Peri-Workout Nutrition

Where’s the fun in that?

I don’t know how anyone can drink all this stuff before and during a workout, at least a deadlift and/or squat workout. I have to focus on not crapping my pants on my work sets without all that stuff in my stomach.

[quote]GraniteJack wrote:
People often overstate (and understate) the importance of peri-workout nutrition. Some of the biggest, strongest people ever to live got that way by eating big and clean, and putting in time under the bar. I doubt Arnold, Bill Kazmeier or Lou Ferrigno stressed out about how much Leucine they consumed pre-workout.

And the “smarter” we get with workout nutrition, the more it seems to take priority over the basics: Eat, lift, sleep, repeat. Once you’ve mastered those key points, feel free to spend 100+ dollars on fancy supplements.

But I am not saying that peri-workout nutrition isn’t important. But nine times out of ten the kid asking me “what I take” is putting the cart before the horse. I “take” 250 grams of protein per day, fish oil, a multivitamin, and Jim Wendler’s Boring But Big GVT program. That’s what I take.

The peri-workout frenzy is driven in large part by the supplement industry and their desire to sell products. I respect their ingenuity and business-savvy. But a lifter who stresses out about how much Leucine he should take is missing the forest for the trees IMO…[/quote]

Thanks very much for the levelled response (and to the others who have positively commented). I appreciate what you are saying about lifting being the most important thing and seeing the wood for the trees etc.

But, taking a workout shake is part of the ‘ritual’ for me. I might as well try to inform myself and ensure that whatever I am doing makes maximal improvement. Afterall, you are either improving or declining … there is no middle ground.

As for some of the people who have taken a negative view of my request for information; this website is intimately linked with a company specialising in workout nutrition. Most of the contributors have written numerous articles outlining the importance of adequate workout nutrition nutrition. Why wouldn’t someone want to take every advantage?

As for Arnold and others not bothering about workout nutrition. Arnold last won Mr Olympia in 1980. A quick google scholar seach for ‘Workout Nutrition’ highlights that there are over 16000 articles written since 1980. All I am trying to do is to understand how to optimise all of my workout related ‘stuff’.

Thanks again to all for the informative responses.

[quote]daniel4738 wrote:

As for Arnold and others not bothering about workout nutrition. Arnold last won Mr Olympia in 1980. A quick google scholar seach for ‘Workout Nutrition’ highlights that there are over 16000 articles written since 1980. All I am trying to do is to understand how to optimise all of my workout related ‘stuff’.

[/quote]

Since the 1980s Billions have been spent, any of the athletes really any better than Arnold?

[quote]Rednose wrote:

[quote]daniel4738 wrote:

As for Arnold and others not bothering about workout nutrition. Arnold last won Mr Olympia in 1980. A quick google scholar seach for ‘Workout Nutrition’ highlights that there are over 16000 articles written since 1980. All I am trying to do is to understand how to optimise all of my workout related ‘stuff’.

[/quote]

Since the 1980s Billions have been spent, any of the athletes really any better than Arnold? [/quote]

I’ve thought a lot about this very thing. With all of the “advances” in training, supplements, nutrition, etc… the natural trainee is still pretty much where he was 30+ years ago. The main difference in the size of pro’s is the drugs. Hell, even with that most of the raw strength records are still relatively intact from yesteryear. Coming to this conclusion led me to drop all sups and focus on quality food and I’m making the best progress I’ve made in years.

Maybe Arnold and the rest of the elite bodybuilders wouldn’t bat an eye (according to a few people in this thread) to peri workout nutrition because they were blasting 1g of test per week?

It is childish of you to think “if Arnie didn’t use it to get big, I don’t need it either”. Please, you’re making it easy for us to talk shit about you.
I think it was Dan Duchaine that once said that people are silly to expect a supplement to deliver the same result as a drug – and kudos to the supplement industry for fooling everyone into actually believing it.

These guys from the 80s-90s had very different nutrition plans than the average gym goer but all shared the same procedure - steroids.
Run a blast cycle and tell us later if you still think you NEED to have carbs intra training.

Regardless, for us, mortals, peri workout nutrition is a big thing and should be used in one’s favor. Check your ego at the door before talking down about useful stuff.

[quote]Brant2 wrote:
Maybe Arnold and the rest of the elite bodybuilders wouldn’t bat an eye (according to a few people in this thread) to peri workout nutrition because they were blasting 1g of test per week?

It is childish of you to think “if Arnie didn’t use it to get big, I don’t need it either”. Please, you’re making it easy for us to talk shit about you.
I think it was Dan Duchaine that once said that people are silly to expect a supplement to deliver the same result as a drug – and kudos to the supplement industry for fooling everyone into actually believing it.

These guys from the 80s-90s had very different nutrition plans than the average gym goer but all shared the same procedure - steroids.
Run a blast cycle and tell us later if you still think you NEED to have carbs intra training.

Regardless, for us, mortals, peri workout nutrition is a big thing and should be used in one’s favor. Check your ego at the door before talking down about useful stuff.[/quote]

Just so Mr. Duchaine is properly quoted:
“Steroids are drugs; supplements are food. Food doesn’t act like drugs. Drugs act like drugs.”

[quote]Brant2 wrote:
Regardless, for us, mortals, peri workout nutrition is a big thing and should be used in one’s favor. Check your ego at the door before talking down about useful stuff.[/quote]

While I agree that if it has been shown to help with strength/muscle gains it is worth considering, but is it really a big thing or is it just a minor thing that you should only really worry about if you are already doing the basics correctly?

Black coffee before workouts, protein shake with creatine after. I’m so revolutionary!

Eventually I may try to formulate my own version of Plazma since I hear nothing but good things about it, but that’s a side project for another time.