Have you ever wondered what people are carrying around in those bags when they come to the gym? What items do they have that are so important to the success of each workout? For most of them, the gym bag contains a good amount of bodybuilding essentials.
By “bodybuilding essentials”, we’re referring to supplements that can help you make the most of every workout. You put in the work on your end, then supply your body with the right supplementation to do the rest.
Let’s take a look at all of the supplements that smart bodybuilding entails, and why they’re necessary for your gym bag at all times.
1. Caffeine
Listen, if you aren’t arriving at the gym with some sort of caffeine ready to be consumed, then you’re risking the quality of your entire workout. It’s important to have caffeine in your body to get the blood pumping.
Caffeine doesn’t just simply wake you up, it goes a long way towards ensuring peak performance. It can stimulate your muscles, help your cognitive thinking, and give you a consistent level of energy throughout your workout. Plus, who could resist that “I can accomplish anything!” mindset that comes with it?
As far as the method of consuming that caffeine, we’ll leave that up to you! There are several ways you can place caffeine into your gym bag.
First, you could invest in a pre-workout that can give you a concentrated dose of caffeine, as well as vasodilators that help you get the “pump” as you work out your major muscles groups.
Second, you could invest in some form of thermogenic supplement, which can help raise your body’s metabolic rate (which will give you a boost in performance).
Of course, there’s always the classic cup of coffee or energy drink to get your fix of caffeine. However, we encourage you to try and drink black coffee and avoid energy drinks with too much sugar.
2. Bulking Stack
Whether you’re just now getting into the bodybuilding world or you’ve been in and out of it for a while, you’ve undoubtedly heard the word “stack” several times. But what does that mean?
When it comes to supplements, a “stack” refers to a group of supplements that, when taken together, can help you see maximum results. These are often sold as a pack so that you aren’t sacrificing anything in the recovery process.
If you’re looking to build more muscle, then investing in a bulking stack can help you see results like never before. But here’s the catch: it’s all about finding all-natural bulking stacks. Illegal substances can lead to getting disqualified from competitions, health side-effects, and much more.
Unfortunately, the bodybuilding industry is one of the most diluted marketplaces. There are hundreds of companies out there that promise results without ever having to prove themselves to regulations.
Thankfully, you can invest in an all-natural bulking stack to see optimum gains. The specific bulking stack in the attached link contains supplements that are all-natural alternatives to things like Dianabol, Deca-Durabolin, Testosterone, and Trenbolone.
3. Creatine
If there’s one supplement we can appoint as the “X-factor” for maximum gains, it’s creatine. Your body produces a bit of it each day, but you’ll want to intake more to get the best results.
Creatine can be found primarily in red meat, but for bodybuilding purposes, we suggest investing in a supplement to get a higher dosage.
This supplement has several benefits, including:
- Improving strength during your workouts (thus intensifying the resistance in your training)
- Increases the creation of lean muscle in your body
- Quicker turnaround for muscle recovery
- Get a higher burst of energy during your workouts
We recommend digesting the creatine before your workout. There are several powder forms of creatine on the market that you can mix with your pre-workout, coffee, or water every morning.
Creatine is essential for before, during, and after the workout, making bodybuilding essential for your gym bag at all times.
4. Whey Protein
Did you think you’d get through this article without seeing whey protein mentioned? It’s the primary supplement for increasing your intake of protein—the most essential macronutrient for muscle building.
Whey protein is digested through your body quickly, helping your body get right to work on protein synthesis and fixing those microtears in your muscles after you stretched them out (during resistance training).
Keep this in your gym bag at all times, and make sure that you intake it within 30-minutes of the conclusion of your workout to ensure the best results.
5. BCAAs
BCAA stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids. There are three different types of BCAAs out there: leucine, isoleucine, and valine, all of which you should be ingesting regularly.
These are vital for muscle building and muscle recovery. The body uses them as building blocks for the lean muscle mass that everyone salivates over.
Unlike the other supplements on this list, we recommend that you intake BCAAs during your workout. Be sure to find a product that you can quickly mix into your water bottle while you go about your workout. You’ll see results a lot quicker!
Invest in These Bodybuilding Essentials for Your Transformation
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on the bodybuilding essentials you need in your gym bag for health and fitness, be sure to use them to your advantage.
Take the time to browse our website for more articles on smart bodybuilding, as well as many other topics that you will find fascinating.