around and look for an American flag and the "Made In The USA" tagline. The United States has the highest protein quality standards and the most comprehensive and sophisticated product testing protocols in the world. And that's why every ProSource brand product, including its state-of-the-art NytroWhey Ultra Elite protein formula, proudly bears the Made In The USA logo.Of course, even within the United States there exists some variation in the purity and bioavailability of manufactured proteins. But one manufacturer has firmly established itself as the standard bearer for peerless excellence in protein formulation. For decades, Glanbia Nutritionals has maintained a deep commitment to research and development that has placed it at the vanguard of protein science. It was Glanbia Nutritionals that invented the Crossflow Microfiltration process of concentrating whey that is still the industry's gold standard for whey processing.Cross-Flow Microfiltration is a sophisticated, chemical-free filtering method that yields the highest levels of undenatured protein content. Glanbia's Provon® whey protein isolate has a biologically natural pH for stability and a carefully preserved amino acid profile abundant in highly bioavailable glycomacropeptides and beta-lactoglobulin, among other essential protein fractions. These intact protein fractions are particularly rich in the branched chain amino acids that have been scientifically documented to support muscle growth and recovery. Provon® also has high levels of calcium, less sodium, and is a virtually lactose-free product.NytroWhey Ultra Elite: Powered By the World's Most Advanced ProteinsIt should come as no surprise that Provon® is the main source of whey protein isolate in ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite. Our flagship super-premium protein also contains another cutting-edge Glanbia protein called Thermax® that is micro-processed to yield extremely low-molecular-weight di- and tri-peptides for immediate amino absorption and assimilation by the body. Unlike most hydrolysates that are derived from inferior proteins, TherMAX® starts with premium quality Provon® whey isolate to ensure maximum protein purity and potency. The ratio of whey protein isolate to whey hydrolysate in NytroWhey Ultra Elite is precisely calibrated to take advantage of the different amino acid absorption kinetics of each, thus ensuring maximized blood amino acid levels over both the short term and the long term. Finally, NytroWhey Ultra Elite contains a state-of-the-art leucine peptide technology designed to maximize protein synthesis in the muscle cell. Studies have shown that peak activation of muscle protein synthesis is proportional to the leucine content in muscle tissue. All protein formulas contain some amount of leucine, though dosages are often so low as to be all but clinically insignificant. The leucine-bound leucine peptide technology in NytroWhey Ultra Elite ensures that both overall leucine content and bioavailability are maximally optimized.When you source exclusively from the world's purest and most powerful proteins you inevitably end up with the world's best-tasting protein formula. ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite is entirely free of the damaged protein fractions and latent impurities that cause competing proteins to have a disagreeably chalky flavor and bitter aftertaste. In sharp contrast, NytroWhey Ultra Elite's clean, light flavor and smooth texture are a revelation. ProSource NytroWhey, Proudly Manufactured in the USAProSource brand sports nutrition supplements have always enjoyed a reputation as the serious athlete's #1 choice for quality and value. Athletes know they can trust ProSource to formulate our products from the absolute finest ingredients and process them with the most advanced production methods. The ProSource logo is a signifier of quality and excellence and so is the symbol on the back -- the American flag and the statement Made In The USA. All ProSource products are blended, filled and packaged in the USA at FDA registered, GMP-compliant facilities. Many ingredients contained within ProSource products are produced in the USA, however some ingredients (ie. Flavoring, emulsifiers etc.) may come from international sources. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Strength Training Outside The Gym
We all profess to love the gym, and for many of us it’s our home away from home. Sometimes, however, we need to change things up. Maybe we’ve got a case of spring fever after spending three long winter months inside. Or maybe — as is the case now — a strain of some communicable flu or virus is making the sharing of common-area machines and weights and locker room amenities a little less than desirable.If that is the case, you don’t need to put your strength and physique goals on hold. You just need to take them outside. We often associate outdoor exercise with cardio, but there’s plenty of strength gains to be had out there, too.In fact, bodyweight-bearing resistance exercises of the type you can do outside are actually well-recommended, as they often constitute compound movements that exercise multiple muscle groups and they help to enhance balance, agility, and functional capacity. And there’s nothing wrong with taking some resistance bands or a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells with you to the backyard or on your trip to the park either.Here are six exercises you can do anywhere to increase strength, power, and size.Pull-UpsThe tried-and-true pull-up is a terrific bodyweight exercise that engages your entire upper body -- your biceps, forearms, triceps, shoulders and core. Indeed, they're essential for achieving that ideal V-shaped upper body you desire. Pull-ups will even strengthen your grip. And you really can do them anywhere. If your local park has any kind of jungle gym or kids play area, you're all set. You can also place any kind of sturdy bar over two surfaces equal in height. A tree limb will work too, or you can even lean a ladder against your house and do close-grip pull-ups. Better yet, as you grow more proficient at them, you can try strapping a weight to your waist or ankles to add resistance. Can't do a pull-up? Try doing reclining rows on a lower bar or even a park bench. Or bring along a partner to give you a boost.To do a proper pull-up, start in the full-hanging position, flex your core and glutes, bend your elbows and raise your chest to the bar. Hold for two seconds and return to the full hanging position.Push-UpsThe natural partner of the pull-up is another terrific compound exercise, ideal for working the biceps, chest, and shoulders, while also engaging your abs and back stabilizers. And of course, you can do push-ups anywhere there's a flat stretch of ground.To do a proper push-up, place your hands at shoulder width, keep your back straight and your arms at a 90-degree angle to your body. Lower yourself until your chest taps the ground and then push yourself back up until your arms are fully extended again. Putting your hands closer together will emphasize your triceps; placing them further apart will target your chest muscles more.If you're not quite up to the standard push-up yet, start with your knees on the ground. Once you start pressing push-ups out with greater ease, you can increase the difficulty by raising your feet up higher on a chair or park bench, try one-armed push-ups in which you switch arms back and forth, or even try an entirely vertical push-up with your legs braced in a doorway.Forward LungesHere's one for your lower body. Forward lunges engage your quadriceps and glutes in your hips and also hamstrings and calf muscles, while utilizing your abs and back muscles as stabilizers. To do one, stand with your feet even with your hips and take an exaggerated step forward with one leg, bending your hips and knees until your legs form a 90-degree angle. Then push back and up from your front foot to return to the original position.You can increase the resistance incurred in this movement by using dumbbells or kettlebells. Simply hold one in each hand as you do to the lunge. Another variation of this is the step up, in which you stand before an elevated surface like a park bench, a log or a flat rock, step up with one foot and lift your opposite foot directly behind you. Then step down, switch feet and repeat. You can use a couple of light weights here too.Hanging CrunchesLet's target those abs, specifically