Subject of Rest

Now that we're in the domain of anabolism or where growth occurs, we can figure out how to optimize the resting state with the paradoxical (in this particular case) relationship between training intensity relative to post-workout supplementation. The more intense the training, the greater the level of cellular breakdown across biological systems in the body: Henceforth, the greater one's recovery requirements will be in tandem. If one could recover more efficiently, then more training and nutritional options being to make themselves available for greater experimentation, as one attains his or her desired end results that much faster. Extremely intense training for prolonged periods of time with an extended program must be accompanied by sufficient rest and recovery to avoid rapidly diminishing or worse yet negative returns in strength increases, muscle accrual, and body recomposition improvements over time. Once again, we're back to the subject of catabolism: Supplements like ZMA, HMB, Glutamine + BCAAs, and Whey/Casein Protein Blends (at night time before sleep) can provide the optimal hedge that maintains anabolic consistency. With the anaerobic characteristic of resistance training, it's correctly implied that one should treat the training, eating pattern, and recovery characteristics like an optimization problem: Each aspect should be positioned at its optimal coordinate of intended yield and active application. For example, if taking more than 5-7 grams of glutamine yields diminishing returns in cell volume and recovery then should effectively stay within that range. In another example, if sleeping 9.5 hours or more yields insignificant recovery advantages over sleeping 7-8 hours given the same intensity level of training, then one should scale back her overnight sleep to the optimal range of 7-8 hours. More is not necessarily better, since optimal is undisputedly best.


Recommended Product(s):

ZMA

HMB

Glutamine

Whey/Casein Blend Protein

Activite Multi-Vitamin

A Counterintuitive Note on Metabolism

Aside from the tried and true conventions about how to control one's metabolism for more efficient fat burning, there appears to be a hidden set of assumptions based on compartmentalization and isolation of the concept of the body's metabolic state(s). In a nutshell, people are taught to compartmentalize the primary stress factors related to fat loss, when in fact the body interprets and integrates all experienced stress factors into a composite index that facilitates continual neurological, immune, and metabolic response. In other words, what one does outside the gym (not just eating properly) significantly affects metabolic results: The body is always metabolically adjusting, interpreting, and integrating external stimuli. For example, constant walking and standing up increases one's metabolic rate over the habit of always sitting and being sedentary. Even challenging the brain's cognitive function through reading material of sufficient difficulty in comprehension and/or problem solving capacity can elevate the brain's metabolic burning properties. Many people believe that their habits do not affect results, since their appearance is isolated from training activity, rest, and nutritional consumption patterns. This is an illusion, for the body's neurological and metabolic comprehension differs significantly from that of the mind in the sense that the mind can cognitively isolate these negentropic states: The body interprets stress as a continual stream of environmental stimuli that does not end when one necessarily exits the gym after a session.


Recommended Product(s):

Dicana

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

I've written quite a bit about the repartitioning effects of R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA), for some time. But in truth it's one the best natural supplements for lean mass gain, fat loss, and body recomposition/sculpting and anti-oxidant nutrition. I'd say those benefits are pretty hard to beat, especially when they come in simultaneous fashion. What makes R-ALA the most interesting partitioning agent is that it may be the only one with anti-oxidant properties so potent that it actually squelch's the free radical byproduct activity of cellular repartitioning of macro-nutrients. This may really be the only repartitioning agent to make this claim, however I could be wrong (hopefully I am, as I would like to see others connote this claim in due time). Squelching free radical oxidation, during macro-nutrient repartitioning can have visible effects on one's appearance, in terms of how this supplement can counteract stress-related contributors to the aging process over a long period of time. Other anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C can do this as well, but not to the extent that R-ALA can although both can be combined for maximum anti-oxidant effect. R-ALA's nutrient redistribution precision makes glycogen and lipid stores more efficiently available for natural energy with minimal use or without the use of stimulants (a note for those who wish to avoid caffeine). Also, its repartitioning effects lower fat stores, thus making fat loss supplementation more effective in extended fat loss acceleration, as well as use in pre-training energy (superior body recomposition that results from repartitioning has the advantage of better energy reserve deployment, during training). This is still one of the best single anti-oxidant supplements to select, whether by itself or in a body recomposition stacking sequence.


