What the heck is he on?

I get a lot of questions as to what I am taking that allows me to continue the rigorous training regimen that I do on a daily basis. More often than not most people just assume that I am taking some sort of HGH (human growth hormone) or anabolic steroid. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have worked very hard to get to where I am at and have spent over 12 years researching and working out to many different training programs. I am still learning and constantly evolving. There are many great programs out there but regardless of which one you choose to do there are several factors that will come into play that will help you to get them most out of it.

First and foremost is patience. You must be patient when starting a new training program. Give your body time to adapt to the program and for the results to show. No matter what you do or supplements you take, it is going to take time. One of the worst pitfalls is that of impatience. You can cause injury to your body or even worst get pressured into turning to illegal substances. You can only push your body so hard and can only lift so much. Please don’t be one of those people that we all see in the gym lifting weights that are clearly too heavy for them. Push yourself hard but be smart enough to know your limitations. Use proper form and progressions.

Listen to your body and learn what is just hurting or truly injured. If you continue to train with injuries, keep in mind that you could potentially be causing further irreversible damage and though it might seem like the tough thing to do, the best thing is to let it heal properly. If at all possible, work on areas that you are weaker at while you heal. This will still allow you to train body and mind and still heal up.

Hard work , dedication, self motivation and heart are just a few of the attributes that are an integral part of a real fighter. Without these you will never be able to achieve simple goals… not to mention extraordinary feats of human ability. The will of man can and will open the door to almost any dream so long as the heart is willing to forgo the adversity to come. You must be willing to sacrifice yourself to your love and passion. The moment that you loose that fire you will start to become complacent and fade to the back while giving opportunity for others to replace you. A fighter will never quit… he will go and go until he can go no more. It’s an driven instinct not something learned.

Finally, the ability to learn and constantly evolve. If you see that your current training program isn’t giving you the results that you are looking for, it’s time to change it up. Start so shock your body and do something different. Never allow yourself to be one dimensional. Learn new ways to push yourself to new limits. Education is the key to becoming more successful in anything that you do.

Now with that in mind, lets discuss a taboo subject; The use of anabolic steroids and HGH in the professional sports circuit. More often than not you will find that those who use illegal substances to enhance their performance are not only weak minded but are also causing irreversible damage to their bodies. The reason that I say this is that even though the use of these substances are very well documented as well as the long lasting damage that they do, any person that feels that they must give themselves an unfair advantage to win is weak minded. They don’t trust their own abilities, training and experience. I have found in the combat sports community, more and more professional athletes are using these illegal enhancements and are blinded by its quick results. Don’t get sucked into the lie. I am a firm believer in achieving your goals as naturally as possible.

With that being said, here is a list of supplements that I am personally taking. Keep in mind that everybody is different and so are your individual needs. I am in no way pushing or advertising for anyone. I am just trying to answer a common question asked.

- Morning Shake: Apple juice, Vitamineral Green (http://www.healthforce.com/), and 1 scoop of fiber.

- Multi-Vitamin: Max for Men (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/country/max.html)

- Joint Support: Animal Flex (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/univ/flex.html), Bluebonnet Nutrition Omega-3 (http://www.iherb.com/natural-omega-3-1000-mg-180-softgels/11821?at=0), Cissus (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/cis.html)

- Reconvery: GlutaPure (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/un/glut.html), Recoverite (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ham/rec.html)

- Protien: New Whey Liquid Protien 25 grams (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ids/new.html)

- Muscle Growth: 17HD (http://www.netnutri.com/browse.cfm/4,2383.html), Viraloid (http://www.netnutri.com/browse.cfm/4,2382.html), ZMA (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/zma.html), Beta Alanine (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/betaalanine.html)

- Energy: 5 Hour Energy (http://www.5hourenergy.com/?gclid=CNOXjLjJoZ4CFRHyDAod3GVBnw)

- 1 Baby Asprin a day (http://www.wonderdrug.com/products/ar/ar_als81.htm)

I do not recommend that anyone start taking any supplements without first consulting your physician. It is important to understand that as the need arises that you then answer its call. Don’t just assume that you need to take anything without truly needed it or before knowing what it is for to begin with. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a miracle drug nor is there any substitute for hard work; that is the best supplement that you can take. So achieve your peak naturally then if you need help to get to the next level or if you need a better recovery plan, then look into what you need. Try to get the most out of your diet and real foods.

I hope that this has helped you out. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sergio Machado