your external obliques and rectus abdominis (or six-pack muscles). Find a low tree branch, horizontal bar on a jungle gym or similar perch. Jump up into a sitting position on the bar, then wrap your knees on the bar, and tip backwards until you're hanging vertically from the bar. (If you're new to this, you might want to have a spotter help you out.) Clench your hands in fists at your chest and gradually roll upwards at the hip until your body attains a L shape. Hold for two seconds and lower yourself slowly back to vertical. Here again, you can ramp up resistance by holding a small weight in your hands while you do the movement. If you're uncomfortable hanging upside down, do a bicycle crunch instead, in which you lie flat on your back on the ground, lift your knees up to form a 90-degree angle at your hip and knee. Then lift one shoulder up toward the opposite knee, hold for two seconds, then return to the original position, then reverse the process with the opposite shoulder going to the other knee.Kettlebell ExercisesIt's amazing how many traditional gym-centric machine or free-weight movements you can accomplish with a little open space and a kettlebell. The key is to do them right with proper form to avoid injury.For sheer full-body impact, try a kettlebell swing. Start in a crouch with the kettlebell grasped in both hands, then spring upwards swinging the kettlebell up and out until it reaches shoulder level. Let the kettlebell descend and repeat. This exercise will build strength in your quads and glutes, your abs and shoulders. It will also improve your balance and body control.Now try an overhead press. Stand with your legs spread for balance and a kettle bell grasped in one hand at shoulder height. In one explosive movement, raise the kettlebell until your arm is fully extended vertically, hold briefly and lower the weight slowly. How about a squat? Hold the kettlebell in both hands at chest level. Squat, pushing your knees out so your elbows can fit between them. Go as low as you can while keeping your back straight. Hold, then explode upwards into a standing position.There are so many resistance exercises you can do with the ever-versatile kettlebell. To do rows, get into a crouch with a kettlebell in each hand and your arms extended downward at your sides. Raise the kettlebells upward to your hips while rolling your palms inward. Hold and repeat. Is there a flat bench with no back nearby? You can do kettlebell flyes the same way you would do flyes in a free weight area. Lie flat, and raise the bells with arms extended so they're straight above you. Gradually lower each arm laterally until they're at your sides, then return the bells to the original position. You can do lunges, bicep curls, and sit-ups with kettlebells too. Just make sure you retain proper form and you have a clear, uncrowded space to work in.Park Bench DipsThis one will target your triceps, shoulders and core. Find a park bench, sit on it, and slide your posterior forward until it's off the bench and you're supporting yourself with your arms. Bend your elbows, bringing your upper arms almost parallel to the ground, while keeping your back straight and close to the bench. Then rise up into your starting position. You can also do park bench push-ups that will allow you to raise your feet for added difficulty or raise your shoulders to make push-ups a little easier.And finally, while you're outside, you're in an ideal place to get in a little cardio in the form of sprints, lateral hops and side shuffles. Whether the gym is out of bounds or just a little stale, the great outdoors is ready and waiting to help you keep your strength and size goals within reach.
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7 Key Supplement Ingredients For Peak Performance And Productivity
If you're a regular gym-goer and on your way to the gym today, you know what you'll see when you get there. The regular ranks of machines, a couple of classroom areas, the free-weight area. You'll also see many of the people you usually see there, who have looked much the same every day, sometimes going back years.If you were to ask them (we don't suggest this), how hard they're working, they'd say "very, very hard." And then you'll go to the locker room, change into your gym clothes, and do what almost everyone else is doing: working very hard to get mostly nowhere in particular. This is the life of many, many long-term fitness-conscious people. If you're lucky, you're maintaining the fat loss and muscle gains you attained years ago, and you're content with that. (Hey, there are worse things!) Others, however, desire something more, but appear to have reached a hard limit with regard to workout productivity and physique enhancement.What can you do? If you can afford the expense, we suggest you invest in a personal trainer. A trainer can shake up your workout in unexpected ways, introduce new, more productive movements, perhaps shorten your rest intervals, and maybe even help you inch upward your number of reps and amount of weight volume.We also strongly suggest that you either consider taking a pre-workout supplement or take a closer look at the ingredients panel of the pre-workout supplement you're already taking. In recent years, the science of pre-workout supplementation has advanced by leaps and bounds, resulting in a product marketplace consisting of a majority of outmoded, under-dosed "old school" pre-workout formulas and an elite minority of formulas that have incorporated the latest scientific research into formulas that can make a distinct and immediately recognizable difference in your workout productivity and performance. So what are the ingredients in this second group of cutting edge pre-workout supplement that can help you increase workout productivity and performance? Let's take a closer look.Beta AlanineBeta alanine is the ultimate "can do" amino acid. A naturally occurring beta amino acid, beta alanine plays a rate-limiting role in carnosine production by interacting with histidine. High muscle carnosine improves muscle performance through its ability to buffer skeletal muscle pH (acidity) during high intensity, fatiguing exercise. In a macro-summary of existing published clinical studies involving beta alanine supplementation, recently published in the journal Amino Acids, researchers considered several different patterns of supplementation that involved over 350 research subjects. When all of these measures were considered, the authors concluded that beta alanine significantly improved outcomes when compared to a placebo. In particular, beta alanine improved and maximized the capacity to perform exercise. Thus, it should come as no surprise that beta alanine supplementation and subsequent increased muscle carnosine levels would help to support increased workout volume and intensity. Caffeine Caffeine isn't necessarily your Dad's cup of Joe anymore. Raw forms of caffeine that once generated a rough, jittery ride followed by an abrupt energy crash have given way, in recent years, to more sophisticated forms that deliver up to 90% pure organic, non-GMO-sourced caffeine derived from green coffee beans. This advanced form of caffeine is specifically designed to deliver a clean, powerful boost of energy, mental alertness and performance without the energy crash.Supplementing with this caffeine before you hit the gym can decrease your rate of perceived exertion and decrease exercise induced muscle pain so you can grind out more reps. The levels of caffeine used to elicit different physiological responses differs according to individual tolerance, so start with a lower dose. