How long before I lift should I take the reccomended amount of creatine to let it get into my body before I lift?

Sorry for all the questions, Ive never used any outside materials when lifting/working out, and dont know much about them....any I sure as hell dont want kidney stones!

 

You'll need to cycle creatine. Take the max dosage for 5 to 7 days. Then you'll go to the maintance dose for 6 weeks. Then off completely for 6 weeks, then repeat. Dosages should be on the label.

Best to take a dose 15 mintues or so before a workout. Replenish fluids with a Poweraide, Gatoraide or the like after a workout.

Protein intake cannot be over emphasised. Your body will need the extra for growth and re-build. Rest, too.

For maximum gains, you'll need to rep to max on every set after 1 or two warmups. Most times this will require a spotter. Have him/her assist slightly with reps when you get to failure. So a good workout partner is a asset. If not, you'll need to max out on machines.

Roman chair leg lifts are best for abs. Vary the position of the legs. Again, do each set to failure. But, make sure you do 1 or 2 sets to warm up, first.

10 reps are what I find best for warmup sets in every case.

A good workout shouldn't last more than about 30 minutes. Pauses of 2 minutes, preferablly less, in between sets. 3 to 4 sets, going to failure, is all you need per muscle group. Push one day, pull the next. Then off a day. repeat.

Now, go and grow my friends.

 

How are Roman chair lifts done?

Thanks again for the advice, currently my lifting workouts last 1-1.5 hrs, doing 9-10 different upperbody exercises, but i know that i need to expand what i do. I need to find a good workout that suits my needs/wants to follow 3-4 times per week.....hmmm.....where to start?

 

also, what is the purpose of cycling creatine? Cant i just take the reccomended dosage before every workout (every other day)?

 

The purpose of cycling is to save damage to your kidneys. My ex wife was in nursing school while we were married and was taught that too much creatine was hard on the kidneys. Ive been working out again( first time since football in high school) at a local gym for bout two months without any supplements. In this time I have gained bout 10 lbs. We work out five times a week. On monday and thurs we work bis, tris, and chest. On tues and fri back and shoulders. On wednesday i work legs. Every day I do leg lifts and crunches.Im 5ft 9 and bout 175 now.

 

Is it possible to gain size and strenght without access to alot of equipment?

 

Outside of this thread, I have heard no good stories on Creatine. One guy tore the tricep right off his elbow and blamed it on creatine. I doubt the powder did it but did it lead him to believe he could lift more than his body was capable of? Probably. And I would venture a guess that all the gains he made from creatine were lost in his rehab.

Another guy told me about dehydration, and how when he started taking it he would become very dehydrated and cramp during activities he never had a problem with before. Not do or die, but certainly a pain to deal with.

I've never used the stuff, so I can't speak personally about it, so take the above stories as you will. But I wouldn't put anything in my body to make it lift more than it can do on its own. Diet (protein shakes, etc.) is one thing, supplements and stuff is another. I'd rather look good now and be functional at 70 then look great now and be a wheelchair-bound stiff at 60.

It's all about risk-reward. You've got to figure out if it's worth it for you. For the conventional weight lifter looking to add mass and definition, I think the risks outweigh the reward. Didn't somebody say you had to cycle it so it wouldn't damage your kidneys!

Good luck with whatever you do, and glad you are getting on a routine! Reminds me I need to step mine up a bit, I've been lagging myself!

Mike

 

Creatine is derived from many of the foods we eat. Just not in large quantities found in a "supplement". The body processes ceatine effectively. I doubt seriously that kidney damage is caused by taking creatine. The problem is found when not enough fluid is taken in for the kidneys to process. The more you tax your body, the more fluid intake you need. Preferably water. When you take supplements like creatine, et al, you MUST take in sufficient water for your body to use to process it.

The reason for cycling creatine is the same for cycling anything when it comes to weightlifing or bodybuilding, and that is, your body will adjust. So, in order to *shock* your body into a growth pattern, changes are needed. This keeps the body *guessing*. This is why muscles grow.

Cycling your weights and lifts are good, too. i.e Lift heavy(4 to 6 reps to the point of failure) for 6 weeks, then moderate(8 to 12 reps to tax out just BEFORE the point of failure) for 6 weeks.

At points along the road, you HAVE to increase the weight you lift so that your body doesn't become used to it. This is what causes growth.

Important factors are the intensisty of your workout, proper form, reping to max, protien intake, fluid intake, and the all important rest. Cycling supplements can help. But these are the least important.

Yes, you can get strength and size without a gym routine. It's called hard physical work. But, this is why you go as far as you can with formal education. So you don't HAVE to do that. Didn't your parents tell you that?

