One of the most common questions coming from our male customers is how can they get big and lean.  The following is the actual program from our Warwick Manager Steve Bardi.  He maintains a weight of about 200 lbs with visible abs almost all year round.  At his height most people consider him big and lean.  If thats not enough he is permanently tanned and hairless.  Check out the following for a real world program that has helped many of his customer put on muslce and get leaner.

Daily Routine with Supplements for First 3 Months: 

1.       Wake at 6 a.m. and take 1 ADRENA-LEAN capsule to wake up.  I also eat 2 CLA Evolution, 1 Fish-Oil pill, and 4 Met-RX HMB, and 3 TEST REVOLUTION with a Protein shake with 8 frozen strawberries, a banana, and BCAA powder in a blender with water. 

2.      On my way to the gym at 7:15, I am sipping on my pre-workout drink: 1 ½ scoops of BioRhythm Juice, INTEK BCAA powder, and 1 scoop DIESEL FUEL.  I sip on this drink throughout my whole workout in order to stay pumped and anabolic, so I can continue to build muscle and burn calories. 

3.      Immediately after my last set, I start to sip on my post workout shake which consists of 2 scoops of AFTER GLOW, and 1 scoop of INTEK’s ISOLATE RED ICE. 

4.      With two more meals during the day, I will use MET-RX HMB, CLA Evolution and Fish Oil in order to keep body fat to a minimum, especially while increasing calories to build muscle.  This allows me to build muscle while staying lean.

5.      My final protein shake before bed consists of INTEK’s Whey Protein, ORANGE CREAMSICLE flavor, I use MSI’s SLEEP REVOLUTION and 3 TEST REVOLUTION to help me get a fulfilling night’s sleep.  SLEEP REVOLUTION provides a healthy dose of amino acids as well as a combination of anabolic ingredients to assure that the body gets a full nights rest and recovery so I can train intensely the following day. 

 

My goal with the supplements is to take them when I feel they will benefit me the most.  Although my ideas are somewhat different to what the bottle usually suggests, this is what I have found to be the most beneficial.  My thought is that growth takes place when you are at rest, not when you are actually working, that being said I feel it is in everyone’s best interest to take muscle-building, endurance, and thermogenic supplements around your workouts as a base, along with some supplements for general health throughout the day.   For the most part this is why I take so many different supplements before and during my workouts.  In my opinion this is the most crucial time to be anabolic, or in a (muscle-building) state.  I make sure to eat meals or shakes every 2-3 hours throughout the day, and stay well hydrated by drinking at least 1 gallon of water every day, with the INTEK BCAA Evolution added to it in order to feed my body what it requires to build muscle.  Below I will list what I consider to be the supplements that everyone who is trying to build muscle should take all year-round: 

1.       Protein

2.      Creatine

3.      Amino Acids

4.      Testosterone booster

5.      Glutamine

6.      Essential Fatty acids

7.      Nitric Oxide

8.      Multi-Vitamin

9.      Joint product-depending on time of year

These supplements are on what I call a “Revolving-Basis”, which basically means that I will adjust and change what supplements I use depending on what my goals are at that particular time.  Say for instance it is closer to the spring then I obviously want to cut back the calories I consume, as well as switch what supplements I am using in order to achieve my goal.  Some supplements are better for gaining weight, while some supplements are much better for cutting up or “Shredding”.  I basically never really stop using these supplements listed above, and with good reason; your body cannot and will not have the building blocks necessary to build muscle without these basics incorporated into your regimen.  What I will now give you below is an example of what my diet will consist of while I am going through a “Bulking” phase:

Meal 1:  10 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 1 cup measured Oatmeal, 1 glass chocolate milk

Meal 2:  6 ounces Sirloin steak, 1 sweet potato, large salad and 1 cup green beans

Meal 3:  Complete MASS 600 protein shake with a few ounces of cashews

Meal 4:  8 ounces Chicken, 2 slices of American cheese, 1 sweet potato, and 1 cup green beans

Meal 5:  Complete MASS 600 protein shake with a few ounces of cashews

Meal 6:  A 10 egg white and 2 whole egg omelette, with vegetables, cheese, and two English muffins with jelly on them with a glass of chocolate milk.

