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Creatine Tips
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Article care of Don Lemmon
One of the biggest things among fitness and bodybuilders for many years now
has been the use of creatine monohydrate. I have used it and seen some
dramatic results from using this product. I have read the literature, heard the
claims, and even tried the various versions of it.
Anyway, I know this product works and I am actually pretty excited about it
now. But bodybuilders from all over the place have been claiming great results
in the form of energy, stronger muscle, and size increases. They can't all be
wrong.
You probably already know what creatine is. It's a natural chemical; a
metabolite found in your muscles. It is used for high stress muscle movement,
e.g. exercise. It is made internally through the synthesis of arginine, glycine
and methonine, but the more you consume, the more you store in your muscle
and along with it comes carbohydrate and water. Thus, more muscle.
The fuel for actual muscle contraction comes from a substance called
Adenosine Tri Phosphate (ATP for short). Energy comes from the release of
one of the three (tri) phosphates, which then becomes Adenosine Di Phosphate
(ADP, two -di- not three -tri-). This shortens both thick and thin actomyosin
filaments and contracts the muscle. Can you kind of see this process when
lifting a weight?
Well, think about when become fatigued too. It's because the amount of
available ATP is limited. The body only makes so much of it. That's where
creatine becomes useful. Creatine releases its own "phosphate" and bonds it
with the ADP, recreating ATP. The new ATP begins to provide energy again and
makes the next reps possible. That's why it works and where the gains come
from. More weight, more reps. It's almost like a kick start.
Let's not neglect food though, friends. I will, in a moment, teach you how to use
this supplement, but be aware: you need food and food sources in order for the
body to recognize the supplement form. It's that simple. And if you received
benefits before and ate poorly, try eating right. Man, oh man, you will LOVE the
new results. Eat red meat. Eat lean meat but eat red meat if you want real
results. Consuming red meat again and cycle supplementing creatine will raise
your natural muscle tissue levels of creatine 25 to an incredible 33% higher
than normal. So take heed here.
Many experts and critics will have other opinions of how to implement this
product, but here are my suggestions. Let's get down to business!
For the next seven days of your life, I want you begin "loading" up on creatine.
You need 15 grams for every 100 pounds of lean muscle mass you carry. So, if
you weigh 200 pounds and have 180 pounds of lean mass (you have 10% body
fat obviously) you will consume 27 grams of creatine daily during your loading
phase. Don't freak out if you add a few pounds and maybe even 10 or more
during the next 7 days.
Creatine Tip # 1 - Never let your creatine sit in liquid for more than a few minutes
MAXIMUM. Drink it as soon as you stir it and don't let it settle to the bottom of
the glass or around the sides. Think VOLUME.
Creatine Tip # 2. - Drink your servings 30 minutes before and again 2 hours after
your meals and immediately following a workout. Schedule your day
accordingly, beginning after your first meal unless you exercise upon
awakening. You do not want your stomach acids from food digestion to destroy
your creatine and limit absorption. This includes supplements. Do not take this
with any other supplements.
Creatine Tip # 3: - Do not, for any, reason HEAT your creatine. Creatine should be
drunk in seven servings throughout the day with TABLE SUGAR in ICE
WATER. Keep a jug of frozen water available and pour 8 oz out at a time to
prepare your creatine in. How much sugar do you use? Take your lean mass,
divide it by two, then divide that by 7 and that's how many grams of sugar you
need. At 180 pounds that would be 180 divided by 2 = 90 divided by 7 = about
13 grams. Don't use fruit juice as it limits the necessary insulin response.
Divide your creatine accurately by seven as well. I believe each company out
there uses 5 gram measuring scoops. Be scientific if you want scientific
results.
If you haven't experienced the desired results of strength and muscle increase
at the end of the 7th day, continue this process for three more days. But stop
there and continue on to the maintenance phase as you may be well loaded
prior to beginning this program and not even realize it. The only way to know is
to do it, and unless you've done it like this, you can't be certain. Let's continue.
Maintenance lasts 31 days or a full calendar month. How much creatine do you
use? Find your new lean muscle mass level. If, for example, it is now 190 (no
matter what it is, follow these mathematics) take your lean mass and divide it
by 40. 190 divided by 40 is just about 5 grams (4.75). You will take this mid
morning. On workout days, take another serving directly AFTER the session.
Take all servings on an empty stomach. If you workout everyday, mind you, I
will tell you that you will or are over training and I base my recommendations on
the assumption you workout just three days a week. So if you workout more
often than this, please, do yourself a favor. Only have a second serving of
creatine EVERY OTHER DAY. Too much will shut your insides down and
natural production will stop. Sure, this is a natural supplement, but it is also
forcing unnatural biochemical processes to occur and we must be careful. I
have seen some good results by splitting the one daily serving into two servings
(half and half) as well. Experiment and you decide.
Here's a new one. Most companies neglect to tell you this because all they
want for you to buy more and more creatine, but you MUST "unload" of it at the
end of 31 days or a full month of maintaining your intake.
You began your program either 31 + 7 days or 31 + 10 days ago. For the
remainder of a full two-month period, I want you to ingest a bit less than you
have been taking. But check your lean mass again. Say it is now 200 pounds.
Divide it by 80 and that is 2.5. That's two and a half grams once a day for the
remainder of the two-month cycle. You may witness a loss in muscle strength
and size by tiny measures; only you will notice, BUT your natural creatine
levels will be MUCH higher than any time before in your life. Besides, you're
eating right these days and separating your foods accordingly aren't you?
Here's where we get more creative with creatine. On day one of the new cycle
(after ending the two month phase), YOU MUST MAKE A DECISION. Have you
met your goals following this creatine plan, Don Lemmon's Know How food
separation and the weight training advice? IF SO, then you will do this: Twice a
week, take a dose of creatine after your hardest two workouts. That's right.
Because if you are eating well, training tough and maintaining, that's all you
need. TRUST ME, ok? BUT --
If you have NOT reached your goals (and don't talk Dorian Yates to me), only,
ONLY if you take a month long sabbatical from training and nutrition should you
do the all out "loading" phase more than twice a year, so here is what you
do....Divide your lean mass by 40 again and take a serving split into 2 halves
daily but add another full serving directly following each leg and upper back
workout. That is all. Follow this cycle for 30 days then for another half a month.
Do not use creatine after your workouts.
At the end of your 8th month, I personally would discontinue all creatine for 30
days and begin another loading cycle. But that's me. And I certainly am not into
twisting people's arms.
WATER - Drink this much: 1 1/2 ounces per pound of lean body mass daily,
PERIOD. Drink it ice-cold as much as possible, ESPECIALLY when drinking
creatine. Have a glass upon awakening, with your creatine, 15 minutes following
a meal (only half as much with the meal as not to dilute digestive fluids),
before/after/during workouts, before bed, upon awakening in the middle of the
night and between meals. You do the math here. Drink or you will FAIL.
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