In the world of weight loss and fitness it seems hard to know if more money is spent on marketing supplements than researching their effectiveness. Take a look through any old Muscle & Fitness and you will see countless supplements and supplement companies that have all come and gone. I am in the camp that says, "if it sounds too good to be true... it probably is." The sad fact is that most of the fitness models are using various forms of steroids. I mean come on, N.O Xplode stacked with Cellmass didn't make Ronnie Coleman look like that! He may have wonderful genetics... but I might be a unicorn. There are many great products that serve wonderful roles in maximizing your results and performance. Here are my top 3 currently:
Protein
I have tried and used a lot of different sports supplements. My most regular supplement has to be whey protein powder. Plain and simple, it allows me to hit my various protein requirements without eating loads of whole food. Whey also is digested really quickly so it is ideal for post workout. It is readily digested to be used by your awaiting, abused muscles (mix in some BCAAs and high GI carbs = PERFECT). I know there are many quality levels of whey but I don't know much... so, I stick to name brands and try to always get whey isolate (for the higher concentration of protein in a serving). O.N. 100% Gold Standard is great.
Pre-Workouts
Oh these will promise EVERYTHING under the sun! Animal rage, mega-shirt ripping pumps, laser/razer focus, etc. Most pre-workouts seem to be a combination of stimulants, creatine, and compounds for NO production. If you find one you like, use it but don't expect the world. I enjoyed PWOs for the added boost early in the morning, but never really believed that I got the advertised pump until I tried Anabolic Ignite from MuscleFeast.com.
MuscleFeast.com is a wonderful site. Started by a father looking to secure more affordable supplements for his bodybuilding son, MF is a supplement company that lives up to its motto, "Hardcore Athletes, Hardcore Supplements." They never use fillers and completely list everything that is in their products (no propriety blends! Exact quantities).)
Anabolic Ignite features many popular ingredients. Here is a snippet from their site:
We have been working on this product for nearly a year and finally have put together what we feel is the most advanced pre-workout product on the market. With inclusion of the creatine nitrate, not only do you get one of the most bio-available forms of creatine but you also get amazing pumps from the nitrates, with some people reporting pumps for several hours.
We are not sure how long we will be able to carry the nitrate products but so get yours while they are still available. This product also contains 4:1:1 BCAA in nitrate form for added pump factor and also to aid in endurance.
Beta Alanine has been added for it's proven results on raising carnosine levels. Citrulline and citrulline malate have been added to aid in the NO conversion process. Vitamin C has been added because of it's antioxidants properties to help offset negative any free radicals generated from the nitrates. We added the mix of B vitamins specifically to help with focus, energy, and blood flow.
This product is completely stimulant free and sweetened with Stevia Reb A 97. The flavor is lemon lime and should be taken with about 8 ounces of water 45 minutes prior to starting your workout."
It flat out works! No stimulants for those late night workouts too. I add ~200 mg of caffeine to get that boost in the morning, but that is totally optional. I have used it straight and it still crushes everything else I have tried. Be warned, the taste is suspect at first (I am not used to it). They are Hardcore SUPPLEMENTS! You shouldn't care about taste... I'm not sitting and having a nice drink, I'm getting ready to test my strength and mind!
BCAAs
Branch Chain Amino Acids are so great! They occur naturally in your whole food proteins. They are being shown to reduce muscle breakdown during workouts, increase protein synthesis, and even help regulate blood sugar levels. Layne Norton PhD (oh and natural pro bodybuilder) has studied and discussed protein synthesis at length, I read an interesting response to a BCAA round-table he took part in. He concluded in a calorie restricted state (i.e. running a deficit to cut for a show or just losing BF to get ready for summer), 5g BCAAs could replace up to 40g of protein in a diet. That would allow athletes to run even bigger deficits while maintaining mass and getting extra cut. Layne is coming into shows at 3-4% BF as a natural guy. That is crazy!
I use MuscleFeast.com for my BCAAs again. They are unflavored (kind of a blah, eh taste... I mix in a sugar free water bottle flavor packet to mask the taste sometimes). They are completely natural with no fillers. MF is also really affordable and you get tons of servings for the cost! No big marketing to pay for... again, just Hardcore Supplements!
Here is MF.com on BCAAs:
"Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) is the name given to three of the eight essential amino acids needed to make protein: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are called branched-chain because their structure has a ‘branch’ off the main trunk of the molecule. The combination of these three essential amino acids makes up approximately one-third of skeletal muscle in the human body. In order to get energy, the body can actually break down muscle to get these BCAAs. Therefore, by supplying them during or after a workout, muscles and other tissues are spared from breakdown, which occurs as a natural part of metabolism.
Leucine is the most readily oxidized BCAA and therefore the most effective at causing insulin secretion from the pancreas. It lowers elevated blood sugar levels and aids in growth hormone production. Leucine works in conjunction with the other two BCAAs to protect muscle and act as fuel for the body. They promote the healing of bones, skin and muscle tissue, and are often recommended for patients recovering from surgery.
Food sources for leucine are: meat, nuts, beans, brown rice, soy flour and whole wheat.
Isoleucine stabilizes and regulates blood sugar and energy levels. It is also needed for hemoglobin formation. When coupled with the other two BCAAs, they enhance energy, increase endurance and aid in the healing and repair of muscle tissue, making them a valuable tool for athletes.
After a group of healthy people received a single intravenous infusion of these amino acids, the amount of tissue breakdown that normally occurs overnight decreased by 50 percent. In another study, the muscles of a group of marathoners and cross-country runners were spared completely with a daily dose of them.
People suffering from many different mental and physical disorders have been found to have isoleucine deficiency, which can lead to symptoms similar to those of hypoglycemia.
Isoleucine can be found in foods such as chicken, eggs, fish, meat, rye, almonds, cashews, chickpeas, lentils, soy protein and most seeds.
Valine is the third BCAA. It also aids in muscle metabolism, tissue repair and the maintenance of proper nitrogen balance in the body. It may also be helpful in treating liver and gallbladder disease, and is good for correcting the type of severe amino acid deficiencies which can be caused by drug addiction."
Do what works for you, but don't believe all the hype. I got my round 1 results with just whey protein and a little creatine towards the end. Get your nutrition dialed in. There are no shortcuts!
BRING IT!
David Jeffries
What a great week. P90X2 has fully lived up to the hype. I am feeling just like I did when I first started P90X. My initial thoughts about the balance portions of X2 were so wrong. I must have been in a bad place or whiny mindset. X2 ROCKS! My balance is slowly improving and with each day I am able to lift more and hold the balance moves with more stability and strength. I could not be happier with what Tony has put together.
Oh these will promise EVERYTHING under the sun! Animal rage, mega-shirt ripping pumps, laser/razer focus, etc. Most pre-workouts seem to be a combination of stimulants, creatine, and compounds for NO production. If you find one you like, use it but don't expect the world. I enjoyed PWOs for the added boost early in the morning, but never really believed that I got the advertised pump until I tried Anabolic Ignite from MuscleFeast.com.