Meal 7:  1 cup of cottage cheese with pineapple mixed into it, or ice-cream depending on my cravings.

I suggest getting a hold of some of OPTIMUM HEALTH’s Complete Digestion when beginning the first phase of the program.  The added calories can, and usually will put some unwanted pressure on your digestive system, and having this supplement handy will help to increase absorption of all the nutrients you are about to flood your body with.

I typically will try to eat the same foods at the same times every day in order to make my body that much more efficient at breaking down the nutrients it needs to grow.  As you can see from my diet listed above, I do not go too crazy in order to put weight on when “Bulking”.  The idea here is to increase my caloric intake slightly so as to avoid gaining too much body-fat over the course of my first 3 months.  I have come to understand my genetics and realize that I do not have the ability to be too heavy without my joints and knees suffering.  Besides, when I take the DIESEL FUEL as part of my supplement regimen, I find that the weight and strength comes pretty quickly on its own.  The next section will cover my workouts, and you will find a list of the exact exercises below.

Workout Program for Months 1-3: 

Monday:  Legs

1.       10 minutes on treadmill to warm-up

2.      Squats- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3.      Leg Presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

4.      Leg extensions- 3 sets of 10-12 reps

5.      Lying leg curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6.      Seated leg curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

7.      Seated calf raises- 3 sets of 20-25 reps

Tuesday:  Back

1.       10 minutes on bike for warm-up

2.      3 sets of wide-grip chin-ups to failure

3.      3 sets of Underhand- grip chin-ups to failure

4.      Rack Dead-lifts- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

5.      Seated Cable rows- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6.      One-Arm dumbbell rows- 2 sets of 8-10 reps

7.      Hyper-extensions 3 sets of 15 reps

Wednesday:  Off

Thursday:  Chest

1.       Incline Barbell presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2.      Flat Barbell presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3.      Decline Barbell presses- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

4.      Weighted Dips- 3 sets of 10-12 reps

5.      Dumbbell Flyes- 2 sets flat, 2 sets incline, and 2 sets decline

6.      Abdominals- crunches, leg raises and side twists

Friday:  Arms

1.       Standing dumbbell curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

2.      Barbell curls- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

3.      Incline dumbbell curls- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

4.      Rope pushdowns- 2 sets of 15-18 reps

5.      Straight-bar pushdowns- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

6.      Lying skull crushers- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

7.      Weighted Tricep dips- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Saturday:  Shoulders & Traps

1.       Side dumbbell lateral raises- 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 seconds rest only)

2.      Barbell push presses- 3 sets of 6-8 reps

3.      Upright rows (barbell)- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

4.      Bent-over lateral raises- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

5.      Barbell shrugs- 3 sets (ascending in weight) of 10-12 reps.  Finish with a strip set on the last set with no rest

6.      Behind-the-back Barbell shrugs- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

As you can see from the workout above, the first phase of my program is pretty basic on nature, but that is because being big and strong requires many compound movements, with much rest in between work-outs.  What I will do after the initial 6 weeks of this program is to switch up the exercises so that my body never gets a chance to become comfortable with the weights and exercises.  The first phase is somewhat plain in nature, but performed well, it will help to slap on some clay that we can later turn into peeled or chiseled muscle that you can show off down at Scarborough Beach. 

Fat Burning Supplement Solutions:

What to Take: Intek Fat Burner Evolution, Intek CLA Evolution, Intek Protein Evolution

How to Take It: Take 3 caps of the Fat Burner in the morning and take another 1-3 caps mid afternoon.  Take 1 cap of the CLA Evolution with meals (3-4 caps total).  Use the Protein Evolution after training and 1-3 other times throughout the day as needed.

