It really irks me when I hear of so many athletes falling prey to the marketing lures of supplement companies. These companies make an athlete think that if they aren’t taking supplements they are just going to be “average” at best. It is a ridiculous statement to think that the only way to maximize your potential is to take some type(s) of supplements (legal and other wise) and if you don’t, you will be behind in some way. Now a days a supplementation program seems to be more of a primary focus than a properly executed training regimen, which is utterly preposterous. I fell victim to the supplementation lure many years ago, as did some of my friends, only to find out that we supplemented someone else’s wallet and found no benefits to what we were taking. Well, those seeking to gain an “edge” in their training and who want to be “above average” can do so by making sure things C.H.E.C.K. out.

 Here is your list of the supplements you will need.

 Common Sense: I don’t need to (or shouldn’t have to) elaborate on this too much but the use of common sense for success is vital. Making sure that your training is progressive, safe and efficient, along with a strong focus on proper nutrition and rest/recovery will certainly assist in providing the “edge” you need. Don’t complicate it, just use good judgment based on your needs.

 Hard Work: Pretty self-explanatory. Working hard toward your goals is extremely important at helping to achieve them. Success doesn’t come easy and to me, that’s what makes it so rewarding when achieved.

 Experience: Learn from the experiences of what others have done but also learn and understand your own. Too many people ignore their own experiences for others and don’t focus on what’s best for them. Make sure you learn from your (and others) mistakes and successes and apply the information intelligently.

 Consistency: Progress in anything is unlikely without consistency. Being consistent in your efforts in all aspects is crucial to your success. This means your training, eating, resting, mental approach, your desires, etc. Supplements usually come into play for most when they fail to be consistent in their efforts. Believe in what you are doing.

 Knowledge: Understanding what works and what doesn’t comes from learning and application. It enables you to gain a perspective on how to go about succeeding at your goals. It is an equal part to the ingredients of the C.H.E.C.K. supplementation program described here.

 Those of you who are taking supplements touted as “muscle building” , I offer this not as a challenge but as merely an experiment of sorts. Take no supplements of any kind for two months and honestly asses what happens. Notate your results and be as unbiased as possible. See if you really need what you are taking to succeed. If you are afraid to stop for this short amount of time, thinking you’ll lose whatever positive effects that supplementation has offered you, than consider yourself to be one of the “victims” of supplementation deception. Re-examine the above list and make sure you are doing all that is necessary to aid your progression. Those of you who are considering supplements but haven’t yet ventured out, re-evaluate what you’ve been told about the necessity to supplement and make sure you are attending to the list above before falling victim to marketing strategists and grandiose promises.

 I have nothing to sell you and I benefit not by you adhering to my recommendations. I am merely passing along some common sense, a bit of hard work, my experiences and consistent passion for knowledge that has enabled me to express these thoughts to you.