After a 10 minute job on some snow, I felt like pushing the pace on my 400 meters of lunges this fine morning. I decided to add a little variety by alternating every 10 lunges between going forwards and backwards. Rationalization behind this was that when doing lunges backwards, a good reach can activate those hamstrings and glutes which will help prevent me from becoming uneven. Like I said in Monday's post, if you aren't touching the ground with your knees then you aren't going deep enough.
I wanted to talk about supplements since I know there is a lot of confusion out there on what to take and what does what. Supplements can play a large role in helping you achieve your goals and today's Christmas money can help you buy them.
Protein: Without adequate protein, your muscles won't grow- simple as that. Protein shakes are great for quick on-the-go stuff or meal replacements. Protein bars nowadays tend to be more like candy bars, so I don't really mess with those. Whey protein is what both Ashton and I take. It is a great, and safe form of protein that gets you those necessary nutrients. Soy protein has hormones in it, so for guys I would stay away from it unless you want slightly elevated estrogen levels. Casein protein is a slower-digesting form of protein which is generally taken before bed.
BCAA's: Branch Chain Amino Acids whether in powder or capsule form are taken to aid in the recovery process. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and as a result they help in the rebuilding of muscle tissue and all that good stuff.
Creatine: There has been a long standing debate on whether creatine is harmful or helpful. I will let you research and develop your own opinion. This link provides great info: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dimaggio2.htm
Pre-Workout: Pre-workout supplements vary in effectiveness from person to person. Personally, I don't use pre workout before every lift, because I don't want to become "dependent". Take this word with a grain of salt, because pre workout isn't truly dependent, but some people who use it for every single lift, every singly day can't seem to get as self-motivated after awhile. For those lifts when I want to get a stupid pump like arm day, or maybe on leg days when I am a little tired- pre-workout does the trick. Personally, I take Optimum Nutrition pre workout.
There are so many shady products and brands out there. Rule of thumb: if you see the word 'hardcore' in the title of the product, then odds are there are a very large number of unregulated ingredients in that product which you shouldn't be ingesting. Two brands that I've grown to use regularly are Optimum Nutrition and MusclePharm.
If you have any further supplementation questions, then shoot us an email at themuscleinsider@gmail.com or comment on the blog directly. Follow us on twitter @muscle_insider_
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