Why, hello there.
Congrats on starting the Roman Fitness Systems SUPER
HERO Workout Program (v2.0).
Before we start, let’s cover some boring legal stuff.
Won’t that be fun?
(Even if it won’t be, legally we have to do it anyway. So pretend to read it, okay?)
Disclaimer
The information presented herein is in no way intended as medical advice or to serve as
a substitute for medical counseling. The information should be used in conjunction with
the guidance and care of your physician. Consult your physician before beginning this
program as you would with any exercise and nutrition program. If you choose not to obtain
the consent of your physician and/or work with your physician throughout the course of
The Super Hero Workout, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions. By
beginning the Super Hero Workout, you recognize that despite all precautions on the part of
Roman Fitness Systems, Inc, and Matt McGorry Training, there are risks of injury or illness
which can occur because of your use of the aforementioned information and you expressly
assume such risks and waive, relinquish and release any claim which you may have against
Roman Fitness Systems, Inc, or their respective affiliates as a
result of any future physical injury or illness incurred in connection with, or as a result of, the
use or misuse of your program.
Basically, have fun out there, but don’t hurt yourself.
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And some more Legal stuff so comic companies (hopefully) can’t sue
us!
Spider-Man, Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, War Machine,
Black Widow, Mystique, Blade, Bucky, Captain America, The Winter
Soldier the Fantastic 4, She-Hulk, the Invisible Woman, Nick Fury, the
Avengers, the Punisher, Silver Surfer, Galactus, Ms. Marvel, Daredevil and
the X-Men are trademark properties of Marvel Comics Group. Batman,
Robin, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Cat Woman, Nightwing, the Joker, the
Green Lantern, The Green Arrow, Oliver Queen, The Justice League, and
Superman are trademark properties of DC Comics.
About Roman Fitness Systems
It’s always weird when people write about themselves and talk about how
awesome and smart they are to an audience that already bought the
product.
So, let’s not do that. We’re going to assume you know exactly what RFS is
all about. And if you don’t, then definitely don’t ​check out our awesome
website​ with hundreds of free articles where you can learn even more
about being jacked. And shredded. And awesome. At the same time.
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The Super Hero Supplement Guide
Supplements are an interesting part of the fitness industry. You generally
have a few very varied opinions—some people love them, some people
hate them.
At RFS we are a bit of a rarity because we’re somewhere in the middle.
To tell the truth, we probably get asked about supplements more than
anything else. Well, we also get asked quite a bit about what our Hogwarts
house is (David’s a Ravenclaw, Peter’s a Slytherin, John’s a Gryffindor, if
you’re wondering).
So, this guide is to address those questions — to help you decide what
supplements you should take, and which ones you’re better off without.
Supplement Question One:
Are supplements “necessary?”
We get this A LOT. It’s usually from young guys who don’t know much, and
for some reason equate supplements to steroids. So, when they’re asking
things like, “can you really get that big without X, Y, or Z,” they are asking,
in large part, out of ignorance.
First and foremost, supplements are obviously not like steroids. Certainly,
they help you build muscle (if you use the right ones the right way), but
there is nothing steroidal about them.
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The other types of people asking this question are the young guys who
have been to GNC or the like after going in for protein powder and coming
out with the latest NO2 supplement they didn’t know they ‘needed.’
So, let me just say right now – no, ​supplements aren’t necessary to have
a great body.
Long before the first protein powder was ever invented, people got great
results from training.
Before there was ever an idea for a Nitrous booster, guys in the gym got “a
sick pump.” So, obviously, if they can do it, so can you.
However, it’s also true that with the right supplements the time it takes to
get results has decreased even when following the same programs. Which
brings us to our next question.
Supplement Question Two:
Do supplements “work?”
Now, THIS is an interesting question; or, rather, it’s really a very predictable
question, and it’s the ANSWER that’s interesting.
And by “interesting,” I mean, “confusing.”
