Kampframmer wrote:
pirana6 wrote:
Anybody have any experience with creatine? My friend uses it and says it's the bees knees and is trying to get me into it but I'm not sure cause I've heard bad things. I strictly use protein powder but am reading up on creatine and if it seems okay I might give it a go.
I know a guy that uses it and he's made incredible gains because of it. It helps you take in protein faster/better and regenerates your muscles faster. Thus it will allow you to lift (a little bit more) more and you don't need to rest as long between workouts.
But I heard it makes your muscles retain water making you look bigger, but also more bloated. And once you stop using it you'll lose this water-weight. I'm not sure about this though as I don't know anybody that has stopped using it.
But i sort of assumed that if it helps you take in protein better/faster it would improve your gains(by protein intake) even if you would lose the water weight. So i don't think you'll lose all the weight it helped you gain.
But I don't have any experience with it, so I'm not 100% sure on all of this.
It doesn't let you take in protein faster or better.
It allows faster intake of oxygen to the muscles and allows for a larger amount of water to be kept by the muscles, thus increasing muscle mass.
It is the only medically proven supplement to actually enhance gains without using steroids/testosterone.
Creatine does not increase recovery.
Once you stop using you will not lose the water weight, as that water weight is converted into muscle mass when doing the exercise. Creatine instake MUST be broken off for 1-2 weeks after a 1-2 month use phase.
There are two ways of using it: Loading phase - In which you take 20 grams each day for 7 days, and then 3-5 grams for 1-3 months afterwards. The loading phase saturates your muscles so you get used to the creatine. The other method is taking 3-7 grams for 1-2 months with no loading phase. Each way works well, it depends on your body.
You should not (by medical and sports advice) take more than 5g a day unless you're huge.
There are some studies that showed (very recent, not published - I'm friends with a few sports doctors) a side effect of slightly smaller balls, but it is unproven in the long term. Side effects are minimal due to it being a natural chemical in your body.
It improves your power/size/strength by about 5-15%. It doesn't work with everyone though.
I've done it, differences are noticeable. I'm off it for now as I need to get back up to fully fit shape before I start properly again.
There are no kidney problems related to it, after a lot of research and studies.
RDMC:
You should NEVER do cardio before weight. EVER. It tires your muscles out. You might as well not do the weights if you're doing cardio beforehand, it's pretty pointless. Only do it afterwards.
Sounds like you've torn a few fibers in your chest. I had that for a while. Rest up, don't do chest exercises for a few weeks and come back to it. Do not work through the pain. Done it before and all it does is make it worse.
