Gym Rats enter! Suggestions Suggestions!
 

Well I dont know if anyone here goes to the gym. But I was trying to get advice on different stacks or supplements people prefer. I have 2 months left in Iraq so I want to hit the gym good. I been going while I was here and gone from 181 to 200lbs in 1 year im 6'1 BTW.

So right now I am trying mostly BSN products.

Syntha-6
Cellmass
Nitrix
N.O.-Xplode
Twin Labs Amino Fuel (basically branched-chained amino acids)

Anyone out there got recommendations or think this is a good stack?

Basically looking to gain Mass then Cut once I get back to germany.

I'll be happy to just get back into the routine. My back messed up last year and I haven't worked out regularly in about 9 months...... time to re-motivate myself!

John

Please stay away from BSN products, their products are decent but they're extremely overpriced since people are buying it from all that marketing they do. As for basic supplements, I take:

Optimum nutrition Whey Protein (post-workout)
Optimum nutrition Casein Protein (morning and night, take it with some peanut butter or cottage cheese at night specifically)
Controlled Labs Green Mag Creatine
Controlled Labs Orange Triad Multivitamin
Controlled Labs Purple Wrath BCAA
I'm taking a break from preworkout supplements atm.

If you're concerned about mass, just take 2x the grams of protein equal to your weight in lbs. For example, if you're 200lbs now, you'll have to take at least 400g in protein. Make sure you're also eating sufficient amount calories, there's several calculators available online.

xplode made me sick every time I tried using it. But my gym partner became an animal on the stuff, so it was really worth it for him. I did a little better with nitrix, but nothing that made it worth the cash. I just stick to the basics now, creatine and whey.

EDIT: he also had to take way more of the xplode to get it to work than the label tells you to never go over.

Yeah that's why you're supposed to cycle NO products. Most people do 4 weeks on, 1 week off. They're basically a big heaping scoop of caffeine and the body eventually gets used to it.

NO-Xplode is just a ton of caffeine. Lots of people hype it up, but it really is a waste.

I'm 5'10'' 1/2 and I currently weigh 163.
I used to weigh 152. I took protein shakes here and then. I even tried creatine 4 times but I wanted to just go natural. I want to be 170 but ripped!
I need some good exercises for my back, shoulders and chest!
I was real weaksauce when I first started to lift.
I couldnt even put up 25's on each side of the bench bars...
So help me out!

When I was younger and my metabolism was out of control, I used to be a workout freak. I found Flank steak, and lots of spinach and lots of juiced carrots supplemented into my diet made a huge difference in terms of weight gain (muscle mass) but I had to make sure I didn't burn it up to fast. I'm personally not a fan of "weight gainers" but they definitely work for some people.

Good luck on your regiment plan.

Edit: i was 5'7 and 170, but all muscle. working in demolition at the time didn't hurt either. I was benching 250-275 as a regular weight and I was also running 5-6 miles a day.

Please don't listen to the 2x your weight is the amount of protein you should take. The recommended minimum amount .8 g of protein per kilogram of weight. For athletic individuals anywhere between 1.2g-1.4g per kilograms. Exceeding more than 2g per kilogram will put a large amount of stress on your kidneys.

As far as stacks go, this is what I use:
Universal nutrition: Shock Therapy (Pre-workout)
Dark matter: (post workout)
Optimum nutrition gold standard whey protein
Optimum nutrition Procomplex weight gainer
Centrum multivitamins

I use this because I have an extremely active metabolism. I'm 6'3" and weigh 195 pounds. I have to use a weight gainer to provide enough calories through out the day. Like what others have said BSN is an expensive brand and overpriced. There are many alternatives out there.

The key is eating balanced and taking in protein through out the day. Protein synthesis happens during the day. Be sure you get plenty of rest, stay hydrated. If you're trying to cut down, eat lean foods (chicken breast, lean meats, fish) and cut down on the calories. You still need to maintain a balanced diet to ensure you are taking in adequate amounts of carbs, fats, and vitamins. Don't fall for trendy diets. A strict diet and exercise regiment is the best way to go. The results are reliable and the effects are long lasting.

On a reference note, I'm a biologist in the infant nutrition market. Nutrition is my specialty. Be really careful about information that you hear from "meatheads." A lot of methods that I over hear all the time are very dangerous for you body that can really screw you.

I thought Protein synthesis happens during sleep? I use the recommended dosage of 2 scoops for Syntha-6 I was doing some reading that it contains the slow digesting proteins. So that its good for overnight before bed.

Shock therapy never heard of that.

As far as No-xplode goes it works I have to go about 4 scoops. I cycled off for about a 1 week. But the body does get use to it quickly I think.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Syntha-6 is just probably a Casein blend. You take it at night along with other fatty food(healthy) such as peanut butter or cottage cheese and it'll keep your metabolism going throughout the night.




@initialgemini
Amount of protein intake is debatable but the formula I provided is not just by random meatheads on the internet, it's been around for a while approved various scientific community.


T-Nation.com | Protein Debate

Is Too Much Protein Unhealthy and Bad for Your Kidneys? | Fitness Black Book

As long as your kidneys are normal, staying active, and staying hydrated, OP shouldn't have much of a problem.

What I took when I lifted before I was hurt

Protein shakes
Glutamine pills 5min before lifting
Superpump250 45min before lifting
SizeOn while lifting
Glutamine after lifting again

All I can think of off the top of my head Ill find out the whole thing later.

Some good info here. It's a good stack, but as mentioned, BSN is overpriced.

Other than a good diet and consistent training, all you really need is a whey protein and a fast acting carb such as maltodextrin or glycomaize post-workout.

I like something pre-workout out though. The aforementioned Universal Storm is good. It's like no-xplode, but is cheaper, has more servings and only requires a single scoop. I'm currently taking Dymatize's caffeine-free Xpand pre-workout. Xpand is decently priced and contains enough creatine so that a separate creatine is not needed.

I also take fish oil and a multi-vitamin, but don't think those count as supplements. Everything is else is unnecessary IMO. However amino acids are excellent, but for the price, I would only purchase if I were cutting weight.

Haha! They sell size on at my gym thats the creatine i took couple times...
Do you guys recommend taking fish oil vitamins? :confused:

I would definitely take fish oil. I use to take flax oil, but flax oil supplements appears to have some negative effects on testosterone. I'm not well-versed on the subject, but flax seed oil in supplement form is not recommended, but in the intake of actual flaxseed is fine.