You might be the sort of man who wants to truly go the extra mile when it comes to getting into shape and looking great. You want more than only a mean body – you want larger, more defined muscles and a sculpted body that turns heads when you walk by. There’s simply exercising, and then there is bodybuilding.
Staying healthy, losing weight and toning up are noble and worthwhile pursuits, but for the guy who decides to turn it up a couple of notches, figuring out where to begin can be frustrating as all hell. Among the most confusing topics for the beginner is picking the best bodybuilding supplements.
Besides certain basic aspects like eating a proper diet, getting lots of water, exercising properly, and dedication, supplements can be some of the main tools in a bodybuilder’s arsenal. They ensure you will get an edge and optimize your workouts so that every ounce of effort you put in counts.
If you’re a bit unsure about where to begin, we’ve made a list of what we believe are the basic, top bodybuilding supplement collections that novices should think about using.
Without a doubt, you can add muscle mass simply by eating right and lifting weights. But to truly maximize your muscle growth, workout supplements for weight training are a requirement. When it comes to bodybuilding supplements, it’s best to stick with those supported by science, both in terms of efficacy and safety.
What are the best weight training supplements? Protein supplements, pre-workout, intra-workout and post-workout supplements, fat loss supplements, and of course, muscle building supplements. Are you trying to build muscle mass, but not seeing fast results? Read our reviews on top muscle-building supplements for faster muscle gains!
Why Best Workout Supplements Are So Important
It’s important to take bodybuilding supplements as part of your training because it gives you the necessary nutrients to build muscle. Best workout supplements should be a supplement to your diet and not something that replaces food. Supplements can also be expensive so if you’re taking them long term you need to keep that in mind.
There are lots of workout supplements available today that it is hard, if not impossible, to know where to begin. But if you keep in mind that each of these products can be divided into only a couple groups, you will eliminate a whole lot of potential confusion.
To keep things simple, we’ve sorted these best workout supplements into several categories, together with advice and recommendations for each.
Best Amino Acid Supplements
Amino acids are usually known as the “building blocks of life” because of the significant role they play within the human body’s function. Among other things, amino acids assist the body to grow, heal and repair itself, in addition to transferring and delivering nutrients through the body and encouraging healthy muscles, skin, arteries, organs, endocrine system, tendons and much more.
Amino acids, especially BCAA’s (branched chain amino acids) and Glutamine, aren’t only an important aid in building muscle and exercising, but can provide healthful advantages to nearly anyone.
BCAA’s are directly metabolized by muscle cells that aids in recovery and repair. Glutamine is important to not just the muscles, but many body processes, from hair and skin to healthy brain function. When the body is under physical or psychological stress, it may lead to Glutamine away from the muscles to more important body functions.
If you are lifting weights and exercising on a regular basis, it is important to take amino acids. They are crucial in helping develop and repair muscle tissue, so make certain that your body has a constant supply to turn to when required.
BCAA’s and Glutamine are particularly important for bodybuilders and athletes due to their imtegral role in building muscle. Glutamine, Carnitine, Arginine and Methionine all play an integral role in weight reduction and fat-burning. Arginine and Ornithine are excellent Nitric Oxide boosters and libido enhancers.
Glutamine helps in the recovery of your body after a workout. When taking Glutamine after your workout it promotes healing so that you experience less soreness. When you are able to recover quicker than you can return back to working out sooner.
There are a good deal of top-quality amino acid supplements available, such as Scivation Xtend and Purple Wraath by Controlled Labs. We’ve also found some outstanding brands that will certainly be worth your while:
Whether you are a professional athlete or stuck at the office all day, everyone can benefit from taking amino acid supplements. New studies are continuously showing the apparently never-ending benefits derived from incorporating these amino acid nutrients to your diet. You will surely feel and look better, and if you are active in sports or the gym, the results will speak for themselves.
Best Creatine Supplements
When talking essential bodybuilding supplements, one which comes up again and again is Creatine monhydrate. Creatine boosts ATP production in muscle tissues which lets you work out harder and longer than you normally could. Additionally, it functions as a cell volumizer by keeping water in the muscle cells, giving you that fine “pumped up” appearance.
Some folks prefer to load up on 20 grams per day for the first five times and then cut back to 5 g each day thereafter. We recommend taking 5 grams per day for about a month to load up and then just take 5 grams before each workout then. Either way works fine, however, and You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results you get after adding Creatine to your regimen.
Out of all of the different kinds of workout and weight lifting supplements which have been used through the years, none has been more tested and analyzed than Creatine. Creatine is made by the body naturally from the amino acids L-arginine, L-glycine and L-methionine, 95 percent of that can be found in skeletal muscle.
The benefits of Creatine usage are well recorded, and the record of positive health effects includes an increase in muscle mass, higher muscle mass or “pump“, improved strength, speedier recovery and enhanced cognitive ability. While Creatine is largely available in capsules or powder, deciding which to use mainly comes down to personal taste since both forms are equally effective.
Creatine supplement is typically available in three forms:
Creatine Monohydrate. Is naturally occurring and is what is used to provide energy to the muscles.
Creatine Ethyl Ester. Is simply Creatine having an ester added for more efficient absorption compared to Creatine monohydrate.
Creatine Kre-Alkalyn. Also referred to as buffered Creatine, it is better pH balanced for faster absorption and requires no loading phase.
Monohydrate is also offered in a superior form called micronized creatine, which has much smaller micro-particles than regular Creatine powder. While micronized creatine usually costs a bit more, it has added effectiveness is certainly worth the additional expense.
There’s no shortage of great Creatine products, such as Muscle Advance Creatine or AllMax Nutrition’s CVOL. Yet we recommend to try these unique formulas:
There’s little doubt about it, this is one supplement that’s as effective as it’s useful. Not only is it great for bodybuilders and strength athletes, but it is also extremely beneficial for the aging population, individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, vegetarians and anyone with otherwise low levels of nourishment.
Studies have found that Creatine is a great supplement because it increases strength and your lean body mass. Creatine should be taken every day even on your rest days, before or after your workout, the recommended dose being 5g a day.
Best HGH Releasers and Testosterone Boosters
A good deal of beginners hear the term “hormone boosters” and instantly confuse the word with steroids or prohormones. When many prohormones are legal to buy, anabolic steroids are basically illegal to use. Either way, we do not recommend either one for novices. It would be the equivalent of giving an expensive sport car to a newly licensed driver (probably a terrible idea).
Hormone boosters and testosterone boosters on the other hand, actually encourage your body to make more of it’s own natural hormones: namely, testosterone and HGH (human growth hormone). By taking supplementation in the kind of testosterone boosters or HGH releasers, you position yourself to create far greater gains than you’d otherwise, particularly if you’re beyond the age of 30 if these hormones naturally start to decrease.
These supplements are usually safe to use and are free of unpleasant side effects, which makes them an efficient way to get terrific results. You will feel better, sleep better, put more muscle on and take off more fat.
Presently, a few of the most popular test boosters and HGH releasers giving the best results include well-known brands such as:
If your objective is for better results from your time in the gym, taking a fantastic testosterone booster will permit you to build more muscle with greater energy and endurance and a better recovery between workouts.
If you’re seeking the very best means to raise T-levels, make sure you have a look at our review for what we found to be the greatest testosterone boosting supplement:
Review of unique testosterone and libido booster Test Stack RX no. 17 >>
Best Pre-Workout Supplements
There are a massive variety of different kinds of top pre-workout supplements and it really can get confusing for a veteran, much less a newbie.
Pre-Workout is made to provide your body with energy before you workout allowing you to achieve more before becoming fatigued. It’s a supplement that should be taken about 30 minutes before you plan on training. These supplements are a blend of several different ingredients. Popular ingredients include Arginine, Beta Alanine, Caffeine, Creatine nitrate and L-Tyrosine.