Why it Works: The Fat Burner Evolution increases calorie burning as well as controls appetite while the CLA Evolution helps the body tap into fat as a source of fuel.  Protein Evolution helps maintain muscle and keeps your metabolism going throughout the day.

 

What to Take: BioRhythm Olio, BioRhythm Synthrolean, Optimum Health Detox and Cleanse

How to Take It: Take 3 Olio per day, one with three different meals.  Take two Synthrolean in the morning and two in the evening.  Take two Detox and Cleanse before going to bed.

Why it Works: Olio help your body release fat for a fuel source while Synthrolean increases fat burning enzymes and metabolic rate.  Detox and Cleanse helps you body get rid of waste built up in the digestive tract while shedding excess water.

 

What to Take: Intek Thermogenic Evolution, Liposlim, BioRhythm Synthrolean

How to Take It: Take 1-2 Intek Thermogenic in the morning and 1-2 midafternoon.  Take 3-4 Liposlim per day in divided doses (1 with each meal).  Take two Synthrolean in the morning and 2 midafternoon.

Why it Works: Intek Thermogenic is one of the more potent energizers and metabolism boosters.  Synthrolean increases fat burning enzymes and metabolic rate.  Liposlim helps moderate appetite while forcing the body to use fat as an energy source.

The best way to use supplements to speed up the muscle building process is by continually rotating your supplement stacks.  For example you could start out using Diesel Fuel Creatine, BioRhythm Juice and Muscle Sport Beta Revolution for forty days and then cycle to Muscle Sport Lean Revolution, Muscle Sport Test Revolution, Mass 600 and Humano Growth.  The idea is to switch product combinations frequently enough to keep your body from adapting to what you are taking but not change too frequently which would result in less than optimal results.  The other consideration especially with any hormonal products is the possibility of setting off a negative feedback loop in the body causing it to diminish natural production of hormones.  This is primarily and issue when using products that elevate hormone levels.

 

If you break down the supplementation of the most successful athletes they typically use a process similar to what I have described above.  This helps them to continually make progress and not get stuck in a rut or plateau.  We usually recommend sticking with a product stack for between 30 and 60 days after which time you should make some changes to your supplementation.  Keep in mind that items like protein, multi vitamin and essential fats should viewed as food.  You need to take these all of the time and they don’t really need to be changed.

 

If you would like ideas on product combinations or stacks click on the tab on the right that says “Stacks/Product Solutions”. 

 

The other topic I would like to address is why product stacks or combinations are more effective than using individual products.  Sometimes it is nice when first trying a product to use it by itself for the purpose of assessing its effectiveness.  However if you are looking to get maximum results you should be putting products stacks together that are customized to your fitness goal(s).  The logic behind this is to hit multiple muscle building pathways at one time in order to maximize the possibility of strength and growth.  Getting stronger and gaining muscle is difficult and your supplementation needs to be well planned for it to provide benefit.

These product combinations are designed to get you big and lean.  They where put together courtesy of Steve Bardi of our Warwick location.

Big & Lean Stack
What to take:

1 Adrena Lean in the morning when you wake up, with 4 HMB and 2 CLA Evolution
Why it helps:

The Adrena Lean revs up the metabolism first thing in the morning and the CLA gets your body using fat as fuel.  HMB helps protect muscle by keeping your body from using it as a source of energy.

 

What to take:

Pre-workout take 3 Synthro-Lean with 2 Yohimbine, 3 TNT-2, and 1 scoop Juice mixed with 1 scoop Krush,

Why it helps:

Synthro Lean cranks up fat burning enzymes without an added stimulant effect. Yombine is an Alpha 2 antagonist which allows fat to be mobilized especially from the lower body.  TNT 2 naturally elevates test levels for added muscle growth.  The Juice and Krush Combo will fire up the most hardcore energy junky.

