Nine years ago, I f*cked up my elbows so badly I couldn't even lift a dumbbell.
Severe tendonitis from overtraining like an idiot. I was doing personal training at the time, so imagine trying to demonstrate exercises for clients when you can't even grip a 5kg weight without shooting pain.
I took a full year off training. A whole year watching my physique disappear while trying everything I could think of to fix my body. I was barely recognisable! Went full vegan thinking it would help with inflammation. Didn't work.
Switched to carnivore. Maybe the opposite would fix it? Nope. Got cortisone injections. Temporary relief at best. Nothing was working and I was desperate to get back to training properly!
For context this was 9 years ago, nobody even knew what a peptide was back then. But I'd heard whispers about these compounds that could actually heal soft tissue, not just mask the pain within the deep dark corners of bodybuilding forums.
Not the best place to find inspiration but I was desperate! I found two that worked together that had been recommended multiple times and started running them together. Within 6 weeks, things started changing. At first I thought it was just placebo, but then I noticed the kind of recovery I hadn't seen with anything else I'd tried.
My tendons and ligaments started recovering fast, my sleep improved dramatically and I was able to pick up that 5kg dumbbell again. That's when I started going deep down the rabbit hole of peptides. If these two compounds could do this for my tendons and ligaments, what else was out there?
What other peptides could optimise different parts of performance and recovery? So I spent the last 9 years being my own lab rat! Testing, stacking, cycling, and figuring out what actually works versus what's just expensive hype.
Here are my top 5 from years or trial and error.
#5 - Tesamorelin + Ipamorelin
These two work way better together than on their own. They support natural growth hormone release which means better sleep, faster recovery, and even reduces fine lines. I've consistently noticed improvements in sleep quality, recovery between sessions, and body composition when running these together.
#4 - Cerebrolysin
My all-time favourite for brain performance. Sharper focus, better mental stamina, clearer thinking. If you're running a business, training hard, and need your brain firing on all cylinders this is it. It's expensive, but it's worth it for the cognitive edge.
#3 - Retatrutide
The big one for fat loss. Controls appetite, improves how your body handles food, and completely kills cravings.
It doesn't just kill food cravings. I've seen it work on caffeine dependence, alcohol cravings, and clients have even reported reduced impulses with other substances.
It's potent though. Too much and you'll feel flat, lose strength if you're not eating enough. I cycle it two weeks on, two weeks off. Keeps it effective without burning out.
#2 - TB-500
Healing and soft tissue regeneration. Joints feel better, injuries recover faster, overall recovery improves.
I always run this with #1...
#1 - BPC-157
These are the two that saved my training career nine years ago. And they're still the foundation of everything I run.
I used this stack for nearly a year to heal those chronic tendon issues. If you're dealing with persistent pain or nagging injuries, this combination is one of the most effective recovery tools available.
BPC-157 + TB-500 together are unmatched. They accelerate healing for tendons, ligaments, decrease inflammation, and speed up recovery more than anything else I've found.
I've made mistakes with this stuff. Expensive, painful mistakes.
Not long ago, I ended up with kidney issues from taking too many supplements. I accidentally drank something I shouldn't have, and it caused real problems. Had to come off everything for a while until my kidney markers climbed back up.
If I hadn't gotten my bloodwork done, I wouldn't have known. Could've done serious damage. You could potentially fuck yourself up if you're not careful. This isn't a game.
My approach has always been about pushing hard while keeping side effects to a minimum. I want to be jacked, I want to be ripped. I'm not here to be normal. Never have been.
But it's about getting the best out of things with the least amount of risk. Take the smallest amount of anything to get the most out of it. Trial and error, but smart trial and error. For example, the more testosterone I take, the more watery I get, the more aggressive I become. That's not always good when you're trying to be centred, calm, and grounded for your family.
You need bloodwork. You need proper guidance. You need to know what's happening inside your body before, during, and after. That's why we have a doctor available with our programs at Physique Academy. Whether you're optimising through traditional nutrition and training, or you're ready to explore biohacking and peptides properly you need medical oversight. We've helped over 5,000 men get incredible results.
Not by guessing. By doing this the right way.
