9th Article: Muscle Gain Stacks
Hello again friends. After reading my first eight
articles from this site, you have learned more
than other bodybuilders would in many years. At this time you know
everything you need
about dieting,
nutrition, supplementation and exercising. If you
apply everything you have learned under this
invaluable bodybuilding series you will start meeting
your personal goals.
But you need to know what supplements can give you
better results if you take them together, and what
supplements you should never stack.
The right combination is an extremely difficult
decision. It's not uncommon for some supplements when
stacked together to bring you worse results than if you would take
them
individually.
I will try in this article, to give you the best
combinations that can truly give you amazing results.
But as you understand, there are many
different supplements on the market, and each one of
them has many different ingredients, so possible
combinations can be literally thousands. So I prefer
to give you the best, instead of writing 50 articles of what you should
or shouldn't stack.
In this article, I will write the "muscle
building" supplements you can take together.
Just pay attention to how every cycle should be, and I
believe that if you apply this sophisticated method
that I will teach you, you will be your "own"
chemist pretty soon!
Stacking & Cycling
Now, for new bodybuilders, I would like to make clear
what the words "stacking" and "cycling" means:
Stacking:
Stacking means taking two or more bodybuilding
supplements at once, in an effort to get better results
faster.
Cycling:
Use supplements for a certain period of
time for a specific purpose.
The cycles that you stack with any
supplement should not last more than 6-10 weeks, at
most. After a long time, anything that
you "additionally" supply to your body starts losing
its effectiveness, since your body is an extremely
adapting machine. Also, it is not very healthy and can get costly to
take them all year.
Now before I start analyzing the cycles and stacks, I need to cover
something
first...
The Ultimate Sophisticated Method For Better Results!
Have you ever wondered why all the steroids that
steroid users are taking are always using a slow
increase up, and then a slow decrease down? Have you
ever wondered why they do that?
Of course some of you, you will say: "It's
simple John, the body will stop producing natural steroids when you are
on supplemented steroids."
I will agree with you friends, but there is one more reason that is very
very important!
IT'S THE BEST METHOD FOR STEADY GAINS WHILE LOSING THE LEAST AMOUNT AS POSSIBLE
AFTER THE STEROID CYCLE!
Of course here we are not going to talk about
roids, but
just think about it. A gear maybe can have 10 times
better results than any supplement, but why shouldn't the
progress be the same? Someone can take heavy
steroids to get 20-30 pounds as fast as possible, and
with that "slow increase/slow decrease" cycle they
use, they want to keep as many MUSCLE pounds as possible.
Of course with supplements you can not get "naturally"
20-30 pounds in an 8-10 week cycle, but would it be
bad if you could gain 5-10? I bet it would not!
Also, I believe everything in this life should follow
a "wave." What I mean is the "line" should go up
slowly, and then down, again slowly. If you think about it more deeply,
everything is
like that. I am sure that you can find tons of
examples, but let's be more specific about
bodybuilding where the applications are also the same.
You should always increase the calories for bulking,
and when you reach your desired level, then slowly you decrease them again.
When you do cardio, you start slowly, you go intense,
and at the last few minutes you go slowly again before
you stop.
The same also when you exercise with weights. Every
new season you start slowly increasing the pounds you
lift, but if you don't stop (let's say every summer)
for a few weeks, you can not have the results that you
want, simply because you can not train hard 365 days per
year! (Even if you don't want to leave your
gym for a couple of weeks every year, you will lift
for a specific period of time, lighter weights).
The same rule exists for supplementation. Your
body can not get an extreme high dosage from any
supplement and then stop it completely.
It would be too easy to lose all your gains.
Some authors have said to start with a high dosage and
then to reduce it. I really believe that this is
wrong.
Your body can get adapted extremely easy, and
when you supply it with a high dosage at first,
it gets a big "shock," but after few days it can get
adapted very easily. You don't know how your
body will respond if you ALWAYS do something like
that. Of course 90% (or more) of the supplements on
the market are safe, but it's better to be 100% safe.
If
you experience any kind of health problems,
you already know not to increase the
dosage, instead of starting by supplying your body
with a huge serving. So why risk without reason?
In contrast, a slow but steady approach is the best. Just increase your
muscle without
increasing significantly your fat!
Maybe some of the
stacks that you will read later, you have taken in the past, but I am
sure
you have not taken
them with the new innovative way that I am going to
present you today! Maybe your previous results were
poor, but give another try with this method, and you
won't lose!
One last note though. As I have said many times, some
stacks are not for everyone, because they are based on
Pro-Hormones.
| Prohormones Banned Jan. 20th, 2005 |
| On January 20th, 2005 the US Federal Gorvenment's ban on prohormones took effect. Don't worry though, we have numerous other products that work just as well. Find out more about these alternatives. |
So if you are less than 18 years old
or if you have high blood pressure, heart or thyroid
disease, diabetes, difficulty urinating, or prostate
enlargement, avoid any product that contains steroid
hormones, because they may cause breast enlargement,
testicle shrinkage and infertility in males, and
increased facial and body hair, voice deepening, and
clitoral enlargement in females.
