- Nutrition
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How can you optimise the muscle-building phase?
Bodybuilding and fitness are disciplines where diet, supplementation and training are essential to meet the demands of an increasingly challenging sport!
‘Mass gain’, or more technically known as hypertrophy, is the pursuit of maximum muscle growth, achieved through a personalised plan involving diet, training and supplementation.
All too often during this phase, there is an increase in body fat, which frequently reaches excessively high levels, especially if it is not regularly assessed using anthropometric tools such as bioimpedance analysis or a simple body composition monitor.
However, it is recommended that body fat should never exceed 15 per cent in men and 20 per cent in women at this stage.
Years ago, during the muscle-building phase, it was recommended to consume high-calorie foods without considering the quality of the food. Today, all that has changed, and even at this stage, managing calories, macronutrients and meal timing is essential to ensure adequate sporting performance.
Nutrition
How can you manage your nutrition effectively?
Firstly, you need to assess the individual’s nutritional status using their BMI and body type, then determine the calorie intake required and the initial target to be achieved.
Metabolism is divided into three components: basal metabolic rate, which supports our vital functions; obligatory postprandial thermogenesis, which is the specific dynamic action of food; and optional thermogenesis, which depends on individual factors. Finally, there is physical activity, which influences energy expenditure.
The energy balance must be positive; in other words, the amount of energy consumed must be greater than the amount expended on a daily basis. Of the energy consumed, 50–60 per cent should come from carbohydrates, 20–30 per cent from fats and the remainder from protein. Meals should be spaced at approximately three-hour intervals, ensuring that training takes place at least two hours after the last meal.
When planning a weight-gain diet, you should opt for complex carbohydrates rather than simple sugars, ensure an adequate protein intake (calculated according to body weight), fats should be mainly unsaturated; and consume a portion of protein – preferably hydrolysed – and fast-acting carbohydrates immediately after training.
Once a week, you can treat yourself to a ‘cheat meal’ – a meal without restrictions that will help reduce the stress associated with a controlled diet and avoid monotony. For those who follow a stricter diet, I would recommend having one day with a lower calorie intake than usual so that you feel ‘less guilty after eating a pizza’.
Good sports nutrition may include the use of supplements, such as protein powders. These should be seen as a complement to your diet, designed to enhance performance.
When it comes to training, this should be tailored to the individual’s characteristics – for example, whether they are stocky or slender, ectomorphic, mesomorphic or endomorphic, and so on.
Another important point is muscular weaknesses; in such cases, the training programme can be tailored to prioritise the muscles that are most underdeveloped.
It is also essential not to neglect the recovery phase, which is vital for regenerating your muscles and restoring your energy.
What are the best dietary supplements for effective muscle growth?
Protein powders
Choosing the right type of protein powder has always been a key consideration for all athletes. Proteins play a structural, regulatory and protective role in our bodies. The best proteins available on the market are undoubtedly whey proteins, which are also the most widely used due to their high biological value.
Tsunami Nutrition offers ISO Pure PROFESSIONAL, produced using a cross-flow microfiltration process with CARBERY® certification, enriched with digestive enzymes (DIGEZYME®) and sweetened with stevia (Sweet Leaf®).
This type of protein can be used as a snack, combined with a source of carbohydrates, or as part of a main meal such as breakfast; alternatively, the serving could be split between ISO Pure and casein to provide two different sources of protein and ensure a more gradual release of amino acids.
For the post-workout phase, there is HYDRO Pure PROFESSIONAL, a blend of proteins broken down into dipeptides, oligopeptides and tripeptides, enriched with branched-chain amino acids; the hydrolysis process enables faster absorption to help the body recover quickly.
Before bed, a shaker of CASEIN Pure will help counteract nocturnal gluconeogenesis – a process activated to maintain the body’s homeostasis – by releasing amino acids slowly and gradually throughout the night.
Let’s now turn to another fundamental element that is becoming increasingly important!
Cyclodextrin
GLYCOPURE PROFESSIONAL is a carbohydrate-based supplement containing the patented high-molecular-weight CLUSTER DEXTRIN, which gives it a very low osmolarity.
This means that the gastrointestinal bloating often reported by athletes is eliminated. Due to its molecular structure, it can be taken before training to maximise glycogen stores, during exercise to support physical activity, and after training to aid the synthesis of liver and muscle glycogen stores.
Amino acids
The Tsunami SUSTAPure PROFESSIONAL BCAA 8:1:1 product consists of branched-chain amino acids in an 8:1:1 ratio, acting as an ‘energy buffer’ during phases of muscle catabolism and featuring a high leucine content, which is important for stimulating protein synthesis; and this Substamine formula is also known as alanyl-glutamine, composed of glutamine and alanine, which are important for reducing nitrogen levels and, above all, for muscle hydration – which is vital for the uptake of water and electrolytes into the cells.
2Alkapure Professional Creatine
The 2 ALKAPURE PROFESSIONAL supplement is an excellent solution for building muscle mass; it is CreaPure®-patented, which certifies its origin, and also features a dual buffer system that protects the creatine during transport in the bloodstream, ensuringit to reach the muscle cells whilst preventing an excessive drop in pH within the muscles – thereby avoiding the onset of muscle fatigue and ensuring higher energy output.
Among the final tips I’d like to give you for planning a muscle-building phase are:
- Antioxidants: such as vitamin C, to prevent damage caused by free radicals, including cellular ageing, atherosclerosis and alterations to DNA structure.
- Alpha-lipoic acid: also known as ALA or ALA-PLUS, an antioxidant that helps us store carbohydrates properly and maintain stable blood sugar levels.