 

What to take:

During workout take 1 scoop BCAA Evolution and 4 Kre Alkalyn
Why it helps:

BCAA Evolution keeps the body from going into a catabolic (muscle wasting) state during your workout.  Kre Alkalyn will top off ATP stores keeping you going longer and stronger in the gym.

 

What to take:

Post workout take 2 scoops After Glow, with 1 scoop Intek Red Ice ISOLATE and 3 TNT-2
Why it helps:

Growth is all about recovery.  After Glow is the best recovery product on the market.  The added scoop of Intek Red Ice Isolate will give you extra protein if you are unable to get another meal in within a short period of time of taking the After Glow.  TNT 2 optimizes post workout hormone levels for growth and recovery.

 

What to take:

2 CLA Evolution with 3 HMB with lunch
Why it helps:

CLA keeps your body using fat as an energy source and HMB keeps you from breaking down muscle tissue for energy.

 

What to take:

2 CLA Evolution and 3 HMB with dinner
Why it helps:

See above

 

What to take:

1 rounded scoop Sleep Revolution, with 2 Natural Test and 4 Humano Growth before bed. 

Why it helps:

Sleep Revolution helps you sleep better and gets you into deeper sleep more quickly.  Humano Growth helps optimize hormone levels while you sleep.

Big & Lean Stack #2
What to take:

1 Adrena Lean cap in the morning and 1 scoop of ANS Diesel Fuel with breakfast.

Why it helps:

Adrena Lean will kick start the metabolism first thing in the morning.  Diesel Fuel volumizes the muscle cell and packs it full of glycogen.

 

What to take:

3 Kre Alkalyn with one scoop BCAA Evolution and 1-2 scoops of Arnge Krush 40 minutes before your workout

Why it helps:

Kre Alkalyn ramps up ATP production allowing you to do more work in the gym.  Intek BCAA Evolution increases blood flow to the muscles and keeps you anabolic while working out.  Arnge Krush jacks up intensity and fuels cellular energy.

 

What to take:

Take 2-3 scoops of Mass 600 in the morning and 2-3 scoops at night

Why it helps:

If you want to get big you need to eat big.  Mass 600 supplies your body with lots of high quality calories from protein, complex carbs and healthy fats.

 

What to take:

3 Muscle Sport Test Revolution before going to bed

Why it helps:

Your body produces most of its hormones at night.  Taking Test Rev at night will ensure you produce as much testosterone as is naturally possible.

 

What to take:

Take 1 cap of Intek CLA Evolution and 2-3 caps of Deplete with 3 separate meals.

Why it helps:

CLA keeps your body using fat as energy and helps keep excess calories from being stored as body fat.  Deplete helps minimize subcutaneous water retention; in essence shrink wrapping your skin to your body.

Hard Gainers Growth Recipe

If you want to break a plateau and make some sizeable gains this supplement regimen is for you.  This recipe for results includes effective supplements for the most important parts of the day.  It matters when you take your supplements so this regimen keeps your body anabolic when it matters most.

Breakfast of Champions:
Forget about Wheaties, if you want to be big and strong take the following before your breakfast.

2 Test Rev in the morning with a serving of BCAA and 1/2 scoop Diesel Fuel

Intensity Matters:
You need to have the energy and work capacity to stress the muscle properly during your workout.

Pre-workout take 2-3 scoops of Juice with 5 caps of Beta Revolution

Recovery = Results:
Give you body the raw material to grow or you are wasting your time in the gym.

Post Workout Mix Vanilla Intek Evolution with 1/2 scoop of Diesel Fuel

Vitamin “T” for maximum Muscle:
Higher hormone levels fuels greater gains in strength and muscle.  This combo will naturally optimize hormone levels.  It is effective yet safe.

Before Bed take 2 Test Rev with 4-6 caps of Labrada Humano Growth

This combination is potent and will help anyone make some quick gains.  In fact if you can’t make gains on this you might as well quit working out!!  We are so confident in this regimen that we’ll take 10% off the price if you mention this blog when purchasing the entire combination of products mentioned above.

