Furyan Reviews: Branch Chain Amino Acids

           I have mentioned in the past about how supplements can improve your bodybuilding experience. Just like yesterday’s article, if you are coming in late, here is a simple breakdown. Think of your nutrition as a castle wall. The nutrients from food are the big blocks of granite that form the wall. Supplements are the mortar that holds everything together. It fills in the gaps between the stones, binds everything together, and keeps that wall upright when those rousey mongorians come to tear down your chitty wall. Supplements on their own do little but when mixed together, they make that wall strong.

           My list of supplements is pretty small. I take Vitamin B, E & fish oil for my metabolism and my heart, Vitamin C for my immune system, and CLAs and Green Tea Extract to help me burn fat. While I got away from it recently, I have returned to having a whey protein shake when I get home after my workout, and I do a casein protein shake before bed.

           Now, the Whey Protein shake is fortified with BCAAs but I only use one scoop, so I am not getting the full recommended dosage that the company recommends which is three scoops. The human body can only absorb about 30 grams of protein in a sitting so to me, that is just protein overkill to get their full dosage of BCAAs.

           So why not just take BCAAs? So a few weeks ago, that is what I started.

           Amino Acids are very important to bodybuilding because they provide two essential things that we are looking for. Muscle retention and fat loss. Back in the day, professional bodybuilder Frank Zane was known as “The Chemist” because he was a big believer in amino acids and other supplementation. And let’s face facts. Google Image Search “Frank Zane.” The man’s physique is darn near perfect and his contest weight was usually around 185 pounds. It would be amazing to shrink down to that size and have his muscle definition. So if it works for Zane, I thought I would give it a try.

           I opted for the BPI Sports brand of Best Aminos which you blend into water. Most people acquire the necessary amino acids through food. In order for this to occur, you have to eat the food, it has to get processed by your body, and then pumped into your blood stream. The benefit of adding Amino Acids through supplement is that the fuel gets absorbed directly into your blood stream. Your body then utilizes them as fuel while you are working out to stimulate your muscle growth. They offer a fruit punch blend that if you mix with the right amount of water is pretty tasty.

           There is a series of debates as far as when you should consume these. I take mine about 10 minutes before I hit the gym. (My commute time is very short.) On average, I would say that my workouts last approximately 75 to 90 minutes. If I was going in for a four hour session, taking the amino acids the middle of your workout would be very beneficial. But I don’t have that kind of stamina and the last thing that I want to do is stop in the middle of my workout, mix up a batch of the stuff, swig it, and keep going. Taking it to start is just a more viable option for me. 

           Now, there are a lot of supplements that claim they will make you stronger. This is not the case. You don’t just take them and instantly become stronger. You take them, you gain energy and fuel, and you get 10 reps where you normally might have only mustered 9. Those extra reps and that ability to go harder is what make you stronger.

           I started my week with trying some new chest routines which I thought would have left me pretty sore. That was on Monday. I did a second chest day on Wednesday. And on Friday I added several sets of Incline Push-Ups with my arm routines. My soreness afterwards feels considerably less that it should be. I like to believe that is because of the amino acids.

           So I feel that BCAAs are definitely something I will continue to add to my supplements. I can tell you what oligopeptides do. I have not researched that far ahead yet. But I like them. Do your research and they might help you out too.

 

Furyan Reviews: Six Star Casein Protein

           Today, I am reviewing Six Star Pro Nutrition’s Elite Series Casein Protein Triple Chocolate Dietary Supplement. The stats on the product come from purchasing it at Walmart.

           What Is It & Why Do I Need It? In the nutrition section at Walmart there is Whey Protein, Whey Isolate, and Casein Protein. It is easy to wonder what exactly does what.

           Whey protein is a supplement taken 30 minutes after your workout in order to help you build muscle. It is specifically designed to be absorbed and digested very quickly. If whey protein is the vitamin C that you put under your tongue to be absorbed into your body rapidly, casein protein is a slow release capsule that gives you medicine over hours.

           Casein protein is absorbed and processed very slowly into your system. The purpose of casein is to give you a slow release of protein over the course of eight hours, so you take it just before you go to bed. Your body absorbs the protein as you sleep, so you are building muscle and you also wake up feeling less famished because you have been slowly “eating” over eight hours.

           Benefits and Cost Analysis: Walmart’s standard price is $19.97 or 62.4 cents per ounce. According to the labels, there are approximately 26 scoops per package, so using this five days a week while training is going to get you a month’s worth of product.