Recommended Product(s):

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

Pro-Hormones - Awareness and Safety

This is arguably the most controversial area in all of sports nutrition supplementation. Most of these substances are really steroidal compounds captured in prior conversion states before finalized conversion into the intended anabolic takes place. Many are formulated with ancillary substances that assist the primary molecular structure on its proper conversion path. When they were first introduced, the majority of supplements in the category were too androgenic and had very little anabolic effect, if any at all. Later, after fierce competition for releasing products whose pre-conversion states captured the correct conversion paths to the most anabolic substances, then the anabolic benefits of pro-hormones began to surface and then take off with some very well known products that eventually became banned, due to the final conversion classification. In the interim, while users were experiencing the anabolic gains from the products, they were also incurring the risks most noted with their illegal anabolic equivalents. This is because once the final conversion takes place then full exposure to those substances' known side effects occurs. Although it forms the core reason behind my note of caution, I prefer to judge each product on its individual merits, as I've ran across some supplements in this category that effectively and safely accelerate body recomposition effects. But these weren't the products that were the most popular, even though they were among the safest. In any case, I still have a preference for natural substances that produce real world measurable effects in this area without the side effects inherent in many pro-hormone products.


Recommended Product(s):

ZMA

Jungle Warfare

USP Labs PowerFULL

Pre-Workout Creatine - Caution of Value

I'm dogmatic about the value of positioning creatine supplementation in the post-training phase to exploit maximum insulin sensitivity required for intra-muscular cellular absorption. In light of the fact that so many pre-workout creatine formulas appear on the market to the extent of establishing a new category, I believe in the post-training position of creatine now more than I ever did before. Many pre-workout creatine formulas are designed to shuttle creatine into muscle cells through a stabilizing effect on insulin release, while endowing users with energy from caffeine variants and other neural accelerators. This seems logical and safe enough not to be challenged, but creatine stacked with caffeine has always had the question of each substance counteracting the other. My suspicion is that the real value of these products lies in the fact that they're really pre-workout energy supplements that may have a significantly longer lasting stimulatory effect, based on the indirect effects of insulin stabilization (from creatine) on the sustained energy release mechanism. If that's the case, then the purpose of using these products to amplify training intensity strongly defeats the consideration of using it to elevate creatine stores over time. In the latter scenario, creatine monohydrate that is used in the post-training phase for size and strength reigns supreme. Be sure to keep in mind what the overarching purpose behind one's particular creatine supplementation is, and the correct choice between pre-workout formulas and post-workout creatines will be made every time.


Recommended Product(s):

NO XPLODE - Pre-Training

SMASH - Axis Labs - Pre-Training

Micronized Creatine Monohydrate - Post-Training

Pre-Workout Energy Supplement Positioning

Everyone knows what to do with these supplements based on their self-explanatory category. But the key to optimizing their effectiveness over time, in regard to training and the post-training consumption is to position all other training, nutrition, and outside stress factors at their prime temporal and physiological state coordinates relative to pre-training energy supplement consumption. It's really the standard perception in reverse: Convention shows that one looks at a product and isolates its intended effect(s) in terms of conscious understanding about how to position the product. Counterintuitive perception expands on the aforementioned by reversing the order of perceptive convention through making the pre-training supplement more effective by optimizing everything else. For example, if one used anti-catabolics along with pre-workout energy supplements on an empty stomach (no consumption of food 5 hours or more before training), then the energy supplement becomes more effective at hedging the anabolic signal against the body's catabolic reaction through the anti-catabolics. Likewise, in the post-training phase, since food was not consumed prior to training, the repartioning process becomes much more pronounced, in part due to the breakdown intensity that results from the combination of high-intensity training and the pre-workout energy supplement consumption. Although supplements should be initially understood in terms of their isolated intentions (on the basis of their ingredients), the relative standpoint of how a product fits into the overall program relative to other products, training intensity, and other stress factors is equally important.