Muscle Building Supplements

 

We have put together some of the more effective combinations of muscle building supplements in the paragraphs below.  You can take these products individually but if you are looking for maximum results we recommend stacking them together for best results.

What to Take:  BioRhythm Juice mixed with ANS Diesel Fuel, and ECS Natural Test

How to Take It: Take 1-3 scoops of Juice about 40 minutes before your workout.  1 scoop of Diesel Fuel can be mixed in with the Juice pre-workout or it can be taken with your post workout.  Take 2 Natural Test in the morning and 2 before going to bed.

Why it Works: Juice increases workout intensity and fuels cellular energy levels helping you to work out harder and longer.  Diesel Fuel will volumize the muscle cell, increase ATP production and boost glycogen stores and protein synthesis.  Natural Test will boost testosterone levels naturally and increase the rate of protein synthesis.

 

What to Take:  ANS Diesel Fuel, BioRhythm Big Blue, Muscle Sport Test Revolution

How to Take It: Take 1 scoop of Diesel Fuel with 4-6 Big Blue about 40 minutes before training.  Take 3 Test Revolution about 1 hour before your workout, or for increased results take 3 before your workout and 3 before bed.

Why it Works: Diesel Fuel will volumize the muscle cell, increase ATP production and boost glycogen stores and protein synthesis.  Big Blue increases nitric oxide production increasing blood and oxygen flow to the muscles while reducing lactic acid and allowing the muscle to be under tension for a greater period of time.  Test Revolution naturally boosts testosterone levels which turn on the cellular machinery that builds muscle.

 

What to Take: Beta Revolution, BioRhythm Juice, Creatine CXS

How to Take It: Take 3-6 Beta Revolution 40 minutes before training with 1-3 scoops of BioRhythm Juice.  Take 2-3 caps of Creatine CXS immediately before training and 2 caps immediately after training.

Why it Works: Beta Revolution allows you to recruit more muscle fibers, while BioRhythm Juice increases workout intensity and cellular energy substrates.  Creatine CXS increases muscle pumps and boosts ATP production.

The answer is yes and no, lets dig into this further to see why.  Post workout is probably the most important time for protein intake and getting some to the muscles quickly has been shown to speed recovery.  Quality and absorption rate are definitely important, see our previous article on protein quality for more info on this topic.  The rate of protein absorption is basically the rate at which the body will break down a given protein and turn it into amino acids which are utilized by the muscles.  Whey protein has been shown to be the most effective and the fastest absorbing of the protein options available.  It is pretty safe to say that whey protein is universally accepted as a good option for post workout nutrition.  What many people get confused about are the varying grades of whey protein; whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, whey hydroslate, whey peptides, etc.  There are also different protein percentages that are found within each protein grade.  For instance you can get a whey protein concentrate that is between 34% and 80%, the 80% being much higher quality than the 34%.  Whey protein that is a concentrate and is 80% protein or a whey isolate are sufficient for post workout recovery purposes or for protein intake at other times of the day.  As the marketers look for new products to push you see variations of whey isolates, and hydroslates being touted as “faster” than regular protein which would supposedly provide benefits to the end user.  Most have interesting stories but before you open your wallet and jump on board understand that you will often pay more and there is not research to support that these proteins actually do absorb more quickly and if they did that you would receive any benefit in performance or body composition.

