
Supplements are an amazing tool to help reach your goals. If that goal is to be bigger, stronger, faster, or in better shape, supplements can help with increasing your ability to reach that goal.
“Six Pack Season” or Summer as the rest of the world calls it is just around the corner. Summer is a time to get ripped and show off your hard work. A soft midsection won’t cut it; we’re looking to get a ripped six pack. In my article I will discuss 6 proven supplements, and how they can help you reach your goals of a Six Pack by Summer.
Protein PowderProtein powder is the one supplement that should be in your supplement stack year round. There have been many studies proving protein powders positive effects on athletic performance, muscle strength, muscle growth, muscle maintenance and even fat loss.
I always have a quality protein powder in my cabinet for several reasons. Fast digesting protein powder (Whey Isolate) is critical for protein synthesis when taken post-workout. Protein powders are great to have between meals or supplement as meals when you are on the go. Having a slow digesting protein powder (Casein) before bed will deliver the necessary amino acids while you sleep.
There are so many types of fat burners out there these days, it is tough to figure out which is the right one for you. I am going to break down the fat burners in 6 categories and give you a little info about each so you can better determine what will work best for you.

Green tea’s use can date back 1000's of years to Asian Culture. Green tea was used as a medicine to help with excretion of urine and healing of wounds. Today our use of green tea has changed as research has showed it many benefits. Below is a list of the benefits from the use of green tea:
CLA is a fatty acid found in beef and dairy products. It has many health benefits including bodyfat loss. Recent research shows our present farming techniques have lowered the amount of CLA in beef and dairy product, which means supplementation of CLA will be critical to receive all the health benefits that CLA offers.
How can a fatty acid help with fat loss you might ask? CLA assists in the body burning existing fat for energy. CLA interferes with the fat storing processes and also has been shown to increase lean muscle mass. More muscle as we have discussed earlier results in more bodyfat burned.
Below are several other health benefits of CLA:
Recommended Dose: 1-3 Grams at each breakfast, lunch and dinner meals.

There are 2 forms of carnitine: L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine. Carnitine is one my favorite supplements to use while dieting because of the benefits that I receive both physically and mentally from its use.
Both forms L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine help you physically by shuttling fat into your muscles. The fat is then burned to fuel your workouts. Also both forms have been shown to shuttle toxins out of your muscles while working out, which lead to less fatigue and better recovery from one workout to the next.
The necessary evil of dieting is reduction in your carbohydrate consumption. Regardless of how you cut it, you will have to reduce your carbohydrates to get the six-pack you are looking for. If you have ever dieted before you understand the mind doesn’t function and focus as well when you consume fewer carbohydrates. We can’t sacrifice the six-pack for summer so you can either deal with the foggy brain on low carbs or you can supplement some Acetyl-L-Carnitine. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown to help with mental function and focus.
Recommended Dose: 1000-2000mg pre and post-workout.
Beta Alanine is a non essential amino acid that helps in the production of carnosine. Carnosine is found in fast twitch muscle cells. Its main function for us weight lifters is buffering hydrogen ions. Too many hydrogen ions in the muscles will lead to low pH levels or an acidic environment. This acidic environment will lead to the burning sensation that you feel when working out AKA “Lactic Acid”. The lactic acid in your muscles will cause fatigue and eventually muscle failure. Also when pH levels get to low both ATP and calcium, both critical in muscle performance, are less effective.
Higher levels of carnosine leads to higher pH levels which leads to a less acidic environment in your muscles. In laymen turns you will be able to perform more reps, keep intensity high and fatigue less when your carnosine levels are higher.
Why not take carnosine straight up? Straight carnosine is not digested effectively by the body. Beta Alanine is easily digested and converted to carnosine.
Beta Alanine will give you the ability to workout harder longer, which will result in more calories burned during your workout. Also more intense training leads to more muscle growth which again results in more overall calories burned.
Recommended Dose: 2-3 Grams pre and post-workout.
There you go, 6 supplements you will have to add to your Summer supplement stack.
Just remember, supplements are only effective when used with a proper diet and exercises program. All the supplements here on Muscle & Strength will not do a thing for you unless you get both your workout and nutrition programs squared away FIRST. Don’t worry, we have you covered. There are 100's if not 1000's of great workout and nutrition articles to read up on. Do you research and you reap the reward of great results.
Good luck. As always if you have any questions regarding your current supplement stack or anything you have on your mind don’t hesitate to drop me an email. Stewbid@comcast.net
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