Recommended Product(s):

NO XPLODE - Pre-Training

Glutamine

HMB

The Most Underrated Testosterone Booster - ZMA

Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) in its 15:1:3 ratio of Magnesium, Zinc, to Aspartate has been shown to boost overall recovery so well that substantial strength increases due to immune system and cellular regeneration are commonly noted with the first week of its use. Some users report improvements in the sleep function, as being substantial enough to induce lucid dreams, due to the enhanced REM phase resulting from the supplement's use. Its testosterone enhancing qualities are impressive in the sense that its effects on performance enhancement can be readily measured in terms of cellular recovery and strength acceleration, with only a few weeks of usage. In addition, ZMA's hormone balancing mechanism allows for natural recovery and stabilization of the body's anabolic hormones without the imbalances normally caused by prohormone supplementation. Strategically in the long-term, the key benefit lies in the consistency of strength increases, which is still one of the best precursors to predicting lean mass accrual over time. Creatine (more specifically creatine monohydrate) and HMB can be added to further accelerate strength gains. HMB and Glutamine can also support the cellular recovery effects of ZMA in a viral manner, thus allowing users to avoid training plateaus that normally result from insufficient recovery. For proven gains in strength leading to long-term lean mass accrual, the safe and natural alternative to prohormone-based supplements may actually produce the better results now and over time.


Recommended Product(s):

ZMA

Glutamine

HMB

Creatine Monohydrate

Post-Training Expectations of Protein

Someone in the gym recently asked me about my agreement with the convention of post-training consumption of whey protein for growth and recovery. I thought it was a bit odd this convention is still discussed in inquiry about agreement. The other unusual thing is that although this is what was stated, what the person really wanted was some original insight into how to best position protein consumption for maximum growth and recovery. The post-training temporal window is the best time for protein consumption, as it assists natural processes in setting up the rest of the anabolic chain, thus positively affecting the nitrogen contribution capacity of other protein consumed within later meals. During the post-training temporal window, protein consumption can have its nitrogen retention effects improved upon through additional glutamine, taurine and the use of HMB. It can also be enhanced with the inclusion of calcium caseinate to supplement existing whey proteins at night time (through casein's time release mechanism for amino acids and anti-catabolic position that counterbalances the rapid amino acid release of whey's anabolic position). The macro-nutrient flexibility of protein in regards to its potential time release and amino acid saturation range should not be assessed in isolation. Remember, nutrient positioning is based more on the timing of certain physiological states to exploit commensurate advantages in partitioning effectiveness and recovery. For example, in highly depleted states (i.e., post-training phase where no food has been eaten for at least 3-5 hours prior, and only anti-catabolic supplements where used) whey has far more effective amino acid saturation than if it were consumed 2 hours after a high protein based meal. Therefore, the temporal and physiological state positioning in terms of when to take protein at the right time is just as important as the quality of the protein source itself.


Recommended Product(s):

Syntrax Nectar Whey Protein Isolate

Glutamine

Probolic Casein Protein

HMB

Aphrodisiacs Reformulated

Let's face it. Most products in this area are made poorly, and thus consumers continue to scale the search for the one that actually works. Not to say that none of these products have desired effects, but the category is pretty dismal. It's so dismal, that many of the ones that worked were actually illegal prescription knock-offs, most of whose peddlers eventually got caught by authorities. Now, if natural formulations did what they claimed, then sales of their prescription equivalents would decline, and consumers could better enjoy themselves in both the bank and the sack. Attacking specific products is not the point, but addressing some of the assumptions upon which many of them are formulated is the core objective. The main demographic of users can be accurately described as that comprised of males in their 30s, 40s, and beyond, who are experiencing difficulty in sexual performance. Blood pressure tends to increase with age, and with it difficulties associated with getting adequate blood flow to the genital area, and sustenance for longer periods. This is one of the assumptions behind formulating products with high concentrations of substances that augment blood flow to the genital area. This correctly addresses this subset of the overall issue, as an effective method of resolve. However, there are two hidden assumptions behind this formulation objective: One is that naturally occurring substances that can amplify orgasmic sensation take a back seat, which if prioritized would lessen the need for higher concentrations of blood redistribution compounds, because the neurological factor would be also be addressed. The other hidden assumption is that blood redistribution to the genital area as an issue, if solved corrects all other multi-faceted nutritional factors regarding sexual performance, by default.

