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.

icic!
Where would i buy them at? GNC?
What kinda foods do you guys recommend also?
I know Egg whites, fish, chicken breast is good source for protein but what else?
I need a good plan! Someone help me please.

I like bodybuilding.com, but if you shop around there are cheaper sites.

With the foods mentioned, also lots of lean beef. Don't overdo the egg yolks, but I wouldn't do all egg whites by themselves though. Also need lots of carbs to go with the protein, especially if you're trying to gain weight. Brown/white rice, potatoes, whole grains....nuts, peanut butter....

I was on the Waterbury High Frequency System for about 2 months.
Anyone recommend any other system?
I'm trying to be 170 but cut up!

I liked sizeon I noticed a diff with it. Superpump makes you dookie like wild though :ugh2:

Fish oil is good. Pick some up.

GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Vitamin World....any vitamin/nutrition store would sell fish oil.

Egg whites are good. Im not a fan of fish so I ate chicken. I also ate LOTS of pasta. Pretty much everytime after I lifted I would make a huge dish of pasta. PB&J sandwiches are good also. I had some every 2hrs or so.

+1 to all this

What do you weigh now?

I'll weigh myself tomorrow at the gym! :tup:

I've heard of Size-on quite a few times. From researching

The thing that is kinda hard about about supplements is that some of them counteract each other or so they say from what I have read. Such as L-Arginine is supposedly diminished by glutamine. I've read that and it says the same on Nitrix not saying you cant take glutamine products but that the time in-between needs to be a few hours.

Also I've read that Creatine needs to be consumed within 30 minutes after you work out any truth to that?

Idk... when I took it I drank it while I lifted.

are you kidding me. 400g of protein (if we assume that the the OP weighs 200lbs) intake per day is an extreme excess. The articles mentioned are so flawed in studies because their controls use sports athletes that don't account for other "sports enhancing substances." Post something from a reputable dietitian or science journal that says 2g of protein is safe, then maybe there would be more backing. Prolonged intake of 400g of protein a day will cause all sorts of problems. Just off the top of my head, high cholesterol and kidney problems.

Don't get me wrong, athletes benefit from a higher amount of protein than recommended from the RDA. However, the human body is all about balance. If you're placing more stress on your body, the extra protein will benefit in the recovery process. But, if you give your body 400g of protein not only will most of it be passed out due to excess, but will place stress on the kidneys after prolonged high levels of protein. Balance is key.

Egg whites, chicken, and red meats are good sources. Fish is great too; however, don't over do the frequency of fish. A good friend of mine had mercury poisoning from eating strictly fish.

There is also cheese, milk, nuts, and soy. Products associated with those are usually high in protein.

Thank you! :tiphat:
Does anyone know any good plan to get ripped?
I'll need the exercises and the reps and sets i'd have to do. thanks

When's the best time in the day to take a creatine pill supplement? I've been using GNC's Amplified Creatine 189, but I fear I may not be taking the pills at a proper time. Do I take them right after a workout, right before a workout, or just in the morning along with my multivitamins?

Not very healthy, but when I was in Cuba and on other deployments I went from 165 to 187 in a 7month period. I took:
fish oil,
vita-packs,
2 protein shakes during the day,
syntha 6 at night,
8 D-Bols throughout the day
6 meals a day (except in Iraq)

1hr calisthenics in the morning 1hr gym time in the evening. Making sure to work all three of the muscle fiber categories depending on exercises.

Well yea D-bols will get you ripped. We are referring to Dianabol right?

You can do before/after or both. No real a best time.

My pre-workout supp has creatine, so I take it before. After your workout though, I believe the body will absorb creatine at a greater rate.

However, once your muscles get creatine "saturated" from regular use, it really doesn't matter either way.

Yeah, the stuff from Legalsteroids.com not the "real" dianabol

Dont forget turkey it has high protein and only a small amount of fat. Ground turkey is excellent for chili, burgers etc etc. I would also suggest using BCAAs in with your protein shakes. They are already in most porteins but supplementing helps with protein synthesis and muscle recovery. I've been using them for a couple of months and I'm never sore as long as I take it within 10-20 minutes of my workout.

Okay I'm still confused!
What do you guys recommend?
Protein shakes before or after lifting?

A shake with both protein and carbs is essential after your workout. Some whey before doesn't hurt, but I'd prefer to have a real meal maybe an hour or so beforehand.