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)Once largely dismissed by researchers, ATP supplementation is now having its moment in the spotlight with the arrival on the scene of Peak ATP®, a patented form of adenosine 5*-triphosphate disodium, identical to actual human ATP, that has been linked in clinical studies to a whole host of performance and physique benefits. Naturally synthesized ATP is broken down in the cell, unleashing energy to transport protein and fats into and out of cells, support intercellular communication, facilitate DNA and RNA synthesis, and trigger muscular contraction. Because muscle cells actually keep very little ATP in reserve, it was believed that little could be done to optimize its function. And then scientists began to look at the benefits to be accrued by increasing ATP availability outside the cell via precisely timed dosing of ATP before workouts. This research led to the creation of Peak ATP®, which has been associated with some astonishing results.In a landmark double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted by researchers at the University of Tampa, twenty-one resistance trained males took either 400 mg of Peak ATP® or placebo. Muscle mass, strength and power were measured at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. The results were dramatic. Test subjects who supplemented with Peak ATP® experienced an average of 147% increase in strength compared to placebo (55.3 kg vs. 22.4 kg), as well as a 30% increase in power (796 vs. 614 watts), a 100% increase in lean body mass (4.0 kg vs. 2.1 kg), and a 96% increase in muscle thickness (4.9 mm vs. 2.5 mm). The authors speculated that supplemental ATP may provide cumulative benefits in strenuous, repetitive, and exhaustive exercise activities, which could lead to improved strength and lean body mass gains.Creatine MonohydrateYes, the one and only. By now, you should know that if you're not supplementing with creatine, you're sacrificing a good deal of potential strength and size gains. Creatine, especially in its monohydrate form, has been associated with positive effects on strength and endurance increase, training capacity, muscle mass, and overall cell hydration and volumization in literally hundreds of clinically studies conducted all around the world.In fact, a comprehensive review article published in 2015 in the journal Sports Medicine offered a meta-analysis of over 60 clinical studies devoted to creatine’s impact on physique and performance. It concluded that creatine not only increased strength across the board for test subjects receiving creatine, but it did so irrespective of training background, training protocol, dose taken or duration. Sounds definitive to us.BetaineInvestigations into the cellular mechanics of hydration, waste removal and the postponement of fatigue have led researchers to betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, a nutrient that helps support cell hydration and volume during the dehydration, stress, and metabolite accumulation associated with high-intensity exercise.Early evidence of positive outcomes of betaine supplementation collected from clinical studies has been encouraging. For instance, in a published College of New Jersey study, athletes supplementing with this osmolytic agent experienced an increase of 30% in squat repetitions after 7 days of supplementation and 60% after 14 days, as well as significant increases in the quality of repetitions performed. Betaine also works in combination with other strength and power-enhancing factors to support performance. In a recent study published in the journal Amino Acids, study participants supplemented with placebo, creatine, or a combination of betaine and creatine over a period of 10 days. The creatine/betaine supplemented subjects experienced significant increases in power output during squat exercises when compared to the placebo group. Creatine/betaine supplementation led to significantly greater increases in maximal upper-body and lower-body strength as well. Citrulline Malate A powerful muscle pump is a potent force to be reckoned with on the gym floor. Citrulline Malate is an amino acid precursor to arginine that increases blood arginine levels, which in turn facilitates enhanced muscular vasodilation. As a result, citrulline malate can up-regulate energy delivery and increase the clearance of metabolic waste that leads to the onset of fatigue and degrades performance. Research generally indicates that supplementing with citrulline malate prior to a workout allows participants to crank out more reps with less fatigue, while experiencing less soreness 24 and 48 hours after workouts, compared to the people who trained without citrulline malate.Carbohydrate Carbs often get a bad rap, but athletes know that carb intake is critical to performance, particularly just before high-intensity, long-duration exercise. During exercise, fatigue is a sign that your body is rapidly depleting available glycogen stores. Restoring those levels via carbohydrate supplementation pre-exercise will ensure that you have the energy to go the distance, while also kickstarting protein synthesis after exercise to enable the muscle growth that will support future increases in muscle capacity and endurance. The bottom line? Grab a nutritious high-carb energy bar before you hit the gym floor!Clinically Validated Dosages, Highest-Quality IngredientsNow that we have a better feel for the existing and emerging technologies that offer the greatest promise when it comes to taking your workout performance and productivity to the next level, let's look at how we can best assimilate them into our supplement regimens. While you could choose to supplement individually with several of the above options, your best bet is to find a single pre-workout that best incorporates most of these technologies into a true, multi-pathway, comprehensive formulation. VyoCore: State-Of-The-Art Pre-Workout SupplementationVyoCore from CellDyne is on the vanguard of an exciting evolution in the science of performance enhancement, featuring precision-targeted, clinically indicated dosages of the performance co-factors highlighted above, particularly Peak ATP®. Indeed, Peak ATP is VyoCore's key active ingredient, the same patented form of adenosine 5*-triphosphate disodium that has been linked in clinical studies to increases in strength, power, and muscle thickness. And it is provided in the exact same 440 mg dosage used in that study. VyoCore also contains an advanced osmolytic agent that hydrates cells in order to increase strength and endurance, a muscle-carnosine supporting mechanism that optimizes lactic-acid buffering in muscle to increase endurance, plus state-of-the-art cell volumizers, recovery aminos, and organic energy and focus factors designed to provide a clean, powerful boost. Incorporating the widest array of cutting-edge pre-workout science, VyoCore represents the absolute state-of-the-art in performance and physique enhancement supplement technology. Fusion Force: A Truly Comprehensive, Multi-Pathway Pre-Workout On a tighter budget, but still unwilling to compromise when it comes to performance enhancement? Fusion Force by BioQuest is your ideal option. Fusion Force contains clinically indicated dosages of beta alanine, citrulline malate, BCAAs, and betaine that have been shown to support muscular endurance, lean muscle accretion, blood flow and power when consumed individually and together. Its comprehensive formula also contains the highest-quality form of Creapure® creatine monohydrate, plus caffeine, green tea extract, L-carnitine and green coffee extract, each of which may exhibit properties that can support fat mobilization, while increasing energy expenditure. Fusion Force raised the bar for manufacturing protocols and sheer efficacy upon its introduction and it still has multitudes of fitness-conscious fans to this day. Whether you’re looking for a boost in energy, an increased pump during the workout, a higher training volume or growth promoting ingredients, these pre-workout supplements have it all covered for you!Scientific ReferencesBaguet A. et al., 2009. Carnosine loading and washout in human skeletal muscles. J Appl Physiol, 106: 837-842. And Harris RC, et al., 2006. The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 30(3): 279-289. Wilson JM, et al. Effects of oral adenosine-5’-triphosphate supplementation on athletic performance, skeletal muscle hypertrophy and recovery in resistance-trained men. Nutrition and Metabolism. 2013, 10:57. Lanhers, C., B. Pereira, G. Naughton, M. Trousselard, F. X. Lesage, and F. Dutheil. 2015. "Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses." Sports Med 45 (9):1285-94. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0337-4.Baguet A. et al., 2009. Carnosine loading and washout in human skeletal muscles. J Appl Physiol, 106: 837-842. And Harris RC, et al., 2006. The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 30(3): 279-289.Stout JR, et al., 2006. Effects of twenty-eight days of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on the physical working capacity at the neuromuscular fatigue threshold. J Strngth & Cond. Rsrch, 20(4): 928-931. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Astounding Physique Transformation At Age 50!