Higher doses may
increase risks. If you are at risk for prostate or
breast cancer you should not use any prohormone based
product. Always consult your physician before you
start any supplement program.
And last but not least, NEVER exceed the recommended
dosages.
"MUSCLE BUILDING" SUPPLEMENTS YOU CAN STACK
Stack 1 - 19-Norandrostenediol & Tribulus
1) 19-Norandrostenediol and Tribulus
I will start with the "ultimate" stack for a natural
bodybuilder.
I have seen people in my gym, experience
unbelievable results with this stack! They packed on
lean muscular pounds as fast as 9 weeks! So let's make
a brief summary what each one of these means.
19-Norandrostenediol is an isomer of
norandrostenedione. It converts into nortestosterone
via enzyme conversion just like the other nor-andro
products. But what is very interesting about this
steroidal nutrient, is that it seems to be the best in
terms of safety and effectiveness!
On the other hand, Tribulus Terrestris herb extract
has been shown in studies to have a significant
testosterone elevating effect. It is thought that
Tribulus Terrestris helps elevate testosterone by
increasing natural production levels of luteinizing
hormone (LH). (LH is a hormone secreted from the
pituitary gland. It is responsible for telling your
body to produce testosterone).
For better results, it is better to start taking the
first week only 19-Nor-Androstenediol. The reason for
this is that you should not shock your body so fast,
taking them at the same time. When you finish your
first week, continue by taking also Tribulus
Terrestris (be sure that the product you took,
contains no less than 40%-50% steroidal saponins).
Saponins are a group of glycosides (compounds
containing carbohydrate molecules) widely distributed
in plants.
Here you have a testosterone+testosterone combination
that works in different pathways in your body, in
order to give you better results! It is better to take
them at different hours, not at the same time. For
example, take 19-Norandrostenediol before your
first, third and fifth meal, (depending also of course
at what time you train) and Tribulus with your second
and forth. But remember, the last dosage should be at
least 4-5 hours before you sleep.
After your 9th week, discontinue use for at least 3-4
weeks.
So let's see how can you "stack" these together.
| Stack 1. |
| Week # | 19-Norandrostenediol | Tribulus Terrestris |
| Week 1 | 100mg | off |
| Week 2 | 200mg | 500mg |
| Week 3 | 300mg | 750mg |
| Week 4 | 400mg | 1000mg |
| Week 5 | 400mg | 1250mg |
| Week 6 | 300mg | 1250mg |
| Week 7 | 200mg | 1000mg |
| Week 8 | 100mg | 750mg |
| Week 9 | off | 500mg |
|
Stack 2 - Creatine & D-Ribose
2) Creatine and D-Ribose
It is one of the best "totally natural" stacks that
people can use.
Creatine is a compound that's naturally made in our
bodies to supply energy to our muscles. It is formed
from the amino acids "Glycine-Methionine-Arginine." It
is manufactured in the liver and it can also be
produced in the pancreas and kidneys. Once creatine is
bound to a phosphate group, it is permanently stored
in a cell as phosphocreatine until it is used to
produce chemical energy called adenosise triphosphate
(ATP). Increased creatine levels in the muscle help
optimize energy turnover so that you have more energy
for high intensity exercise and faster recovery,
during and after workouts.
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|
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ATP: Energy's Currency!
If one has ever wondered just how we are able to summons the energy to perform a number of activities under a variety of conditions, the answer, in large part, is ATP. Without ATP, ones body would simply fail to function. Learn why...
[ Click here to learn more. ] |
|
 |
|
Ribose, is a naturally occurring energy metabolite
found in all cells of the body. It plays a vital role
in myocardial and skeletal muscle metabolism through
it's participation in the synthesis of ATP and other
adenine nucleotides. Research indicates that
supplementing with Ribose is an effective way to
increase energy levels (ATP) within the muscle cell,
enhance muscular performance, and aid in recovery
after high intensity exercise.
Again for better results, it is wise to start first with just
one supplement and then with the second. Of course one
method says to take 20gr of Creatine every day, for
the first 5 days, and from day 6 till the last day of
your cycle to take 5gr. I have also recommended
this method in one of my previous articles, but this
way is not the only way.
Another method says to take
5gr of Creatine from the first till your last day of
your cycle, and many people have also experienced good
results by using it. But as always, I will go one
step further of these two methods, and I will give a
third (and probably the best) alternative. So here is
what you should do, and remember again to take them at
different times. After your 9th week, discontinue use
for 4 weeks.
| Stack 2. |
| Week # | Creatine | D-Ribose |
| Week 1 | 5gr | off |
| Week 2 | 7gr | 1gr |
| Week 3 | 9gr | 2gr |
| Week 4 | 11gr | 3gr |
| Week 5 | 11gr | 4gr |
| Week 6 | 9gr | 4gr |
| Week 7 | 7gr | 3gr |
| Week 8 | 5gr | 2gr |
| Week 9 | off | 1gr |
|
Stack 3 - L-Glutamine & GABA
3) L-Glutamine and GABA
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in our
muscle tissue. Glutamine is a key factor in muscle
growth. This means that the higher the muscle glutamine
levels you can maintain, the less chance you have of
falling into catabolism and the faster muscle will
grow.
