Best Workout Supplements 2012
January 31, 2012
Best Workout Supplements 2012
It’s a new year and there are some new workout supplements in town which are getting quite a lot of buzz for being highly effective in helping you stay motivated and get more results from your training.
You might have some reservations about supplements especially with the negative media frenzy on supplements made overseas (particularly Asia), but if you’re smart about it and do the research by looking at what others have reviewed heavily and found good results with then you can totally use them to your advantage.
I’m also going to break it down by goal for you so know exactly which phase of your training to use it for. Ready?
Best Workout Supplements 2012: Top 10 List
- Name: Muscle Pharm Assault
Function: Pre Workout Energy Matrix.
Goal: Boost Motivation. Especially effective during leaning out phase, but can also be used during muscle gaining phase with a high carb intra-workout drink.
Main Ingredients: Beta Alanine (Nitric Oxide) and Creatine.
When to Use: 30 minutes before workout.
Review: Muscle Pharm Assault is the newest of all the pre workout energy drinks and is used by male & female fitness and strength athletes to help with blasting through a plateau and gaining lean muscle mass.
More info: Get more info on Muscle Pharm Assault. - Name: Optimum Opti-Men and Optimum Opti-Women
Function: Multi Vitamin specifically designed for men and women.
Goal: Boost Motivation. Provide essential vitamins and minerals particularly important for those training intensely or on a limited-diet.
Main Ingredients: Vitamins A,C,D,E,K, B6/12, magnesium, and much more.
When to Use: With meals.
Review: When it comes to a brand you can trust, Optimum is definitely one of the best as they have a very strict quality control system and over 10,000 reviewers have rated it 9.2/10.
More info: Get more info on Optimum Opti-Men & Optimum Opti-Women. - Name: Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion
Function: Provide essential amino acids to help repair and build muscle.
Goal: Reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass.
Main Ingredients: High quality Whey Protein.
When to Use: Between meals as a ultra-healthy snack, up to 3 times per day.
Review: Still my favorite protein powder as the taste and creamy non-grainy texture is so good you can mix it with tons of ice and have it as a chocolate or vanilla ice-cream substitute. No sugar added, aspartame free and very low in carbs.
More info: Get more info on Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion. - Name: Scivation Xtend
Function: Recovery of muscle tissue and reduced muscle pain.
Goal: Anyone who is training intensely and has sore muscles will benefit.
Main Ingredients: Branch Chained Amino Acids.
When to Use: Immediately after workouts and even during workouts for those who are especially concerned about losing muscle mass.
Review: Xtend is without a doubt a tried and tested supplement which is great for helping you recover from your workouts quicker and should be taken by anyone training more often than 3 times a week.
More info: Get more info on Scivation Xtend. - Name: Now Ultra Omega-3
Function: Cardiovascular support, improved brain function and aids in lubrication of joints.
Goal: Anyone working out regularly and doesn’t eat fish on a regular basis.
Main Ingredients: Omega 3 fatty acids.
When to Use: Take with meals.
Review: There are a lot of Omega-3/fish oil supplements in the market and few are tested for be free of potentially harmful contaminants like mercury and heavy metals, but NOW Ultra Omega-3 has strict quality control standards and is reviewed extensively to be one of the highest quality and affordable Omega’s in the market.
More info: Get more info on NOW Ultra Omega-3. - Name: Muscle Pharm Shred Matrix
Function: Thermogenic fat burner which increases energy levels and helps control cravings.
Goal: Those looking to lose weight at an accelerated pace.
Main Ingredients: Gaurana Seed (caffeine), green tea extract, saw palmetto, tumeric, ginseng.
When to Use: Before breakfast, follow instructions.
Review: Although there are a lot of fat burners/diet pills out there, most of them have quite a few harsh side effects and provide minimal results. Muscle Pharm has created this highly effective metabolism booster which also helps control crazy cravings and the ingredients are quite impressive and herbal. Take this only during your cutting phase when you are looking to lose excessive weight.
More info: Get more info on Muscle Pharm Shred Matrix. - Name: Optimum Platinum Hydrobuilder
Function: Protein blend for post workout.
Goal: If you’re wanting to really gain lean muscle mass or are having muscle soreness that won’t go away.
Main Ingredients: Whey Protein Isolate and Casein.
When to Use: Immediately after exercise (preferably within the hour)
Review: Hydrobuilder is an ultra high quality protein blend that is specifically formulated to help your muscles grow big and strong, and it’s slow digestion helps feed your muscles for hours after consumption thereby accelerating muscle recovery phase.
