When you look at the photos of the champions, the thought inevitably arises that these guys pumped up their “mass” in some special way. However, when you learn how these monsters train, you often find nothing unusual. So what is the secret of success?
Let’s start with the fact that a bodybuilder, as Colombo joked, must be born into a suitable family. If you are not endowed by nature with unique physical characteristics, no scientific miracles will help you beat the so-called “natural athletes.” However, in this sense, bodybuilding is no different from other sports. And there, coaches follow the path of selecting genetically unique athletes.
However, successful genetics is not a guarantee of success. Even talent can wither away without proper training and a balanced diet.
For the sake of truth, it must be said that steroids are not useless – with their help you can gain “mass” and lose excess fat. However, you will have to pay an exorbitant fee for all this. I advise all bodybuilders, and especially beginners, to forget about anabolic hormonal drugs and learn this simple truth: high achievements are possible without steroids. Yes, you will not gain “mass” at supersonic speed, but believe me, in the end you will still gain it. Think for yourself what is better: to “burn” the liver or gain “mass” 2-3 years later, but at the same time maintain exemplary health?
As a result, I can say with complete confidence: not a single nutritional supplement can cause such muscle growth as anabolic steroids. Alas, we all have no choice but to come to terms with this bleak fact. It turns out that there is still no truly effective stimulant in bodybuilding, except for one, but it is also unsuitable due to its monstrous harmfulness. By the way, you should not have any illusions on this score: the deliberate creation in the body of an increased concentration of one of the most biologically active hormones cannot pass without leaving a trace. It is no coincidence that our sex glands produce testosterone in negligible quantities! Moreover, as we grow older, testosterone secretion decreases as the anabolic properties of the hormone become dangerous. In conditions of reduced immunity, increased cell division can lead to their uncontrolled growth, i.e. to cancer. We will not find a single bodybuilder in the whole world who would take steroids and not suffer from various types of tumors!
Nutritional supplements are a completely different matter, especially since the science of athlete nutrition does not stand still and offers us more and more new formulas. They are harmless and may well stimulate muscle anabolism, although not at the same rate as steroid drugs.
Natural Growth It is important to understand that dietary supplements themselves are not a direct stimulator of anabolism, unlike steroids. By selecting nutritional supplements, we get the opportunity to “tune” the physiology of our body in the right way, i.e. make the most of your natural potential. Believe me, the game is worth the candle! Few people realize the size of their hidden reserves. Few people know what a huge increase in muscle mass can be achieved just through nutrition that is nutritious in all respects.
Supplements and diet First, you need to find your weak link – the reason for slow muscle growth. Perhaps you are simply not training correctly. Then you don’t actually need supplements – just adjust your training style. Well, if you just can’t recover within the period that the textbooks suggest – 1-2 days, then you really need to think about supplements. But here too there are certain rules.
#1 First, make sure you are getting enough calories from your food. Sometimes fasting is hidden: you eat a lot, but still don’t have enough calories. Remember that you need at least 3000, or even 3500 calories per day, obtained only from regular foods. By the way, there is a common misconception that the lack of natural calories can be compensated for by taking protein-carbohydrate mixtures. In fact, there will be no muscle growth if you add even the same amount of protein-carbohydrate calories to 1500-2000 food calories, which exceeds the daily norm many times over. Calories are different, and this must be remembered. By themselves, they are an abstract quantitative unit that does not reflect the quality of food products. The calories obtained from a glass of fresh milk are far from equivalent to the calories of a protein product based on the so-called. “dry milk powder”. So the fight for extreme muscle mass must begin with normalizing your daily nutrition. As for sports products, their importance should not be overestimated. It is no coincidence that they are also called “food additives”.
#2 Eat more protein. True, this instruction only makes sense if you train intensively. High physical activity causes catabolism – the breakdown of protein cells. During the recovery phase, the body compensates for losses through increased muscle growth. If you eat little protein, this process will not have enough initial building material – amino acids.
Of course, the best source of amino acids is natural protein products. However, in addition to them, you must definitely take artificial protein mixtures .
For a long time, official medicine insisted that protein powder was harmful because it overloaded the kidneys. In particular, recommended by doctors, the daily protein intake is also based on renal function. However, later studies showed that the athlete’s body is able to absorb large amounts of proteins without harm. Today, bodybuilders are recommended to take up to 3 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight, and some trainers advise increasing this volume even to 8 grams. However, taking mega doses of protein is quite risky and should only be done under medical supervision.
