Dan Petkovsek
This is a continuation of my recent Instagram post – https://www.instagram.com/p/BB-IMxAhp2b/?taken-by=danpetkovsekpl which I initially made, then decided to write a full post about supplements.
Let’s talk supplements for a minute.
This is not me telling you what to take – it’s just my honest opinion about supplements
since some people have been asking about creatine, amigos, “advanced blends”(whatever the hell that means), and other supps.
Over the past 5-10 years I’ve tried more samples and new products than I can probably count. Pre workouts, proteins, weight gainers, BCAAs, creatines, fat burners.. Etc. all from different companies who want us to carry their products at the gym.
I can honestly say – CytoMonster – these guys are legit.
I’ve been using their supplements consistently for over a year now – and I don’t plan on switching any time soon.
Their pre workout (INITIATE), protein (ISOLATE), and weight gainer (MASSIVE) are by far my 3 favourites.
4 scoops of MASSIVE before bed (after all my meals for the day) to keep my weight up. A scoop of INITIATE to get focused and increase pumps before training, and ISOLATE 1-2x per day for recovery – makes up my daily supplement stack. But regardless of supplements – you need to get your eating right FIRST. All the supplements in the world won’t do shit if you’re not willing to do the work (in the gym AND in the kitchen).
I’m going to break this down into 3 categories – Pre-Workout, Protein, and Weight Gainers. All things that I take daily. I’m not going to bother with Aminos, creatine, or shit I actually don’t know anything about.
Here are my top 3 supplements that I have personally tried and how I would rank them.
Pre-Workout: I’m basing my list off the pumps, caffeine content, mental focus, and the feeling of energy/ skin sensation.
I said for years that 1MR was my all time favorite pre workout. Then they changed the formula and it went from being crazy intense – to sucking just like most of the other pre workouts. They tried a few different formulas, and now I would rank them 2nd on my list due to the mental focus it adds. C4 is a close 3rd and has awesome pumps.
The pumps from INITIATE are huge, the mental focus is great, and the caffeine content is solid. Taking too much actually reduces the effectiveness and can make you feel like shit. Especially on leg day – more is not better with this stuff.
An honorable mention to Pro Supps – Jekyll & Hyde. Combined, these two are VERY intense. I would almost say this is my favorite – except I cant bring myself to pay $100+ every month ($45-$60 EACH – on their own, they’re not great).
Protein: I’m basing my list off the quality of ingredients, gut-rot, and mixability. I don’t really give a shit about taste since I mix it up and pound it in one chug.
No gut-rot with Monster ISOLATE, mixes up great, and has high-quality ingredients. Expect some brutal protein farts in the first week or two though.
Gold Standard Whey and IsoFlex in my opinion could be tied. They both mix well, give me minimal gut-rot, and have good amounts of protein per serving.
Not much else to say about protein – it’s effective but not a game changer.
Weight-Gainer: This is one that I really feel has a significant effect on my training. In simple terms – weight gain or weight loss both are determined by calories in vs calories out.
I take 4 scoops of MASSIVE before bed EVERY NIGHT. It gives me 800-900 calories, it mixes great (no need for a massive shaker with a wire ping pong ball inside or special blenders. A cup and a lid work perfect). No gut-rot. High-quality ingredients. Expect some heavy farts though.
Mutant Mass is 2nd on my list because although yes – it packs a shit-ton of calories, it gives me pretty heavy gut-rot, wicked farts, and I don’t feel as though the quality of their ingredients are top notch (as reflected in the price).
And in 3rd I put QuickMass because I think of it similar to Mutant Mass, except more expensive.
This is my honest opinion about supplements, and i’m sure some people will disagree with my list or reasons for liking each one – but as I said, I’ve tried ALOT of different supplements over the years and this is what I think is actually worth putting money towards (after food, food, and more food.)
All CytoMonster products can be purchased at TORQUE. They’re not yet available in Canada (some smaller stores across the country may carry it), but be on the lookout for them to launch soon.
For help with your diet or nutrition – you can contact me at dan@torquebarbell.com – and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.
Dan
