The truth is, supplements don’t build great physiques. Great physiques are made in the gym and kitchen, with hard work and discipline; however, if you’re like 80% of all lifters out there, then having a few key supplements on hand will boost your muscle-building gains by 20-50%. That’s like adding 5lbs each month or more to your lifts.
What supplements should you be taking then? Here are the supplements that will make the most significant impact on your physique and performance:
Table of Contents
Whey Protein Powder
Whey Protein is a must-have for any lifter. It’s a fast-digesting protein that helps promote muscle growth, repair, and recovery. Whey is a must for any lifter who wants to maximize muscle mass and strength gains.
Whey is a supplement that will predominantly help you build muscle mass and make you appear humongous. It is a supplement worthy of your attention and money.
Creatine Monohydrate
The primary function of Creatine is to supply your working muscles with an extra reserve of Phosphate-bound energy. By doing this, Creatine helps you increase both power output and lean muscle tissue resulting in increased muscular performance.
Creatine gives you the energy to put in that extra rep during your workout. Therefore it can increase your strength and muscle growth.
Creatine is one of the essential muscle-building supplements you can have in your workout bag. It will help you with recovery, muscle mass, and strength gains. Finding the right creatine for women might look a bit different than if you’re a guy looking for creatine, so make sure you do some research before choosing the right product.
BCAAs
Branched Chain Amino Acids, or BCAAs, are necessary for any lifter. They are essential for muscle growth, recovery, and performance. BCAAs help prevent muscle breakdown and helps you recover faster from your workouts.
They also help increase strength and power output. It would be best to take BCAAs before and after workouts.
Casein Protein
Casein is a slow-digesting protein that helps to promote lean muscle-building gains. It’s great to take before bed as it will help you recover overnight for your next workout session.
You should take casein at any time of the day whenever you need a slow-digesting protein source, but it’s best taken immediately before bed. Taking casein just before bedtime will help you recover and build muscle while you sleep.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is an amino acid that reduces exercise-induced fatigue, allowing you to train at higher levels for more extended periods. After supplementation, Beta-Alanine will allow you to lift heavier weight for more reps.
You should take Beta-alanine on training days to give you that extra energy you need for your next workout session. The supplement allows you to work out with more intensity allowing you to lift more weight.
Beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB)
HMB has a positive effect on building muscle and reducing muscle breakdown. It also helps you recover from strenuous workouts. By taking HMB, you can expect to have increased strength, increased lean body mass, improved recovery from your workouts, and reduced exercise-induced muscle damage.
HMB is naturally produced by the body and can be found in small amounts in catfish, chicken, beef, and pork. But the levels of HMB found in food are not enough to provide the muscle-building benefits that you get from taking a supplement.
Pre-workout Supplements
These supplements are designed to give you a boost of energy before you hit the gym. They typically contain a high dose of caffeine, Creatine, and ingredients that give you a temporary pump in the gym.
Taking one of these supplements 20-30 minutes before your workout will get you jacked up for some serious weight training session. Examples of pre-workout supplements include, but are not limited to, C4 by Cellucor, Jack3d by USP Labs, and Nitric oxide by BSN.
While many other supplements can be beneficial to building muscle mass and strength, they are not necessary. By taking a combination of these supplements, you will see an increase in lean body tissue, strength, and endurance.
By building your strength gains through these supplements, you will increase your chances of building muscle mass at a greater rate. All of these supplements are affordable and can be purchased online or in most supplement stores, just make sure to do some research on each one before making a purchase.
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