           Each scoop offers 20 grams of protein and if you take it with 1 cup of milk (they suggest 10 oz. per scoop), that is 8 more grams of protein for a total of… carry the one… denominator… 28 grams! 28 grams is pretty much a whole other meal, so if you are looking to bump your protein numbers up, this is a pretty solid way to do it. Now, of course the packaging suggests that you take two scoops for optimal results but I sometimes think that they list that just so you are using twice as much product and Six Star can make more money.

           Just the casein protein is 120 calories (with only 1 gram of fat), so this is a pretty clean way to stack protein into your diet, especially if you use skim or 1% milk.

           Ryan’s Review: Compared to Body Fortress’ Whey Powder, Six Star’s blend is very billowy and light. It smells nice when you open the container and, once blended, it actually has a very nice taste to it. I expected it to be rather “mediciny” for a reason I cannot explain. It is a chocolate lover’s dream. There is probably a reason why it is only sold in chocolate. Who is choosing vanilla or strawberry over chocolate? Taliban members, that’s who. 

           I have not had the nerve to try to hand stir this stuff because the last time I tried that with whey powder, the results were not pleasant. The looseness of the powder does make it someone difficult to blend. I often see clumps of unmixed product on the sides of the blender. So put your milk in first, then the powder. I am not certain if the results are psychosomatic or if they are genuine. I can tell you that when I wake up in the morning, I do not feel as hungry.

           Plus, you can almost fake yourself out into believing that this is a very thin milkshake. It is chocolaty (which I love) and knowing that I am going to have that “treat” at 10 p.m. often keeps me from indulging in something sweet after dinner.

           The only real drawback to adding in this supplement is that I am hand washing my blender twice a night now (once for my whey protein after my workout and then once at 10 o’clock at night).

           I want it clear though. This is not a meal supplement. You don’t take this instead of having dinner. You have this in addition to your dinner. I am very pleased with the results so far and while this is one more thing I have to buy every month, I feel it is a solid addition to my nutrition plan and I am going to stick with it.

Furyan Reviews: Body Fortress Whey Protein Powder

           Protein, protein, protein… It is an essential building block for muscle. And every gram that you can add to your diet is a benefit. So, what is a great way to help recover from your workout? And what are all these powders that they sell in the “Nutrition” section at Walmart? Well, let’s do a breakdown. And for that today, I am reviewing Body Fortress’s Super Advanced Whey Protein Powder.  

           What Is It & Why Do I Need It? Whey Protein provides your body with protein which helps you build muscle. Because of the chemical makeup of the product, it is absorbed very quickly by your body. They are saying it is roughly 15-minute absorption to get into your blood stream. Body Fortress’ formula also gives you amino acids which helps support lean muscle and recovery from your exercise.  The trick with this stuff is that you have a window of between 15 minutes and 45 minutes to drink it while your body is screaming for recovery from your workout. The BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) aid in that recovery.

           Benefits and Cost Analysis: You can see on the packaging that they are touting 60 gram of premium protein and 9 grams of BCAAs. However, it should be noted that a recent study from the University of Texas (Boomer Sooner!) found that consuming 90 grams of protein at one meal provides the same benefit as eating 30 grams. Study author Douglas Paddon-Jones, Ph.D. likened it to a gas tank: "There's only so much you can put in to maximize performance; the rest is spillover."

           So while the labels will tell you that using two or even three scoops is the optimum choice (to get their recommended dosage of BCAAs), my theory is that you are just really need one. Because the benefits of getting 9 grams of BCAAs don’t seem to outweigh the negative effect of chugging down 100+ grams of protein.

           If you only use one scoop, you can make one tub of this stuff last a month. My evening commute home from the gym is about 20 minutes. I get home drink a shake, strip out of my gear, and then I am ready for dinner, where I am going to have more protein. So even though the packaging labels out for 1 and 2 scoops, you can just get away with one scoop, which is going to get you 20 grams of protein just on its own, plus the protein from the milk (8 to 16 grams). 36 grams of protein is basically a fourth meal in one drink. And according to the medical study, anything much beyond that is not going to be optimized.   

           Ryan’s Review: I choose the Body Fortress brand because that is as close as you can get to generic. It is always the cheapest on the shelves at Walmart. As of the time of this writing, it is $17.98 for a 2-pound tub (which equals out to 56.2-cents per ounce). Schwarzenegger has a brand that he has developed with MusclePharm but it is more expensive and with less product. It is a little leaner in calories and a little more in protein but is more expensive. (It was around $22.00 for 1.5 pounds.) At the end of the day, it was more expensive for less product. There are other brands that are also expensive (Muscle Milk, EAS, Six Star, etc.). But I am more than happy with Body Fortress.

