Q1 - Hi Lee, I was looking at creatine the other day and saw that the powder options seemed to be thought of as being much better, was just wondering what you thought? And what's the optimal amount of creatine you should take and does it depend on your weight/natural tolerance? And how long before training should you take it?
A1 – If we're talking about creatine as a stand alone product then it really doesn't make any difference, for example creatine monohydrate capsules are exactly the same as pure creatine monohydrate in powder form. If however you mean products which feature creatine along with a tonne of other ingredients (usually glucose as a delivery system) then that's a whole different kettle of fish. In my opinion these high sugar products which claim to enhance creatine absorption through a glucose induced insulin spike aren't all they're cracked up to be. Insulin is the most anabolic hormone, however the word anabolic simply means “to build up” and this, unfortunately can refer to fat as well as muscle tissue. In my opinion a huge insulin spike isn't needed to drive creatine into muscle cells, however there are a few products which I think have nailed this on the head. Products which cause a small insulin spike adequate for driving creatine into the muscle cells without causing fat gain do now exist, the ones I know about and personally recommend are; Gaspari's Size On – Precontest, Species Nutrition's Crealyze and BodybuildingWarehouse's own brand creatinegluconate. As for directions just go by what it says on the tub, every product is slightly different.
Q2 – Lee, I’ve always wondered is there any benefit to taking amino acid supplements?
A2 – This is actually a question which I'm hoping to get Ed to shed some light on, as this is more along the lines of his expertise. I will however say this, in my opinion amino acid supplementation is the future for the sports supplement industry. It is an area which interests me personally and area which is largely untapped by all but a few innovative companies. I personally use bcaa's (branch chained amino acids) immediately post workout and have found them to be as good if not better than whey in aiding recovery.
Q3 -Does doing a cardio session of swimming the day after a chest workout effect your recovery of your chest workout?
A3 – I actually used to like doing it after a chest workout, I'd finish my workout have my post workout supplementation then head into the pool for some laps. Breast stroke in particular I found to have a positive effect on my chest recovery, I'm not entirely sure why but it could be due to stretching the muscle through a different plane of motion.
Q4 – I have a full time job which mainly involves sitting at a desk all day, over the past few years I've gained a couple of pounds and I think it's mainly because I'm a lot less active these days. I was wondering what kind of exercise you recommend for weight loss, as well as duration etc?
A4 – Low intensity cardio is the best for burning fat, no question about it. High intensity cardio such as sprinting depletes glycogen and possibly inhibits muscle growth. By low intensity I mean either walking or jogging at a slow pace, cycling (at a slow pace), step mill. I'd recommend doing at least twenty minutes per session, and about an hour at most. The best time to do it is either on an empty stomach or having just had a whey protein or bcaa's supplement.
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