Not Your Average Fitness Tips

Archive for the ‘Muscle Building Supplements’ Category

Today I’d like to discuss branched chain amino acids.  You may have heard of BCAAs before but do they really live up to their claim of being effective for losing fat and gaining muscle?  While I’d say there are many benefits of BCAAs, whether you decide to supplement with them will depend in part on when you exercise and how restrictive your diet is.  For fasted training, I’d highly recommend using branched chain amino acids to help prevent muscle loss while maximizing fat loss.  Any other time, there’s probably only a marginal benefit at best. Continue Reading…

What are the best supplements for weight loss and muscle gain?  While supplement marketing companies might contend otherwise, I think there are only a few supplements that work.  Even then, you should consider whether the cost/benefit is really worthwhile.  Personally, I don’t think supplements are an integral part of any diet and exercise program.  However, they may help you accelerate results.  Just remember, the dirty little secret of supplements for weight loss and muscle gain is that you actually need to diet and exercise for them to be effective.  That being said, in my opinion, what follows are some of the best supplements for weight loss and muscle gain. Continue Reading…

I’ve used my fair share of supplements over the years and I’m convinced that creatine is the best muscle building supplement.  That being said, my personal experience pales in comparison to the vast number of studies that have been done touting myriad creatine benefits.  In fact, Brad Pilon analyzed many such studies in How Much Protein and concluded creatine resulted in more muscle gains than post workout nutrition.  By supplementing with creatine, you can increase strength, increase higher intensity exercise performance, and increase muscle volume and growth.

Creatine is a natural component found primarily in the body’s skeletal muscle.  The most prevalent sources of ingested creatine are meat and fish.  After ingestion, creatine is transported to muscles to increase their energy levels by increasing the availability of ATP.  The increased ATP provides an extra kick during repeated bouts of intense exercise which helps the body build more muscle. Continue Reading…

HGH is a hot supplement.  Many athletes and celebrities have been busted for illegally purchasing HGH injections.  What’s so special about HGH (human growth hormone)?  It’s a hormone that burns fat and preserves muscle mass.  What person wouldn’t want that?  The amazing thing is that you don’t need supplements to increase production of this hormone.  There are a few simple tricks to naturally increase your HGH levels without illegally buying drugs.   Continue Reading…