           My personal recommendation is the chocolate. The chocolate peanut butter cup was okay but it was just inferior in taste. And I am not a big vanilla fan. Maybe one of these days I will try it. However, when I am presented with an option I always choose chocolate over vanilla. But get a blender. Hand stirred is gross. And I have not been brave enough to try it in water. I just do one scoop per shake and if I do 5 shakes a week, one bottle can last a month. From this one shake, I get 20 grams of protein plus the protein from the milk, so that is almost the protein totals for a whole other meal in one shake.

           It is not a bad tasty. It is chocolaty as you would expect. The more you drink of it, the more you like it. It is an excellent addition to add to your regiment that is not insanely expensive. Hopefully, by reading this review, you understand how and why to use it. Now, drink up!

The Gear You Need: Bandanas

           Really, Ryan? Bandanas as a piece of essential gym gear? Hear me out…

            Consider the following philosophy: “Luck is the last dying wish of those who want to believe that winning can happen by accident. Sweat, on the other hand, is for those who know it's a choice.” –Sum Dewd Inew

            If you are working hard, if you are busting your butt, you are going to sweat. Now this is not the ‘80s so I am not going to recommend you wearing a sweatband on your head. Let’s face it, fellas. It is not a good look. Now, I shave my head so I don’t have to hair to soak up all that sweat. So, the prime alternative is the bandana folded in half and tied behind your head Hulk Hogan style. That’s right, brother. Whatchagonnado?

            The bandana soaks up the sweat. It keeps said sweat out of your eyes. Depending on how you wear it, it makes you look cooler. And if you purchase a gross of them in multiple colors, you can coordinate them to round out your gym ensemble. Remember, if you don’t look good, we don’t look good. Or something like that.

           But the best thing about wearing a sweat-soaked bandana is after you have staggered back into the locker room after your workout, you peel that bad boy off your dome, and you toss it on the sink counter or on the bench in front of your locker.

           That wet “splat” is oddly satisfying. It is a resonating tone that signifies a job well done. It is a wonderful reminder of the job that you have performed and it is something that you should be proud of.

           My biggest mistake is wrapping my bandanas up in a paper towel, tossing them in my gym bag, and then forgetting about them overnight.

 

The Gear You Need: The Weight Belt

           A weight belt is something that you are going to want to have. If you are smart, you won’t be lifting massively heavy weights to begin but you are going to want that belt sooner than later. The old myth is that belts help prevent hernias and prolapsing your rectum, which is pretty darn scary sounding but I cannot validate that claim. I am not a doctor. I just play one on TV and in this blog. Basically, a belt keeps your body synched in, giving your abs something to press against and it stabilizes your back muscles while under heavy loads. If you are squatting the bar, I doubt a belt is necessary. When you start squatting 200+ pounds, you are going to want one.

           I only wear a belt when engaging my core under heavy weight, which for my regiment is squatting and deadlift. I think a good rule of thumb is that if you have to holding your breath to lift the weight, strap that belt on, buddy. Obviously, exercise like the bench press and military press do not engage your abs and core, so wearing a belt during those exercises is pretty pointless.

           They are not expensive. Some gyms have several available or you can pick one up in the sporting goods section of Walmart. I view a belt much in the same way as I view a condom. It is better to wear it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. You may not be deadlifting enough weight to need it but why take that chance? If strapping it on keeps you safe, why not wear one? 

           And here is a pretty comprehensive article if you need to read one over at bodybuilding.com.

 

          Bonus Entry: The Gear You Need

          Time for another great song to put in your MP3 player. I love listening to original music scores from movies when I write because there are no distracting lyrics. Yet, these tracks of raw emotion can be equally beneficial towards getting you pumped in the gym.

           I have been pretty vocal about my love for MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. I am calling it the best movie of 2015 that I have seen thus far and a major contributor to that is the film’s original music score by Tom Holkenborg (also known as Junkie XL). The score for FURY ROAD is very industrial, angry, filled with epic percussion, and has a heroic theme that is one for the ages. This is one that I don’t just “not fast forward” through. It is going to get rewound probably at least once.

          There are the original recordings, which are excellent but there is also a massive 9:00 extended version that will keep you going through at least a couple of circuits if you are limiting your rests. "WITNESS ME!!!"

 

 

The Gear You Need: Compression Clothing

           It only took me about three sessions in the gym to realize the need for a pair of compression shorts. I picked up a variety of them at Walmart as they seem to have a deal with Starter. Medical studies have shown that compression clothing reduce soreness and speed recovery. By staying close to your body, compression clothing keeps your muscles warm, which helps prevent injury. And in the cold months that we are in right now, limiting exposed skin is not a bad thing. I also like that added barrier that helped prevent chaffing on your legs.