The answer, of course, is “sometimes.” Some supplements work, and some
do not. Some are good, and some are not. The hard part is telling which is
good from which is bad. Which, of course, is our job—so you don’t have to
worry much about that.
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The important thing to understand is that some supplements are better in
certain situations than others.
A very easy example is fat burners—even if one is very effective because it
blunts your appetite, you wouldn’t take it if you were trying to eat a lot and
put on muscle, would you? If you have a hard time making your calories,
then, no, probably not.
And you wouldn’t consume a calorie-dense weight gainer shake if you were
trying to lose fat.
Does that mean that either isn’t “good” or that they don’t “work”?
Not at all. It means they have a directed application and time of use. But, of
course, those are the obvious ones.
There are also supplements that, for the purposes of health, you can take
regardless of your goal—and which will help you meet it anyway.
For example, it’s NEVER a good idea to be nutrient deprived.
If you are trying to lose fat and not eating enough vegetables, your body
will slow down some metabolic processes and it makes it hard to lose fat.
On the other hand, let’s say you’re a skinny guy trying to bulk up, but you
get full easily. You don’t want to “waste” precious stomach volume with
veggies because they don’t have the calories you want and need in order
to gain muscle.
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HOWEVER, you also realize that you need a lot of the nutrition that is in
those veggies in order to be healthy, even if you are eating a lot of “food”
that doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily getting what you need to be
healthy and function optimally.
For both fat loss OR muscle gain, this can dramatically slow results.
So, what do you do?
A solution for either goal is to use a supplement that will cover those
nutritional bases, fill in nutrient “gaps” and increase the rate at which you
lose fat and gain muscle.
An example of that would be a supplement called Man Greens, which is a
greens powder you can take in the mornings with just water—we use this
EVERY day; easy, tasty, and makes sure to fix all the stuff you
don’t realize you’re screwing up.
There ARE some decent supplements out there. You just have to ​figure
out which are really in line with your goals​. Once you do that it becomes
A LOT easier to figure which ones to stay away from.
Everybody’s supplement regime will be slightly different, because, well,
everybody’s different. Different goals, different budgets, different
preferences.
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Supplement Question Three:
Okay, Bro do YOU take supplements?
You’re bet your cape we do. Now, we don’t take many, and the ones we
do, we take for a certain purpose.
After wasting heaps of money in my youth, I eventually learned that
“dietary supplement” really SHOULD mean what the literal translation of
those words implies: ​in addition to a good diet and training program​.
NOT “in place of.”
Let me repeat that again for the people in the back: Supplements are ​in
addition to​ d
​ iet and exercise, ​NOT in place of​ diet and exercise.
The way to get the most out of your supplements is when everything else is
dialed in.
And, since you’re placing your training in our hands, we know you do.
Therefore, if you use supplements, you’ll actually get something out of
them.
Keep reading to find out which are worth it.
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Supplement Question Four:
Really? I did not expect you to say that. You’ve thrown me for a loop.
So uh, which ones DO you take?
Okay, now we’re talking. This is the real meat, and it’s a good part of
the reason I wrote this guide. I’d like to tell you which supplements (and
supplement companies) I like and use.
Since we’ve been around the proverbial block, we tend to dislike most stuff.
We’re saying this ahead of time because to avoid emails from angry people
who’ll say…
“Super Mega Nitro Maxi-Pump wasn’t on your list, can I still take it?”
No. Well, okay, you can—but if it’s not on the list, we probably don’t think
too highly of it. Or, at least, tend to think it’s not worth the money.
BUT, if you already spent money on it and you’re enjoying the effects, then
you have our blessing in finishing the container. That said, please don’t
spend any more money on that stuff. Mmmkay? Cool.
Here’s the truth.
We’ve developed sort of a love/hate relationship with supplements—and
supplement companies.
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On the one hand, we love supplements (when they do what they claim).
And, without the convenience of protein drinks, meal replacements,
vitamins, and the occasional protein bar, we wouldn’t have achieved all the
results we have for ourselves and our clients.
