This month I will open space for a very interesting article from a specialist in sports supplementation, Ricardo da Luz Santana*, who will discuss types of supplements and how the combination of correct training and supplementation can bring surprising results.

Here is a classic scene. A client arrives at a store and asks the famous question, ”Do you have something for fast growth? I want to get pumped up.” Then the salesperson asks if the client is already using protein or some other supplement and hears: “I was using whey, then I stopped and tried BCAA, but didn’t feel anything, so I want something stronger”. Now, with the summer coming, there is the famous, “What do you have for losing fat quickly? Do you have something for localized fat?”

When this happens the professional is in a situation in which he needs to convince the client that as much as he may want something, and only that, perhaps it wouldn’t be the best solution, despite all the promises that these specific supplements offer.
First: never abandon the foundation supplements. Foundation supplements include PROTEINS and or AMINO ACIDS, CARBOHYDRATES and VITAMINS and MINERALS (whether separate or as multivitamins). Without a good foundation, not even the most miraculous supplement will work. It would be like building a structure with the best tools, labor and finishing touches without the foundation and bricks. So, if you want more results, it’s not a question of switching, but of a reevaluation of your entire routine and then if necessary, ADDING something.

Second. A price must be paid to achieve more ambitious goals - and not just a financial one (specific action supplements are more expensive than the basic ones). Each final goal is achieved through a sum of factors. Do you want larger muscles without heavy training and a good diet? Do you want to lose weight without nutritional re-education and dedicated training? It is not so simple. Specific supplements are proven to offer the effects they promise. But for each final effect a complete training program and routine is needed to generate the desired result.

Third. All specific actions or performance supplements obey a cycle, which has a beginning, middle and end. This must be respected so that the organism does not become saturated, adapts properly and is able to progress. The foundation supplements, because they are in the first place ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS, should be used continuously.

With this in mind, look for help from two professionals: your trainer for weight lifting or whatever is your particular sport or activity, and a professional who works in the field of supplements who can prescribe the right supplement and the correct way to use it.

Your body responds to what you demand from it. But the quality of this response depends on what you put into it and absorb, which will make allow the best possible result.

I hope that you enjoyed the article. And remember, don’t let your gym buddy determine the training that is best for you or the supplements that you should take. An error in training, especially at the beginning, can impede future progress. Look for a specialist and you will appreciate the results later.

* RICARDO DA LUZ SANTANA CREF 002273-G/S - EMPÓRIO NATURAL BODY WORKS – CÓRREGO GRANDE 3389-3477