Workout supplementation

Question
Hello Tim,

Hope all is well.

I'm 33 years old (male) and lead a relatively active life. I workout 3 times a week and usually take Whey protein. My goal is to gain a couple of kgs in muscle while losing s few in fat.. I understand the nutrition and dieting habits and I love to cook which helps.

I am 5'9 and weigh 80 kgs

I wanted to ask if you are aware of "Purple K creatine" as we'll as "CLA with Raspberry - Keaton's Myoplex1000"? Can I take the two together along with the whey protein as well?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

Issa

Answer
Hi Issa,

Great question, supplements are my specialty and favorite subject.

Whey protein is king when it come to supplements. you're doing the right thing by using it.
Be sure to drink a shake before each workout and immediately after.
The pre workout shake should be 20-25 grams, the post workout 30-40.

The other key to putting on muscle is lifting heavy enough and in the proper rep range.
Aim for a weight that allows you to complete 10-12 reps per set. If you can do 13-15 with ease then consider increasing the weight 2-5 pounds. Each set should be a challenge. You should need your rest period at the end of the set to rest and not just because the set is over.

Keep in mind that genetics plays part in it too. Some people can put on muscle easier than others.

Also make sure you eat enough calories. Get protein in at all your meals from eggs, poultry, lean beef, fish, or supplemental protein.

Now as for supplements. You mention K creatine, do you mean kre-alkalyn?
I'm not overly sold on kre-alkalyn despite its label claims. There is just not enough research to back up the claims on it. Its very similar to the ethyl ester form a few years back that made bold claims about its superiority over monohydrate. It was actually found that CEE was  converted back to monohydrate in the body, thus a lot of the claims went out the window.

With creatine you can't go wrong with creatine monohydrate. It is one of the most researched and clinically backed forms of creatine.
If you want, go ahead and check out the article I wrote about creatine on my site http://bestfitnessnow.com/2011/10/what-is-it-creatine/
The only other really validated form besides monohydrate is creatine hydrochloride or Creatine HCL.

Now the CLA you mentioned is great but won't aide you in gaining mass. However you can take them with the whey. Pretty much any supplement can be used in conjunction with whey.
I like CLA a lot but it is more for maintaining leanness and fat loss.

Other good supplements for adding muscle mass are branched chain amino acids or BCAAs. These 3 amino acids are vital to helping repair and build muscle tissue. Whey contains BCAAs naturally but you can always supplement with them.
Use BCAAs pre and post workout, but if you can only afford once, post workout is best.
Another important amino is Glutamine.

This is an example of a pre and post workout supplement plan. Remember, this is just an example, especially with the caffeine it all depends on your tolerance and time of day you train.

30 minutes prior to workout
2-5 grams arginine
200-300 mg caffeine
5 grams BCAA
5 grams creatine monohydrate or 2 grams Creatine HCL
(you can buy pre workout supplements that contain all this)

Immediately before
20-25 gram whey shake

within 30 minutes after workout
30-45 gram whey shake or whey/casein mix
5 grams creatine monohydrate or 2 grams creatine HCL
5 grams BCAAs
5 grams glutamine
30 grams fast digesting carbs such as dextrose. You can also use white potato, white bread, or half or a 32 oz Gatorade.

Here is an article I wrote on training that may be of help
http://bestfitnessnow.com/2011/04/training-101/

Hopefully I was able to address your concerns. But you are always free to write back in.

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