Darrin Hills Gains Over 40 lbs of Muscle to Attain His Peak PhysiqueEvery great transformation begins with a master plan and Darrin Hills was a man with a plan. All of his life, he'd been what is known as a hard gainer, a man with a slight build who had trouble gaining or keeping muscle. At 5 feet 10 inches tall, he weighed 165 pounds and he suspected that much of that weight was body fat. Worse yet, he arrived at a time in his life (his late 40s) where many men really start to feel the symptoms of aging manifesting themselves. The sluggishness, the lack of vitality, the fat gain, the loss of muscle tone, the fall-off of endurance. For too many men, the approach of age 50 is an excuse for giving up.But Darrin Hills had other plans. "I became very serious about weight training a little over five years ago for two reasons; my final child leaving the house and some stressful times, " Darrin says. "I have always admired bodybuilders and wanted something other than my skinny framed self. Putting on weight in the form of muscle mass has always been very difficult for me. But my main reason for taking up training was for breaking tension from life and work. It soon became a passion and a lifestyle I wanted more than anything."Building a Foundation For GrowthDarrin knew, before he did a single bicep curl, that he had to create a firm physiological and metabolic foundation for muscle gain. "In order to attain my goal, I knew I had a lot of learning and studying to do," Darrin says. "If a hard gainer like me was to get anywhere, needless to say, I had to discover what works and what doesn’t work for me."The first thing he did was clean up his diet. "I didn’t really understand the importance of clean proper eating and supplementation until I got serious and started a routine. Those two elements are every bit as important as the training itself. As soon as I developed a consistent dietary plan, I had the potential for strength and muscle gain." In the course of his study, Darrin realized that one critical physiological factor held the key to success or failure in his mission -- testosterone production. Testosterone levels in men begin declining after age 30 and only accelerate as you reach 40 and beyond. Declines in this all-important male hormone can negatively impact many aspects of overall wellness including sex drive, stamina, sleep quality, focus, recovery, strength, muscle mass, and general vitality. Darrin knew that he was right in the middle of this at-risk age group, but he was also reluctant to submit to expensive and artificial pharmaceutical treatments to support his T levels. Fortunately, there was another alternative.In recent years, researchers have been finding evidence that protodioscin-rich botanical extracts, derived from the herb Tribulus terrestris, may have positive effects on testosterone production in males. Further study led Darrin to AndroTest from ProSource. AndroTest, the first true clinical-grade natural test booster, contains only the most potent raw Tribulus terrestris, harvested from southern Bulgaria, which is subjected to a highly advanced 4-phase multiple extraction method to yield the most potent protodioscin-rich extract, enhancing its efficacy. Indeed, its efficacy has been validated in a product-specific clinical test in which test subjects experienced major increases in free testosterone, averaging 59.75% over baseline. It didn't take Darrin long to become one of the countless men who are taking AndroTest and experiencing enhanced power and performance in and out of the gym and an overall improved quality of life. "I look the best and am in the best shape of my life at 50," Darrin says. "It feels like life is just getting started. AndroTest has worked for me." Darrin also supplemented his newly clean diet with ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite super-premium, protein, Super MegaMax multivitamin, Omega-1250 healthy fats, Extra Strength Joint Command and Creatine Monohydrate.Putting In Maximum EffortNow, at last, he had a firm foundation for growth and was ready to sharply increase his productivity in the gym. "I’m constantly being asked about how many hours per day I spend in the gym but my training program is really quite basic," Darrin says. "I do an average of 90 minutes per workout and no cardio at all. My weight training is high intensity with rest periods at 75-90 seconds at a rep range of 6-8, so I try to go heavy 90% of the time, heart rate pushing 150bpm the majority of each workout. Each workout will generally include one or maybe two supersets but staying in the same rep range. My superset selection is set when I start my routine for the day. "I’ve found that it is very important to listen to my body for overtraining and will take a few extra days off if needed after a month or two of this routine. I will also average 2-3 weeks per year of no training at all during vacations and always come back stronger. This is all done at home on a well-equipped free weight universal in a non-temperature controlled garage where temps can be 20F to 100F." (You can find Darrin's dietary and exercise regimens below.)The Final IngredientThere was one last addition to Darrin's supplementation regimen and it has made all the difference. MyoZene from BioQuest, the ultimate rapid-action mass builder, contains an ultra-hydrolyzed, rapid-action whey protein that's absorbed directly into the bloodstream for immediate utilization and unsurpassed muscle synthesis. It also provides the highest-quality creatine monohydrate for muscle cell volumization, key anabolic aminos to fuel recovery, and the exact amount of high-glycemic carbs to potentiate insulin secretion. In addition, an advanced leucine peptide technology provides maximally bioactive leucine (up to four times the amount of this essential amino found in other mass builders) to jumpstart anabolism. MyoZene was the final boost that Darrin needed to start transforming his physique in remarkable fashion."I started out at 165 pounds and probably plenty of fat, and since then I've gained an average of ten pounds of muscle per year," Darrin reports. "My current weight is 210 pounds at 6-7% body fat. I choose to stay lean year round and I maintain that through proper diet, ProSource supplementation, and training. With that combination, I know I can stay in beach body shape 365 days per year."At 50 years old, Darrin Hills is in the best shape of his life! In 2020, you can be too! Endorsers used products in conjunction with diet and exercise and may have been compensated for their appearance. Endorser's results are not typical. The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Is Glutamine Supplementation Necessary?
Amino acids, as any good gymrat knows, are divided into two classes — essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids (of which there are nine) include leucine, isoleucine, valine, histidine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and tryptophan. These aminos help your body grow, recover, and function properly, and they cannot be synthesized by your body. They must be accessed via diet. The first three aminos in the list — leucine, isoleucine, and valine — are crucial for supporting protein synthesis, muscle repair, energy production and the regulation of blood sugar levels, among other tasks.And then there are the non-essential amino acids, which also help your body thrive and function, but can be produced by your body on its own. There are eleven of these and one is glutamine.Aha, you may be thinking, it looks like we've just answered the question at the top of this article. If glutamine -- the most abundant free amino acid in the body -- is a non-essential amino, why do I need to supplement with it? Let's take a closer look at what the science has to say.What Does Glutamine Do?Glutamine is an amino acid synthesized from glutamic acid via the glutamine synthase enzyme, and is important for supplying nitrogen and carbon to the cells of the body. It provides important immune function support, has been linked to gastrointestinal health, and helps to combat muscle breakdown after high-intensity exercise by supporting protein synthesis and nitrogen retention. Glutamine also supports muscle hydration, which improves endurance.Sounds good, right? But what about that "non-essential" tag? The truth is, glutamine is more accurately described as a "conditionally essential" amino acid. That is, under normal conditions, when you're healthy and at rest, your body produces all it needs. However, at times when you're under stress -- when your immune system is under attack or during and after intense exercise -- glutamine levels can be depleted. This is why, for instance, doctors will prescribe glutamine for bedridden patients or for patients with immune-deficiency disorders. Your body's capacity to generate L-glutamine can also decrease with age, which in turn may be a factor in age-related decreases in muscle strength. But what about high-intensity training? Here, too, short-term decreases in glutamine levels can manifest themselves, with levels of cellular glutamine dropping by as much as 50% and plasma levels of glutamine declining by up to 30%. These outcomes can lead to your body breaking down muscle tissue for energy rather than utilizing carbohydrates.The Science Behind Glutamine SupplementationCurrently, researchers are divided on the necessity of glutamine supplementation, and ongoing study is underway. However, there is science to support its efficacy. In a study published in 2015 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, researchers investigated the effects of L-glutamine supplementation on quadriceps muscle strength and soreness ratings following eccentric exercise. In the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, 16 healthy participants ingested