Sports Essentials Training Guide

Since 1988 NOW^® Sports has been supplying natural athletes with pure, unadulterated sports nutrition products that legitimately support their fitness goals. We exhaustively test to ensure the identity and potency of every formula we produce. Whether you’re a world-class athlete training for competition or a busy mom trying to stay in shape, it’s important to know what you’re putting in your body. NOW® Sports products are tested through the Informed-Sport program to ensure the absence of more than 220 substances banned from professional sports, so you can trust our products to be clean and effective.

NOW^® Sports offers a wide variety of products to meet your fitness needs. Find below some essentials to get you started:

Pre-Workout Essentials
Strength & Mass Training Essentials
Endurance Training Essentials
Post-Workout Essentials

Pre-Workout Essentials

Preparing for any type of workout is as important as the workout itself. You must have the proper mental and physical preparation so your body and mind are equipped for the demands of the workout. Warming up gradually revs up your cardiovascular system, increases blood flow to your muscles, and raises your body temperature. Get plenty of rest the night before and ensure you’re obtaining the right nutrients before a workout to provide the fuel your body needs for maximum results.

Product

Why

How

When

MCT Oil

Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are fats that are easily digested and metabolized very quickly, encouraging immediate use for energy rather than being stored like other types of fats. Studies show that substituting MCT oil for other fats in a healthy diet may support a healthy weight and body composition.

NOW Sports MCT Oil is available in softgel and liquid forms.

Always follow Suggested Usage instructions, but typically you should supplement with MCT oil just before a workout to support energy levels and proper fat metabolization.

T-Lean^® Extreme

T-Lean Extreme features GreenSelect^® Phytosome, a standardized green tea extract shown to promote a healthy metabolic rate and support weight management when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Take 2 capsules daily.

T-Lean Extreme should be taken earlier in the day due to its natural caffeine content.

Strength & Mass Training Essentials

Training for strength and mass requires an aggressive mindset and an even more aggressive nutrition regimen. Weightlifters push their muscles to the edge of failure every workout, and in doing so they up the ante for their body’s nutritional needs. In order to maximize your workouts you have to go all-in – mentally, physically, and nutritionally.

Product	Why	How	When
Creatine Monohydrate	Naturally occurring creatine facilitates the recycling of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main source of energy. Studies show that creatine supplementation can help maintain existing muscle tissue, support the growth and development of lean mass, and promote optimal performance during short bouts of intense exercise.	Creatine powder is designed to be added to fruit juice or other sweetened liquids.	Following Suggested Usage, mix 1.5 level teaspoons in fruit juice or sweetened liquid 3 to 4 times daily, before and after exercise, for the first 7 days. Afterwards, for maintenance use, consume 1 to 3 times daily.
Arginine Stack	This formula has creatine for its support of lean muscle production and muscle cell fuel availability, yerba mate and guarana to enhance alertness, and rhodiola to support the body’s balanced response to stress. Green tea extract quenches the free radicals formed during intense exercise and is shown to support heart health.	Add suggested serving to 6 oz. of water or your favorite beverage.	1 to 3 times daily, on an empty stomach at least 2 hours after a meal or protein shake.
Egg White Protein	Egg white protein is an excellent natural source of high quality protein. High-quality proteins rate well on the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score, or PDCAAS, the most accurate measurement of a protein’s quality. Egg white protein rates as one of the highest quality proteins available when using the PDCAAS.	Mix ¼ cup daily into 12 oz. of milk or other liquid.	Can be taken before or after exercise.

Endurance Training Essentials

Endurance athletes are always striving for optimal performance. Sports supplementation is a very important aspect of daily training for endurance sports. Proper supplementation can increase speed, reduce times and help push through fatigue for a stronger finish. For peak performance, your body demands nutrients to keep you strong, fast, and focused.

Product

Why

How

When

BCAA Big 6

The branched-chain amino acids featured in BCAA Big 6 support muscle retention and recovery. Betaine is included to help maintain fluid balance during exercise, and taurine further supports endurance.

Add 1 level scoop to a glass or shaker cup and fill with 14 to 16 oz. of water or your favorite beverage.

Can be taken before, during, or after exercise.

L-Carnitine

Carnitine is popular with fitness enthusiasts because it helps maintain lean body mass due to its role in transporting fatty acids into cellular mitochondria for energy production, a primary source of energy for resting muscles.

NOW Sports offers carnitine in veg cap, tablet and liquid forms.

Ideally you want to take carnitine with a post-workout meal, but you can take it with just about any meal that’s high in protein and carbohydrates.

Post-Workout Essentials

Rest and recovery are essential components of any workout routine. Your after-exercise recovery routine hasa big impact on your fitness gains. Exercising and stretching at a very low intensity for 5 to 10 minutes after a workout helps remove lactic acid from your muscles, reducing stiffness and soreness. Dietary protein is absolutely essential post-workout to help muscles recover and rebuild after exertion. Protein is a primary component of muscle tissue and the primary natural source of the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Product	Why	How	When
ZMA^®	This trademarked combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B-6 is designed to maximize absorption of these nutrients to promote recovery from exercise. Zinc and magnesium play important roles in tissue repair, energy production, and more. Because exercise depletes these minerals, ZMA is ideally suited to aid in their replenishment.	Take 3 capsules daily (men) or 2 capsules daily (women), preferably on an empty stomach.	30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. For best results, avoid taking with dairy or other calcium-containing foods and supplements.
HMB	ß-hydroxy ß-methylbutyrate, or HMB, is a metabolite of the branched-chain amino acid leucine that plays a role in the regulation of protein breakdown. HMB thus helps to preserve lean muscle tissue, which in turn helps maintain muscle strength and mass. In addition, it may help to enhance recovery from intense exercise.	2 capsules with food.	2 to 3 times daily.
Whey Protein	Whey protein is a high-quality protein that’s both bioavailable and easily digested. Whey protein is natural source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and is considered to have the highest biological value of any protein source, including beef, milk, casein and soy.	Add 1 scoop daily to 8 oz. of cold water, milk or your favorite beverage.	Any time of the day is fine, but ideally any protein supplementation should be done within one hour of workout completion to take advantage of heightened protein absorption post-workout.