Protein shakes are meant to supplement more protein to provide "raw material" for muscle rebuilding after workouts. Essentially when you work out, you are pushing your muscles to higher stress loads. The effect of this is muscle damage, which is why you feel sore after after work outs. The soreness is due to the contents of your muscles cells spilling out. You want to take a post workout protein shake 30 mins after working out. Protein shakes are effective spread out through out the day. I usually take one in the morning, post workout, and after dinner. Each shake contains about 36g of protein.

The key thing with muscle building is providing the right nutrients and recovery time. In reality going to the gym is only half the battle.

Please keep in mind, that many of the methods that other people will tell you are methods that work for them. The way our bodies react are unique for each person. Find what works best for you and stick with it.

You have some good advice but you are spreading some common fallacies about workout soreness. I'm assuming by "spilling out" you are referring to the production of lactate as an anaerobic by product of cell metabolism. Lactate is constantly produced by the cells of the body and only rises during strenuous anaerobic activity. Lactate isn't a waste product, it simply allows the cells to anaerobically metabolize carbohydrates to generate energy. Lactate dissipates quickly via the blood stream and is converted back into pyruvate, which is the starting point for the TCA/krebs cycle (aerobic metabolism).

Lactate levels return to normal within a few hours after strenuous exercise. Thus, lactate can't be the culprit of 'muscle soreness' that we feel more than a few hours after a work out. The exact cause isn't completely understood but current explanations suggest that soreness is the result of microtearing in the muscle tissue.

I agree with everything else you said. I personally prefer my post work out shake immediately after a workout, and a meal within an hour of working out.

gym rat here!! haha well here is a little background of me.. I'm 22 i have been working out for 4 years now.. it all started when i change my major to Kinesiology and naturally fell in love with the effects of working out for not only a healthy lifestyle, but for the boost in confidence in every part of your life..

I started out at a whoppin 130lbs @ 5'11''... TRUST ME, I hated being the skinny guy.. after continually going to the gym and trying different supplements AND CONTINUALLY CHANGING MY WORKOUT EVERY 2-3WEEKS.. i am now 180lbs @ 6.7% body fat..

In the past i have cycled creatine once.. but recently I have cycled super pump250 + whey protein and superpump250 + Surge biotest... super pump and surge are GREAT products... they helped me get over my wall a couple times now.. Surge has got to be one of the best post workout products I have taken and can only be bought on their site, they are made by biotest... when i got it there was a really good deal 3 tubs (15 servings each) for 99$ tax shipping included.. and chocolate flavor taste great!


Right now I am trying NO2 by bsn which like everyone says is high in caffeine. Myself being very sensitive to caffeine because I don't drink coffee or soda.. this stuff makes me very jittery and sometimes makes it difficult for me to breathe when i work out cause my heart rate is so fast. Not only that, but this stuff has made my blood pressure rise to 170/110 even one hour after the workout!!! so be careful with this stuff.. I only take half a serving now because of that, which seems to better fit my body.


and as far as using protein as a post workout:
The thing is, whey protein is great as a meal replacement, or if your trying to pack more calories, but I know a lot of people take protein after they work out and some even take around 3-4 servings thinking its more protein the body is utilizing, but in reality your wasting protein/money. My recommendation, is to take one serving of protein after you workout, along with some sugars (like 12 ounces of Gatorade). When your working out your insulin levels drop significantly, in order for your body to absorb the maximum amount of protein for recovery, your insulin levels must be back to normal, therefore taking it with Gatorade. You can take it before the protein or after it does not matter. This is why some of the best post workout products have a proper ratio of PROTEIN/SUGARS/CARBS..

hope this helps! :)... REP?

Got my rep! :tup:
Thank you very much!
I never knew this before. :tiphat:

Great thread! Thanks for the reply, sensi. Does anyone have any experience with GNC Amplified Mass XXX (http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3480829)? Seems a bit expensive and I'm torn between whether to go with that or the Surge Recovery which is cheaper but that's before shipping.

Also how good is Muscle Milk? http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2957401

"Spilling out" was more of a layman's term. For the sake of discussion I was trying to keep it simple lol. But yes you are correct, the soreness is thought to be caused by the the tearing of the muscle tissue. However, this is part of the signal cascade responsible for alerting the body to repair the broken tissue. There are numerous mechanisms that are suspect to facilitate this with numerous literature suggesting all types of methods; however, I think we can go on and on as far what happens at the cell biology level.