Creatine monoydrate supplementation safe for athletes
August 30, 2010 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Recently there were some student athletes in Oregon due to rhabdomyolysis (i.e., a rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle due to injury that typically presents with marked elevations in the enzyme creatine kinase [CK] in the blood). It is well known that excessive exercise in hot and humid environments can promote dehydration, muscle breakdown, and result in marked elevations in muscle CK levels. In severe instances, this may lead to exertional rhabdomyolysis particularly in athletes who have been engaged in intense exercise in hot and humid environments for several days and who become chronically dehydrated. The athletes were not allowed to drink during workouts and the temperatures got as high as 115-120 degrees F.
Of course, the media was quick to jump on the finger-pointing wagon and say that investigators are looking into whether creatine was linked to the incident eve though the athletes stated they were not using this supplement. In addition, creatine is very safe and has not been scientifically indicated to cause dehydration, cramping or other muscle injuries.
Below is a positional statement from the International Society of Sports Nutrition complete article published in the JISSN here:
1. Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.
2. Creatine monohydrate supplementation is not only safe, but possibly beneficial in regard to preventing injury and/or management of select medical conditions when taken within recommended guidelines.
3. There is no scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals.
4. If proper precautions and supervision are provided, supplementation in young athletes is acceptable and may provide a nutritional alternative to potentially dangerous anabolic drugs.
5. At present, creatine monohydrate is the most extensively studied and clinically effective form of creatine for use in nutritional supplements in terms of muscle uptake and ability to increase high-intensity exercise capacity.
6. Creatine monohydrate has been reported to have a number of potentially beneficial uses in several clinical populations, and further research is warranted in these areas.
Again, as always, we look to science and published studies for results verses “gym lore” and clever marketing schemes. Creatine has been extensively studied since the early 1990s and no negative health side effects have been reported. Exercising in extreme heat without fluid? Now that’s a different story.
-Ryan Irwin
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515-331-2141
Nutri-Sport training tip: Recovery or “deloading”
August 24, 2010 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Getting one’s self into top physical conditioning, whether it’s onstage in a physique competition such as bodybuilding or figure, completing a triathlon or lifting a small house in a powerlifting meet, you train for weeks and months to get yourself into peak form to be at your absolute best you can be for that event.
Video of Ryan Irwin deadlifting at the recent Iowa State Fair powerlifting meet
You rocked the event, do the victory dance and enjoy the moment, now what???
While it’s usually no surprise the amount of work required to get there and the dedication needed, one should (needs to) plan and consider the recover or “deload” period after such an event. To progress, taper and peak then just drop back the intensity or diet overnight is a mistake.
Take a physique (bodybuilding or figure) competition for example. Besides the rigorous lifting and cardio sessions that take place, these athletes are on a very restricted diets for weeks at a time. After they enjoy a post contest victory meal, it is crucial to get back on their meal plan and do what I term “reverse dieting” to get their body back to normal. When I work with clients, I warn them that this is the hardest part of the program, as only your will power (verses getting onstage) keeps you focused. However by doing so, your metabolism speeds up and you stay leaner in the process. A much better health scenario, plus makes getting ready for the next contest that much easier!
Likewise for training. While 2-3 days off isn’t a bad idea, taking an extended time off of training is also a mistake. After pushing yourself physically extremely hard then just becoming a couch potato, you can quickly lose progress and motivation. Get back to training, but only go at 50% to allow the body to heal and recover. This keeps your metabolism running high, helps the body heal by pumping blood into the muscles and joints, plus keeps you in good habits.
So next time you peak for a competition, start planning your recovery phase for after the event. Your body will thank you for it and you will be that much ahead of the game for the next one!
For more information on how we can help you not only peak for your event but also plan an appropriate recovery plan, contact us today!
Ryan Irwin
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515-331-2141
Reverse diet -harder than the regular thing?
August 14, 2010 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
It’s been just over one month since my last bodybuilding contest. Since that time I have been following what I like to call a “reverse diet”. After restricting nutrients and increasing cardio progressively for 15 weeks to achieve a bodyfat of 3.9%, one cannot quickly shift gears and go on a normal “full feed” overnight. This would lead to a very quick and efficient accumulation of bodyfat, which not only is undesirable, but will make getting ready for the next physique competition that much more difficult.
My goal is to compete in the IFPA Yorton Cup in November of 2011. This is one of the top professional natural bodybuilding contests in the world and I will need to bring my best package to date. In order to accomplish this, I am focusing on progressively increasing my muscle mass while controlling my bodyfat. This is where the reverse diet comes into play. I continue to follow a structured eating plan, however each week I slowly increase my intake to allow for my metabolism to increase, but still foster muscle and strength gains. For me, a 1/2 pound gain each week is the goal. While this sounds great, both myself and my clients will testify that this is more difficult than the actual precontest diet. The reason is simply that you only have a long-term goal to aim for and your self-discipline to keep from eating all the foods you shouldn’t (or overeating the good ones too).
So far my progress is going great. My bodyfat as of yesterday is 5.8% and I have gained 3.5lbs over my contest weight. Strength has continued to climb and I, along with the rest of Team Nutri-Sport, will be lifting at the Iowa State Fair Powerlifting meet next Sat. If you are interested in watching, it’s at the ABC/Budweiser stage on the 21st from 10-3.
I will continue to update with my progress as I continue my journey back to the pro natural bodybuilding stage. If you are interested in getting into the best possible condition (either just to get into shape or get onto stage) we can not only help get you there but also the critical adjustment period afterward to get to a maintainable condition.
Below is a video of guest posing at the NANBF ProBody Championships in July.
Keep training hard!
Ryan
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
515-331-2141
www.nutrisportfpt.com
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training Video Tip: Isolation lateral raises
August 3, 2010 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Shoulders are an important muscle group. Being the most unstable joint in the body, having strong and stable shoulders are critical for not only sport performance but also for just general health and longevity.
In this video, David demonstrates a great exercise that shows a variation of the common lateral raise. If you go to any gym, often times you will see some very ugly form and the people are working everything BUT there shoulders.
Give this variation a try on your next shoulder workout. For more information on personal training, classes, supplements, training and nutrition tips, visit our website or swing into Nutri-Sport to talk to one of the experts there.
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
