T Nation

Surge/Shake During Training

#1

Just looking for some anecdotal updates...

Yesterday at work (a sports nutrition store) I was chastised by a co-worker for suggesting to a customer that mixing a weak soloution of half a serving of weight gainer in water and sipping it during a workout is an option he might explore. My co-worker offered the "Eating during a workout will divert blood to the stomach and away from the muscles" argument. I countered that we were talking about a watery shake with protein, simple carbs and creatine-not a steak.

But, perhaps my thinking is outdated-I read the articles here on using a half serving of Surge during a workout at least five years ago, the science may have changed. Personally I enjoyed the Surge during training, and I think it was a part of some recommendations set out by Dr. Berardi as well as Coaches Thibs and Waterbury. This was of course before the Biotest BCAAs were available but there you go.

Does anyone still follow this protocol?

#2

I will never workout again without having a whey + powdered gatorade (+creatine, etc) drink during my workout. Probably not as scientifically sound as Surge would be but I like it. Drink half of it by the time I finish my first exercise and finish the rest by the time my last set of the day comes around.

#3

I’ve just begun experimenting with the protocol that CT has been discussing in his forum. Before this I used Surge Workout Fuel during training and Surge Recovery afterward. Definitely a couple of steps up from Gatorade and WPI.

As for consuming protein during training, most will not be digested until after training unless you are using a hydrolysate like used in Surge. Good hydrolysates are digested during training because they are mainly small chain peptide and free form amino acids.

#4

[quote]Winger11 wrote:
Just looking for some anecdotal updates…

Yesterday at work (a sports nutrition store) I was chastised by a co-worker for suggesting to a customer that mixing a weak soloution of half a serving of weight gainer in water and sipping it during a workout is an option he might explore. My co-worker offered the “Eating during a workout will divert blood to the stomach and away from the muscles” argument. I countered that we were talking about a watery shake with protein, simple carbs and creatine-not a steak.

But, perhaps my thinking is outdated-I read the articles here on using a half serving of Surge during a workout at least five years ago, the science may have changed. Personally I enjoyed the Surge during training, and I think it was a part of some recommendations set out by Dr. Berardi as well as Coaches Thibs and Waterbury. This was of course before the Biotest BCAAs were available but there you go.

Does anyone still follow this protocol?[/quote]

If you want to know more about peri-workout nutrition, read Nutrient Timing by Dr. Ivy and Dr. Portman. It came out in 2004, but the information is still very much valid as in there is no new research to completely invalidate the work. The book is written mostly in laymen’s terms and is a bit oversimplistic but worth a read. To answer your question, though, yes half a serving of Surge Recovery before/during a workout is ideal. I personally drink half a serving 15 minutes before working out and sip the other half during the workout. After working out, I drink another full serving of Surge. I have been doing this for a while now and have notinced decent results.

#5

[quote]HK24719 wrote:
I’ve just begun experimenting with the protocol that CT has been discussing in his forum. Before this I used Surge Workout Fuel during training and Surge Recovery afterward. Definitely a couple of steps up from Gatorade and WPI.

As for consuming protein during training, most will not be digested until after training unless you are using a hydrolysate like used in Surge. Good hydrolysates are digested during training because they are mainly small chain peptide and free form amino acids.[/quote]

I agree with this. I don’t drink my concoction for any workout benefits besides the pump that comes from the simple carbs. I like the idea of drinking whey during my WO so it’s in my system right away once my workout is finished. The PWO shake just adds to it. For me this is just another way to get more calories into my day. Definitely not a magic trick by any stretch.

For its price SWOF sure as hell better provide more results compared to gatorade+protein.

#6

Thanks for the input gents.

I found the during the workout shake (old school NLarge at first, Surge Recovery when I got a real job) also kept away the real and imagined empty stomach/hunger stimulus during some longer sessions-a Sheiko session for example or a 2-3hr MMA training session. Perhaps a bit more of a mental thing I suppose…

#7

[quote]Winger11 wrote:
“Eating during a workout will divert blood to the stomach and away from the muscles” [/quote]

Divert blood to the stomach from the muscles?! What the hell does that even mean? LOL. WTF?

#8

[quote]tw0scoops2 wrote:
Winger11 wrote:
“Eating during a workout will divert blood to the stomach and away from the muscles”

Divert blood to the stomach from the muscles?! What the hell does that even mean? LOL. WTF?

[/quote]

Blood flow to the stomach is typically reduced during physical activity. The higher the intensity, the greater this effect is though to be.

Having a “significant” amount of food in one’s stomach causes a conflict where blood that would normally be diverted to the active musculature is required to digest said food.

The quantity of food necessary to cause this seems to vary widely between individuals.

#9

Surge Recovery has a tendency to settle in my stomach, making me feel heavy, and thirsty. Surge Workout is better in that sense, since it sits a lot lighter in your stomach. I’m playing around with various ways of ingesting the Surge Recovery close to the workouts. I’m also thinking of checking out some of those newer, faster-absorbing carbs, since I think that “settling” effect I feel could be from the carbs.