Boxing

The rise of sports nutrition supplementation in amateur and professional athletics is a good thing, especially since the effects of anabolic steroids are being publicly exposed for their resulting health risk(s) and fatalities. But that doesn't mean that supplement application itself is genuinely safe. A word of caution definitely needs to be exercised, regarding the use of sports nutrition. Let's take boxing for example. Fighters tend to prefer energy-based supplements right off the cuff, obviously due to their immediate effects of central nervous system stimulation and adrenaline surge. About 9 times out of 10, the real issue is training recovery. The cumulative effects of boxing training can impair a fighter's optimal range of conditioning, even right up to a fight. The key concept is to address the recovery situation first, as it's the determining factor of performance, from a nutritional perspective. If a fighter can adequately recover from session to session, then the intensity level and overall quality of the training can be elevated, thus ensuring the required upward progression, necessary for peak performance come fight time. One of the conceptual errors that athletes make in supplement selection is to associate supplementation solely with conditioning, from a perspective that's too compartmentalized. The better conceptual view is to assess sports requirements first from a highly detailed perspective, then base supplement selection on the goal of targeted conditioning to meet the requirements of a particular sport. For example, a fighter may need to optimize his weight strategically against a certain opponent within 4 or 5 months, depending on the contracted and scheduled fight date, at a particular venue. The training camp may require that the fighter train for an inside strategy to possibility exploit the opponent's susceptibility to certain counters, by getting off on the inside with an initial overhand right (assumes the fighter's orthodox) or left hook, pivoting out, and finishing off with the jab (before escaping from the opponent's punching range). A nice combination of HMB, Mass Meal, and Sustain protein powder would suffice. The HMB would be used pre and post boxing training (glutamine can be stacked here, as well), and with the next 2 meals. Mass Meal would be positioned immediately post-training. Sustain can be used in the morning and at night for time-released amino acid accrual. This would slowly optimize a fighter's weight by allowing him to develop the necessary muscle and conditioning without unnecessary weight gain that can compromise performance. This stack is so effective that fighters can actually use it to develop muscle while going into a lower weight class, if they choose. In sum, place sports requirements first, and then focus on product selection, according to sport requirement criteria.


Recommended Product(s):

Pure Whey Protein Isolate

HMB

Mass Meal


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to:

Ab Training

There's a rooted misconception about the relationship between abdominal development and fat loss. These concepts are so highly associated that the near-inextricable connection became the default perception, which still governs people's judgment about area specific fat loss to this day. Just because 2 different types of tissue are in the same area(s) does not mean that they are identical. The fact that they are different, allows one to logically deduce that the desired body composition state requires that these types be addressed "differently", according to their inherent response mechanisms. Abdominal tissue responds best to movements that create a full range of motion from contraction and extension of the torso (the exception would be partial sit-ups, which effectively optimize the trade-off between ab targeting and lower back pressure). An extremely effective movement would be hanging leg raises; not just the ones where you bring your knees to your chest, but the more effective ones, where the legs are straight (this is actually the more difficult and more effective long-term variant). The core point here is that one should stick to calisthenics for abdominal training, and focus precisely on the skill of targeting stress in repetition execution. At the same time, ab training in this manner should not be conceptually focused on fat loss, but on muscular conditioning and development of the area. Now, we move on to the totally "different" topic of area specific fat loss. Consistent eating patterns that optimize caloric utilization to the extent where no calories are left over in the blood stream for triglyceride conversion will lower fat, even in the abdominal area. In other words, calorie deficits contribute in significant part to fat loss, but that's not the whole story. Caloric type is crucial. If one can consistently prioritize the intake of fibrous carbs, protein, essential polyunsaturated fats, and very small portions of complex carbs in that exact order, then fat loss will occur. In addition, one can use yohimbe HCL-laced supplements like Fyre, for the reason that yohimbe addresses the accumulation of A2 fat receptors, which are located in the abdominal area. In sum, train the abs for muscular development and conditioning, and focus long-term eating patterns and complementary supplementation on fat loss.


Recommended Product(s):

High Potency Fat Burner


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to:

Why Creatine

Since its initial release in America in 1993, creatine's 14 year run doesn't seem to be slowing down one bit. As a matter of fact, it appears to be picking up. This is so much so that from the original creatine monohydrate (CM), you now have around 14 different creatine-bonded variants floating around on the market. Now the question becomes which one is the best? Well that depends on the specific purpose of creatine use for the individual. For example, I suspect that for maximum cell volume, CM is still king, as the monohydrate bond attracts large amounts of water into the body's myocytes, for maximum hydration and cellular expansion. This would best for the individual wanting to get as big and as strong as possible within a set period of time. Others want the volumizing benefits of creatine, but not the risk of bloating that occurs with the monohydrate version. Here comes creatine ethyl esther (CEE), which has superior uptake with less reliance on carbohydrates for insulin release. As a matter of fact, you'll need fewer grams to attain good cell volume than you would with monohydrate. But then again, the tradeoff is that although CEE will allow you retain your hardness while volumizing, CM has superior mass and strength promoting properties. Also, the better CM formulas are fortified with sodium, potassium, and magnesium phosphates to support and amplify muscular contractions, experienced during heavy loads. However, this is different than creatine phosphate (CP), which hasn't been able to overtake CM as the premiere creatine type for size and strength. So it appears that CM + phosphate bonded mineral variants may be an optimal combination. Aside from all this, "Why Creatine?" The excess muscular contraction power and strength that comes with creatine usage in excess of what you would've had without it is the true anabolic catalyst. Consistent movement of heavier loads through compound movements over time produces bigger and stronger muscles. In others word, if you want gains from creatine that you can keep, train for strength first. Then use the power to build mass.


Recommended Product(s):

Micronized Creatine Monohydrate

EAS Phosphagen Elite - Creatine Monohydrate Formula

BSN Cellmass- Creatine Ethyl Ester Formula


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to:

NO2

People are still asking about the specific functions of NO2 (yes, even now). Well here goes. When musculoskeletal contraction occurs, blood volume to the targeted area increases in direct proportion to the both the qualitative and quantitative amounts of applied stress. When the volume is sufficient, one experiences the "pump". But a 3rd or should I say secondary intermittent process occurs between these first 2 (blood volume acceleration and pump). As blood enters the targeted area, a substance called "Nitric Oxide" or NO2 is released from the volume. As NO2 touches the arterial walls of the targeted area, the wall's diameter expands in response, thus allowing for further increased volume. At the most basic level, this is the science behind the "pump". If the wall's diameter increases in size, then both diastolic and systolic pressure drop, hence lowering overall blood pressure. In many cases, this is actually considered a "beneficial" side effect of NO2 use. Strategically, some might ask what does this all mean, in terms of building muscle. With the above knowledge, one should posit that NO2 is best positioned as an indirect mass builder, by way of its ability to increase the body's carrying capacity of nutrients to muscle cells. The more nutrient dense one's eating patterns are, the better NO2 works toward contributing to muscle growth. Most NO2 products should be taken on an empty stomach, but protein intake should be slightly increased over time to take advantage of the increased transport capability of NO2. This is where its real value lies. I know that this can sound complicated to some, but this level of analysis and understanding is actually quite necessary to optimize full strategic advantage. For example, if one wants to purchase an NO2 product (i.e., MHP's Anadrox) along with another product, then he will at least have an understanding that other product consideration(s) should be limited to those supplements that amplify nutrient density per milliliter of blood volume. Again, a good whey protein isolate or a protein blend of whey isolate and casein would be a viable option to satisfy this requirement.


Recommended Product(s):

MHP Anadrox

NO2 Precursor

NO2 Precursor Pre-Training Formula


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to:

Post Training Meal

If people knew how much of a determining factor that the post-training meal has on long-term lean mass gain, they would consciously structure their training and recovery periods around that particular consumption period, which is also known as the "window of opportunity" for calorie consumption. Many who write about this topic in books and on other blogs and web sites only touch upon the surface stating that it helps you to recover faster from the day's training. What's not realized is that the post-training insulin production, cell wall expansion and nutrient absorption activity, and accelerated amino acid assembly have a long-term snowball effect on lean mass accrual. This particular meal is actually more anabolic to muscle than all the others (within that 24 hour period) combined. The right supplementation can be very advantageous here. Suppose one does a full high-intensity medium-volume superset squat workout, and starts the post-training consumption period (average is 2-3 hours) with a sugar-free creatine formula like Vitargo (R-Alpha Lipoic Acid or Vanadyl Supplementation would go great here), and wait 45 minutes to an hour to consume a lean mass gainer like ErgoPharm's Mass Meal. Let's say that an hour has gone by afterwards, and you have 1 hour left in the window. Since Vitargo and Mass Meal have a combined caloric total of less than 700 calories when mixed with water, there's actually room for additional calorie consumption from solid food. This is also due to the use of repartitioning agents (such as R-Alpha Lipoic Acid and Vanadyl Sulfate), which increase caloric and nutrient storage capacity in addition to the insulin sensitizing effects of training. Over time, the body's post-training insulin production, cell wall expansion and nutrient absorption activity, and accelerated amino acid assembly improve above the prior calculus. This results in an upward curve in lean mass accrual on the training/time dimension (that is until it slowly inverts, as one reaches his maximum limit). In sum, this is the most important time to eat.


Recommended Product(s):

HMB

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

Mass Meal

Vanadyl Sulfate

Post-Training Creatine Formula


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to:

Muscle Mass

Let's face it: Genius lies in simplicity. Training regimens that are too complex compromise results rather quickly. So why do many enthusiasts keep up these ineffective workouts? For starters, the "more is better mentality" is pervasive throughout life, let alone fitness. Plus exotic training regimens with highly sophisticated movements and structures "look better", thereby giving the flawed appearance of seeming more effective. Not to say that these movements don't serve their purpose, but real training is downright hideous and ugly. You want to enjoy yourself; go to a movie. One person again, spoke to me about the "effectiveness" of leg extensions for mass building. I responded in like kind: "What effectiveness?!" Justifiably, unless you have (or had) some sort of one-time and/or recurring back and/or leg injury, you can do leg extensions until the cows come home and go back out again. The squat still holds the leg-building championship of the world, and has been undefeated since its inception. That's right. The leg press as a contender is no match for the heavyweight champion, no matter how many times it fights for the rack. Compound movements that connote multi-joint muscle fiber recruitment to near failure, yield the biggest returns on training investment period. While isolation is very good for targeting stress to specific areas of needed conditioning, growth takes too long to occur even with the best compound training and optimization techniques for training efficiency. The old saying is true: "The good is the enemy of the best." In other words, why do less effective movements, when you can fully focus finite strength and stress reserves on the most effective ones. The amazing irony to most people is that the key to natural muscle mass and strength is not a set of movements; it's a thought process that leads to an effective understanding of how lean mass is built through compound movements and training optimization.


Recommended Product(s):

HMB

CISSUS - Joint Recovery, Muscle Growth

Mass Meal

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

Vanadyl Sulfate

Chromium Picolinate

Pure Whey Protein Isolate


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to:

Emerging Pattern

If one takes a sharp look at the supplements that really work with uncompromised safety, then it becomes apparent that each and every one of those products was originally designed to address a specific issue with improving an aspect of the body beyond its normally accepted health parameter(s). In other words, highly specific-focused natural substances or formulas that are designed for certain health and nutritional purposes seem to have the best long-term application for gaining muscle and losing fat without side effects. For example, HMB was originally designed as a substitute for steroid use in cattle production. When it became clear that it could slow down the process of muscle breakdown, speed recovery, and increase the body's ability to adapt to immunological and musculoskeletal stress, then it later on became attractive to not only bodybuilding enthusiasts, but also to the medical community (this is regarding the use of natural substances in the overall treatment of certain medically diagnosed ailments). It doesn't end there. Now, athletes from different sports (i.e., soccer, boxing, football, track and field, etc.) are using this supplement to gain a competitive edge, due to superior recovery, which leads to more effective training and better performance. Another example is Cissus, which is designated to accelerate joint repair from challenging physical conditions and related tendon area disturbance(s). Cissus can indirectly promote muscle mass gain by the way it repairs joint tissue at the muscle-tendon insertion points. It works at the cellular level to regenerate those cells, thus increasing joint tissue integrity. This translates to increased strength, which can be used to assume heavier training loads, for increased lean mass over time. The scary thing is that Cissus's results come rather quickly, compared to similar supplements in the joint health category. There are many more products I can run through, but the core argument is that some simple products that are marketed outside the scope of bodybuilding and fitness can actually have potent effects, when compared to the more exotic products sold within those markets. So be careful not to judge a book by its cover, unless it tells you to purchase supplements without having to first learn about them.


Recommended Product(s):

HMB

CISSUS - Joint Recovery, Muscle Growth


Digg This! | Add to Del.icio.us | Furl It

Add to: