Gym supplement advice

Viggagadye

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Hey folks,

Started lifting weights again a few weeks ago in an overdue and probably too late effort to get into shape and put some muscle on my pear shaped frame before I get too old.
I know there must be at least a few gym rats on this forum, so thought I'd ask here as I am a newbie.
Specifically about supplements. I know a good diet (in a slight calorie deficit) is more important, but what are some actually effective supplements I can take to help? Currently taking whey and creatine monohydrate only. I don't do caffeine except in coffee form. Has anyone had good experience with other stuff? There seems to be a million supps out there with conflicting reports.
Not interested in roids or hormone stuff.
Also not interested in prepackaged preworkout powders. Tried it once and broke out in hives for a week, and since they have a lot of different ingredients, I have no idea what I was allergic to.

My goals are to get stronger and body recomposition.

Thanks in advance!
 
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I think the more important supplement is sleep. Get it enough and well. Eat clean and often. Hydrate well. Whey and creatine should suffice imo. Maybe vitamins and fish oil.

This. Training properly and making sure that you have enough rest is much more important than any supplements that you might take. Those supplements are best left for the professional sportspeople who need that 0.x% gain in their training.

Having said that protein after training has proven benefits, as has creatine though much smaller. Other than that the only really effective thing you can take is steroids. :p
 
Simona - Although I've never met you in person, you sure don't look like a skinny Minnie to me. I think your body is gorgeous just the way it is and with 3 more inches of ass, WOW!!! And if you facial features are similar to Gal Gadot then it's the total package.
 
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(Tongue in cheek) If you're looking to build muscle quickly, your absolute best supplement is tren (trenbolone), which is surprisingly legal and unregulated in Japan. Requires intramuscular injection, though, so you might have fun trying to find syringes. And you get all the side effects, including a ten minute coughing spell after every injection and the possibility of developing lactation - and the breasts to go with! (Tongue removed from cheek, seriously, avoid injectables...)

But seriously, the most important thing is diet - 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of your target body weight, high fiber veggies (broccoli, leafy greens, daikon, etc), and lots of water. If you're trying to lose fat, up to 1,000 calories a day in caloric deficit (but don't go below 1200 calories daily), and if you're trying to gain muscle, you need to eat an excess of calories (high fat cuts of meat, and slow absorption carbs like oatmeal and brown rice). You generally need to train for one or the other.

For supplements, creatine is proven both effective and safe, as are BCAAs. Beta-alanine is also effective, and HMB is especially effective in beginners. Depending on your age, get your testosterone levels checked, if they're low, you can take D-aspartic acid or DHEA to help boost your natural levels, or your doc may recommend supplementation to bring your T back to normal levels.
 
(Tongue in cheek) If you're looking to build muscle quickly, your absolute best supplement is tren (trenbolone), which is surprisingly legal and unregulated in Japan. Requires intramuscular injection, though, so you might have fun trying to find syringes. And you get all the side effects, including a ten minute coughing spell after every injection and the possibility of developing lactation - and the breasts to go with! (Tongue removed from cheek, seriously, avoid injectables...)

But seriously, the most important thing is diet - 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of your target body weight, high fiber veggies (broccoli, leafy greens, daikon, etc), and lots of water. If you're trying to lose fat, up to 1,000 calories a day in caloric deficit (but don't go below 1200 calories daily), and if you're trying to gain muscle, you need to eat an excess of calories (high fat cuts of meat, and slow absorption carbs like oatmeal and brown rice). You generally need to train for one or the other.

For supplements, creatine is proven both effective and safe, as are BCAAs. Beta-alanine is also effective, and HMB is especially effective in beginners. Depending on your age, get your testosterone levels checked, if they're low, you can take D-aspartic acid or DHEA to help boost your natural levels, or your doc may recommend supplementation to bring your T back to normal levels.

Thanks! That's a lot of info. Will look into it.
 
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The only supplements you need are a strong cup of coffee before a tough workout and protein shakes if you aren't getting enough from your diet. Creatine works but if you've just started lifting you don't need it. Wait till you plateau.
 
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The only supplements you need are a strong cup of coffee before a tough workout and protein shakes if you aren't getting enough from your diet. Creatine works but if you've just started lifting you don't need it. Wait till you plateau.

Amen. All this supplement thing, except for the protein, has only minor effects.

