Supplements

Badseed

WKR
Joined
Jul 10, 2020
Messages
468
Like others have pointed out, MTN ops is a great marketing scheme but thats about it. As far as pre workouts go I have tried a ton of them and ended up sticking with GAT sports nitraflex. No jitters, great focus and energy. Protein powder is easy, optimum nutrition gold standard. Why? Because its the gold standard. Costco carries it too.


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AKSandman

FNG
Joined
Apr 17, 2021
Messages
76
@Eddy C, I took creatine (saturated) and Then added L arginine and boy will you want to move! (maybe check with your doctor before trying this)
Post workout, kind of depends what your goals are. If you want a good protein, I went with a vegetable protein instead of whey protein because of how it is absorbed and used by the body. I also add in a high DHA fish oil (Nordic naturals pro dha 1000) and curcumin supplement for inflammation and recovery management.

this is what worked for me at least
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
1,457
Location
Great Falls MT
OK Eddie,

Here's an unpopular opinion. Supplements are mainly about supplementing the pockets of the companies vs actually helping you to be fit. Sorry but it's true in my experience.

If I had taken the money I'd spent on fancy marketing and spent it with a good dietitian like Kyle Kamp I'd have seen real results years ago.

Pre- I get it. I use coffee. But I really like the convenience of Jockos energy drinks. Grab a can from the fridge and go. Caffeine can really help a workout.

Protein powder- Why eat dust when you can eat real food? Yogurt, egg whites lean meat, chocolate milk?

The only supplement I take is Creatine. And that's not even needed. I've just been playing with it because it's one of the only things what's backed by real science. And it's definitely not something I'd take if I was trying to lose weight. I'm only taking it for making my guns look bigger so the wife thinks I'm hotter than I actually am

Seriously, save the coin. Get a dietian. Buy a better pack or boots. Keep it simple.

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Joined
Jun 3, 2021
Messages
51
Location
Eastern Maine
☝🏻 I spent way too much on supplements for years. Every one promised to make the difference and I can’t say that a single one did. Well, there was one that I had about 20 years ago that was a prohormone but they didn’t quite say that so I gained about 15 lbs in 8 weeks and had some nifty side effects, but other than that, I don’t even take creatine anymore. The biggest difference I see is eating whole foods and keeping track. I paid for RP diet templates a few years ago and they changed my physique more than anything. I eat enough red meat that creatine is just a water retainer and I only use protein powder occasionally to meet my daily goal. I can tell you that I LOVED preworkouts. I haven’t had any in a year and I still think about them😂, just not when I’m lifting anymore. To be honest, about half the time I took a good pre, I ended up feeling really great for a couple sets and then my mind would go nuts and I’d be thinking of too many other things to focus on my sets. As far as recovery... good food, sleep and rest are where it’s at. I get better results when I’m not trying to rush them. Dropping about a dozen movements and at least two days of lifting swapped for rest or quick HIT type training has helped quite a bit and it seems easier to make progress.
 

willidru

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
577
Location
California
Not a caffeinated pre work out, but I like Kion aminos. I haven’t found a protein that I like bang for buck better than ON gold standard from Costco.
 

Outlaw99

WKR
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
775
For an excellent pre workout, caffeine free supplement that really opens up the vessels and gets the blood flowing; give Axe & Sledge “Hydraulic” a try. It’s really good stuff
 

PablitoPescador

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
203
All the wild game we eat is loaded with creatine, B vitamins and aminos. If you’re eating about a lb of red meat every day there is no reason to supplement. I used to blow tons of money on supplements that I now feel were basically just an expensive placebo. I take the money I used to put into that junk and put it into real food and buying more tags
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
39
I start the day with pre workout for my 4 am workouts. My post workout recovery food is oatmeal, whatever protein powder is on sale at costco, walnuts, and 5 grams of creatine. I was a personal trainer for many years through college and have done all manner of body building and powerlifting workouts for two decades and I've found what works for me. I keep cardio for non lifting days. Also, this my first post after so much lurkering. I love all the info here.
 