In my store in Nashua, NH I get people every day asking how to build size and strength.  Teenagers to, lets say, “pre-seniors” are somewhat baffled at how some people can just add globs of muscle with relative ease.  First let me just say that these so called easy gainers are working their butts off to gain every ounce of muscle they get.  Second these easy gainers are utilizing age old training techniques that have recently fallen out off the mainstream.  Do these guys know something you don’t?  Are these guys using some super secret supplement that allow them to adorn that Herculean physique?  The answer is no.  Every bodybuilding magazine and weightlifting publication agree; the key to gaining dense slabs of muscle is old school powerlifting and olympic lifting.  These multi-joint exercises increase overall hormone output (testosterone and growth hormone) and increase androgen receptor sensitivity (gives testosterone a place to go and do its job).  The best piece of lifting advice i’ve ever got when i was first starting out was this: “If you want to make your arms grow, squat, and if you want a stronger bench press, power clean.”  This type of lifting will increase overall size and strength.  Its amazing how many guys come into my store and are frustrated that they are not making any size or strength gains.  When I ask them what they are doing for their work outs I get the same answer; “I mainly concentrate on benches and curls.”  Although these are good exercises, they will not give you the hormone output of other powerlifting and olympic lifting type movements.  These movements include but are not limited to squats, deadlifts, rack pulls, power cleans, hanging cleans, clean and jerk, bench presses, and standing presses.  I recommend for all lifters looking to gain size and strength to read more about the subject.  There is a ton of literature out there and in the words of G.I. Joe, knowing is half the battle.

            Currently I am preparing for a strongman competition and am using these particular training techniques.  My weight class is 200lb-231lb.  Natrually I weigh about 220lbs at about 9 or 10% bodyfat.  I decided it would be in my best interest to gain weight and come in right at the top of the weight class where I would be at my strongest.  Some guys in this weight class are about 245lbs and are cutting down to get under 230lbs.  This made me decide to get as heavy as possible before the contest and then cut back down to 231lbs.  Power and olympic lifting has primed my body for the weight and strength gain.  Now its all about getting the right amount of calories and using the right supplements for growth and recovery.  For the first time in my life I am using a weight gainer, Optimum Health’s Mass 600 chocolate.  This stuff is providing me with the extra calories for growth and intense training sessions, not to mention its tastey as hell.  I also add extra fiber in the form of Now Foods Brand Psyllium Husk to each mass shake just to prevent getting bound up.  I’m also using BioRhythm’s O2 Positive for a pre-workout powder.  This stuff gives me incredible strength and endurance gains.  It is caffiene-free which is perfect for me seeing that I want to save my adrenal sensitivity for the day of the contest (load up on the stimulants then).  I always follow up my workout with BioRhythm’s AfterGlow.  This recovery drink is the best on the market bar-none.  It allows me to fully recover in time for my next intense training session.  Lastly I am using MSI’s Test Revolution.  This is a potent natural testosterone booster and I think we all know what testosterone does for strength and size.  I started this size and strength gain routine about 3 weeks ago at 220lbs.  I have gained about 8lbs and am three weeks out from the compitition.  Using the same training and supplementation techniques I have outlined here you too can gain the size and strength of Hercules himself.  

Minimizing the post cycle rebound effect and maximizing muscle retention is always a battle for steroid/prohormone users.  Taking synthetic forms of testosterone will shut off natural testosterone production and raise estrogen levels and can be menacing if not kept in check post cycle.  At the end of a cycle people will usually supplement with anti-estrogens and natural testosterone boosters to combat the post cycle hormone rebound effect.  Most prohormone/steroid users will lose much of the muscle gained during the cycle even if these precautions are made. 

            One thing that you must take into account is that while on a prohormone/steroid your body down regulates the androgen receptor sensitivity due to the copious amount of androgen circulating the blood stream.  This is done in an effort to keep homeostasis, or a balance in hormone activity.  When a prohormone/steroid is discontinued the body is making little to no testosterone and even if it did the androgens would not be able to bind to the receptors resulting in fatigue and muscle atrophy.  This is why smart prohormone/steroid users utilize the bridging method.  This is done after a heavier prohormone/steroid is used and before the post cycle therapy.  The idea is that if a milder anabolic that has less of an effect on the HPTA axis is taken the last week of the heavier anabolic and then run for two weeks by itself, the body’s natural hormone systems and androgen receptor sensitivity will have more of a chance to recover before the anti-estrogens and test boosters are intoduced.  This will allow maximal muscle retention post cycle.  SSL Win-E is perfect for bridging.

