Getting into shape and trying to build muscle can be two very different things. When someone starts hitting the gym, they might think that the immediate result will be added muscle and visible change.
The problem is that there’s a lot that goes into building muscle, and it isn’t just a matter of gym frequency or the kind of exercises you do.
It’s a matter of diet, attitude, exercise, frequency, and if all else fails, the addition of some of the best bodybuilding supplements.
We’re going to explore bodybuilding supplements in this article, giving you some insight into what they are, how they work, and when you should be using them. Hopefully, the information below will work to keep you safe as you start to navigate different ways to increase your muscle growth.
Let’s get started:
Understanding Muscle Growth and Exercise
First things first, let’s talk a little bit about how our muscles actually respond to exercise when we start.
Typically, when someone begins working out, they aren’t in optimal shape. That’s usually the reason that we start to work out in the first place. Our bodies build excess fat stores, our muscles get used to the sedentary lifestyle, and our respiratory systems aren’t tuned to heavy breathing or extra work.
It’s normal to have these things develop, especially considering the fact that we’re all in the midst of a global pandemic and getting to the gym isn’t an option in a lot of cases.
The result of that state of being is that your body will take some time to get into the position where it can actually start to build muscle visibly. You’ll need a few weeks of regular exercise to get to the point where you’re starting to see improvements in the amount of weight you can push.
The same goes for cardiovascular work as well.
Getting Started
You’ll also notice that the first few times you exercise, you’re feeling really great immediately after. You’ll have a newfound rush of endorphins and everything will seem as it should. You’ll probably even have the thought that you’re going to exercise forever now because why in the world wouldn’t you if it makes you feel like this?
Then you wake up and feel the tinge of all of your muscles aching as they repair themselves. The next day typically isn’t any better.
You’ll also notice that you’re hungrier as you start your workout regimen. Your body is using so much more energy than it used to that it’s requiring you to do a lot more work on the front end to provide nutrients.
The same old foods won’t do the trick, either. You’ll find that good, nutritious foods are the only ones that allow you to work out in the way that you’d like to.
Muscle and Your Diet
Not only will your general state of being require better and more nutrients to keep going, but you’ll find that you’re fine-tuned to realizing how specific foods make you feel.
It’s kind of like when you start using that old bike a little more often. At first, you’re just using it to go down the block to the store or to visit a friend. Those kinks and clunks don’t mean too much when you’re only getting infrequent use out of the bicycle.
When you start to take that thing out for a few miles every other day, though, you’re more aware of the motion of your chain, the kinks in the pedals, and the air in your tires.
It’s the same with your body. When you’re putting it to use in more nuanced ways, you realize how the fuel you’re giving yourself impacts the general state of your being and how effective you are at functioning.
As you look deeper and start to become aware of how your muscle is developing, you’ll find that you can reach those higher points only when your diet is on par. If you have a long night out and eat a few slices of pizza to cut the gallon of beer you drank, the workout the next day won’t have the same numbers as the day before.
What You Should be Eating
Unfortunately, it’s time to start actually managing your diet in a significant way if you want to start building a significant amount of muscle.
The fortunate thing, though, is that you don’t necessarily have to cut out everything you enjoy. Muscle gain is different from weight loss in a lot of ways.
While it’s always best to be consuming nutritious foods that aren’t processed and to avoid a bunch of empty carbs, the fact is that you need a good deal of carbs to keep your body energized and producing more muscle.
You also need to get a well-rounded intake of complete proteins, leafy green vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Generally, you should be eating a combination of at least some of these factors every day if you want to get healthy and lose that fat.
Depending on your weight and the amount you’re working out, you should also be trying to consume the proportionate amount of carbs. The specifics of this kind of diet and how you can apply it to your situation should be fleshed out with a personal trainer or nutritionist.
There are also a lot of guides online that list out how much calorie intake you need to start putting on mass. The fact of the matter is that a simple plant-based diet with minimal carb intake will get you in excellent, healthy shape, but it won’t allow you to build significant amounts of muscle.
Since you’re looking into the best bodybuilding supplements, our assumption is that you’re trying to bulk up significantly.
The section above was meant to hone in the point that the actual best supplement for your body is the supplement of nutritious foods. Adding healthy foods to your diet and understanding how your body operates in response to intense exercise is the only way to keep going.
Let’s take a look at one more small issue before we get to the list of actual supplements.
Avoiding Burnout
If you don’t change the way you eat and continue working out, your body will send you a host of messages telling you to change.