On the other hand, a lot of supplements are just flat out crap. They’re filled
with only half of what the label says, and who knows what the other half is.
And of course, many supplement companies have shady marketing tactics
like photo-shopped before/after pics and all that other under-handed
bullshit—and we’re just not into that.
Having said all that, if chosen wisely and used correctly, supplements can
make The SUPER HERO WORKOUT even MORE productive and
accelerate your progress.
After all, you owe it to yourself to seek every possible advantage—and that
starts with getting educated. And that starts right now.
What You’re Never Told
Most consumers don’t know that ​the FDA (the Food and Drug
Administration) does not test, monitor, or approve dietary
supplements.
Just think about that for a second.
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This means that all the hundreds of thousands of fat burners, performance
boosters, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and protein powders you see online
and on store shelves everywhere are completely unregulated.​ It’s difficult
to know what you’re really getting.
The FDA leaves it up to the individual supplement companies to
formulate, test, and monitor their own products. As you can imagine, many
supplement companies cut all kinds of corners when it comes to quality
control to boost their profits.
The following are five of the most common offenses in the dietary
supplement industry regarding quality control.
1) Many companies do not hire qualified Registered Dieticians, PhDs, or
Medical Doctors to formulate their products based on the latest
research. This results in products that lack safety standards and
aren’t effective.
2) Many companies use untested, artificial, and low-quality ingredients
that are often contaminated and in amounts that are ineffective.
3) Many products are not manufactured in an FDA-rated facility under
the strict, government-approved Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMP).
4) After the product is manufactured, many companies do not test the
product to ensure its ingredients match what is listed on the label. Nor
do they test the product to make sure it’s pure and free from
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contaminants like lead and bacteria. (Note: Independent testing
shows that ​many supplements do not contain the ingredients
listed on the label.​ This is true in an alarming amount of cases.)
5) Finally, many companies ship out their products and let their
customers be the guinea pigs when it comes to quality control. The
supplement companies that we use, know, and respect do the exact
opposite of the above. The difference here is that the owners and
formulators of these scientifically-backed products are creating them
to be used by themselves, as well as their customers.
Specifically, ​ONNIT, Man Nutra, and BioOptimizers​ are at the top of our
list, and in this guide, we’ll be giving recommendations exclusively from
them (there are plenty of other great companies, but for the sake of
simplicity, we’re keeping this guide to those three).
In any case, any product we recommend goes through a rigorous research
and testing process. And, when you’re researching supplements and
companies, you should do the same.
These companies have all passed a high bar for supplements.
Supplement Question Five:
Okay, SO What Are The BEST Supplements To Take?
This is a loaded question, and leaves a massive variable out of the
equation: “What are your goals?”
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That, right there, is one of the most important questions you need to ask
yourself when choosing where to invest your dollars.
And make no mistake, that’s what you’re doing: investing. Improving your
body is an investment that will pay dividends every single year.
Knowing the answer to this question will allow you to determine which
direction to go when optimizing your supplement regime.
The good news is that when it comes to supplements, most goals require
covering the same foundation. Supplements can help everyone — whether
you want to lose fat, build muscle, or improve performance — get their
goals by making them healthier overall. Protein powder, for example, can
aid in muscle gain, fat loss, and recovery. A good greens supplement can
improve everyone’s immunity, recovery, and overall function.
That foundation is what we’re going to look at today.
These apply to everyone, whether your goal is to gain 20 pounds or shred
10% body fat.
Not unlike the founding principles of training and nutrition, supplementation
has a set of “principles” and foundations that must be in place before you
can move any further ahead. Ignoring the chance to optimize these
foundational principles is akin to putting only part of your energy into training
on the gym floor.
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Covering protein needs, optimizing hormone levels, staving off muscle loss,
maintaining cellular health, getting the full spectrum of antioxidants, and
maximizing your sensitivity to carbohydrates are of utmost importance. If
you don’t address these things, you’ll start feeling weak, tired, and even
notice you’ll lack motivation.