Now let's take a look at what actually works, for orgasmic sensation. These are some substances that come to mind when the antecedent psycho-physiological factors are taken into account regarding performance: Tyrosine (or Acetyl-L-Tyrosine), DMAE, Choline (Lecithin), Phosphatidyl Serine, Longjack Folia, Maca Puriens, Epimedium, Stinging Nettle (used long-term), Siberian and/or Panax Ginseng (used in both the short and long-term), Tribulus Terrestis, etc. Actually, many if not all on the latter half of this list are found in a considerable amount of aphrodisiac products, but their concentrations are too low, while blood flow amplification and stimulatory components are too high, thus increasing substantial risk of high blood pressure in users. If the position is taken that sexual arousal or stimulation has its biological roots in the psycho-physiological processes of the brain, then superior products could been formulated, since this premise is superior to the convention that only blood flow redistribution to the genital area should be taken care of. If substances like gingko, yohimbe, and caffeine were in such formulations at lower concentrations in relative proportion to specific neurological enhancers and adaptagen compounds then these products as well as the entire category could improve, and thus consumers could have real choice.


Recommended Product(s):

Paravol

Test Drive

DMAE

Lecithin

Nitro Fire

Vitrix

Glutamine and the Immune System

This anti-catabolic's effects are widely known in the areas of cell volumization, and recovery, and even considerable mention as scientific inquiry into its unique immune enhancing properties. Now imagine if one could strategically design a supplement stack around the immune enhancing properties of glutamine to facilitate gains in lean mass so consistent that metabolic plateaus due to immune fluctuations would hardly occur. I believe this is possible. This may also be one of the key stratagems necessary for long-term progress against stress-related factors in and out of the gym. When training commences, one is not only breaking down muscle tissue, but also various immune system constituents as well. It's also worthy to note that neurotransmitter production is actually the key weak link in the metabolic training chain, since its decline directly results in lower training productivity as the session carries on passed its peak. Testosterone reduction due to cortisol escalation also moves in tandem with the aforementioned declines, paradoxically as both cause and effect. To increase long-term gains from glutamine supplementation, one should take it at low dosages consistently using short cycled intervals (i.e., take 2-3 grams 2-3xs daily for 5-6 days and go off for about 2 days, then recycle) along with other natural supplements, which can be used daily. For example, one could stack glutamine with HMB, Vitamin C, and R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (only take with meals) to actually improve the body's immune function over time, let alone maintain it.


Recommended Product(s):

Glutamine

HMB

Vitamin C

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

The Importance of Fiber

Fiber is not terribly popular in bodybuilding circles, but its imperative position is catching on. Protein powder is still the most consumed supplement in sports nutrition period, and this axiom will not change anytime soon (or later for that matter). The problem arises from the fact that excess nitrogen retention without adequate fiber consumption results in constipation, and therefore increases fiber requirements. Many seem not to be very mindful that nutrients are absorbed through the walls of the GI tract before making their way to the liver and bloodstream. The walls have to maintain an acceptable concentration of bacterial flora and cellular integrity with reduced impurities. Insoluble fiber actually scrapes the walls leaving the body's internal concentrations of the above constituencies intact for superior nutrient absorption. In addition, digestion byproducts are absorbed into the fiber as it makes its way into large intestine for final excretion. Fiber arguably assists the body in clearing impurities from its largest organ - the skin. A significant concentration of impurities left behind in the absence of fiber can create a situation where a portion of that byproduct concentration can show up in the epidermal layer of the skin. Fiber also increases the potency of other supplements through clearing the pathways for superior absorption, while allowing the body to properly balance its acidic concentration for proper digestion. With fiber and water for internal cleansing, you can't go wrong.


Recommended Product(s):

FiberSOL

The Fat Loss Advantage of Lean Muscle

Lean mass gains offer so many advantages compared to the publicly accepted misperception of totally avoiding them for fear of "getting too big" that many of these advantages seem highly paradoxical in nature. One that challenges public perception is the undisputed fact that lean muscle itself burns fat and is in constant metabolic acceleration 24/7. People of normal body composition who only want to lose weight don't want to accept this, but they're at double disadvantage compared to those who are more muscular with the same bodyfat percentage. The person with greater lean mass on average has a specific metabolic advantage: skeletal muscle continuously burns fat and repartitions requisite lipid concentrations to facilitate cellular processes within muscle cells. Therefore, the metabolic increase necessary to lower the bodyfat percentage of someone with more lean mass is actually less than that required of someone with significantly less lean mass. In addition, lean mass makes better use of the fat loss effects of repartitioning, while giving one greater fat loss control at a higher threshold level of metabolic sensitivity. In other words, the carbohydrate-to-lipid conversion risk beyond glycogen storage capacity that most people risk, during consumption is comparatively moot for those with substantial lean mass concentrations, since their increased skeletal muscle capacity can store more macro-nutrients.


