Beyond-Brawn-2nd-Edition

BEYOND BRAWN
d. Production of muscle and might gains through the combination of a–c
plus intensive training. Get this basic formula working in practice, and
actual muscle growth happening, to prove you have a successful program
and that you really can train and recover properly.
20.120 I am not saying that some of the new supplements will not help you. What
I am saying is that none of them will help you as much as will getting the
above in 100% good order. So get the above in perfect order before you tinker
with your rate of gains by experimenting with supplements.
20.121 Absolutely no food supplement can produce muscular gains like steroids
can. People who claim that a food supplement works like steroids are taking
liberties with the truth, possibly in order to convince trainees to buy the
supplements concerned, which the advocates happen to sell.
20.122 If or when you experiment with bodybuilding supplements, do not use a
shotgun approach. Try one supplement for a month or so, during an intensive
period of training. Only buy a minimum supply for the test period,
and choose a reputable company that offers a money-back guarantee. If the
supplement helps, keep it in and possibly add another. If that helps, keep it
in. If a supplement makes no difference, drop it (and get your money back!)
Do not use year round supplements that you find helpful. Save them for
periods when you need a boost, i.e., at the end of training cycles. But still
remember to keep 99% of your focus on the basic combination of training,
rest and food.
Nutritional supplements
20.123 Vitamin and mineral supplements, unless you are seriously deficient in
something, cannot make an immediate impact on your training, other than
perhaps the placebo effect in some cases. But what they may do, over the
long term, is benefit your health which in turn increases training longevity.
A good potency and well-balanced vitamin and mineral formula all the time
is sensible for everyone. I strongly recommend beta-carotene and additional
vitamins C and E, selenium, bioflavonoids and other anti oxidants because I
believe they may be helpful for long-term health.
20.124 As noted in Chapter 15, taking a multi vitamin and mineral supplement may
not be enough. ere are micronutrients that are not available in supplement
form. You must eat a good diet. Be sure, in particular, that you consume
daily green leafy vegetables, yellow/orange vegetables and fruit, and regu-
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