either placebo maltodextrin or L-glutamine once per day over 72 hours and then had their knee extensor peak torque and markers of muscle soreness measured before and immediately following. The researchers found that "the L-glutamine supplementation resulted in faster recovery of peak torque and diminished muscle soreness following eccentric exercise."In another study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, nine healthy subjects were administered two grams of glutamine over a 20-minute period 45 minutes after a light breakfast. Subsequent forearm venous blood samples were obtained at zero time and at 30-minute intervals for 90 minutes and compared with time controls obtained one week earlier. Eight of nine subjects appeared to respond to the oral glutamine load with an increase in plasma glutamine at 30 and 60 minutes before returning to the control value at 90 minutes. Ninety minutes after the glutamine administration load both plasma bicarbonate concentration and circulating plasma growth hormone concentration were elevated. The researchers concluded that a small oral glutamine load may be capable of elevating alkaline reserves as well as plasma growth hormone. Finally, glutamine supplementation may help endurance athletes reduce the risk of infections after participating in prolonged, strenuous exercise. In a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, researchers theorized that "the level of plasma glutamine, an important fuel for cells of the immune system, is decreased in athletes after endurance exercise; this may be partly responsible for the apparent immunosuppression which occurs in these individuals." The researchers gave athletes participating in different types of exercise two drinks, containing either glutamine or placebo immediately after and two hours after exercise. The athletes subsequently completed questionnaires about the incidence of infections during the 7 days following the exercise. The percentage of athletes reporting no infections was considerably higher in the glutamine group than in the placebo group.ConclusionIs glutamine supplementation for you? It should be noted that many whole-food sources contain abundant amounts of glutamine, including beef, poultry, fish and eggs. Many protein formulas and mass builders -- such as BioQuest's ultra-rapid-action super-premium mass builder MyoZene -- also contain added glutamine content. As for glutamine-specific supplementation, a general consensus exists for ingestion of between two to 5 grams twice daily, and up to ten grams daily for power athletes. While considerably more study is warranted to determine the exact nature and extent of the benefits associated with glutamine supplementation, this versatile amino acid certainly has a role to play in your fitness regimen and overall wellness.The Influence of Oral L-Glutamine Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery and Soreness Following Unilateral Knee Extension Eccentric Exercise. Legault Z1, Bagnall N, Kimmerly DS. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015 Oct;25(5):417-26.Increased plasma bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load. Welbourne TC1. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 May;61(5):1058-61.Does glutamine have a role in reducing infections in athletes? Castell LM1, Poortmans JR, Newsholme EA. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1996;73(5):488-90.Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Best Supplements For Men Over 40
Chances are, if you've been taking reasonably good care of yourself up to now -- eating clean, keeping your exercise regimen on point -- you don't feel particularly old at age 40. You've kept the belly at bay; you still recover sufficiently from exercise; your appetite, sex drive, and mental acuity are all present and accounted for. Good for you! Unfortunately, changes are coming. Even now, though you aren't aware of it, your hormone levels are declining, your digestion is working less efficiently, you're losing a slim percentage of muscle mass each year. And that, of course, is just the beginning. It wasn't so long ago that few people hoped to feel youthful and vital in their 50's, never mind their 60's or 70's. Now, however, we know that many of the symptoms of aging are just that -- symptoms that can be treated and alleviated with the best medicine of all, proper nutrition. The key is to lay a solid nutritional foundation for extended and lasting youthfulness and vitality NOW, so that when crunch time arrives in your 50s and 60s, your body has the health reserves to draw on to successfully combat the ravages to come. With that philosophy in mind, let's take a look at some key nutritional supplements worth adding to your regimen as you near and pass age 40. Omega-3 Fish OilsIs there anything Omega-3 fish oils can't do? The question might seem a little grandiose, but in truth, Omega-3s have been linked to a wide variety of beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, joint mobility and even healthy cholesterol levels. Now comes evidence that elevated levels of serial circulating Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the bloodstream has been associated with a higher likelihood of healthy aging. In a prospective cohort study published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) in September 2018, researchers studied a group of 2622 adults with a mean age of 74.4 and a successful healthy aging baseline (defined as free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung disease, and severe chronic kidney disease as well as the absence of cognitive and physical dysfunction).The results were highly encouraging. Higher levels of circulating Omega-3s were associated with an 18% lower risk (95% confidence interval 7% to 28%) of unhealthy aging. The researchers concluded, "In older adults, a higher cumulative level of serially measured circulating Omega-3s ... was associated with a higher likelihood of healthy aging. These findings support guidelines for increased dietary consumption of Omega-3s in older adults." Omega-3 supplementation, then, comes highly recommended for older, fitness-conscious people. But quality, as always, is key. Many low-grade versions from unscrupulous manufacturers can contain alarming levels of contamination. ProSource’s Omega-1250 is derived from pure deep-sea, cold-water sources that are molecularly distilled and highly purified. Each softgel capsule contains an ultra-potent 750 mg of the highest quality Omega-3 fatty acids, including high amounts of EPA (450 mg) and DHA (300 mg). ProSource has long recognized the critical health and exercise advantages provided by Omega-3’s, and its Omega-3 product is the industry's gold standard. ZMASleep. It's amazing how important it is to us and also amazing how little quality sleep we get each day. Physicians recommend seven hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep each night. Without it, every crucial bodily function is undermined, from cognition to immune function to muscle recovery and beyond. Doctors have also determined that sleep quality tends to decrease as we age. We sleep more fitfully, experience less deep REM sleep, and tend to get up more often in the night. Poor sleep and less healthy aging are directly correlated. To attain ideal sleep, you should turn your communications devices off, put the TV in another room, and make sure your sleeping area is cool and dark.You should also consider a high-quality ZMA supplement. ZMA -- or a precise ratio of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B-6 -- has long been associated with quality sleep. Research suggests that magnesium may help support the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for helping your body feel calm and relaxed, while supplementing with zinc has been linked to improved sleep quality in both human and animal studies.For the men out there, studies have shown that low zinc levels may correspond to low testosterone levels. Zinc is needed for the synthesis of testosterone, and zinc is the most important co-factor in ZMA. ZMA has also been associated with support of IGF-1, an important hormone needed for anabolic growth. Once again, ProSource has you covered when it comes to the highest standards of ingredient sourcing. ProSource ZMA is 100% sourced by SNAC Systems, the pioneer and innovator in this field of supplementation. SNAC Systems uses only the best zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6 in the exact ratios shown to be effective in clinical trials. It's been the athlete's #1 choice for decades. Protein, Protein, and More ProteinIt's called sarcopenia. It's the gradual loss of muscle mass as we grow older. Researchers estimate that after the age of 30, we lose 3% to 5% of muscle mass per decade. There are a number of reasons for this. Some are hormonal; for men especially, decreases in testosterone are associated with decreases in muscle mass. The cellular-level processes that govern muscle protein synthesis become less efficient as we age. Finally, lack of exercise and dietary deficiencies play a big role, too.Decreases in muscle mass directly correlate with increases in excess fat, as muscle tissue is the furnace that burns fat deposits. Without strength, our work output capacity decreases dramatically. Markers of optimal health, such as good posture, balance, and mood are adversely affected. Eventually bone density decreases, we become more prone to falls, and we recover more slowly from injury and more susceptible to disease.Fortunately, much of this is, to a great extent, avoidable. The key is to stay active and address your nutritional needs. You have to stay active! That means 30 to 45 minutes per day of moderately high-intensity exercise. Cardio such as bike-riding, running or a sport like basketball is great for your cardiovascular health. Weight-training is even better for you. A targeted regimen of resistance training will help you maintain muscle mass, keep your strength, and improve bone density. And then there's protein. Whole food sources of protein (beef, fish, chicken) are abundant sources of the aminos essential to protein synthesis in muscle tissue that is the engine for repair, recovery, and growth. Supplemental sources of protein, particularly whey isolate, will help you ensure that your muscles remain in an anabolic, growth-intensive state throughout the day. In fact, whey protein actually has a higher bioavailability than beef, chicken, fish or eggs, and will begin appearing in your bloodstream about 15 minutes after you consume it. Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate contain more than 90% protein, virtually no lactose or fat, and are superior in generating increased protein synthesis and muscle recovery response. For proven muscle-building support, you would be well advised to consider ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite, a super-premium formula that combines the highest-quality whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey with other factors that promote muscle repair and recovery. It also contains an advanced leucine peptide technology which provides leucine in a highly bioavailable form ideal for unleashing protein synthesis and subsequent growth. When it comes to healthy aging, protein quantity is important; protein quality is indispensable. A True Comprehensive Joint Support CompoundJoint injuries are very often the precipitating factor in a steep decline in overall wellbeing for older people. One tear or strain incurred from a fall or over-exertion can suspend your training regimen for months and open the door to a lengthy period of inactivity. Likewise, chronic joint pain can significantly reduce work output capacity over time.Just as our bones grow more brittle, so too do our tendons, ligaments, and cartilage grow more tenuous and fragile. These narrow strands of dense fibrous tissue can tear in a moment and yet heal with agonizing slowness. Fortunately, you can feed and strengthen joint tissue just as you would muscle tissue. ProSource has long been an industry leader in investigating promising new joint-support technologies and incorporating them into effective, bioavailable supplements. Our flagship joint-support technology, Extra Strength Joint Command, is the ultimate culmination of that research and formulation.Extra Strength Joint Command features a synergistic matrix of cutting-edge joint-support factors designed to maximize joint stability, flexibility, and strength. One primary ingredient, ultra-potent HyaMax™, is a natural, standardized hyaluronic acid that possesses a unique water retaining action to help highly active joints stay healthy. Meriva® is an advanced phytosome technology that enhances the bioavailability and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, while 5-LOXIN® contains the most active of the 6 boswellic acids, AKBA, which helps inhibit 5-lipoxygenase, the compound responsible for the conversion of arachidonic acid into pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, Extra Strength Joint Command contains pure, stabilized, 98% absorbable glucosamine sulfate (at the clinically researched potency), paired in precise ratio with chondroitin sulfate, plus MSM and UC Type II collagen, compounds linked to anti-inflammatory action, flexibility support, and overall joint health. If you want to maximize wellness as you age, you have to stay active. To stay active you need to provide maximal support for your all-important connective tissue. GlutamineGlutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid. This means that the body can basically produce as much of it as it usually needs. In glutamine's case, the body can synthesize it from glutamic acid via the glutamine synthase enzyme. Glutamine provides important immune function support, has been linked to gastrointestinal health, and perhaps most importantly helps to combat muscle breakdown after high-intensity exercise by supporting protein synthesis and nitrogen retention. Glutamine also supports muscle hydration, which improves endurance.So, okay, you're thinking, but if my body makes plenty of it, I'm fine. Right? Well, no. Glutamine is conditionally essential because there are times when it doesn't make enough of it to function properly. After intense exercise, levels of cellular glutamine can drop by 50% and plasma levels of glutamine can decline by 30%. This can result in your body breaking down muscle tissue for energy rather than utilizing carbohydrates. Also, your body's capacity to generate L-glutamine typically decreases as you age, and one of the consequences of this age-related loss of L-glutamine is a decrease in muscle strength. Fortunately, supplementing with glutamine has never been easier. ProSource offers free form L-glutamine, tested and certified to be 100% pure by an independent analytical laboratory using the HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography) method of analysis, in a convenient, easy-mixing powder that you can add to your protein shakes, pre-workout drinks or whatever's at hand. True Clinical-Grade Male Hormone SupportHere's one for the men. Testosterone levels in men begin declining after age 30 and only accelerate as you reach 40 and beyond. Declines in this all-important male hormone can negatively impact many aspects of overall wellness including sex drive, stamina, sleep quality, focus, recovery, strength, muscle mass, and general vitality.Now you may think that declines in testosterone levels are inevitable. Or you may think that you have to submit to expensive and artificial pharmaceutical treatments to support your T levels. But neither of these assumptions are necessarily true. In fact, researchers have been finding evidence that protodioscin-rich botanical extracts, derived from the herb Tribulus terrestris, may have positive effects on testosterone production in males. Indeed, in a report published in Andrologia in 2016, 65 men (aged 18-65) with no hormonal issues took an herbal extract containing 112 mg of protodioscin daily for 12 weeks. Body fat percentage, lean muscle mass gain, steroid hormone levels and all semen quality parameters were analyzed during the period of treatment. It was concluded that taking the protodioscin-rich extract led to an increase in blood dihydrotestosterone levels, which coincided with decreased body fat percentage, and increases in lean mass. Along similar lines, in a pilot study published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy (2016), 30 male patients with clinical androgen deficiency were given 750 mg of a protodioscin-rich extract daily for 3 months. The research team found that this supplementation produced a 33% increase in total testosterone and 6% increase in free testosterone in this cohort. Of all the T-boosters available, one that stands out in terms of research and potency is AndroTest by ProSource. To produce AndroTest, only the most potent raw Tribulus terrestris, harvested from southern Bulgaria, is used, which are then subjected to a highly advanced 4-phase multiple extraction method. AndroTest's full spectrum protodioscin-rich botanical compound has been validated in a product-specific clinical test in which test subjects experienced major increases in free testosterone, averaging 59.75% over baseline. Certainly, this is a field of science that bears watching for men over the age of 40 concerned about their T-levels. Scientific ReferencesSerial circulating omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and healthy ageing among older adults in the Cardiovascular Health Study: prospective cohort study. BMJ 2018; 363Brillia, LR., Conte, V. Effects of a novel zinc-magnesium formulation on hormones and strength. J Exerc Physiol Online. 200; 3: 26-36. Salgado RM, Marques-Silva MH, Gonçalves E, Mathias AC, Aguiar JG, Wolff P. Effect of oral administration of Tribulus terrestris extract on semen quality and body fat index of infertile men. Andrologia. 2016 Jul 12. doi: 10.1111/and.12655. [Epub ahead of print]Roaiah MF, E Khayat YI, GamalEl Din SF, Abd E Salam MA. Pilot Study on the Effect of Botanical Medicine (Tribulus terrestris) on Serum Testosterone Level and Erectile Function in Aging Males With Partial Androgen Deficiency (PADAM). J Sex Marital Ther. 2016 May 18;42(4):297-301. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Post-Workout Care And Feeding For Muscle Mass
If you’re doing your due diligence in the gym, but you’re not getting the physique results you want, then chances are your fault lies in your diet, not your exercise regimen. The truth is, the vast majority of sufficiently trained fitness-conscious people are short-changing themselves every day when it comes to nutrition. Either they're simply not consuming enough muscle-supportive calories or they're falling prey to all-too-common myths about proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. This is particularly true when it comes to post-workout nutrition.Let's start with proteins. Do you believe that you're consuming enough grams of high-quality protein to increase muscle mass? Many dedicated gym-goers believe they are, but they are mistaken. The U.S. government’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein for a 180-lb adult male is 56 grams. While this might be enough for an untrained individual with no particular physique goal in mind, it is woefully insufficient for anyone trying to add significant muscle mass. In fact, sports nutrition experts suggest that highly trained athletes should consume about 0.75 grams of daily protein per pound of body weight. That’s 135 grams for a 180-lb person.And then of course there's the matter of protein quality. Most top-selling, big-brand protein formulas will tout protein contents of 20 to 25 grams per serving. But a closer look at their labels reveals that a surprising amount of that consists of lower-quality whey concentrates, soy or wheat proteins, and worse. If pure whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey aren't featured near or at the top of the ingredients list, you're holding an inferior protein product.Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate contain more than 90% protein, virtually no lactose or fat, and are superior in generating increased protein synthesis and muscle recovery response. Whey contains an abundance of leucine, the branched chain amino acid responsible for unleashing protein synthesis in muscle tissue. Consumed after vigorous resistance exercise, leucine is essential to maximizing total muscle protein synthesis response, which in turn helps damaged muscle tissue repair, recover, and eventually grow.Whey concentrates often get a bad rap, but the truth is, a wide spectrum of quality exists within this category. Whey protein has a good potential to support your training and physique goals, but it is important to find a whey concentrate product that is 100% whey protein, formulated via advanced low-temperature, ultra-filtration processing, with no cheap fillers or unproven blends, as found in many "bargain" whey products sold by less scrupulous manufacturers. There's also the matter of protein timing. It's important to spread out your protein consumption to maintain a positive anabolic state throughout the day. A 25-gram serving of protein will support an increase in protein synthesis activity that will last approximately three hours. Thus, consuming most of your protein at a single meal, like dinner, will provide a narrow peak for growth potential in terms of your entire day. Your goal should be to make sure that each of your three main meals includes an ample-sized portion of protein from whole-food sources (beef, chicken, fish, etc), while you utilize supplemental protein formulas to fill in the nutritional gaps in your regimen. The Myth of the "Bad" CarbohydrateHas any dietary fad wreaked more havoc on the physiques of fitness-conscious Americans than the demonization of the carbohydrate? For decades, we've been told to restrict or eliminate carbs from our diet. A whole ketone diet culture has grown up around this philosophy. And while a low-carb diet may make sense for individuals focused exclusively on fat loss and slimming down, for athletes looking to add muscle mass, carbs are essential. Indeed, without carbs you're never going to grow the muscle mass you desire.At the most basic level, carbohydrates provide the energy necessary for a productive workout. They support intense workouts more efficiently than any other energy source. Depriving your body of carbohydrates during and after periods of intense exercise will result in depleted glycogen reserves that in turn will cause your body to use proteins scavenged from muscle tissue as an energy source.Protein literally needs carbohydrates to repair damaged muscle tissue. Carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, potentiating insulin release, which in turn plays a key role in skeletal muscle protein synthesis by activating ribosomal activity and growth initiation factors within skeletal muscle. Elevated insulin levels also appear to prevent muscle protein breakdown, which contributes to the overall anabolic effect of not only insulin but insulin-like growth factors as well. Higher insulin levels will help keep skeletal muscle in a state of positive protein balance before and after a training session if carbohydrates are ingested.So as we can see, underestimating the quantity and quality of your protein intake, while depriving yourself of energy-providing, protein-synthesis-triggering carbohydrates, is a worst-case scenario for muscle growth after exercise. What to do about this state of affairs? Supplement with a wide-spectrum protein-and-carbs post-workout infusion.After Mass: Potent Post-Workout Anabolic FuelThe good news is, you don't have to break the bank to derive maximum muscle-building power from every bout of high-intensity resistance training you complete. After Mass post-workout formula from ProSource checks all the boxes of your anabolic nutritional requirements.After Mass was and is one of the pioneering supplement products in the field of hydrolysate proteins. These proteins, formulated via a process of extensive hydrolysis (or pre-digestion) that yields extremely low di- and tri-peptide aminos, are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, resulting in more efficient utilization for muscle synthesis. The ingestion of premium hydrolyzed whey protein immediately after exercise potentiates the highest levels of blood amino acids, which are associated with augmented nitrogen utilization, protein synthesis and a greatly elevated anabolic state. After Mass was the first post-workout formula to incorporate this advanced hydrolyzed whey technology and make it not just palatable, but genuinely delicious. In addition to its hydrolyzed whey content, After Mass's tri-phasic protein complex also features ultra-quick absorbing whey protein concentrate and casein hydrolysate. These proteins are present in the exact same ratios found in mother's milk and provide both fast-release protein for immediate synthesis, plus premium-grade, slower releasing proteins to keep a steady stream of aminos flowing into your system for extended benefits.You want invaluable carbohydrate content to up-regulate insulin release and support protein synthesis? After Mass has you covered here too, in the form of 48 grams of precision-targeted, high-glycemic carbs. Finally, After Mass provides numerous, full value vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-12, thiamin, pantothenic acid, along with calcium, phosphorus and others, plus medium chain triglycerides as an energy source.Real Physique Results at an Affordable PriceAll of the advanced growth factors in After Mass have established this mass-building powerhouse as a staple in the supplement regimens of serious athletes for years. Another aspect of After Mass that has made it an enduring favorite is its price. In an era in which prices in the post-workout category have been soaring, ProSource has continued to utilize its direct-to-consumer retailing model and supply chain expertise to keep the price of After Mass affordable to its countless fans. After Mass continues to be one the most powerful, most comprehensive, and most affordable post-workout mass-building options available!Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Celebrating 25 Years of Sports Nutrition Excellence
1996 was a pretty good year. The first DVDs appeared. There was a new place to watch news, something called the Fox News Channel. Dolly the cloned sheep was born. A little thing called the Internet grew from 1 million users worldwide to almost 10 million.And in Manasquan, New Jersey, an ambitious company dedicated to the notion that advanced scientific research and product development could improve the lives of athletes and fitness-conscious people, was founded.The sports training and supplementation world was a different place then. Creatine monohydrate was an expensive luxury item mostly associated with Olympic competitors and pro baseball players. Pre-workout supplementation was a cup of black coffee. People still debated whether it was possible to formulate a pure whey protein supplement that wasn’t gritty, sour, and unpalatable. Protein bars? Forget it. Real, sustainable, science-based natural testosterone enhancement? Nothing.The research and development experts who gathered under the ProSource banner -- and eventually at affiliated brand BioQuest as well -— knew that something better was possible. In fact, it was this very team that had researched and formulated Xenadrine RFA, the weight-loss phenomenon that was already revolutionizing diet-support science and becoming one of the biggest selling supplements in history. So they knew a little about success.Establishing a New Higher Standard for Supplement Formulation, Manufacturing and RetailingIn 1996, the supplement industry was the equivalent of a Wild West town during the Gold Rush. A lot of cowboys were looking to get rich quick and very few of them knew what they were doing. Research budgets were virtually nonexistent. Products were slapped together with little regard for scientific research or ingredient purity and potency. And then they were slapped with outrageous price tags. The ProSource management team approached sports nutrition from a scientific perspective. Just as importantly, they knew there was a tremendous amount of value to be leveraged in supplement formulation and manufacturing, and that value could be passed on to the consumer in the form of better products for lower prices. Thus the ProSource retailing model was born. There are two ways you can build a brand in the sports nutrition industry. You can pour all of your budget into marketing gimmicks and sponsorships, while shortchanging research and development. Or you can focus your due diligence on scientific investigation and manufacturing excellence, and create the kind of quality products that people make the effort to seek out and share with their friends. ProSource is proof that the second option works.ProSource has always sold its own products through its own warehouse and shipping operations, ensuring the absolute best customer service, while cutting out every added expense that serves to inflate the retail prices of our competitors. These marketing and distribution efficiencies put ProSource in the unique position of being able to underwrite the