Discussion
I've had a few months off without exercise and have been back into it for a couple of weeks but I'm really struggling and feel noticeably 'weaker' than previously. For example whereas before I could comfortably do multiple reps of press ups, now I start to struggle almost immediately.
Part of my absence was due to a (very) minor chest infection and I am sure I just need to work my way back into a routine but....
Can anyone suggest the best way to boost energy? I've started to drink more water and I think my diet is pretty balanced and would be interested in any recommendations for energy supplements and the like. Any ideas?
Part of my absence was due to a (very) minor chest infection and I am sure I just need to work my way back into a routine but....
Can anyone suggest the best way to boost energy? I've started to drink more water and I think my diet is pretty balanced and would be interested in any recommendations for energy supplements and the like. Any ideas?
You know mate people laugh at me when i say this, whilst energy drinks are good for a short period you cant beat a couple of nana's - seriously when i hit the gym, i have a couple half an hour before i go and i mnake sure i'm constantly drinking water throughout my workout and i have loads of energy.
I genuinly feel a difference if i dont eat anything and train. Take a couple of bananas and you'll be sorted.
I genuinly feel a difference if i dont eat anything and train. Take a couple of bananas and you'll be sorted.
btom said:
I've had a few months off without exercise and have been back into it for a couple of weeks but I'm really struggling and feel noticeably 'weaker' than previously.
That is perfectly normal. It always feels s
t to be crap at something you used to do well or easily.Don't look for some kind of 'magic nana'. Keep your diet right, give it a few more weeks, and you'll start to feel good about it. Then, go!
Take a combination of beta alanine, l-arginine, creatine, crush up a few caffeine tablets and mix it all into a drink...
Your face will itch, you won't sleep for a week and your heart will go overtime but you'll get an amazing 'pump'
Or alternatively banana and a cup of coffee would probably be fine
Your face will itch, you won't sleep for a week and your heart will go overtime but you'll get an amazing 'pump'
Or alternatively banana and a cup of coffee would probably be fine
Shinobi said:
bales said:
Take a combination of beta alanine, l-arginine, creatine, crush up a few caffeine tablets and mix it all into a drink...
Your face will itch, you won't sleep for a week and your heart will go overtime but you'll get an amazing 'pump'
This sounds fun!Your face will itch, you won't sleep for a week and your heart will go overtime but you'll get an amazing 'pump'
bales said:
Take a combination of beta alanine, l-arginine, creatine, crush up a few caffeine tablets and mix it all into a drink...
Your face will itch, you won't sleep for a week and your heart will go overtime but you'll get an amazing 'pump'
Or alternatively banana and a cup of coffee would probably be fine
Stick some l carnitine in the mix too Your face will itch, you won't sleep for a week and your heart will go overtime but you'll get an amazing 'pump'
Or alternatively banana and a cup of coffee would probably be fine
I'm a bit of a cardio nut and reasonably fit. I am trying to lean up (or is that down?) as summer is on the way. Usual healthyish calorie-deficit diet method. Sometimes when at the gym I can feel that I'm going to hit the wall and run out of energy before I have finished or even started my cardio session so I always take a Maxim Energy Gel with me to the gym.
The reason I recommend this one is that afaik it is the ONLY gel which is re-sealable (screw-top lid) so you dont have to use it all up in one session and makes it better value as I can make one last 2,3,4, or even more sessions. Just take it when you are starting to feel a tad empty or if you feel you have not eaten enough during the day prior to your workout. It gives a quick and effective pick-me-up.
The reason I recommend this one is that afaik it is the ONLY gel which is re-sealable (screw-top lid) so you dont have to use it all up in one session and makes it better value as I can make one last 2,3,4, or even more sessions. Just take it when you are starting to feel a tad empty or if you feel you have not eaten enough during the day prior to your workout. It gives a quick and effective pick-me-up.
Edited by Digger on Thursday 25th March 14:45
This stuff is great as a pre workout supplement http://www.thesupplementstore.co.uk/brands/isatori...
though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Tokoloshe said:
This stuff is great as a pre workout supplement http://www.thesupplementstore.co.uk/brands/isatori...
though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Balls wrote a long reply and then deleted it, oh well.though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Marketing speak is all I will say
Edited by bales on Thursday 25th March 14:34
bales said:
Tokoloshe said:
This stuff is great as a pre workout supplement http://www.thesupplementstore.co.uk/brands/isatori...
though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Balls wrote a long reply and then deleted it, oh well.though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Marketing speak is all I will say
But seriously, it's a decent pre workout supplement, does give a good boost and I dont fatigue as easily, but of course never take the bumf written by the company as any sort of basis, they always have incredible claims, I think I once saw one protein that went on about 750% increase in muscle blah blah blah, makes people think all they need to do is drink one, and they'll have a Bruce Banner to Hulk transformation.
Edited by Tokoloshe on Monday 29th March 10:53
Tokoloshe said:
bales said:
Tokoloshe said:
This stuff is great as a pre workout supplement http://www.thesupplementstore.co.uk/brands/isatori...
though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Balls wrote a long reply and then deleted it, oh well.though good diet etc is of course still required.
You finish a tough workout and feel ready to do more, only downside is the DOMS that comes about two days later because you pushed harder than you realised.