*zap*

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
7,115
Location
N/E Kansas
^ welcome to posting!..
you might try grinding the walnuts up in a food processor, I do ground walnuts/almonds with my daily oatmeal. Ground nuts will digest much better....no lost nutrition.
 

NolanKM

FNG
Joined
Jun 25, 2021
Messages
18
The best pre-workout might be whatever helps you stay consistent. These days I rely on coffee and the devil's music.

Tried a few things throughout the years, staying away from stuff that might be over the top. There is no biological free lunch. A cordyceps mushroom supplement seems to make a difference before very hard workouts, a quality post-workout protein medley seems to accelerate recovery, and I have yet to decide whether krill or fish oil helps with joint pain. All that said, I cannot rule out placebo.

Of course all these companies would have you believe they have the best, purest, most futuristic ingredient concoctions that will help you make some sort of breakthrough. In reality, consistent nutrition and thoughtful training will take the vast majority of people much further.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2017
Messages
48
Location
TX
I feel like the people who say "why do you need that" or " you don't need that" are the same people that say pellet smokers are cheating and should be driving their paychecks to the bank to deposit them manually.

You don't "need" a lot of things but if they make things easier, better, faster etc. why would you not want them? I mean, you can cut your grass with scissors but, the invention of the lawnmower was pretty handy.

I personally can drink a pot of coffee and go straight to sleep so I like the kick that comes with a pre-workout. Especially when everything in my being is telling me to slap the snooze at 4 am. It's been my experience that a good nitric oxide greatly improves your strength and stamina, helping you achieve whatever fitness goal you may have, along with lowering BP and increasing blood flow. That's good for even the ones who don't have any particular goals.

Amino acids are proven to help muscle recuperation. While you CAN get this from food as the naysayers have brought to light in this thread. It's a supplement, its meant to supplement... if you're on a calorie deficit program and don't want to take in the calories that come with a full meal, or if its just convenient to take a supplement vs preparing a meal, then they certainly have their place.

To further that point, GNC Wheybolic protein, particularly the cafe latte flavor is the best tasting, no sugar protein mix out there IMO. Low cal (not a meal replacement) and low carb. It's perfect for those strength training and looking to trim the fat. I've been on this long game approach of keeping body fat low while gaining muscle and strength and it's helped out tremendously.
 

hintzy56

FNG
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
13
Preworkouts are a waste for the most part, mostly caffeine. Creatine, coffee and whole foods. Protein powders are fine if you're on the go but not the same as whole foods.
 

*zap*

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
7,115
Location
N/E Kansas
The right supps for you taken at the right times can make a world of difference. L-arginine for example, taken in the right doses and at the right times can greatly increase your hgh production. This will be apparent by hair and nail growth. When your facial hair is thicker and you need to shave more often it is not a psychosomatic effect...

I only use a few supps but I know that they are very much worth taking.
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Messages
762
Location
Northeast Pa
I get all my supps from bodybuilding.com and if you have not tried beta-alanine 3200mg tablets for a pre-workout you dont know what you are missing. One is ok, but two about 15 minutes prior to the w/o and you will NOT get tired...I dont care how much weight you are lifting, and even 2 hours into it you want another 2 hours. I would take a pre-workout drink an hour before and 2 tabs of the B-A when I hit the locker-room to change into my w/o clothes. When your face starts to get itchy in about 10 minutes, you know its game on. The itchy feeling only lasts a few minutes. One time I was doing bench bent-over dumbell rows with a 190 lb dumbell switching side to side 10 reps for 3 sets.....until i just about passed out.....i just had so much GO. That was AFTER my sets of heavy deep back squats and deadlifts. My normal 4x/week w/o was 1.5 hours of HEAVY deadlifters routines with supplementary muscle lifting afterwards for an hour. Never be possible w/o the beta-alanine. The past 3 years, at 61 now, has been a lot less weight and a lot less intensity. At 58 I was still doing 500/500/320 for deadlift/squat/benchpress and 2200 on a 45* inclined leg press for full range of motion. Supps(not roids)help old guys make young guys look bad...and I did.
 
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