research necessary to the formulation of truly ground-breaking supplement technologies and to utilize only the highest grade ingredients and most potent dosages in our products.A Wake-Up Call to the Industry: Better Products at Lower PricesIn the 1990s, manufacturers charged outrageous prices for inferior creatine monohydrate simply because they could. ProSource put a stop to that right away by purchasing the world's best creatine monohydrate -- genuine Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate from AlzChem Germany -- in bulk consignments, and merchandising that highest-quality creatine under its own brand. The result -- a significantly better product at a lower price -- transformed the creatine marketplace, and ProSource Creatine Monohydrate remains the industry gold standard to this day.ProSource's Original NytroWhey had a similar effect on the protein category. Original NytroWhey paved the way for the modern era of high-bioavailability, great-tasting, pure whey isolate formulas that we know today. Original NytroWhey was the first 100% whey isolate formula processed via a superior cross-flow microfiltration method ideal at preserving the elusive and invaluable micro fractions in whey. Years later, ProSource would again lead the way by introducing NytroWhey Ultra Elite, a state-of-the-art premium protein that added two of the most cutting edge protein technologies in existence -- an advanced whey hydrolysate and a leucine-peptide-bonded form of protein -- to the original 100% whey isolate. Again, ProSource was years ahead of the industry curve, innovating in an area that other companies hadn't even thought to explore. And again, ProSource's super-premium proteins were priced at or below the price points of markedly inferior products from other manufacturers. Another example of ProSource entering uncharted territory in the sports nutrition science realm involves natural testosterone enhancement. Before ProSource arrived on the scene, male hormone support products were primarily dubious blends of unproven ingredients -- horny goat weed, oyster extract, ginseng, etc -- hawked on late-night TV. Most legitimate researchers believed that natural testosterone enhancement was an impossibility. ProSource thought otherwise. It invested years of investigation and great research capital into evaluating mechanisms of action, eventually identifying and then refining a unique natural agent of male hormone support. ProSource became the only manufacturer that has ever succeeded in overcoming the processing, standardization, and cost hurdles inherent in incorporating clinically meaningful amounts of this protodioscin-rich botanical super compound into a clinically validated supplement. The result was AndroTest, a true clinical-grade technology of natural testosterone support that serves as another example of ProSource's science-based approach to product development. Today, AndroTest is our most positively reviewed supplement ever, trusted by countless men to maximize their vitality, youthfulness and overall wellness into the 40s, 50s, and beyond. Protein bars, too, was a category sorely in need of innovation. The primitive protein bars of the '90s and early '00s were gritty, chalky, chewy confections mostly devoid of nutritive content. When the ProSource Research Team tackled the challenge of protein bars, they tasked themselves with creating a bar that both contained the highest-quality proteins AND boasted gourmet-quality flavor. Our competitors scoffed at the notion. And they were proved wrong again. When it appeared, the Supreme Protein bar was the first true muscle-supporting protein bar, powered by highly bioactive and nutritious 100% whey protein. It also featured a luscious triple-layer recipe that made it a taste sensation among fitness-conscious people. The Supreme Protein bar went on to become a best-selling phenomenon in the high-protein bar category, available in numerous popular flavors. It was also, by its very nature as a healthy grab-and-go snack, a rare but logical foray into third-party retailing for ProSource -- where it became a huge seller in convenience stores across the country. We could cite many more examples of ProSource's visionary innovation over the years, but our purpose here isn’t only to celebrate the successes of the past. We’re here to talk about ProSource's bright future as an enterprise dedicated to furthering the science of sports nutrition for the benefit of athletes and fitness conscious people everywhere. We were doing this when this industry was in its first golden era, and we’re still doing it today. Improving on Protein PerfectionExhibit A for ProSource's unwillingness to settle for the status quo is NytroWhey Ultra Elite, ProSource's flagship protein. There are many, many people who have been using NytroWhey Ultra Elite exclusively to help them maintain their peak physiques for over a decade now. They simply won’t use another protein. NytroWhey, after all, has always stood head and shoulders above every other protein by virtue of its super-premium protein blend, its delicious taste and smooth light texture. It is also, because of our aforementioned retailing model, the sports nutrition marketplace’s ultimate protein value.So what did ProSource do? It made NytroWhey Ultra Elite an even better value. New and Improved NytroWhey Ultra Elite incorporates several recent cutting-edge advances in super-premium protein processing to increase its super-high-quality protein content by a substantial twenty percent per serving. At the same time, new NytroWhey Ultra Elite is even more ideally suited for clean, healthy, low-carb diets by virtue of several adjustments to its nutritional profile that make it simpler, more natural, more digestible and more bioavailable. In addition, the last traces of gluten and soy have been removed, fiber content has been reduced and healthy fats sourced from sunflower oil have been added.NytroWhey Ultra Elite has always been celebrated for its luscious flavor and smooth texture. Now these improvements to NytroWhey Ultra Elite's already award-winning and industry-leading formulation have resulted in a protein that is even more of a gourmet-quality taste sensation. A New Science of BCAA Muscle Growth SupportMaking the best products even better is ProSource's ongoing mission. Of course, ProSource is also always researching, formulating and launching entirely new products to help athletes and fitness-conscious people achieve their physique and performance goals.One of ProSource's most exciting new ventures represents a bold evolutionary step forward in the science of muscle performance and growth enhancement. Amino Fusion facilitates growth and recovery via a Two-Phase Muscle + Growth Technology. Its first wave is powered by rapid-uptake PepForm® Leucine Peptides precision-engineered to unleash a rapid intra-workout flood of leucine into the blood, triggering maximized protein synthesis. A second wave utilizes instantized BCAAs to provide a steady flow of aminos into the blood, positively impacting endurance, while further optimizing post-workout growth and recovery.Amino Fusion is cutting-edge muscle fuel based on the latest research, which can be taken before, during or after your workout to maximize physique and performance results. This new science of faster, more efficient BCAA delivery is yet another example of ProSource's commitment to expanding the boundaries of sports nutrition supplementation.A Legendary Diet-Support Supplement, Now Amplified for Twice the Weight-Loss PowerThere's exciting news from ProSource's affiliated BioQuest brand as well. BioQuest is the home of the state-of-the-art ultra-rapid-action mass-building formula MyoZene and the multi-pathway pre-workout performance optimizer Fusion Force, among other cutting-edge supplements. It is also home to BetaStax Elite, the advanced complex of fat loss and energy-boosting catalysts that has helped so many fitness-conscious people attain their weight-loss goals over the years. And now that celebrated transformational supplement has been enhanced with a dynamic new diet support technology for TWICE the weight-loss power.The new BetaStax Elite 3.0 has been amplified with the addition of an advanced technology called Meratrim® that has been shown in independent clinical testing to help support significant reductions in both bodyweight and waist/hip circumference. This mechanism works in perfect tandem with a precision-synthesized green coffee bean extract that has also been validated in independent, randomized, placebo-controlled research in which test subjects experienced statistically significant decreases in weight and body mass index as compared to control. The result is fat-loss power far beyond that of any other product of its kind.As in the case of NytroWhey Ultra Elite, BetaStax Elite 3.0 is an example of an industry-leading supplement being modified and improved because emerging science made it possible. ProSource (and BioQuest) are deeply committed to the research and development that provides its legions of loyal customers with the most powerful transformative tools available at the cutting-edge of sports nutrition science.A Proud Legacy of Sports Nutrition Research and Development That Continues to This DayOver the course of 25 years, ProSource has established standards of excellence our competition simply cannot afford to match. Today the ProSource brand is synonymous with superior quality and great value. As a new quarter century dawns, we are as committed as ever to due diligence in researching and formulated new products that earn the trust and loyalty of our valued ProSource customers. We look forward to having you with us on this exciting adventure.Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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