Question
What kind of supplement regimen would you start a newbie on? I’m just starting out, and would appreciate a little guidance. How long should it last, before I move along to more advanced stuff, and what should that stuff be?
Answer
Tough, real tough question to answer because much depends on the trainees progress, emotional maturity, goals and let’s face it – budget. Let’s start first with newbie supplementation. In past episodes, I’ve recommended lecithin granuals, at least 2 tablespoons/day. I still stand by that advice, given the broad range of benefits it conveys.
The trainee should also be investing in a quality multivitamin, essential fatty acids (if not already eating fish twice a week) and some Zinc Magnesium Asparate. These are all inexpensive, cover gaps left in your micronutrient program and in the case of lecithin granuals, act as a performance enhancer.
Once the trainee’s strength gains get rolling, it becomes a game of managing recovery between workouts. The first thing most guys try here are BCAA’s, which aren’t a bad choice but far from best in class. You want to invest in all 9 essential amino acids, including Tryptophan. At least 6 grams pre-workout is research proven to increase protein synthesis no less than 600%.
The athlete that’s really pushing things is going to want Mass Pro Synthagen, which is the Cadillac of the category. It flat out outperforms BCAA’s, EAA’s and any other intra-workout recovery formulas on the market, including hydrolyzed whey and beef proteins.
Once those are in place it’s time to evaluate how much muscle you’re putting on. If you’re like most athletes, progress comes and goes in spurts. It’s very rarely linear and almost like you need to be there to catch a wave in the event it happens. That’s far too inefficient for my tastes and I prefer to be in control of a good gaining phase. In order to do that, my go to product is Progenadrex, at predatornutrition.com. So popular it’s out of stock now, but will be back shortly.
Bottom Line
If you’re going to drop money on product, at least make sure they’re the very finest in their respective categories. You can visit coachrobregish.com to read about the best of the best. 90% of those aren’t mine btw, and I have no vested interest in them…
