How to choose a gainer
For many people, gaining muscle mass is an impossible task that even rich and high-calorie food does not help to cope with. In order for the mass growth to be constant, and the mass gained to be exceptionally high-quality, gainers are used. These are high-calorie compounds, including the optimal ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as a huge amount of nutrients and all sorts of amino acids, while being the source of a large number of "useful" calories.
The best manufacturers of gainers
A quality gainer cannot be bought in a regular store, it is a highly specialized product that is sold in special retail outlets that specialize in a healthy lifestyle and "iron" sport. It is produced by various manufacturers of sports nutrition, the best of which are:
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Optimum Nutrition
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Weider
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Universal
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Cuttler nutrition
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Dymatize
Choosing weight gainers for weight gain should be carefully based on their composition and characteristics, as well as feedback from experienced athletes who understand how this or that additive works and accepts it in accordance with its features. You can find detailed information on the Internet, on bodybuilding thematic forums, as well as on social networks.
The principle of the geyner and its types
Unlike protein, Gainer performs a radically different function. This product is intended for a quick set of high-quality muscle mass and is used both by experienced athletes during the off-season and by amateurs in the gym. If the protein focuses on the protein component, then in Gainer the balance is shifted to equal proportions between protein and carbohydrates, and the emphasis is on calorie content. In fact, a gainer is an excellent source of healthy calories, which greatly facilitates the consumption of the required daily amount.
Depending on the composition, modern gainers can be divided into two main types:
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Foods with a high glycemic index. Such gainers contain about 20% of protein and 80% of carbohydrates, in the role of which maltodextrin and dextrose almost always act. This product is used solely as a source of rapid replenishment of glycogen in the blood during intense workouts. Taking into account the fact that “fast” carbohydrates are absorbed quickly enough, if taken too much or when the load level does not correspond to the calories consumed, it is impossible to gain high-quality, dry weight. In other words, sitting on the couch, drinking a gainer with a high GI will not work - in just a short period of time, instead of the muscles, the belly will grow. The main advantage of such products is low price, but in order for such a gainer to have an effect, it is necessary to “plow” in the gym like a horse;
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Low Glycemic Index Gainers High-quality, fairly expensive foods, the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates in which is comparable, but the latter are the so-called complex carbohydrates, with a low glycemic index. Due to their slow absorption, they are not stored as fat on the sides, and therefore are excellent for mass set.
By and large, both the first and second option are equally suitable for gaining muscle mass at high intensity workouts.
The main selection criteria. What to look for when buying a gainer?
The composition of the gainer
Regardless of the purpose for which the gainer is acquired, its composition must be balanced. The best products contain about 20-25% of protein and 70-75% of carbohydrates. A prerequisite for a quality gainer is a rich amino acid complex and the prevailing content of the so-called BCAA - leucine, isoleucine and valine, that is, non-replaceable amino acids. Good products also contain L-carnitine, as well as creatine, designed to increase the hygroscopicity of muscle fibers and their volumization as a result.
Calorie content
A parameter that is important for the characteristics and performance of a geyner of its functionality.
If we are talking about high glycemic index gainers, whose task is to replenish glycogen reserves, the calorie content plays a secondary role, as the source of “building materials” for muscles will be protein consumed after exercise, or during it when it comes to hydroisolate .
And the situation is quite different when it comes to the low glycemic index Gainer used to gain muscle mass. In this situation, the more calories - the better. However, it should be remembered that it is necessary to calculate the daily amount of calories consumed, taking into account several meals, depending on the physical development of the organism of a particular person.
Sources of carbohydrates used in the gainer
To understand whether a particular gainer possesses a high or low glycemic index, you can, having familiarized yourself with the composition of the main components on the back of the package.
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"Fast" carbohydrates, intended for an instant increase in glycogen in the blood, are represented in most gainers in the form of maltodextrin, polymers of glucose, starch, rice syrup.
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"Slow" carbohydrates that do not allow an instant increase in blood sugar levels, but at the same time feeding the body with energy for a long time, are almost always present in geiners in the form of buckwheat, legumes, barley, bran and other cereals.
Choosing a gainer for mass gain
Before you give preference to one or another geiner, you should familiarize yourself with the information presented above and decide on the purpose for which one or another gainer will be accepted. If the main goal is a set of high-quality muscle mass, preference should be given to geynerami with 30 percent protein content and 70 percent slow carbohydrate content, as well as with developed structure of amino acids and a large number of BCAA in its composition. Creatine will also be useful, allowing you to increase the volume of muscle fibers and, consequently, increase endurance and strength characteristics of an athlete.
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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.
