Supplements

When trying to create a healthy lifestyle, being active and working out is just one aspect of the puzzle. You must also try to have a balanced diet and be getting the proper nutrition. This is where supplements come in and can be very helpful at reaching your goals.

What are supplements?

Supplements come in a variety of ingredients, shapes and sizes. There are many which i will cover later on that do different things. The main idea behind supplements is to load up your body on different nutrients before during and after your workout, depending on the product, in order to give your body the strength it needs to do more intense workouts and to recover from them quicker while boosting muscle growth.

Multi-Vitamins

Multi-vitamins are pretty commonly known, but for those who don't know what they are or want to get a better idea here it is. Usually they come in a pill and are taken once a day, some brands may separate ingredients into multiple pills (which honestly is a hassle to be swallowing five pills at once each day but to each their own). As the name implies, multi-vitamins are multiple vitamins put into on(or more) pills for convenient intake. There are many ingredients and usually in high dose so that your body will absorb as much as it will allow, with main emphasis on essential vitamins. While your body will be thankful to be receiving more vitamins it will also thank you for the added aminoacids which help digest protein and promote muscle growth. Many of these contain fish oil which has been known to have great health benefits and was popular a few years back.

I recommend adding a multi-vitamin to your supplement shelf if you're not already taking one. It won't be an "instant growth" type of supplement but it should help your body and mind become stronger and sharper. If you're just starting to get fit or have been in the gym for years this is a product that anyone can gain from.

Whey Protein

Ahhh protein. Protein is the king of supplements. Everyone's body needs protein to survive and grow; usually taken from meats or dairy products but are you getting enough? Protein is muscle fuel, it's what feeds your muscles and if taken soon enough after a workout will help their recovery.  Now understand that not all protein is created equally; there are different types of protein but whey, soy and casein being the most used.

Whey protein is a fast digesting protein that usually contains low levels of fat, sugar and calories while having  a decent amount of carbs. Most brands tend to have a range of 20 to 30 grams of pure whey protein in each serving; while also containing 3 to 5 grams of BCAAs (which I will cover later) and a small dose of various vitamins depending on the product.

Now why whey protein is so highly coveted is because it's fast digesting. Taken before and/or after a workout is the ideal use because not only will it give your body fuel for the job but it will help recovery for after. The body has a limited window of time after exercise to optimize and fully absorb protein in order for it to give the desired effects and proper use. This is why being fast absorbing is key to whey protein; if taken up to 30 minutes after a workout it will be put to work right away and your body will use it to rebuild the damaged muscle tissues.

I recommend using whey protein to anyone who exercises on a regular basis, including a form of weight training in the workout. There are many different brands and doses; depending on your specific needs and workout intensity try a few different ones and find what works best for you.

Casein Protein

So if whey protein is fast digesting you're probably thinking Casein is slow, and you're correct. But then you're wondering, well why would I want that if it doesn't fuel my body quick enough? Well there are reasons for wanting a slow, steady protein in your diet. Casein comes from the protein in milk and dairy; it has the ability to gel while being digested to steadily release protein and BCAAs over long periods of time.  As with whey, many brands are in the 20 to 30 grams of protein range along with 3 to 5 grams of BCAAs while keeping calories, fat and carbs lower than most whey products.

So those reasons for wanting to use casein? If you're a monster in the gym and are truly training intensely casein will be a sidekick. When constantly burning calories and pushing your body's limits it will need the extra fuel, all day long. ALL DAY! So casein is often used for heavy trainers for all day, and more importantly all night, protein to help build the muscle. Now why I say all night is because even while you're asleep you're body is working and processing nutrients. This is why a slow digesting protein can be helpful for those who can't feed their body enough and is ideal for between meals and before bed.

I only recommend using casein if you truly need it, it shouldn't be your main source of protein but a secondary for extra strength and nighttime feasting. This is mainly because it won't aid as thoroughly as whey protein directly after workouts and lets be honest, this stuff isn't cheap. So unless you're going into beast mode, casein can be left on the store shelf and not in your supplement stash.

