Want to pack on some muscle? Follow any of my training programs to a T and combine it with a proper mass-gaining diet, and you're good to go.
My 12-week Shortcut to Size plan here on Bodybuilding.com, as well as my mass-building plans at JimStoppani.com, show you exactly what to do in the gym and what to eat throughout the day to get bigger and stronger. But if you truly want to maximize muscle growth, you'll need to augment your training and diet with the best possible supplement regimen. My JYM Supplement Science products make it very easy as they are high-quality supplements specifically designed to help gym rats like you reach your loftiest goals.
If packing on lean mass is your primary focus, I recommend the following four-tiered stack:
Here's why each of these products is a proven mass-gainer and how to take them together, day in and day out, for the best possible gains.
1. Pro JYM
To maximize muscle growth, you need a lot of protein. I recommend shooting for 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day; that ends up being 300 grams of protein daily for a 200-pound individual. That's for people who train hard in the gym with high volume and high intensity—which is what you're doing if you're really trying to gain size, right? It's based on numerous studies analyzing the positive muscle-building effects of high-protein diets on athletes.
Have you ever tried to get 300 grams of protein per day from whole food alone? I have, and let me tell you, it's a lot of meat, eggs, canned tuna, and milk to force-feed yourself! That's what protein powder is for: to provide a convenient way to hit your protein goals every day. It's much easier to mix two scoops of my Pro JYM protein blend in cold water and drink it than it is to cook and eat a 6-ounce chicken breast or eight large eggs—yet all three provide roughly the same amount of protein, around 50 grams.
Pro JYM isn't just about convenience, though. Its precise blend of whey, casein, and egg proteins provides the ideal mix of fast-, slow-, and medium-digesting proteins. Research has shown that this type of blend enhances muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth better than powders that contain only whey.[1]*
You still want to get the majority of your protein from high-quality whole foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, but to hit your daily protein goals, make up the difference with Pro JYM. For example, if the goal is to hit 300 grams of protein daily, get around 200 of that from whole food and the remaining 100 or so grams from 4-5 scoops of Pro JYM (each scoop has 24 grams of protein).
2. Pre JYM
My best-selling pre-workout, Pre JYM, is a critical muscle-building tool for two reasons: It will enable you to train harder and longer, ultimately leading to better gains, and it contains ingredients that directly enhance muscle size.*
The 13 ingredients in Pre JYM collectively increase muscular strength and power[2]; enhance energy, focus, and alertness[3]; increase stamina[4]; and blunt feelings of fatigue[5]. In a nutshell, that's how Pre JYM will boost your workout performance and lead to better muscle gains.*
How will Pre JYM help build muscle more directly? One way is through creatine's ability to pull water into the muscles to make them bigger and fuller, not to mention stronger. The increased cell volume stretches cell membranes, which can initiate long-term growth through greater muscle protein synthesis.[6] Betaine also helps boost protein synthesis, while leucine, the most anabolic of the three branched-chain amino acids, has been shown to drive that process, as well.*
Better, more intense workouts, fuller muscles, and greater protein synthesis is what you'll get with Pre JYM, making it a critical muscle-building supplement.*
3. Post JYM
Muscles don't grow while you train, they grow when they're at rest, after getting a full recovery from intense workouts. Enter Post JYM, my advanced recovery formula featuring BCAAs along with several other key muscle-building agents.*
Five ingredients in Pre JYM are also found in Post JYM: BCAAs, creatine, beta-alanine, betaine, and taurine. All have shown beneficial effects when used both before and after workouts.
The main ingredients exclusive to Post JYM are glutamine and L-carnitine L-tartrate. Glutamine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body, and research suggests that supplementing with it allows for quicker recovery between workouts.[7,8] Glutamine is also critical for optimal immune function, an important factor for those who train hard, as intense training can compromise the immune system.*
The other ingredient, L-carnitine L-tartrate, enhances recovery after exercise due to its ability to promote nitric oxide production and so increase blood flow to muscles.[9]*
4. Omega JYM
You may be surprised to find Omega JYM, my high-potency fish oil, as part of a muscle-building stack, but there's good reason for including it. Fish oil is usually mentioned in the context of promoting heart health, joint health, and even fat loss (as in my JYM Ultimate Fat-Loss Stack), but research has shown that taking 1,500 milligrams daily of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) increases muscle protein synthesis following a high-protein meal.[10] This is the exact dose of DHA you get in four capsules of Omega JYM.*
How to Take the JYM Ultimate Muscle-Building Stack
For best results, take the four products daily according to these guidelines:
Pro JYM
Mix each scoop of Pro JYM in 6-12 ounces of water or milk. Consume 1-2 scoops within 30 minutes before workouts and 1-2 scoops within 30 minutes after workouts. Also consider taking 1-2 scoops when you first wake up, before going to bed, or between meals.
Pre JYM
Mix 1 scoop of Pre JYM in 16-32 ounces of water. I recommend waiting 10-15 minutes before drinking to allow the ingredients to dissolve. I also suggest sipping Pre JYM over 15-30 minutes.
Post JYM
Mix 1 scoop of Post JYM in 16-32 ounces of water and start sipping it within 30 minutes after workouts. As with Pre JYM, I advise letting it sit for 10-15 minutes before drinking and sipping it over time.
Omega JYM
Take four Omega JYM softgels per day with food. You can take the four capsules all at once with the meal of your choice or split them into two two-capsule doses.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
References
- Reidy, P. T., et al. (2013). Protein blend ingestion following resistance exercise promotes human muscle protein synthesis. The Journal of Nutrition, 143(4), 410-416.
- Lee, E. C., et al. (2010). Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7, 27.
- Seidl, R., Peyrl, A., Nicham, R., & Hauser, E. (2000). A taurine and caffeine-containing drink stimulates cognitive performance and well-being. Amino Acids, 19(3-4), 635-642.
- Pérez-Guisado, J., & Jakeman, P. M. (2010). Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(5), 1215-1222.
- Doherty, M., & Smith, P. M. (2005). Effects of caffeine ingestion on rating of perceived exertion during and after exercise: a meta‐analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 15(2), 69-78.
- Powers, M. E., et al. (2003). Creatine supplementation increases total body water without altering fluid distribution. Journal of Athletic Training, 38(1), 44-50.
- Rennie, M., Bowtell, J., Bruce, M., & Khogali, S. (2001). Interaction between glutamine availability and metabolism of glycogen tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and glutathione. Journal of Nutrition, 131(9), 2488-91.
- Varnier, M., & Leese, G. (1995). Stimulatory effect of glutamine on glycogen accumulation in human skeletal muscle. American Journal of Physiology, 269(2), 309-15.
- Volek, J. S., Kraemer, W. J., Rubin, M. R., Gómez, A. L., Ratamess, N. A., & Gaynor, P. (2002). L-Carnitine L-tartrate supplementation favorably affects markers of recovery from exercise stress. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 282(2), E474-E482.
- Smith, G. I., et al. (2011). Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93, 402–12.
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