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THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOVERY
“Muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen, and built in the bed.”
Above line is good – no edit
When you lift a heavyweight in the gym or indulge in a strenuous exercise that makes your sweat drip down your body, you might feel an adrenaline rush in your blood. You might think, challenging your muscles to the extreme would help you gain the muscle strength that you desire. However, as much as a tough workout is essential to your muscles, recovery is equally paramount to help them rebuild themselves.
Heavy weightlifting or any form of strenuous exercise makes you feel great. That rush of dopamine giving you that familiar “Gym High” makes you feel like you have really accomplished something. The mistake a lot of people make is thinking that this experience alone will give you the gains you are looking for. As much as a tough workout is essential to make progress, recovery is equally important as this is where the muscle building actually happens – in the repair process.
Most athletes spend enormous time in the gym, lifting weights that tear their muscles. Yet, they tend to neglect the after-care that their muscles need. Remember, without proper recovery your workouts alone would not help you achieve your aim.
Athletes who spend countless hours in the gym but neglect their recovery will not see the results they could if they treated recovery as seriously as they treated their training. Lifting weights in the gym causes muscle fibers to tear. During rest and recovery these muscle fibers repair themselves, adding to their mass in the process. Training without recovery leads to soreness and little progress.
So, what does it take to get your muscles recovered in the best possible way?
So, what is the best formula for optimum recovery?
Quality supplements, optimum hydration, and adequate rest are what experts have come with after years of research and testing. Nevertheless, if you’ve ever plunged into the market to find the right supplement for yourself, you might know how overwhelming a task it can be. As these supplements are not even regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, you never know which product is actually worth your bucks.
Therefore, we decided to make the task easy for you. With extensive research and the knowledge of our highly experienced trainers, we have come up with 4 categories of supplements that would boost up your worn-down muscles after every workout.
To simplify the task for you, our experienced trainers have shared their 4 main go to supplement categories for recovery.
1. CREATINE
Creatine is the most popular supplement on the market for muscle growth. Whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced weightlifter, adding this supplement to your fitness routine would definitely be a good choice.
Numerous research studies have shown the effectiveness of Creatine on the muscles’ energy production, ultimately leading to better performance during workouts. Not only this, but it also catalyzes the formation of new proteins in your muscles, leading to increased muscle mass, strength and growth.
A four-week study published in the Nutrients journal also showed how athletes who received creatine before their intense workouts had much higher muscle recovery than the placebo group.
So, just mix some creatine with your protein and carbohydrate blend before you begin your workout at the gym, and you’ll see the results for yourself.
2. L-Glutamine
Have you ever experienced muscular pain a day after you’ve lifted heavy?
This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), which occurs due to the tiny tears your muscles get when you strain them. You might not feel like going to the gym when you’re not even able to leap out of your bed.
However, if you add L-Glutamine to your supplement stack, this muscle soreness might not hit you hard. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine revealed that the athletes, who took L-Glutamine regularly, experienced a significant reduction in the effects of DOMS, and had much lower muscular damage than the placebo group.
Thus, to fight off the muscle soreness that might hinder the intensity of your training, make sure to supplement with some L-Glutamine just before your workouts every day.
3. BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAAs)
Protein stimulates the production of hunger-reducing hormones in your blood. Peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are two such hormones that increase in your blood as soon as you eat a fulfilling meal or you take a protein supplement.
The feeling of fullness that you get is because these hormones decrease your hunger drive, and also delay the emptying of your stomach contents.
And what’s more? Protein supplementation also reduces the appetite-stimulator ghrelin in your blood, making you less likely to seek out your favourite delicious meal that can send you off track.
4. BETA-ALANINE
Do you know the magic fatigue-fighting compound to alleviate your muscle tiredness?