           If you are overweight, you might find yourself feeling subconscious about tight clothing. Believe me, I am right there with you. But I am wearing shorts over these things so it is not like my package is on display for the world to see. So yeah, don’t be that guy. These are not shorts.

           I will warn you that while these things stay tight, they trap in heat but they also trap in moisture despite claims that spandex is supposed to wick away sweat. And the grossest feeling in the world is coming home after your workout, sitting down to tend to some – ahem – biological needs, and then pulling sweat-soaked underwear back on. You have been warned. Plan accordingly.

 

 

           Bonus Entry: The Gear You Need

            What is a Wednesday without a song recommendation? I am digging a little deep into the catalogue for this one but don’t underestimate the clanging and banging appeal of wrestling entrance theme songs as a wonderful motivational tool. Now, first of all I am a mark for Batista and I am equally a fan of the actor Dave Bautista who you might know as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy. So that positive association might bump this track a few notches up the chart for me than it will for you. However, when this song comes on my MP3 player, it never gets fast forwarded through. I am always in the mood for it and I just might hit rewind.

            If you don’t get a few extra reps with this one, you might need to check your pulse.

 

 

The Gear You Need: Gloves

           If you follow Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on any of the countless social media outlets that he dominates, you will often find him complaining about his “damned calloused hands.” The repetitive gripping of textured barbells, dumbbells and v-bars, it is going to develop callouses on your hands pretty darn quick. (I will let you all insert your own self-pleasure jokes here.) So my recommendation is to get you a pair of gloves as quickly as possible.

           I know that Schwarzenegger advises against gloves but the days of working out in dungeons with concrete floors and using chalk for grip has started to go by the wayside. The Pryor Recreation Center specifically has signs up that say “No Chalk.” I don’t want to come across as “unmanly” but I have developed callouses on my hands from lifting weights and I wear gloves 99% of the time.

            I picked up a pair of Gold’s Gym gloves at Walmart for $10 and they worked well to start. I later got a second pair from Amazon.com because I wanted a pair of gloves that had wrap-around straps for wrist support. I’ve since used three different pairs and I really like the set I am using now. (Reviews will be forthcoming in later articles.)

            If this is you and me talking, when you are sitting in the movies with your girlfriend and she is holding your hand, I don’t think she wants to feel those rough callouses. This is one area where it is okay to be metrosexual. Because – and let me state again – I wear gloves and still get callouses. I cannot imagine what it would be like without wearing them. So, yeah, get you a pair.

 

Bonus Entry: The Gear You Need

            I have mentioned on several occasions that I am incredibly motivated by music. There are certain tracks that you can listen to and just get pumped up. I am aware that some tracks are going to have personal significance that put them up higher on my radar than might be on yours. But I hope that some of these tracks are slightly more obscure and might have been missed but need to be in the MP3. This week’s entry is Champion Sound by Ill Factor.

            Many may know this song from the Assassin’s Creed franchise but for me it is the entrance theme for a local professional wrestler named Jon Cross that is very “wrestler entryish.” Lots of industrial slams, big bass, hard rock, and great lyrics. This is an awesome track for the gym.  

   

The Gear You Need: Superhero Clothing

           Not to sound too hipster but I was into comic books and superheroes before it was cool. Thanks to all the Marvel movies and such, we live in a glorious time where “geek chic” is now cool. Or maybe ironic, I am not certain which. (God, I hope it is not ironically cool.) But now, you can walk into Walmart and see superhero t-shirts lining the racks. My favorite shirts to workout in are these athletic shirts made of polyester with prints of the various superhero symbols on them. In fact, I posted a progression pic series and a friend asked me, “Do you work out in anything but comic book shirts?” And my response was simply, “I don’t understand the question.” Because why would anyone workout in anything BUT superhero shirts?

           I think it is a common mistake to just throw on old, raggedy clothes because you are going to get sweaty and stinky. I find it is the opposite. I am not saying to work out in a tuxedo but when you wear clothes that make you feel good, you just flat out perform better.

           Here is my theory. Remember when we were in elementary and you had that week where everyone had to take the test with the No. 2 pencils and you had to fill in the circles completely? One of my elementary teachers told us as a class on these days to eat a good breakfast and to wear your favorite shirt. Everyone has those favorite clothes that we love. Maybe you have a positive association with it. It could be for any reason.

           For me, it is my Greendale Community College sweatshirt, my Keep Calm & Chive On shirt, and my retro Rat Pack bowling shirt. There is just something magical about wearing clothes that you love. And if you are going to be clanging and banging, you want to feel good.

