Some of the most effective when it comes to body building are creatine supplements, but more specifically creatine monohydrate. We are going to discuss here how creatine supplements can work for you and how to use them most effectively in your strength sport.
Creatine supplements have a number of benefits including enhancement of the anaerobic capacity of muscles and providing instant energy to the body. Muscle strength is greatly increased making the muscle suitable for high-intensity, short interval exertion like weight lifting or sprinting, also improving body building gains.
Muscle Building Supplements
Creatine Supplements combined with other muscle building supplements have also been found to delay fatigue drastically while speeding up the rate of muscle recovery following intense exercise. In post-surgical patients, creatine supplements reduce muscle wasting while promoting lean muscle mass.
Research has also shown creatine supplements to help heart patients by enhancing their exercise capacity, diminishing heart spasms and as a result increasing heart function. Generally, creatine supplements are taken by athletes who require intense bursts of energy for body building or sprinting
There are countless arguments over whether creatine monohydrate and other muscle building supplements are good for building building however creatine is a type of organic acid and is produced naturally in the body. Creatine plays a crucial role in supplying vital energy for explosive muscle contraction during short bursts of motion as in a set of squats or presses or sprints.
Numerous studies have been completed on the effectiveness of creatine indicating that anaerobic performance of the muscle is greatly increased, improving results. Additionally it has been noted that creatine supplements combined with protein supplements help draw water up into muscle cells. As a result the muscle looks larger and more pumped with the use of creatine supplements which let’s face it, is the aim of body building!
Below are some tips on how to take creatine for body building. If you follow these tips you will find you get much better results and better value for money from your fitness supplements and creatine supplements.
Remember, creatine supplements should be taken in addtion to other fitness supplements such as lean protein to get the greatest strength and body building gains.
- Starting with a loading dose is essential. When loading with creatine supplements, the dose can be anywhere between 12 grams to 20 grams, depending on your weight and the intensity of your workouts. Essentially, the bigger you are and the more intense your workouts the greater your dose will need to be.
- Your loading dose needs to be divided through out the day. This means you would take creatine supplements 3-4 times a day in small doses along side your other fitness supplements to create the sum total of your loading does.
- Continue your body building workout with your loading dose of creatine for a minimum of 5 days
- The maintenance phase begins after you have completed your minimum 5 day loading dose period. As with the loading dose, your maintenance dose will depend on your weight and body building workout intensity. You will need to take around 5 to 12 grams of creatine supplements per day
- As per the loading dose, your maintenance dose should also be divided so you take it 3 to 4 times per day with protein supplements
- Creatine should be taken straight after your body building workouts in combination with other fitness supplements; this will aid quicker muscle repair.
- Drink loads of WATER. Hydration is crucial when using creatine supplements and body building.
- Use the loading dose, maintenance dose program as described above for 1-3 months; you will start to see the huge effects of money well spent on creatine supplements and other muscle building supplements
- Only use the quality fitness supplements and creatine monohydrate for body building. (make sure creatine supplements are made from creatine monohydrate)
Remember you won’t get the gains from any fitness supplements (including creatine) without a great nutrition and body building program. Check out other recommended body building and fitness supplements here to use in addition to creatine supplements