Post by Steve Gardener on Feb 22, 2010 12:35:23 GMT
Every so often you'll see a post asking about what to take before, during and then, as an afterthought, after a workout.
Post-workout / no mucking about
Let's make one thing clear and get it done and dusted asap: post workout nutrition is VERY important. There are articles in this section of the forum so go read. Nuff said.
Preworkout
Given the lack of attention many pay to their nutrition I've occasionally generalized by saying the food you have through the day, the night before and what you had for breakfast are as important as any meal or product you might have in the hour or so before hitting the gym. After all they'll have been broken down and will be being utilized as much as any special dietary effort you make for that 'special' time. As I train in the mornings most days the big one for me is breakfast. But if I were to train in the early evening (peak gym times for most) then what I had 2 hours before would be as vital. If for no other reason than the energy I need to lift weights.
But what about special formulations and meals? Well they fall into two forms. Stimulatory: NO2 type products (ie: nice pumps etc) and caffiene or similar (livening you up) or BCAA+ type products (boosting the anabolic or muscle tissue repair process). The idea with the first kind is that you feel pumped, full, whathaveyou, when working out. That there may or may not be an actual benefit to getting a good pump from working out, even after all this time, is still undecided. Growth can and does take place regardless of the quality of blood flow to a bicep.
The other products are designed with the idea in mind that aminos and the like will be in your system in nice ratios either boosting a workouts effects or so that they are there ready to repair muscle tissue following a workout. This leads us on to 'Peri'.
Peri
In simple terms it's products that can be consumed during training. Not just energy (glucose and the like) type products but some with aminos added. The only way they differ from pre-workout is that they tend to be lighter (as you'll puke if they are not) and are not designed per se with the idea of making the workout better but, as above, starting the recovery process early.
The question, as I have asked elsewhere, is how much of a difference do they make? As and when I win the lotto I'd be sure to give said items a spin. But as I have yet to rake in the wads of cash required I'm not so sure. Companies can and do make claims but rarely define how big a deal it actually is. If it's 1-2% and so more based on 'well it felt like it made a difference' as opposed to 'I grew an inch' or 'I added 10-kilos to the bar' then it has to be one where your wallet is the decision maker here. If it was the latter then we all need to start queuing outside the places where said products are sold.
Until then here's what I do:
1) Eat properly ALL day. As before what you ate last night fuels you as much as what you'll eat before the gym.
2) Have a fucking coffee before working out. It's WAY cheaper than ANY stimulatory product.
3) The ONLY time I recommend BCAA use is in that 20 minute window following a workout and ONLY for their DOMS reduction. The rest of the science is 50-50 at best.
4) DRINK A FUCKING POST WORKOUT PROTEIN SHAKE in the first hour or so after training. If it's the only time you use supplemental protein make sure it's this time.
Having done a proper days work in the past I am as familiar as the next guy with how hard it can be to eat right. When I did manual work I stuffed snack in my locker and when my team had a smoke break I'd snack. When I worked with the Met on late turns I'd have a flap jack in my pocket and nibble on it as we went back to book off. This gave me enough fuel to train hard come the time I hit the gym. I had a coffee or a coke on the train on the way there. I'd then have a shake in the gym after I trained.
See how uncomplicated and cheap all of the above is?
Post-workout / no mucking about
Let's make one thing clear and get it done and dusted asap: post workout nutrition is VERY important. There are articles in this section of the forum so go read. Nuff said.
Preworkout
Given the lack of attention many pay to their nutrition I've occasionally generalized by saying the food you have through the day, the night before and what you had for breakfast are as important as any meal or product you might have in the hour or so before hitting the gym. After all they'll have been broken down and will be being utilized as much as any special dietary effort you make for that 'special' time. As I train in the mornings most days the big one for me is breakfast. But if I were to train in the early evening (peak gym times for most) then what I had 2 hours before would be as vital. If for no other reason than the energy I need to lift weights.
But what about special formulations and meals? Well they fall into two forms. Stimulatory: NO2 type products (ie: nice pumps etc) and caffiene or similar (livening you up) or BCAA+ type products (boosting the anabolic or muscle tissue repair process). The idea with the first kind is that you feel pumped, full, whathaveyou, when working out. That there may or may not be an actual benefit to getting a good pump from working out, even after all this time, is still undecided. Growth can and does take place regardless of the quality of blood flow to a bicep.
The other products are designed with the idea in mind that aminos and the like will be in your system in nice ratios either boosting a workouts effects or so that they are there ready to repair muscle tissue following a workout. This leads us on to 'Peri'.
Peri
In simple terms it's products that can be consumed during training. Not just energy (glucose and the like) type products but some with aminos added. The only way they differ from pre-workout is that they tend to be lighter (as you'll puke if they are not) and are not designed per se with the idea of making the workout better but, as above, starting the recovery process early.
The question, as I have asked elsewhere, is how much of a difference do they make? As and when I win the lotto I'd be sure to give said items a spin. But as I have yet to rake in the wads of cash required I'm not so sure. Companies can and do make claims but rarely define how big a deal it actually is. If it's 1-2% and so more based on 'well it felt like it made a difference' as opposed to 'I grew an inch' or 'I added 10-kilos to the bar' then it has to be one where your wallet is the decision maker here. If it was the latter then we all need to start queuing outside the places where said products are sold.
Until then here's what I do:
1) Eat properly ALL day. As before what you ate last night fuels you as much as what you'll eat before the gym.
2) Have a fucking coffee before working out. It's WAY cheaper than ANY stimulatory product.
3) The ONLY time I recommend BCAA use is in that 20 minute window following a workout and ONLY for their DOMS reduction. The rest of the science is 50-50 at best.
4) DRINK A FUCKING POST WORKOUT PROTEIN SHAKE in the first hour or so after training. If it's the only time you use supplemental protein make sure it's this time.
Having done a proper days work in the past I am as familiar as the next guy with how hard it can be to eat right. When I did manual work I stuffed snack in my locker and when my team had a smoke break I'd snack. When I worked with the Met on late turns I'd have a flap jack in my pocket and nibble on it as we went back to book off. This gave me enough fuel to train hard come the time I hit the gym. I had a coffee or a coke on the train on the way there. I'd then have a shake in the gym after I trained.
See how uncomplicated and cheap all of the above is?