Creatine

Now if protein is the king, creatine is a superhero. Never hear of creatine? Well it's one of the biggest supplements in the body building world the last few years, being the target of much debate over it's qualities and effects. Creatine's primary use is to gain muscle mass fast, add it to your protein shake and you have the dynamic duo to get you pumped up.

There have been much debate on kidney and liver risks from creatine but much of which has been dismissed; creatine is(in most cases) completely safe to be taken in reasonable doses daily. Now there are arguments that creatine doesn't actually cause muscle growth but just causes the muscles to retain water. This is true, but for the wrong reasons. Creatine does cause your muscles to retain water but this does not mean false gains from the product, it simply means that your body is staying hydrated and healthy. The human body is between 50-60% water and it is essential for healthy growth; bigger, stronger muscles because they are being maintained properly.

So if you're weight training on a consistent basis and are trying to gain mass, creatine is right for you. It won't help achieve the goals of someone who is trying to shed weight or become more toned through a cardio based routine so if that's the case I don't recommend using this product.

BCAAs

BCAA stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids. These acids are what breaks down protein for the body's absorption, being key in digestive health. Not only that but there have been many benefits known from BCAAs such as maximizing fat loss, retaining muscle mass and boosting energy levels.

There are many products as you've probably noticed through reading this article that contain BCAAs, which is just a testament to all they do. There are many products on the market that contain decent servings of BCAAs and also some focused on it. If you're finding yourself in need of energy for longer workouts you can take extra servings of one of these products but I myself don't find it necessary to spend the extra $25 on something that I'm already receiving though my protein. But I do however highly recommend using some product that contains BCAAs.

So those are some of the main supplements being used today, there are many different brands and forms to choose from so if you're going down that road do some research and read reviews to find what you think is best for your needs.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical doctor, any recommendations are from personal experience and should be treated as such. Some products may contain allergens. 

Sets and Reps, Lean vs Mass

One of the most important aspects to working out and strength training is your set and rep count. This routine will determine what intensity of a workout your body is getting and what type of muscle growth you will receive.

To begin with, a rep, or repetition, is one fluid motion in lifting the weight and returning back to starting position. For example, curling a dumbbell once is one rep. A set is a group of reps in a row without rest. When talking about these numbers the order is set, reps, weight. For example 2 sets of !5 at 205 lbs. Knowing these numbers give you the power and knowledge to control your workouts and achieve the goal you want to reach.

Lean Muscle

Lean muscle is taking strength and adding endurance, to be able to exert a steady amount of energy over a longer period of time. Lean muscle is often more defined apearing and for those with a low body fat ratio who want to be quick on their feet.

For those who are trying to achieve lean muscle and not get greedy by aiming for size want to do high rep sets. The basic rule is 12-15 reps for lean growth. Now this might sound odd, doing more reps would make one assume that there would be a greater mass growth. You have to realize that working the muscle longer makes it tighter and used to putting out energy for an extended amount of time. Lean sets are often done with a lighter weight than your maximum, that way your body isn't struggling to do each rep within the longer sets. The amount of sets you do can very on the intensity you want and what muscle group you're working; usually ranging from 3-6. Lean muscle routines are often paired with high cardio workouts to keep body fat low and speed and agility high

Mass Muscle

Mass muscle is size, bulk and pure power. With mass growth you'll be able to exert tremendous amounts of strength in bursts and be able to show that power within on the outside. Now when thinking about mass muscle many people's minds go straight to those body builders who are rioding out and are grossly muscular beyond a sensible point, that's not what mass muscle truly is. Whether you're thin and want to put on vast amounts of muscle weight or are already on the bigger side and have a desire to keep growing, mass muscle is a solid path to fitness and strength.

