Ive trained top MMA talent, Ive trained adult rec athletes. Ive also trained some pro football and hockey players. The thing that is the same in all cases is that everyone wants to maximize their effort. Nothing replaces a good diet. The supplement industry is a billion dollar industry, even the biggest giants in this will not suggest they replace a solid diet. Quality supplements are there to enhance and improve every session you have. My goal this week is to open up the discussion on supplements. The training schedule I have is intense, and its being done in a gym with all kinds of athletes. I sat down with Cellucor brand ambassador, registered massage therapist, published Bikini Model and amazing clean eating cook Crissy Zachanowich. Figure athletes, body builders, and bikini models take lean muscle mass preservation, and the scientific use of supplements to the next level. We discussed three key supplements. Easy to use, and definite must haves when the training gets intense. Simply called a “pre-workout”, athletes and people hitting the gym have turned these supplements into the largest portion of most companies profits. Youll see most of them are stimulant based. Often caffeine and synephrine are used to energize an athlete before the workout. In addition, youll see creatine in the hopes of capturing its potential power and strength boosting. Beta-Alanine will often be present to buffer against lactic acid (Huge for me when my Coach Jeff Fisher puts me on the Jacobs Ladder) and finally, Arginine for blood circulation. Everything in the pre-workout is naturally available, its just concentrated. For the arginine, youd have to eat about a pound of almonds before your workout. During the workout, branch chain amino acids are key. When your body starts to hit the wall, and you have pushed your limits, protein is broken down to be a fuel. Thats right, precious muscle tissue is broken down to fuel your fight. Its broken down into branch chain amino acids. Those are converted to sugar, and you get more energy to work harder. Drinking BCAAs tricks the body into sparing muscle, and athletes everywhere rejoice. Post workout protein, or simply a protein shake to ensure the body is in a positive nitrogen balance. Meaning, your body has enough protein that it is creating muscle, boosting immunity, and creating all the cells and hormones you need to be in that “beast mode”. You can get all the protein you need from meals and real food. However, its a lot easier to drink a shake. Ive been drinking some amazing treats lately thanks to Crissy. Protein powder has come a long way. Red Velvet Cake? Cookies and Cream? Cinnamon Swirl? These all exist and taste as good as they sound. It makes the hour in the gym worth the reward of the post workout shake. Two things to remember after reading this. First, if you are not working out to your max, you dont need to supplement. Go online, or pop over to my youtube channel and watch some pro athletes train. There is sweat on the floor, and exercises to failure. Again, its the reason Im at Elite Performance in Winnipeg. That atmosphere, and the push to be your absolute best. If you arent doing that, then supplements are not critical. Second, your diet needs to be perfected and cared for. If its not, what are you “supplementing”? Try some new workouts and put all your effort into them. Then try some of the amazing science thats out there. Trust me when I tell you, they make that difference in recovery that gets you through the week and ready for your rest days. Get in the gym, get training, and get an appreciation for what it takes to perform at a pro level. Do it to appreciate every sport a little more, especially the most demanding sport out there, MMA. Jesper Bratt Devils Jersey .A. Happ. The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to improve the starting rotation ahead of next season and pitchers like Happ have a chance to show they belong as the disastrous 2013 campaign draws to a close. Taylor Hall Devils Jersey . Chelsea took until the second half to trouble the leagues bottom team, but Schuerrle then ripped through the defence with ease at Craven Cottage to keep Jose Mourinhos side on track for the title. http://www.devilssale.com/authentic-mart...-devils-jersey/. JOHNS, N. Cory Schneider Jersey ." Those traits were clear to the 24,071 at Olympic Stadium on Saturday as the Impact dominated the scoring chances but settled for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls in a battle of still-winless Major League Soccer teams. Custom New Jersey Devils Jerseys . The Toronto Argonauts (11-7) look for an opportunity to repeat as CFL champions when they host the surging Hamilton Tiger-Cats (10-8) on Sunday. CUIABA, Brazil -- Blundering Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was bailed out by teammate Alexander Kerzhakov in a 1-1 draw with South Korea in the World Cup on Tuesday that exposed both teams deficiencies. Akinfeev had already looked suspect in dealing with long-range shots before spilling Lee Keun-hos speculative effort into his own net in the 68th minute, gifting South Korea the lead at the Arena Pantanal. Kerzhakov, though, came to Akinfeevs rescue by turning in a shot from close range six minutes later -- just three minutes after coming on as a substitute -- to earn Russia a point from a poor-quality Group H match. Akinfeev stayed on the ground inside his own net, head in his hands, after making his error, clearly embarrassed after dropping what was a routine save from a shot from about 30 yards. He was consoled by a couple of teammates, who patted him on the back. "It was a kids mistake," Afinkeev said. "The goalkeeper of the national team shouldnt make mistakes like this one." Russia coach Fabio Capello has remained loyal to Akinfeev this season despite some patchy form, and stood by him again. "He is a great goalkeeper," Capello said. "There can be mistakes, of course -- some can get a penalty wrong ... and its logical for a goalkeeper to make a mistake as well. "We were able to make up for that and we can accept a mistake by a great keeper like Akinfeev." The explosive six-minute spell that featured both goals was not in keeping with the rest of a fairly mundane game characterized by slow build-up play, poor passing and wayward finishing. A point leaves both teams behind Belgium, which beat Algeria 2-1 earlier Tuesday, but the group appears wide open based on the opening two fixtures. Having lost four of its last five games heading to Brazil, the South Koreans came into their eighth straight World Cup with concerns over their flimsy defence andd a lack of goal threat.dddddddddddd A 4-0 thrashing by Ghana in a warm-up in Miami last week highlighted those worrying deficiencies perfectly. There was no hiding their toothless attack here, either, with the experienced Park Chu-young starting as the lone striker but justifying fears that he has lost his way after three ineffective years with Arsenal in the English Premier League. He was substituted in the 56th and his replacement, Lee, scored South Koreas goal. Russia, led by former England coach Fabio Capello, was just as lifeless in attack -- at least until Kerzhakov and Alan Dzagoev came off the bench -- and too functional in midfield. A dire first half was marked by the large contingent of Brazilian fans in the crowd doing slow hand clapping but South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo was satisfied by what he saw. "In such a tournament, the first match is the most difficult," Hong, who captained the nation to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, said through a translator. "There is a lot of pressure on it so I thought the players played very well." Save for a shot by Son Heung-min that flew over the bar in the 39th when the forward was free at the edge of the area, there was barely a chance created in the first half. Capello stood with his hands on his hips in the technical area throughout the first 45 minutes, looking distinctly unimpressed. There was a major improvement after the break, although it required the mistake by Akinfeev to really get the game going. However, South Korea couldnt hold on and when Dzagoevs cross-shot was spilled out by goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong and defender Hwang Seok-hos clearance went straight at Andrei Yeshchenko, Kerzhakov was on hand to bundle home from inside the six-yard box. "I thanked them for their reaction," said Capello, who turns 68 on Wednesday. "It was the greatest birthday present I could receive." ' ' '