Which reminds me what I heard once: "you can bench 130 kg without taking anything if you train hard enough. But nobody believed me when I did so I just started using steroids and was doing 200 kg in less than a year". :eek::p
 
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Thanks! That's a lot of info. Will look into it.
The diet's the most important thing. Everything else is minor in comparison.

Creatine works but if you've just started lifting you don't need it. Wait till you plateau.
HMB and creatine are both excellent in beginning lifters (or people returning from a long break) - they aid in recovery as well as in muscle creation. Makes the DOMS less intense :)
 
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I say start light! I read recently some research that suggests new lifters or people coming back to lifting after a layoff get good results from light weights. I always start light and increase the weight/volume very gradually. I can't remember the last time I had doms.
 
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I always start light and increase the weight/volume very gradually
Yeah, I start with empty barbell after long breaks... doesn't take long to build up volume safely. Personally, though, I'm prone to DOMS... :(
 
Main thing is that your diet is on point. Also a cup of coffee (caffeinated) for preworkout and a protein shake post workout. Calculate your required calories and be sure you’re eating enough. Take your multivitamins while you’re at it.

And don’t forget to hit the weights hard (I always liked Rippetoe’s 3x5 workouts).
 
(Tongue in cheek) If you're looking to build muscle quickly, your absolute best supplement is tren (trenbolone), which is surprisingly legal and unregulated in Japan. Requires intramuscular injection, though, so you might have fun trying to find syringes. And you get all the side effects, including a ten minute coughing spell after every injection and the possibility of developing lactation - and the breasts to go with! (Tongue removed from cheek, seriously, avoid injectables...)
And avoid the orals too. But the cost performance of the good stuff like tren make it so much more tempting than the non-hormonal supps.
 
Thanks for all your advice everyone!
Looks like I will stick with whey, coffee and creatine for now. And as Sudsy mentioned, I will look into HMB, sounds like it could be promising.
I'm really not interested in test or tren or other hormonal supplements. Don't want to be messing with my endocrine like that with no medical knowledge, and I know from blood work that my test is in the healthy range for my age.

What kind of split do you guys run?
I'm going to do Upper/Lower for the next 12 weeks. Maybe switch it up to either full body or PPL afterwards, just to change things up.
 
What kind of split do you guys run?

As a newly converted preacher I do only powerlifting. Everything else is gay.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you.

The added benefit is you need to train only three days a week, one type of lift per day. The other four days are for rest and pizza.

The results speak for themselves, or at least for the pizza. I am probably at the worst cardio fitness level of my life but lift heavier than ever. :p
 
What kind of split do you guys run?
I'm going to do Upper/Lower for the next 12 weeks. Maybe switch it up to either full body or PPL afterwards, just to change things up.

If you don't know the basics of lifting, start with Stronglifts 5X5 or one of the other 5X5 variants. Start with an empty (or near empty) bar and focus on form, and the weight will stack up quickly.

Good writeup on 5X5 in general: https://www.onnit.com/academy/5x5-workouts/

And remember that rest is just as important as time in the gym!
 
Great advice in this thread. I would also throw this out there though:

https://rippedbody.com/intermediate-bodybuilding-program/

That's the intermediate version but there is a link to the starter program too.

I've been out of the gym for so long I'm actually doing the starter program - again, no point in adding volume or supplements until you need to. Currently on eg. 80kg bench press but when I get back up to 100kg I will probably switch over to the intermediate program. And take my sweet time with it until I need to switch to the advanced program.

It's a marathon not a sprint people!
 
(Tongue in cheek) If you're looking to build muscle quickly, your absolute best supplement is tren (trenbolone), which is surprisingly legal and unregulated in Japan. Requires intramuscular injection, though, so you might have fun trying to find syringes. And you get all the side effects, including a ten minute coughing spell after every injection and the possibility of developing lactation - and the breasts to go with! (Tongue removed from cheek, seriously, avoid injectables...)

But seriously, the most important thing is diet - 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of your target body weight, high fiber veggies (broccoli, leafy greens, daikon, etc), and lots of water. If you're trying to lose fat, up to 1,000 calories a day in caloric deficit (but don't go below 1200 calories daily), and if you're trying to gain muscle, you need to eat an excess of calories (high fat cuts of meat, and slow absorption carbs like oatmeal and brown rice). You generally need to train for one or the other.

