18/2/2017 0 Comments A guide to sports nutritionSo, you’re new to supplements, but where do you begin? The wide range of products on offer such as pre-workouts, post-workouts; whey protein, soya protein; vitamins and minerals can be very confusing. The meaning of supplement – a thing added to something else in order to complete or enhance it. Supplements are not designed to replace your diet, they are here to complement your diet, complete your diet, or enhance your diet. GETTING STARTED Muscle growth Do you have adequate protein intake in your diet? Around 1.5-2g protein per kg of bodyweight is recommended. That works out to 120-160g protein per day for someone who is 80kg. A good quality WHEY Protein Shake will deliver a great quality source of protein to your muscles. Increasing training intensity. Training harder creates a greater stimulus for muscle growth. Harder can be heavier, more volume (sets/reps), increased duration, etc. Creatine is hugely popular, as it’s a high intensity energy source. A product such as AFTERMATH contains Creatine, alongside carbohydrate, whey protein and HMB. Reducing muscle breakdown. Intense weight training can cause significant muscle damage – adequate protein and nutrients can help to reduce this. A slow releasing protein at night is a good choice. Optimising hormone levels. Testosterone plays an important role in muscle growth. Fat intake, Zinc and Vitamin D can all contribute to optimising testosterone levels. If you work through the list you can figure out what your diet may be lacking. You can then look at supplements that promote that specific benefit. Zinc, Vitamin D and Fish Oils can all help testosterone levels. Alternatively, a formula such as T-Booster can give testosterone levels a boost. SUPPLEMENT TIMINGS PRE-WORKOUT Why use one? If you train early in the morning, or after a long day at work your energy levels may be impacted. You may also be stuck in a plateau at the gym, needing the extra boost to push on and keep progressing. You may want to give ELEVATE a go, it’s a premium pre-workout formulation . What does it do? should help to improve mental focus energy levels performance Increase pump (bloodflow) during your training session. How do I use it? Consume a pre-workout approx. 30-45 minutes before training. DURING WORKOUT Why use one? If you train for long periods of time, or train at very high intensity a product during your workout may be of benefit. These products are often referred to as ‘Intra’. Ideally you are lookig for a product full of BCAA, and Citrulline Malate, engineered to keep you firing on all cyclinders when you train. What does it do? An ‘Intra’ workout product supplies the muscles with amino acids, to help prevent muscle breakdown and support protein synthesis, which is needed to support muscle growth. How do I use it? Sip on a 500ml bottle of intra-workout during your most intense training sessions. POST-WORKOUT Why use one? The ‘window’ is often referred to when consuming nutrients post-workout. This is said to be the most beneficial time to consume protein and carbohydrates to support muscle growth and recovery. Realistically there is no specific time to consume carbohydrates and protein; however it is certainly a good idea to consume them as soon as possible after training. This helps to refuel the muscle and provides the muscle with protein to start muscle growth and repair. How do I use it? Mix a shake as soon as possible, post-workout. Consuming a balanced meal approximately 60-90 mins later will also further promote recovery and growth
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