Lots of good info on the web. Just do some searches in Yaho or Google, etc.... You'll find more than you ever care to read.

 

Those guys are total idiots. The guy that tore his tricept dzerved it since he was clearing lifting beyond his capacity... I love those jackarses at the gym grunting and struggling with heavy weights they cannot properly control. Injury city here we come! Idiot. Creatine helps with endurance, not strength. It doesn't allow you to lift a bunch more, just a little more without the burn... or more cardio time without pooping out. It's a very effective tool.

As for the dehydration guy, he's obviously never reads directions or anything else relating to what he's ingesting. If he did, he would have know you've got to drink a crap load of water each and every day... when I'm on creatine I go from 80-100oz water a day to 100-140oz a day depending how much I can get in. Sure I **** every hour but no cramps, kidney problems or any other issue. And my performance and the gym is improved with no sore muscles the next day.

Creatine has been proven to be one of the most useful and beneficial suppliment on the market. Safe and extremely effective it should be in everyone's cabinet that's really serious about fitness & muscle.

 

wow, great advice guys---keep it coming!

How expensive is creatine? Is there an offbrand thats cheaper? Any other types, etc?
Also, what are some good reccomended sources of high quality protein?

Thanks guys! You rock!

 

Green, most Wal-Marts sell both creatine and protein supps. And a variety of other body buidling goods. Of course so does GNC, and various places on the web.

Liquid creatine is probably the best, albeit more expensive. It is absorbed in the body the fastest. Next is powedered creatine, follwed by the caplets. The powdered stuff can be mixed with most any fluid. Juice, Gatoraide, water, etc...... A months supply will run you around $25 for the powder. Follow the directions on the label.

A can of powdered protien will run you about the same. Vanilla, chocolate, and strawbery are the most popular. Mix with milk or water. I also mix in a cup or two of Egg Beaters. Found in the dairy section. It's basically egg whites. Low cholesterol and high in protein. I try to mix about 40 grams of protein in every *shake*. 2 or 3 of those a day, plus meals focused on protien, low fat, and low carbs it the ticket.

Protein bars are another fav. Instead of Snickers, bag of chips, oreos, bowl of ice-cream, grab a protein bar. Also at Wal-Mart. Look for the ones that put 25+ grams of protien in ya, while low on carbs and fat. A healthy snack or even a good lunch in your busy schedule. There are some tasty ones out there. Experiment.

Try to eat, or drink a protien shake, 5 or 6 times a day. Not huge meals, but something filling focused on high protein, low fat, low carb. Example, a apple with peanut butter is good. Lots of skinless chicken, fish(cans of tuna or albacore are great), lean red meat, green veggies, and whole grain breads or noodles.

It's OK to splurge every once in a while. Pizza, fried stuff, and even a Big Mac ain't gonna hurt ya as long as you stick to the eating plan and are working out regularly.

Working out on a regular basis and eating right takes a lot of commitment. Results will come, but not overnight. The thing is, if you spend the time to invest up front, it makes it much easier to continue the activity throught your life. And that's the key. It's a lifestyle change. It has to be. Make the commitment and stick to it. It will benefit you in every aspect of your life.

Good luck,

 

wow, that sounds like alot of protien to take in. I didnt realize you need that much.

 

well since ive been in the workout routine for a while and lift/workout 3-4 times a week, i can say that it is a lifestyle change. I was in good shape before i started working out, just not as toned, etc as now. I work 9-10 hours a day on a construction crew, so that itself is a workout, and lifting after that is a pain but also fun. Last night after work, I got to the gym and did 13 upperbody exercises, including alot of the above ones listed, and then jogged outside in 85* heat for about a mile. I felt like Rocky when i was done LOL!!
As far as easting habits, i might go to McDonalds/pizza/pig out once or twice a month--honestly stuff like that makes me feel sick after a while, and gives me no energy. I stick to 2-3 ham, turkey, tomato, whole wheat, etc sandwiches per day, as well as fruit, milk, cereal, and plenty of water intake. My diet is pretty good. Im excited to try creatine and see what results it can have.
Ill pick up the egg white drinks and try those for increased protein.
Ill try this stuff and let ya'll know how it comes.....and no Dz Im not posting pics!!!

 

Yup, you need at MINIMUM of one gram of protien per LEAN pound of body mass in order to make any gains. For me, I have to ingest around 200-230 grams of protien EVERY DAY when I'm lifting regularly. It's nuts. Back in the day when I did weight train like a mad man I ate like a pig (albeit good food) and never gained an ounce of fat. It's crazy!

Green - I don't care about pix of some backwoods hick getting into shape. Good luck man!

 

that would be a little ghey, wouldn't it?