For supplements, creatine is proven both effective and safe, as are BCAAs. Beta-alanine is also effective, and HMB is especially effective in beginners. Depending on your age, get your testosterone levels checked, if they're low, you can take D-aspartic acid or DHEA to help boost your natural levels, or your doc may recommend supplementation to bring your T back to normal levels.
Awesome!!! You left me speechless. BTW, I just wanted to lose 3 kilos, but I'm taking notes like crazy about everything you wrote. The only two things that are clear to me is that my Testosterone level is still high –despite my age. Thanks God! And I don’t like broccoli. Shit!
 
Since I had surgery for an inguinal hernia, the maximum I lift is 45 kilos with nice tits. I hope it helps to reduce belly.:D

Just discussed this thread with a friend (oops, sorry @just4fun) today and the consensus was you need to go to gym enough to be able to lift your girl and fuck her against the wall.

Also we agreed that if you cannot do that then the solution is to change to a lighter girl. :p
 
It's a marathon not a sprint people!

Also it is good to find out why you are doing all this. Looking good when naked IS a good goal for many. Staying healthy is way more difficult goal to measure and stay motivated.

Though mine is very easy, I will just try to keep my shoulders pain-free and gym three times a week does that.

That is mainly because I have figured if a girl is ready to get naked with a guy with my face she is not going to be particularly critical about the body shape either. This far it has worked for me, only two girls during all this time have seen me naked and then go, "nope, can't do that". That is basically low enough number to consider just as a statistical error. :p
 
Hey folks,

Started lifting weights again a few weeks ago in an overdue and probably too late effort to get into shape and put some muscle on my pear shaped frame before I get too old.
I know there must be at least a few gym rats on this forum, so thought I'd ask here as I am a newbie.
Specifically about supplements. I know a good diet (in a slight calorie deficit) is more important, but what are some actually effective supplements I can take to help? Currently taking whey and creatine monohydrate only. I don't do caffeine except in coffee form. Has anyone had good experience with other stuff? There seems to be a million supps out there with conflicting reports.
Not interested in roids or hormone stuff.
Also not interested in prepackaged preworkout powders. Tried it once and broke out in hives for a week, and since they have a lot of different ingredients, I have no idea what I was allergic to.

My goals are to get stronger and body recomposition.

Thanks in advance!

Did the whole creatine as a college freshman back in the late 90s when it was all the rage. Worked well enough, but what it did effectively do and what I wouldn't appreciate now at my age is the water retention it causes. Not sure what it costs in Japan but if you're just looking for the best bang for your buck in gym results and muscle growth, nothing is going to work better than straight protein. I use whey protein, often as a meal supplement, not because I'm trying to build muscle any longer but because I'm fucking lazy and it's always good to boost protein intake.

But honestly, and especially once you're past 35, your focus really should be on burning fat. You can build all the muscle you want but if you've got a two-inch thick layer of fat over your gut and bitch-tits covering your pecs, you'll still look like shit no matter how loose-fitting your shirts are. Hit the cardio, any cardio, and do it at least three times/week. More is better, because once you've hit the middle ages it's an epic war you wage against obesity. I run six days per week, and in my 20s this would've ensured I had a 28-inch waist, a pretty considerable six pack and could eat and drink beer all day long and still fit into women's jeans. Over a decade later, and with the pandemic significantly shortening and limiting my daily runs, I'm still running almost every morning but it's a battle to fend off the beginning of a gut and still fit my 30-inch jeans and I've had to limit my beer intake until I'm safe to log at least 25-30 miles/week again.

I know you said no hormone stuff, but seriously...consider trying something natural like tongkat ali, tribulus, etc., things which boost your testosterone levels. Holy fucking dogshit, that stuff is like the fountain of youth once you're past 30. Your face gets oily, your temper goes to hair-trigger status, you're horny as shit and those random hard-ons of your teenage years come back again. And you feel like a billion fucking dollars at the gym.

But again, CARDIO. For every hour you spend lifting weights, spend two or three hours running. Try that for three months and you'll be a new man.
 
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Just discussed this thread with a friend (oops, sorry @just4fun) today and the consensus was you need to go to gym enough to be able to lift your girl and fuck her against the wall.

Also we agreed that if you cannot do that then the solution is to change to a lighter girl. :p
For now I am content with being able to raise the girl to the table. Although it is a good idea to change to a lighter girl ... A good motivation to go to the gym with a big smile :happy: