Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Which Supplements To Take To Build Muscle

By Russ Howe


While most guys want to learn how to build more muscle, very few of them truly understand which supplements to take in order to help them reach the physical goals they have set out to achieve. Today we are going to teach you how to do this for yourself.

Despite all of the forward strides we have made in nutrition and science over the years, it is perhaps foolish to assume that people have all of the information they need to build whatever body they want. This is because there's a case of information overload in the fitness industry which tends to hold most people back.

Thirty years ago, the science behind growing muscle mass was still fairly basic and while those basics were great, the information was sometimes difficult to come by due to the lack of books and studies available. Compare that to nowadays and you'll notice the completely opposite situation, yet neither is good. People often can't commit to a routine or long-term plan because they are being told contradicting information everywhere they turn, so they quit.

The bottom line is that fitness is not rocket science.

The world of supplementation is often quite misleading and confusing because, like all areas of business, it has a lot of companies competing with each other for your cash. In their attempts to persuade you to choose their brand over a rival they need to come up with flashy, over the top statements and promise superior results.

The first thing you will notice when you begin to learn what to look for in a product is that things are not as complicated as they seem. There are a few basic rules with each product to look for.

* A tub of whey protein

* Creatine monohydrate

* Casein Protein

* Quick-release carbohydrates

* BCAA's

* Glutamine can return enviable results in muscular recovery

The 6 items listed above are a great place to start if you were previously unsure which products would work best for your goals. If you are trying to become leaner and more muscular these are the foundation from which to base your supplement plan. Here is a guide of what each of them actually does.

Most people today have had a brief look into whey protein shakes and what they are designed to do. However, quite a lot of people are falsely advised that whey is designed to help you gain weight. This isn't true, it can be and should used by those looking to get leaner, too. Of the three main types of whey available, hydrolized formulas will hit your muscles faster and this is why they tend to cost more. Isolate and concentrate are slightly slower.

However, the massive difference in prices between these three formulas doesn't reflect the fact that there isn't too much difference in terms of the quality of the protein itself. While a hydrolized product would return optimal results, you will certainly still be able to achieve success using either of the other blends if money is tight.

Creatine first hit the market twenty years ago during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. It was primarily used by sprinters as it helps you to increase your ability to perform short bursts of explosive activity. It's a perfectly safe and natural substance which is actually produced by the human body, too. It made the transition into bodybuilding due to the fact that it helps you to increase your short-term explosive strength, meaning it can lead to more reps in the gym.

With countless different formulas and blends of creatine, it seems every trainer and gym user has a different opinion on which one you should use. However, if you want to base your decision on scientific evidence then you won't have too much difficulty finding the solution. Creatine monohydate is light years ahead of any other formula on the market, despite being the oldest and most easily available of all.

The process of protein synthesis can be manipulated further if you make use of a casein product, too. This has been available for many years now but, until recently, had no concrete evidence to back up it's effectiveness and survived purely because the theory behind it made sense. It now does have evidence, and is a great addition to a nutrition plan which includes products like whey and creatine. This slow digesting protein source is great for pre-bedtime consumption as it allows your body to continue building lean tissue while you sleep, feeding your muscles with a slow release of protein over an eight hour period.

Casein was recently shown to increase muscular hypertrophy thanks to it's ability to help the body stay in a state of protein synthesis while the individual was asleep.

Over the last ten years or so, carbohydrates have got a bad rap from those in the fitness industry. This is mainly due to the celebrity diet trends which tell people to cut carbs from their diets if they want to lose weight. That approach is, of course, nonsense and results in the individual piling all of their weight back on and more when they finish their diet. Carbohydrates are very, very useful even if your goal is losing weight.

While the majority of your daily carb intake should arrive from complex sources, the post-workout period is very important and you should look to hit your body with some fast absorbing carbs here. While not strictly a supplement, carbohydrates can be easily obtained from food and there is no need to buy a pill or powder to perform this task.

The effectiveness of BCAA products has been a revelation in recent years, with many fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders choosing to add them alongside their post-workout protein and creatine. While there are over 20 amino acids, the most important is considered to be leucine, which acts as a key turning on the building process. However, it is important to consume a BCAA product to obtain a good array of all the amino acids because they all work together, as opposed to opting for a straight leucine supplement which, for most people, would be like buying a car with an engine but without brakes, a steering wheel or seat belts.

Glutamine rounds out the list today. Designed primarily for muscle recovery, glutamine is also great for improving your body's immune system and encouraging the release of more natural growth hormone, too. This all adds up to a supplement which will allow you to get more out of your gym sessions, so it is a useful addition to a diet.

The most important rule to remember, however, is that the key word in each of the products we have explained today is supplement. While every product on the market will lead you to believe that you won't be able to achieve your goals without it, the truth is you can go a long way to learning how to build muscle by simply taking care of your diet and training routine. With those two things in place, you will be able to decide which supplements to take to suit your goals and you'll notice great results from any of the items covered today.




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