As the years progressed I’ve fine tuned my approach to pre & post workout supplements.

The regime I am currently following is highly advisable for anyone who wants to add maximum lean muscle with training. It keeps the body in a anabolic state with energy to spare and quick recovery of exercise induced muscle damage.

It sticks to the core, proven supplements. Keep it simple and stay away from all the fancy stuff with “too good to believe” marketing hype. It is ALWAYS “too good to believe” and ALWAYS utter lies no matter how many “proof” photos they attached (normally stolen) or stories (made-up)!

It is a great tool for the over 40’s or even over 50’s to add muscle. For the younger crowd it means perfect muscle growth environment.

PRE-WORKOUT – 30 to 45 minutes before training

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) 6-8 tablets

The BCAA’s ensure that the energy required during training  is not obtained from your muscles but forces it to obtain it from other places (fat storage, etc..) This protects your muscles from going catabolic during training. A critical supplement in your pre-workout arsenal. In-depth info about BCAA’s can be obtained from: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bcaas-the-many-benefits-of-amino-acids.html

L-Glutamine 5g dissolved in water

When you train your Glutamine reserves of your body will drop very fast (!). When it becomes too low you will feel exhausted and have no stamina/power. When the Glutamine has dropped too low, muscle recovery will be very (!) slow and the body can take up to 6 days to replenish the levels of Glutamine to optimum again. During that time virtually no muscle growth will occur. It is therefore of the absolute importance that you supplement with L-Glutamine before training.

AGMATINE 1g dissovled in water (together with L-Glutamine)

(In the video I say 1g to 10g Agmatine Sulfate. That is incorrect – the amount is only 1g of Agmatine Sulfate)

The following extract from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jrod17.htm sums it up very nicely as to why specifically agmatine:

1. Agmatine is a pain fighter. This can be beneficial to the athlete in two ways:
   1. It can potentiate the effects of analgesics used during recuperation from injury.
   2. It has the potential to aid post-workout recovery.

1. Agmatine enhances insulin production leading to better insulin response. This allows for positive effects in attaining body composition goals. Better insulin response means a harder and leaner more muscular body.

1. Agmatine acts on various hypothalamic and pituitary peptide hormones such as LH and GH. These will have subsequent effects on other hormones like IGF-1. Control of the hormonal environment of the athlete and you will perform better, look better and feel better.

1. Agmatine possesses anxiolytic (relieves anxiety) and antidepressant properties offering potential control of cortisol levels in the stressful life of the athlete.

1. Agmatine modulates nitric oxide (NO) through different ways. It stimulates some types of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) while inhibiting others. This is essential to the proper functioning of the polyamine biosynthetic pathways.

1. Agmatine acts oncatecholamine (Epinephrine > Norepinephrine > Dopamine) release. These endogenous compounds are part of nearly every action in the body. Most notably for the athlete is the role that this compound would ultimately have in both energy production and aiding anticipation of the stressafforded by competition. However, there are also well-established roles that epinephrine can have on the body that includes:
   • Increasing endurance
   • Enhancing performance
   • Decreasing body fat

1. Agmatine has an antioxidant role. There can be no greater source of free-radical build up than that seen in the day-to-day activity of the athlete. The sheer stress that the body takes on when in you’re an athlete in the trenches (i.e. – the gym, the field, etc…) could ultimately have significant detrimental effects with continued build up. Agmatine can offer protection from the undesired effects that free radicals can have on the body.

1. For the athlete desiring body composition change, Agmatine has an independent role of insulin and testosterone management on lipid (fat) metabolism.
2. Agmatine possesses nootropic effects (it acts as a “novel” neurotransmitter). This can offer the athlete a potential mental edge to prepare for various events.
3. Agmatine can aid in kidney function by stimulating the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This can bode the bodybuilder well as various nitrogenous waste products are removed through this system.
4. Agmatine harbors a hypotensive role which could assist the exogenously-enhanced athlete in keeping blood pressure in check.

POST-WORKOUT – IMMEDIATELY after training:

Apple or banana to recover lost energy consumption

L-Glutamine 5g to 8g dissolved in water

Because of the risk of your body’s L-glutamine reserves that dropped during training too low, you IMMEDIATELY must replenish with L-Glutamine after training to ensure your body stays in an anabolic environment.

Remember if you do not do this, it might take up to 6 days of a catabolic environment with no muscle growth despite all your hard work on diet and training.

WHEY protein  – quick absorption 40g mixed in water (together with L-Glutamine)

Your muscles need the right building blocks to recover exercise induced damage and the quicker you feed your body with quick absoption whey protein after training the quicker it can start repairing and building.

Other supplements that might be considered:

Creatine

Creatine might be beneficial for certain individuals. However, for a certain percentage of people creatine have absolutely no effect. Unfortunately I am one of them.

The second reason I am not using it is that it tends to let one look a little bloated, especially when you are trying to cut.

Anti Oxidants (alpha lipoic acid, Co Enzyme Q10, Saw Palmetto)

New research seems to indicate that it might not be such a good idea to take anti-oxidants straight before or after training. It suggests that it must be taken as far removed from training as possible. If taken close to training it seems to be counter productive to a fatloss environment.

Whether you believe that or not, it might be a good idea to consider it. There seems to be rather solid science behind it.

Alpha lipoic acid (about 400mg twice daily) helps regulate your insulin levels which means a better fat-loss environment. Plus it is a very potent anti-oxidant.Co-Enzyme Q10 (about 300mg twice daily) It assist in insulin sensitization. A problem most bodybuilders face is that with repeated insulin spikes as a result of periodically heavy carbohydrate consumption causes the body to become increasingly insulin resistant.

Insulin is probably the most powerful anabolic agents. Spiking insulin levels increase muscle protein synthesis. The Co Enzyme Q10 allows you to drive more nutrients into the     muscles. It is also extremely beneficial for a healthy heart.

Saw Palmetto (about 300mg twice daily). Helps prevent a enlarged prostate…something all guys need to be worried about and prevent!

This regime is proven and will yield great results when accompanied by focused training program and diet structured for lean growth.

Wish you all the success.

Gert Louw