Don’t feel like doing all your sets? Might as well just skip it.
Sprints don’t seem appealing on the day? You’ll do them later.
Not “feeling good”? You deserve a day off, right?
Wrong.
Blatantly ignoring the responsibility of addressing your nutritional and
supplementation weaknesses is the exact same scenario.
The supplements you’ll read about on the following pages are valuable tools
in your arsenal and will help you achieve results beyond what you’ve
imagined.
A Final Important Note:
While all the supplements in this document are fantastic, we understand it’s
difficult to invest in ALL of them.
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To make it as easy as possible for you to make decisions about what to
take, I’ve broken the supplements down into three tiers:
● ESSENTIALS — ​what you ​need​ to be taking for health and longevity.
● BASICS — ​what you ​should ​be taking because they improve your
health and make the program more effective.
● SUPER HERO — ​supplements to improve performance and results. If
you have extra cash and everything else is dialed in, invest here.
Within each tier, the supplements will be ranked in order of importance.
Again, you can order and use all the supplements, if your budget is
constrained, work your way from top to bottom.
Tier One: The Essentials
As mentioned above, the supplements in TIER ONE are the ones you need
to be taking, that nearly everyone should be taking.
These will help you make faster progress, but in a more indirect way—by
keeping you healthy, allowing you to recover from your workouts, help
prevent you from getting sick, and improve your energy and vitality.
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With all of that said, let’s take a look at the first supplements on the list.
ONNIT - V
​ itamin D3
Vitamin D, now more than ever, is being touted as one of the most
important vitamins in testosterone production, health, and immunity. The
majority of the population is horribly lacking in vitamin D. Even those lucky
enough to be living where the sun shines year-round cannot escape the
rampant deficiency. What’s more, scientists are now RAISING
recommendations for what is optimal in vitamin D levels in the body—and
the vast majority of people are deficient.
The research on the benefits of Vitamin D is overwhelming. It may be one
of the most important supplements you can take to ward off a wide range of
physically, emotionally, and neurologically detrimental diseases.
Vitamin D3 may help:
- Promote Bone Strength – Maintain Healthy Bone
and Prevent Osteoporosis
- Support Neuro-Physiology – Fight Alzheimer’s and
other Neuro-Degenerative Diseases
- Regulating Auto-Immune Response – defend against
Diseases like Fibromyalgia and Psoriasis
- Improve Moods – Alleviate Depression and Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome
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- Reduce Risks Of Cancers – Reduce the Risk of Breast, Prostate, and
Colon Cancers
- Boost Fertility – Support optimal hormone levels, including
testosterone in men
- Boosting immunity – Fight Infectious Diseases
Although we recommend getting most of your vitamin D from direct
sunlight, this is often either unrealistic or simply not enough. When sunlight
isn’t an option, studies have shown that the best form of oral Vitamin D is
Cholecalciferol; also known as Vitamin D3. Cholecalciferol has the best
bioavailability of any oral form of Vitamin D. As a fat-soluble vitamin, this
should always be suspended in olive oil or coconut oil and consumed daily
with a meal containing fat.
ONNIT​ ​has a vitamin D product that’s a cut above the rest for a few
reasons. Firstly, it also contains vitamin K2, which newer research is
showing plays a big role in shuttling calcium to bones and teeth, where we
need it most.
It also is a spray, as opposed to a soft gel, and is incorporated into a
coconut oil solution, which, as mentioned, is imperative because vitamin D
is fat-soluble.
How to Use: ​Depending on your sun exposure, take 2000-5000 IU daily.
⇒ PICK UP ​ONNIT V
​ ITAMIN D HERE ⇐
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ONNIT - K
​ rill Oil
Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acid) is an essential
supplement everyone should be taking;
not just for fat loss, but also for overall
health. This is true no matter who you are
or what your goal is, across the board.