Beta-alanine produces a compound called carnosine in your blood, that fights off muscle fatigue after a tiresome session. An experimental research article in the International Journal of Physiology revealed that the intake of beta-alanine increased a person’s time to exhaustion by 19% during high-intensity interval training when taken for 6 weeks regularly. Another research in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that the rowers who supplemented for seven weeks with Beta-Alanine were faster than the placebo group in a 2,000-meter race.
In short, for faster performance with lower exhaustion, beta-alanine is a must have supplement.
Are these supplements the only thing to help your muscles recover from the daily breakdown?
Supplements are one of the three vital things that your muscles need. The other two are rest and hydration, which are often overlooked. At least 8 hours of sleep per night is recommended for optimal muscle recovery from intense training, neglecting this often causes muscle degradation from overtraining. Also, a day or two off from your workout schedule every week is an important aspect that you shouldn’t neglect.
How much water do I need to drink?
Did you know that the colour of your urine is an indicator for if you’re adequately hydrated?
Normally, the color of your urine should be pale or amber, which indicates that your body has nough water to excrete the wastes. The darker it is, the more water you need to consume to properly hydrate your body.
Another way to estimate your body’s water requirement is to weigh yourself before and after you exercise. For every pound that you lose, drink at least 2 to 3 cups (16 to 24 ounces) of water to replace your fluid loss.
Remember, your muscles are 75% water!
When you work out intensively, you lose a huge amount of water content through sweat. Making sure you are adequately hydrated pre-workout, and fluid replacement post-workout is a key factor in muscle recovery.
Is water the only way to hydrate my body?
No! There are many options to improve hydration uptake! We have mentioned below two of the best fluids that you can use to fasten your recovery.
CAFFEINATED DRINKS
“Caffeinated drinks are dehydrating”
You might have often heard this common myth, but the truth is quite the opposite. Caffeinated drinks have been found to hydrate as much as water as highlighted by a study by the University of Birmingham.
And what’s more?
Caffeine can even help you fight off your muscle soreness. Many studies have highlighted the role of caffeine in reducing muscle fatigue, and the effects of DOMS post-workout.
200 to 400 mg of caffeine, 30–60 minutes before a workout will not only improve your workout session performance, but may aid in your hydration regime.
Electrolyte Drink Supplements
Electrolyte Supplements, most of which are sugar and caffeine free, when mixed with water help your body to absorb the water more effectively and also supply your body with vitamins, trace minerals and of course replace the electrolytes lost through sweat in your training session. For help in choosing an electrolyte supplement contact us for advice.
From expert advice to the best supplements, we have everything that you need to recover.
HOW PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS CAN IMPROVE YOUR RESULTS
“A protein shake a day keeps the doctor away.”
Conventionally, this statement advocated for the health benefits of apples; however, with advancement in the dietary supplements industry, protein supplements have entered the same space.
Protein supplements were initially popular among body-builders, who strived to increase their muscle mass, but gradually, they became popular among all health conscious and athletic people for weight loss, muscle gain, sports performance improvement, injury recovery, and overall well-being.
“So, what about the meat, fish, eggs, and other food sources that I eat ?”
While meat, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, and other plant sources do contain a good amount of proteins, protein shakes and supplements have gained fame for being highly rich in protein, and more easily absorbed by the body.
Thus, if you’re not able to reach your protein goal with the food you eat or you don’t have these food sources available nearby, protein shakes are the way to go. They’ll boost the amount of protein in your system, to help you achieve your daily protein target without consuming more calories than you would like.
The Building Blocks For Muscle Mass
Protein supplements are rich in amino acids, the small units that synthesize proteins in your body.
Whenever you drink a protein shake, a gush of amino acids in your blood triggers the formation of muscle protein fibers.
Dietary supplementation along with resistance training has shown a remarkable acceleration in muscle mass gain in many research studies. In a study conducted in the UK, 20g of whey protein combined with resistance exercise augmented muscle protein synthesis by 49%.
Even if you’re on a weight loss journey, protein supplements will help you retain, and may even promote your muscle gain. In an experimental study published in the Nutrition & Metabolism journal, people who took protein supplements were found to lose more fat, and retain their lean mass than the control group.
