Bodybuilding Tips and Tricks

I thought I’d share with you guys a great stack of fat burning supplements I’ve been using with great success recently. Stacking multiple supplements together can greatly enhance their performance and thus increase your results. Here’s that fat burning stack I promised:

L-Carnitine: I’ve already discussed Carnitine in this post if you want to check that out for more details. Basically, Carnitine aids in the transport of fat into the cellular mitochondria where it can be burned for fuel. Take 1000-3000mg 3-4 times per day.

Forskolin: Forskolin comes from the herb coleus forskohli and causes an increase in cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophstphate) which in turn activates the enzyme lipase. This enzyme breaks down fat from fat cells and releases it into the bloodstream so it can be burned by the mitochondria. Take 20-50mg 2-3 times per day before meals.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): CLA is an interesting supplement. It’s a healthy fat and studies have shown that it not only enhances fat loss, it also increases size and strength gains. Can’t get much better than that, huh? One of the main ways CLA works is by increasing the activity of Carnitine (included in this stack) and increasing the amount of fat being transported to the mitochondria. Take 1000-3000mg 3 times a day

Green Tea Extract: Green Tea Extract has so many useful benefits (controls diabetes, lowers cholesterol and risk of heart disease, prevents cancer, and many more), I’d recommend taking this one regardless of its fat burning properties. But, there’s no question that Green Teat Extract is a very effective natural fat burner due to its active component EGCG which inhibits the breakdown of norepinephrine, boosts metabolism, and increases fat release from fat cells. Take 500-1000mg 2-3 times per day before meals to increase burning of fat for body heat by as much as 200-400 calories a day.

Try that stack on for size and see if you don’t get ripped.

When it comes to building muscle mass, Testosterone is, and always will be, king. High testosterone levels will help you pack on tons of muscle and burn fat, always a good combination. In addition to some natural ways to boost your T levels, we can use supplements to help us out as well. Actually, even our testosterone boosting supps can be natural…

Tribulus Terrestris is an herb that has been used in the traditional medicine of China and India for centuries. In the mid-1990s, Tribulus Terrestris became known in North America after Eastern European Olympic athletes said that taking tribulus helped their performance. Tribulus is a great way to boost your testosterone levels naturally without steroids or some of the other nasty stuff you may be tempted to try. When I’m supplementing to raise testosterone, I use Biotest Tribex Gold. I think it’s one of the best Tribulus Terrestris supplements out there. Be sure to follow the cycling instructions (given on the bottle) and get ready for some massive gains!

The two best times to perform cardio are:

- First thing in the morning before you’ve eaten anything
OR
- Immediately following your weight workout

In both cases, you are more likely to burn fat because your glycogen energy stores are depleted, in one case by a night of sleep (and lack of food) and in the other by your weight training routine. If you’re concerned about not having enough energy or about possibly burning muscle when performing cardio at these times, supplement with 20-25 grams of whey protein, 3-5 grams of L-Glutamine, and 3-5 grams of L-Carnitine beforehand.

Simply put, L-Carnitine promotes fat burning. L-Carnitine encourages the body to burn stored fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. It does this by forcing fat into the muscular cells. Carnitine is the only nutrient that can transport fat to the part of the cell that will burn it, the mitochondria. If you can’t get fat into the mitochondria, you can’t burn it. So without carnitine, no fat burning can occur. Optimal carnitine levels, on the other hand, allow the body to burn fat at an optimal rate.

In addition to it’s help with fat burning, benefits of supplementing L-Carnitine include:

- More energy to exercise and increases endurance and performance
- Increased energy levels
- Decreased cholesterol and triglycerides
- Reduced food cravings
- Better heart and liver health
- Promotion of healthy circulation

Dosage: In order to maximize the fat burning capabilities of L-Carnitine, take 3-5 grams before and after your workouts. Here’s the brand I’m currently using:
NOW L-Carnitine, 1000mg/100 Tablets

Interval training refers to varying the intensity of your workload during cardio sessions. This can be done by upping the speed or the level on the machine at regular intervals throughout the workout. For instance, on a treadmill, you might try a brisk walk or jog for a minute followed by sprinting for a minute and then go back to the jog, etc. You can also apply this technique to a stair stepper, an elliptical, or a cross trainer. Proceed at a moderate pace for a prescribed period of time (typically 1-2 minutes), then kick things up to a fast and furious pace for another prescribed period (typically around 60 seconds), then return to moderate pace. Rinse and repeat. Research shows that not only does training in this manner burn more calories during the actual cardio session, it also increases your calorie-burning during the hours following your training.