To name just a few of the fat burning and
health benefits these fats possess, omega-3
fatty acids have been shown to decrease the
risk for developing heart disease and cancer,
decrease blood pressure, improve liver and
kidney function, reduce joint pain, improve
vision, improve diabetic conditions, decrease
occurrences and intensities of migraine headaches, increase circulating
levels of leptin, reduce stress, and increase metabolic rate. Fish oil is one
of the most legit supplements around and it does pretty much everything.
With countless pieces of published research backing it up, it’s been shown
that, in some way, fish oils help or are good for:
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Krill oil is a fish oil with a few unique benefits. The omega-3’s in krill oil are
easier to absorb because they’re bonded to phospholipids (only two fatty
acids) compared to most fish oils which are bonded to triglycerides (three
fatty acids). Sparing a biology lesson, this means the omega 3’s in krill oil
will be absorbed better.
Krill oil is also loaded with a carotenoid called astaxanthin, which has many
antioxidant properties like fighting free radicals.
Finally, because krill is low on the food chain and mostly harvested in some
of the world’s cleanest waters, it typically has much fewer toxins and
mercury than most fish oils.
Further, ​ONNIT,​ being the amazing company they are, ensures they’re
supporting harvesting krill in a sustainable way for the surrounding
ecosystem. They don’t overharvest, which would cause catastrophic effects
up and down the food chain.
QUANTITY and USE:​ Really, this needs to be a daily supplement. Take 2
capsules daily with meals.
⇒ GET ​ONNIT ​Krill Oil HERE ⇐
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Tier Two: The Basics
ONNIT - G
​ rass-Fed Whey Protein
Protein. You know you need it. After training, throughout the day,
emergencies, ease of use, bioavailability. For such a common product in
the supplement industry, it’s shocking what the general standard of quality
actually is. Very few products can live up to the claims on the label.
ONNIT​ grass-fed whey is perfect as a part of a meal replacement or a
snack and a useful supplement for all goals.
ONNIT ​whey is ethically and sustainably sourced
(grass-fed = happy cows), non-GMO, lactose,
sugar, and gluten-free.
Oh, and both the chocolate and vanilla taste
amazing.
QUANTITY and USE​: One container provides
thirty servings of protein. Use one serving as part
of a smoothie, post-workout shake, or quick
snack.
⇒ GET ​ONNIT ​Whey Protein HERE ⇐
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ONNIT - C
​ reatine Monohydrate
There isn’t much to say about creatine
that hasn’t been said.
Creatine, quite simply, is the most widely
and thoroughly researched supplement in
the world. Increased creatine intake leads
to more efficient utilization of energy,
which allows for increased strength.
To be clear: speaking in absolute terms, you probably won’t be able to lift
more weight on your One Rep Max or anything like that; however, if you
can normally lift a weight 10 teams, supplementing with creatine can allow
you to get to 11 or 12 reps. This means that for many exercises, you can
either perform more sets, more weight, or even use a tad more weight.
Over time, this will obviously lead to increases in muscle size.
So, if creatine is so cool why isn’t it first on my list of supplements?
Well, simply, because you should ALREADY be taking it.
Creatine is a “no-brainer.” In addition to being scientifically PROVEN to be
effective, creatine is so damn cheap that I’m shocked when we find out
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someone ISN’T taking it. It’s completely safe, and easy to throw into
shakes.
Coming in at less than 15 bucks, you’d be crazy not to pick this up (if you
don’t have it already).
Quantity and Use:​ Take one scoop once or twice per day. Really, it can be
taken at any time, but there is some evidence to show that ingesting
creatine with carbs enhances uptake, so taking it during your post-workout
period may be ideal. There is no need to load. Simply keep a consistent
dosage on training AND non-training days.