Therefore, if you’re aiming to lose fat or to gain some lean muscle mass, protein supplementation would aid in either case.
Helping In Your Weight Loss Struggle
Protein supplements have been known to help in weight reduction, but how?
1. Decreasing your hunger
Protein stimulates the production of hunger-reducing hormones in your blood. Peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are two such hormones that increase in your blood as soon as you eat a fulfilling meal or you take a protein supplement.
The feeling of fullness that you get is because these hormones decrease your hunger drive, and also delay the emptying of your stomach contents.
And what’s more? Protein supplementation also reduces the appetite-stimulator ghrelin in your blood, making you less likely to seek out your favourite delicious meal that can send you off track.
2. Fueling your metabolism
Increasing your energy expenditure is another way to lose weight.
What happens when you intake a large amount of protein?
Your body decides to metabolize those proteins, but for that, it needs to burn a greater amount of calories than it does for glucose or fats.
It also helps you burn extra calories through gluconeogenesis, a process where glucose is synthesized from proteins or fats in the absence of carbs.
A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the subjects who took a high-protein, and low carbs diet had a 42% increase in their calorie consumption due to the process of gluconeogenesis. Also, 33% of the glucose produced, was consumed in the process.
If you were still confused if protein supplements actually worked for weight loss, you’ve got the answer now! The scientists have done the research for you!
3. Fighting The Belly Fat
Belly fat is the nightmare that most people want to get rid of.
However, losing it isn’t only important for aesthetic reasons, but for protecting you from heart diseases and Diabetes that are strongly linked with it.
Well, protein supplements are a savior here too!
High protein diets and supplements have been shown to increase fat metabolism in various studies. In a study highlighted in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, protein was found to be inversely related to the central abdominal fat, i.e. the better the quality and the intake of proteins, the more belly fat you’ll lose.
“So, More protein shakes = More weight loss?”
Reading this blog till now might actually make you think that bombarding your body with protein supplements would actually make you lose more weight.
This isn’t completely true!
While protein supplements have a strong role in your weight loss struggle, there’s an even more important aspect that you need to take care of- your calorie intake.
Losing weight is only possible if you keep your body in a calorie deficit, which can be done by decreasing your intake or increasing your calorie expenditure, or a combination of both.
Protein supplements might decrease your food cravings, but they do add 4 calories to your body for each gram you take. Thus, flooding your stomach with protein supplements might actually mean overfeeding your body with calories, leading to a weight gain instead of the opposite.
So, what can you do to be on the right track??
1. Remember the equation:
“Calories in – calories out”
2. And, exercise:
To increase your calorie expenditure, you must indulge in workouts. A combination of cardio exercises and resistance training can actually help you lose weight while strengthening your muscle mass.
So, what’s the bottom line?
For anyone who doubted the effectiveness of protein supplements, you now know that their weight loss and muscle gain benefits aren’t rumors.
Protein-rich diets have been proven to significantly increase muscle protein synthesis, and aid in your weight reduction regimen, by decreasing your hunger, increasing metabolism, and decreasing belly fat.
However, if you’re not able to achieve your daily protein target with your diet, then protein shakes, powders, or supplements are the best boosters.
With careful monitoring of your calorie intake, accompanied by cardio exercises and/ or resistance training you can actually speed up your weight loss or muscle gain journey without a doubt!
Want to give protein supplements a go? We’ve gathered the best variety of protein supplements for you to try.
THE BENEFITS OF PRE-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS
Finding the motivation to get off the couch and head off for a workout session can often be a struggle, or you might find once you get to the gym you are lacking focus or energy.
Not worry, pre-workout supplements are here to the rescue!
What is a pre-workout supplement?
Pre-workout supplements are products that increase your energy levels and improve your performance during a workout when consumed in advance of your session. They’re typically available in powdered forms that you can mix in water and drink before your workout.
Pre-workouts are a cornerstone of the sports supplement market the sports market, replacing the old school practice of drinking coffee to improve workout performance.
Do I really need it?
You might think that these power-packs are better suited to advanced-level athletes, but this isn’t the case.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an advanced level performer, pre-workout supplements are for every fitness level. If you’re aiming for improved energy, and better cognitive focus, they are definitely worth a shot!
They not only give you an extra boost during a workout, but will help you get ready for another workout the day after!
What’s the best time to take pre-workout, and how long do they last?
It’s best to go by suggested time mentioned on the product label. However, on average they should be taken 20-30 minutes before your workout.
The full effects of these supplements are usually felt within 45 minutes; however, if you’re more sensitive to caffeine or stimulants, you might get the effects faster. These supplements would usually keep you energetic for 3 to 6 hours after their consumption, providing you better endurance and focus to achieve your goals.
For those sensitive to stimulants, it is always best to try half the recommended dose at first to see how your body reacts to the effects.
What do these supplements contain?
With tons of products available in the market, you need to check the label of any product before you buy it, as there are many different combinations and amounts of ingredients that can be used in these types of products.
But in general, here’s a list of what you should look for…
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1. Caffeine
Whatever pre-workout supplement you buy, this is usually the main core ingredient.
Caffeine is a popular morning energy boost for refreshing your sleepy eyes and brain. Just like a cup of coffee activates you before you begin your day, caffeine in these supplements works the same.
Most brands of pre-workout range from 150 mg to 300 mg of caffeine per serving, which is almost around 1 to 3 cups of coffee that you would have take every morning. 99% of this is absorbed into your blood within 45 minutes of its intake, giving you the extra push that you need during your workouts.
A 2020 review of 21 published studies on caffeine also highlighted its benefits in enhancing endurance, muscle strength, jumping performance, and speed. Thus, caffeine’s effectiveness has been backed by numerous scientific studies.
2. Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is an amazing compound that can fight off muscle fatigue when taken before workouts. It triggers the formation of carnosine in blood, which actually helps your muscles to contract for a longer period, allowing you to push harder for longer before reaching the point of failure.
A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition took 30 healthy individuals for a 5-weeks training program. The group that took beta-alanine showed better power output than the placebo group, favoring the use of beta-alanine as a pre-workout ingredient.
3. Creatine:
Creatine is the most widely known compound for its role in muscle building.
An article published in the Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine reviewed 22 experimental studies on Creatine’s effectiveness on muscles and concluded that Creatine is a potent compound for increasing lean muscle mass and upper and lower body strength during resistance workouts.
A pinch of creatine in your system blood before you begin your workout is definitely a good choice.
4. N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
Have you ever felt like leaving your workouts just because you’re in a bad mood?
Well, Tyrosine can help! This ingredient is actually a mood-lifter for weightlifters. It releases dopamine and nor-adrenaline in your blood to maintain your cognitive and mental health during stressful workout sessions.
Allowing you to make the most out of your workouts. N-acetyl-l-tyrosine in your pre-workout supplements can be a game changer.
What else should I take in addition to the pre-workout supplements?
The most important component of the pre-workout regimen is water. It is recommended that you to drink at least 2-3 glasses of water 20-30 minutes before you exercise to keep your body hydrated.
You lose quite a lot of it water through sweat during a workout. Therefore, if you’re not sufficiently hydrated, it might lead to poor performance no matter what supplements you use.
Is coffee a good substitute for pre-workout supplements?
Coffee does have caffeine that has proven benefits as a pre-workout component. However, pre-workout supplements provide you with almost double to triple the amount of a coffee-mug of caffeine. Plus, they’re more than just caffeine.
Pre-workout supplements have a variety of other compounds, like creatine, beta-alanine, etc. that affect your muscle strength, and workout performance in different ways.
For optimal performance in your gym, make sure to get the right pre-workout supplements that are actually worth your money!
Are you thinking giving pre-workout supplements a shot? We’ve collected the best selection of pre-workout products for you right here on this site.
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