In Part 1 of these series I talked about the length of the training session and why you shouldn’t touch your phone while training. In Part 2, I discussed about hydration, performance, and the importance of the use of electrolytes. Now in Part 3 I’ll address the subject of the most important supplements to use during the training session.
In the world of commercial supplements, you find all types of “workout boosters” promiseing that you will gain huge amounts of muscles mass, that you can get unlimited energy, and that your building hormones will go through the roof in no time. In reality, you want to focus on setting the right environment to produce anabolism (construct), reduce catabolism (destruct) and maintain energy during the training session.
For all of these purposes, the supplements that will accomplish such a task are essential amino acids. But not any formulation works and here are few reasons why:
- Specific ratios must be used in order to get the desired effects (more in a minute) and prevent the decrease in important neurotransmitters like dopamine.
- The form of the amino acids must be the correct one in order to ensure the absorption.
- They must have the highest levels of purity, otherwise you’ll be ingesting a lot of undisclosed fillers that might even bring undesired side effects.
- They must be free of artificial sweeteners, as products like sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame, etc., have shown to have detrimental effects on the microbiome, thyroid gland and the brain.
The only brands of essential aminos that I can recommend, given that the formulas have been extensively researched and tested in real life with athletes from all sorts of sports and regular people, are:
|
|
|
In essence, the mechanism behind the amino acid profile of these products is designed to take advantage of the increased blood flow to the muscles during training, along with the properties of Leucine as a stimulator of muscle protein synthesis. This will ensure the delivery of all the amino acids to the muscles, creating a synergistic effect that will:
- Enhance muscle protein synthesis
- Avoid muscle degradation
- Maintain performance
- Reduce fatigue during training
- Improve anabolic hormonal profile during and after training
- Decrease post workout soreness
- Improve recovery
What is the ideal moment to use the essential amino acids?
The best moment to use these products is DURING ALL your training session, starting on the warm-up sets. This will ensure that you get all the afore mentioned benefits.
What is the right dose in order to get all the benefits?
For an 80 Kg (176 lbs.) person or less, one scoop is all you need. Now, if your bodyweight is 120 Kg (264 lbs.) and you are lean, meaning 10% or less of body fat, you should use 1½ to 2 scoops per training session.
Can I mix it with other supplements?
Yes, you can mix it with the electrolyte formulas described in Part 2 and you’ll have the benefits of both formulations!
By using the essential amino acids together with the electrolytes during your workouts, maintaining adequate levels of hydration, keeping your sessions under 60 minutes and minimizing EMF radiation while you train, you can be sure you will have a great training session!
Coach Carlos Castro