XenoWang
01-07-2005, 05:55 PM
I know that it's been asked numerous times on the boards if it's beneficial to have a protein shake during your workout to help you maintain energy levels, etc. I know that it has been argued against here time and time again by the mods with the simple logic that you do not want to divert blood flow from the muscles to the digestive tract. Well, I know a few bodybuilders via a weblog and one of them has been pushing the idea of a workout shake (in addition to a PWO shake) which I find absolutely ludicrous but I am having a hard time supporting my stance with anything more than the previous argument of blood flow. Here is the entire post of said bodybuilder's "logic":
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WORKOUT SHAKE
Carbohydrates (.8g/kg BM) - High GI 50/50 blend of glucose/maltodextrin
Protein (.4g/kg BM) - easily digested proteins, best being Whey Hydrolysate
Amino Acids (3-5g each) - Glutamine, BCAA - main amino acids oxidized during exercise
Creatine (3-5g) - improves recovery of ATP-PC homeostasis. Not necessary for non-responders.
Water (4-8% solution) - digestion suffers from too concentrated drinks, nutrients are wasted. 10g of total powder in 1L water is a 1% solution. My WO & PWO shake each have at least 1.2L water. 4-8% solution is optimal for proper digestion & hydration during exercise.
PWO shake - same plus 500IU Vitamin C & 400IU Vitamin E
SUPPORT for these WO/PWO recommendations
Rapid provision of fuel - liquid, easily digestible nutrients can be digested, absorbed, delivered in minutes, while whole food meals take hours to reach the muscle.
Maitenance of blood glucose - blood glucose can decrease during exercise, leading to local muscular as well as central fatigue. WO shake can maintain blood glucose and delay fatigue.
Maintenance of muscle glycogen - liquid carbs during exercise prevent large decrease in muscle glycogen
Increased muscle blood flow - some theorize that digestion of WO shake will draw blood away from the muscle and toward the GI tract, this couldn't be further from the truth. This drink is so easily digested (very dilute), and the stimulus to send blood to the muscle is so strong (Pump from exercise), blood flow to da muscle will actually increase with such a drink. Imagine that! more blood goin to the muscle, and this blood is packed w/ anabolic nutrients.
Increased insulin concentrations - glucose, amino acids, creatine in blood are more readily taken up into the muscle.
MY CONCLUSION FOR A WORKOUT SHAKE
The drink is so dilute and you take a few sips between sets. How much blood flow can you actually displace to your GI tract? These nutrients are so dilute and easily digestible, they literally drop right into your bloodstream. Ever notice how the end of your workouts suck? You can't lift as heavy, you find it harder to maintain concentration. That is due to decreased blood glucose levels which leads to central fatigue. You can't lift as heavy b/c ur muscles are already depleted of glycogen. My muscles are never that fatigued, and my workouts are 100% intense from start to finish, thanks to the WO shake. I can maintain my focus for 1.5hrs every workout. My pumps are insane, I feel the increased blood flow to my muscles. Here's some common sense for you. Let's say you do chest and back. You bench press, incline bench, dips, then do wide grip chins, rows, etc. Then you drink ur PWO shake. Y wait til the end of da workout to replenish ur muscles and begin da recovery process? Y does ur chest have to wait 30min for u to finish ur back exercises before it gets some nutrients? Dont rely on just the insulin effect, utilize the "Pump" effect. You've got major blood flow to the muscle as ur exercising, take advantage of that to feed ur muscles maximum nutrients.
Edit: "Wouldnt u wanna save the insulin spike for PWO?" A question I get alot regarding the WO shake. My answer, "Why? Why only spike insulin PWO?" You wanna spike insulin wen ur muscles are most damaged (microscopic tears) which would be right after da SET, not 30-45 mins later wen u finish ur ENTIRE workout. You wanna spike insulin to get max anabolic nutrients into that damaged muscle to begin the healing process right away, not 30-45 min later. There is no golden rule regarding saving insulin for PWO. If there is, I am here to change that.
With this info, you can do two things. You can either be ignorant and dismiss it. Or you can be open-minded and try it out for urself. There are many skeptics and critics of the WO shake, but in my opinion, nothing defeats evidence and real world feedback. Try it before you criticize me.