           Like Steve Martin taught us in MY BLUE HEAVEN, sometimes to change, you have to change on the outside in order to change on the inside. The clothes make the man after all. So five days a week, I don my superhero shirts and go in to lift weights. They make me feel good. I love the material because polyester doesn’t absorb sweat and get weighty like cotton does. And when you are wearing a Superman shirt and a track from MAN OF STEEL comes on your MP3 player, you get another set. In fact, you are legally required to. If you don’t get another set, the Man Union tracks you down, strips you of your shirt, and you have to work out in Strawberry Shortcake gear for three weeks. No one wants that.

           Now, maybe superheroes are not your thing. Maybe you have a favorite sports team (pro or college) or a favorite professional wrestler. Regardless, I highly recommend a shirt that you like and something that makes you happy to workout in. It is a small thing to do but the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little bit extra.

           So get shopping.  

The Gear You Need: MP3 Player

                 As Wednesdays are dedicated to ways to improve your gym experience, I could have led off with a dozen different things that you need – the right shoes, the right clothes, etc. But most of that is going to be common sense. (And they will probably also be articles later on. I gotta find some way to bring you back week after week!) But if there is one item that dramatically improves my performance, it is my MP3 Player.

                 As of this writing, I am on my third one. My original was an older, oversized model from Opal that served me great for years. I put it inside one of those plastic sports sleeves that you can Velcro to your arm and eventually the screen crapped out. My second choice was a cheap Walmart “fit player” that was very small and clipped onto your sleeve. The thing had plenty of space but the battery never lasted more than a week and it was just poor quality.

                I am currently using a SanDisk model which is small enough to clip to my sleeve. I tuck the cord up into my sleeve and out the top collar of my shirt to manage the headphone cord. The battery lasts a long time and it has a boatload of storage space so it is more than enough for my current needs. SanDisk seems to make pretty quality stuff so I would use that in your search parameters when you go shopping if you need to pick one up.

                Good music gets me pumped. Unfortunately, the ladies at the Wellness Center in Vinita like to listen to The Twister, which is the local country music station. I am going to lose some followers here but country music is just not my thing. I cannot help but think of Howard Stern’s line in Private Parts where he comments about how people love it but he’s never driven a pickup truck or slept with his sister so he quits the station. I know country music is not all that. It’s not that KKK country but it is just not for me. And if I am clanging and banging, I don’t want to hear songs about tractors and lost loves and beer.

                Now, I will admit to you that if you looked at the playlist on my MP3 player, you would think you have found the electronic storage of a schizophrenic. My play can go from Breaking Benjamin to Eminem to Volbeat to Katy Perry to music from Man of Steel to Linkin Park to Rachel Platten. Seriously, my tastes are all over the board. This is where that “shuffle” setting comes in fantastically.

                Now, I will admit that I know very little about the whole iTunes and Pandora and Spotify but it feels like all that has to be online in order to be accessed. Referencing yesterday’s article, I do not track my reps with a smart phone. I do not even keep a phone with me when I work out. So to me, if you can have a stand-alone offline tech device that will allow you to listen to music uninterrupted, that is really the way to go.

                I will be using Wednesdays to list my music that gets me pumped. My suggestion is – as always – to achieve these through standard means. Back in my day, if I couldn’t afford an album, I used to use tape decks to record songs off the radio. I have heard tale of certain sites that allow you to record Anything 2 MP3. Wait, I misspelled that. It is anything to an MP3. I cannot confirm nor deny that this service allows you to record the audio from places like YouTube or Soundcloud which I guess you could drag and drop into your MP3 player and take it with you. If one were so inclined.

                In a completely unrelated subject, holy cow. Otherwise. Coming for the Throne. Great song. Great for a few more reps. Great lyrics. If this isn’t good for another rep, I don’t know what is.

Worker Wednesdays

           While many of my blog entries are going to focus on certain exercises and theories, there are certain intangibles that go into improving your overall attitude towards working out. There are things that you are not going to find in your average book.

           Wednesdays are going to be dedicated to things like workout gear, the need for an MP3 player, song lists, podcasts to listen to during your cardio, recipes (wait until you try Furyan Chicken!), product reviews, and other such things to make your workouts generally more enjoyable.

           I also want it noted that as of this writing, Furyan Strength has no official sponsors. I am not shilling for any company. These are just my honest to goodness reviews of products that I have used on a regular basis.

           So my goal is to vary these up from week to week to give you something a little different. I certainly don’t want things to become monotonous here. So be on the lookout on Wednesdays for things to help you improve your general overall workout.