More info: Get more info on Platinum Hydrobuilder. - Name: Advanced Allflex
Function: Reduce joint pain.
Goal: For those of you working out intensely, runners with knee pain, and those lifting heavy weights who need joint pain relief.
Main Ingredients: MSM (natural sulfur compound which helps with joint collagen synthesis).
When to Use: Immediately after fist meal of day.
Review: There are few joint supplements that live up to their hype, but Advanced Allflex is one that has greatly benefited me and clients I have trained that have had joint pain issues.
More info: Get more info on Advanced ALLFLEX. - Name: Magnum Nutraceuticals CLA
Function: Metabolic activator for burning fat.
Goal: Those looking to lose body fat without the use of stimulating ingredients.
Main Ingredients: CLA.
When to Use: Three times daily.
Review: CLA or conjugated linoleic acid is a natural occurring fatty acid that has been proven to help with speeding up metabolism and aiding the energy cycle without any stimulants and is therefore safe and has no side effects. Results are gradual and take several weeks to show results which also means less chance of excess skin development since body has the time to adapt.
More info: Get more info on Magnum Nutraceuticals CLA. - Name: NOW Green Tea Extract
Function: Energy enhancer and supports cardiovascular system.
Goal: Wanting to lose weight and protect organs against free radicals.
Main Ingredients: Green tea extract.
When to Use: Once or twice during morning/early afternoon.
Review: NOW green tea extract has no other additives and is a pure product which is rich in antioxidants protecting our skin and organs from free radicals which are a cause of the chemicals in our environment and foods.
More info: Get more info on NOW Green Tea Extract.
Have any questions or feedback about the best workout supplements of 2012? Please leave a comment below…
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Best Pre Workout Supplements
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Workout supplements really get a bad rap especially by those who have not done their research to find reputable companies that have proof in their results.
Unfortunately more often than not, people don’t understand how effective (and safe) supplements can be, so it’s time for a quick shake-up of your routine.
As you’ve probably heard me emphasize quite extensively, diet and nutrition are key components of any workout or fitness plan. It’s important to give your body the fuel it needs to repair tissue, build muscle, and recover from hard workouts that can really deplete your resources.
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There’s definitely a lot of different energy bars out there, it seems like there’s a new one every week. But most are filled with corn syrups, sugars and other ingredients you definitely want to stay away from.
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There are a lot of protein and energy bars which claim to be “healthy” but unfortunately with some great marketing the ingredients and calories are disguised very cleverly and they lead to unneccessary weight gain rather than helping you fight the cravings.
Some of the most deceiving include cliff bars which are full of syrups and processed flours which are “organic” and therefore supposed to be better.
But before you pass on protein bars altogether, you should consider this list first! I’m about to review the top 5 protein bars currently on the market which aren’t extra high on the calorie list or if they are they are also full of protein so they will really help you feel full longer.
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During this time of year we’re all trying to lose some extra weight we’ve put on, so looking for healthy ways to help us fight the good fight can never go unappreciated right?
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Soy protein shakes and snacks have become popular health food options.
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Branch Chained Amino Acids are also known as BCAA’s and stimulate the body’s own recovery process by providing the essential amino acids that our bodies need to produce muscle and build immunity.
You see, proteins break down into smaller particles known as amino acids that are utilized in the body to produce new proteins (muscle) or to be stored and burned as energy. Thus, amino acids are the building blocks of muscle tissue.
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Cytosport Cyto Gainer can facilitate your protein intake, because being ripped requires a very high amount of consistent protein intake so your muscles can grow and get that sexy tone.
The problem is that most of the time when you buy whey powder protein, it is chalk full of fats and sugars. These are unnecessary when you are trying to achieve lean muscle mass.
Cytosport has none of these excess fats and sugar, only good carbs and ample protein that are essential for athletes, bodybuilders, individuals trying to gain strength, and anyone looking to improve muscle tone and quality. It uses whey protein which is the fastest digesting protein on the market as well as maltodextrins which are complex carbohydrates which provide a constant feed of energy to your muscles.
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Arguably the most important time to take supplements is post-workout when your uptake is at its highest rate and this is the time when your muscles gobble up amino acids, vitamins and other elements to help it recover and grow definition.
This is the third and final segment in my best workout supplements series and it will definitely pack a punch in giving you the results you desire the most.
Speaking of results, with post-recovery our goal should be to replenish all the stores of energy in our muscles and make sure we have given them enough nutrients so we don’t go too far into a catabolic state (catabolic is the time when our muscle is broken down and used for energy).