For one, you’ll be exhausted all of the time. Unless you have an insane amount of will power, this should be enough to tell you that the current situation isn’t working. If, for whatever reason, you neglect those bodily signs and keep going, you’ll find that your results aren’t great.
Great results come when you’re treating your body to great foods and exercising in a healthy manner. That means not overdoing it. You can actually get better gains if you allow your body the time rest and recover.
The slow and steady method applies to bodybuilding. For example, those who work out intensely for 6 hours per day might have worse results than those who work out for 3 hours ever other day.
This has to do with the amount of energy you can realistically put into one workout. If you’re pushing it for 6 hours, those reps aren’t going to be as powerful as the ones in your 3-hour workout.
It also has to do with the fact that your body needs to recover in between workouts, and there’s a certain threshold you can pass where extra reps are only going to do damage.
The Best BodyBuilding Supplements
Now that you have a general view on how to start building muscle in the first place, let’s take a look at the supplements you can use to add to your gains.
It’s important to note that these shouldn’t be taken lightly. You should understand the ingredients, risks, and potential outcomes of any supplement you add to your diet. Thus, a deep dive and research is important when finding shakes for weight loss because what works for others may not be effective for you.
Note that these are effective at building muscle, and the process can be done in a healthy way. That said, most supplements are concentrated amounts of particular elements that you might not be getting in your diet, and that concentration could be dangerous to some.
So, before you get going with a supplement regimen, make sure you know that you’re going to be healthy through the process. That could require a trip to your doctor to discuss your plans and see what they think.
1. SARMs
SARMs stands for selective androgen receptor modulators. SARMs are an alternative to steroids that are more customizable and can operate on more selective tissue than anabolic steroids do.
This makes them a little safer and more opportune for those who are looking to build significant muscle without experiencing the whole host of side effects that steroids are known to have.
That said, there are different kinds of SARMs for sale that have different effects. In this way, it’s crucial that you know just what you’re buying because not all of them operate on muscles the same way and could have different effects on different individuals.
2. Protein Powder
Protein is the building block of muscle. Muscles use the amino acids and various pieces of complete proteins to build and repair muscle effectively.
As you go through the process of working out and trying to build muscle, it’s incredibly important that you get complete proteins in your diet. That said, more protein is better when it comes to having the fuel you need to produce muscle.
There are thousands of protein powders and supplements available for you to explore. These will have you fully-loaded on protein and ready to work out.
3. Creatine
Creatine is a molecule that your body uses to energize various pieces of your body.
It’s not so much a molecule that will produce larger muscles in your body, but rather a supplement that will give you enough energy to perform in a way that allows you to push yourself.
Over time, more creatine levels will help you to work out in a more vigorous way and contribute to more muscle growth. Additionally, creatine might help your cells stay fresh and prevent them from breaking down over time.
4. Calorie Gainers
As we mentioned earlier, the process of gaining muscle requires that you’re getting enough calories to support the energy and generation of muscle tissue that you’d like to have.
Weight gainers or calorie supplements help your body get more calories to use to generate muscle. In individuals who aren’t working out, these supplements would simply cause them to gain weight. They’re used in individuals who struggle to gain enough muscle naturally as well.
So, if your workout regimen is getting to the point where you need more fuel to put the muscle on, weight gainers might be a good move.
5. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are typically found in fish, and it’s incredibly difficult to get enough of them in your diet if you’re not taking supplements. A healthy regimen of Omega 3s will do wonders for your body in mind.
Brain function is improved over time, and you’ll also experience less inflammation and joint pain. If you’re stocked on Omega 3s, in other words, you’ll be able to avoid some of the aches and pains that come when you put your joints under intense pressure on a regular basis.
It’s important to note that a healthy diet, independent of supplements, will help your mind, joints, energy levels, and muscles a great deal.
We can’t stress enough the fact that supplements just take care of the last leg of the race, while the nutrients found in your daily diet are doing 80 percent of the work needed to get you into the shape you desire.
If you’re working out on candy bars and brownies topped off with a few spoonfuls of protein powder and SARMs, you’re not going to see very much change in your results.
Want to Learn More about Getting in Shape?
Hopefully, our exploration of the best bodybuilding supplements was informative enough to send you in the right direction. If you’re interested in learning more, though, we’re here to help you out.
Explore our site for more insight and information into getting in shape, eating well, and seeing the results you desire.