⇒ PICK UP ​ONNIT​ CREATINE HERE ⇐
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BiOptimizers -​ Magnesium Breakthrough
Magnesium is a key nutrient for everything from improving sleep and
improving performance, to lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
But, most Americans are chronic​ally deficient in magnesium, and unless
you’re pounding down almonds and leafy greens, you’re probably deficient.
Just like with vitamin D and omega-3 deficiencies, it makes sense to turn to
supplements to cover your bases. However, most magnesium supplements
contain forms of magnesium like Mg oxide, chloride, and aspartate that
loosen your stools and can cause diarrhea. And if magnesium makes it
through your digestive tract, it means ​you’re not absorbing the magnesium​.
Which defeats the point of the supplement, obviously.
That’s why we recommend this magnesium from Bioptimizers. It contains
seven high-quality forms of magnesium, all of which have unique benefits.
⇒ LEARN MORE ABOUT BIOPTIMIZERS MAGNESIUM ⇐
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Tier Three: The Advantage
ONNIT - A
​ lpha BRAIN
Complete Balanced Nootropic
Alpha BRAIN is a fully balanced nootropic, or cognitive enhancer. In other
words, it helps you think better. The main ingredients—Alpha GPC and
Huperzia Serrata—contain nutrients that help your body turn up
acetylcholine levels full throttle while other ingredients assist in elevating
neurological components vital to remaining calm,
focused, and mentally driven.
Vinpocetine can help the body deliver oxygen
and nutrients to the brain, and the combination of
neuro-specific antioxidants, led by the proprietary
AC-11®, assists your system in clearing away
mental fog and free radicals. The result is an
extraordinary combination of lucid dreams, mental
drive, focus, and mental acuity.
The fact is, things are going to come up in your life
and you’re going to wind up losing focus on your
training. Or, you’ll simply go to bed late or eat too
little and be tired during your workouts. None of
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these variables will help your progress. Alpha Brain is your solution—take it
whenever you need extra energy or focus.
Hell, Joe Rogan swears by it, and that man is an all-around Alpha Beast.
Think real-world supplementation, using all-natural ingredients from across
the corners of the world.
Really, it’s quite incredible.
How to use: Take a serving of 1-2 capsules in the morning or early
afternoon for enhanced mental performance. Depending on how big you
are, and tolerance, you can up this to a maximum of 3. For An enhanced
dream state, you can take 1-2 capsules 4-6 hours prior to sleeping.
​⇒ Get ​ONNIT ​Alpha BRAIN HERE ⇐
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Man Nutra - ​Man Greens
We all know we should be eating more vegetables. “Ten servings a day,”
many well-meaning experts will tell you. The problem with eating that many
vegetables, is it’s damn-near impossible unless you’re stuffing every meal
with a salad.
A greens supplement can make sure you’re getting the nutritional benefits
of all the healthy foods you know you need without constantly stuffing your
face with them. In particular, we’ve grown to love Man Greens because it
includes ingredients that help improve testosterone and libido. As RFS
readers you’ll know how damn important testosterone is.
So you can think of this supplement as your “nutritional insurance” with an
extra testosterone boost.
⇒ Get Your Man Greens HERE ⇐
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So, there you have it.
A solid list of supplements to look into to get the most out of the SUPER
HERO WORKOUT. Covering these bases with the above products is the
first step in moving toward an optimal program. However, as I’ve also
repeated ad nauseum, supplements are in no way necessary—they just
help.
Strategic supplementation, where the funds are justified, will serve to
amplify your efforts in and out of the gym those few crucial percentage
points. Used correctly, they can and will boost your results. But only if
everything else is dialed in already. ​These supplements will not do the
work for you​. That, as you know, is up to you. Your training, nutrition, and
recovery all need to be on-point in order to see the desired benefits of
supplementation work in real-time. This includes paying attention to your
sleeping patterns, lifestyle, and mindset.
Once you’ve accomplished this, the realm of supplementation will welcome
you with open arms.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send them over to...
david@romanfitnesssystems.com
Best of luck out there,
David, Peter, and John
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