If high reps means lean muscle then low reps is the opposite, mass. The rule for mass muscle is 7-10 reps, using your maximum weight. What this does by using less reps in a set is it blasts the muscle group that you're focusing on, hitting them hard and fast. Sets for mass muscle can range depending on the muscle group and weight anywhere from 2-5. It is important that you push your body by using your maximum weight with the low rep sets and to not stay at a weight class for too long, increasing it relatively quickly. Mass muscle routines tend to include low cardio with high resistance for added muscle growth.

My stats: 20-35 mins various cardio, 3-4 sets of 10 maximum weight

Commitment

The biggest factor in getting fit and in better shape is commitment. You MUST be committed to working out and getting in better shape, no excuses. Yes there will be times where you'll miss a workout or have to push it out farther than planned but the gym shouldn't be your #1 priority, but it should be your #2!

The only way to truly get stronger and show growth is time, practice makes perfect right? Well patience is a virtue but it can get easy to fall off the wagon after just a couple of missed workouts. The most critical point is not going more than one missed because after that it will become more and more difficult to get back in the habit and regain the momentum that you had gained. So you have to be prepared to be disciplined and accountable for yourself.

There are different ways to light that fire inside yourself and keep you motivated. Workout partners or gym buddies are a great way to do it, not only do you have someone else to keep you on schedule but someone to make you push harder during the workouts. But not everyone wants or can do it with others, then you must look deep inside yourself and understand why you want to do this. You have to be mentally strong before you can be physically strong, not giving up or taking it easy because if it's easy you're not doing it right. So just remember, give 110% and 1 more!

My stats: Gym 1+ hour every other day

Push Ups!

Alright lets get started. The number one thing I recommend to anyone trying to get in better shape or just starting out is push ups! If you've never really worked out before and don't know where to start or just want to gain some strength this is your easy answer. Push ups are very simple and can be done anywhere without needing equipment, just using your own body weight to gain muscle.

Well what exactly do push ups do?

Push ups work a lot of different muscle groups, most commonly known for chest. But with the correct technique push ups can strengthen your core just as much as sit ups, give you truly stronger shoulders and even give your arms and thighs some extra work.

So how many should I be doing?

Push ups, like a few different exercises, are a max rep activity. You should always be trying to go for your personal best when doing push ups because they use your own body weight to gain muscle. Whether you're just starting to do them and its 5-10 every other day or you've been doing them for a year and are maxing out at 75 a night it's important to always be trying to do more. So when doing them make sure you at least do the same amount you did the last time or else you won't get results or make any progress.

My stats: 65 on workout days

Variety is the spice of life

Besides your standard push up, there are many different styles and positions you can throw into your workout to get more strength or definition in certain muscles.

• The Fly Push Up

This is one of my favorites to do, but trust me trying to push your max reps is tough! The fly works the outer chest and shoulders, they are crucial if you want to shape your chest and get that nice side boob action. How the fly works is you start at a normal push up position, aka Plank, then while going down closer to the floor stretch out or slide your left arm then re-centering it while you push back up returning to Plank. Do the same with the right arm moving in the other direction, this counts as 1 rep. Remember to keep correct technique while doing these and it will also work your core, mainly the side abs.

My stats: 20 on off nights

• Diamond Push Up

The diamond push up is a move difficult move. It's takes a lot more inner chest strength but also requires arms to lift their load. Doing these will give your triceps a boost in size and strength but will mainly help sculpt your chest and give you the separation you're looking for between your pecks. How to do this move is start out in a diamond plank, creating a triangle or "diamond" with your hands, holding this position as you go all the way down to the floor then pushing back up. At first it might feel a little awkward or difficult but continue and work at it and it will pay off more than you may think.

My stats: 15 on off nights

Welcome!

So I want to use this blog as a way to share the knowledge and lessons I've learned about working out and  just general fitness. I hope to all that view it that they will find it helpful and be able to find ways to apply it to their own lives or workout habits.

Please feel free to ask questions or make recommendations about future posts, I will do my best to answer all of them and make suggestions. Do remember that this advice is from my own personal experiences and articles I have read and that different things work for different people so may not be the perfect fit for your own fitness goals. Enjoy!