Friday, August 26, 2005

When To Take Creatine

When is the best time to take creatine? On the bottle it says 1 hour before working out. Also, should I be taking creatine every day even if I don't work out. Right now I'm working out about 3-4 times a week. (from Dom

You can find all sorts of questionable advice on the packaging of supplements. Mostly the "directions" are there to help create sales. It isn't uncommon to find the packaging telling you to use more than the research has demonstrated is necessary to get maximum results (the more you take, the quicker you come back for more).

While increased sales isn't the reason your creatine's bottle suggests taking your dose pre-workout, it serves to illustrate that the directions on the packaging aren't always based on scientific fact, they aren't always going to be telling you the best way to use that product.

There is debate over when to take creatine because there isn't enough research to sufficiently demonstrate that one time is significantly more advantageous than another. In this event, all you have to rely on is theory. In the case of taking creatine, the more educated theory seems to lean towards taking your dosage immediately following a workout. Right after a workout is when the body is thought to be most receptive to creatine uptake.

For further information on the subject, check out Dr. Franco-Obregón's article, When Is The Right Time To Take Creatine

You absolutely should be taking creatine everyday, regardless of whether or not you workout. The effects you are after are based on building up the levels of creatine within your muscle tissue. There is a limit to the creatine your body will be able to utilize on a daily basis. The maximum benefits occur when the muscles have been sufficiently saturated.

Assuming you do not do a loading phase, only after about 28 straight days of supplementing will you achieve the maximum levels and therefore benefits. If you load, you can achieve these levels in about a week. Taking creatine only 3 or 4 days a week will not allow the build-up necessary for optimal results.

On non-workout days, the common practice is supplementing first thing in the morning for the same reason as supplementing immediately post-workout. This is the time the muscles are most hungry for nutrition and therefore likely to assimilate the most creatine.

The Guide's Creatine Section

Taking Creatine for Maximum Effect

JP Clifford

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Skinny-Fat Concerns

I am 20 and have been lifting for 4 years pretty consistently. I am 6'2" and weigh 180lbs. I am naturally skinny, and am trying to gain. The muscle i have put on seems loose and jiggly compared to my friends. Like if i shake my arms, by bi's and tri's shake all over the place. If i hold my arms out to my sides, you can see my tri's sagging down below my bi's. I have pretty big pecs, but you can squeeze them and they feel all soft and jiggly. Is there anything i am doing wrong or is that just how my body is? I feel like my muscles aren't as 'hard' as they should be.(from Paul)

What you are describing isn't muscle. Muscle doesn't sag or jiggle but rather stays tight to the body. My guess is you have a little more body fat than you might imagine. Here's the test: Pinch as much tissue as you can on your pecs (or anywhere), pinch hard and then pull away from the body. Anything remaining in your pinch is fat - You can't pull muscle away from the body like that without causing yourself extreme pain.

Though you may be thin, the fitness term "skinny-fat" may be applicable. It describes people who are thin and at first glance look to be in need of mass training but on further analysis have a high body fat percentage. If this is the case, you are best to postpone mass training and instead focus on losing body fat. Keep up your weight training but reduce your calories (not too much or you'll be sacrificing too much muscle) and add cardio (3-4 times a week, 30 minutes at a time, preferably first thing in the morning on an empty stomach). When you see some definition, then consider starting back on a mass building program.

Do strongly consider buying a set of cheap body fat calipers (like these Accu-Measure Calipers)and doing skin fold measurement every couple of weeks (see here on the body fat percentages page). The percentage you come up with probably won't be accurate but it will tell you whether you are gaining or losing body fat if you remain consistent with your measurements.

Generally, for a man, anything over 15% and one should consider concentrating on fat loss rather than mass gain but again be aware that the percentage you come up with may be far from accurate. Sometimes just fairly appraising yourself in the mirror is more telling.

Despite your training efforts, genetics does play a role in how the body develops. Additionally, your diet is probably a contributing factor. Try increasing your protein intake and decreasing your carbs. Make sure you are getting your essential fatty acids.

Building a Fitness Tracking Program

JP