Marketing speak is all I will say
But seriously, it's a decent pre workout supplement, does give a good boost and I dont fatigue as easily, but of course never take the bumf written by the company as any sort of basis, they always have incredible claims, I think I once saw one protein that went on about 750% increase in muscle blah blah blah, makes people think all they need to do is drink one, and they'll have a Bruce Banner to Hulk transformation.
Edited by Tokoloshe on Monday 29th March 10:53
I have a bit of knowledge about this as I am a 400m runner so have looked into these 'lactic buffers' and what they claim to do. The first thing really is that in a gym you would never get to the intensity where you would build up a serious quantity of lactic acid, it might feel like its burns but in reality you are nowhere near the limits of what your body can do!
The only lactic buffers that are proven(ish) is bicarb of soda - which gives you the s
ts if you don't get the dosage right and beta-alanine -which is what the product you linked to does make its statements based upon.Beta-alanine however is like creatine in that you need to build up intra-muscular stores over time so you would need to take it for a matter of weeks before levels are significantly higher.
Also one of the main studies they did with beta-alanine actually did show increased mucular levels of 'carsonine' which is what gives the buffering effect however in actual tests in a 400m test the test group had no significant performance increase over the placebo group even though they 'said' that they felt less lactic build up....so personally I believe like a lot of supplements the effect is psychological.
....Anyways my erm...point was that they work as a stimulant due to the nitric oxide type effect they have and they open blood vessels etc etc which do make you feel more pumped and up for it - however strong coffee, red bull, adrenalin, what mood your in do this just aswell...but in terms of making you lift for longer and buffer lactic acid etc etc they are just a placebo really.
Right managed the long reply this time, sorry for the boringness though!
When I do my 6 hour climbing session, I eat a sandwich an hour before kitting up. We have a 15 minute break in the middle for a cake. Drinking sweet drinks throughout. Muscle fatigue usually kicks in towards the end and we're usually pretty pumped.
Also, I get decent sleep the night before and eat snacks late at night 2-3 days before the session.
Also, I get decent sleep the night before and eat snacks late at night 2-3 days before the session.
bales said:
The reason I say that (and actually to be honest the stuff you linked is pretty much the same as No-Xplode and Amped type stimulant drinks) is that it claims to act as a buffer for lactic acid (lactate or H+ ions) depending how you want to term it and allow you to lift/ run for longer.
I have a bit of knowledge about this as I am a 400m runner so have looked into these 'lactic buffers' and what they claim to do. The first thing really is that in a gym you would never get to the intensity where you would build up a serious quantity of lactic acid, it might feel like its burns but in reality you are nowhere near the limits of what your body can do!
The only lactic buffers that are proven(ish) is bicarb of soda - which gives you the sts if you don't get the dosage right and beta-alanine -which is what the product you linked to does make its statements based upon.
Beta-alanine however is like creatine in that you need to build up intra-muscular stores over time so you would need to take it for a matter of weeks before levels are significantly higher.
Also one of the main studies they did with beta-alanine actually did show increased mucular levels of 'carsonine' which is what gives the buffering effect however in actual tests in a 400m test the test group had no significant performance increase over the placebo group even though they 'said' that they felt less lactic build up....so personally I believe like a lot of supplements the effect is psychological.
....Anyways my erm...point was that they work as a stimulant due to the nitric oxide type effect they have and they open blood vessels etc etc which do make you feel more pumped and up for it - however strong coffee, red bull, adrenalin, what mood your in do this just aswell...but in terms of making you lift for longer and buffer lactic acid etc etc they are just a placebo really.
Right managed the long reply this time, sorry for the boringness though!
Interesting points, my current view is that even if you only get a small improvement, and you push yourself harder because you believe you can, then it's worth taking.I have a bit of knowledge about this as I am a 400m runner so have looked into these 'lactic buffers' and what they claim to do. The first thing really is that in a gym you would never get to the intensity where you would build up a serious quantity of lactic acid, it might feel like its burns but in reality you are nowhere near the limits of what your body can do!
The only lactic buffers that are proven(ish) is bicarb of soda - which gives you the s
ts if you don't get the dosage right and beta-alanine -which is what the product you linked to does make its statements based upon.Beta-alanine however is like creatine in that you need to build up intra-muscular stores over time so you would need to take it for a matter of weeks before levels are significantly higher.
Also one of the main studies they did with beta-alanine actually did show increased mucular levels of 'carsonine' which is what gives the buffering effect however in actual tests in a 400m test the test group had no significant performance increase over the placebo group even though they 'said' that they felt less lactic build up....so personally I believe like a lot of supplements the effect is psychological.
....Anyways my erm...point was that they work as a stimulant due to the nitric oxide type effect they have and they open blood vessels etc etc which do make you feel more pumped and up for it - however strong coffee, red bull, adrenalin, what mood your in do this just aswell...but in terms of making you lift for longer and buffer lactic acid etc etc they are just a placebo really.
Right managed the long reply this time, sorry for the boringness though!
I definitely find it gives a boost but have no idea how much is placebo related, though suppose the caffein content will be the main player here.
As you say, you could down coffee, red bull etc for a similar stimulated feeling, but that'd probably work out more expense and hassle than a good pre workout supplement anyway, and providing I feel like I'm getting a benefit in the gym, there may be something related to the h+ blocker which come into play when doing weights.
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