 

SAMPLE CYCLES:

 

Beginner:

Week1           Week2            Week3          Week4            Week5          Week6

SSL 1T2             “                       ”                     “                   Win-E            Win-E

2 per day      3 per day        3 per day       2 per day       4 per day      4 per day

                                                                     SSL Win-E

                                                                      3 per day                            start post———————-Week10

 

Intermediate:

Week1            Week2            Week3            Week4            Week5            Week6

SSL Super-D      “                     “                       “                   Win-E              Win-E

1 per day       2 per day        2 per day        1 per day      4 per day         4 per day

                                                                      SSL Win-E

                                                                        3 per day                           start post———————Week10

 

Advanced:

Week1            Week2            Week3            Week4            Week5            Week6

SSL Inc Bulk      “                       “                        “                  Win-E              Win-E

2 per day      3 per day        3 per day         2 per day       4 per day         4 per day

                                                                       SSL Win-E

                                                                        3 per day                           start post———————Week10

To get bigger muscles, you need bigger muscle cells, and that means increasing muscle-cell “volume.” That’s why cell-volumizing supplements are so popular these days among athletes.

Muscle-cell volume is naturally sustained by creatine, muscle glycogen and water. Studies tell us that by packing more water into muscles, test subjects have been able to gain several pounds of muscle water within days, which sound like only a short-term benefit since it’s not muscle protein. But scientists believe that boosting muscle-cell volume can switch on anabolic pocesses for longer-lasting gains in muscle mass. In other words, these temporary gains can lead to long-term gains, which are the goal of every athlete.

How do you increase the volume of your muscle cells? Below are four cell-volumizing strategies that will help you make some of the fastest possible gains in lean body mass.

1)  Creatine has the ability to enlarge and stretch muscle cell membranes; scientists suspect that if creatine is taken consistently, that it also results in improvements in the rate at which you gain muscle-protein mass itself. Apparently, the stretching effect of cell-volumizing ingredients in general leads to faster synthesis and slower destruction of muscle protein–which should produce a net anabolic effect over time.

2)  Inside muscles is a fluid syrup called glycogen. Although glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates, it is mostly water (the alternative to having dry starch or gritty sugar in your body). The fact that glycogen is only one part carbohydrate to a whopping three parts water makes it useful to bodybuilders as a major contributor to muscle size. In fact, next to water and muscle protein itself, muscle glycogen is one of the largest contributors to muscle mass in the body.

Adding to the value of glycogen in increasing cell volume is the fact that the water inside muscle cells doesn’t mix much with glycogen, as if each were stored in separate compartments. This means that the cell-volumizing effect of glycogen is additional to that of creatine, in the same way that carbs and creatine have their own effects on muscle-cell volumization (another reason for taking them together).

The best time to consume carbs is postworkout. After exercise, the sugar you eat is whisked into your muscles at a faster clip and converted to glycogen at a higher than normal rate, reducing the likelihood that those carbs will be stored in less desirable places.

3)  Another supplement that can rapidly increase lean body mass is called glycerol. Unlike creatine and glycogen, glycerol does not contribute to muscle, but goes to a third lean body compartment of blood vessels called plasma. Although bodybuilders are most interested in increasing muscle mass (rather than plasma mass), glycerol increases vascularization for super freaky veins. For instance, judicious supplementation with glycerol at least 90 minutes before a contest can increase vascular appearance.

4)  Water needs no introduction, of course, but its importance to athletes bears repeating. Most athletes refer to water in the pejorative, fingering it as the cause for water retention or a puffy and bloated appearance. “I’m holding water” is the usual refrain, but the reason is often misunderstood.

Too little water in your diet–not too much–will blur what ripples beneath. That’s because “holding water” is the body’s way of resisting dehydration; it just happens to store the extra reservoir under the skin, where it looks like fat. If you’re tired of camouflaged muscles, it is necessary to lose your fear of water. All other cell-volumizing nutrients need water in order to work.