Recommended Product(s):

Anabolic PUMP

Chromium Picolinate

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

HMB

Repartioning Revisited

Insulin mimickers such as vanadyl sulfate, chromium picolinate, R-Alpha Lipoic Acid, taurine and D-Pinitol, etc. can also be accelerated with the use of NO2, as the substantial increase in carbs at precise post-training and other insulin receptive temporal points, allow for the scaled increase in macro-nutrient intake and repartioning effects over time. As carbohydrates are broken down and reconverted to stored glycogen for the future energy use (and facilitation of many of the body's internal processes at the cellular level), blood vessel wall expansion increases the rate and volume, at which macro-nutrients (carbs, amino acids, and lipids) can be stored into skeletal muscle. Lipids or the more desirable subset of polyunsaturated fats can actually be repartitioned along with LDL cholesterol into muscle cells using HMB, while the aforementioned repartitioning agents facilitate carbohydrate and amino acid storage. HMB can assist in amino acid storage as well, but primarily more so through its cell wall reinforcing effect of lipid and cholesterol transition to repair and reinforce those cell membrane structures. In addition, scheduled creatine intake can also promote insulin sensitivity, which besides its cell volumizing effects can reinforce the repartitioning effect loops of the other ingredients herein. What makes creatine a bit of an outlier here is that its association with cell volumization and strength increases doesn't readily take into account the fact that its strength induction actually breaks down muscle cells further thereby increasing HMB's anti-catabolic and lipid repartitioning effects when used in conjunction. The more the cell wall becomes damaged, the more lipids and LDL cholesterol concentrations are needed to repair and reinforce the cell membrane. R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (although taken with food) can come into play here on the basis of its potent anti-oxidant effects, which may actually assist HMB, by reducing the output of free radical electrons given off through damage resulting from physical exercise. Repartitioning not only works on the basis of the types of ingredients mentioned herein, but also on the fact that some of them reinforce the properties of others thereby initiating a powerful viral loop in insulin mimicking.


Recommended Product(s):

NO2

Vanadyl Sulfate/Chromium Picolinate

R-Alpha Lipoic Acid

Creatine Monohydrate

HMB

Joint Repair Stacks

Connective tissue such as cartilage, tendon, and ligament tissue usually undergo rigorous wear and tear with many years of exercise and sports performance experience. One major reason why this type of tissue doesn't reach the healing capacity and rate of speed as that of skeletal muscle is that blood flow doesn't reach these areas in high enough concentrations the way it does for skeletal muscle through the body's cardiovascular branching mechanism. This is a critical obstacle encountered with joint supplements. Consumers are correct in that they take too long to work, and the results are negligible at best. But what if one could escalate the rate of target nutrient positioning to those areas in high enough concentrations consistently using existing supplements that already sell for other uses? Now things start to get interesting. A popular supplement of note is NO2, which may actually accelerate the repair effectiveness of specific joint supplement ingredients by widening the arterial walls and thus increasing blood flow. The expanded blood flow channel can actually saturate connective tissue with higher concentrations of supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin, hyralonic acid, MSM, and CISSUS. A consistently applied saturation of connective tissue stacking NO2 with the other aforementioned substances can actually speed joint recovery to a much greater extent than if NO2 were not incorporated. Ginkgo Biloba may also be used with NO2 in this stack, but in small quantities, so as to gradually optimize blood flow, thus allowing the connective tissue ingredients to reach their targeted areas (i.e., knees, elbows, shoulders, lower back, etc.)


Recommended Product(s):

NO2

Glucosamine/Chondroitin Sulfate/Hyralonic Acid

CISSUS

Ginkgo Biloba

Vitamin C