The field of pre-workout products can be very confusing, because virtually any mix of sport fitness supplements can be utilized before exercising for enhanced effects. Broadly speaking, a great preworkout supplement should help to maximize your pre workouts by either giving a boost of energy in the gym or increased blood circulation into the muscles – or both. Stimulants and Nitric Oxide are two of the most frequently used kinds of pre-workout ingredients.
Stimulants such as Caffeine and Ephedra have long been used by bodybuilders for the surge of strength and endurance they supply, allowing for a more rapid, more intense session. Stimulants are utilized to give that extra power and intensity to your workouts, and carrying a fantastic stimulating supplement can actually make a huge difference. But it is recommended to take a great quality thermogenic fat burner as a power boosting pre-workout supplement, that way you not only get the benefits of fat loss but also added endurance and strength in the gym.
Nitric Oxide is another popular staple among fitness enthusiasts that is commonly used before hitting the seat. It is a Vasodilator which increases the amount of blood and oxygen which gets delivered to the muscles, providing better outcomes using a fuller, more pumped-up look and faster recovery. It creates a massive increase in blood circulation, particularly in the muscles. This, in turn, boosts the quantity of nutrients that get delivered to muscle tissue that speeds up healing time. This excess blood flow also can help you to train harder for longer and gives you a definite pumped up, vascular look.
There are Lots of high-quality pre-workout products available, for example:
See our review for what we've found to be the Best Pre-Workout Supplement >>
Choosing the best pre-workout supplement can look like an overwhelming task, but bear in mind both important regions of energy and blood circulation can enable you to sift through the sound and create a more informed decision based upon your individual needs.
Best Protein Supplements
Another staple in the bodybuilder’s gym bag is good old fashioned protein powder. Taking in large amounts of protein supplement is crucial when building muscle mass and protein powder is an effective way to get the job done. Compared to just eating large amounts of meat, drinking a protein shake is cheaper, quicker, more convenient and is more efficiently absorbed by the body.
Whey protein is assimilated by the body fastest, so we recommend getting a good whey protein shake mix and taking it before or after your workouts (or both, ideally). Doing this will definitely help with muscle growth and recovery.
Protein supplements come in a broad range of various types and tastes, from capsules and powders to beverages and shakes. They can be created from any number of ingredients, such as whey, casein, egg, soy, milk, rice or berry, and they are also available in organic and organic formulations.
They are probably best known for their regular use by bodybuilders, but you might realize that these products are also valuable for athletes, those looking for weight loss, the elderly, vegans and vegetarians, and anyone desiring extra protein in their diet.
The benefits of consuming protein post workout are well known, as it can help to re-build and repair muscle tissue that is stressed from exercise. For this same reason it is often advised to hospital patients after surgery to assist with the recovery procedure.
Some of the top brands available include Ultramet by Champion Performance, and Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey Protein. But here is out top pick:
Following is a review for our favorite protein, Go-To Protein Supplement >>
Whether you’re searching for a post-workout supplement to assist in healing and help build lean muscle mass, or you are just not getting enough protein in your diet plan, investing in a high quality protein product is a smart move to make.
Multivitamins
You may be surprised to see multivitamins to be included here, but the value of great multivitamins cannot be overstated. Heavy exercise such as weight lifting or athletic performance can deplete the body of essential minerals and vitamins, and taking a good multivitamin supplement can make certain you keep the nutrients you need at optimal levels.
Best Muscle Building Stacks
If you are serious about your workout results, you will probably invest in a lot of nutritional supplements to help reach your targets. The issue is knowing which supplements to take and in what combination they will be most effective.
An answer is to get a excellent pre-packaged supplement stack that is specifically tailored to the results you’re looking for. These bodybuilding supplement stacks will often include several different but complimentary nutritional supplements, usually by the same manufacturer to produce a desirable outcome over a predetermined time period.
By way of instance, there are lots of cutting or fat-burning, bulking, and endurance and strength, amongst others. Here you can find some highly effective and concentrated stacked workout supplement packages available:
- Crazy Mass Bulking or Ultimate Stacks >>
- Crazy Bulks Bulking Stack+Free Guide >>
- Marine Muscle Legal Steroids Alternatives >>
If you are wanting to try out a ready made nutritional supplement stack that will provide you great benefits, you can not go wrong with this:
Take a closer look at full review of legal anabolic steroids Crazy Bulk >>
One of the main benefits to purchasing a supplement stack package is the cost effectiveness of it. As you’re buying a number of products together it is almost always less expensive than what you would pay for the individual units. Additionally, these supplements are often carefully placed together to get a synergistic effect which may provide much greater results than just taking any one of these products individually.
Final Thoughts
While the amount of bodybuilding supplements available can be quite intimidating for the novice, the important thing to always keep in mind are the fundamentals. By sticking to the basic supplement groups listed above you will have a solid foundation on which to pursue your weight lifting goals.
As you become more experienced, you can always experiment and try new products down the road, so don’t feel pressured to buy everything under the sun. Start off with just a solid few and keep it simple. You’ll be well rewarded for doing so.
Best workout supplements can offer a great improvement to your weight training program and should be something that you ought to think about. They can offer great boost in strength, functionality and provide you faster recovery time. This is a simplified guide but it gets the point across. It’s very important to have a main focus on your diet plans and from there you can learn where the holes are and add weight training supplements in where you want them.
It’s always nice to see when you’re in a good shape and look younger and sexy. So to round up the supplement list we decided to include two more excellent supplements. Please read our comprehensive reviews about human growth hormone booster & anti-aging supplement HGH releaser GenF20 Plus and unique fat burner and weight loss supplement Instant Knockout or just visit their official websites to find out more information:
*Please note: While gains may be experienced in the short term, the formulations were created for long-term use, and it is strongly recommended that a workout supplement for weight training be taken for at least 2-3 months for real, long-lasting benefits, however taking it for only a month or so will definitely produce some benefits in the short term.
Have you tried those best workout supplements for weight training? We’d love to know your own views and personal experiences. Feel free to leave a review or comment below.
I am going to bookmark this and come back. I am sitting here enjoying my coffee before heading out to work. What would you say works best for someone in their 40’s? I want to make sure whatever I decide on will work for my and not against me. I go to the gym 4 days a week.
I started taking a shake every day before my workouts and it helped for awhile but then I just got fat from it. I found out that I was taking something that was not recommended for my workout or my age! Glad I found this post. I now know what to look out for.
Yup! Weight gain of fat does happen with most of these supplements. You have to make sure you are working out in order for it to later be burned off. Happy to see this being stated. No one else likes to tell you these things and then you end up fatter and more unhealthy.
I’ll follow your advice and stick to the basic supplements and see how my body reacts to this change. I can’t get out and buy all of these because I can’t afford and I know for sure I won’t be using everything, I usually just have a shake before my workout and that’s it.
This is a lot and I barely understand half of it!
Yes, you won’t need everything, but if you want to see great gains and to lower your fat percentage you will need some help.
I’ve recently signed up for a nutritionist training program, I hate having to second guess everything and to base my diet on things I have to look up on the internet. Plus, this can be a great career change.
That’s quite a plunge! I would love to know all that stuff but it’s way too much chemistry for me. Thanks, but no.
I know that counting macros is better than winging it but come on, who likes spending so much time weighing and counting everything? It’s dull and time consuming.
Before workout, after workout, during the day, I feel bombarded with information and I still don’t know what to get.
My advice would be to keep trying until you find the one that does it for you. If you experience any side effects or you don’t see results after a couple of months then that is he sign you need to move along to the next one.
I agree. Testing is the only way to find your ideal supplement. Choose the products that are well known and that work for most, pick one and start.
Being a newbie all I know is that I want to buy some supplements, I don’t know which are better or exactly what diet should I have to increase muscle mass.
Nice article. Supplement plays an important when it comes to bodybuilding. Supplements are the most important source to fulfill body nutrition requirement. Especially, supplements like protein, creatine, multivitamins, stenabolic, RAD-140 and SR-9009 are most famous among fitness monsters.
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