In one study on Glutamine, they found that a single
2gr oral dose of Glutamine, elevated circulating
growth hormone levels by over 430%!
Of course as I have said before, Glutamine is not toxic
at all and it's one of the very very few supplements
that you can take almost on a yearly basis. But if
you want to "stack" it with GABA, is better to follow
this cycle.
GABA is an important amino acid neurotransmitter in
the brain. lt is involved in the regulation of brain's
nerve cells and has been referred to as "the brain's
natural calming agent." But this amino acid has shown
also that it can elevate your hormone levels.
ln one clinical study, it showed over a 5 1/2 fold
increase in plasma growth hormones levels after GABA
administration. So imagine what you can achieve if you
take L-Glutamine and GABA at the same time!
Let's see a good cycle that you can use here. Take
L-Glutamine before you sleep, and GABA first thing in
the morning for better results.
| Stack 3. |
| Week # | L-Glutamine | GABA |
| Week 1 | 2gr | off |
| Week 2 | 4gr | 1gr |
| Week 3 | 6gr | 2gr |
| Week 4 | 8gr | 3gr |
| Week 5 | 10gr | 4gr |
| Week 6 | 10gr | 4gr |
| Week 7 | 8gr | 3gr |
| Week 8 | 6gr | 2gr |
| Week 9 | 4gr | 1gr |
| Week 10 | 2gr | off |
|
Stack 4 - 19-Norandrostenediol, Creatine, And L-Glutamine
4) 19-Norandrostenediol, Creatine and L-Glutamine!
THE ULTIMATE STACK!
This "triple" stack, has all at the same time,
testosterone (19-Norandrostenediol),
and GH (L-Glutamine), as well as Creatine, which keeps
your muscles filled with maximum capacity of fluid. Of
course you might try putting Tribulus
instead of 19-Norandrostenediol, or D-Ribose instead
of Creatine, or GABA instead of L-Glutamine. (The
combinations, as I said previously, can be many.) But
whatever you decide to do, if you remember the right
approach that you should use, (slightly up, and then
slightly down), you won't fail with your cycle! And
remember, competitive bodybuilders are using a
testosterone+GH combo.
Of course with nutritional supplements you can not get
the same results, but instead of your health getting
worse year after year, it will get better and you will
see major results in your body! So let's see the
combination that I chose. Just remember that you
should not take Creatine and Glutamine at exactly the
same time because they depend on many of the same
substrate carriers and co transporters. (That means
when the two are competing with one another for the
same carriers, one wins and one loses). Take them at
least 2 hours apart.
| Stack 3. |
| Week # | 19-Norandrostenediol | Creatine | L-Glutamine |
| Week 1 | off | off | 2gr |
| Week 2 | off | 5gr | 4gr |
| Week 3 | 100mg | 7gr | 6gr |
| Week 4 | 200mg | 9g | 8gr |
| Week 5 | 300mg | 11gr | 10gr |
| Week 6 | 400mg | 11gr | 10gr |
| Week 7 | 400mg | 9gr | 8gr |
| Week 8 | 300mg | 7gr | 6gr |
| Week 9 | 200mg | 5gr | 4gr |
| Week 10 | 100mg | off | 2gr |
|
Trying Other Stacks
Also you can experiment for yourselves by using a
Tribulus+L-Glutamine stack (testosterone+GH), or
L-Glutamine+D-Ribose (GH+ATP increase), or
19-Norandrostenediol+Creatine (testosterone+ATP
increase)
...the combinations are thousands! The point
is to know how to apply the right principles.
Take supplements that have been SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN
that they really work.
Of course there are also some other supplements that work "synergistically" (meaning they promote each other's affects)
such
as Zinc+Magnesium,
the famous ZMA, or the famous E/C/A stack (Ephedrine,
Caffeine, Aspirin), but let's say that they are
"stacked" by themselves from the manufacturers.
Finally as I have said many times, you should always
follow a "four-way" combination for better results.
Always remember how important it is to: a) eat b) exercise c) recuperate
and
d) supplement properly. Each one of them are of equal importance,
and if any one is missing, you might not achieve your personal goals.
This is the end of the first part of my series.
I have made an innovation and I gave you a totally
different approach to using your supplements,
getting the best and most economical results.
In my next article of this series, I will continue further
and I will talk about the perfect stacking for
fat-loss supplements. Many new things for you to
learn, and many new ways to achieve your personal
goals! Stay tuned!
giannis@bodybuilders.com
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