This entry is paraphrased from Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D., President of Science Link
www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/precision.htm (http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/precision.htm)
This man is a Godsend. A PhD in Kinesiology with specialization in Exercise and Nutritional Biochemistry. He was a competitive powerlifter (squat 650, deadlift 600, bench 430, while weighing 185). He was a track&field and rugby star. And even better, this BODYBUILDER placed FIRST PLACE at the 1995 Mr. Junior USA.
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[ QUOTE ]
WORKOUT SHAKE
Carbohydrates (.8g/kg BM) - High GI 50/50 blend of glucose/maltodextrin
Protein (.4g/kg BM) - easily digested proteins, best being Whey Hydrolysate
Amino Acids (3-5g each) - Glutamine, BCAA - main amino acids oxidized during exercise
Creatine (3-5g) - improves recovery of ATP-PC homeostasis. Not necessary for non-responders.
Water (4-8% solution) - digestion suffers from too concentrated drinks, nutrients are wasted. 10g of total powder in 1L water is a 1% solution. My WO & PWO shake each have at least 1.2L water. 4-8% solution is optimal for proper digestion & hydration during exercise.
PWO shake - same plus 500IU Vitamin C & 400IU Vitamin E
SUPPORT for these WO/PWO recommendations
Rapid provision of fuel - liquid, easily digestible nutrients can be digested, absorbed, delivered in minutes, while whole food meals take hours to reach the muscle.
Maitenance of blood glucose - blood glucose can decrease during exercise, leading to local muscular as well as central fatigue. WO shake can maintain blood glucose and delay fatigue.
Maintenance of muscle glycogen - liquid carbs during exercise prevent large decrease in muscle glycogen
Increased muscle blood flow - some theorize that digestion of WO shake will draw blood away from the muscle and toward the GI tract, this couldn't be further from the truth. This drink is so easily digested (very dilute), and the stimulus to send blood to the muscle is so strong (Pump from exercise), blood flow to da muscle will actually increase with such a drink. Imagine that! more blood goin to the muscle, and this blood is packed w/ anabolic nutrients.
Increased insulin concentrations - glucose, amino acids, creatine in blood are more readily taken up into the muscle.
MY CONCLUSION FOR A WORKOUT SHAKE
The drink is so dilute and you take a few sips between sets. How much blood flow can you actually displace to your GI tract? These nutrients are so dilute and easily digestible, they literally drop right into your bloodstream. Ever notice how the end of your workouts suck? You can't lift as heavy, you find it harder to maintain concentration. That is due to decreased blood glucose levels which leads to central fatigue. You can't lift as heavy b/c ur muscles are already depleted of glycogen. My muscles are never that fatigued, and my workouts are 100% intense from start to finish, thanks to the WO shake. I can maintain my focus for 1.5hrs every workout. My pumps are insane, I feel the increased blood flow to my muscles. Here's some common sense for you. Let's say you do chest and back. You bench press, incline bench, dips, then do wide grip chins, rows, etc. Then you drink ur PWO shake. Y wait til the end of da workout to replenish ur muscles and begin da recovery process? Y does ur chest have to wait 30min for u to finish ur back exercises before it gets some nutrients? Dont rely on just the insulin effect, utilize the "Pump" effect. You've got major blood flow to the muscle as ur exercising, take advantage of that to feed ur muscles maximum nutrients.
Edit: "Wouldnt u wanna save the insulin spike for PWO?" A question I get alot regarding the WO shake. My answer, "Why? Why only spike insulin PWO?" You wanna spike insulin wen ur muscles are most damaged (microscopic tears) which would be right after da SET, not 30-45 mins later wen u finish ur ENTIRE workout. You wanna spike insulin to get max anabolic nutrients into that damaged muscle to begin the healing process right away, not 30-45 min later. There is no golden rule regarding saving insulin for PWO. If there is, I am here to change that.
With this info, you can do two things. You can either be ignorant and dismiss it. Or you can be open-minded and try it out for urself. There are many skeptics and critics of the WO shake, but in my opinion, nothing defeats evidence and real world feedback. Try it before you criticize me.
This entry is paraphrased from Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D., President of Science Link
www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/precision.htm (http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/precision.htm)
This man is a Godsend. A PhD in Kinesiology with specialization in Exercise and Nutritional Biochemistry. He was a competitive powerlifter (squat 650, deadlift 600, bench 430, while weighing 185). He was a track&field and rugby star. And even better, this BODYBUILDER placed FIRST PLACE at the 1995 Mr. Junior USA.
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