To start with, there a few questions we need to ask. Are you physically active? Have you started to train and manage your diet? Are you cleared by a medical professional to take supplements? Talk to your doctor if you have a pre-existing medical condition. If you answered yes to all of these questions, you’re ready to start tackling the world of exercise supplements, better known as “supps.”
An important part of supplements is to realize that they aren’t magic. They are there to supplement the work you already put in, not to carry the workload. Supplements won’t make your life easier – they’ll allow you to push yourself longer and harder to become stronger. Make sure than you have a good nutrition plan and a good understanding of working out to get the most out of your supplements.
Working with supplements as a beginner can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Stay committed to your fitness goal and stay positive for success! Setting achievable goals will help you. If you think you can bulk out three inches around your arms in a month, you’re sorely mistaken. Work with a trainer to help guide you or get to studying articles about proper muscle bulking and cutting.
How to Use Protein Powder
Protein is a nutrient that repairs and grows muscle, so it’s incredibly important to building your physique. It increases thermogenesis, which is your body’s natural way to burn calories. Protein is naturally an important piece of your body, reducing hunger, supporting healthy blood pressure, and boosting your immune system.
Protein can come in many different forms. Whey protein, perhaps the most popular source of protein, is dairy based, as are many other popular protein powders. Your protein can also come from vegetarian sources, like soy, rice, and hemp.
Whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrates are two types of whey protein. Studies suggest consuming at least 20 grams of whey protein a day. The amount of protein you need will change as your body changes. Whey protein can be used before, during, and after a workout.
BCAA Benefits
BCAA stands for branch chain amino acids. They’re known to increase energy, boost muscle growth, increase fat loss, and increase brain power. There are three types of BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Leucine increases muscle gains by promoting muscle protein synthesis, while valine reduces fatigue and isoleucine aids muscle repair. You want your BCAAs to be at a 2-1-1 ratio of leucine to isoleucine and valine.
BCAAs need to be cycled to work properly. Muscle protein synthesis spikes after leucine levels decrease a few hours after use. There are a few ways you can use BCAAs for workouts. To boost your energy levels, use one 6-10 gram dose 30 minutes before workouts. To increase muscle recovery and growth, take within 30 minutes of finishing a workout. Remember that you need to cycle BCAAs, so you can’t constantly be using them.
Pre Workout Supplements
Pre-workout is a catch-all name for a group of supplements to be taken before your workout. Typically, pre-workout supplements contain some variation of a stimulant, beta-alanine, essential amino acids, and nitric oxide boosters. Some supplements have removed stimulants completely for those who prefer to workout close to bedtime or can be overly sensitive to stimulants, especially caffeine. Other types of popular stimulants include yohumbine, theacrine, or guarana.
Pre-workouts themselves won’t help you build muscle faster or bigger. They are designed to increase your energy and endurance so that your body can go longer and harder, building those muscles itself. Using pre-workouts regularly will help you boost your workout regimen.
Glutamine Benefits
Glutamine is an amino acid that’s important to your body’s function. Glutamine is necessary to your body’s immune system and prevents your body from catabolizing your muscles to burn for energy. If too much glutamine is lost, your body will start losing muscle mass instead of building it. This makes it an excellent choice if you are trying to lose fat without losing the muscle you already have. During workouts, glutamine is used up.
L-Glutamine might already be in other supplements you take, so make sure to check your labels before adding it in on its own. It’s recommended that bodybuilders take 5 grams of l-glutamine 2-3 times a day. You can take it in the morning, after a workout, and at night before bed.
How to Use Creatine
Creatine is a set of three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. It’s essential to how your body creates adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, for energy. Creatine is created in the body, so it’s not an essential amino acid. However, vegetarians and vegans are typically lacking in creatine since we usually supplement the creatine our body makes with animal products like dairy, eggs, and meat.
Creatine is popular for building muscle and strength. It can also help with endurance and reduce pain due to inflammation. Although creatine is well-studied and shown to improve strength and muscle, scientists aren’t exactly sure about how. It may help increase mechanical tension, cellular swelling, or muscular damage, all of which increase muscle growth.
There are multiple forms of creatine, from the simplest and best-studied, creatine monohydrate, to newer forms like creatine hydrochloride, kre-alkalyn, and creatine nitrate. The goal of the newer forms of creatine is to bond to the creatine and help your body to absorb and store the supplement.
Creatine is not a steroid or stimulant, so it’s safe to use – in moderation. There have been many studies on the safety of creatine, and the evidence agrees that there is no short- or long-term harmful effects on the body. Typically, creatine only makes the news when someone misinterprets the science or condemns supplements in general.
Creatine should be taken 3-5 grams daily, every day. Creatine takes time to absorb into your muscles, meaning you won’t see any instant effects. There’s no conclusive evidence on when to take creatine each day, as long as you actually do take it every day.
